# US 10,478,005 B2 · Steam generating apparatus and heating cooker

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- Number: US 10,478,005 B2
- Document ID: US10478005B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/122,653
- Filed: 2015-08-24
- Published: 2017-06-15
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-05
- Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Takashi Utsumi; Keiko Fukuoka; Yuko Nakajima
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478005B2

## CPC

- A47J 27/04: for cooking food in steam; Devices for extracting fruit juice by means of steam {; Vacuum cooking vessels (steam-heated vessels for hotels, restaurants or canteens A47J27/16)}
- A21B 3/04: Air-treatment devices for ovens, e.g. regulating humidity
- F22B 1/285: {the water being fed by a pump to the reservoirs}
- F22D 5/26: Automatic feed-control systems
- F24C 15/327: {with air moisturising}
- A21B 1/24: Ovens heated by media flowing therethrough
- A47J 2027/043: {for cooking food in steam}
- A47J 2203/00: Devices having filling level indicating means
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A21B: BAKERS' OVENS; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING (domestic baking equipment A47J37/00)
- F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
- F22D: PREHEATING, OR ACCUMULATING PREHEATED, FEED-WATER FOR STEAM GENERATION; FEED-WATER SUPPLY FOR STEAM GENERATION; CONTROLLING WATER LEVEL FOR STEAM GENERATION; AUXILIARY DEVICES FOR PROMOTING WATER CIRCULATION WITHIN STEAM BOILERS
- F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION

## Abstract

A steam generating apparatus includes: a steam generator including a housing capable of storing water therein, and a heating unit for heating the housing so as to generate steam; a water level measurement unit for measuring a water level in the housing; and a water supply unit for supplying water into the housing. A controller controls, when a time during which the measured water level does not exceed the threshold value continues for a first time, the water supply unit to start water supply into the housing, and controls, when the time during which the measured water level does not exceed the threshold value continues for a second time longer than the first time, the heating unit to stop heating of the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A steam generating apparatus comprising:
a steam generator, the steam generator including a housing capable of storing water therein, and a heating unit for heating the housing so as to generate steam;
a water level measurement unit for measuring a water level in the housing;
a water supply unit for supplying water into the housing; and
a controller for controlling the heating unit and the water supply unit,
the controller being configured to
when a time during which that the measured water level does not exceed a threshold value continues for a first time, control the water supply unit to start water supply into the housing, and
when the time during which the measured water level does not exceed the threshold value continues for a second time longer than the first time, control the heating unit to stop heating of the housing;
wherein the controller is further configured to
when the measured water level exceeds the threshold value, and thereafter, when a time during which the measured water level exceeds the threshold value continues for a third time, control the heating unit to start heating of the housing, and
when the time during which the measured water level exceeds the threshold value continues for a fourth time longer than the third time, control the water supply unit to stop the water supply into the housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The steam generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a length of the second time represents a length of time required for the level of water stored in the housing to vary from the threshold value to a predetermined residual water level by evaporation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The steam generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature measurement unit for measuring temperature in the housing, wherein
the steam generating apparatus varies a length of time of the water supply by the water supply unit based on the temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The steam generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the length of time of the water supply when the measured temperature is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature is longer than the length of time of the water supply when the measured temperature is less than the predetermined temperature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The steam generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a water tank for containing water therein, wherein
the water supply unit includes a pump for flowing water between the water tank and the inside of the housing, and
the controller is configured to, when controlling the pump to continue supply operation of delivering the water in the water tank into the housing for a predetermined supply time since start of the water supply into the housing, or when controlling the pump to continue the supply operation for a predetermined time since stop of the heating by the heating unit, and when the measured water level does not exceed the threshold value, determine that there is no water in the water tank.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The steam generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the controller controls the pump to deliver the water in the housing to the water tank.