JP2008178445A - Cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooker eliminating drying of heated objects and capable of surely preventing the degradation of the components of the heated objects. <P>SOLUTION: This cooker has a steam generation means 10 for generating steam to be supplied to the heated objects 4, and a steam ionization means 13 having a discharge part for ionizing the steam generated by the steam generation means 10; and ionizes the steam generated by the steam ionization means 10 and applies the steam to the heated objects 4. The steam ionization means 13 ionizes the steam and uniformly sticks them to the heated objects 4 with their fine particle-size shape retained so as to cook the heated objects 4 while eliminating the drying of the heated objects 4 and surely preventing the degradation of the components of the heated objects 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooking device such as a rice cooker, an oven, or a microwave oven.

  Conventionally, in this type of cooking device, as a means for preventing deterioration of the food component of the object to be heated, ozone is reacted with the odorous component in the cooking chamber to deodorize, and excess ozone reacts with water vapor generated from the object to be heated. A method of making oxygen into a material (see, for example, Patent Document 1), a heat sink disposed at the upper part of the inner container, or at least part of the surface of the exhaust path for discharging steam generated in the inner container. A method of providing an oxide film layer containing at least one of them and suppressing deterioration of an object to be heated via water vapor in the inner container (for example, see Patent Document 2) is known.

In addition, a food processing method (for example, see Patent Document 3) that reduces the oxidation of food components by continuously attaching condensed water by superheated steam to the surface of the food so that the oxygen concentration around the food is less than the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere. Are known.
JP 7-293902 A JP 2003-245203 A JP 2006-289107 A

  However, in the configuration according to the conventional patent document 1, ozone itself is a bad odor or a harmful component, and has high reactivity. Therefore, when the amount of water vapor generated from the object to be heated is small, ozone generates or deteriorates an odorous component. It may become a factor causing Moreover, in the structure in reference to patent document 2, when there is little water vapor | steam in an inner container, the effect | action to a to-be-heated material may be inadequate. In addition, since water is not supplied to the object to be heated in any case, when the object to be heated is dried and stored, a decrease in taste cannot be avoided.

  Furthermore, in the configuration in Patent Document 3, since condensed water is attached to the food surface, water-soluble components such as vitamins are dissolved in the condensed water and may flow out of the food before the oxidation reaction occurs.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and can supply ionized vapor to an object to be heated to eliminate drying of the object to be heated and reliably prevent deterioration of components of the object to be heated. An object is to provide a cooking device.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, a heating cooker according to the present invention includes a steam generating means for generating steam to be supplied to an object to be heated, and a steam ionizing means having a discharge unit for ionizing the steam generated by the steam generating means. The steam generated by the steam generating means is ionized to act on the object to be heated.

  As a result, the vapor is ionized by the vapor ionization means and can be uniformly adhered to the heated object while maintaining a fine particle size and shape, eliminating drying of the heated object and ensuring the deterioration of the components of the heated object. The object to be heated can be cooked by heating.

  The heating cooker according to the present invention can prevent drying of the heated object and reliably prevent deterioration of the components of the heated object.

  The first invention is a heating means for cooking an object to be heated, a steam generating means for generating steam to be supplied to the object to be heated, and a steam ionizing means having a discharge section for ionizing the steam generated by the steam generating means. The steam cooker is provided with a heating means, a steam generation means, and a control means for controlling the steam ionization means, so that the steam is ionized by the steam ionization means and the object to be heated is kept in a fine particle size shape. The object to be heated can be uniformly adhered, the object to be heated is not dried, and the component to be heated is reliably prevented from being deteriorated, and the object to be heated can be cooked.

  In the second invention, in particular, in the first invention, the heating means heats the cooking container containing the object to be heated to cook the object to be heated, so that the entire space in the cooking container is ionized. The steam can be uniformly distributed and attached to the object to be heated, and can be cooked while preventing deterioration of the components of the object to be heated in a heating cooker with an inner pot represented by a rice cooker. .

  In a third aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, the heating means heats and cooks the article to be heated using convection heat or radiant heat in the heating room containing the article to be heated. Ionized vapor can be uniformly distributed and supplied to the object to be heated while being uniformly distributed throughout the space, and baked and heated while preventing deterioration of the ingredients of the object to be heated in a heating cooker with an inner box such as an oven or oven toaster. Can be cooked.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first or third aspect of the invention, the heating means uses the high frequency in the heating chamber containing the object to be heated to cook the object to be heated. The ionized vapor can be uniformly distributed and supplied to the object to be heated while being uniformly distributed throughout the space. In a high-frequency heating cooker typified by a microwave oven, the portion heated by the high frequency is changed, and the object to be heated is changed. Can be heated uniformly, and high-frequency cooking can be performed while preventing deterioration of components.

  According to a fifth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, the electrode constituting the discharge part of the vapor ionization means is at least one of platinum-based metal, platinum, gold, palladium, silver, or By comprising it from multiple types, the antioxidant property and reducibility of ionized vapor | steam can be improved, the component deterioration of a to-be-heated material can be prevented, and the quality of to-be-heated material can be improved.

  According to a sixth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, the control means performs ionization by controlling the steam generation means and the steam ionization means to operate before heating the object to be heated. By causing the vapor particles to act on the object to be heated before heating, oxidation of components contained in the object to be heated can be suppressed, and the quality of the object to be heated can be improved.

  In the seventh invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, the control means performs ionization by controlling the steam generation means and the steam ionization means to operate during heating of the object to be heated. By adhering the vapor particles to the heated object during the heating of the heated object, it is possible to suppress oxidation and decomposition of components contained in the heated object and improve the quality of the heated object.

  In an eighth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the control means operates the steam generation means and the steam ionization means in the presence of the heated object after the heating of the heated object. By controlling so that ionized vapor particles are attached to the heated object after the heating of the heated object, deterioration of the heated object that starts immediately after heating can be prevented, and the quality of the heated object can be reduced. Can be improved.

  In a ninth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, the control means operates the steam generation means and the steam ionization means in the absence of the heated object after the heating of the heated object. By controlling so that the ionized vapor particles are attached to the cooking container or the wall of the heating chamber after the heating of the heated object, it is possible to suppress the generation of odor caused by the scattered matter of the heated object, and the cooking container Alternatively, the heating chamber can be kept clean.

  In a tenth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the sixth to eighth aspects of the invention, the control means variably controls the operating conditions of the steam generation means and the steam ionization means according to the type of the object to be heated. This makes it possible to introduce steam particles with an optimized mixing ratio of ionized steam and non-ionized steam under conditions optimal for the type of object to be heated, and prevent deterioration of components without reducing the taste of the object to be heated. .

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
1 and 2 show a cooking device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the heating cooker in the present embodiment forms an outer shell by an outer frame 1. The outer frame 1 is provided with a lid 3 so as to cover the upper surface opening 2 so as to be freely opened and closed. A heated object 4 such as rice and water is stored in a cooking container 5 and is heated by heat transfer from the cooking container 5. The cooking container 5 is detachably disposed in the outer frame 1, and induction heating coils 6 and 7 are disposed below and on the side as heating means. The inverter circuit 8 supplies a high frequency current to the induction heating coils 6 and 7. The temperature detection means 9 is composed of a thermistor, various metal resistors, a thermocouple, an infrared sensor, or an optical sensor, and detects the temperature in contact with the bottom surface of the cooking vessel 5.

  Further, the outer frame 1 includes a steam generation means 10 that generates steam to be supplied to the article to be heated 4, a steam passage 11 that supplies the steam generated by the steam generation means 10 to the article to be heated 4, Vapor ionization means 13 for ionizing vapor generated by being arranged in the middle, induction heating coils 6 and 7, steam generation means 10, and control means 19 for controlling the vapor ionization means 13 are provided. The steam generated from the steam generating means 10 is ionized by the steam ionizing means 13 in the middle through the steam passage 11 and blown out from the steam outlet 12 into the space of the cooking container 5 between the lid 3 and the object to be heated 4. .

  The steam generation means 10 includes a water storage means 17 and a water heating means 18. The amount of steam generated from the steam generating means 10 is controlled by varying the input power to the water heating means 18. In the present embodiment, the steam generation means 10 has the water storage means 17 and the water heating means 18 as an integral configuration, but each may have an independent configuration. At this time, the amount of generated steam is controlled by varying the amount of water supplied from the water storage means 17 to the water heating means 18.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the vapor ionization means 13 includes an electrode 14 having a needle-like tip disposed opposite to the vapor passage 11 and a high voltage application means 15 for generating a high voltage to be supplied to the electrode 14. And a discharge part 16. The electrode 14 is composed of at least one kind of platinum-based metal, platinum, gold, palladium, or silver or a plurality of kinds (alloys).

  The control means 19 controls the operation of the inverter circuit 8 and supplies a desired high frequency current to the induction heating coils 6 and 7. Of course, the control means 19 also controls the steam generation means 10 and the vapor ionization means 13.

  The calculation means 20 estimates the heating process from the temperature detection signal of the cooking container 5 of the temperature detection means 9 input to the control means 19. The time measuring means 21 measures the energization time to the induction heating coils 6 and 7 and the elapsed time from the start of heating.

  The operation and action of the cooking device having the above configuration will be described below.

  The steam generated by the steam generating means 10 flows in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. Here, the discharge section 16 of the vapor ionization means 13 generates a discharge between the opposed electrodes 14 when a DC or AC high voltage is applied by the high voltage application means 15. Hereinafter, an example in which platinum is used for the electrode 14 will be described. Water molecules aggregate using platinum ions generated by the discharge at the electrode 14 as nuclei. Nuclei in which water molecules are aggregated (hereinafter referred to as agglomerated nuclei) have a charge, and apparently behave like vaporized ions (hereinafter referred to as ionized vapors). The platinum fine particles have properties of high reducibility and anti-oxidation property by catalytic action, and have the effect of suppressing oxidation of the article to be heated 4 and reducing action.

  Aggregated nuclei have the same charge and repel each other, suppressing the growth of aggregated nuclei, that is, the growth of vapor particles. For this reason, the vapor particles remain fine.

  Hereinafter, cooking rice cooking will be described as an example. The rice cooking process is a first process in which water is absorbed into the rice while raising the water temperature, a second process in which the rice is heated while boiling and evaporating the water, and a third process in which after the water is evaporated, the rice is steamed to promote gelatinization. And Moreover, let the process of heat-maintaining the cooked rice be a heat retention process.

  First, the rice cooking process will be described. In a 1st process, the rice and the predetermined amount of water which are the to-be-heated materials 4 are put into the cooking container 5, and the lid | cover 3 is closed. When a heating start signal is sent from the operation unit (not shown) to the control means 19, the control means 19 determines the heating conditions such as the drive frequency and supply power of the induction heating coils 6 and 7, and the inverter circuit 8 Control the behavior. When a high frequency current flows through the induction heating coils 6 and 7, magnetic lines of force are generated, and eddy currents are generated in the cooking container 5 by the lines of magnetic force. The cooking vessel 5 generates heat due to the eddy current. The control means 19 starts the operation of the inverter circuit 8 and starts energizing the induction heating coils 6 and 7. Simultaneously with the start of energization of the induction heating coils 6 and 7, the operation of the temperature detecting means 9, the calculating means 20, and the time measuring means 21 is started.

  As the cooking container 5 generates heat and the water temperature rises, the rice absorbs water. The control means 19 controls the inverter circuit 8 to energize the induction heating coils 6 and 7 so that the temperature detection signal of the cooking vessel 5 maintains a predetermined temperature rise rate. If the control means 19 judges from the temperature detection signal of the cooking vessel 5 that the rice and water in the cooking vessel 5 have reached a boiling state, the process proceeds to the second step.

  In the second step, the control means 19 controls the induction heating coils 6 and 7 so that the rice and water in the cooking vessel 5 continue to boil. By maintaining boiling, the gelatinization of rice begins. When water is present in the cooking container 5, the temperature of the cooking container 5 is maintained at a constant value because heat is lost to the evaporation of water, but when the water in the cooking container 5 runs out due to water absorption and evaporation of rice. The temperature of the cooking container 5 begins to rise. When the temperature detection means 9 detects that the temperature of the cooking container 5 has started to rise, the control means 19 reduces the amount of current supplied to the induction heating coils 6 and 7 and proceeds to the third step.

  In the third step, the control means 19 performs rice steaming. Heating is continued for a predetermined time while suppressing the energization amount to the induction heating coils 6 and 7, and the rice cooking process is completed.

  Next, the case where the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 are operated in the first process or the second process will be described. By introducing ionized steam while the rice is flooded in the cooking vessel 5, the aggregated nucleus platinum acts to increase the antioxidant property of the water. By absorbing water with high antioxidative properties, the activity of antioxidant components (eg ferulic acid, polyphenol, vitamin E, etc.) possessed by the rice itself was increased, decomposition was prevented, and it had antioxidative properties. Water can be absorbed into the interior of the rice to impart the antioxidant properties of the rice.

  The case where the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 are operated in the third step or the heat retention step will be described. By adding ionized steam when steaming rice, steam having high antioxidant property can be attached to the surface of the rice, and oxidation of the components of the rice (for example, fats and oils, phenols, etc.) can be prevented. In addition, during the heat retention, fats and oils in the rice oxidize, or an aminocarbonyl reaction by sugar and amino acid occurs, and the rice turns yellow or generates a deteriorated odor. By introducing ionized steam during heat insulation, it is possible to suppress the oxidation of fats and oils in the rice and the aminocarbonyl reaction, to suppress the yellowing and deterioration odor of the rice, and to provide antioxidant properties. .

  In the present embodiment, the number of the electrodes 14 is two, but the number is not limited. Moreover, the lid | cover 3 and the cooking container 5 are good also as a pressure | voltage resistant design. Furthermore, the heating means is not limited to the induction heating coil, but may be a sheathed heater or the like, or may be a gas or other heat source.

(Embodiment 2)
3 and 4 show a cooking device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in the figure, in the cooking device according to the present embodiment, a door 23 for inserting and removing a heated object 22 such as fish or meat is attached to a main body 29 and the heated object 22 is placed on a turntable 30. A heating chamber 24 for storage is incorporated. A heating means 25 composed of a planar heater or the like is provided in or outside the heating chamber, and is used when heating the air and steam in the heating chamber 24 and the object 22 to be heated by convection heat or radiant heat.

  Moreover, the high frequency generation means 26 as a heating means is used when the object to be heated 22 is heated at a high frequency. The heating means 25 and the high frequency generation means 26 are not limited to being used together as shown in the figure, and only one of them may be provided independently.

  In the above configuration, the steam from the steam generating means 10 is blown out to the heating chamber 24 through the steam passage 11 and the steam outlet 12. Similarly to the first embodiment, a steam ionization means 13 is disposed in the steam passage 11.

  The control means 27 is based on an operation input signal from an operation section (not shown) and a signal from each detection means (not shown), the steam generation means 10, the steam ionization means 13, the heating means 25, and a high frequency generator. The operation of the means 26 is controlled.

  In addition, the heating chamber 24 is equipped with a fan 28, and the hot air is circulated in the heating chamber 24.

  About the cooking-by-heating machine which consists of the said structure, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  When heating of the article to be heated 22 is started by an operation from the operation unit, the control unit 27 starts to control the steam generation unit 10, the vapor ionization unit 13, the heating unit 25 and / or the high frequency generation unit 26.

  The case where the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 are operated before or during the heating of the article 22 to be heated will be described. The control unit 27 operates the steam generation unit 10 and the vapor ionization unit 13 for a predetermined time, and then starts the operation of the heating unit 25 and / or the high frequency generation unit 26. The ionized vapor in the heating chamber 24 adheres to the surface of the low temperature object 22 to be heated. The adhering ionized vapor acts on the components contained in the article to be heated 22. However, since the ionized vapor maintains a fine particle state, the adhering water does not grow as the water-soluble component dissolves, and the water-soluble component also remains in the object to be heated 22. When ionized vapor is applied to the object to be heated 22 before or during heating, when the object to be heated 22 is a vegetable, the oxidation of antioxidant components (for example, vitamins, polyphenols, etc.) is suppressed or the oxidized substance is reduced. And increase the effectiveness. Note that the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 may stop operating simultaneously with the start of the operation of the heating means 25 and / or the high frequency generation means 26, or may continue to operate.

  In addition, when the heating chamber 24 is filled with fine steam in advance, the high frequency shows a behavior different from that of the heating chamber 24 without the steam, and the portion heated by the high frequency changes depending on the steam concentration in the heating chamber 24 and is heated. Unevenness can be eliminated.

  Next, the case where the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 are operated after the heated object 22 is heated will be described.

  When the heating of the article to be heated 22 is completed, the control means 27 starts the operation of the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13. When the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 are operated during heating, the operations of the steam generation means 10 and the steam generation means 10 are continued even after the operation of the heating means 25 and / or the high frequency generation means 26 is completed. The object to be heated 22 is oxidized (deteriorated) by transferring oxygen or electrons during or after heating. Oxidation is promoted by light or heat. For example, when the temperature is kept with a heater or the like so as not to cool, the progress of deterioration is remarkable. However, by causing ionized steam to act on the heated object 22 after heating, it is possible to suppress oxidation or reduce the oxidized component, thereby suppressing deterioration of the heated object 22 or increasing the effectiveness of the component. it can. For example, when fats and oils are oxidized, bad odors are produced or become sticky, resulting in a decrease in taste. However, the oxidation of fats and oils contained in the object to be heated 22 can be suppressed by applying ionized steam.

  Needless to say, if the object to be heated 22 in the heating chamber 24 is wrapped or covered, ionized vapor cannot act on the object to be heated 22, so the object to be heated 22 is not covered. It is preferable to cook in a state.

  As described above, in the first and second embodiments, by adding steam during the cooking of the object to be heated, the object to be heated 22 can be appropriately moistened to prevent excessive drying of the object to be heated 22. Further, by adding ionized steam after taking out the object 22 to be heated, odors such as remaining oil and burnt components become stronger due to oxidation, but ionized steam also acts to reduce and reduce these odorous components. You can also.

  Moreover, the control means 19 and 27 are optimal for the kind of to-be-heated object by carrying out the variable control of the operating conditions of the steam generation means 10 and the steam ionization means 13 according to the kind and the cooking method of the to-be-heated objects 4 and 22. Vapor particles optimized for the mixing ratio of vaporized and non-ionized vapor can be introduced under conditions, and deterioration of components can be prevented without deteriorating the taste of the heated object.

  For example, in the case where the objects to be heated 4 and 22 are vegetables, rice, or steamed food, steam generating means is used to increase the remaining antioxidants contained in the heated vegetables and rice or to prevent yellowing. 10. Control to increase the operation output of the vapor ionization means 13 is performed. On the other hand, in the case where the objects to be heated 4 and 22 are meat or fried food, the steam generating means 10 is used to suppress the deterioration of the components of the object to be heated while preventing the surface of the clothes and the object to be heated from being excessively sticky by the steam. Is controlled so as to increase the operation output of the vapor ionization means 13.

  Thus, according to this Embodiment, by using ionized steam for a heating cooker, the oxidation (deterioration) of the component of a to-be-heated material can be prevented, and the quality of to-be-heated material can be improved. Moreover, a component can be provided to the object to be heated or the remaining odor can be reduced according to the timing of ionized vapor input.

  As described above, the heating cooker according to the present invention eliminates drying of the object to be heated and can surely prevent the deterioration of the component of the object to be heated. Therefore, the microwave oven, microwave oven, rice cooker, soup jar, It can be applied to heating cookers such as oven toasters and grilled fish.

The block diagram of the heating cooker in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional drawing which expanded the principal part of the heating cooker The block diagram of the heating cooker in Embodiment 2 of this invention Side view showing a part of the cooking device cut away

Explanation of symbols

4, 22 Object to be heated 5 Heating container 6, 7 Induction heating coil (heating means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Steam generation means 11 Steam passage 14 Electrode 15 High voltage application means 16 Discharge part 19, 27 Control means 24 Heating chamber 25 Heating means 26 High frequency generation means (heating means)

Claims (10)

Heating means for cooking the object to be heated, steam generating means for generating steam to be supplied to the object to be heated, steam ionizing means having a discharge part for ionizing the steam generated by the steam generating means, heating means and steam generation A cooking device comprising a means and a control means for controlling the steam ionization means. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the heating means heats the cooking container by heating the cooking container containing the heating object. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the heating means cooks the article to be heated using convection heat or radiant heat in a heating chamber containing the article to be heated. The cooking device according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the heating means cooks the object to be heated using a high frequency in a heating chamber containing the object to be heated. The heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrode constituting the discharge part of the steam ionization means is composed of at least one or a plurality of platinum-based metals, platinum, gold, palladium, and silver. . The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means controls the steam generation means and the steam ionization means to operate before heating the object to be heated. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means controls the steam generation means and the steam ionization means to operate during heating of the object to be heated. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means controls the steam generation means and the steam ionization means to operate in the presence of the object to be heated after the heating of the object to be heated. . The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means controls the steam generation means and the steam ionization means to operate in the absence of the heated object after the heating of the heated object. . The cooking device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the control means variably controls the operation conditions of the steam generation means and the steam ionization means in accordance with the type of the object to be heated.