JP6005201B2 - Steam generating apparatus and processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steam generator and a processing apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art A heating cooker (processing device) that heats food by introducing water vapor into a heating chamber is known. Such a steam generator of a heating cooker has a water storage chamber (evaporation chamber) that heats water to generate steam. When the water in the water storage chamber completely evaporates, adhesion of scale in the water storage chamber becomes remarkable, the steam path and the water supply path are narrowed, and the internal pressure may increase. Therefore, a structure is known in which water remaining in the water storage chamber is drained and scale components are discharged. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a steam generator that drains water according to the principle of siphon by supplying water until the water level in the water storage chamber reaches a level exceeding the apex of the bent drainage pipe.

JP 2014-178054 A

  In the drainage structure described in Patent Document 1, since it is necessary to supply water to the water storage chamber by a pump, there is a problem that it takes time for drainage.

  One aspect of the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a steam generator that completes drainage in a short time.

  In order to achieve the above object, a steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention includes a housing having a processing chamber to which steam is supplied, and a door that opens the processing chamber. A steam generator used to generate steam to be supplied to the processing chamber, the evaporation chamber, a heater for evaporating water in the evaporation chamber, a drain pipe connected to the evaporation chamber, and the drain pipe A valve portion for opening and closing the passage, and a valve opening and closing portion for opening and closing the valve portion, and the drainage pipe is connected to a drain outlet provided at the bottom of the evaporation chamber for opening and closing the door portion. In conjunction with this, the valve part is opened.

  In the steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention, the valve opening / closing portion is connected to the door portion or a door opening / closing mechanism for opening / closing the door portion, and the valve changes its position in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the door portion. You may have an opening member.

  The steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention includes an opening / closing detection device that detects opening / closing of the door portion, and a valve opening / closing control portion that transmits a signal based on a detection result of the opening / closing detection device to the valve opening / closing portion. The valve opening / closing unit may open / close the valve unit based on the signal.

  In the steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention, the heater includes a rod-shaped heating element having a curved portion, and a pair of terminal portions provided at a terminal portion of the heating element. The opening of the drainage port may be provided at a position away from the curved portion at the bottom.

  In the steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention, the upper surface of the bottom portion of the evaporation chamber may be inclined in a direction that decreases toward the opening of the drain port.

  A steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention includes a control unit, a thermometer that measures the temperature of the evaporation chamber and transmits a signal to the control unit, and detects the opening and closing of the door unit, An open / close detection device that transmits the signal, and the control unit receives signals from the open / close detection device and the thermometer, and based on a rise in temperature of the evaporation chamber after the door is opened, Completion of drainage of water may be determined.

  A steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention includes a water supply tank that is located below the bottom of the evaporation chamber and stores water, and a water supply device that supplies water in the water supply tank to the evaporation chamber. The drainage pipe may connect the evaporation chamber and the water supply tank and drain water in the evaporation chamber to the water supply tank.

  In the steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention, the drain pipe includes a flexible tube in the path, and the valve portion includes a pair of clamping pairs that sandwich the flexible tube from the radial direction. The valve portion may close the drainage pipe line by bringing the clamping pair close to each other, and open the drainage pipe line by separating the clamping pair.

  In the steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention, a shaft portion fixed to the casing, a latch hook rotatably supported by the shaft portion, a slide rail extending from the door portion to the processing chamber side, A door opening / closing mechanism provided on the slide rail and engaging with the latch hook, and when the door portion is in a closed state, the latch hook engages with the engagement body, With the opening / closing operation, the latch hook may ride on the engaging body and rotate, and the rotation operation of the latch hook may be transmitted to the valve opening / closing portion to open the drain pipe.

  In the steam generator according to one aspect of the present invention, a door opening / closing mechanism having a slide rail extending from the door portion toward the processing chamber and an engagement body provided on the slide rail, and fixed to the housing A connecting mechanism having a shaft portion, a rotating member rotatably supported by the shaft portion and connected to the valve opening / closing portion, and a pressing portion fixed to the rotating member, wherein the door portion is closed. In the state, the pressing portion is pressed by the engaging body, and when the door portion is in the open state, the engaging member is separated from the pressing portion and the rotating member rotates, and the rotating operation of the rotating member is the valve. The drain pipe may be opened by being transmitted to the opening / closing part.

  Moreover, in order to achieve said objective, the processing apparatus of one aspect of this invention is provided with the said steam generation apparatus.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a steam generator that completes drainage in a short time.

It is a front perspective view of the processing apparatus of a 1st embodiment, and shows a door open state. It is a front perspective view of the processing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram of the steam generator of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the pot of 1st Embodiment, and the peripheral member of a pot. It is a top view of the pot main body of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 1st Embodiment, and shows a door closed state. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 1st Embodiment, and shows the state which transfers to a door open state from a door closed state. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 1st Embodiment, and shows a door open state. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 3rd Embodiment, and shows a door closed state. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 3rd Embodiment, and shows a door open state. It is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus of 4th Embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings used in the following description, for the purpose of emphasizing the characteristic part, the characteristic part may be shown in an enlarged manner for convenience, and the dimensional ratios of the respective components are not always the same as the actual ones. Absent. For the same purpose, there are cases where portions that are not characteristic are omitted.
In the drawings, an XYZ coordinate system is shown as necessary. In the following description, each direction will be described based on each coordinate system as necessary.

  FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a processing apparatus (heating cooker) 1 according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which a door portion 11 is opened. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the processing apparatus 1 and shows a state in which the door portion 11 is closed. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a part of the side wall covering the periphery of the processing apparatus 1, a part of the electrical wiring and the pipe line are omitted. Moreover, in the following description, the state (FIG. 1) which opened the door part 11 is called a door open state, and the state (FIG. 2) which closed the door part 11 is called a door closed state.

The processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is a heating cooker that heats and cooks food in the processing chamber with superheated steam. The processing device 1 includes a main body 10 and a steam generator 2. The main body 10 has a housing 12 and a heater box 15 located around the housing 12. The steam generator 2 generates steam and supplies it to the processing chamber 13 in the housing 12 via the heater box 15. The control unit 3 controls the steam generator 2 and the heater 15 a in the heater box 15.
Hereinafter, the configuration of each unit will be described in detail.

<Steam generator>
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the steam generator 2.
The steam generator 2 includes a pot 40, a steam generating heater (heater) 45, a steam pipe 51, a thermometer 55, a drain pipe 52, a valve unit 60, a water supply tank 56, and a water supply apparatus 57. A water supply pipe 58, a coupling mechanism 30 (see FIG. 6), a control unit 3, and an open / close detection switch 35 (see FIG. 6).

  Water is stored in the water supply tank 56. Water is supplied to the evaporation chamber 41 of the pot 40 through a water supply pipe 58 and a water supply device 57 provided in the water supply pipe 58. The pot 40 is heated by a steam generating heater 45. Thereby, the water in the evaporation chamber 41 evaporates and steam is generated. The steam is supplied to the processing chamber 13 through the steam line 51. After the processing in the processing chamber 13 (cooking in this embodiment) is completed, the water remaining in the evaporation chamber 41 is drained to the water supply tank 56 via the drain pipe 52. A valve unit 60 is provided in the path of the drain pipe 52, and drainage is controlled by the valve unit 60. Completion of drainage is determined by the control unit 3 based on the temperature measurement result of the pot 40 by the thermometer 55.

<Pot>
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pot 40 and peripheral members of the pot 40.
The pot 40 includes a box-shaped pot body 80 that opens upward, and a lid 81 that closes the opening of the pot body 80. The internal space of the pot 40 is an evaporation chamber 41 that heats and evaporates the stored water to generate water vapor. The evaporation chamber 41 is an area surrounded by the pot body 80 and the lid 81.
A lower cover 85 is provided below the pot 40. The lower cover 85 is fixed to the lower surface of the flange 81a of the lid 81 and covers the pot body 80 from below.

  The pot body 80 includes a bottom portion 42 and a side wall portion 44 extending upward from the bottom portion 42. An upper edge portion 44 a for fixing to the lid 81 is provided at the upper end portion of the side wall portion 44. The bottom part 42 has a rectangular shape in plan view.

As shown in FIG. 4, a steam generating heater 45 is embedded in the bottom 42 of the pot body 80. Further, the bottom portion 42 is provided with a drain port 43 penetrating in the vertical direction. The drain port 43 opens to the evaporation chamber 41 and drains the water in the evaporation chamber 41. A drain pipe 52 is connected to the drain port 43. That is, the drain pipe 52 is connected to the bottom of the evaporation chamber 41. A thermometer 55 is attached to the bottom portion 42. The thermometer 55 indirectly measures the temperature of the evaporation chamber 41 by measuring the temperature of the pot 40.
Further, the upper surface 42 a of the bottom portion 42 is inclined in a direction that decreases from the far end (the left side in FIG. 4) of the drain port 43 toward the opening 43 a of the drain port 43. Thereby, the certainty of the waste_water | drain in the evaporation chamber 41 can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the lid 81 covers the pot body 80 from the upper side. A sealing member 87 is provided between the lid 81 and the upper edge portion 44a of the pot body 80. The seal member 87 prevents vapor from leaking between the lid 81 and the upper edge portion 44a, and keeps the airtightness of the evaporation chamber 41.

The lid 81 has a steam outlet 84, a water supply pipe mounting part 86, a water level detection electrode 82, and a partition wall 83.
As shown in FIG. 3, one end of the steam line 51 is connected to the steam outlet 84. Further, the other end of the steam pipe 51 is connected to the heater box 15. The steam generated in the evaporation chamber 41 is further heated in the heater box 15 to become superheated steam and is supplied to the processing chamber 13.
As shown in FIG. 4, the water supply pipe attachment portion 86 has a cylindrical shape. The water supply pipe attachment portion 86 passes through the flange 81a of the lid 81 in the vertical direction, and is connected to the water supply pipe 58 on the upper side of the flange 81a. A lower end 86 a of the water supply pipe mounting portion 86 is located immediately above the opening 43 a of the drain port 43.

The water level detection electrode 82 penetrates the lid 81 up and down. A lower end 82 a of the water level detection electrode 82 is located in the evaporation chamber 41. The water level detection electrode 82 detects that the water level in the evaporation chamber 41 has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.
The partition wall 83 is disposed inside the evaporation chamber 41 so as to surround the lower end 82 a of the water level detection electrode 82. The partition wall 83 reduces the influence of the fluctuation of the water surface on the detection result of the water level detection electrode 82.

<Heater for steam generation>
The steam generating heater 45 includes a rod-shaped heating element 47 and a pair of terminal portions 46 provided at the terminal portions of the heating element 47. A current is supplied to the steam generating heater 45 from a power source connected to the terminal portion 46. Thereby, the heating element 47 heats the pot 40 and evaporates the water in the evaporation chamber 41.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the pot body 80 of the pot 40.
The heating element 47 is embedded in the bottom 42 of the pot 40. That is, the heating element 47 is provided at the bottom of the evaporation chamber 41. As shown in FIG. 5, the heating element 47 is curved in a U shape when viewed from above. The cross-sectional shape of the heating element 47 of this embodiment is a circle. The heating element 47 includes a pair of straight portions 47a that extend linearly in parallel with each other, and a curved portion 47b that curves and connects the straight portions 47a. The pair of straight portions 47a and the curved portion 47b are integrally formed.

  In plan view, the drainage port 43 is located between the pair of straight portions 47a. The drain port 43 is provided in the bottom part 42 in the position away from the curved part 47b. More specifically, the drain port 43 is located on the opposite side of the curved portion 47b with respect to the center in the length direction of the straight portion 47a. The bottom portion 42 has the highest temperature in the vicinity of the curved portion 47 b of the steam generating heater 45. By providing the drain port 43 at a position away from the curved portion 47b, the temperature rise of the drain port 43 can be suppressed. Thereby, it can suppress that the water which gathers in the drain outlet 43 along the inclination of the upper surface 42a of the bottom part 42 evaporates before draining, and produces a scale.

<Drain line>
As shown in FIG. 3, the drain pipe 52 connects the evaporation chamber 41 and the water supply tank 56. One end of the drain line 52 is connected to the drain port 43 of the pot 40, and the other end is connected to the water supply tank 56. The drain line 52 includes a flexible tube 52a in the path. Further, the flexible tube 52 a is provided with a valve portion 60 that opens and closes the drain pipe 52.

<Valve part>
The valve part 60 has a pair of clamping pairs 63. The pair of clamping pairs 63 constitutes a valve opening / closing part that opens and closes the valve part 60. The clamping pair 63 includes a fixed clamping piece 62 and a movable clamping piece 61. The sandwiching pair 63 (that is, the fixed sandwiching piece 62 and the movable sandwiching piece 61) sandwiches the flexible tube 52a of the drain pipe 52 from the radial direction.
The fixed clamping piece 62 is disposed along the flexible tube 52a. The fixed clamping piece 62 is fixed to the housing 12 of the main body 10, for example. The movable clamping piece 61 is disposed to face the fixed clamping piece 62. Moreover, the movable clamping piece 61 is connected with the door opening / closing mechanism 20 via the connection mechanism 30, as will be described later. The movable clamping piece 61 is separated from the fixed clamping piece 62 with the operation of the door opening / closing mechanism 20.

<Water tank>
As shown in FIG. 3, the water supply tank 56 stores water. A water supply pipe 58 is connected to the water supply tank 56. Water in the water supply tank 56 is supplied to the evaporation chamber 41 by a water supply device 57 as necessary.

The water supply tank 56 is located below the bottom 42 of the pot 40. A drain pipe 52 is connected to the water supply tank 56, and water drained from the evaporation chamber 41 is led to the water supply tank 56 and reused. Since the water supply tank 56 is provided below the bottom portion 42 of the pot 40, the water in the pot 40 can be quickly and easily drained by gravity.
A filter 56 b is provided at a connection portion between the water supply tank 56 and the drain pipe 52. The filter 56b supplements solid matter contained in the waste water. Therefore, the free scale in the evaporation chamber 41 can be removed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water supply tank 56 is disposed on the side of the housing 12. The water supply tank 56 has a tank front cover 56a on the front side. The water supply tank 56 can be removed by pulling out the tank front cover 56a from the front side.
In addition, the water supply tank 56 is good also as a structure covered with the door part 11. FIG. In this case, the water supply tank 56 can be taken out only when the door is open. By restricting the removal of the water supply tank 56 in the door closed state, the water supply tank 56 is securely attached when the door 11 is opened and drainage is performed, and the drainage can be guided to the water supply tank 56.

<Water supply device>
As shown in FIG. 3, the water supply device 57 is provided in a path of a water supply pipe 58 that connects the water supply tank 56 and the pot 40. The water supply device 57 supplies water in the water supply tank 56 to the pot 40. As the water supply device 57, for example, a tube pump can be employed.

<Main body>
Next, the main body 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 again.
The main body 10 includes a door 11, a housing 12, a door opening / closing mechanism 20 that opens and closes the door 11, and an operation display panel 16.

<Case>
The casing 12 has a rectangular box shape and has a processing chamber 13 inside. Heater boxes 15 to which the steam pipes 51 are connected are provided on four surfaces (upper surface, lower surface, left side surface, and right side surface) around the Y axis of the housing 12. A heater 15 a for heating water vapor is provided in the heater box 15. A circulation fan (fan) 19 for stirring and circulating the air in the processing chamber 13 is provided behind the housing 12. The steam generated in the steam generator 2 is heated by the heater 15 a and circulates in the processing chamber 13 by the fan 19.

  The processing chamber 13 opens forward (−Y side) and is closed by the door portion 11. The processing chamber 13 is opened by opening the door 11. An open / close detection switch (open / close detection device) 35 for detecting the opening of the door portion 11 is provided on the front surface of the housing 12.

<Door>
The door part 11 has a door body 11a, a handle part 11b, and a tray 11c. The door portion 11 is gripped and pulled forward by the user by the handle portion 11b, so that the door 11 translates forward and opens the processing chamber 13. The tray 11c is located behind (+ Y side) the door main body 11a and moves in parallel with the door main body 11a. On the tray 11c, a net 11d is placed, and food to be cooked is mounted on the net 11d.

<Operation display panel>
The operation display panel 16 is provided on the front surface of the housing 12. The operation display panel 16 includes, for example, a display unit for displaying cooking time, and an operation unit provided with a button for starting cooking, a button for setting cooking time, and the like.

<Door open / close mechanism>
A pair of door opening / closing mechanisms 20 are provided on both the left and right sides of the processing apparatus 1 to translate the door 11 forward.
6 to 8 are schematic diagrams of the processing apparatus 1. FIG. 6 shows a door closed state, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the door is closed to a door open state, and FIG. 8 shows a door open state.
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the door opening / closing mechanism 20 includes a door-side structure 20 a that is fixed to the door 11 and moves in parallel with the door 11, and a housing-side structure 20 b that is fixed to the housing 12. Have.

The door portion side structure 20 a includes a slide rail 21 and a roller (engagement body) 22 provided on the slide rail 21.
The slide rail 21 is fixed to the door portion 11 and extends rearward (that is, the processing chamber side, + Y side) from the door portion 11. The front end of the slide rail 21 reaches the rear of the housing 12 when the door is closed.
The roller 22 is attached to the side surface 21 a of the slide rail 21 in the vicinity of the tip end of the slide rail 21. The roller 22 is a rolling element whose outer peripheral surface is rotatable.

The housing side structure 20b includes a guide rail 24, a latch hook 25, a shaft portion 26, a coil spring 27, and a spring support 28.
The guide rail 24 is fixed to the housing 12 and extends in parallel with the slide rail 21. The guide rail covers the upper and lower surfaces of the slide rail 21 and the side surface opposite to the side surface 21a to which the roller 22 is attached. The guide rail 24 functions to guide the parallel movement of the slide rail 21.

The shaft portion 26 is fixed to the housing 12. The shaft portion 26 is a shaft extending in the left-right direction (X-axis), and supports the latch hook 25 so as to be rotatable.
The spring support 28 is attached to the housing 12 and supports the coil spring 27.
The coil spring 27 is attached between the spring support 28 and the latch hook 25. The coil spring 27 extends in a plane (in the YZ plane) orthogonal to the axial direction (X-axis direction) of the shaft portion 26.

  The latch hook 25 is attached to the shaft portion 26 and extends forward. The latch hook 25 is provided with an opening 25c that opens upward, and forms a bowl shape. The latch hook 25 has a shaft attachment portion 25 a provided with a hole through which the shaft portion 26 is inserted, and a spring attachment portion 25 b to which the coil spring 27 is attached. The connecting member 31 of the connecting mechanism 30 is fixed to the shaft attachment portion 25a. Further, the latch hook 25 is biased upward (opening side) by a coil spring 27.

The opening 25 c of the latch hook 25 engages with the roller 22. Further, the engagement between the opening 25c and the roller 22 is released when the latch hook 25 rotates about the shaft portion 26. A first inclined portion 25d is provided on the rear surface of the opening 25c.
The latch hook 25 has a second inclined portion at the front end.

<Coupling mechanism>
The connecting mechanism 30 connects the door opening / closing mechanism 20 and the valve unit 60, and opens the valve unit 60 in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the door unit 11.
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the connection mechanism 30 of this embodiment includes a connection member 31. The connecting member 31 is a rod-shaped member that extends along the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The first end 31 a of the connecting member 31 is connected to the latch hook 25, and the second end 31 b is connected to the movable clamping piece 61 of the valve portion 60. The movable clamping piece 61 extends rearward (+ Y side) from the second end 31 b of the connecting member 31, and faces the fixed clamping piece 62 positioned further rearward. In the present embodiment, the connecting member 31 is formed integrally with the latch hook 25 and the movable holding piece 61.

<Operation of coupling mechanism>
Next, specific operations of the coupling mechanism 30 and the door opening / closing mechanism 20 and the valve unit 60 coupled by the coupling mechanism 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the door closed state shown in FIG. 6, the latch hook 25 of the door opening / closing mechanism 20 accommodates the roller 22 in the opening 25c. Further, the clamping pair 63 of the valve unit 60 sandwiches the flexible tube 52 a of the drainage pipe line 52 from the radial direction and closes the drainage pipe line 52.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when the door portion 11 is pulled forward, the door portion side structure 20 a of the door opening / closing mechanism 20 moves in parallel with the door portion 11. The outer peripheral surface of the roller 22 positioned at the tip of the slide rail 21 is in contact with the first inclined portion 25d positioned inside the opening 25c of the latch hook 25. The latch hook 25 rides on the roller 22 and rotates around the shaft portion 26 as the roller 22 moves forward. Thereby, the engagement between the latch hook 25 and the roller 22 is gradually released.

  The connecting member 31 of the connecting mechanism 30 fixed to the latch hook 25 rotates in the YZ plane together with the latch hook 25. As a result, the second end 31 b of the connecting member 31 moves forward, and the movable holding piece 61 fixed to the second end 31 b is separated from the fixed holding piece 62. Thereby, the drain pipe 52 is opened and drainage from the evaporation chamber 41 is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the door portion 11 is further pulled forward from the state shown in FIG. 7 and the door is opened, the roller 22 is separated from the latch hook 25 and the latch hook 25 is in the same posture as the door closed state. Return. With the operation of the latch hook 25, the movable clamping piece 61 comes close to the fixed clamping piece 62 and sandwiches the flexible tube 52 a of the drain pipe 52. Thereby, the drain pipe 52 is closed again.

  When the door is opened again (FIG. 8) and the door is closed again (FIG. 6), the second inclined portion 25e of the latch hook 25 and the roller 22 come into contact with each other, and the latch hook 25 rides on the roller 22. At this time, in conjunction with the latch hook 25, the valve unit 60 opens the drain pipe 52 again.

  In the present embodiment, the drain pipe 52 is opened while the latch hook 25 rides on the roller 22. It is preferable that the inner diameter of the drainage pipe 52 is set to a size that allows the water in the evaporation chamber 41 to be completely drained within the time that the latch hook 25 rides on the roller 22 in accordance with the opening / closing operation. In order to secure a long time for the latch hook 25 to ride on the roller 22, a flat portion may be provided between the first inclined portion 25d and the second inclined portion 25e of the latch hook 25. Further, for the same purpose, an engaging body extended in the length direction of the slide rail 21 may be provided instead of the roller 22. In addition, a damper may be provided together with the coil spring 27. Accordingly, the draining time may be secured by increasing the time from the state in which the latch hook 25 rides on the roller 22 and the valve unit 60 is opened until the drain pipe 52 is closed by the clamping pair 63.

<Control unit>
As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 3 is provided to control the heater 15 a of the heater box 15, the steam generating heater 45, the water supply device 57, and the like. That is, the control unit 3 comprehensively controls the processing device 1. In addition, the control unit 3 determines the completion of drainage in the evaporation chamber 41 and refers to the determination result in the control of the processing apparatus 1. Here, an example of a drainage completion determination method by the control unit 3 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 3 is electrically connected to the open / close detection switch 35 and the thermometer 55. The open / close detection switch 35 detects the opening of the door 11 and transmits a signal to the controller 3. The thermometer 55 measures the temperature of the pot 40 and transmits a signal to the control unit 3. The control unit 3 receives signals from the open / close detection switch 35 and the thermometer 55.

When drainage of the evaporation chamber 41 of the pot 40 is completed, the temperature of the pot 40 instantaneously rises even when the steam generating heater 45 is stopped. This is because there is no thermal energy loss taken away from the pot 40 as heat of evaporation.
The control unit 3 determines the completion of drainage of the evaporation chamber 41 based on the temperature increase in the pot 40 after the opening / closing detection switch 35 detects that the door is open (FIG. 8). When the drainage is not completed, the control unit 3 notifies the operation display panel 16 that the drainage is not completed, and recommends that the user perform the opening / closing operation again.

  According to the steam generator 2 of the present embodiment, the water in the evaporation chamber 41 can be drained by gravity by providing the drain port 43 at the bottom 42 of the pot 40. Therefore, wastewater treatment can be performed at high speed. Therefore, there is no need for a standby time for performing the waste water treatment, and the time for starting the next cooking can be shortened.

  Moreover, according to the steam generator 2 of this embodiment, the valve part 60 has the valve part 60 which opens the drain pipe 52 in conjunction with the door opening / closing mechanism 20. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide an electromagnetic valve or motor for opening and closing the valve unit 60, and an inexpensive configuration can be achieved. The valve unit 60 has a pair of clamping pairs 63 and closes the drainage pipe 52 by sandwiching the flexible tube 52 a of the drainage pipe 52. For this reason, the drain pipe 52 can be easily opened by separating the pair of sandwiching pairs 63 from each other, and an inexpensive structure with a small number of parts can be realized.

  Moreover, according to this embodiment, unless the door part 11 is opened, drainage in the evaporation chamber 41 is not performed. For this reason, when a user extends the process of a process target, without opening the door part 11, the water which remains in the evaporation chamber 41 can be used as it is. For this reason, the time for supplying water to the evaporation chamber 41 again can be shortened.

In addition, each structure of this embodiment, those combinations, etc. are examples, and addition, omission, substitution, and other changes of a structure are possible.
For example, in the present embodiment, the open / close detection switch 35 is provided on the front surface of the housing 12, but is not limited thereto. For example, the open / close detection switch 35 may be operated by rotation of the latch hook 25.
Further, in the present embodiment, the door opening / closing mechanism 20 that opens and closes the door portion 11 has a structure that slides in the front-rear direction, but the door opening / closing mechanism 20 may be rotated by a hinge.

Second Embodiment
Next, the processing apparatus 1A according to the second embodiment and the steam generator 2A provided in the processing apparatus 1A will be described. The steam generator 2 </ b> A is different from the steam generator 2 described above in the configuration of the coupling mechanism 130 and the valve unit 160.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1A in the door closed state, and shows the operation of the main part in the door open state by a two-dot chain line.

  The valve portion 160 has a pair of sandwiching pairs 163 composed of a movable sandwiching piece 161 and a fixed sandwiching piece 162, similarly to the valve portion 60 described above. The pair of sandwiching pairs 163 constitutes a valve opening / closing part that opens and closes the valve part 160. The movable clamping piece 161 is located on the rear side with respect to the fixed clamping piece 162. The movable clamping piece 161 moves rearward to be separated from the fixed clamping piece 162 to open the flexible tube 52a. That is, the positional relationship between the movable clamping piece 161 and the fixed clamping piece 162 is different in the valve unit 160 compared to the valve unit 60 described above.

The coupling mechanism 130 includes a rotating member 131, a shaft portion 133, and a coil spring 132.
The shaft portion 133 is fixed to the housing 12 of the main body portion 10. The shaft part 133 supports the rotating member 131 to be rotatable.
The rotating member 131 includes a first connecting portion 131A extending upward with respect to the shaft portion 133 and a second connecting portion (pressing portion) 132B extending downward. A movable clamping piece 161 of the valve portion 160 is connected to the tip of the first connecting portion 131A. Further, a part of the second connecting portion 131B is located in the moving path of the roller (engagement body) 22 provided near the tip of the slide rail 21. In the door closed state, the second connecting portion 131 </ b> B contacts the roller 22. Further, in the door open state, the second connecting portion 131B is released from contact with the roller 22.
The coil spring 132 is attached between the first connecting portion 131 </ b> A of the rotating member 131 and the housing 12 of the main body 10, and urges the second connecting portion 131 </ b> B in a direction to press the roller 22.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the door closed state, the second connecting portion 131B is pressed by the roller 22 and the coil spring 132 is extended. Further, the clamping pair 163 of the valve unit 160 sandwiches the flexible tube 52a of the drainage pipe line 52 from the radial direction and closes the pipe line.

  As shown as a two-dot chain line in FIG. 9, when the door portion 11 is pulled forward and the door is opened, the contact between the roller 22 and the second connecting portion 131B is released. Accordingly, the rotating member 131 rotates by the tension of the coil spring 132, and the first connecting portion 131A moves rearward. Further, the rotation operation of the rotating member 131 is transmitted to the valve portion 160, and the movable holding piece 161 moves backward and is separated from the fixed holding piece 162. As a result, the drain pipe 52 is opened in the valve portion 160, and drainage from the evaporation chamber 41 is performed.

  According to the steam generator 2A of the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the steam generator 2 described above can be obtained. In addition, according to the second embodiment, since the drain pipe 52 is always opened in the door open state, it is easy to sufficiently secure the drainage time, and the drainage reliability is improved. Can do.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, the processing apparatus 1B of 3rd Embodiment and the steam generator 2B provided in the processing apparatus 1B are demonstrated. The steam generator 2B is different from the steam generator 2 described above in the configuration of the door opening / closing mechanism 220, the coupling mechanism 230, and the valve portion 260.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1B in the door closed state. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1B in the door open state. As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the pot 40 is provided on the side portion of the processing chamber 13. The pot 40 may be provided behind the processing chamber 13 as shown in the first and second embodiments described above.

  First, the door opening / closing mechanism 220 of this embodiment will be described. In the processing apparatus 1B, the door part 211 is vertically open. The door portion 211 is opened and closed by a pair of door opening / closing mechanisms 220 provided on both the left and right sides of the processing apparatus 1B by rotating the distal end portion 211f side located above the base end portion 211e side located below. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the door opening / closing mechanism 220 includes a base portion 224, a door arm 221, a roller 222, and a coil spring 227.

The base part 224 is fixed to the housing 12. One base portion 224 is disposed at each of the locations corresponding to the left and right end portions of the door portion 211. The left and right base portions 224 have a symmetrical shape.
The base portion 224 has a support portion 224 a that protrudes to the front side of the housing 12. The support portion 224a is provided with a door portion rotating shaft portion 224b. The base part 224 supports the base end part 211e of the door part 211 rotatably via the door part rotating shaft part 224b.

The door arm 221 has a strip shape extending in the depth direction with the height direction of the housing 12 as the width direction. The door arm 221 has a first end 221a located on the door 211 side and a second end 221b located on the opposite side of the first end 221a. The first end portion 221a is rotatably connected to the door portion 211 via a connecting rotation shaft portion 221c. The connecting rotation shaft portion 221c is located above the door portion rotation shaft portion 224b in the door portion 211.
The door arm 221 has a rail portion 221d extending in the depth direction between the first end portion 221a and the second end portion 221b and facing downward. The door arm 221 is mounted on the roller 222 in the rail portion 221d, and can move on the roller 222 while rotating the roller 222.

  The coil spring 227 has an upper end and a lower end and extends in the vertical direction. The upper end of the coil spring 227 is attached to the second end 221 b of the door arm 221. The lower end of the coil spring 227 is attached to the base portion 224. The coil spring 227 biases the door arm 221 and presses it against the roller 222. Further, the coil spring 227 gives a force in a direction to return the door portion 211 to the closed state via the door arm 221.

  The door arm 221 moves to the front side of the housing 12 together with the door portion 211 when the door portion 211 changes from the closed state (see FIG. 10) to the open body (FIG. 11). At this time, the door arm 221 moves while contacting the roller 222 and rotating the roller 222. Further, the coil spring 227 attached to the second end 221 b of the door arm 221 is extended with the movement of the door arm 221.

  Next, the valve part 260 of this embodiment is demonstrated. The valve part 260 is a shutter-type valve. The valve portion 260 includes a pair of slide guides 262 and a shutter portion (valve opening / closing portion, valve opening member) 261.

  The shutter part 261 extends in a direction orthogonal to the drain pipe 252 extending downward from the bottom of the evaporation chamber 41. Further, the shutter part 261 moves in a direction orthogonal to the drainage pipe line 252 and enters and exits the inner diameter part 252c of the drainage pipe line 252 from a lateral hole 252b provided in the side wall of the drainage pipe line 252. Thereby, the shutter part 261 can block the drain pipe 252. That is, the shutter part 261 constitutes a valve opening / closing part that opens and closes the valve part 260. The shutter part 261 is connected to a door opening / closing mechanism 220 that opens and closes the door part 211 via the connection mechanism 230, and functions as a valve opening member whose position changes in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the door part 211. The shutter portion 261 is provided with a long hole 261a whose longitudinal direction is the operation direction of the shutter portion 261.

  The pair of slide guides 262 are disposed so as to sandwich the shutter portion 261 and extend in a direction orthogonal to the drainage pipe 252. The pair of slide guides 262 plays a role of guiding the operation of the shutter unit 261.

Next, specific operations of the coupling mechanism 230, the door opening / closing mechanism 220 and the valve portion 260 coupled by the coupling mechanism 230 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The coupling mechanism 230 has a rod-shaped coupling member 231. The connecting member 231 has a first end 231a to which the first connecting shaft 232 is attached and a second end 231b to which the second connecting shaft 233 is attached. The first connecting shaft 232 is rotatably connected to the second end 221b of the door arm 221. The second connecting shaft 233 is inserted into the long hole 261 a of the shutter part 261.

  In the door closed state shown in FIG. 10, the shutter unit 261 closes the drain pipe 252. When the door is closed, the second connecting shaft 233 of the second end 231b of the connecting member 231 is located closest to the drain line 252 inside the long hole 261a of the shutter 261.

When the door 211 is opened as shown in FIG. 11, the door arm 221 moves forward together with the door 211. Along with this, the connecting member 231 and the second connecting shaft 233 also move forward. The second connecting shaft 233 first moves inside the elongated hole 261 a and reaches the opposite side of the drainage pipe 252, and then moves the shutter portion 261 backward. As a result, the drain pipe 252 is opened, and drainage from the evaporation chamber 41 is performed.
When changing from the door open state (FIG. 11) to the door closed state (FIG. 10), an operation opposite to the above-described operation is performed, and the drain pipe 252 is closed by the shutter portion 261.

According to the steam generator 2B of the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the steam generator 2 described above can be achieved.
In the present embodiment, the example in which the connecting member 231 is connected to the door portion 211 via the door arm 221 of the door opening / closing mechanism 220 has been shown. However, the connecting member 231 may be directly connected to the door portion 211. Even in this case, the drain pipe 252 can be opened and closed by the same action as described in the present embodiment.

<Fourth embodiment>
Next, the processing apparatus 1C of 4th Embodiment and the steam generator 2C provided in the processing apparatus 1C are demonstrated. The steam generator 2 </ b> C is different from the steam generator 2 described above in the configuration of the valve unit 360 and the control unit 303.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1C in the door closed state.

As in the first embodiment, an opening / closing detection switch (open / close detection device) 35 that detects opening / closing of the door 311 is provided on the front surface of the housing 12. The open / close detection switch 35 detects the opening / closing of the door 311 and transmits a signal to the control unit 303.
The valve portion 360 is provided with an electromagnetic valve (valve opening / closing portion) 361. The electromagnetic valve 361 can open or close the drain pipe 352 in accordance with an electrical signal.
The control unit (valve opening / closing control unit) 303 transmits a signal based on the detection result of the opening / closing detection switch 35 to the electromagnetic valve 361. The electromagnetic valve 361 opens and closes the valve unit 360 based on a signal from the control unit 303. For example, when the open / close detection switch 35 detects an open state, the control unit 303 transmits a signal for opening the valve unit 360 to the electromagnetic valve 361 and opens the drain pipe 352. When the open / close detection switch 35 detects the closed state, the control unit 303 transmits a signal for closing the valve unit 360 to the electromagnetic valve 361.
According to the steam generator 2C of the fourth embodiment, high-speed drainage can be performed in the same manner as the steam generator 2 described above. The valve opening / closing part is not limited to an electromagnetic valve as long as the valve part 360 can be opened and closed.

<Fifth embodiment ability>
Next, the heat retaining function and the moisture retaining function of the processing apparatus 1 (or processing apparatuses 1A, 1B, 1C) will be described as a fifth embodiment with reference to FIG.
The processing apparatus 1 has a function of keeping temperature and moisture of a processing target in the processing chamber 13. The processing apparatus 1 can select a heat retention / humidity mode for performing heat retention and moisture retention at the same time, a heat retention mode for performing only heat retention, and a moisture retention mode for performing only moisture retention by using the operation display panel 16 (see FIG. 1).

  As shown in FIG. 6, a temperature sensor 5 and a humidity sensor 6 are provided in the processing chamber 13. The temperature sensor 5 and the humidity sensor 6 are connected to the control unit 3 and transmit measurement results to the control unit 3. As the temperature sensor 5 and the humidity sensor 6, conventionally known sensors can be employed. In the present embodiment, the temperature sensor 5 is an infrared sensor, and measures the surface temperature of the heating target (food in the present embodiment) in the processing chamber. However, the temperature of the air in the processing chamber 13 may be directly measured.

<Insulation function>
First, the heat retaining function of the processing apparatus 1 will be described.
Conventionally, the processing apparatus 1 was used in order to heat food (for example, patent document 1). However, after cooking, since the food is cooled, it is necessary to perform heating again. According to the processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, it can maintain in the state which can be eaten immediately when needed by keeping a process target warm.

The processing apparatus 1 keeps the temperature of the food to be processed within a predetermined temperature range (for example, set temperature ± 5 ° C.) by the heat retaining function.
In general, in foods, propagation of various bacteria is suppressed at 60 ° C. or higher. Therefore, by setting the temperature of the food in the processing chamber 13 to 60 ° C. or higher in the heat retaining function, it is possible to keep warm while suppressing the propagation of germs. In addition, the food to be treated is kept warm, so that the penetration of taste is promoted. Furthermore, with the heat retaining function, the temperature can be kept at a temperature that promotes fermentation of the food to be processed.

The control unit 3 of the processing apparatus 1 controls the heater box 15 and the fan 19 based on the measurement result of the temperature to be processed by the temperature sensor 5.
When the temperature to be processed is lower than the set temperature, the air in the processing chamber 13 is heated by the heater 15a in the heater box 15, and the air in the processing chamber 13 is changed by the fan 19 (see FIG. 2). Circulate. As a result, the temperature of the processing target is raised and brought close to the set temperature.

  If the temperature to be processed is higher than the set temperature, the fan 19 is operated without heating by the heater 15a. Thereby, the inside of the processing chamber 13 can be air-cooled and the temperature of the processing target can be lowered. Moreover, you may wait until the temperature of a target object turns into preset temperature, without operating the fan 19. FIG.

  When the temperature to be processed is close to the set temperature, the control unit 3 controls the heater 15a and the fan 19 so as to be within a predetermined temperature range from the set temperature. In this case, the control unit 3 may perform ON / OFF control of the heater 15a and the fan 19, or may perform output control.

<Moisturizing function>
Next, the heat retaining function of the processing apparatus 1 will be described.
The processing apparatus 1 raises the humidity in the processing chamber 13 by the moisturizing function, and suppresses drying of the food to be processed. Thereby, hardening of the surface of the foodstuff which is a process target can be suppressed. Moreover, when a process target is soup, film formation on the surface can be suppressed.

The control unit 3 of the processing device 1 controls the steam generation device 2 based on the measurement result of the humidity in the processing chamber 13 in the humidity sensor 6.
When the humidity in the processing chamber 13 is lower than a preset humidity, steam is injected from the steam generator 2 into the processing chamber 13 to increase the humidity in the processing chamber 13. Note that the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment may not include the humidity sensor 6. In this case, steam is periodically sprayed into the processing chamber 13 to suppress a decrease in humidity in the processing chamber 13.

<Heat and moisture retention mode>
Next, the heat and moisture retention mode of the processing apparatus 1 will be described.
A user of the processing apparatus 1 can select the heat and moisture retention mode by using the operation display panel 16 to keep the treatment target warm and moisturized. The processing apparatus 1 is good also as a structure which transfers to heat retention moisturizing mode automatically after the heat cooking in the processing chamber 13. FIG.

The user can arbitrarily set the heat retention temperature to be processed and the time for performing heat retention and moisture retention (heat retention moisture retention time) on the operation display panel 16 through the operation display panel 16.
Moreover, the processing apparatus 1 may be provided with "permanent mode" which continues a heat retention moisturizing mode forever until a user performs completion | finish operation. In the permanent mode, it is preferable that the processing apparatus 1 has a function of automatically terminating the heat and moisture retention mode when a certain time (for example, 24 hours) has passed.

The processing apparatus 1 has a function of displaying an elapsed time since the start of the heat and moisture retention mode. Further, the processing apparatus 1 may cause the operation display panel 16 to display the temperature of the processing target in the heat and moisture retention mode.
In addition to the above-described heat and moisture retention mode, the processing apparatus 1 has a heat retention mode for performing only heat retention and a moisture retention mode for performing only moisture retention. The heat retention mode and the moisture retention mode can be operated in the same manner as the above-described heat retention and moisture retention mode, and the same display is made on the operation display panel 16.

<Sixth implementation form ability>
Next, another embodiment of the processing apparatus 1 (or processing apparatuses 1A, 1B, 1C) relating to the heat retaining function will be described as a sixth embodiment with reference to FIG.
The heat retaining function of the sixth embodiment uses the magnetron 7 of the processing apparatus 1.
In the sixth embodiment, the processing apparatus 1 is, for example, a microwave oven that can be cooked by microwaves, and includes a magnetron 7 that generates microwaves below the housing 12 as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Yes.

  In the heat retention function of the sixth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the microwave absorption tray 8 is disposed in the processing chamber 13, and the object can be operated with the object mounted on the microwave absorption tray 8. preferable. The microwave absorption tray 8 has a tray main body 8a and a microwave absorber 8b attached to the lower surface of the tray main body 8a. The microwave absorber 8b absorbs the microwave and generates heat.

  The magnetron 7 irradiates the microwave absorption tray 8 with microwaves from below. The microwave is absorbed by the microwave absorber 8 b of the microwave absorption tray 8. Thereby, the microwave absorber 8b generates heat and heats the processing target on the tray body 8a via the tray body 8a.

  In the sixth embodiment, microwaves are not diffused into the processing chamber 13 because they are absorbed by the microwave absorber 8b. For this reason, the foodstuff accommodated in the electroconductive pot can be used as a process target. Therefore, the cooked pan can be directly stored in the processing chamber 13 and kept warm.

  Further, according to the sixth embodiment, it is possible to keep the entire processing target warm using microwaves. Generally, in the irradiation with microwaves, the heating of the processing target tends to be local. Therefore, it has been difficult to use microwaves to keep the treatment target warm. According to the sixth embodiment, in order to heat the processing target via the microwave absorption tray 8, the processing target is not locally heated, and heat can be kept at a uniform temperature throughout. Become.

  Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, each configuration in each embodiment and combinations thereof are examples, and addition, omission, replacement, and configuration of configurations are within the scope without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Other changes are possible. Further, the present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

  In addition, in each above-mentioned embodiment, although the heating cooker was demonstrated as an example of processing apparatus 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, the use of a processing apparatus is not limited to this. The processing apparatuses 1, 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, and 1 </ b> C may be, for example, a steaming apparatus or a high temperature and humidity chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A, 1B, 1C ... Processing apparatus (heating cooker) 2, 2A, 2B, 2C ... Steam generating device, 3 ... Control part, 10 ... Main-body part, 11, 211, 311 ... Door part, 12 ... Housing Body, 13 ... processing chamber, 15 ... heater box, 15a ... heater, 16 ... operation display panel, 19 ... fan, 20, 220 ... door opening / closing mechanism, 21 ... slide rail, 22, 222 ... roller (engaging body), 24 ... guide rail, 25 ... latch hook, 26, 133 ... shaft, 27, 132, 227 ... coil spring, 30, 130, 230 ... connecting mechanism, 31,231 ... connecting member, 35 ... open / close detection switch (open / close detection device) 40 ... pot, 41 ... evaporation chamber, 42 ... bottom, 42a ... upper surface, 43 ... drain port, 43a ... opening, 45 ... heat generating heater (heater), 46 ... terminal, 47 ... heating element, 47a ... straight line Part, 7b ... curved portion, 51 ... steam line, 52, 252, 352 ... drainage line, 52a ... flexible tube, 55 ... thermometer, 56 ... water supply tank, 57 ... water supply device, 58 ... water supply line, 60 , 160, 260, 360 ... valve part, 61, 161 ... movable clamping piece, 62, 162 ... fixed clamping piece, 63, 163 ... clamping pair (valve opening / closing part), 80 ... pot body, 81 ... lid body, 131 ... Rotating member, 131A ... first connecting portion, 131B ... second connecting portion (pressing portion), 221 ... door arm, 224 ... base portion, 261 ... shutter portion (valve opening member, valve opening / closing portion), 262 ... slide guide, 303 ... Control part (valve open / close control part), 361 ... Solenoid valve (valve open / close part)

Claims (6)

A steam generator for generating steam to be supplied to the processing chamber, which is used in a processing apparatus including a housing having a processing chamber to which steam is supplied, and a door portion that opens the processing chamber,
An evaporation chamber,
A heater for evaporating water in the evaporation chamber;
A drain line connected to the evaporation chamber;
A valve part for opening and closing the drain pipe;
A valve opening and closing part for opening and closing the valve part,
The drain pipe is connected to a drain port provided at the bottom of the evaporation chamber,
The valve part is opened in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the door part, and the water in the steam chamber is drained every time the door part is opened and closed.
Steam generator. The heater has a pair of straight portions extending linearly in parallel with each other and a rod-shaped heating element having a curved portion connecting the straight portions, and a pair of terminal portions provided at a terminal portion of the heating element, Have
The heating element is provided at the bottom of the evaporation chamber;
The opening of the drain outlet is provided at a position opposite to the curved portion with respect to the center in the length direction of the linear portion at the bottom.
The steam generator according to claim 1 . A control unit;
A thermometer for measuring the temperature of the evaporation chamber and transmitting a signal to the control unit;
An open / close detection device that detects opening / closing of the door and transmits a signal to the control unit,
The control unit receives signals from the open / close detection device and the thermometer, and determines completion of drainage of water in the evaporation chamber based on a temperature rise of the evaporation chamber after the door is opened.
The steam generator according to claim 1 or 2 . A shaft portion fixed to the housing, a latch hook rotatably supported by the shaft portion, a slide rail extending from the door portion to the processing chamber side, and an engagement with the latch hook provided on the slide rail And a door opening / closing mechanism having an engaging body,
In the closed state of the door portion, the latch hook engages with the engagement body,
With the opening / closing operation of the door portion, the latch hook rides on the engaging body and rotates, and the rotation operation of the latch hook is transmitted to the valve opening / closing portion, and the drain pipe is opened.
The steam generator according to claim 1. A door opening / closing mechanism having a slide rail extending from the door portion toward the processing chamber, and an engagement body provided on the slide rail;
A coupling mechanism having a shaft portion fixed to the housing, a rotating member rotatably supported by the shaft portion and connected to the valve opening / closing portion, and a pressing portion fixed to the rotating member; Prepared,
In the closed state of the door portion, the pressing portion is pressed by the engaging body,
When the door portion is in the open state, the engaging member is separated from the pressing portion and the rotating member rotates, and the rotating operation of the rotating member is transmitted to the valve opening / closing portion, and the drain pipe is opened.
The steam generator according to claim 1. The processing apparatus provided with the steam generator as described in any one of Claims 1-5 .

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