Electric heating – Microwave heating – With diverse-type heating
Patent
1998-09-17
2000-03-21
Leung, Philip H.
Electric heating
Microwave heating
With diverse-type heating
219756, 219759, 219401, 99451, H05B 680
Patent
active
060405643
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a U.S. national phase application of PCT international application PCT/JP96/02868.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a heating apparatus using microwaves for heating various objects such as foods promptly while maintaining a favorable quality.
BACKGROUND ART
Hitherto, as a heating apparatus of this type, for example, the food thawing cooking oven as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-51541 has been known. FIG. 5 shows its constitution, in which an agitator 3 is provided in a ceiling 2 of an oven 1 which can be enclosed tightly, and a magnetron irradiation unit 4 is disposed nearby. A detachable food rack 5 is provided in the oven 1, a liquid pan 6 for feeding water or oil is disposed beneath, and a heater 7 by gas or electric heating is disposed further beneath. By the combination of magnetron irradiation unit 4, liquid pan 6, and heater 7, both heating by magnetron irradiation from above and steam heating by boiling water from beneath can be combined.
When heating the food by such constitution, combination of internal heating by magnetron irradiation and steam heating by steam can be selected corresponding to the cooking menu. Besides, since steam is generated, as described therein, it can be applied in thawing of frozen bread and frozen cake, or as bread and cake cooker in whole process of fermentation and baking.
In such conventional heating apparatus, however, when water is contained in the liquid pan, the steam will not exceed the boiling point (100.degree. C. at atmospheric pressure), and it is the steam below the saturation temperature that is supplied into the heating chamber. Such steam damps the food surface. In particular, when the food is frozen, an extreme dew condensation occurs on the food surface in unthawed state. Accordingly, when frozen bread or the like is thawed, drying of the food is prevented, but the crust which is desired to be crisp becomes wet and sticky, and the touch is significantly spoiled.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art, and it is a first object thereof to enclose the object to be heated such as food with superheated steam, and heat various objects favorably by microwaves.
It is a second object to realize a system capable of generating such superheated steam
It is a third object of the invention to realize a constitution capable of maintaining the superheated steam so that the generated superheated steam may not be cooled under the saturation temperature in the heating chamber.
It is a fourth object of the invention to realize a constitution capable of heating the object by effectively utilizing the superheated steam.
To achieve the first object, the invention comprises a heating chamber for accommodating the object to be heated, steam generating means for supplying superheated steam to the heating chamber, superheated steam maintaining means provided in the heating chamber to prevent the temperature of the superheated steam from lowering, and microwave generating means for irradiating the object with microwaves. Depending on the type of the object, either the superheated steam or the saturated vapor is changed over and supplied into the heating chamber. Also depending on the type of the object, the superheated steam or the vapor below the saturation temperature is changed over during heating, and is supplied into the heating chamber. Moreover, depending on the type of the object, it is designed to dry by using the superheated steam at least in a certain period during heating.
To achieve the second object, the steam generating means of the invention includes a heat source exceeding the saturation temperature, and water is dropped thereon.
To achieve the third object of the invention, as the superheated steam maintaining means, a partition wall made of porous material such as ceramic capable of absorbing moisture is provided in the heating chamber. Or, the superheated steam maintaining means is a partition wall containing fibers such as paper
REFERENCES:
Japanese language search report for Int'l Appln. No. PCT/JP96/02868 dated Jan. 8, 1997.
English translation of Japanese language search report.
Inada Ikuhiro
Uchiyama Satomi
Ueda Shigeki
Leung Philip H.
Matsushita Electric Indutrial Co., Ltd.
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