Heating – Boiler and work heating furnace – pot or oven – Having means utilizing generated steam in heating work
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-04
2004-10-12
Wilson, Gregory (Department: 3749)
Heating
Boiler and work heating furnace, pot or oven
Having means utilizing generated steam in heating work
C219S682000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802708
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function in which high frequency heating and steam heating are combined to heat-treat an object to be heated.
Conventionally, in this type of high frequency heating apparatus, there are a microwave oven with a high frequency generator for heating, and a combination oven that a convection heater for generating heated air is added in this microwave oven. In addition, a steamer that steam is introduced into a heating chamber and a steam convection oven that a convection heater is added in a steamer are also used as cooking appliances.
When food is cooked by the cooking appliance, the cooking appliance is controlled so as to cook the food in the best condition. More specifically, the cooking of combining high frequency heating with hot air heating can be controlled by the combination oven, and the cooking of combining steam heating with hot air heating can be controlled by the steam convection oven. However, in the cooking of combining high frequency heating with steam heating, efforts are needed that food to be cooked is transferred between different cooking appliances in each of heat treatment. In order to solve the inconvenience, there is a cooking appliance that realizes high frequency heating, steam heating, and electric heating by a single appliance. This cooking appliance is disclosed in JP-A-54-115448.
However, according to the configuration of the publication, a vaporizing chamber for generating heated steam is embedded under a heating chamber, and water is supplied from a water storage tank at a fixed water level all the time. Therefore, it is difficult to clean the periphery of the heating chamber everyday. A problem arises particularly in the vaporizing chamber that calcium and magnesium in water are concentrated to precipitate and fix onto the bottom of the vaporizing chamber or the inside of pipes to reduce an amount of steam generated in the course of generating steam, and consequently the chamber is turned to dirty environment where mold is easily propagated.
In addition, as a system for introducing steam into the heating chamber, it can be considered that steam is generated by a heating unit such as a boiler disposed outside the heating chamber and the steam generated here is supplied to the heating chamber. However, problems arise that mold is contaminated and propagated in a pipe for introducing steam, the pipe for introducing steam is damaged by freezing, and foreign substances such as rust are mixed. Furthermore, the heating unit is often difficult to be disassembled and cleaned. Therefore, in the cooking appliances that particularly require the attention to the hygiene of food to be treated, the system for introducing steam from outside is hard to adopt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances. An object is to provide a high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function in which a steam generating part is easy to clean and can be kept hygienically, and the temperature of the steam generating part is controlled to generate an optimum amount of steam for foods for enhancing heating efficiency.
In order to achieve the object, a high frequency heating apparatus according to the invention has a high frequency generating part, a steam generating part for generating steam inside a heating chamber, and a temperature detecting part for detecting temperature of the steam generating part
Accordingly, steam can be supplied into the heating chamber quickly to enhance the efficiency of generating steam, and a rate of temperature rise in an object to be heated can be accelerated by combining high frequency heating with steam heating. Therefore, efficient cooking is feasible for a short time.
An aspect of the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function comprises: a high frequency generating part for supplying a high frequency to a heating chamber for accommodating an object to be heated; and a steam generating part for generating steam inside the heating chamber, wherein at least any one of high frequency and steam is supplied into the heating chamber to heat-treat the object to be heated, the high frequency heating apparatus including a temperature detecting part for detecting temperature of the steam generating part.
In the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function, since steam is generated inside the heating chamber, the steam can be supplied into the heating chamber quickly, and the efficiency of generating steam can be improved. In addition, since the steam generating part exists inside the heating chamber, the steam generating part can be cleaned easily at the same time when the inside of the heating chamber is cleaned, and the inside of the heating chamber can be kept in a hygienic environment all the time. Furthermore, since the apparatus has the temperature detecting part for detecting the temperature of the steam generating part, heating without water can be prevented, and safety can be enhanced. Moreover, as the heating systems, both of high frequency heating and steam heating can be performed at the same time, either high frequency heating or steam heating can be performed separately, and both can be performed in a predetermined order freely. Thus, a suitable cooking method can be selected freely in accordance with types of foods, frozen foods and refrigerated foods. Particularly, since a rate of temperature rise in the object to be heated can be accelerated when high frequency heating and steam heating are used in combination, efficient cooking is feasible for a short time.
Another aspect of the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function is characterized by having a high frequency generating part for supplying a high frequency to a heating chamber for accommodating an object to be heated; and a steam generating part for generating steam inside the heating chamber, wherein at least any one of high frequency and steam is supplied into the heating chamber to heat-treat the object to be heated, wherein the steam generating part has a temperature detecting part for detecting temperature of the steam generating part near an evaporating dish having a recess for containing water to generate steam by heating.
In the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function, since the temperature detecting part is disposed near the evaporating dish for generating steam, the temperatures of the evaporating dish can be controlled more minutely, and an amount of steam generated can be controlled optimally in accordance with foods.
A further aspect of the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function is characterized in that the temperature detecting part has a temperature detecting unit disposed outside the reflector for reflecting radiant heat from an evaporating dish heater for heating the evaporating dish toward the evaporating dish.
In the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function, the evaporating dish is heated by the evaporating dish heater to generate steam, and the radiant heat from the evaporating dish heater is reflected toward the evaporating dish by the reflector. Therefore, the heat generated by the heater can be utilized to generate steam highly efficiently. Additionally, since the temperature detecting part is disposed outside the reflector, the temperatures of the evaporating dish can be detected with no influence of the radiant heat from the heater, and an amount of steam generated can be controlled in accordance with foods.
A still another aspect of the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function is characterized in that the evaporating dish has a projecting surface in a part of the recess for containing water.
In the high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function, the evaporating dish is disposed inside the heating chamber, and water stored in the recess for containing water in the evaporating dish is heated to generate steam. The pr
Hayakawa Yuji
Kanzaki Kouji
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Pearne & Gordon LLP
Wilson Gregory
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