JP2006232329A - Feeder for soups - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a feeder for soups in which reduction in insulation resistance or corrosion of the component parts produced by water vapor generated from the warmed soups is prevented and which has a high reliability and safety. <P>SOLUTION: The feeder device for soups comprises a container 5 for storing soups, a delivery means 11 for delivering soups in the container 5 to a dish 16 and the like, a heating means 61 for heating the soups stored in the container 5 and an upper cover part 2 having electrical component parts 34, 51 arranged therein to cover the container 5 from above. The upper cover part 2 is provided with a gas discharging passage 55 for discharging water vapor or the like generated from the soups heated by the heating means 61 outside. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is a soup supply device for providing customers with soups such as stew, soup, curry, miso soup and the like contained in a container and providing them to customers, in particular, with electrical components provided therein. The present invention relates to an apparatus including a cover portion that covers a container from above.

As such a conventional soup supply device, a device described in Japanese Patent No. 3449554 is known. This soup supply device is a device that divides a soup containing ingredients contained in a container into a predetermined amount and distributes it to tableware, the container containing the soup and the soup in the container It is equipped with heating means for keeping the temperature, a ladle that draws the soup in the container and divides it into tableware, etc., and a switch button that starts the subdivision operation of the ladle. When the switch button is operated, the ladle Is activated, soups in the container are accommodated therein, the ladle is further moved to a predetermined position, and the soups in the inside are discharged to tableware or the like. As a result, a predetermined amount of soup that has been kept warm and contained in the container is provided to the customer.
Japanese Patent No. 3449554

By the way, this conventional soup supply device has a main body on which a container for storing soups is placed and a heater for heating the soups is disposed, and a container for storing the soups is covered from above. Has a main body cover. Then, a switch button for starting the soup subdivision operation, a setting button for setting the temperature of the soup to be kept warm, and the like are provided in a place where the operation on the front surface of the main body cover is easy.
In the conventional soup supply apparatus configured as described above, when the soup in the container is heated and kept at a predetermined temperature, steam and water vapor are generated from the soup, and the water vapor rises and the container rises. May enter the body cover that covers the top of the screen and cause condensation. Then, due to the dewdrops and moisture, the insulation properties of the electrical parts such as the switch button provided on the main body cover are lowered, and the parts are corroded or deteriorated, or the mold is generated. And the problem that the reliability and safety | security of an apparatus are impaired by these arises.

  In order to solve such a problem, the present invention efficiently discharges the water vapor and the like from the soups in the container to the outside of the main body cover so as not to enter the main body cover. An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable and safe supply device for soups by preventing dew condensation.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 includes a container for storing soups, a separating means for separating the soups in the container into tableware, etc., and a heating means for the soups stored in the container. A soup supply device comprising an upper cover portion on which electrical components are arranged and covering the container from above, wherein the upper cover portion exposes water vapor generated from the soup heated by the heating means to the outside. An exhaust passage for discharging is provided. According to this, the water vapor | steam etc. which generate | occur | produce from the soup which is accommodated in the said container and heated can be discharged | emitted easily outside, and the penetration | invasion to the upper cover part can be prevented.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the soup supply device according to the first aspect, the upper cover portion forcibly releases steam entering the exhaust passage and air inside the upper cover portion. By providing the forced exhaust means for discharging to the outside, the steam generated from the soup contained in the container is efficiently discharged to the outside, and the air inside the upper cover portion is discharged to the outside. The air can be replaced.

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, water vapor generated from the soup that is contained in the container and heated is easily discharged to the outside, and the water vapor enters the upper cover portion. This prevents the occurrence of condensation in the upper cover and the increase in humidity, and prevents the deterioration of electrical insulation of parts, corrosion and deterioration of parts, generation of mold, etc. Can increase the sex.
Further, according to the invention according to claim 2, in the invention according to claim 1, the water vapor generated from the soup contained in the container is efficiently discharged to the outside, and the air in the upper cover portion is discharged to the outside. The air inside can be replaced and the air inside it can be replaced, so that the intrusion of water vapor etc. into the upper cover part is effectively prevented, and even when the water vapor etc. penetrates into the upper cover, it is discharged outside be able to. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of condensation in the upper cover part and the increase in humidity, thereby further improving reliability and safety.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a soup supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing an internal structure of the soup supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the soup supply device of the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a soup supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the upper lid portion covering the opening of the upper portion of the main body portion is rotated upward and opened. It is a perspective view which shows a state.
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view sequentially showing the operating state of a ladle or the like in the container when the soups contained in the container are divided into dishes or the like in the soup supply device of the embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a state in which the ladle in the container is rotated from a standby state to a predetermined position in the opening direction, and (b) is a state in which the ladle in the container is rotated to a predetermined position in the direction opposite to the opening. State (c) is a state in which the ladle in the container is rotated again in the direction of its opening and is inserted into the wide mouth of the hopper. (D) is a state in which the ladle is inserted into the hopper and beyond the opening of the container. And the state in which the soup in the ladle is discharged to the tableware from the tube opening of the hopper.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the soup supply device includes a main body 1 that holds a container 5 that stores soups, and an upper lid (upper cover) that covers the upper portion of the main body 1 so as to be freely opened and closed. 2 and a tabletop unit 3 which is disposed in front of the main body unit 1 and on which tableware 16 for subdividing soup is placed.
The main body 1 includes two container holders 21 for holding a container 5 for storing soups, and an induction heating coil is provided at the bottom of the container holder 21 to heat and keep the soups stored in the container 5. A (heating means) 61 and a container temperature sensor 62 that contacts the bottom of the container 5 and measures its temperature are provided. Further, a notch 21 a for attaching and detaching the container 5 is provided at the front part of the container holding part 21. And the main-body part 1 is equipped with the front cover 23 which covers this notch part 21a so that attachment or detachment is possible.

The upper lid portion 2 includes a cover portion 25 that covers the upper portion of the container 5 held by the container holding portion 21 of the main body portion 1 and an outer shell portion 45 that forms the appearance thereof. A perforated part 25a is provided at the substantially central part in the front-rear direction of the cover part 25, and an exhaust duct for discharging water vapor generated from the soup contained in the container 5 to the outside. An (exhaust passage) 55 is provided along the perforated portion 25a. Further, an exhaust fan (forced exhaust means) 56 that forcibly discharges water vapor or the like entering the exhaust duct 55 to the outside is disposed on one end side in the left-right direction of the exhaust duct 55. The exhaust fan 56 is disposed inside the outer shell portion 45, and the outer shell portion 45 is provided with a slit portion 45 a for ventilation at a portion facing the exhaust fan 56.
Further, a drive device 26 including a drive motor 28 for driving a ladle (sorting means) 11 for pumping out the soup in the container 5 is disposed on the rear upper surface portion of the cover portion 25, and in front of this, a drive device 26 is provided. An electrical box (electrical component) 51 provided with a power supply for the means 26 is disposed. Further, on the front surface of the outer shell portion 45, there is formed a control panel 31 provided with a subdivision start switch 32 for starting a soup subdivision operation, a setting button 33 for setting a warming temperature of the soup, and the like. A control board (electrical component) 34 for controlling these components is disposed inside the rear side. As described above, various electrical components are built in the upper lid portion 2.

Further, the upper lid 2 is connected to the main body 1 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction by a support shaft 35 provided at the rear part thereof. And the container which accommodates soups by rotating the upper cover part 2 upwards, opening the upper part of the main-body part 1, and removing the front cover 23 which covers the notch part 21a of the container holding part 21 (refer FIG. 4). 5 can be easily attached to and detached from the container holding portion 21 from the front of the main body portion 1. The container 5 is provided with a gripping part 7 for carrying.
In addition, the tableware unit 3 includes a mounting table 17 on which the tableware 16 is placed, and a soup collection bowl 18 that collects and stores the soup spilled when the soup is subdivided into the tableware 16. And the tableware part 3 is detachably latched by the hook part 19 ahead of the main-body part 1. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the container 5 for storing soups has a substantially semicircular shape in side view, a bottom surface portion 5b is formed along the arc portion, and side portions 5c on both the left and right sides thereof. And an opening 5a is formed in the string portion. A hopper 40 that rotates outward through the opening 5 a is pivotally supported by a support shaft 41 inside the upper end of the bottom surface 5 b of the container 5. The hopper 40 includes a wide mouth 40a, which will be described later, into which the ladle 11 is inserted, and a tube opening 40b through which the soup pumped by the ladle 11 is discharged to the tableware 16.

The link mechanism portion 8 disposed in the container 5 includes a rotation shaft 9, a rotation arm member 10 formed of a pair of rectangular pieces provided orthogonal to the rotation shaft 9, and the rotation arm member 10. The swing arm member 12 is pivotally supported on the tip portion, and the ladle 11 is pivotally supported on the end portion of the swing arm member 12 via a connecting plate 37. . (See FIGS. 2 and 3) In addition, the link mechanism 8 is rotatably supported by the side surface 5c of the container 5 at both ends of the rotary shaft 9 so as to be detachable, and can rotate within the container 5. . Further, at one end of the rotating shaft 9, there is provided a flat connecting plate 24 that is connected to the driving device 26 disposed on the upper lid portion 2 and rotates the link mechanism portion 8 back and forth.
As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the ladle 11 is formed in a bag shape with an opening (pumping opening) 11a on one side, and a soup container 11b for pumping soup is provided therein. Further, the soup container 11b is provided with a partition plate 38 for partitioning it into the opening 11a side and the back side. The partition plate 38 is formed with a slit (not shown) through which only the soup liquid is allowed to pass, without passing a predetermined shaped ingredient contained in the soup. And when the ladle 11 rotates inside the container 5 toward the hopper 40, the soup mixture is stored on the opening 11a side of the partition plate 38 of the soup container 11b, and soup liquid is stored on the back side. Contain and pump the soup with a constant ratio of soup ingredients and soup liquid.

The driving device 26 provided in the upper lid 2 includes a driving motor 28, a driving arm 27 fixed to the rotating shaft 28a of the driving motor 28, and a driving link pivotally supported at one end on the tip of the driving arm 27. It comprises a piece 30 and a guide support shaft 29 that engages with a long hole 30 b provided along the longitudinal direction of the drive link piece 30. In the drive device 26 configured as described above, when the drive motor 28 is energized, the drive arm 27 rotates together with the rotation shaft 28a, and the drive link piece 30 pivotally supported at the tip thereof is engaged with the elongated hole 30b. It swings while being guided by the matching guide shaft 29. Further, the connecting plate 24 of the link mechanism unit 8 that engages with the other end of the drive link piece 30 is rotated by its swinging, and the link mechanism unit 8 is rotated. In this way, the link mechanism unit 8 is rotated by the rotation of the drive motor 28.
Further, as shown in the control block diagram of FIG. 6, the soup supply device includes a control means 60 for controlling the operation thereof. Here, the main control unit 65 controls the control of the soup supply device. The heating controller 66 controls energization of the induction heating coil 61 based on the temperature of the container 5 measured by the container temperature sensor 62. Thereby, the soups in the container 5 are heated and kept at a predetermined temperature.

The motor control unit 67 controls the drive motor 28 that drives the ladle 11 when the container 5 is stirred by the ladle 11 or when the soup in the container 5 is subdivided into tableware or the like by the ladle 11. Further, when the soup contained in the container 5 is kept at a predetermined temperature, an exhaust motor 57 that drives the exhaust fan 56 is controlled.
The input / output control unit 68 transmits the data input by the subdivision start switch 32 and the setting button 33 to the main control unit 65, and the main control unit 65 uses the motor control unit 67 based on this to send the soup in the container 5. The operation of subdividing into tableware 16 is started by the ladle 11, or the heating control unit 66 sets the heat retention temperature of the soups stored in the container 5 and starts heating. In addition, the input / output control unit 68 is configured to prompt the administrator to perform inspections by displaying the contents on the display unit 34 when the apparatus malfunctions or the soup in the container 5 is exhausted. Yes.

In addition, the RAM 71 stores volatile data such as the heat retention temperature, the type, or the number of times of the soup inputted by the setting button 33, and the ROM 72 performs the soups subdividing operation and the stirring operation in the container 5. Non-volatile data such as an appropriate program for doing so is stored.
In the soup supply apparatus configured as described above, the operation and operation of each part when the soup stored in the container 5 is heated to a predetermined temperature and divided into tableware 16 will be described.
First, the soup is poured into the container 5 and stored. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper lid portion 2 that closes the upper opening of the main body portion 1 is rotated upward and opened. Further, the front cover 23 provided in the main body 1 is removed, and the container 5 is attached to the container holding part 21. Then, the front cover 23 is attached to the main body 1 again, and the upper lid 2 is rotated downward to close the upper portion of the main body 1. At this time, the end portion of the drive link piece 30 of the drive device 26 provided in the upper lid portion 2 is engaged with the connecting plate 24 of the link mechanism portion 8. And the storage temperature etc. of soups are set with the setting button 33 of the control panel 31. FIG. In this state, the soup accommodated in the container 5 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the induction heating coil 61 controlled by the heating control unit 66. The container 5 of the present embodiment is made of a metal material, and a high frequency current is supplied to the induction heating coil 61. Joule heat is generated by the induction current flowing in the material, and the soup contained in the container 5 The structure is heated.

Here, when heating of the soup contained in the container 5 is started, the exhaust motor 57 that drives the exhaust fan 56 is energized to drive the exhaust fan 56. Thereby, water vapor or the like generated from the heated soup is guided to the exhaust duct 55 through the perforated portion 25 provided in the cover portion 25 and is forcedly discharged to the outside by the exhaust fan 56. Therefore, the water vapor generated from the soup in the container 5 is prevented from passing through the gap of the cover portion 25 and entering the inside thereof, preventing the occurrence of dew condensation and the increase of moisture in the inside, It is possible to prevent the deterioration of the insulating properties of various electric parts arranged in the interior, corrosion and deterioration of the parts, generation of mold, and the like.
Further, the exhaust fan 56 of the present embodiment is configured such that when the water vapor or the like in the exhaust duct 55 is discharged to the outside, the air inside the upper lid portion 2 around it is also discharged to the outside. Therefore, even when water vapor or the like generated from the soup invades into the inside of the upper lid portion 2, it is gradually discharged to the outside, for example, by replacing the air inside the outside air with the outside air, generating condensation or increasing humidity. Can be reliably prevented.

Next, when the tableware 16 is placed in the tableware unit 3 and the subdivision start switch 32 of the control panel 31 is operated, the soup subdivision operation is started. Specifically, the drive motor 28 of the drive device 26 is energized, and the link mechanism portion 8 rotates from the standby state shown in FIG. 3 toward the opening 11 a of the ladle 11 via the drive link piece 30. Then, as shown in FIG. 5A, for example, when the ladle 11 is rotated to a predetermined position inclined about 30 degrees forward, the link mechanism portion 8 is rotated in the opposite direction to the opening 11a of the ladle 11. Move. In this case, since the ladle 11 moves while the opening 11a is directed obliquely upward, the soup enters the soup container 11b from the opening 11a. And the soup liquid is accommodated in the soup accommodating part 11b on the back side through the slit of the partition plate 38.
Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, for example, when it is rotated to a predetermined position inclined about 30 degrees rearward, the link mechanism portion 8 is rotated again in the direction of the opening 11a of the ladle 11. At this time, the ladle 11 rotates while accumulating the tools diffused in the soup liquid from the opening 11a to the soup container 11b in front of the partition plate 38.

When the rotation further proceeds, as shown in FIG. 6C, the ladle 11 is inserted from the arc-shaped bottom surface portion 5b of the container 5 into the wide mouth 40a of the hopper 40 formed so as to follow it. At this time, the utensil is separated from the opening 11a side of the partition plate 38 of the soup container 11b, and the soup liquid is separated and stored at the back side of the partition plate 38. Housed inside.
When the link mechanism 8 is further rotated, the ladle 11 is inserted into the hopper 40, and is integrated with the radle 11 so as to extend beyond the opening 5a of the container 5 around the support shaft 41 that pivotally supports the hopper 40. As shown in FIG. 5 (d), the soup in the ladle 11 is discharged to the tableware 16 through the hopper 40 from the tube opening 40 b in a substantially constant discharge state. When all the soups in the soup container 11b are subdivided into tableware 16, the link mechanism 8 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the ladle 11 is returned to the container again. By such an operation, a predetermined amount of soup is subdivided from the container 5 into the tableware 16.

The opening 5a of the container 5 is normally covered and closed by the container cover 20. The container cover 20 is a discharge port door that is pushed and opened when the ladle 11 is inserted into the hopper 40 and rotates integrally with the ladle 11 beyond the opening 5a of the container 5. 20a.
As described above, in the soup supply apparatus according to the present embodiment, water vapor generated from the soup stored in the container 5 and heated to a predetermined temperature is supplied to the upper lid 2 that covers the upper part of the container 5. The exhaust duct 55 arranged can be easily discharged to the outside of the apparatus so that water vapor or the like does not enter the upper lid portion 2. As a result, the occurrence of dew condensation and the increase in humidity inside the upper lid 2 are prevented, and the deterioration of the insulation of the electrical components arranged inside, the corrosion and deterioration of the components, and the occurrence of mold are prevented. The reliability and safety of the device can be improved.

Further, the exhaust fan 56 disposed at one end of the exhaust duct 55 efficiently discharges water vapor or the like generated from the soup to the outside through the exhaust duct 55, and the air inside the upper lid portion 2 to the outside of the apparatus. For example, since the air inside can be replaced with the outside air, it is possible to effectively prevent the entry of water vapor or the like into the inside of the upper lid 2 and also when water vapor or the like enters the inside of the upper lid 2. It can be discharged to the outside. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of dew condensation inside the upper lid part and the increase in humidity, thereby further improving reliability and safety.
Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to only the apparatus shown in the present embodiment, and application changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the positions and shapes of the exhaust duct 55 and the exhaust fan 56 provided in the upper lid 2 can be appropriately changed according to the shape of the upper lid 2 and the like.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the supply apparatus of soups of embodiment of this invention. It is front sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the supply apparatus of soups of embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the supply apparatus of soups of embodiment of this invention. In the soup supply apparatus of embodiment of this invention, it is a perspective view which shows the state which rotated upward and opened the upper cover part which covers opening of a main-body part upper part. In the supply device of soups of the embodiment of the present invention, when the soups contained in the container are divided into dishes, etc., side sectional views sequentially showing the operation state of the ladle and the like in the container, (a) The state in which the ladle in the container is rotated from the standby state to a predetermined position in the opening direction, (b) is the state in which the ladle in the container is rotated to the predetermined position in the direction opposite to the opening, and (c) is The state where the ladle in the container is rotated again in the direction of the opening and inserted into the wide mouth of the hopper, (d) is the state where the ladle is inserted into the hopper and rotated outward beyond the opening of the container. It shows the state in which the soup inside is discharged into the tableware from the tube opening of the hopper. It is a control block diagram which shows the control structure of the supply apparatus of soups of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Body 2 Upper lid (upper cover)
3 Tableware section 5 Container 11 Ladle (sorting means)
16 Tableware 28 Drive motor 34 Control board (electrical parts)
51 Electrical box (electrical parts)
55 Exhaust duct (exhaust passage)
56 Exhaust fan (forced exhaust means)
61 Induction heating coil (heating means)
66 Heating control unit 67 Motor control unit

Claims (2)

A container for storing soups, a separating means for separating the soups in the container into tableware, a heating means for the soups stored in the container, and an upper cover part in which electrical components are arranged and cover the container from above In a soup supply device comprising:
The soup supply apparatus, wherein the upper cover portion includes an exhaust passage for discharging water vapor generated from the soup heated by the heating means to the outside.   The soup according to claim 1, wherein the upper cover part includes a forced exhaust means for forcibly discharging steam entering the exhaust passage and air inside the upper cover part to the outside. Kind of supply device.

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