Technical Field

This invention is classified in the field of production technology related to Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine. Background Art

Stir Fried Food Chinese Style is frying food cooked to order for serving to the customers it both domestic and international restaurants or the dining rooms, i.e. Fried rice, Pad Thai (Fried Rice Sticks), Pad See Ew (Stir Fried Noodle with black soy sauce) or Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetable, etc. These Chinese style food Drying will be cooked with vegetable oil or lard by using steel or stainless pan with deep bottom and handler above the high-pressure burner with the blazing fire. While frying food, the Chef will lift the pan up with shaking after filling the raw material and seasoning continually for mixing food into the pan before putting on the dish and on the plate for serving to each customer who order food. These kinds of fried food are popular in both domestically and internationally due to a variety of menus for selection being easy to eat and warm while serving. Each day, there will be the order of these kinds of fried food. The Chef, who fried, has to lift the pan up with shaking for hundreds of times and likely to reach thousands of times for some menus. These Chefs, frying food in Chinese style, have fatigue and regularly resign from work even though they will receive the high wage. Especially, it is very difficult to find the Chef cooking the Chinese style of food at the dining room in overseas.

From the survey of invention patent of Automatic and Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food

Machines, it has found that there is the invention registration number CN203417090(U) in China with its commercial distribution. Its nature is the stir-fried food machine with semi-automatic shaking pan by using the shaking system with the single-mechanic lever fulcrum jointed at the 2-side end motor shaft axis and swaying pad with vertical-line axis slide back and forth. For this kind of invention, the staff will prepare the raw material and put the ingredient. Then, the staff will let the machine fry food as per the shaking control with fixed setting. After the machine has finished its frying food, the staff will put food on the dish for serving. Besides, it has founded through doing survey that there is the similar nature of Stir-Fried Food Machine called“SAN-EI Kitchen Integrator” with its commercial distribution. Its nature is Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine covering with rotating lid with the axis looking like the paddle helping with frying. This lid can be opened and closed. For this kind of Stir-Fried Food Machine, the staffs has to prepare the raw material to be separately put into the freely tilted elevator in each channel approximately 4-5 channels jointed at the same tilted axis. The said set of the elevator will be installed with the equipment distributing the raw material at the side close to the pan. After that, frying menu program will be selected from touch screen of Programmable Logic Control (PLC). Then, the staff will let the machine frying food as per the controlled program at fixed setting of frying time, the sequence of raw material tilting and the closure and opening of the lid. For some menus, there will be the pan shaking similar to cradle. After the machine has finished its frying food, the staff will place the dish at the position where the pan will be tilted with pouring food automatically. The staff can pick up the dish for serving to the customers.

According to the result of the said invention patent survey, there is no finding of Stir-Fried Food Machine invention in Thailand. Due to the structure nature of machine is not up to standard of Industrial Product Standard Inspection applied in United States of America and Europe, there is no use widely in these countries. But, there is the finding of import and usage of the said machine in some countries in Asia Region, i.e. China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore, etc.

The purpose of Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine as per this invention is to help the problem with the business of dining room and restaurant with continuous frying food in Chinese style by reducing the number of the Chefs performing their duties of cooking Chinese style food. There will be the staff who has the duty of preparation of raw material and ingredient putting into the pan for duration and quantity as set for each menu of food, including adjustment of flame strength and shaking speed suitable for each menu of food and quantity per time of such food frying. After that, the staff will let the Stir-Fried Food Machine fry food at the time specified. After food frying is finished, the staff will pour the food on the dish for serving. The staff will be free from frying and have time to prepare the raw material and ingredient for cooking food of the next menus of food, being able to shorten the customers’ waiting time with no need to use the manual labour for shaking, caused an increase in the staff s more efficiency of providing service for the customers. This invention has been investigated by the Industrial Product Standard Inspection applied in United States of America and Europe regarding the design of invention with capacity of this invention for commercial manufacturing and export to the countries in United States of America and Europe finally. The summary of invention

The nature of Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine according to this invention is Stir- Fried Food Machine used in the business of dining room and restaurant with menus of fried food in Chinese style.

This machine will operate its duty of frying food by shaking the pan replacing the Chef, i.e. Fried rice, Pad Thai (Fried Rice Sticks), Pad See Ew (Stir Fried Noodle with black soy sauce), Rice topped with stir-fried meat and basil or Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetable, etc. The components of machine can be made and supplied domestically, including the set of rocker-arm pan mechanic having never been in use for any kinds of Stir-Fried Food Machine with the spindle rocker axis, caused movement, jointed on 2 places of the lever of the pan, which is deemed new matter of invention for Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetable with the soft shaking, but stronger with easy maintenance. Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine according to this invention comprises the deep bottom frying pan likely made of the iron metal plate or stainless with Grade 304 and heat treatment with oil at a temperature from 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius (°C), the pan diameter of 14 - 16 inches, the pan bottom depth of 4.0-4.5 inches, and the total weight including the pan handle of 1.4 - 1.6 kilograms will be placed close to pan pad putting on baffle around the pan, together with the set of pan-handle lock, not slipping out while shaking. All components will be adhesive at the upper part of the set of the rocker- arm pan mechanic. At the area under the pan bottom, there will be the gas stove burner with 16-18 gas burner nozzles being installed away from the pan bottom of 2.25 - 3.25 inches. For a start of frying food, there will be the preparation of raw material for each menu. It will begin by switching on the gas valve and lighting the gas stove burner by gun lighters or spark from Magneto and adjustment of gas valve to have flame strength level as required. Then, placing the pan on the pad controlling the position and levering the lock of the pan handle locking set. At this position, the pan will be placed at the horizontal level. The staff will put vegetable oil or lard into the pan. When the oil in the pan starting to be warm, the staff will put the raw material prepared in the pan in sequence before and after of each menu. After that, the staff will adjust the flipper handle, normally being levered and lifted up above the pan, to be down and close to the pan, together with selecting speed program of shaking pan for 4 levels from the lowest to the highest speed, starting with shaking of frying that the rhythm of the pan rocking forward and pulling back, the ingredient in the pan will be threw above and lifted up from the pan surface. At the same time, the flipper will help with scatter of ingredient, not clustering, caused the mixture of ingredient in the pan. It takes around 3 - 5 minutes for fried food rocking depending on menu of food cooked differently. When frying food is finished, the staff will switch off gas valve and push the off-button to stop rocking. But, rocking will be continued for 1 - 2 rounds before stopping due to inertia. Then, the staff will lift up the flipper and release the pan handle locking set in order to lift up the pan with the completely-cooked food out of the position and pour the food on the dish ready for serving to the customers. After pouring the food, the pan and the flipper will be cleaned immediately. In the area close to placing the pan, there will be the lifting-up and turning-handle water tap being installed to be convenient for water use. There is no rocking of pan or lighting the gas oven burner of the machine in this duration. But, accessories, i.e. the brush used for the pan polishing and cleaning or pad used for the pan cleaning and rubbing (not included in the items of invention). The water, used for cleaning the pan, will be threw away in the disposal container on the side. The staff will use the damp cloth for clearing away the food scraps and water, likely to fall on the surface under the pan surface, to the hole thrown away of the food scraps at the comer area. After cleaning the pan and surface below the pan, the staff can begin frying food of other menus of food.

The purpose of this invention is to obtain the Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine being able to control frying for both the time and rocking speed level replacing the work of the staff, enhancing the freedom of the staff with more relaxation, caused efficiency and flexibility towards the response to the demand of food made to order of the customers well and problem solution to the shortage of the Chefs, including the reduction in labour cost of the Enterprise as well as the focus on this Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine being up to standard of the criteria of Industrial Product Standard Inspection applied in United States of America and Europe, lea ing to the industrial manufacturing for export and distribution in the countries in these regions.

Brief Descriptions of Drawings

Figure 1: To show 3-dimensional picture with separating the parts of Semi-Automatic Stir- Fried Food Machine in the left front perception

Figure 2: To show 3-dimensional picture with separating the parts of the pan-rocking hand mechanic set in the left front perception

Figure 3: To show the left side picture of the pan-rocking arm mechanic set for 1 working cycle Disclosure of the Invention

From Figure 1: To show the picture of separating the pieces of all components of Semi- Automatic Stir Fried Food Machine comprising the machine structure 1 making of the stainless steel, size of 30 x 30 millimeters, and 4-millimeter thick, welding to be the square structure with the reinforced beam adhesive to other types of equipment. At the foundation, there will be the beam strongly adhesive to the pan-rocker arm mechanic set 2. At the middle of machine structure 1, there will be the grille supporting to gas oven burner set 3 being installed to help with holding the gas oven burner 12. Next, there will be the pad supporting to the tray 4 for placing the tray for the food scraps 23 likely to fall down while frying. This tray can be pulled out for cleaning. On the right side on the machine structure 1, the gas pipe will be placed and jointed with gas valve connector 25 being installed on the lid closing the back of machine 20 being connected to gas switching on-off valve 22 adhesive to the machine structure 1 on the front right upper side next to gas switching on-off valve 22. At the bottom, there will be the installation of box for placing the food scraps filter grille 13. Inside the box, the food scraps filter grille will be placed 24. At the back of the box, the drain pipe will be connected 28 for throwing away at the back side by passing through the lid closing the back of machine 20. At the floor within the machine structure 1 between the middle hole and the hole at the side, it will be closed with the middle ground grille 14 and the side ground grille 19 to prevent the animals that are carriers of pathogens, i.e. rat or cockroach entering and hiding inside. At the left side behind the machine structure 1, the main distribution board will be installed 27. There will be electrical equipment inside, i.e. inverter, PLC, power supply, and magnetic contactor (not being shown in Figure). At the top of machine structure 1 will be closed with the top lid covering the machine 6 where its middle floor being punched and made the hole in the shape of circle with the rim to strengthen the surface and to place the flame protective sheet 7. In the middle front side of the top lip covering machine 6, the cutting cavity will be made for the rocker shaft of the pan-rocker arm mechanic set 2 for its movement to and fro with the plastic rim preventing the friction 15 that is resistant to heat and not flammable to reduce the friction. At the top right comer, there will be the hole for throwing away the food scraps 33 with the pipe connected around 1 - 2 inches above the food scraps filter grille 24. At the left rim of the top lip covering the machine 6, there will be arm rotation adhesive to the flipper 8 being installed with the arm adhesive to the flipper 10 and the flipper 1 1 as well as the flipper locking mechanic 21 jointed together. While not being in use, the flipper 1 1 will be in the position of rocking up and holding up through the flipper locking mechanic 21. When there is the need of being in use, the lock can be rocked down and released. For the machine structure 1 , it will be closed with the top machine-covered lid 6, and the left machine- covered lid 17, including the right machine-covered lid 18. At the back of machine, it will be closed with the machine-behind lid 20 and closed with separator sheet 9 to prevent the hazard from the flame while frying and the hot oil splash. For this separator sheet 9, it is used as the location for installation of lifting-up and turning-handle water tap 32 for cooking food and cleaning the food- frying container before changing the menu. Below the machine structure 1 , there will be the bottom machine-covered lid 16 to be supported at its 4 comers 16 and the wheel set 26 installed for moving and adjusting the level. In the front of machine structure 1, it will be closed with the front machine- covered lid 5 being punched to be the hole for taking the food scraps tray in and out 23, including the hole used for controlling the switch on-off gas valve 22, and the hole used for taking the food scraps filter grille 24 in and out conveniently. At the top of the front machine-covered lid 5, the switch on- off button will be installed 29, together with the 5-speed adjusted buttons 30, separated as 4-speed adjusted buttons and 1 -speed off button as well as the emergency button 31 for convenience and safety of the user.

From Figure 2: To show the figure of separating the pieces of components of the pan-rocker arm mechanic set 2 comprising the deep bottom pan with handle 2.1, the diameter of 14 - 16 inches, likely to mould the shape from likely made of the iron metal plate or stainless with Grade 304 and heat treatment with oil at a temperature from 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius (°C), the pan bottom depth of 4.0 - 4.5 inches, and the total weight including the pan handle of 1.4 - 1.6 kilograms adhesive on the pad with the sheet locking the pan rim 2.3, including the set of pan-handle lock 2.4 being installed together on separator sheet around the pan 2.2. doing its duty of adhesion to the pan rocker handle 2.5 strongly. On the pan rocker handle 2.5, there will be swaying axis being rocked and held for 2 places that are the upper swaying axis 2.6 with the upper - rocked spinning shaft 2.7 doing its duty as upper -rocked fulcrum and the bottom-rocked swaying axis 2.8 with the drove-rocked spinning shaft 2.9 doing the bottom-rocked spinning shaft. For the left side of upper- rocked spinning shaft 2.7, there will be the upper left slip sheet 2.l 0a adhesive to the left splice sheet 2.l2a. For the upper right slip sheet 2.10 b, it is adhesive to the right splice sheet 2. l2b to be firmly supported. For the right drove- rocked spinning shaft 2.9, there will be the bottom left slip sheet 2.1 1a adhesive to the left splice sheet 2.l2a. In the right side, there will be the bottom right slip sheet 2.11 b adhesive to the right splice sheet 2.l2b to be firmly supported. Both splice sheets will be adhesive by 6 sets of the spindle of splice sheet 2.13. The drove-rocked spinning shaft 2.9 will support the driving force connected from Shaft of the gearbox 2.14 with ratio at 1 :20, and speed round of 75 rpm with alternating current electric motor 2.15 for the type of 1 phase 110- 220 VAC 50-60 Hz, and size of 1 horsepower as driving force.

Special Consideration: According to Figures 1 and 2, all equipment and components, directly touching with food, are made of the material of stainless grade 304 or renewable material of food grade. For the parts, not directly touching with food, are mainly made of stainless steel. For 12 gas stove burners connected to gas valve 25 and switch on-off gas valve 22 and equipment related to gas and sanitary in the whole system, they are considered according to the requirements of Industrial Product Standard of United States of America based on the national gas fuel code - ANSI Z223.1 regarding the requirements for responsibility of the owner and the person installing, the requirements of the national fire, ANSI Z83.1 1 -GAS FOODSERVICE EQU PMENT, ANSI-4- COMMERCIAL COOKING RETHER- MALISATION & HOT FOOD, including the requirements of the equipment of“Sanitary” being able to clean conveniently with high resistance and distance of installation of the back cover of 6 inches, the left and the right side of 6 inches away, including the use with non- flammable surface only.

From Figure 3 : To show the movement of frying pan being held and fixed on 2 positions of the pan-rocker arm mechanic set (a) that are the stopping position and beginning position of shaking the pan. The pan rim will be in the horizontal level at an angle of 90 degrees with vertical level. Position (b) is the position where the pan tilting down to the lowest before tilting back. The pan rim will be at an angle of 120 degrees with vertical level. Position (c) is the position where the pan is pulled back to the end. The pan rim will be at an angle of 78 degrees with vertical level. The way of motion of pan will be the closed loop in the nature of Mussel Cap Shell as shown in Figure (d), caused by working together of 2 -position motion spindles that are the upper-rocking spindle (2.6) and the bottom-rocking spindle (2.8) that the motion cycle range at the position (b) will be wider than motion cycle range at the position (c).

Working of Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine in detail is as follows: Before a start of using Semi-Automatic Stir-Fried Food Machine, the staff must be certain that this frying machine is placed strongly and being on the level with the floor by adjusting the tripod at all of 4 sets of the wheel set 26 to avoid the skid of machine from the position fixed, including switching on the gas valve at the gas value connector 25 at the back of machine for the flow of gas into the gas pipe inside the machine and ready to flow at the gas oven burner 12 immediately once switching on-off the gas valve 22, including connecting the water pipe to the lifting-up and turning-handle water tap 32 to be ready for work completely. Working of frying food will begin when the staffs receives the order of hying food in Chinese style. In any menu, the staff will start by preparation of raw material in such menu to be ready. After that, it will begin by switching on the switchi g on-off gas valve 22 and lighting the gas stove burner 12 by gun lighters or spark from Magneto and adjustment of gas to have flame strength level as required. Then, placing the deep bottom pan with its handle 2.1 on the pad and locking pad at the pan rim 2.3 to control the position and lever the lock of the pan handle locking set 2.4 to make the pan strong. At this position, the pan will be placed on the level at the horizontal level (position a). At the same time, the staff will push the switching on-off button 29 to push the switching on button to distribute the electricity to the main distribution board 27 supplying the electricity to inverter set, power supply, PCL, magnetic contactor inside the main distribution board, including several controlled switches in the work system of machine. After that, the staff will put vegetable oil or lard into the pan. When the oil in the pan starting to be warm, the staff will put the raw material prepared in the pan in sequence before and after of each menu. After that, the staff will adjust the flipper handle 10, and release the flipper lock 1 1 from flipper locking mechanic 21 to be down and close to the pan. Normally, Flipper 11 will be locked and lifted up above the pan. The next step is to select speed program of rocking the pan by selecting and pushing the speed adjustment button 30. There will be 5 buttons comprising Button 1 : the Button where PLC will order Inverter to supply electricity to magnetic contactor number 1. Normally, in front of Contact will be open (Normally Open: NO). Then, changing the front of contact to be closed (Normally Close: NC) to connect the electricity to alternating current electric motor 2.15 at voltage of 110- 220 volt, 25 Hertz, caused the speed of pan lever handle 2.5 at the speed of 15 - 20 rounds per minute. Button No. 2 is the PLC button that will change the order to invertor supplying the electricity to magnetic contactor No. 2. Normally, in front of contact will be open (NO). Then, changing the front of contact to be closed (NC) to connect the electricity to alternating current electric motor 2.15 at voltage of 1 10- 220 volt, 30 Hertz, caused the speed of pan lever handle 2.5 at the speed of 20 - 25 rounds per minute. Button No. 3 is PLC Button that will change the order to invertor to distribute the electricity to magnetic contactor No. 3. Normally, in front of contact will be open (NO). Then, changing the front of contact to be closed (NC) to connect the electricity to alternating current electric motor 2.15 at voltage of 1 10- 220 volt, 35 Hertz, caused the speed of pan lever handle 2.5 at the speed of 35 - 40 rounds per minute. Button No. 4 is PLC Button that will change the order to invertor to distribute the electricity to magnetic contactor No. 4. Normally, in front of contact will be open (NO). Then, changing the front of contact to be closed (NC) to connect the electricity to alternating current electric motor 2.15 at voltage of 1 10- 220 volt, 40 Hertz, caused the speed of pan lever handle 2.5 at the speed of 60 - 75 rounds per minute. For any magnetic contactor being not controlled by PLC, the front of contact will be adjusted to be open (NO) as previously. Button No. 5 is switch-off button (off) that PCL will order all magnetic contactors to be adjusted their front of contact to be open (NO) without distribution of electricity to alternating current electric motor 2.15. Normally, frying food in general will begin with Button No. 1 before filling raw material and ingredient. And then, it will be changed to Button Nos. 2 or 3 or 4 depending on the discretion of the staff, i.e. large quantity, material as the noodle, etc. When there is a start of shaking such frying pan, the rhythm of the pan rocking forward and pulling back, the ingredient in the pan will be lifted up from the pan surface. At the same time, the flipper 1 1 will help with scatter of ingredient, not clustering, caused the mixture of ingredient in the pan. The lever handle pan 2.5 will work around 3 - 5 minutes depending on menu of food cooked differently. When frying food is finished, the staff will go to switching on-off gas valve 22 to switch off gas and push the switching off button to stop rocking of the pan 2.5. But, rocking will be continued for 1 - 2 rounds before stopping due to inertia.

Then, the staff will lift up the flipper 11 to be locked up and release the pan handle locking set 2.4 to lift up the pan with the completely -cooked food out of the position and pour the food on the dish ready for serving to the customers. After pouring the food, the deep bottom pan 2.1 and the flipper 1 1 will be cleaned immediately. In the area close to placing the pan, there will be the lifting-up and turning-handle water tap 32 being installed to be convenient for water use. While cleaning the machine, there is no rocking of pan or lighting the gas oven. The staff will use the accessories only, i.e. the brush used for general polishing or the fiber used for general cleaning and rubbing (not included in the items of invention), together with the water for cleaning only. The water, used for both components, will be thrown away in the disposal container prepared outside the machine. After that, the staff will use the damp cloth for clearing away the food scraps and water, likely to fall on around the surface of the machine-coverer top lid 6 through the hole throwing away of food scraps 33 at the comer area. After cleaning is finished, the staff can begin frying food of other menus of food.

The Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

As explained under the topic of the complete invention disclosure