The present invention relates to a microwave oven cooking utensil, which is for heating up a food material in a microwave oven. This invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the microwave oven cooking utensil.
As is well known, in a microwave oven, upon irradiating a water-containing food material with a microwave, water molecules having polar groups will absorb the microwave, and the water molecules in the food material are directly vibrated or rotated, thereby heating up the food material (being cooked).
When cooking with such a microwave oven, a cooking utensil for the microwave oven may be used, and there have been suggested various types of cooking utensils for use with microwave ovens. For example, in Patent Document 1, a microwave oven cooking utensil is disclosed which has a metal pan inside the main body through which a microwave is transmitted, and a heat generating sheet arranged on the lower surface of the pan that absorbs a microwave to generate a heat.
Patent Document 1: JP Patent No. 5344638
However, regarding the microwave oven cooking utensil disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the food material to be cooked is only heated from the lower side, it is difficult to entirely and evenly heat up the entire food material to its optimum state, thus failing to ensure a delicious food.
Moreover, in the microwave oven cooking utensil disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the food material to be cooked is heated only from the lower side while being exposed, the heat retention performance is poor. If a cooked food material is left as it is after cooking, the cooked food will cool off and fail to bring out its deliciousness, thus failing to ensure a delicious taste due to the nature of a certain food. For example, when meat is cooked, the meat will be suddenly and partially heated to become partially hard or gravy may undesirably come out.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a microwave oven cooking utensil excellent in heat retention, which can entirely and evenly heat up the food material to its optimum state, thereby easily bringing out its deliciousness and thus ensuring a delicious food.
In order to solve the above problems, the microwave oven cooking utensil of the present invention, comprises: an upper heating body and a lower heating body each of which absorbs a microwave and generates a heat; and a heating space for heating a food material located between the upper heating body and the lower heating body, the heating being performed from above and below at the same time; wherein the upper heating body and the lower heating body are each formed by including a heat generating part containing ferrite and a molded foam body.
In the present invention, the ferrite constituting the heat generating parts of the upper heating body and the lower heating body will absorb a microwave from the microwave oven and generate a heat, and such a heat can cover a food material by simultaneously heating the food material from above and below. Moreover, upon combining the heat generating part with the molded foam body, it is possible to improve a heat retention performance owing to a heat insulating effect of the molded foam body, and the cooked food material can be heated still further with a residual heat, even if the food material has been taken out from the microwave oven and left as it is . Namely, according to the above-described configuration of the present invention, using a unique heating effect and a heat retaining effect based on the synergistic effect produced by the molded foam body and the simultaneous heating effects from the upper and below, it is possible to completely and evenly heat up the food material to its optimum state and thus easily bring out the deliciousness of the food material.
In the above configuration, the heat generating part may be formed by mixing the heat generating material containing a ferrite into the molded foam body in a dispersed state. Alternatively, the heat generating part may be incorporated into the molded foam body in the form of a predetermined shape. Moreover, it is also possible for the heat generating part to be attached to the surface of the molded foam body in the form of a predetermined shape.
When the heat generating part has a predetermined shape, it is preferable that the heat generating part is a heating element having a sheet-like shape and formed by using a resin in which a ferrite powder is dispersed. This facilitates a subsequent processing and a handling, making it possible to sufficiently and effectively bring out the heat generating effect. In this way, to avoid a heat-based risk such as a burn, it is preferable that the ferrite be completely covered up with a resin and not exposed at all.
Further, in another embodiment in which the heat generating part has a predetermined shape, the heat generating part may be a heating element formed by applying or attaching a ferrite to the surface of a metal plate. In such a case, as a metal material for forming the metal plate, it is preferable to use a metal having a high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, aluminum metal alloy, copper, and copper alloy. In this way, it is possible for a heat generated by the ferrite to be transferred to the metal plate having a high thermal conductivity and to spread over the entire extending area of the metal plate, thus realizing a uniform heating (temperature distribution can be made uniform) and improving the strength of the heat generating part depending on the nature of a metal plate. Such an effect is particularly beneficial in cooking a food material such as meat. This is because when the electromagnetic waves of a microwave oven directly hit the meat or the like, the meat will absorb the electromagnetic waves and is heated from the inside of the meat, and as a result the meat tends to burst or the meat is suddenly heated and becomes hard.
Further, in the above configuration of the present invention, it is preferable that the lower heating body and the upper heating body are each formed by sandwiching the heat generating part from above and below by a molded foam body or by incorporating the heat generating part into a molded foam body. Using the heating bodies in the above-described state, it is possible for the central portion of the food material to reach a temperature of 150-200° C. Such a temperature is especially beneficial when a meat material is being cooked. This is because the Maillard reaction of meat proceeds most remarkably in the vicinity of a temperature which is 150-200° C.
Further, in the above configuration of the present invention, the upper heating body and the lower heating body are caused to sandwich the food material from above and below and come into contact with the food material. In this way, it becomes possible to directly transfer a heat to a food material to heat up the food material to its optimum heated state in a short time.
Moreover, in the above-described configuration of the present invention, it is preferable that the cooking utensil further includes a side heating body that has the same structure as the upper heating body and the lower heating body, and can heat up the food material in the heating space from the side. If such a side heating body is provided together with the upper heating body and the lower heating body, it is possible for the food material to be surrounded along its entire circumference, so as to be heated evenly and completely, thus reaching its optimum heated state in a short time.
Further, in the above configuration of the present invention, the lower heating body and/or the side heating body can be formed into a container which provides a space for accommodating a food material, and the upper heating body can be formed as a lid for closing the accommodating space. In this way, if the cooking utensil for a microwave oven is configured so that the accommodating space is formed and the accommodating space can be closed in this way, it becomes possible to cook various kinds of food materials (for example, beef stew, simmered food or the like). When the container has a handle, it is preferable that the handle does not contain ferrite so as not to generate heat or the foaming rate is increased to improve the heat insulating property in the vicinity of the handle. Therefore, the handle can be grasped with bare hands. Further, the lid only needs to close the accommodating space, and therefore, for example, it may be a “drop lid” that directly hits the food material to be cooked, or the lid is formed to close the upper opening of the container.
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a microwave oven cooking utensil, comprising the steps of: molding step to form a molded foam body; incorporating step to incorporate a heat generating part containing ferrite that absorbs a microwave and generates a heat into the molded foam body by using a molding method including injection molding, insert molding and a two-color molding, or using a mechanical assembling method. In this case, the molding step includes: using a plasticizing cylinder having a plasticizing zone in which a thermoplastic resin is plasticized and melted to obtain a molten resin, a hungry zone in which the molten resin is in a hungry state, and an introduction port which is formed for introducing a physical foaming agent into the hungry zone; plasticizing and melting the thermoplastic resin to obtain the molten resin in the plasticizing zone; making the molten resin to be in the hungry state in the hungry zone; introducing a pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent at a constant pressure into the hungry zone and holding the hungry zone at the constant pressure; with the hungry zone held at the constant pressure, bringing the molten resin in the hungry state into contact with a pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent at the constant pressure in the hungry zone; and molding the molten resin in contact with the pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent into the molded foam body.
According to the manufacturing method including the above-described molding step, it is possible to perform a fine foam molding (foam cell diameter: 10-80 μm) with a lower gas pressure than the conventional physical foam molding method using a supercritical fluid. This makes it possible to perform a molding with a small molding machine and to perform a foam molding with super-engineering plastics. In this case, it is preferable that the constant pressure is 1 MPa-15 MPa. If foaming can be effected at such a low pressure in this way, it is possible to suppress blisters (later-swelling) of the molded product during heating.
Further, in such a manufacturing method, preferably the foaming rate of the molded foam body is 2 times or more, more preferably 3 times or more. By increasing the foaming rate, it is possible to obtain an increased heat insulating property for the molded foam product (resin container, the entire cooking utensil), thereby effectively improving the heat retention property of the molded foam product (resin container, the entire cooking utensil), thus making it possible to perform a cooking based on a residue heat and to expect a cooking which can be completed in a shortened time. Here, the “foaming rate” means a volume change rate when an unfoamed state is 1. Preferably, a foaming rate is 2-6 times, more preferably 3-6 times.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an improved microwave oven cooking utensil, in which a heating space is formed for simultaneously heating a food material from above and below by using the upper heating body and the lower heating body that absorb microwaves and generate a heat; the upper heating body and the lower heating body are each formed by including a molded foam body and a heat generating part containing ferrite. Therefore, it is possible for the cooking utensil to completely and evenly heat up an entire food material to its optimum state and thus easily bring out the deliciousness of the food material. In addition, the cooking utensil is also excellent in its temperature retention property.
Hereinafter, description will be given to explain several embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12 are each formed by a heat generating part 15 containing ferrite and a molded foam body 18. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the heat generating part 15 is a heating element formed into a sheet using a resin in which ferrite powder is dispersed. The upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12 are each formed by sandwiching the heat generating part 15 from above and below by a pair of plate-shaped foam bodies 18, 18. The upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12, having such a configuration, can clamp the food material M from above and below, thus coming into contact with the food material M.
In the present embodiment, the heat generating parts 15, 15 partially constituting the upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12 are each formed by mixing silicone resin and ferrite powder, followed by extruding the mixed material into a sheet, or die-cutting the same into a sheet or a predetermined shape, and later thermosetting that. Here, the resin is not limited to silicone, and may be a heat-resistant resin such as epoxy resin or phenol resin, or a material such as a heat-resistant elastomer which may be silicone rubber or a fluorine rubber. Alternatively, it is also possible to mix together a thermoplastic heat-resistant resin (for example, polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), aromatic polyamide (PA), polyimide, syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS), a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene) and a ferrite, followed by performing an injection molding or an extrusion molding, thereby forming the heat generating part 15. Here, the resin and the ferrite powder may be mixed in a molding machine in this way, but as another method for forming the heat generating part 15 it is also possible to in advance mix together the resin and the ferrite powder, followed by forming the same into pellets by way of extrusion molding or the like. Subsequently, the mixed pellets are introduced into an injection molding machine to finally form a heat generating part.
A ferrite constituting the heat generating part 15 is preferably a ferrite material having a Curie point at the heating temperature (for example, a Curie temperature of 220-240° C.). Specifically, such ferrite material can be MgCu ferrite powder containing 46-51 mol % of iron in terms of Fe2O3, 2-15 mol % of copper in terms of CuO, with the balance being magnesium oxide and unavoidable impurities. In detail, an average particle size of MgCu ferrite powder can be 2-500 μm. Alternatively, such ferrite material can be MgCuZn ferrite powder containing 46-51 mol % of iron in terms of Fe2O3, 2-15 mol % of copper in terms of CuO, and 27 mol % or less of zinc (but not including zero) in terms of ZnO, with the balance being magnesium oxide and unavoidable impurities. In detail, an average particle size of MgCuZn ferrite powder can be 3-500 μm.
Further, as a material for forming the molded foam body 18 constituting the upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12, it is possible to use a high heat resistant resin, such as syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), aromatic or semi-aromatic polyamide (PA), polyimide, polyamideimide, heat-resistant polyester, or fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene, or composite materials thereof. Moreover, it is also possible to use a mixture containing two or more of the above-mentioned resins. In addition, these resins are also allowed to contain a filler consisting of inorganic particles such as glass fiber, talc, carbon fiber, and ceramic.
Using such a material, the molded foam body 18 may be formed by, for example, the following manufacturing method (see, for example, Re-publication No. 2017/007032 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-567053)).
Namely, the manufacturing method of the present invention employs an apparatus (not shown) in which the resin pellets are plasticized and melted by the rotation of a screw in the plasticizing cylinder, and the molten resin is then moved to the front side in the cylinder. Further, when the molten resin is moved to the front side in the cylinder, the screw is moved rearward to measure the molten resin, while the screw is moved forward at the time of injection. The cylinder has a plasticizing zone provided on the upstream side, a hungry zone provided on the downstream side, while an introduction port for introducing a physical foaming agent is provided in the hungry zone. The plasticization zone is a zone in which the thermoplastic resin is plasticized and melted to form a molten resin. The hungry zone is a zone in which the molten resin is in a hungry state. The “hungry state” means a state in which the molten resin has not filled the zone and an unfilled state is thus formed, or means a state in which the density of the molten resin is low. Therefore, a space other than those occupied by the molten resin may exist in the hungry zone.
Hereinafter, description will be given to explain a method for producing an upper heating body and a lower heating body (including the molded foam body of the present embodiment) with reference to a flowchart shown in
First, the thermoplastic resin is plasticized and melted in the plasticizing zone of the cylinder to obtain a molten resin (step S1 in
Next, a physical foaming agent having a constant pressure is supplied to a pressure adjusting container (not shown), and a pressurized fluid having a constant pressure is introduced from the pressure adjusting container into the hungry zone to maintain the hungry zone at the constant pressure (Step S2 in
Here, a pressurized fluid is used as the physical foaming agent. In the present embodiment, the “fluid” means any of a liquid, a gas, and a supercritical fluid. A physical foaming agent is preferably a carbon dioxide, a nitrogen, a dry air or the like from the viewpoint of cost and environmental load. Since the pressure of the physical foaming agent of the present embodiment is relatively low, it is possible to use a fluid taken out from a cylinder such as a nitrogen cylinder, a carbon dioxide cylinder, or an air cylinder, whose pressure has been reduced to a constant pressure by a pressure reducing valve. At this time, since it is not necessary to use a pressure increasing device, it is possible to reduce a cost for the entire manufacturing apparatus. On the other hand, if necessary, it is also possible to use a fluid pressurized to a predetermined pressure, as a physical foaming agent. For example, when nitrogen is used as a physical foaming agent, it is possible to use the following method to generate a physical foaming agent. Namely, at first, nitrogen is extracted and purified through a nitrogen separation membrane while compressing the air in the atmosphere using a compressor. Next, the purified nitrogen is boosted to a predetermined pressure using a booster pump, a syringe pump, or the like to generate a physical foaming agent.
The pressure of the physical foaming agent introduced into the hungry zone is constant, and the pressure of the hungry zone is maintained at the same constant pressure as that of the introduced physical foaming agent. The pressure of this physical foaming agent is preferably 0.5-15 MPa, more preferably 1-10 MPa, and even more preferably 1-8 MPa. Although an optimum pressure will vary depending on the type of molten resin, if the pressure of the physical foaming agent is set at 1 MPa or more, it is possible for the physical foaming agent having an amount (necessary for foaming) to be permeated into the molten resin. If the pressure of the physical foaming agent is set at 15 MPa or less, it is possible to improve the heat resistance of the molded foam body. When the manufacturing is carried out at a pressure (high pressure) higher than 15 MPa, the foaming cells themselves of the molded foam body will be in a high pressure state, and when the molded foam body is heated to a high temperature, a phenomenon called later-expansion will occur, resulting in a low heat resistance of the molded foam body. On the other hand, when foaming is performed at a pressure (low pressure) of 15 MPa or less, it is possible to suppress the so-called later expansion, thereby improving the heat resistance of the molded foam body.
The pressure of the physical foaming agent that pressurizes the molten resin is “constant”. This means that the fluctuation range of the pressure with respect to a predetermined pressure is preferably within ±20%, more preferably within ±10%. The pressure in the hungry zone is measured, for example, by a pressure sensor (not shown) provided at a position facing the inlet of the cylinder.
Next, the molten resin is caused to flow into the hungry zone, thus being put in a hungry state (step S3 in
Next, with the hungry zone being held at a constant pressure, the molten resin in the hungry state and the physical foaming agent at a constant pressure are brought into contact with each other in the hungry zone (step S4 in
Conventionally, when performing a foam molding using a physical foaming agent, a predetermined amount of a high-pressure physical foaming agent was forcibly introduced into a plasticizing cylinder within a predetermined time. Therefore, it was necessary to increase the pressure of the physical foaming agent, to accurately control an amount of the physical foaming agent being introduced, also to control the introduction time and the like. In fact, the physical foaming agent comes into contact with the molten resin only within a short introduction time. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the physical foaming agent at a constant pressure is not forcibly introduced into the cylinder, but is continuously supplied into the cylinder and continuously brought into contact with the molten resin, such that the pressure in the hungry zone becomes constant. In this way, it is possible to stabilize the dissolution amount (penetration amount) of the physical foaming agent in the molten resin (usually determined by the temperature and pressure). Further, in the present embodiment, since the physical foaming agent is always in contact with the molten resin, it is possible to ensure that a necessary and sufficient amount of the physical foaming agent permeates into the molten resin. As a result, the molded foam body produced in the present embodiment has finer foaming cells than those formed in the conventional molding method using a physical foaming agent, even though the present embodiment uses a low-pressure physical foaming agent.
Next, the molten resin in contact with the physical foaming agent is formed into a molded foam body (step S5 in
The method of forming the molded foam body is not particularly limited. It is possible to form a molded foam body using, for example, injection molding, extrusion foam molding, foam blow molding, or the like. As an injection foam molding, it is possible to use a short shot method in which the mold cavity is filled with a molten resin having a filling capacity which is 75%-95% of the mold cavity volume, thereby filling the mold cavity while the bubbles are expanding. Further, it is also possible to use a core back method in which a mold cavity is filled with a molten resin having a filling capacity which is 90%-100% of the mold cavity volume, followed by performing a foaming process while enlarging the cavity volume. The molded foam body thus obtained has foaming cells inside, and since a shrinkage of the thermoplastic resin during cooling is suppressed and a cooling strain is alleviated, it is possible to reduce sink marks and warpage, thereby obtaining a molded foam body having a low specific gravity. Using the core back foam molding, since it is possible to ensure an anisotropic rigidity in the thickness direction owing to the anisotropy of the internal foamed state, it is possible to form a plate material having a strong bending resistance by virtue of a synergistic effect based on an increased thickness.
As described above, in the present embodiment, the heating bodies 10, 12 are each formed by sandwiching a heat generating part 15 between the pair of molded foam bodies 18 formed above. However, as will be described later, it is also possible to combine the heat generating part 15 with the molded foam body 18 through injection molding, insert molding, two-color molding or a mechanical assembling method.
Next, description will be given to explain the internal structures of the heating bodies 10, 12 manufactured in the above-mentioned manufacturing method. Here, each of the heating bodies 10, 12 has a structure in which the heat generating part 15 containing ferrite is sandwiched between the molded foam bodies 18 through molding or pasting with an adhesive. Using the above-described structure, it is possible to prevent a direct contact with the heat generating part 15 during handling, and it is possible to prevent a human from being burned, even if the heating bodies 10, 12 are touched after microwave irradiation.
At this time, it is optional to change the foaming ratio of one or the other of the pair of molded foam bodies 18. Further, it is optional to form only one of the pair of molded foam bodies 18 through core back molding. Alternatively, it is optional to form both of the pair of molded foam bodies 18 using core back molding method. Anyway, it is optional to decide how to form a molded foam body (whether or not there is a phenomenon of foaming and what its foaming rate is).
As a desired example of the present embodiment, it is preferable that the heat conduction performance differs from one to the other of the pair of molded foam bodies 18. Namely, on one side of each of the heating bodies 10, 12 that comes into contact with the food material, it is necessary to increase the heat conductivity to conduct the heat of the heat generating part 15 that absorbs the microwave of the microwave oven and generates a heat to the food material for heating up the food material to an optimum temperature. On the other hand, on the other side of each of the heating bodies 10, 12 that does not come into contact with the food material, it is necessary to reduce the heat conductivity to block an outside heat after being irradiated by a microwave from the microwave oven, thereby ensuring a heat insulation cooking. In other words, for example, it is desirable to form the pair of molded foam bodies 18 which are so structured that after irradiating the food material in a microwave oven at 500 W for 60 seconds, the surface temperature on one side of each of the heating bodies 10, 12 is lower than the surface temperature on the other side.
In order to reach such a result, if the pair of molded foam bodies 18 have the same foaming ratio, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the molded foam body 18 on one side of each of heating bodies 10, 12 that comes into contact with the food material. At the same time, it is possible to increase the thickness of the molded foam body 18 on the other side of each of heating bodies 10, 12 that does not come into contact with the food material. Namely, the thickness of the molded foam body 18 on one side of each of heating bodies 10, 12 that comes into contact with the food material may be made thinner than the thickness of the molded foam body 18 on the other side of each of heating bodies 10, 12 that does not come into contact with the food material.
Alternatively, if the pair of molded foam bodies 18 have the same thickness, it is possible to reduce the foaming ratio of the molded foam body 18 on one side of each of heating bodies 10, 12 that comes into contact with the food material. At the same time, it is possible to increase the foaming ratio of the molded foam body 18 on the other side of each of heating bodies 10, 12 that does not come into contact with the food material. At this time, the manufacturing may be carried out by changing the core back amount on one side and the other side, or using the resins having different amounts of dissolved physical foaming agents on one side and the other side. In this case, an average specific gravity on one side of each of the heating bodies 10, 12 that comes into contact with the food material becomes high, while an average specific gravity on the other side of each of the heating bodies 10, 12 that does not come into contact with the food material becomes low.
Alternatively, it is also possible to respectively set the thickness and the foaming ratio of the pair of molded foam bodies 18 in a manner such that the thermal conductivities of the pair of molded foam bodies 18 are different from each other.
Next,
The heating body 12 in such a molded shape can be formed by, for example, a method shown in
By manufacturing in this way, the thermal conductivity of one side 18a of the molded foam body 18 is high, whereas the thermal conductivity of the other side 18b of the molded foam body 18 is low, resulting in different thermal conductivities on different portions of the molded foam body. For example, molded foam body 18 is configured such that after irradiating food material in a microwave oven at 500 W for 60 seconds, the surface temperature on one side 18a of the molded foam body 18 becomes higher than the surface temperature on the other side 18b.
It has already been demonstrated by the inventors of the present invention that the heating bodies 10, 12 having such a sandwich structure are excellent in their heating performance. That is, the inventors of the present invention have verified the heating performance through experiments using the heating bodies 10, 12 having at least four types of structures shown in
The heating bodies 10, 12 having a structure shown in
Regarding each of the four structures shown in
Actually, the inventors of the present invention, in an embodiment shown in
Examples of a metal material forming the metal plate 19 include copper, an aluminum alloy, a copper alloy and the like, in addition to aluminum. From the viewpoint of weight reduction of cooking utensils (containers), it is preferable to use aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Ceramic plates can also be used instead of metal plate.
Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the heating bodies 10, 12 are each formed by incorporating into a molded foam body 18, a heat generating part 15 (shown by a shaded dashed frame in
In the container 50 (50A) shown in
In the container 50 (50A) shown in
The heat generating part 15A, the molded foam body 18, and the metal plate 19 are similarly formed by using the same materials as those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Namely, for example, the material 21 obtained by kneading the ferrite powder into the resin is applied to one or both surfaces of the metal plate 19, or the material 21 obtained by kneading the ferrite powder into the resin and the metal plate 19 are integrally combined together through insert-molding, while the upper and lower heating bodies 10, 12 are formed by covering the heat generating part 15A (formed in this way after thermosetting or calcining) with a heat-resistant resin (molded foam body 18). Alternatively, a molded body (foam molded body 18) is formed in advance using a heat-resistant resin, and the heat generating part 15A formed as described above is combined to this molded body, by using an adhesive and or by way of laser welding, thereby realizing an integration. Further, as another different method, it is possible to bond the heat generating part 15A to the resin plate (molded foam body 18), followed by coating the surface thus formed with a heat resistant coating material.
As shown in
As shown in
Further, when the cooking utensil 1D is accommodated into the heat-resistant container 70 and put into the microwave oven in this way, the upper opening 70c of the heat-resistant container 70 is closed by the lid 80, so that the inner accommodating part S2 may be sealed to the outside as shown in
In addition,
Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, according to the present invention, the ferrite materials constituting the heat generating parts 15, 15A of the upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12 (or the side heating body 14) will absorb microwaves from a microwave oven and generate a heat, and the heat thus generated can be used to simultaneously heat up the food material M from above and below, with the food material being sandwiched therebetween. Moreover, by combining the heat generating parts 15, 15A with the molded foam body 18, the heat retention property will be enhanced due to the heat insulating effect of the molded foam body 18, and even if the heated food material is taken out from the microwave oven after heating and left as it is, the residual heat will remain to further heat the food material using the residue heat. Namely, according to the present invention, it is possible to evenly heat the entire food material M to an optimal state, thereby easily bringing out the deliciousness of the food material M. This is owning to a unique heating and heat retaining function produced by the synergistic effects of the molded foam body 18 and the simultaneous heating from the upper and lower heating bodies 10, 12.
In particular, as in the second embodiment described above, the heat generating part 15A is formed by applying a heat-resistant resin paint mixed with ferrite to the surface of a metal plate and performing a heat-curing treatment thereon, or by attaching the above-mentioned ferrite-containing heat-generating sheet to the surface of the metal plate, thereby producing a heat generating parts. In this way, the heat generated by the ferrite is transmitted to the metal plate 19 and spreads over the entire extending area of the metal plate 19, so that uniform heating can be realized (the temperature distribution can be made uniform) and it is possible to improve the strength of the heat generating part 15A depending on the nature of metal material. In addition, there has also been an effect that it is possible to suppress an ingression of an electromagnetic wave (microwave) by virtue of the metal plate 19.
Further, when the upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12 sandwich the food material from above and below and come into contact with the food material as in the above-described embodiment, the heat can be directly transferred to the food material to heat up the food material to its optimum state in a short time.
Moreover, as in the third and fourth embodiments described above, if the side heating body 14 is further provided which has the same structure as the upper heating body 10 and the lower heating body 12, and is capable of heating the food material in the heating space S from the side, it is possible to completely surround the entire circumference of the food material, and evenly heat up the food material to its optimum state within a short time.
In addition, as in the third and fourth embodiments described above, if the lower heating body 12 and/or the side heating body 14 is formed into the container 50 providing an internal space S1 for accommodating the food material, and if the upper heating body 10 is formed as a lid 52 for closing the internal space S1, it is possible to heat up and cook various kinds of food materials (for example, beef stew, simmered food or the like).
Moreover, in the above embodiments, the foaming agent has been described as a physical foaming agent, but the present invention is not limited to this example, and it is also possible to use a chemical foaming agent, or to use both the physical foaming agent and chemical foaming agent.
The present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, a part or all of the above-described embodiments may be re-combined within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention, or apart of the configuration of the invention may be omitted from one of the above-described embodiments.
1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D: microwave oven cooking utensils
10: upper heating body
12: lower heating body
15,15A: heat generating parts (heat generating elements)
18: molded foam body
19: metal plate
50: container
52: lid body
M: food material
S: heating space
S1: accommodating space
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2019-051464 | Mar 2019 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2020/011074 | 3/13/2020 | WO | 00 |