Temperature measurement device and supply apparatus for seasoning liquid

Abstract

According to the present invention, a seasoning liquid heated and retained in a retention tank is supplied to a container holding food or drink, at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate amount. A temperature measurement device (1) according to the present invention is for measuring the temperature of a seasoning liquid heated and retained in a retention tank (7), and comprises: a temperature sensor (11) that is disposed inside the retention tank and that measures the temperature of the seasoning liquid retained in the retention tank; a holding unit (12) that holds the temperature sensor; and a position adjustment unit (15) that allows adjustment of the position of the temperature sensor relative to the retention tank.

Description

Seasoning liquid temperature measuring device and supply device

[0001] The present invention relates to a seasoning temperature measuring device and a seasoning supply device.

[0002] Against the backdrop of a declining labor force, cooking robots that cook and serve food and drinks are being increasingly introduced into restaurants and other establishments. The applicant of this application has invented a device that dispenses soup from a pot containing the soup into bowls that are served to customers (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Ramen consists of ingredients such as noodles and a seasoning liquid such as soup. The deliciousness of ramen depends on the temperature and amount of the seasoning liquid. Therefore, a device that supplies the seasoning liquid from a pot in which the seasoning liquid is stored to a bowl must use a temperature sensor, a flow rate sensor, and the like to control with high precision the temperature and amount of the seasoning liquid supplied to the bowl. If the seasoning liquid inside the pot becomes heated and bubbles are generated, the flow rate measurement results by the flow rate sensor will be distorted. As a result, the temperature and amount of the seasoning liquid supplied to the bowl will deviate from the target values, and the ramen will not taste as desired.

[0004] Inventions relating to cooking appliances equipped with temperature sensors have been proposed in the past (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] International Publication No. 2022 / 102107 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-116348

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a seasoning liquid temperature measuring device and supply device that can supply a seasoning liquid stored and heated in a storage tank to a container for holding food or drink at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate amount.

[0007] The seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention is a device for measuring the temperature of seasoning liquid stored in a storage tank and heated, and is characterized by comprising a temperature sensor that is placed inside the storage tank and measures the temperature of the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank, a holding unit that holds the temperature sensor, and a position adjustment unit that makes it possible to adjust the position of the temperature sensor relative to the storage tank.

[0008] The present invention can supply a liquid seasoning that has been stored and heated in a storage tank to a container for storing food or drink at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate amount.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a seasoning liquid supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a supply path of seasoning liquid by the supply device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the supply device. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship inside a storage tank between a temperature sensor and a suction pipe provided in the supply device. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the inclination of a shielding plate provided in the supply device. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a holding part provided in the supply device has moved upward. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the supply device. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the mounting position of a position adjustment part in a housing provided in the supply device. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing yet another embodiment of the supply device.

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a seasoning liquid temperature measuring device and a seasoning liquid supply device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] The following description uses a temperature measuring device that measures the temperature of ramen soup stored in a pot and heated, and a supply device that supplies the soup stored in the pot from the pot to a bowl containing the ramen. That is, the temperature measuring device and supply device are installed in the kitchen of a ramen shop. Here, ramen is an example of food and drink in the present invention. Ramen soup is an example of seasoning liquid in the present invention. The pot is an example of a storage tank in which seasoning liquid is stored in the present invention. The bowl is an example of a container for containing food and drink.

[0012] The seasoning liquid in the present invention is not limited to ramen soup.

[0013] Configuration of Seasoning Liquid Supply Device and Temperature Measuring Device (1) FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a seasoning liquid supply device and a temperature measuring device according to the present invention.

[0014] The supplying device 100 (hereinafter referred to as "device 100") is an example of a liquid seasoning supplying device according to the present invention. Device 100 supplies soup stored in a pot into a rice bowl at a predetermined timing in a predetermined amount.

[0015] Here, device 100 supplies soup from the pot to the bowls based on a control signal from a control system (not shown) installed inside the ramen shop. In other words, the timing at which device 100 supplies soup to the bowls is determined by the control system. The control system, for example, receives order information from customers and controls the operation of device 100 based on the order information.

[0016] The apparatus 100 includes a temperature measuring device 1 , a liquid delivery unit 2 , a flow rate sensor 3 , a supply control unit 4 , a pipe 5 , and a heating device 6 .

[0017] The temperature measuring device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "device 1") provided in the device 100 is an example of a temperature measuring device for a seasoning liquid according to the present invention.

[0018] The device 1 measures the temperature of the soup stored in the pot and being heated. The measured temperature is used to control the heating of the soup in the pot.

[0019] The liquid delivery unit 2 delivers the soup stored in the pot from the pot to the bowl. The liquid delivery unit 2 is a tubing pump.

[0020] The flow rate sensor 3 measures the flow rate of the soup sent from the pot to the bowl. The flow rate sensor 3 is a Coriolis flow meter.

[0021] The flow sensor in the present invention may be an ultrasonic flow meter.

[0022] The supply control unit 4 controls the supply of soup from the pot to the bowl based on the flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor 3. The supply control unit 4 controls the supply of soup from the pot to the bowl by controlling the opening and closing of a valve 54, which will be described later, based on the flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor 3. The supply control unit 4 is realized by a control program that runs on a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

[0023] The supply control unit in the present invention is not limited to a control program that runs on a PLC. That is, the supply control unit may be anything that can control the opening and closing of the valve 54, which will be described later, and may be realized by a control program that runs on a microcomputer or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), for example.

[0024] The soup supplied from the pot to the bowl passes through the piping 5. The piping 5 includes a suction pipe 51, a discharge pipe 52, a return pipe 53, and a valve 54.

[0025] The suction pipe 51 is a pipe through which the soup in the pot passes as it is sucked up by the liquid delivery unit 2. One end of the suction pipe 51 is disposed inside the pot. The other end of the suction pipe 51 is connected to a valve 54. The flow rate of the soup passing through the suction pipe 51 is measured by a flow rate sensor 3.

[0026] The discharge pipe 52 is a pipe through which the soup passes after passing through the valve 54. One end of the discharge pipe 52 is connected to the valve 54. The other end of the discharge pipe 52 is disposed near the bowl. The soup that has passed through the discharge pipe 52 is supplied to the bowl.

[0027] The return pipe 53 is a pipe through which the soup that has passed through the suction pipe 51 but has not passed through the valve 54 passes. One end of the return pipe 53 is connected to the valve 54. The other end of the return pipe 53 is placed inside the pot. The soup that has passed through the return pipe 53 is supplied (returned) to the pot.

[0028] The valve 54 switches the connection between the suction pipe 51 and the discharge pipe 52 or the return pipe 53. That is, the valve 54 switches the connection between the suction pipe 51 and the discharge pipe 52, or the connection between the suction pipe 51 and the return pipe 53. The valve 54 is a pinch valve.

[0029] The heating device 6 heats the soup stored in the pot. The heating device 6 is an induction heating (IH) heater. The heating device 6 includes a heating unit 61, a heating control unit 62, a storage unit 63, and an operation unit 64.

[0030] The heating unit 61 inductively heats the soup stored in the pot. The heating unit 61 includes a heating coil that heats the bottom of the pot (made of metal), which is a magnetic material. That is, the soup stored in the pot is heated by heating the bottom of the pot with the heating coil.

[0031] The heating control unit 62 controls the heating output of the heating unit 61 so that the temperature of the soup stored in the pot converges to a predetermined temperature (target temperature: for example, 95°C) without exceeding a predetermined temperature (upper limit temperature: for example, 100°C). That is, the heating control unit 62 controls the supply of current to the heating coil of the heating unit 61 (PID control). That is, the heating control unit 62 determines the on / off state of the supply of current to the heating coil, the current value of the current to be supplied, and the like. The heating control unit 62 is realized by a computer program running on a microcomputer. The heating control unit 62 controls the heating output of the heating unit 61 based on the temperature measured by the device 1, the target temperature stored in the memory unit 63, adjustment parameters for PID control, and the like.

[0032] Here, the target temperature is set by the user based on, for example, the boiling point of the soup, the type of soup, the amount of soup stored in the pot, the temperature change in the kitchen where the device 100 is installed, etc. The target temperature is lower than the boiling point (upper limit temperature) of the soup.

[0033] Furthermore, the temperature of the soup stored in the pot converges to the target temperature through PID control by the heating control unit 62. The manner in which the temperature of the soup stored in the pot converges to the target temperature may be, for example, a manner in which the temperature converges to the target temperature without exceeding the target temperature (so-called overshooting), or a manner in which the temperature converges to the target temperature without exceeding the upper limit temperature even if the target temperature is exceeded.

[0034] The storage unit 63 stores information necessary for the operation of the heating device 6. The information stored in the storage unit 63 includes a target temperature and adjustment parameters for PID control by the heating control unit 62.

[0035] The storage unit in the present invention may be, for example, a portable storage medium such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory, or other non-temporary storage medium, or a RAM (Random Access Memory) or other temporary storage medium.

[0036] The operation unit 64 receives operation information required for operating the heating device 6 from the user of the device 100 (a staff member at the ramen shop). The user operates the operation unit 64 to operate the device 100. For example, when the user wants to change the target temperature stored in the memory unit 63, the user inputs the changed target temperature from the operation unit 64. The operation unit 64 is configured as a touch panel.

[0037] ●Configuration of seasoning liquid temperature measuring device

[0038] The device 1 includes a temperature sensor 11 , a holder 12 , a housing 13 , a shielding plate 14 , and a position adjustment unit 15 .

[0039] The temperature sensor 11 is disposed inside the pot and measures the temperature of the soup stored in the pot. The temperature sensor 11 is a sheathed thermocouple (e.g., a K-type thermocouple or a T-type thermocouple) in which a pair of thermocouple wires is housed in a metal sheath.

[0040] The holding unit 12 holds the temperature sensor 11. The configuration of the holding unit 12 will be described in detail later.

[0041] The housing 13 houses a heating device 6 that heats the soup stored in the pot.

[0042] The shielding plate 14 is disposed above the cylindrical body. Details of the shielding plate 14 will be described later.

[0043] The position adjustment unit 15 allows the position of the temperature sensor 11 relative to the cylinder to be adjusted. The position adjustment unit 15 includes a rail portion 16, a position fixing portion 17, and a stopper 18.

[0044] The rail portion 16 (for example, an aluminum frame FSL-L type manufactured by Sugatsune Kogyo Co., Ltd.) moves the holding portion 12 so that the temperature sensor 11 can move back and forth between the inside and outside of the storage tank.

[0045] The position fixing unit 17 (for example, a free slide lock FSL-V36 manufactured by Sugatsune Kogyo Co., Ltd.) fixes the position of the holding unit 12 relative to the rail unit 16. The position fixing unit 17 includes a slide unit that is disposed within the rail of the rail unit 16, and a restriction operation unit that operates to restrict movement of the slide unit within the rail. When the user operates the restriction operation unit to enable movement of the slide unit within the rail, the position fixing unit 17 becomes movable along the rail of the rail unit 16. When the user operates the restriction operation unit to disable movement of the slide unit within the rail, the position fixing unit 17 becomes unable to move along the rail of the rail unit 16.

[0046] Here, the position fixing unit 17 is connected to the holding unit 12. That is, when the restricting operation unit of the position fixing unit 17 is operated and the position fixing unit 17 moves along the rail of the rail unit 16, the holding unit also moves along the rail of the rail unit 16. Also, as described above, the holding unit 12 holds the temperature sensor 11. That is, when the restricting operation unit of the position fixing unit 17 is operated and the position fixing unit 17 moves along the rail of the rail unit 16, the temperature sensor 11 also moves along the rail of the rail unit 16.

[0047] Stoppers 18 (for example, stopper FSL-S4 manufactured by Sugatsune Kogyo Co., Ltd.) are arranged within the rail of rail portion 16 so that the slide portion of position fixing portion 17 can abut against them. Stoppers 18 are arranged on both ends of the rail. In other words, stoppers 18 define the range of movement of position fixing portion 17, which is movable along the rail.

[0048] Here, the direction of movement of the position fixing unit 17, which is movable along the rail of the rail portion 16, is the vertical direction (the up-down direction on the paper surface of FIG. 3 , which will be described later). That is, the stopper 18 disposed at one end (upper end) of the rail defines the upper limit position of the position fixing unit 17, and the stopper 18 disposed at the other end (lower end) of the rail defines the lower limit position of the position fixing unit 17. That is, the stopper 18 defines the upper and lower limit positions of the temperature sensor 11 and the suction pipe 51 connected to the position fixing unit 17. In other words, the user can position the temperature sensor 11 and the suction pipe 51 connected to the position fixing unit 17 at a predetermined position in the vertical direction by moving the position fixing unit 17 until the position fixing unit 17 abuts against the stopper 18.

[0049] In the following description, the stopper 18 disposed at the upper end of the rail is an end cap of the rail (for example, end cap FSL-EC manufactured by Sugatsune Kogyo Co., Ltd.).

[0050] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the soup supply path of the device 100. The diagram shows that the soup stored in the pot 7 is sucked into the liquid supply unit 2, passes through the suction pipe 51, the valve 54, and the discharge pipe 52, and is supplied to the rice bowl 8.

[0051] The figure shows that flow sensor 3 measures the flow rate of soup passing through suction pipe 51 and outputs the measurement result (a signal indicating the flow rate) to supply control unit 4. The figure also shows that supply control unit 4 controls the opening and closing of valve 54 based on the flow rate measured by flow sensor 3. When valve 54 is opened, soup from suction pipe 51 passes through discharge pipe 52. When valve 54 is closed, soup from suction pipe 51 passes through return pipe 53 and returns to pot 7.

[0052] The figure shows that the measurement result of the temperature of the soup stored in the pot 7 measured by the temperature sensor 11 (a signal indicating the temperature) is output to the heating control unit 62. The figure shows that the heating control unit 62 controls the heating output of the heating unit 61 based on the measurement result from the temperature sensor 11 and information (upper limit temperature and target temperature) stored in the memory unit 63. The figure shows that the heating unit 61 heats the outside of the bottom (bottom surface) of the pot 7 to heat the soup inside the pot 7.

[0053] Here, the upper limit temperature is the boiling point of the soup, and the target temperature is a temperature lower than the upper limit temperature, which is the temperature at which the ramen served in a bowl to a customer has the desired flavor.

[0054] The heating control unit 62 controls the heating output of the heating unit 61 based on the change in the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 measured by the temperature sensor 11, which is stored in the memory unit 63, so that the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 does not exceed the upper limit temperature. As will be described later, the temperature sensor 11 measures the temperature at the hottest position in the pot 7. In other words, the heating control unit 62 heats the soup in the pot 7 so that the soup does not boil and generate bubbles. As a result, the flow rate sensor 3 can measure the flow rate accurately.

[0055] The heating control unit 62 controls the heating output of the heating unit 61 so that the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 reaches the target temperature, based on the change in the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 measured by the temperature sensor 11, which is stored in the memory unit 63. That is, when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 11 is lower than the target temperature, the heating control unit 62 increases the heating output of the heating unit 61 so that the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 rises. On the other hand, when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 11 is higher than the target temperature, or when it is predicted that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 11 will exceed the target temperature if heating is continued at the current heating output of the heating unit 61, the heating control unit 62 decreases the heating output of the heating unit 61 so that the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 falls or the rate of rise slows.

[0056] In this way, the heating control unit 62 controls the heating output of the heating unit 61 so that the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 converges to the target temperature without exceeding the upper limit temperature, even if there are factors that cause the temperature of the soup in the pot 7 to fluctuate, such as the air temperature in the kitchen where the pot 7 is placed or the replenishment of soup to the pot 7.

[0057] Example of Use of the Liquid Condiment Supply Device FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device 100. As shown in FIG.

[0058] The figure shows that the cylindrical pot 7 is placed in the heating section 61 of the heating device 6 housed in the housing 13. The housing 13 is provided with heat-resistant glass (e.g., Fairlite (registered trademark) manufactured by Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.) (not shown) that covers the surface of the heating section 61. The bottom surface of the cylindrical pot 7 is placed on the surface of the heat-resistant glass.

[0059] The figure shows that the shielding plate 14 has a hole 14h. The hole 14h allows the soup to be replenished into the cylindrical pot 7 while the cylindrical pot 7 is still placed in the device 100. That is, the user removes the lid (the lid 71 of the two halves 71 and 72) from the cylindrical pot 7, which covers the opening of the cylindrical pot 7. The hole 14h is located above a portion of the opening of the cylindrical pot 7 from which the lid 71 was removed. The user then inserts a funnel into the hole 14h. The funnel is placed in the hole 14h. The user then pours the soup (stored in the cylindrical pot) into the funnel from above the funnel inserted in the hole 14h. The soup that has been poured into the funnel passes through the funnel and the opening of the cylindrical pot 7 and is supplied to the inside of the cylindrical pot 7. When the user has finished adding soup, the user covers the opening of the cylindrical pot 7 with the lid 71 and removes the funnel from the hole 14h.

[0060] In the present invention, the shielding plate does not necessarily have to have a hole for inserting a funnel. In this case, for example, the user removes the lid 71 from the opening of the pot 7 and pours the soup directly into the pot 7 through the part of the opening of the pot 7 that was covered by the lid 71.

[0061] The same figure shows that fittings 51C and 53C are arranged on the shielding plate 14. Fitting 51C forms part of the suction pipe 51. One end of the suction pipe 51 arranged inside the cylindrical barrel 7 is connected to fitting 51C. One end of a suction pipe (not shown) that connects to the liquid delivery section 2 housed in the holding section 12 is connected to fitting 51C. Fitting 53C forms part of the return pipe 53. One end of the return pipe 53 arranged inside the cylindrical barrel 7 is connected to fitting 53C. One end of a return pipe (not shown) that is connected to the valve 54 is connected to fitting 53C.

[0062] The figure shows that signal line 11L is inserted inside rail portion 16. Signal line 11L transmits a signal corresponding to the temperature of the soup stored in pot 7, measured by temperature sensor 11, to heating control unit 62. One end of signal line 11L is connected to temperature sensor 11 located inside pot 7. The other end of signal line 11L is connected to heating control unit 62 housed in housing 13. In other words, the temperature of the soup stored in pot 7 is measured based on the magnitude of the thermoelectromotive force generated in response to the temperature difference (T1-T2) between the temperature (T1) at one end of signal line 11L located inside pot 7 and the temperature (T2) at the other end of signal line 11L connected to heating control unit 62.

[0063] 8 shows that an attachment point P1 (the area surrounded by a dashed line in the figure) is located on the side surface S1 of the housing 13. The attachment point P1 is the location where the rail portion 16 is attached to the housing 13. The figure also shows that six bolts for attaching the rail portion 16 to the housing 13 are located at the attachment point P1 on the side surface S1. The housing 13 has two locations where the rail portion 16 is attached. The attachment point P1 is the first attachment point in the present invention. The user selects one of the two locations (P1, P2) on the housing 13 as the location where the rail portion 16 is attached, depending on the layout of the kitchen where the device 100 will be installed (including the orientation and shape of the equipment in the kitchen, the movement of staff in the kitchen, etc.). Note that the figure shows the case where the rail portion 16 is attached to the second attachment point (P2 in FIG. 8) on the housing 13.

[0064] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the temperature measuring portion of the temperature sensor 11 and the suction port of the suction pipe 51 inside the cylindrical drum 7.

[0065] The figure shows that the positions of the lower ends of the temperature sensor 11 and the suction pipe 51 in the height direction (vertical direction on the paper) are aligned at the position indicated by the dashed line L1. The temperature sensor 11 measures the temperature near its lower end. That is, the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor 11 is located at the lower end of the temperature sensor 11. The suction pipe 51 sucks soup from its lower end. That is, the suction port of the suction pipe 51 is located at the lower end of the suction pipe 51.

[0066] The temperature of the soup stored in the cylindrical container 7 is higher the closer the soup is to the bottom surface 7B of the cylindrical container 7, the closer it is to the heating section 61. In other words, the temperature sensor 11 measures the temperature of the soup stored in the cylindrical container 7 that is close to the temperature of the soup that is sucked in through the suction pipe 51 and supplied to the rice bowl.

[0067] As described above, the vertical positions of temperature sensor 11 and suction pipe 51 (the vertical direction on the paper surface of FIG. 3 ) can be adjusted by the user by operating position adjustment unit 15. That is, when the soup stored in pot 7 is being heated so that it can be supplied to bowl 8, the user operates position fixing unit 17 to move position fixing unit 17 downward until position fixing unit 17 abuts stopper 18 located at the lower end of rail portion 16, thereby fixing the position of position fixing unit 17 relative to rail portion 16. As a result, the lower ends of temperature sensor 11 and suction pipe 51 are positioned near the inner surface of bottom surface 7B of pot 7 (the inner surface of pot 7), which is the hottest part inside pot 7 (for example, 5 mm above the inner surface of bottom surface 7B).

[0068] The figure shows that the temperature sensor 11 is disposed at the midpoint of the radius r of the bottom surface 7B of the bottomed cylindrical drum 7 (a position r / 2 from the center point of the bottom surface 7B). The radial position of the temperature sensor 11 on the bottom surface 7B is determined by the position adjustment unit 15, similar to the vertical position of the temperature sensor 11 described above. In other words, the temperature sensor 11 is attached to the shielding plate 14 so as to be positioned at a predetermined radial position on the bottom surface 7B.

[0069] Here, the midpoint of the radius r of the bottom surface 7B is the hottest position inside the cylindrical drum 7. The hottest position inside the cylindrical drum 7 in the radial direction of the bottom surface 7B is determined based on the configuration of the heating unit 61 (such as the arrangement of the coils), the position of the cylindrical drum 7 on the heating unit 61, and the like.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the inclination of the shielding plate 14. This figure shows that the shielding plate 14 is disposed at an angle relative to the horizontal (the direction indicated by the dashed line L2 in the figure). When the temperature sensor 11 is disposed inside the cylindrical pot 7, the shielding plate 14 is disposed above the cylindrical pot 7. A portion of the soup stored in the cylindrical pot 7 is heated by the heating unit 61 and becomes steam. The steam rises above the cylindrical pot 7 and hits the back surface of the shielding plate 14 (the surface on the lower side of the drawing). The steam that hits the shielding plate 14 becomes condensed water. Because the shielding plate 14 is disposed at an angle relative to the horizontal, the condensed water moves along the underside of the shielding plate 14 (to the right on the drawing) and falls outside the cylindrical pot 7.

[0071] In this way, when steam from the soup in the pot 7 hits the shielding plate 14 and condenses, the shielding plate 14 prevents the condensed water from mixing into the pot 7. The angle of inclination of the shielding plate 14 relative to the horizontal and the size of the shielding plate 14 are set so that the condensed water does not mix into the pot 7.

[0072] The shielding plate 14 also prevents oil from the motor (which drives an agitator, described below) housed in the holder 12 located above the shielding plate 14 from leaking out of the holder 12 and getting into the inside of the cylindrical drum 7. In other words, the shielding plate 14 prevents foreign matter from getting into the inside of the cylindrical drum 7.

[0073] 6 is a perspective view of the device 100. This figure shows the state in which the holder 12 has moved upward along the rail 16. For example, when replacing a pot 7 that has been heated by the device 100, a user moves the temperature sensor 11, suction pipe 51, return pipe 53, and agitator SB, which are arranged inside the pot 7, to the outside of the pot 7, and then removes the pot 7 from the device 100, enclosed in the housing 13. The agitator SB is arranged inside the pot 7 and includes propeller blades that agitate the soup stored in the pot 7. The propeller blades are arranged at the bottom end of the agitator SB.

[0074] As described above, the user operates the position fixing unit 17 (not shown) to move the position fixing unit 17 upward until the position fixing unit 17 abuts against the stopper 18 (not shown) located at the upper end of the rail portion 16, thereby fixing the position of the position fixing unit 17 relative to the rail portion 16. As a result, the temperature sensor 11, suction pipe 51, return pipe 53, and agitator SB located inside the cylindrical barrel 7 are retracted to the outside of the cylindrical barrel 7. The user can then easily remove the cylindrical barrel 7 from the apparatus 100.

[0075] As described above, the user installs a new cylindrical drum 7 in the apparatus 100 (places it on the housing 13). Then, the user operates the position fixing unit 17 to move the position fixing unit 17 downward until the position fixing unit 17 abuts against the stopper 18 disposed at the lower end of the rail portion 16, thereby fixing the position of the position fixing unit 17 relative to the rail portion 16. As a result, the temperature sensor 11 and the lower end of the suction pipe 51 are positioned at predetermined positions inside the cylindrical drum 7.

[0076] 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the supply device according to the present invention, which shows that the rail portion 16 is attached to the first attachment position (P1, see FIG. 3) on the side surface S1 of the housing 13, as described above.

[0077] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the housing 13, showing the mounting positions of the rail portions 16 on the housing 13. As shown in FIG.

[0078] The figure shows that the housing 13 has a first surface S1 and a second surface S2, that the first mounting location P1 is located on the first surface S1, and that the second mounting location P2 is located on the second surface S2. The figure also shows that the first mounting location P1 and the second mounting location P2 are located at positions opposite each other across the heating unit 61 (heating device 6) in a plan view of the housing. Note that in the figure, the first mounting location P1 and the second mounting location P2 are indicated by black circles for ease of explanation.

[0079] The figure shows that the arrangement position of the heating section 61 (heating device 6) in the housing is on an imaginary line L3 connecting the first mounting position P1 and the second mounting position P2.

[0080] Configuration of Seasoning Liquid Supply Device and Temperature Measuring Device (2) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a supply device showing another embodiment of a seasoning liquid supply device and a temperature measuring device according to the present invention.

[0081] Supply device 200 (hereinafter referred to as "device 200") is another embodiment of the seasoning liquid supply device according to the present invention. Device 200 differs from device 100 in that holding unit 120 constituting the temperature measuring device is different from holding unit 12 constituting device 1.

[0082] The figure shows that the holding part 120 that holds the temperature sensor 11 is connected to the position fixing part 17. The figure shows that the holding part 120 is plate-shaped, unlike the holding part 12. The figure shows that the holding part 120 holds only the temperature sensor 11. In other words, unlike the holding part 12 described above, the holding part 120 does not hold the joints (joints 51C, 53C in FIG. 3) that form part of the piping or the agitator (agitator SB in FIG. 6).

[0083] As described above, the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device according to the present invention only needs to include a holding unit that holds the temperature sensor 11, allowing the temperature sensor 11 to move back and forth between the inside and outside of the cylindrical container 7, and a position adjustment unit that allows the position of the temperature sensor 11 to be adjusted relative to the cylindrical container 7. The holding unit may or may not hold other components (for example, the aforementioned joint or agitator) in addition to the temperature sensor 11.

[0084] Summary According to the embodiment described above, the position adjustment unit 15 can position the temperature measuring portion of the temperature sensor 11 at the hottest position within the cylindrical pot 7. The temperature measuring portion of the temperature sensor 11 can be positioned at a desired position by the user moving the position fixing unit 17 downward until the position fixing unit 17 abuts against the stopper 18. In other words, the positioning of the temperature sensor 11 is easily achieved.

[0085] Therefore, heating control unit 62 heats the soup in pot 7 so that the temperature of the soup in pot 7 converges to the target temperature without exceeding the upper limit temperature. As a result, flow sensor 3 can measure the flow rate accurately. Furthermore, the temperature measuring portion of temperature sensor 11 is positioned at the same height within pot 7 as the suction port of suction pipe 51. In other words, temperature sensor 11 measures a temperature of the soup stored in pot 7 that is close to the temperature of the soup that is sucked through suction pipe 51 and supplied to the rice bowl. Therefore, device 1 and devices 100 and 200 can supply the soup stored and heated in pot 7 to the rice bowl at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate amount.

[0086] Furthermore, the temperature sensor 11 and other components disposed inside the drum 7 can be positioned at a desired position, i.e., a position where the temperature sensor 11 and other components do not get in the way when replacing the drum 7, by the user moving the position fixing unit 17 upward until the position fixing unit 17 abuts against the stopper 18. Thus, the device 1, 100, and 200 make it easy for the user to replace the drum 7 and clean the device 1, 100, and 200.

[0087] Furthermore, temperature sensor 11 is placed inside cylinder 7, not outside it. By placing temperature sensor 11 inside cylinder 7, temperature sensor 11 can directly measure the temperature of the soup stored inside cylinder 7. If temperature sensor 11 were placed outside cylinder 7, the temperature measured by temperature sensor 11 would be different from the temperature of the soup stored inside cylinder 7. In other words, the responsiveness of the temperature sensor 11 placed inside cylinder 7 to measure the soup temperature is better than the responsiveness of the temperature sensor 11 placed outside cylinder 7 to measure the soup temperature. In other words, the accuracy of soup temperature control by heating control unit 62 using temperature sensor 11 placed inside cylinder 7 is higher than the accuracy of soup temperature control by heating control unit 62 using temperature sensor 11 placed outside cylinder 7.

[0088] Features of the Measuring Device and Supply Device The main features of the seasoning liquid temperature measuring and supply device according to the present invention described above will be summarized below.

[0089] ●Features of the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device

[0090] The seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention is a device (e.g., device 100 / 200) that measures the temperature of seasoning liquid (e.g., ramen soup) that is stored and heated in a storage tank (e.g., pot 7), and is characterized by comprising: a temperature sensor (e.g., temperature sensor 11) that is placed inside the storage tank and measures the temperature of the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank; a holding unit (e.g., holding unit 12 / 120) that holds the temperature sensor; and a position adjustment unit (e.g., position adjustment unit 15) that makes it possible to adjust the position of the temperature sensor relative to the storage tank.

[0091] In the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention, the position adjustment unit may include a rail unit (e.g., rail unit 16) that moves the holding unit so that the temperature sensor can move back and forth between the inside and outside of the storage tank, and a position fixing unit (e.g., position fixing unit 17) that fixes the position of the holding unit relative to the rail unit.

[0092] In the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device according to the present invention, the rail portion may include a stopper (e.g., stopper 18) that positions the temperature sensor relative to the storage tank.

[0093] The seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention comprises a housing (e.g., housing 13) to which the rail portion is attached, the housing having mounting locations to which the rail portion is attached, the mounting locations including a first mounting location (e.g., first mounting location P1) and a second mounting location (e.g., second mounting location P2).

[0094] In the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention, the housing accommodates a heating device (e.g., heating device 6) that heats the seasoning liquid inside the storage tank, and the first mounting location and the second mounting location may be located at opposite positions (e.g., first surface S1 and second surface S2) across the position of the heating device in a planar view of the housing.

[0095] In the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention, the position of the heating device in the housing may be on a virtual line (e.g., virtual line L3) connecting the first mounting location and the second mounting location.

[0096] The seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention comprises a shielding plate (e.g., shielding plate 14) arranged above the storage tank, and when the temperature sensor is arranged inside the storage tank, the shielding plate may be arranged at an angle to the horizontal.

[0097] In the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device of the present invention, when the temperature sensor is arranged inside the storage tank, the holding part may be arranged above the shielding plate, and the temperature sensor may be arranged below the shielding plate.

[0098] In the seasoning liquid temperature measuring device according to the present invention, the shielding plate may have a hole (for example, hole 14h) in which a funnel is disposed through which the replenishment liquid to be replenished to the storage tank passes.

[0099] ●Features of the seasoning liquid supply device

[0100] The seasoning liquid supply device of the present invention is a device that supplies seasoning liquid (e.g., soup) contained in food or drink (e.g., ramen) to a container (e.g., rice bowl 8) in which the food or drink is stored, and is characterized in that it comprises: a liquid delivery unit (e.g., liquid delivery unit 2) that delivers the seasoning liquid from a storage tank (e.g., pot 7) in which the seasoning liquid is stored to the container; a flow sensor (e.g., flow sensor 3) that measures the flow rate of the seasoning delivered from the storage tank to the container; a supply control unit (e.g., supply control unit 4) that controls the supply of the seasoning liquid from the storage tank to the container based on the flow rate measured by the flow sensor; a heating device (e.g., heating device 6) that heats the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank; and a temperature measurement device (e.g., device 1) that measures the temperature of the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank, wherein the temperature measurement device is the seasoning liquid temperature measurement device of the present invention.

[0101] In the seasoning liquid supply device of the present invention, the heating device comprises a heating unit (e.g., heating unit 61) that heats the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank, and a heating control unit (e.g., heating control unit 62) that controls the heating output of the heating unit, and the heating control unit may control the heating output based on the change in the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device.

[0102] In the seasoning liquid supply device of the present invention, the heating device includes a memory unit (e.g., memory unit 63) that stores a target temperature (e.g., 95°C) of the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank, the target temperature being lower than the boiling point of the seasoning liquid, and the heating control unit may control the heating output so that the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device converges to the target temperature.

[0103] In the seasoning liquid supply device of the present invention, the heating unit heats the outside of the bottom of the storage tank (e.g., the bottom surface 7B of the cylindrical body 7), and the height position of the temperature measuring unit of the temperature sensor within the storage tank may be near the inside of the bottom of the storage tank.

[0104] The seasoning liquid supply device of the present invention comprises a pipe (e.g., pipe 5) through which the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank passes, one end of the pipe is arranged inside the storage tank, and the height position of the one end inside the storage tank may be approximately equal to the height position of the temperature sensor inside the storage tank.

[0105] In the seasoning liquid supply device of the present invention, the piping comprises an intake pipe (e.g., intake pipe 51) arranged on the storage tank side, an exhaust pipe (e.g., exhaust pipe 52) arranged on the container side, and a valve (e.g., valve 54) arranged between the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe, and the supply control unit may control the supply of the seasoning liquid from the storage tank to the container by controlling the opening and closing of the valve.

[0106] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 seasoning liquid temperature measuring device 11 temperature sensor 12 holding section 13 housing 14 shielding plate 15 position adjustment section 16 rail section 17 position fixing section 18 stopper 2 liquid delivery section 3 flow rate sensor 4 supply control section 5 piping 51 suction pipe 52 discharge pipe 53 return pipe 54 valve 6 heating device 61 heating section 62 heating control section 63 memory section 64 operation section 7 storage tank 8 container 100 seasoning liquid supply device 200 seasoning liquid supply device

Claims

1. A device for measuring the temperature of a seasoning liquid stored in a storage tank and heated, a temperature sensor disposed inside the storage tank for measuring the temperature of the liquid seasoning stored in the storage tank; A holder for holding the temperature sensor; a position adjustment unit that adjusts a position of the temperature sensor relative to the storage tank; A shielding plate disposed above the storage tank; It is made of A seasoning liquid temperature measuring device characterized by the above.

2. The position adjustment unit is a rail portion that moves the holding portion so that the temperature sensor can advance and retreat between the inside and the outside of the storage tank; a position fixing portion that fixes a position of the holding portion relative to the rail portion; Equipped with The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 1.

3. The rail portion is a stopper for positioning the temperature sensor relative to the storage tank; Equipped with The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 2.

4. A housing to which the rail portion is attached; and the housing includes an attachment portion to which the rail portion is attached, The attachment point is A first attachment point; A second attachment point; and Including, The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 3.

5. The housing accommodates a heating device that heats the liquid seasoning inside the storage tank, the first mounting location and the second mounting location are disposed at positions facing each other across a position of the heating device in a plan view of the housing, The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 4.

6. The arrangement position of the heating device in the housing is on a virtual line connecting the first attachment point and the second attachment point. The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 5.

7. When the temperature sensor is disposed inside the storage tank, the shielding plate is disposed obliquely relative to the horizontal. The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 1.

8. When the temperature sensor is disposed within the interior of the reservoir, The holding portion is disposed above the shielding plate, The temperature sensor is disposed below the shielding plate. The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 7.

9. The shielding plate is a hole in which a funnel is disposed through which a replenishment liquid passes to replenish the reservoir; Equipped with The temperature measuring device for liquid seasoning according to claim 8.

10. A device for supplying a seasoning liquid contained in food or drink to a container in which the food or drink is contained, A liquid delivery unit that delivers the liquid seasoning from a storage tank in which the liquid seasoning is stored to the container; A flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate of the seasoning liquid sent from the storage tank to the container; A supply control unit that controls the supply of the seasoning liquid from the storage tank to the container based on the flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor; A heating device that heats the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank; A temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank; and The temperature measuring device is a seasoning liquid temperature measuring device according to claim 1. A seasoning liquid supplying device characterized by the above.

11. The heating device includes: A heating unit that heats the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank; A heating control unit that controls a heating output of the heating unit; Equipped with The heating control unit controls the heating output based on a change in the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device. The liquid seasoning supply device according to claim 10.

12. The heating device includes: A storage unit that stores a target temperature of the liquid seasoning stored in the storage tank; Equipped with The target temperature is lower than the boiling point of the seasoning liquid, The heating control unit controls the heating output so that the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device converges to the target temperature. The liquid seasoning supply device according to claim 11.

13. The heating unit heats the outside of the bottom of the storage tank, A height position of the temperature measuring portion of the temperature sensor in the interior of the storage tank is near the inner side of the bottom of the storage tank. The liquid seasoning supply device according to claim 11.

14. A pipe through which the seasoning liquid stored in the storage tank passes; and One end of the pipe is disposed inside the storage tank, a height position of the one end in the interior is substantially equal to a height position of the temperature sensor in the interior; The liquid seasoning supply device according to claim 13.

15. The piping includes: A suction pipe arranged on the storage tank side; A discharge pipe disposed on the container side; a valve disposed between the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe; Equipped with The supply control unit controls the supply of the seasoning liquid from the storage tank to the container by controlling opening and closing of the valve. The liquid seasoning supply device according to claim 14.