JP7851869B2 - Stand - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a stand that can be installed on the underside of kitchen equipment having a storage compartment for containing items within its housing.

Patent Document 1, described below, discloses a cooking appliance that heats and cooks food using hot air. This appliance includes a cooking chamber within a housing for heating and cooking food, and the cooking chamber is equipped with a heater and a convection fan. Furthermore, a steam generator is provided within the housing to supply steam to the cooking chamber. This appliance also includes a control device that controls the operation of the heater, convection fan, and steam generator. The control device contains a cooking program for heating and cooking the food in the cooking chamber. In this appliance, when the cooking program, which uses steam-infused hot air for heating and cooking, is executed, the air in the cooking chamber becomes hot air due to the operation of the heater and convection fan, and steam is supplied to the circulating hot air by the operation of the steam generator. The food placed in the cooking chamber is then heated and cooked by the steam-infused hot air.

In this cooking appliance, when a cooking program is executed and food is heated in the cooking chamber, the inside of the chamber becomes soiled with oil and other substances scattered from the food. Therefore, a shower device for cleaning the inside of the cooking chamber is provided on the outer side wall of the housing of this cooking appliance. The shower device consists of a water supply hose located on the outside of the housing and a shower nozzle at the end of the water supply hose. When cleaning the cooking chamber after cooking, the water supply hose can be extended, the shower nozzle inserted into the cooking chamber, and the inside of the cooking chamber can be cleaned with water sprayed from the shower nozzle.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-137605

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

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

The frame configured as described above comprises a casing that can be installed beneath kitchen equipment having a storage compartment for containing items within its housing, and a shower device with a water supply hose and nozzle for cleaning the storage compartment, with a nozzle outlet provided on the front of the casing. When the storage compartment is not being cleaned, the shower device is stored inside the casing, thus maintaining the appearance of the kitchen equipment and preventing contact with other equipment adjacent to it, thus reducing the risk of damage to the shower device. Furthermore, when cleaning the storage compartment, the water supply hose can be pulled out from the outlet, and the nozzle extended into the storage compartment, allowing for easy cleaning with water sprayed from the nozzle.

In the frame configured as described above, it is preferable that the casing comprises a casing body with an open front and a box-shaped front panel into which the front of the casing body is fitted and which opens at the rear. Casings on which kitchen equipment is installed above tend to accumulate dirt on the front of the top surface. If there is a joint between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing, dirt tends to remain at this joint. In contrast, by attaching a box-shaped front panel that opens at the rear to the front of the casing body with an open front, the joint between the front end of the top wall and the upper end of the front wall can be eliminated, preventing dirt from accumulating between the two. Furthermore, although there is a risk of dirt from kitchen equipment adhering to the front of the top surface of the casing, it becomes easier to remove the dirt adhering to the front of the top surface of the casing, thus improving the cleanability of the casing.

In the mounting structure configured as described above, the box-shaped front panel has the nozzle outlet positioned on one side in the left-right direction, and it is preferable that the box-shaped front panel be vertically symmetrical. In this configuration, the left-right position of the nozzle outlet can be changed by rotating the box-shaped front panel 180° around the horizontal axis, allowing for adjustment of the nozzle outlet's position without increasing the number of parts.

In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment is equipped with legs that separate the bottom surface of the housing from the top surface of the casing, and it is preferable to provide an upper shielding plate that extends upward from the front of the top surface of the casing. In this configuration, dust and other dirt are less likely to enter the area behind the upper shielding plate on the top surface of the casing, thus keeping the top surface of the casing clean.

In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment is a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food using hot air. Preferably, the casing includes a tray storage section for holding trays containing food, and a heater for heating the tray storage section. This allows the trays placed in the cooking chamber to be preheated, preventing a significant drop in temperature inside the chamber due to the cold trays.

In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment is equipped with a power switch for supplying and cutting off electricity from an external power source, and an operating unit for operating the controllable parts located within the housing. A water supply valve is interposed in the water supply pipeline, including the water supply hose, which supplies water to the nozzle. It is preferable that the water supply valve be openable and closable in response to the operation of the power switch or the operating unit. In this configuration, the water supply valve opens and closes in response to the operation of the power switch or the operating unit, improving the operability of the shower device.

In the above-described configuration, kitchen equipment is installed in two tiers, one above the other. The stand can also be installed below the upper-tiered equipment. The stand can be used as a stacking stand for kitchen equipment, and the shower system on a single stand can clean the storage compartments of both upper and lower tiers of kitchen equipment, reducing costs compared to using a separate stand for each piece of equipment.

In the frame configured as described above, the kitchen equipment installed on the lower side has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food with hot air, and the cooking appliance has an opening at the front of the cooking chamber that can be opened and closed with a door. Preferably, a lower shielding plate is provided at the front of the bottom surface of the casing, extending downwards. In this configuration, when the door of the cooking appliance installed on the lower side is opened and hot air containing moisture rises from the opening at the front of the cooking chamber, the hot air containing moisture is less likely to flow behind the lower shielding plate on the underside of the casing, thus keeping the underside of the casing clean.

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

This is a front view showing a heating appliance installed as kitchen equipment on the upper side of the stand of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the cooking appliance shown in Figure 1 with the door open. This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cooking appliance at its center in the front-to-back direction. This is a side view of the heating appliance housing with the left panel removed, revealing the machine room on the left side. This is a magnified cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing where the exhaust pipe protrudes from the top panel. This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 5, which shows another embodiment in which the shape of the packing has been changed. This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled control panel. This is a diagram showing the first spacer sheet. This is a diagram showing the second spacer sheet. (a) is a rear view of the left front panel of the housing where the control panel is located, and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sealing portion. This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 10(b) of an embodiment in which the sealing portion has a protruding shape. This is a block diagram of the control device. This is an exploded perspective view of the mounting frame. This is a partial cross-sectional view of the stand and the front of the cooking appliance, cut vertically through the center in the left-right direction. This is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the upper end of the mounting frame casing. This is an exploded perspective view of the stand when the outlet is located on the right side of the front of the casing. This is a horizontal cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 14 of an embodiment in which a tray storage section for storing trays is formed inside the casing of the support frame. This is a perspective view of a setup where two cooking appliances are installed one above the other, with the stand placed below the upper cooking appliance. This is a partial cross-sectional view of the front of a two-tiered cooking unit, cut vertically through the center in the left-right direction, with a stand installed between the upper and lower cooking units. This is a plan view corresponding to Figure 14 of an embodiment in which a cooling fan is installed inside the casing of the mounting frame.

The following describes embodiments of the stand of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The stand of the present invention is installed beneath kitchen equipment that has a storage compartment for containing items within its housing. Kitchen equipment using the stand of the present invention is used in kitchen equipment that requires cleaning of its storage compartments, such as cooking appliances like steam convection ovens, temperature and humidity control devices like dough conditioners, ice makers, and rapid coolers like blast chillers and rapid chillers. The stand allows for cleaning of the storage compartments of cooking appliances, temperature and humidity control devices, ice makers, and rapid coolers using a shower system. The following describes embodiments in which the stand of the present invention is installed beneath kitchen equipment.

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

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

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

Furthermore, the annular body portion 27a is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26 with a small gap between them, and an annular projection 27f protruding inward is formed at the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the annular body portion 27a. This annular projection 27f engages with the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, thereby creating a liquid-tight seal between the packing 27 and the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26. In this way, the packing 27, with its annular projection 27e engaging with the upper surface of the top plate at the periphery of the opening 11b of the housing 11, and its annular projection 27f engaging with the outer circumferential surface of the exhaust pipe 26, creates a liquid-tight seal between the opening 11b of the housing 11 and the exhaust pipe 26.

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

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

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an operation panel 30 is provided on the left side of the front of the housing 11. As shown in Figure 7, the operation panel 30 is provided with multiple operation units 30a and multiple display units 30b. As shown in Figure 7, the operation panel 30 uses membrane switches and comprises an operation base 31, a surface sheet 32, and first and second spacer sheets 33 and 34 interposed between the operation base 31 and the surface sheet 32. The operation base 31 is provided with multiple electrode units (not shown) at positions corresponding to the multiple operation units 30a, and multiple display units (not shown) using liquid crystal panels, etc., are provided at positions corresponding to the multiple display units 30b. Multiple switch units (not shown) are provided on the back surface of the surface sheet 32. These switch units (not shown) energize the electrode units (not shown) provided on the operation base 31, thereby outputting operation signals corresponding to each switch unit (not shown).

The first and second spacer sheets 33 and 34, interposed between the operation base 31 and the surface sheet 32, have multiple window holes 33a and 34a formed at positions where multiple operating sections 30a and multiple display sections 30b are located. The window holes 33a and 34a expose the electrode section (not shown) of the operation base 31 to the switch section (not shown) and expose the display section (not shown) of the operation base 31. Connecting passages 33b and 34b are formed in the first and second spacer sheets 33 and 34, linking the multiple window holes 33a and 34a. As shown in Figure 10, the operation base 31 has a ventilation opening 31a at a position opposite to the connecting passage 34b of the second spacer sheet 34. The ventilation opening 31a is normally closed by a sealing section 31b with a thin plate-like wall within a cylindrical section.

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

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

When the cooking program's hot air mode is executed, the heater 20 and convection fan 21 operate, causing the air inside the cooking chamber 12 to circulate as hot air, and the food placed inside the cooking chamber 12 is cooked by this circulating hot air. Furthermore, when the cooking program's combi mode is executed, the heater 20 and convection fan 21 operate, causing the air inside the cooking chamber 12 to circulate as hot air. Additionally, steam is supplied to the cooking chamber 12 from the steam generator 23, so the hot air circulating inside the cooking chamber 12 becomes infused with steam, and the food placed inside the cooking chamber 12 is cooked by this steam-infused hot air.

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

As shown in Figure 13, the box-shaped front panel 43 closes the opening on the front of the casing body 42 in a manner that allows it to be opened and closed, and is detachably attached to the front of the casing body 42. The box-shaped front panel 43 is manufactured by bending a sheet metal member and has an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion that extend to the rear from the upper and lower ends of the front wall portion, and a left wall portion and a right wall portion that extend to the rear from the left and right ends of the front wall portion, forming a box shape that opens to the rear. The left and right ends of the upper wall portion and the upper ends of the left and right walls are connected by fastening means such as welding, and the left and right ends of the lower wall portion and the lower ends of the left and right walls are connected by fastening means such as welding, forming a box shape that opens to the rear. As shown in Figure 14, the upper wall of the box-shaped front panel 43 extends behind the opening 12a at the front of the cooking cabinet 12, and water that drips from the opening 12a or door 14 of the cooking cabinet 12 due to condensation, etc., is collected by this upper wall. As shown in Figure 13, the front wall of the box-shaped front panel 43 has an outlet 43a for the nozzle 52 on the left side, and the nozzle 52 can be brought out to the cooking cabinet 12 while pulling out the water supply hose 51 of the shower device 50 from this outlet 43a.

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

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

When the cooking programs described above are executed in the heating appliance 10, oil and other contaminants from the food will adhere to the inside of the cooking chamber 12. Therefore, it is necessary to spray water to clean the inside of the cooking chamber 12 to keep it clean. When cleaning the inside of the cooking chamber 12, the water supply hose 51 is pulled out from the outlet 43a while the nozzle 52 is inserted into the cooking chamber 12. Water is then sprayed from the nozzle 52 inside the cooking chamber 12, and the inside of the cooking chamber 12 is cleaned by the water sprayed from the nozzle 52.

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

In this embodiment, the support frame 40 is installed below the cooking appliance 10. However, it is not limited to this configuration. The support frame 40 may also be installed below other cooking appliances such as steam convection ovens, including temperature and humidity control devices such as dough conditioners with temperature and humidity control compartments, ice makers with ice storage compartments, and cooling machines such as blast chillers and rapid chillers with cooling compartments. This configuration allows the interiors of these compartments—the temperature and humidity control compartments of temperature and humidity control devices, the ice storage compartments of ice makers, and the cooling compartments of cooling machines—to be cleaned by the shower device 50.

The casing 41 of the stand 40 on which kitchen equipment such as the cooking appliance 10 is installed is prone to dirt accumulating on the front of its upper surface, and if there is a joint between the front end of the upper wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing 41, dirt tends to remain in this joint. In particular, with the cooking appliance 10, water such as condensation tends to drip onto the front of the upper surface of the casing 41 from the opening 12a and door 14 on the front of the cooking chamber 12, causing the front of the upper surface of the casing 41 to become dirty due to condensation. The casing 41 is designed so that a box-shaped front panel 43 that opens at the rear is attached to the front of the casing body 42, so that the joint between the front end of the upper wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing 41 can be eliminated, and dirt can not be accumulated between the front end of the upper wall and the upper end of the front wall. Furthermore, although there is a risk of dirt from the cooking appliance 10 adhering to the front upper surface of the casing 41, the upper wall of the box-shaped casing 43 extends beyond the opening 12a of the cooking compartment 12 of the cooking appliance 10. Therefore, condensation and other water from the front opening 12a and door 14 of the cooking compartment 12 can be received by the upper wall of the box-shaped casing 41, making it easier to remove dirt adhering to the front upper surface of the casing 41 and improving the cleanability of the casing 41. Note that although a joint is formed between the front end of the upper wall and the upper end of the front wall of the casing 41, the outlet for the nozzle 52 may be formed on the front surface of the casing 41 without using the box-shaped casing 43.

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

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

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

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

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

In the embodiment shown in Figure 18, two heating appliances 10U and 10L are installed vertically as kitchen equipment, with the support stand 40 installed below the heating appliance 10U on the upper side. This configuration is not limited to the installation of identical kitchen equipment in two vertical tiers; it may also be used when different kitchen equipment is installed vertically, such as when a heating appliance and a temperature and humidity control device are installed vertically, or when a heating appliance and a rapid cooler are installed vertically. In such cases, the support stand 40 is used below the kitchen equipment installed on the upper side.

When the stand 40 is installed above the lower cooking unit 10L, when the door 14 of the cooking chamber 12 is opened, hot air containing moisture such as steam rises from inside the cooking chamber 12, and there is a risk that water droplets may adhere to the underside of the bottom wall of the stand 40's casing 41. Therefore, the casing 41 of the stand 40 installed above the lower cooking unit 10L is provided with a lower shielding plate portion 43c extending downward from the front of its bottom surface. In the embodiment shown in Figure 19, similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 16, a lower shielding plate portion 43c extending downward is formed at the rear edge of the lower wall portion of the box-shaped front panel 43. When the door 14 of the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10 is opened and hot air containing moisture such as steam rises from the opening 12a at the front of the cooking chamber 12, the hot air containing moisture is less likely to flow behind the lower shielding plate portion 43c of the casing 41, thus keeping the underside of the bottom wall of the casing 41 clean.

When the stand 40 is installed above the lower cooking unit 10L, the inside of the stand 40's casing 41 may become hot due to the heat from the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10L. Therefore, in the stand 40 shown in Figure 20, a cooling fan 46 is provided inside the casing 41 to allow for cooling. Furthermore, a temperature sensor 45 is provided inside the casing 41, and the cooling fan 46 is controlled to operate based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 45. This makes it less likely for the inside of the casing 41 to become hot due to the heat from the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10L, and reduces the likelihood of the water supply hose 51 deteriorating due to the heat from the cooking chamber 12 of the lower cooking unit 10L.

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

Claims (9)

A casing that can be installed below kitchen equipment having a storage compartment for containing the contents within the housing,
The casing is equipped with a shower device having a water supply hose and a nozzle for cleaning the inside of the storage compartment.
A mounting frame characterized in that the front surface of the casing is provided with an outlet for the nozzle. In the frame described in claim 1,
The casing is characterized by having a casing body with an open front and a box-shaped front panel into which the front part of the casing body is fitted and which opens at the rear. In the frame described in claim 2,
The aforementioned box-shaped front panel has the nozzle outlet positioned on one side in the left-right direction, and the stand is characterized in that the box-shaped front panel has an up-and-down symmetrical shape. In the frame described in claim 1,
The aforementioned kitchen equipment is equipped with legs that separate the bottom surface of the housing from the top surface of the casing.
A frame characterized by having an upper shielding plate portion extending upward at the front upper surface of the casing. In the frame described in claim 1,
The aforementioned kitchen equipment is a cooking appliance that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food ingredients using hot air as the storage chamber.
The frame is characterized in that the casing contains a tray storage section for holding trays for placing food ingredients in the cooking chamber, and a heater for heating the tray storage section. In the frame described in claim 1,
The aforementioned kitchen equipment includes a power switch for supplying and cutting off electricity from an external power source, and an operating unit for operating the components to be operated, located within the housing.
A water supply valve is interposed in the water supply pipeline that supplies water to the nozzle, including the water supply hose.
A mounting frame characterized in that the water supply valve can be opened and closed in accordance with the operation of the power switch or the operating unit. In the frame described in claim 1,
The aforementioned kitchen equipment is installed in two tiers, one above the other.
A frame characterized in that it can be installed below kitchen equipment installed on the upper side. In the frame according to claim 7,
The kitchen equipment installed on the lower side is a cooking unit that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking food with hot air as the storage chamber, and has an opening on the front of the cooking chamber that can be opened and closed by a door.
A frame characterized in that a lower shielding plate portion extending downward is provided at the front of the bottom surface of the casing. In the frame according to claim 7,
The kitchen equipment installed on the lower side is a cooking appliance that has a cooking chamber for heating and cooking with hot air as the aforementioned storage chamber.
A mounting frame characterized by having a cooling fan installed inside the casing.