A fryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is described below based on the drawings.
The fryer 1 according to the present embodiment (refer to
An example of an in-shop layout of the restaurant where the fryer 1 according to the present embodiment is set up is first described. As illustrated in
An outer wall surrounding the hall 60 is provided with an entrance/exit 91 for the customers 7 to enter and exit the hall 60. That entrance/exit 91 is provided with an automatic door 100 for slidably opening and closing the entrance/exit 91. Near the entrance/exit 91, a door driving device (not shown) for slidably opening and closing the automatic door 100 is provided. Furthermore, on an outer surface of the automatic door 100 faced to the outside of the restaurant, a touch-type entrance switch 75 for opening the automatic door 100 to enter the hall 60 from the entrance/exit 91 is mounted. On an inner surface opposite to the outer surface, a touch-type exit switch 76 for opening the automatic door 100 to exit to the outside from the entrance/exit 91 is mounted. Furthermore, on an upper portion of the entrance/exit 91, an infrared sensor (not shown) that detects the presence or absence of a person is provided.
These entrance switch 75, exit switch 76, and infrared sensor (not shown) are connected to the door driving device. Each of the entrance switch 75 and the exit switch 76 output an ON signal for instruction of opening the automatic door 100 to the door driving device. Thus, upon recognizing the output signal, the door driving device causes the automatic door 100 to slide to open and close the entrance/exit 91. After a predetermined time elapses after the automatic door 100 slides to open the entrance/exit 91, the door is closed again. Even if a person who opened the automatic door 100 with the entrance switch 75 passes by, when the infrared sensor detects the presence of the person at the entrance/exit 91, the automatic door 100 is controlled so as not to be closed. Also, in the hall 60, a plurality of tables 15 and chairs (not shown) are disposed for customers 7 to eat and drink. At a place facing to the entrance/exit 91, a checkout counter 65 is disposed for checkout after the customers 7 eat and drink. On the checkout counter 65, a cash register 67 operated by a clerk 8 is placed.
On the other hand, the cooking area 70 has disposed therein a range table 71 supporting a pair of gas ranges, the fryer 1 according to the present embodiment, a working table 72, a sink 73 for washing dishes, food materials, and others, and a working table 74. The fryer 1 set in this cooking area 70 can switch a standby temperature of cooking oil in an oil vessel 10 (refer to
Next, the configuration of the fryer 1 according to the present embodiment is schematically described. As illustrated in
Next, the oil vessel 10 is described. As illustrated in
At an upper portion of the cold zone 12, an exhaust path 13 penetrating through the side surfaces of the oil vessel 10 in a longitudinal direction is provided through which the exhaust from the heating device 20 passes. Furthermore, on each of outer surfaces of the pair of the tilted surfaces 10a of the oil vessel 10, several fins 10d extending in the longitudinal direction of the oil vessel 10 are provided. On the other hand, on an upper back surface side in the oil vessel 10, a temperature sensor 57 that measures an oil temperature in the cooking zone 11 is set up. The temperature sensor 57 is connected to the control device 50, which will be described further below, of the heating device 20. Here, the temperature sensor 57 illustrated in
Next, the heating device 20 is described. As illustrated in
The burners 3a and 3b are described. As illustrated in
The fuel-gas supplying unit 30 is described. As illustrated in
The supply and exhaust unit 40 is described. As illustrated in
Next, the control device 50 is described. The control device 50 illustrated in
In this manner, an ON/OFF signal for an igniting or extinguishing instruction for the burner switch 25 is input to the CPU 51. Therefore, based on the ON/OFF signal, the CPU 51 controls an igniting and extinguishing operation of the burners 3a and 3b. Also, since the detection signal of the oil temperature detected by the temperature sensor 57 is input to the CPU 51, the CPU 51 adjusts combustion of the burners 3a and 3b so as to maintain the current oil temperature within a predetermined range by controlling opening and closing of the gas solenoid valve 33. Furthermore, since an ON signal of the entrance switch 75 is input to the CPU 51, the CPU 51 counts the press count of the entrance switch 75 when the customers 7 enter the hall 60 based on the ON signal of this switch to assume the congestion of customers 7.
Next, the ROM 52 and the RAM 53 are described. As illustrated in
Next, a method of detecting congestion of customers 7 in the hall 60 is described. As illustrated in
Here, the fryer 1 according to the present embodiment is set up in a restaurant with the automatic door 100 that is open and closed by pressing the entrance switch 75 and the exit switch 76. Other than that, there are various types of automatic door. An example of the automatic door is the one opening and closing the door by using infrared sensor upon detection of the passage of a human through infrared rays emitted from the infrared sensor. There is also an automatic door opening and closing the door by setting up a pressure-sensitive sensor on a floor mat spread at the entrance/exit 91 and detecting the weight of a human with the pressure-sensitive sensor. That is, the method of detecting the congestion of customers 7 is varied depending on the type of the automatic door as described above. In the case of the former type, for example, an infrared sensor is mounted on each of the outside and inside of the automatic door, and the outside infrared sensor to detect the entrance to the hall 60 is connected to the control device 50. Thus, the opening and closing count of the automatic door 100 at the time of entrance to the hall 60 can be counted.
On the other hand, in the case of the latter type, for example, two pressure-sensitive sensors are set up, one being at a portion on a floor mat (not shown) at the entrance/exit 91 positioned outside of the automatic door and the other being at a portion thereon positioned inside thereof, and only the outside pressure-sensitive sensor to detect the entrance to the hall 60 is connected to the control device 50. Thus, the opening and closing count of the automatic door 100 at the time of entrance to the hall 60 can be counted.
Also, in the case of a restaurant with a hall provided with an entrance and an exit separately, for example, the number of times of opening and closing of an automatic door on the entrance side can be counted. In this case, a door driving device can be connected to the control device 50 to count the number of times of opening and closing of the automatic door at the entrance per unit time.
Next, the standby temperature of the cooking oil in the oil vessel 10 is described. The cooking oil in the oil vessel 10 illustrated in
On the other hand, if the press count of the entrance switch 75 per unit time is smaller than p1 times, it is assumed that the congestion of customers 7 is low, and therefore the standby temperature T2 (degrees Celsius) is set. This T2 (degrees Celsius) is set at a lower temperature than T1 (degrees Celsius). Thus, fuel gas consumed by the burners 3a and 3b can be saved, thereby increasing energy efficiency and saving cost required for the operation of the fryer 1. Furthermore, the exhaust gas from the burners 3a and 3b can also be reduced.
Next, the main control operation of the fryer 1 by the CPU 51 is described with reference to the flowcharts from
Then, as illustrated in
Next, in order to detect the congestion of customers 7 in the hall 60, a customer-congestion detecting process is performed (S13). In this customer-congestion detecting process, as described above, the press count of the entrance switch 75 of the automatic door 100 per unit time is counted. This customer-congestion detecting process will be described further below. Then, when the customer-congestion detecting process is completed, a temperature setting process is performed based on the congestion of customers 7 detected in the customer-congestion detecting process (S14). In this temperature setting process, as described above, the standby temperature of the cooking oil in the oil vessel 10 is set based on the press count of the entrance switch 75 per unit time detected in the customer-congestion detecting process. The temperature setting process will also be described further below. Then, when the temperature setting process is completed, a heating operation of the heating device 20 is controlled so that the oil temperature of the cooking oil in the oil vessel 10 is at the standby temperature set in the temperature setting process (S15). Thus, the standby temperature of the oil vessel 10 can be appropriately adjusted according to the congestion of customers 7 in the hall 60.
Next, it is determined whether the burner switch 25 has been turned OFF (S16). If it is determined herein that the burner switch 25 has not yet been turned OFF (“NO” at S16), the procedure returns to S13 to again perform the customer-congestion detecting process, thereby controlling the oil temperature in the oil vessel 10 at the standby temperature according to the congestion of customers 7. Then, if it is determined that the burner switch 25 has been turned OFF (“YES” at S16), the gas solenoid valve 33 is closed, thereby stopping the supply of fuel gas from the nozzles 32a and 32b to the burners 3a and 3b to extinguish fires of the burners 3a and 3b (S17). The procedure then returns to S11 to repeat a series of processes.
Next, the customer-congestion detecting process (S13) is described. As illustrated in
Then, if it is determined that the unit time has elapsed (“YES” at S25), the value of the press-count counter p at this time is stored in the press-count storage area 531 on the RAM 53 (S26). If the previous press count is stored in this press-count storage area 531, the count is rewritten with the press count this time.
Next, it is determined whether the burner switch 25 has been turned OFF (S27). If it is determined that the burner switch 25 has not yet been turned OFF (“NO” at S27), the procedure goes to the temperature setting process (refer to
Next, the temperature setting process is described. As illustrated in
If it is determined that the value of the press-count counter p stored in the press-count storage area 531 on the RAM 53 is smaller than p1 (“NO” at S31) it is estimated that the congestion of customers 7 in the hall 60 is low. Therefore, the amount of food materials introduced to the oil vessel 10 becomes small. Thus, if the oil temperature is kept at the standby temperature T1 (degrees Celsius), it would be a waste of combustion gas for use at the burners 3a and 3b. Therefore, the standby temperature T2 (degrees Celsius) which is lower than the standby temperature T1 is set (S32). Then, the heating device 20 is controlled to adjust the oil temperature in the oil vessel 10 at T2 (degrees Celsius). Thus, combustion gas is not wastefully consumed at the burners 3a and 3b, and combustion gas can be saved. Also, if the number of customers 7 is small, the exhaust gas is reduced, which can also be said as environmentally preferable.
Here, in the above description, the CPU 51 performing the process at S13 illustrated in
As has been described in the foregoing, the fryer 1 according to the present embodiment is set up and used in the cooking area 70 of a restaurant or the like, the standby temperatures of the cooking oil in the fryer can be switched according to the congestion of customers 7 in the hall 60 in the restaurant. As for the congestion of customers 7, the congestion of customers 7 can be relatively evaluated per unit time when the press count of the entrance switch 75, which is pressed when a customer 7 enters the hall 60, is counted per unit time (for example, ten minutes). For example, if the count number per unit time is equal to or greater than a predetermined count (p1 times), it can be assumed that the congestion of customers 7 is high. If the count number is smaller than the predetermined count (p1 times), it can be assumed that the congestion of customers 7 is low.
Thus, if the press count is equal to or greater than p1, the standby temperature T1 (degrees Celsius) allowing food materials introduced into the oil vessel 10 to be quickly fried is set. Thus, even if the number of customers 7 staying in the hall 60 is large to increase the number of orders for food, heat cooking can be quickly performed. On the other hand, if the press count is smaller than p1, the standby temperature T2 (degrees Celsius) lower than the standby temperature T1 is set. Thus, combustion gas is not wastefully consumed at the burners 3a and 3b, and saved. Also, if the number of customers 7 is small, the exhaust gas can be reduced, which also is environmentally preferable.
Here, needless to say, the present invention is not restricted to the above embodiment and can be variously modified. In the above embodiment, the congestion of customers 7 is determined by detecting the press count of the entrance switch 75 of the automatic door 100 per unit time. Alternatively, for example, an infrared sensor may be provided at the entrance/exit 91 to detect the number of customers 7 passing through the entrance/exit 91 per unit time. In this case, at the entrance/exit 91, entering customers 7 and exiting customers 7 are both counted. To deal with this, for example, a first infrared sensor is provided outside of the entrance/exit 7 and a second infrared sensor is provided on the hall 60 side of the entrance/exit 91, counting is performed only when the first infrared sensor detects passage of a customer 7 and then the second infrared sensor detects passage, thereby detecting the congestion of customers 7.
Also, the number of customers 7 staying in the hall 60 may be directly counted. For example, a human-sensitive sensor may be mounted at a predetermined position in the hall 60 to detect the number of customers 7 in the hall 60 at predetermined intervals and, according to the detection result, the standby temperatures in the oil vessel 10 of the fryer 1 may be switched. Furthermore, a temperature and humidity sensor capable of detecting both of temperature and humidity may be mounted in the hall 60 and, based on the temperature and humidity in the hall 60, the standby temperatures in the oil vessel 10 may be switched. In this case, as the congestion of customers 7 in the hall 60 is increased, the temperature and humidity in the hall 60 tends to be increased due to heat from the customers 7. Therefore, by detecting the temperature and humidity in the hall 60, the congestion of customers 7 can be indirectly detected.
Furthermore, the number of times of operation of the cash register 67 placed on the checkout counter 65 in the hall 60 may be counted per unit time to detect the congestion of customers 7. Still further, the number of times of operation of an ordering device (not shown) per unit time carried by the clerk 8 in charge of the hall 60 (for example, the number of times of transmission of order data to a server) may be counted. This ordering device is used by the clerk 8 to receive an order from a customer 7 waiting at the table 15 and transmits the order to a server disposed in the cooking area 70, and the working staff does the cooking according to the menu of the order sent to the server. Thus, by counting orders sent to the server per unit time, the congestion of customers 7 can be indirectly detected.
The standby temperatures described in the above embodiment are merely an example and, needless to say, the present invention is not restricted to these numerical values. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, two oil temperatures T1 and T2 are set as standby temperatures in the oil vessel 10, but the number of temperatures may be three or more. In that case, a plurality of numerical-value ranges of the press count of the entrance switch 75 per unit time can be set, with a standby temperature being set for each of the numerical-value ranges. Still further, “equal to or greater than” and “smaller than” in the predetermined count as a criterion may be construed as being reversed to those in the example of the above embodiment.
According to the present invention, a liquid heat-cooking device can be used as a fryer or a noodle boiling machine and the like for heating and cooking food materials with heated liquid, such as oil or water.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-129938 | May 2006 | JP | national |