Stand

Abstract

To provide a frame that makes a shower device for cleaning the inside of a storage in a kitchen appliance inconspicuous to improve its appearance, and also prevents the shower device from being broken.SOLUTION: A frame 40 is installed under a kitchen appliance 10, which has a storage 12 for storing items to be stored within a housing 11, and comprises: a casing 41 installed under the kitchen appliance 10; and a shower device 50 having a water supply hose 51 and a nozzle 52 in the casing 41 for cleaning the inside of the storage 12, where a takeout port 43a for the nozzle 52 is provided on a front surface of the casing 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pedestal that can be installed below a kitchen appliance having a storage cabinet for storing items to be stored inside a housing.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a cooking appliance that cooks food by hot air. This cooking appliance includes a cooking cabinet for cooking food inside a housing, and a heater and a convection fan are provided inside the cooking cabinet. Further, a steam generator for supplying steam into the cooking cabinet is provided inside the housing. This cooking appliance includes a control device that controls the operation of the heater, the convection fan, and the steam generator, and the control device includes a cooking program for cooking the food inside the cooking cabinet. In this cooking appliance, when a cooking program for cooking food by hot air containing steam is executed, the air inside the cooking cabinet becomes hot air and convects by the operation of the heater and the convection fan, and steam is supplied to the convecting hot air by the operation of the steam generator, and the food stored inside the cooking cabinet is cooked by the hot air containing steam.

[0003] In this cooking appliance, when a cooking program is executed to cook food inside the cooking cabinet, the inside of the cooking cabinet will be soiled by the adhesion of oil and the like scattered from the food. For this reason, a shower device for cleaning the inside of the cooking cabinet is provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the housing of this cooking appliance, and the shower device includes a water supply hose provided outside the housing and a shower nozzle provided at the tip of the water supply hose. When cleaning the cooking cabinet after cooking, the water supply hose can be extended and the shower nozzle can be inserted into the cooking cabinet, and the inside of the cooking cabinet can be cleaned with the water ejected from the shower nozzle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] In the heating cooker (kitchen equipment) described in Patent Document 1, a water supply hose and shower nozzle (nozzle) constituting a shower device are provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the housing. When cleaning the cooking chamber (container) after heating, the water supply hose can be extended and the shower nozzle inserted into the cooking chamber, allowing the inside of the cooking chamber to be cleaned with water sprayed from the shower nozzle. However, when the water supply hose and shower nozzle constituting the shower device are positioned on the outer surface of the side wall of the housing, not only is the appearance of the heating cooker unsightly, but there is also a risk that the water supply hose and shower nozzle may come into contact with and damage other equipment adjacent to the heating cooker. The present invention aims to improve the appearance of a kitchen equipment by making the shower device for cleaning the inside of the containment less conspicuous, and to make the shower device less prone to damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a stand characterized by comprising a casing that can be installed on the underside of kitchen equipment having a storage compartment for storing items within its housing, and a shower device having a water supply hose and nozzle for cleaning the inside of the storage compartment within the casing, with a nozzle outlet provided on the front of the casing.

[0007] The frame configured as described above includes a casing that can be installed on the underside of kitchen equipment having a storage compartment for storing items within its housing, and a shower device with a water supply hose and nozzle for cleaning the inside of the storage compartment, with a nozzle outlet provided on the front of the casing. When the storage compartment is not being cleaned, the shower device is stored inside the casing, so as not to detract from the appearance of the kitchen equipment and so as not to come into contact with other equipment adjacent to the kitchen equipment, the shower device is less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, when cleaning the storage compartment, the water supply hose can be pulled out from the outlet and the nozzle pulled out into the storage compartment, allowing the inside of the storage compartment to be easily cleaned with water sprayed from the nozzle.

[0008] In the frame configured as described above, it is preferable that the casing has a casing body with an open front and a box-shaped front panel into which the front of the casing body is fitted and which opens at the rear.Casings on which kitchen equipment is installed above tend to accumulate dirt on the front of the top surface, and if there is a joint between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing, dirt tends to remain at this joint.In contrast, by attaching a box-shaped front panel that opens at the rear to the front of the casing body with an open front, the joint between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall can be eliminated, and dirt can not be accumulated between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall.In addition, although there is a risk of dirt from kitchen equipment adhering to the front of the top surface of the casing, it is possible to easily remove the dirt that has adhered to the front of the top surface of the casing, and the cleanability of the casing can be improved.

[0009] In the frame configured as described above, the box-shaped front panel has the nozzle outlet positioned on one side in the left-right direction, and it is preferable that the box-shaped front panel has a vertically symmetrical shape. In this case, the left-right position of the nozzle outlet can be changed by rotating the box-shaped front panel 180° around the horizontal axis, and the left-right position of the nozzle outlet can be changed without increasing the number of parts.

[0010] In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment is provided with legs that separate the bottom surface of the housing from the top surface of the casing, and it is preferable to provide an upper shielding plate that extends upward from the front of the top surface of the casing. When this is done, dust and other dirt are less likely to enter the top surface of the casing behind the upper shielding plate, and the top surface of the casing can be kept clean.

[0011] In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment is a cooking appliance that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food with hot air as a storage area. Preferably, the casing is provided with a tray storage section for holding trays of food in the cooking chamber, and a heater for heating the tray storage section. In this case, the trays placed in the cooking chamber can be preheated, and the temperature inside the cooking chamber will not drop easily due to the cold trays.

[0012] In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment is equipped with a power switch for supplying and cutting off electricity from an external power source, and an operating unit for operating the controllable parts located inside the housing. A water supply valve is interposed in the water supply pipeline, including the water supply hose, which supplies water to the nozzle, and it is preferable that the water supply valve can be opened and closed in response to the operation of the power switch or the operating unit. In this case, the water supply valve will be opened and closed in response to the operation of the power switch or the operating unit, which improves the operability of the shower device.

[0013] In the frame configured as described above, kitchen equipment is installed in two tiers, one above the other, and the frame can be installed below the kitchen equipment installed on the upper tier. The frame can be used as a frame for stacking kitchen equipment, and the shower device on one frame can be used to clean the storage compartments of the kitchen equipment on both the upper and lower tiers, thereby reducing costs compared to using a separate frame for each piece of kitchen equipment.

[0014] In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment installed on the lower side has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food with hot air as a storage area, and is a cooking appliance with an opening at the front of the cooking chamber that can be opened and closed by a door. Preferably, a lower shielding plate is provided at the front of the bottom surface of the casing that extends downward. When this is done, when the door of the cooking appliance installed on the lower side is opened and hot air containing moisture rises from the opening at the front of the cooking chamber, it becomes difficult for hot air containing moisture to flow behind the lower shielding plate on the lower surface of the casing, and the lower surface of the casing can be kept clean.

[0015] In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment installed on the lower side is a cooking appliance that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking with hot air as its housing, and it is preferable to have a cooling fan inside the casing. In this case, the temperature inside the casing may rise due to the heat from the cooking chamber, but the cooling fan can cool the inside of the casing, making it less likely for the water supply hose inside the casing to deteriorate due to the heat. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing a cooking appliance installed as kitchen equipment on the upper side of the stand of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cooking appliance with the door open. [Figure 3] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cooking appliance at its center in the front-to-back direction. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the heating appliance housing with the left panel removed, revealing the machine room on the left side. [Figure 5] This is a magnified cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing where the exhaust pipe protrudes from the top panel. [Figure 6] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 5, which shows another embodiment in which the shape of the packing has been changed. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled control panel. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing the first spacer sheet. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the second spacer sheet. [Figure 10] It is a rear view (a) of the left front panel of the housing provided with an operation panel, and a longitudinal sectional view (b) of the sealing portion. [Figure 11] It is a longitudinal sectional view corresponding to FIG. 10(b) of an embodiment in which the sealing portion has a protrusion shape. [Figure 12] It is a block diagram of a control device. [Figure 13] It is an exploded perspective view of a pedestal. [Figure 14] It is a partial sectional view when the pedestal and the front part of the cooking heater are cut longitudinally at the central part in the left - right direction. [Figure 15] It is a horizontal sectional view of the upper end part of the casing of the pedestal. [Figure 16] It is an exploded perspective view of the pedestal when the outlet is arranged at the right side part of the front surface of the casing. [Figure 17] It is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to FIG. 14 of an embodiment in which a tray storage part for storing a tray is formed inside the casing of the pedestal. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view when the pedestal is installed under the lower cooking heater when two cooking heaters are installed vertically. [Figure 19] It is a partial sectional view when the front part is cut longitudinally at the central part in the left - right direction when the pedestal is set between two - stage upper and lower cooking heaters. [Figure 20] It is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 14 of an embodiment in which a cooling fan is provided inside the casing of the pedestal.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Embodiments of the stand of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. The stand of the present invention is installed on the underside of kitchen equipment that has a storage compartment for storing items within its housing. Kitchen equipment using the stand of the present invention is used in kitchen equipment that requires cleaning of its storage compartments, such as heating appliances such as steam convection ovens, temperature and humidity control devices such as dough conditioners, ice makers, and rapid coolers such as blast chillers and rapid chillers. The stand allows the inside of storage compartments such as the cooking compartment of a heating appliance, the temperature and humidity control compartment of a temperature and humidity control device, the ice storage compartment of an ice maker, and the cooling compartment of a rapid cooler to be cleaned by a shower device. Embodiments in which the stand of the present invention is installed on the underside of kitchen equipment will be described below.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the stand 40 of this embodiment is installed below a cooking appliance 10 such as a steam convection oven. The cooking appliance 10 includes a cooking compartment 12 as a storage area for food ingredients and a machine room 13 within a housing 11. As shown in Figure 2, an opening 12a is provided on the front of the cooking compartment 12, and the opening 12a is closed by a door 14 that is rotatably mounted on the right side of the cooking compartment 12 around a vertical axis. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, legs 15 are provided at the bottom of the housing 11, and as shown in Figure 14, the lower surface of the bottom wall of the housing 11 is spaced apart from the upper surface of the upper wall of the casing 41 of the stand 40. An air intake port 11a (shown in Figure 14) for introducing outside air into the machine room 13 is formed at the bottom of the housing 11, and a filter 16 is provided at the air intake port 11a. This filter 16 can be attached to or removed from the bottom of the housing 11 by inserting or pulling it out from the front.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the cooking chamber 12 is equipped with a heater (operated component) 20 and a convection fan (operated component) 21, and the air inside the cooking chamber 12 is circulated as hot air by operating the heater 20 and the convection fan 21. A temperature sensor 22 (shown in Figure 12) is installed inside the cooking chamber 12, and the heater 20 is controlled to reach a set temperature based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 22. As shown in Figure 4, a steam generator (operated component) 23 is installed in the machine room 13, and the steam generator 23 is erected above a tank 24 located at the rear of the machine room 13. The steam generator 23 generates steam by heating the water in the steam generating container 23a, and the steam generated in the steam generating container 23a is supplied into the cooking chamber 12. A drain pipe 25 is connected to the tank 24, and the water in the steam generating container 23a is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the tank 24 and the drain pipe 25. A discharge pipe (not shown) leading from the bottom of the cooking chamber 12 is connected to the tank 24, and an exhaust pipe 26 for discharging air discharged from the cooking chamber 12 is connected to the tank 24. Water and air from inside the cooking chamber 12 are discharged into the tank 24 through the discharge pipe, the water discharged into the tank 24 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 25, and the air discharged into the tank 24 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the exhaust pipe 26.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5, the tip of the exhaust pipe 26 extends upward from an opening 11b provided in the top plate of the housing 11, and a packing 27 is provided between the opening 11b and the exhaust pipe 26. This packing 27 has an annular shape that covers the space between the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 and the opening 11b, and provides a liquid-tight seal between the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 and the opening 11b of the housing 11. The packing 27 has an annular main body portion 27a that fits onto the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, and an annular groove portion 27b is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the annular main body portion 27a through which the peripheral edge of the opening 11b of the housing 11 is inserted. The annular groove portion 27b has an upper portion 27c and a lower portion 27d that sandwich the peripheral edge of the opening 11b of the housing 11 from above and below, and an annular projection 27e is formed at the outer end of the upper portion 27c of the annular groove portion 27b that protrudes downward and engages with the upper surface of the top plate of the housing 11. The annular projection 27e engages with the peripheral edge of the opening 11b of the housing 11 from above, thereby providing a liquid-tight seal between the packing 27 and the opening 11b of the housing 11.

[0021] Furthermore, the annular main body portion 27a is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 with a small gap between them, and an annular projection 27f that protrudes inward is formed at the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the annular main body portion 27a. This annular projection 27f engages with the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, thereby sealing the space between the packing 27 and the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 in a liquid-tight manner. In this way, the packing 27 seals the space between the opening 11b of the housing 11 and the exhaust pipe 26 in a liquid-tight manner by having the annular projection 27e engage with the upper surface of the top plate at the periphery of the opening 11b of the housing 11, and the annular projection 27f engage with the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26.

[0022] The packing 27 is not limited to the shape shown in Figure 5, but may be the packing 27A of the embodiment shown in Figure 6. The packing 27A of the embodiment shown in Figure 6 includes an annular body portion 27Aa that fits onto the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, and an annular groove portion 27Ab is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the annular body portion 27Aa through which the peripheral edge of the opening 11b of the housing 11 is inserted. The annular groove portion 27Ab includes an upper portion 27Ac and a lower portion 27Ad that sandwich the peripheral edge of the opening 11b of the housing 11 from above and below, and annular projections 27Ae and 27Af are formed at the outer ends of the upper portion 27Ac and the lower portion 27Ad of the annular groove portion 27Ab that project downward and upward and engage with the upper and lower surfaces of the top plate of the housing 11. These annular protrusions 27Ae and 27Af engage with the peripheral edge of the opening 11b of the housing 11 from above and below, respectively, thereby providing a liquid-tight seal between the packing 27A and the opening 11b of the housing 11.

[0023] Furthermore, the annular main body portion 27Aa is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 with a small gap between them, and annular projections 27Ag and 27Ah are formed at the upper and lower ends of the inner circumferential surface of the annular main body portion 27Aa, projecting inward. These annular projections 27Ag and 27Ah engage with the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, thereby sealing the gap between the packing 27A and the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 in a liquid-tight manner. In this way, the annular projections 27Ae and 27Af of the packing 27A engage with the upper and lower surfaces of the top plate at the periphery of the opening 11b of the housing 11, and the annular projections 27Ag and 27Ah engage with the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, thereby sealing the gap between the opening 11b of the housing 11 and the exhaust pipe 26 in a liquid-tight manner.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an operation panel 30 is provided on the left side of the front of the housing 11, and as shown in Figure 7, the operation panel 30 is provided with a plurality of operation units 30a and a plurality of display units 30b. As shown in Figure 7, the operation panel 30 uses membrane switches and comprises an operation base 31, a surface sheet 32, and first and second spacer sheets 33 and 34 interposed between the operation base 31 and the surface sheet 32. The operation base 31 is provided with a plurality of electrode units (not shown) at positions corresponding to the plurality of operation units 30a, and a plurality of display units (not shown) using liquid crystal panels or the like are provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of display units 30b. A plurality of switch units (not shown) are provided on the back surface of the surface sheet 32, and when these switch units (not shown) energize the electrode units (not shown) provided on the operation base 31, an operation signal corresponding to each switch unit (not shown) is output.

[0025] The first and second spacer sheets 33 and 34, interposed between the operation base 31 and the surface sheet 32, have multiple window holes 33a and 34a formed in positions where multiple operating parts 30a and multiple display parts 30b are arranged. The window holes 33a and 34a expose the electrode part (not shown) of the operation base 31 to the switch part (not shown) and expose the display part (not shown) of the operation base 31. The first and second spacer sheets 33 and 34 have connecting passages 33b and 34b that connect the multiple window holes 33a and 34a. As shown in Figure 10, the operation base 31 has a vent 31a formed in a position opposite to the connecting passage 34b of the second spacer sheet 34, and the vent 31a is normally closed by a sealing part 31b which has a thin plate-like wall inside the cylindrical part.

[0026] Depending on the environment in which the heating oven 10 is used, the space formed by the window holes 33a and 34a opposite the operation units 30a and display units 30b of the control panel 30 may become negatively pressurized. This could cause the switches (not shown) located on the operation units 30a to press against their electrodes (not shown) and be turned on, even without pressing the operation units 30a. In this case, by forming a hole in the sealing part 31b using a tool such as a pointed screw or drill, air can be allowed to flow into each window hole 33a and 34a from the vent 31a, thereby eliminating the negative pressure in the space formed by each window hole 33a and 34a and releasing the state in which each switch (not shown) has been turned on by pressing against its electrode (not shown). As shown in Figure 11, the sealing portion 31c may be provided as a protrusion at the position where the vent 31a is formed, and the vent 31a may be opened by bending this protruding sealing portion 31c to relieve the negative pressure in each window hole 33a, 34a.

[0027] As shown in Figure 12, the cooking appliance 10 is equipped with a control device 35, which is connected to the heater 20, convection fan 21, temperature sensor 22, and steam generator 23. The control device 35 has a microcomputer (not shown), which includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and timer (all not shown) connected via a bus. The control device 35 stores a cooking program in its ROM for heating and cooking food in the cooking chamber 12. The cooking program includes three types of cooking programs: a hot air mode cooking program that heats and cooks food using convection-generated hot air by operating the heater 20 and convection fan 21; a steam mode cooking program that heats and cooks food using convection-generated hot air containing steam by operating the convection fan 21 and steam generator 23; and a combi mode cooking program that heats and cooks food using high-temperature hot air containing convection-generated steam by operating the heater 20, convection fan 21, and steam generator 23. The ROM stores a cooking program with pre-set settings for the cooking temperature, steam volume, and cooking time inside the cooking chamber 12, and the user can also set the temperature, steam volume, and cooking time for the cooking chamber 12 within the cooking program.

[0028] When the cooking program's hot air mode is executed, the heater 20 and convection fan 21 operate to create hot air convection within the cooking chamber 12, and the food placed inside the cooking chamber 12 is heated and cooked by the convection of hot air. When the cooking program's combi mode is executed, the heater 20 and convection fan 21 operate to create hot air convection within the cooking chamber 12, and steam is supplied into the cooking chamber 12 from the steam generator 23. As a result, the hot air convection within the cooking chamber 12 contains steam, and the food placed inside the cooking chamber 12 is heated and cooked by the steam-infused convection of hot air.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the above-mentioned cooking appliance 10 is installed on the upper side of the stand 40. In this embodiment, the stand 40 allows the cooking appliance 10 to be installed at an appropriate height and is also capable of housing a shower device 50 for cleaning the inside of the cooking chamber 12 of the cooking appliance 10. As shown in Figures 2 and 13, the stand 40 is equipped with a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shaped casing 41. The casing 41 comprises a casing body 42 with an open front and a box-shaped front panel 43 into which the front of the casing body 42 is fitted and which opens at the rear. The casing body 42 is equipped with a top plate 42a that forms the top surface of the casing 41, and the top plate 42a is detachably fixed to the casing body 42.

[0030] As shown in Figure 13, the box-shaped front panel 43 is designed to open and close the opening at the front of the casing body 42 and is detachably attached to the front of the casing body 42. The box-shaped front panel 43 is manufactured by bending a sheet metal member and has an upper wall section and a lower wall section extending to the rear from the upper and lower ends of the front wall section, and a left wall section and a right wall section extending to the rear from the left and right ends of the front wall section, forming a box shape that opens at the rear. The left and right ends of the upper wall section and the upper ends of the left and right wall sections are connected by fastening means such as welding, and the left and right ends of the lower wall section and the lower ends of the left and right wall sections are connected by fastening means such as welding, forming a box shape that opens at the rear. As shown in Figure 14, the upper wall section of the box-shaped front panel 43 extends to the rear of the opening 12a at the front of the cooking cabinet 12, and water that falls from the opening 12a or door 14 of the cooking cabinet 12 due to condensation, etc., is received by this upper wall section. As shown in Figure 13, the front wall portion that constitutes the front of the box-shaped front panel 43 has an outlet 43a for the nozzle 52 on the left side, and the nozzle 52 can be pulled out to the kitchen cabinet 12 while the water supply hose 51 of the shower device 50 is pulled out from this outlet 43a.

[0031] As shown in Figure 14, the upper wall portion of the box-shaped front panel 43 constitutes the front upper surface of the casing 41, and an upper shielding plate portion 43b extending upward is formed at the rear edge of the upper wall portion of the box-shaped front panel 43. The upper shielding plate portion 43b prevents dirt such as dust from flowing into the upper surface of the casing 41 between the lower surface of the bottom wall of the housing 11 of the cooking appliance 10 and the upper surface of the casing 41, and suppresses its adhesion to the upper surface of the casing 41. The upper shielding plate portion 43b extends diagonally backward as it moves upward, similar to the handle portion 16a of the filter 16, behind the filter 16 provided at the bottom of the housing 11 of the cooking appliance 10, making it easy to remove the filter 16 by grasping the handle portion 16a.

[0032] As shown in Figures 13 and 15, a shower device 50 is housed inside the casing 41. The shower device 50 includes a water supply hose 51 to which water is supplied from a water source such as a tap, and a nozzle 52 provided at the end of the water supply hose 51. A water supply pipe section 53 connected to the water source is provided on the left side of the casing 41, and the base end of the water supply hose 51 is connected to the end of the water supply pipe section 53. A water supply valve 54 is interposed in the water supply pipe section 53, and water supplied from the water source is sent to the water supply hose 51 by opening the water supply valve 54. The water supply valve 54 is provided with an operating lever 54a for opening and closing the valve mechanism, and the operating lever 54a can be operated from an operating window 41a provided on the left side of the casing 41. A hose reel 55 with an automatic winding function is provided on the left rear side of the casing 41, and the water supply hose 51 is housed inside the casing 41 while wound around this hose reel 55. A nozzle 52 is connected to the tip of the water supply hose 51, and the nozzle 52 is positioned in the front part of the casing 41 so that it can be drawn forward from the outlet 43a.

[0033] When the cooking program described above is executed in the heating cooker 10, oil and other contaminants from the food will adhere to the inside of the cooking chamber 12, and it is necessary to spray water to clean the inside of the cooking chamber 12 in order to keep it clean. When cleaning the inside of the cooking chamber 12, the water supply hose 51 is pulled out from the outlet 43a, and the nozzle 52 is inserted into the cooking chamber 12, and water is sprayed from the nozzle 52 inside the cooking chamber 12, and the inside of the cooking chamber 12 is cleaned by the water sprayed from the nozzle 52.

[0034] The frame 40 configured as described above includes a casing 41 that can be installed below a cooking appliance (kitchen equipment) 10, which has a cooking chamber (storage chamber) 12 inside a housing 11 for storing food ingredients and cooking the stored food ingredients. The casing 41 also includes a shower device 50 with a water supply hose 51 and a nozzle 52 for cleaning the inside of the cooking chamber 12. An outlet 43a for the nozzle 52 is provided on the front wall of the box-shaped front panel 43 that constitutes the front part of the casing 41. When the inside of the cooking chamber 12 is not being cleaned, the shower device 50 is stored inside the casing 41, so as not to spoil the appearance of the cooking appliance 10. When cleaning the inside of the cooking chamber 12, the water supply hose 51 can be pulled out from the outlet 43a while the nozzle 52 is brought out to the cooking chamber 12, allowing the inside of the cooking chamber 12 to be easily cleaned with water sprayed from the nozzle 52.

[0035] In this embodiment, the frame 40 is installed below the cooking appliance 10, but it is not limited to this. The frame 40 may also be installed below other cooking appliances such as steam convection ovens, such as temperature and humidity control devices such as dough conditioners equipped with temperature and humidity control chambers, ice makers equipped with ice storage chambers, and cooling machines such as blast chillers and rapid chillers equipped with cooling chambers, so that the inside of the storage chambers of temperature and humidity control devices, ice storage chambers of ice makers, and cooling chambers of cooling machines can be cleaned by the shower device 50.

[0036] The casing 41 of the stand 40 on which kitchen equipment such as the cooking appliance 10 is installed is prone to dirt accumulating on the front of its top surface, and if there is a joint between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing 41, dirt tends to remain in this joint. In particular, with the cooking appliance 10, water such as condensation tends to drip onto the front of the top surface of the casing 41 from the opening 12a and door 14 on the front of the cooking chamber 12, causing the front of the top surface of the casing 41 to become dirty due to condensation. The casing 41 is designed so that a box-shaped front panel 43 that opens at the rear is attached to the front of the casing body 42, so that there is no joint between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing 41, and dirt does not accumulate between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall. Furthermore, although there is a risk of dirt from the cooking appliance 10 adhering to the front upper surface of the casing 41, the upper wall portion of the box-shaped casing 43 extends beyond the opening 12a of the cooking compartment 12 of the cooking appliance 10 to the rear. Therefore, water such as condensation from the front opening 12a and door 14 of the cooking compartment 12 can be received by the upper wall portion of the box-shaped casing 41, making it easier to remove dirt adhering to the front upper surface of the casing 41 and improving the cleanability of the casing 41. Although a joint is formed between the front end of the upper wall portion and the upper end of the front wall portion of the casing 41, the outlet for the nozzle 52 may be formed on the front surface of the casing 41 without using the box-shaped casing 43.

[0037] In the stand 40 of this embodiment, the front wall portion of the box-shaped front panel 43 has a nozzle outlet 43a formed on the left side, which is one of the sides in the left-right direction. In the above-described heating appliance 10, the door 14 is rotatably supported on the right side of the cooking compartment 12, and the opening 12a of the cooking compartment 12 is opened by rotating the left side of the door 14 forward with the left side facing outwards. In this type of heating appliance 10, the door 14 is also rotatably supported on the left side of the cooking compartment 12, and the opening 12a of the cooking compartment 12 is opened by rotating the right side of the door 14 forward with the right side facing outwards. In this case, if the nozzle outlet 43a is formed on the left side of the front of the casing 41, it is necessary to pull out the water supply hose 51 to a longer length in order to bring the nozzle 52 out to the right side, which is the opening side of the door 14.

[0038] In the embodiment shown in Figure 16, a lower shielding plate portion 43c extending downward (diagonally downward rear) is formed on the rear edge of the lower wall portion of the box-shaped front panel 43, making the box-shaped front panel 43 vertically symmetrical, and the hose reel 55 is positioned at the right rear within the casing 41. By rotating the vertically symmetrical box-shaped front panel 43 180° around the horizontal axis in the front-rear direction, the left-right position of the nozzle outlet 43a can be changed, and the left-right position of the nozzle outlet 43a can be changed without increasing the number of parts.

[0039] In this embodiment of the stand 40, only the shower device 50 is housed inside the casing 41. However, in the stand 40 shown in Figure 17, the hose reel 55 of the shower device 50 is positioned to the left, thereby forming a tray storage section 41b to the right of the center of the casing 41, allowing a tray T used for heating and cooking food in the cooking chamber 12 to be stored in the tray storage section 41b of the casing 41. In the stand 40 that can accommodate the tray T, a heater 44 and a temperature sensor 45 are provided in the tray storage section 41b of the casing 41, and an opening (not shown) for loading and unloading the tray T is provided on the front of the casing 41. This opening can be opened and closed by a door (not shown). The heater 44 heats the tray T stored in the tray storage section 41b, and the temperature sensor 45 detects the temperature of the tray storage section 41b. The heater 44 is controlled by a control device (not shown) to reach a set temperature for preheating the tray T based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 45 (the set temperature is, for example, 50°C, preferably below the heat resistance temperature of the water supply hose 51). The tray T stored in the tray storage section 41b within the casing 41 can be preheated before cooking food in the cooking chamber 12. Alternatively, the control device 35 of the cooking appliance 10 may control the operation of the heater 44 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 45.

[0040] Furthermore, in the frame 40 of this embodiment, a water supply valve 54 is interposed in the water supply pipe section 53 that constitutes the water supply pipeline, and the water supply valve 54 employs a manually operated ball valve that changes the opening degree of the valve mechanism by operating the operating lever 54a. Alternatively, a solenoid valve that electrically controls the opening and closing of the valve mechanism may be used for the water supply valve 54, and the water supply valve 54 may be connected to the control device 35 of the cooking appliance 10, and the water supply valve 54 may be controlled to open and close in response to the operation of the operating section 30a of the operation panel 30 of the cooking appliance 10 or the operation of the power switch 36. The power switch 36 supplies and cuts off power to the cooking appliance 10 from an external power source, and when the power switch 36 is turned on, the control device 35 controls to open the water supply valve 54, and when the power switch 36 is turned off, the control device 35 controls to close the water supply valve 54. By controlling it in this way, the valve mechanism of the water supply valve 54 can be opened and closed without operating the operating lever 54a, thereby improving operability. Alternatively, by operating each of the control units 30a on the control panel 30, the water supply valve 54 may be closed at a desired timing when the power switch 36 is turned on.

[0041] In each of the embodiments described above, the stand 40 is installed below a single-tiered cooking appliance 10. However, in the embodiment shown in Figure 18, two cooking appliances 10U and 10L are installed vertically as kitchen equipment, and the stand 40 is installed below the upper cooking appliance 10U. The cooking appliances 10U and 10L have the same structure as the cooking appliance 10 described above. In order to install the upper cooking appliance 10U above the lower cooking appliance 10L, the stand 40 is installed above the lower cooking appliance 10L, and the upper cooking appliance 10U is installed above the stand 40. This allows the stand 40 to be used as a stacking base for stacking the upper and lower cooking units 10U and 10L, and also allows the inside of each cooking chamber 12 of the two-tiered cooking units 10U and 10L to be cleaned using the shower device 50 of a single stand 40, thereby reducing costs compared to when a stand 40 is used on the underside of each cooking unit 10U and 10L.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in Figure 18, two heating appliances 10U and 10L are installed vertically as kitchen equipment, and the support stand 40 is installed below the heating appliance 10U which is installed on the upper side. However, this is not limited to cases where the same kitchen equipment is installed vertically in two stages. For example, when a heating appliance and a temperature and humidity control device are installed vertically in two stages, or when a heating appliance and a rapid cooler are installed vertically in two stages, the support stand 40 may be used below the kitchen equipment installed on the upper side.

[0043] When the stand 40 is installed above the lower cooking unit 10L, when the door 14 of the cooking chamber 12 is opened, hot air containing moisture such as steam rises from inside the cooking chamber 12, and there is a risk that water droplets may adhere to the lower surface of the bottom wall of the stand 40's casing 41. For this reason, the casing 41 of the stand 40 installed above the lower cooking unit 10L is provided with a lower shielding plate portion 43c that extends downward from the front of the bottom surface. In the embodiment shown in Figure 19, similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 16, a lower shielding plate portion 43c that extends downward is formed on the rear edge of the lower wall portion of the box-shaped front panel 43. When the door 14 of the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10 is opened and hot air containing moisture such as steam rises from the opening 12a at the front of the cooking chamber 12, it becomes difficult for the hot air containing moisture to flow behind the lower shielding plate portion 43c of the casing 41, and the lower surface of the bottom wall of the casing 41 can be kept clean.

[0044] When the stand 40 is installed above the lower cooking unit 10L, the inside of the stand 40's casing 41 may become hot due to the heat from the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10L. For this reason, in the stand 40 shown in Figure 20, a cooling fan 46 is provided inside the casing 41 to cool the inside of the casing 41. In addition, a temperature sensor 45 is provided inside the casing 41, and the cooling fan 46 is controlled to operate based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 45. As a result, the inside of the casing 41 is less likely to become hot due to the heat from the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10L, and the water supply hose 51 is less likely to deteriorate due to the heat from the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10L. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 10...Kitchen equipment (heating appliance), 11...Housing, 12...Storage compartment (cooking compartment), 15...Legs, 30a...Control panel, 36...Power switch, 40...Stand, 41...Casing, 41b...Tray storage compartment, 42...Casing body, 43...Box-shaped front panel, 43a...Outlet, 43b...Upper shielding plate, 43c...Lower shielding plate, 44...Heater, 46...Cooling fan, 50...Shower device, 51...Water supply hose, 52...Nozzle, 54...Water supply valve.

Claims

1. A casing that can be installed below kitchen equipment having a storage compartment for containing the contents within the housing, The casing is equipped with a shower device having a water supply hose and a nozzle for cleaning the inside of the storage compartment. A mounting frame characterized in that the front surface of the casing is provided with an outlet for the nozzle.

2. In the frame described in claim 1, The casing is characterized by having a casing body with an open front and a box-shaped front panel into which the front part of the casing body is fitted and which opens at the rear.

3. In the frame described in claim 2, The aforementioned box-shaped front panel has the nozzle outlet positioned on one side in the left-right direction, and the stand is characterized in that the box-shaped front panel has an up-and-down symmetrical shape.

4. In the frame described in claim 1, The aforementioned kitchen equipment is equipped with legs that separate the bottom surface of the housing from the top surface of the casing. A frame characterized by having an upper shielding plate portion extending upward at the front upper surface of the casing.

5. In the frame described in claim 1, The aforementioned kitchen equipment is a cooking appliance that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food ingredients using hot air as the storage chamber. The frame is characterized in that the casing contains a tray storage section for holding trays for placing food ingredients inside the cooking chamber, and a heater for heating the tray storage section.

6. In the frame described in claim 1, The aforementioned kitchen equipment includes a power switch for supplying and cutting off electricity from an external power source, and an operating unit for operating the components to be operated, located within the housing. A water supply valve is interposed in the water supply pipeline that supplies water to the nozzle, including the water supply hose. A mounting frame characterized in that the water supply valve can be opened and closed in accordance with the operation of the power switch or the operating unit.

7. In the frame described in claim 1, The aforementioned kitchen equipment is installed in two tiers, one above the other. A frame characterized in that it can be installed below kitchen equipment installed on the upper side.

8. In the frame according to claim 7, The kitchen equipment installed on the lower side has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food using hot air as the storage chamber, and is a heating cooker in which an opening provided on the front of the cooking chamber can be opened and closed by a door. A frame characterized in that a lower shielding plate portion extending downward is provided at the front of the bottom surface of the casing.

9. In the frame according to claim 7, The kitchen equipment installed on the lower side is a cooking appliance that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking with hot air as the aforementioned storage chamber. A mounting frame characterized by having a cooling fan installed inside the casing.

Images