JP3343512B2 - Automatic cooker - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic cooker that automatically and continuously performs cooking in various cooking such as fried cooking, grilled cooking, steamed cooking and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, an automatic deep-frying machine, as shown in FIG. 8, has a structure in which a transfer conveyor (102) is arranged in an oil tank (101) filled with a frying oil (B). The transfer conveyor (10
The foodstuff (A) transferred on the upstream inclined surface (102a) of 2) is fried while being transferred toward the downstream side in the oiling (B) by the transfer conveyor (102), and is transferred. The slope (102) on the downstream side of the conveyor (102)
b) Pumping (B) at the downstream end after being transferred above
And fried cooking was to be completed.

Some foodstuffs (A) have the property of floating when they are fried to some extent. Even if the foodstuffs (A) are to be transported by the transport conveyor (102), they are separated from the transport conveyor in the middle and floated. And may not be able to be transported any further. For this reason, in general,
This type of automatic frying machine has a holding conveyor (103)
Are provided above the transfer conveyor (102) in parallel at a fixed interval, and transfer the food (A) to be floated while maintaining it in the fryer (B).

[0004]

However, the transfer conveyor (102) is provided on the upstream side thereof so that the food (A) can be smoothly transferred into the oil tank (101) and pulled up from the oil tank (101) smoothly. And the downstream side has a gentle slope (1
02a) and (102b). For this reason, the volume of the oil tank (101) must be increased by that much, and there is a disadvantage that it takes up space.

Further, the food (A) is transferred to a transfer conveyor (10).
2) Food (A) to be transported in a state of being placed on top
Since the mounting surface of the food does not touch the oil (B), the food (A) cannot be evenly fried, and the food (A) is transferred while being forcibly pressed against the pressing conveyor (103). The disadvantage is that it can be damaged.

Further, in such an automatic frying machine, the transfer conveyor (102) and the holding conveyor (10)
Since each of 3) is made of metal to withstand the temperature of the oil pumping, the amount of heat carried out of the oil pumping is very large.
That is, both the conveyors (102) and (103) absorb a large amount of heat of the oil in the oil (B), and the oil (B)
Since most of the absorbed heat is released to the air when moving out of the air and moving in the air, there is a disadvantage that the energy loss is large.

[0007] The above-mentioned drawbacks can be applied not only to automatic fryers, but also to automatic cookers used in various kinds of cooking such as grilling and steaming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to save space in a cooking section such as an oil tank, to cook foods evenly and neatly, and to further reduce the energy loss of automatic cooking. The purpose is to provide a machine.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a method and a method for circulating one or more food containers in a loop along a predetermined trajectory and transferring the food containers. An automatic cooker provided with a cooking unit in a part of a road, wherein the food container is loaded into the cooking unit in a state in which the food is stored, and after the food is cooked, the food container is pulled up from the cooking unit. Said food ingredients
Guide rails are provided on some or all of the transfer path of the container
The food container runs on the guide rail
A part of the guide rail is
In order to turn the container upside down in the cooking section,
The adjustment rail is slidable.
By sliding the rail portion, the food container
Characterized in that the reversal position can be adjusted . That is, the foodstuffs are stored in the foodstuffs container that is transferred in a loop in a vertical plane, and during the transfer, the foodstuffs are put into the cooking unit together with the foodstuffs and cooked while being transferred. Is raised.

[0010] This eliminates the necessity of a conventional transfer conveyor having a gentle slope for cooking food, and saves space in the cooking section. Also,
Since the ingredients are cooked in a protected state in the food container,
The ingredients can be cooked evenly and neatly. Further, the food container is sufficient in size to store the food and has a small heat capacity, so that the amount of heat carried out in the cooking unit is also small, and energy loss can be reduced.

Further, a guide rail provided on a part or all of the transfer path of the food container, since the food container Ru is traveling the guide rail, it is possible to reliably transfer the foodstuff container according to a predetermined trajectory At the same time, the posture of the food container can be changed during the transfer, so that the food can be stored in the food container or discharged from the food container easily and reliably.

Furthermore, since the food container is Ru are allowed inverted in the cooking section, when the allowed inverting the food container,
Since the foodstuffs stored in the foodstuff storage body are also inverted, the foodstuffs can be cooked up and down evenly and neatly.

The food container is preferably formed of a net basket. According to this, the food in the food container is cooked through the mesh holes, so that the food can be cooked more evenly and neatly. In addition, since the heat capacity of the food container is reduced by the amount of the mesh holes, the amount of heat carried out in the cooking unit can be further reduced.

[0014]

1 to 4 show an embodiment in which an automatic cooking machine according to the present invention is applied to an automatic frying machine.

This automatic cooking machine comprises a food container (1) for storing a food (A) and a drive rope (2) provided in a loop in a vertical plane for transferring the food container (1). When,
Upper and lower guide rails (3) and (4) on which the food container (1) travels, and an oil tank (5) in which a part of the lower guide rail (4) is disposed. .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the foodstuff container (1) is formed of a rectangular parallelepiped net basket made of stainless steel having one end in the longitudinal direction, and has an opening (1a).
At the position at a distance of about 1/3 in the length direction from the both ends (6a) of the U-shaped suspension arm (6)
(6a) is rotatably connected, and one corner (6b) of the suspension arm (6) is rotatably connected to the drive rope (2). For this reason, the foodstuff container (1)
With the movement of the drive rope (2), it is transported in a manner of being pulled by the suspension arm (6). A small wheel (7) is rotatably provided at the corner of the bottom surface (1b) of the foodstuff container (1) facing the width direction, and the wheel (7) is always on the upper side or the lower side. Guide rail (3)
(4) It is intended to run on the top.

The drive rope (2) is made of a metal rope that can be flexibly bent in the longitudinal direction, is wound around a plurality of rollers (8) in a loop, and is connected to an upper intermediate portion of the rope (2). When the drive motor (9) provided in the above is driven to rotate, the roller (8) circulates in a loop in a counterclockwise direction in a vertical plane. For this reason, the foodstuff container (1) is conveyed in a loop in a counterclockwise direction in a vertical plane in such a manner that the foodstuff container (1) is pulled by the suspension arm (6) connected to the drive rope (2).

Upper and lower guide rails (3) (4)
Are, as shown in FIG.
It consists of two metal rails, and the two rails
The food containers (1) are provided in parallel with a predetermined distance therebetween corresponding to the width direction distance of the wheels (7) provided in the food container (1). The guide rails (3) and (4) are provided so as to be parallel to the drive rope (2).

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper guide rail (3) forms a horizontal portion (3a) from the right portion to a distance of about 2/3 in the length direction, and the remaining left portion is the left portion. An inclined portion (3b) that is inclined obliquely downward is formed, and is provided so as to be parallel to the drive rope (2) at a predetermined distance. For this reason, the food container (1) is moved leftward by the suspension arm (6) in a mode in which the opening (1a) faces forward and is kept horizontal in the horizontal portion (3a) of the upper guide rail (3). (3b)
Is transported obliquely downward and leftward with the opening (1a) facing forward and maintaining a horizontal state.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower guide rail (4) has a vertical rail portion (4a) forming a gap (10) at a predetermined interval with the upper guide rail (3), and The first and second horizontal rail portions (4b) (4) which are formed to be horizontal to the right with respect to the portion (4a).
c), and an inclined rail portion (4d) inclined obliquely upward to the right from the second horizontal rail portion (4c). The vertical rail portion (4a) and the first and second horizontal rail portions (4b) and (4c) are provided at a predetermined distance outside the driving rope (2), and the inclined rail portion (4d) is partially provided. Except for, it is provided at a predetermined distance inside the drive rope.

As described above, the vertical rail portion (4a) is provided so as to form a gap (10) at a predetermined interval between the vertical rail portion (4a) and the upper guide rail (3). ) Means that the wheels (7) are gradually shifted from the upper guide rails (3) to the lower guide rails (4) in the gap (10), so that the lower guide rails (4) are finally completely removed. ) Only guided. When the food container (1) approaches the end of the vertical rail portion (4a), the opening (1a) is directed obliquely upward to the left by the hanging arm (6) and the vertical guide rail portion (4a). The food input plate (1) next to the oil tank (5)
From 2), the food (A) can be put.

The first horizontal rail portion (4b) is bent rightward with respect to the vertical rail portion (4a) to be formed horizontally as described above, and the oil pump (B) is stretched in the oil tank (5). It is provided in the lower part in the oil tank (5) so that a sufficient distance from the upper surface of the oil pump (B) can be obtained when it is taken. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the food container (1) that has reached the first horizontal rail (4b) faces the opening (1a) backward and keeps the driving rope ( The food is transferred to the right while being pulled by the hanging arm (6) accompanying the movement in 2), during which the food (A) in the food container (1) is subjected to initial frying.

The second horizontal rail section (4c) is provided horizontally at a position slightly higher than the first horizontal rail section (4b), and is low at the transition point with the first horizontal rail section (4b). A step (13) is formed. For this reason, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the food container (1) having reached the step (13) with the wheel (7) rotates clockwise around the wheel (7), and once turns the opening (1a) upward. After shifting to the vertical state, the opening (1a) is further directed forward in the moving direction and becomes horizontal, and as a result, the posture is inverted by 180 degrees.

That is, when the food container (1) reaches the step (13), the wheel (7) of the food container (1)
Is applied to the left due to the step (13), but the food container (1) itself receives a force in the right direction by the hanging arm (6) traveling rightward. As a result, the food container (1) is 18 with the wheel (7) as the central axis.
It rotates 0 degrees and the posture is reversed. Then, the food container (1) whose posture has been reversed is the second container.
The horizontal rail portion (4c) is transported rightward while being pulled by the suspension arm (6) with the movement of the driving rope (2) in a mode in which the opening portion (1a) is directed forward and the horizontal state is maintained. In the meantime, the food (A) in the food container (1)
Is finished fried. In this way, by inverting the attitude of the food container (1) by 180 degrees by the step (13), the food (A) is also inverted in the food container (1), so that the food can be fried evenly and vertically evenly. it can.

In this embodiment, the horizontal portion of the lower guide rail (4) is divided into a first horizontal rail portion (4b) and a second horizontal rail portion (4c) having different heights. The step (13) formed by the rails (4b) and (4c) reverses the attitude of the transported foodstuff container (1) by 180 degrees, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal portion of the lower guide rail (4) is not divided but made to be horizontal over the entire length, and the bottom surface of the guide rail (4) which is in contact with the wheel (7) has a height. A low projection (14) may be provided. According to this, similarly to the step (13), the food container (1)
Since the wheel (7) receives a force in the left direction by the protrusion (14), the food container (1) can be turned 180 degrees.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower guide rail (4) is provided with a horizontal direction so as to change the position of the step (13) for changing the attitude of the food container (1) in the horizontal direction. Adjustment rail (15) that slides on
Have been. According to this, since the adjustment rail (15) is slid to adjust the reversal position of the food container (1) due to the step (13), the reversal timing of the food (A) can be set arbitrarily. Fried cooking corresponding to various ingredients (A) can be performed.

The inclined rail section (4d) is formed so as to be inclined obliquely upward to the right from the second horizontal rail section (4c). For this reason, the foodstuff container (1) transferred to the second horizontal rail portion (4c) is directly lifted from the oil tank (5) in a mode in which the opening portion (1a) is directed forward and the horizontal state is maintained. . Note that the food container (1) has a small capacity enough to store the food (A) and is formed of a net basket, so that the heat capacity is very small, and the calorific value of the oil (B) is reduced. The amount taken out can be kept low.

Further, a small inclined portion (23) having a small inclination is formed on the upper part of the inclined rail portion (4d), and when the food container (1) reaches the small inclined portion (23), the food container is stored. The posture of the body (1) is changed so that the opening (1a) is directed obliquely downward to the right, and the food (A) in the food container (1) is slid by its own weight, and the oil tank (described later) 5) It is stored in the side chute (16). In addition,
A steam shower (17) above the small slope (23)
When the foodstuff container (1) reaches the small inclined portion (23), the foodstuff (A) in the container (1) is transferred from the mesh hole (1c) of the foodstuff container (1) to the foodstuff (A). It is intended to spray hot steam. As a result, the fat remaining on the surface of the food (A) is taken into the high-temperature steam and evaporates, so that the food (A) can be made into a fried food with a crisp texture.

The upper part of the inclined rail (4d) is provided so as to form a gap (18) at a predetermined interval from the upper guide rail (3).
In this gap (18), by gradually shifting its own wheel (7) from the lower guide rail (4) to the upper guide rail (3), finally the wheel (7) is completely moved to the upper guide rail (3). Only be guided.

As described above, the oil tank (5) serves to fry the foodstuffs of the foodstuff container (1) which has been transferred, and has a rectangular container shape in plan view with an open upper surface. Is provided with a heater (not shown) so that the oil (B) stretched in the oil tank (5) can be set at a temperature suitable for the food (A). Also,
On the left side of the oil tank (5), a food input plate (12) is provided, and the food (A) is stored in the transferred food container (1).
The food (A) is intermittently supplied in order to supply the food. Further, a chute (16) is provided on the right side of the oil tank (5), and the inclined rail portion (4d) is provided.
The foodstuff (A) that is slid out of the foodstuff container (1) that has reached the small inclined portion (23).

The automatic cooker according to this embodiment is used as follows.

First, after the oil tank (5) is filled with the oil (B) and the temperature is set to an optimum temperature for frying, the drive motor (9) is driven to rotate, and the drive rope (2) is turned counterclockwise. Move to Then, each food container (1) is pulled by the suspension arm (6) connected to the drive rope (2), and is placed along each of the upper and lower guide rails (3) and (4). Is transported in a loop while taking a predetermined posture. Hereinafter, a specific operation of the food container will be described assuming that the food container is present on the right side of the upper guide rail (3) as an initial state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the food container (1)
In the horizontal portion (3a) of the upper guide rail (3), the opening (1a) is transferred to the left in a manner to face forward and maintain a horizontal state. 1a) is transported obliquely downward and to the left in a manner to face forward and maintain a horizontal state.

The food container (1) has its own wheel (7) in the gap (10) formed by the upper guide rail (3) and the lower guide rail (4). Is gradually guided to the lower guide rail (4), and finally, the guide is completely guided only by the lower guide rail (4). Also, the food container (1) is connected to the vertical rail (4) of the lower guide rail (4).
When approaching the end of a), the food (A) is supplied from the food input plate (12) beside the oil tank (5) into the food container (1) through the obliquely upward opening (1a). Then, it reaches the first horizontal rail portion (4b).

The foodstuff container (1) that has reached the first horizontal rail portion (4b) faces the opening (1a) rearward and maintains a horizontal state so as to maintain a horizontal state. 4b) It is transported rightward to the step (13) formed by (4c), during which the food (A) in the food container (1) is subjected to initial frying.

The food container (1) is located at the step (1).
In 3), as shown in FIG.
a) is shifted upward to a vertical state, and the opening (1)
a) is directed forward and in a horizontal state, and the posture is inverted by 180 degrees. At this time, by inverting the attitude of the food container (1) by 180 degrees by the step (13), the food (A) is also inverted in the food container (1).
Ingredients (A) can be deeply and evenly fried.

Then, the food container (1) whose posture has been inverted is tilted in such a manner that the second horizontal rail portion (4c) is kept facing the opening (1a) forward and the horizontal state is maintained. The food (A) in the food container (1) is finish-fried and cooked during the transfer to the right to the section (4d).

The food container (1) that has reached the inclined rail (4d) is lifted up from the oil tank (5) as it is, with the opening (1a) facing forward and maintaining a horizontal state, and is diagonally upper right. Transported in the direction. Then, the food container (1) reaches the small inclined portion (23) above the inclined rail portion (4d), and the food container (1) is oriented such that the opening (1a) is directed obliquely downward to the right in the small inclined portion (23). Can be changed.
Then, the food (A) in the food container (1) is slid by its own weight, and a chute (1) beside an oil tank (5) described later.
It is accommodated in 6). Note that a steam shower (17) is provided above the small inclined portion (23),
When the food container (1) reaches the small inclined portion (23), high-temperature steam is sprayed on the food (A) from the mesh hole (1c) of the food container (1). As a result, the fat remaining on the surface of the food (A) is taken into the high-temperature steam and evaporates, so that the food (A) can be made crisp and pleasant to the touch.

The food container (1) from which the food material (A) has been discharged in this way is placed in its own wheel (7) in the gap (18) between the lower guide rail (4) and the upper guide rail (3).
From the lower guide rail (4) to the upper guide rail (3)
Is finally guided completely by only the upper guide rail (3), and returns to the initial state.

Thereafter, by repeating the above transfer,
The food container (1) is transferred in a loop while taking a predetermined posture, and the input, fried cooking and discharge of the food (A) are automatically and continuously performed.

As described above, in the automatic cooking device according to the present invention, the food container (1) transferred in a loop shape in a vertical plane.
In the middle of the transfer, the food (A) is put into the oil tank (5) together with the food container (1), fried while being transferred, and then the food container (1) is pulled up as it is. Things. For this reason, it is not necessary to use a conventional transfer conveyor having a gentle slope to fry the food (A), and it is possible to save space in the oil tank.

Since the food (A) is fried while being protected by the food container (1), the food can be evenly and neatly fried.

Further, since the food container (1) is large enough to contain the food (A) and has a small heat capacity, the amount of heat carried out of the oil (B) is also reduced, and the energy loss can be reduced. In particular, in this embodiment,
Since the food container (1) is formed of a net cage and has a small heat capacity corresponding to the mesh holes, the effect of reducing the energy loss is great.

In the above embodiment, the food container (1) is transported by one driving rope (2). However, as shown in FIG. 7, the food container (21) having a large capacity is used. In this case, the food container (21) may be stably transferred by two drive ropes (22) (22) provided in parallel and circulating in the same direction.

Also, the case where the present invention is applied to an automatic deep-frying machine has been shown, but instead of an oil tank, a cooking section corresponding to various cooking such as grilling and steaming is provided, and a food container is provided in the cooking section. It may be configured to pass through and to cook food in the food container.

[0046]

According to the automatic cooker according to the present invention, one or more food containers are circulated and transferred in a loop along a predetermined trajectory, and a cooking unit is provided at a part of the transfer path of the food containers. Is provided, wherein the food container is put into the cooking unit in a state in which the food is stored, and after the food is cooked, the food container is pulled up from the cooking unit. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a transfer conveyor having a gentle slope as in the related art for cooking foods, and it is possible to save space in the cooking unit.

Moreover, since the food is cooked in a state protected by the food container, the food can be cooked uniformly and neatly. In addition, the food container needs to be large enough to contain the food and has a small heat capacity.
The amount of heat carried out in the cooking section is also reduced, and energy loss can be reduced.

[0048] Further, a guide rail provided on a part or all of the transfer path of the food container, since the food container Ru is traveling the guide rail, it is possible to reliably transfer the foodstuff yield condition according to a predetermined trajectory At the same time, the posture of the food container can be changed during the transfer, so that the food can be stored in the food container or discharged from the food container easily and reliably.

Further, the food container is adjusted in the oil tank.
Since the food container is turned over by the reel portion, when the food container is turned over, the food stored in the food container is also turned over, so that the food can be cooked evenly and vertically evenly and neatly. In addition, by adjusting the reversal position of the food container by sliding the adjustment rail portion, the reversal timing of the food material can be set arbitrarily, so that fried cooking corresponding to various food materials can be performed.

If the food container is formed of a net basket, the food in the food container is cooked through the mesh holes, so that the food can be cooked more evenly and neatly. In addition, since the heat capacity of the food container is reduced by the amount of the mesh holes, the amount of heat carried out in the cooking unit can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an entire configuration of an automatic cooking device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a food container.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the food container.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a reversing operation at a step of the food container.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a reversing operation of the food container when a projection is provided on a lower guide rail.

FIG. 6 is a diagram in which a slide rail is provided on a lower guide rail.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a food container according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an overall view of a conventional automatic cooking machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Food container 2 ... Driving rope 3 ... Upper guide rail 4 ... Lower guide rail 5 ... Oil tank 6 ... Hanging arm 8 ... Roller 12 ... Food input Plate 13 ・ ・ ・ Step 16 ・ ・ ・ Shoot

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47J 37/12 A47J 27/14 A47J 37/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic cooker in which one or a plurality of food containers are circulated and transferred in a loop along a predetermined trajectory, and a cooking unit is provided in a part of a transfer path of the food containers. The food container is loaded into the cooking unit in a state in which the food is stored, and after the food is cooked , the food container is pulled up from the cooking unit. Guide to part or all
The food container runs on the guide rail
A part of the guide rail portion allows the food container to be moved to the cooking portion.
Slidable in the horizontal direction to flip
The adjustment rail is used to slide the adjustment rail.
To adjust the reversal position of the food container.
An automatic cooker characterized by being made possible . 2. The food container is formed by a net basket.
The automatic cooker according to claim 1, wherein the automatic cooker is provided.