JP2000070126A - Electric rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate useless power consumption while suppressing the external release of steam by keeping the internal temperature of a pot at a specified value regardless of variations in characteristics of members for detecting temperature. SOLUTION: This cooker which is designed to close the inside of a pot to heat rice to be cooked is provided with a heating pause means S6 to stop the heating of the rice to be cooked for a fixed time length (T1) by an output as given when a pot temperature detection means detects boiling up. Thus, the temperature of the pot (TB) after a fixed time of pausing of the heating pause means is detected to maintain a boiling up state for a fixed time (T2) under a constant temperature (TC) higher than the temperature of the pot.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric rice cooker for cooking rice by pressing the inside of a pot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many techniques for cooking rice by pressurizing a pot have been disclosed since ancient times. One of the typical examples is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-187374.

[0003] A specific configuration of this technique is to provide pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure in the pan, and when the pressure in the pan exceeds a first set value, the heating is stopped by the pressure detecting means. When the temperature falls below the set value, heating is performed, and pressure cooking is performed by keeping the pressure in the pot constant by pressure detection means.

However, in a configuration in which the pressure in the pan is detected by a pressure detecting device to maintain a constant pressure, the first pressure set value and the second pressure set value are detected separately from a temperature sensor for controlling the temperature of the pan. Two pressure sensors are required, and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the pan is provided.Until the temperature detected by this temperature sensor exceeds 100 degrees, the degree of sealing of the sealing means is reduced by the pressure adjusting means, 10
In order to increase the degree of sealing and stop heating when it exceeds 0 degrees,
A temperature sensor is required in addition to the pressure sensor described above.

[0005]

As described above, when the temperature in the pot is detected using the temperature sensor and the rice is cooked normally until the temperature reaches 100 ° C., and when the temperature exceeds 100 ° C., pressure cooking is performed. Although the amount of water vapor released to the outside is reduced because the pot is closed during pressure cooking, the temperature variation among the temperature sensors and the temperature of the rice in the pot are not uniform, resulting in uneven heating and accurate temperature detection. There are things you can't do.

In this case, pressure cooking is performed even though the temperature in the pot has not reached 100 degrees, and pressure cooking is not performed even if the temperature in the pan has reached 100 degrees. It was not possible to cook delicious rice and consumed wasteful power, causing water vapor to be released to the outside.

According to the present invention, even if the temperature sensor varies, the temperature in the pot is always kept at a predetermined temperature so that there is no wasteful power consumption and no steam is discharged to the outside to obtain delicious rice.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a pot for storing cooked rice, a pressure mechanism for sealing and pressurizing the inside of the pot, heating means for heating the cooked rice, and a temperature of steam generated from the pot. Temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the bottom of the pan, and heating pause means for suspending the heating of the heating means for a predetermined time by the output of the boiling temperature detection means, the inside of the pan And the pressure mechanism cooks rice under pressure by the pressure mechanism. After the heating means has been stopped by the heating means for a certain period of time, the pot temperature detecting means detects the pot temperature (TB) and is higher than the pot temperature. The heating means is controlled at a constant temperature (TC) to maintain a boiling state for a fixed time.

Further, after the boiling state for a certain period of time is over, the pan temperature detecting means dries up at a predetermined temperature (Td) higher than the pan temperature (TB) and stops the heating of the heating means.

The predetermined temperature (Td) higher than the pot temperature (TB) is set to a temperature slightly higher than the constant temperature (TC).

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a flowchart of the electric rice cooker of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same itself, FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the same, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram illustrating a relationship. (1) is a rice cooker main body, and (2) is a heating means (3) (3) (3) (3) (hereinafter referred to as a coil) which has an induction coil inside.
A pot body having a pot (4) disposed above the coil; and (5) a pot temperature detecting means (hereinafter referred to as a bottom sensor) for abutting the center of the bottom wall of the pot (4) to detect the temperature of the pot bottom. And (6) are a lid body pivotally supported by the pan body (2) so as to be rotatable and provided with a pressure mechanism (7) inside.

Although the pressure mechanism (7) is not shown in detail,
The inside of the pot is closed and pressurized, and the inside of the pot is closed by the cover of the lid body (6), so that the cooked rice is brought into a pressurized state with heating.

(8) is a boiling temperature detecting means (hereinafter referred to as a lid sensor) fixed and disposed in a steam passage (9) communicating with the inside of the pot (4) in the lid body (6). Detects the temperature of the steam in the pan.

(10) is a control means for executing each operation based on, for example, the contents programmed in advance. The control means (11) and the bottom sensor (5) detect the boiling temperature for a predetermined time (T _1). = a first timer means for performing time counting for 90 seconds) (12), a boiling state a predetermined time (T ₂ = about 15
Second timer means (13) for continuing for minutes) and ROM
(14) and a RAM (15).

(16) Forced dry-up means for rapidly heating after the end of the boiling state for a predetermined time, and (17) means for determining the amount of rice cooked based on the temperature detection data from the bottom sensor (5). , (18) is a rice cooker start button for performing rice cooker operation, (19) is “white rice” according to preference,
Menu selection button for cooking rice such as "brown rice", (20)
Is a process indicator for the rice cooking process, (21) is a time indicator for the rice cooking completion time, rice cooking start time, etc., and (22) is a selection display button for displaying the content selected by the menu selection button (19).

FIG. 3 is a more systematic representation of the block diagram of FIG.

Next, the operation will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 1 and the characteristic diagram of FIG. First, necessary amounts of rice and water are stored in a pan, and then the pan (4) is stored in the pan body (2) and the lid body (6) is covered. The cover operates the pressure mechanism (7) to seal the inside of the pot (4).

Thereafter, the user operates the menu selection button (19) to select, for example, "white rice" and then starts the rice cooking start button (1).
When 8) is operated, the control means (10) applies an inverter current to the coils (3), (3), (3), and (3), and an eddy current flows from the coil through the pan, causing the pan to generate heat and produce rice and water. Heat.

When the temperature of the pot rises and reaches about 60 degrees, the bottom sensor (5) which detects this temperature inputs to the control means (10), which controls the coils (3) (3) (3) ( 3)
A preheating step of stopping the current to the rice and absorbing water into the rice (S
1).

In this preheating step, the coil is repeatedly turned on and off for a certain period of time, and the temperature is maintained at 60 degrees. However, since the temperature in the pot is low, the temperature detected by the lid sensor (8) is also low, and steam is generated. There is no. After a certain period of time, the coil is fully energized to rapidly heat the cooked rice to execute a heating step (S2).

During the heating step, since the inside of the pot is closed by the pressure mechanism (7), the temperature in the pot sharply rises as the cooked rice is heated, and the pressure in the pot rises.
2 atm (気 圧 f / cm ² ).

Steam is generated as the temperature of the cooked rice rises. This steam temperature is indirectly detected by the lid sensor (8) (S3), and if the lid sensor temperature is about 70 degrees,
The lid sensor (8) determines that the steam temperature in the pot has reached 105 degrees (S4), and at the same time, detects the rate of temperature rise of the cooked rice during the heating process by the bottom sensor (5), and based on this, The rice cooking amount is determined by the rice cooking amount determining means (17) (S5). Before and after the start of boiling, as shown in the characteristic diagram of FIG. 4, the steaming temperature is high and the pressure in the pan is increased, but the steam is not released to the outside due to the sealing of the pan (4) by the pressure mechanism (7).

After the detection of the boiling state by the lid sensor (8), the output stops the current to the coils (3), (3), (3) and (3) via the control means (10), and stops the heating ( (Heating pause means) (S6).

Immediately after the heating is stopped, the first timer means (12) starts measuring the set time (T ₁ = 90 seconds). During this time, the pressure in the pot decreases and the temperature of the cooked rice decreases. Therefore, the temperature detected by the bottom sensor (5) also decreases.

When the time of the set time (T ₁ ) by the first timer means (12) ends (S7), the bottom sensor (5) detects the pot temperature (TB) at the end of the time (S8). ), Based on the result of the determination of the amount of cooked rice (17), for example, if the amount of cooked rice is "small", the heating amount by the coil is set to "300W", and if the amount of cooked rice is "medium", heating is performed. The amount is set to “450 W”, and if the amount of cooked rice is “large”, the amount of heating is set to “600 W”, and the rice is heated with the amount of heat corresponding to the rice cooker and the second timer means (13) There starts counting a predetermined time (T ₂ = 15 min) (S9 to S12).

With the above-mentioned heating, the bottom temperature of the pot rises again,
Eventually, the bottom sensor (5) which detects that the constant temperature (TC) which is about 2.5 degrees higher than the pot temperature (TB) detected after the end of the time measurement of the set time (T ₁ ) has risen is controlled by the control means (1).
0), the current to the coils (3), (3), (3), and (3) is stopped, and heating is continued until the temperature rises by 2.5 degrees (S1).
3-S15).

During the measurement of the fixed time (T ₂ ), the temperature of the pan (T
Heating and stopping are repeated based on B).
The average temperature of the pot temperature during this time is also about 90 degrees, although it is affected by the temperature of the pot temperature (TB).

As described above, until the second timer means (13) finishes counting the predetermined time (T ₂ ), the pot temperature is about 2.5 degrees with respect to the previously detected pot temperature (TB). Coil (3) while maintaining the raised temperature around 90 degrees
(3) (3) The power is cut off to (3), and the pressure in the pot during this period is maintained at about 1.1 atm because the inside of the pot is sealed by the pressure mechanism (7). By this sealing, the steam generated from inside the pot is not released to the outside.

When the measurement of the fixed time by the second timer means (13) is completed (S16), the coils (3), (3), and (3) are output from the forced dry-up means (16).
When the temperature of the cooked rice rises rapidly by fully energizing (3) and reaches a predetermined temperature (Td) that is approximately 7.5 degrees higher than the previously detected pan temperature (TB), this is detected. The applied bottom sensor (5) stops energizing the coils (3), (3), (3), and (3) (S17, S18). Of course, also at this time, the pressure in the pot rises to about 1.2 atm due to rapid heating,
The temperature of the pot reaches about 100 ° C., and the amount of steam in the pot increases. However, since the pot is closed by the pressure mechanism (7), it is not released to the outside.

The predetermined temperature (Td) is set to a temperature about 5 degrees higher than the constant temperature (TC) so that dry-up can be performed and the steam temperature is set to a minimum rising range. You have set.

After the completion of the dry-up, the coils (3), (3), (3) and (3) are temporarily energized and reheated, and then the process proceeds to the mura process (S19).

[0032]

As described above, the present invention relates to a method for detecting the temperature of a pot, making the temperature in the pot substantially constant, and pressurizing the rice by a pressure mechanism.
Since the boiling state is maintained at a constant temperature higher than the pot temperature detected after the elapse of the certain time for a certain period thereafter, the constant temperature higher than the temperature based on the pot temperature after the certain time after the boil is detected. In order to maintain the boiling state, even if the characteristics of the element of the pan temperature detecting means vary, the temperature in the boiling state will be determined based on the temperature detected by the element, and during the boiling period You can cook delicious rice by keeping the temperature in the pot higher than 100 degrees. This minimizes the power required to maintain the boiling state and minimizes the release of steam generated from within the pan to the outside.

Further, after the above-mentioned boiling state has passed for a certain period of time, since the heating is stopped by drying up at a predetermined temperature higher than the pan temperature detected after the boiling detection, the water in the pan runs out and the dry-up occurs. It is possible to dry up at a fixed time as compared with the above, so that the rice cooking completion time is fixed, and the amount of steam is small and the rice can be cooked reliably at a high temperature.

Further, since the predetermined temperature at the time of the dry-up is set to be higher than the constant temperature for maintaining the boiling state, the difference between the temperature at the time of the boiling state and the temperature at the time of the dry-up is clarified to execute the dry-up. To be accurate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the electric rice cooker of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a substantial block diagram of the same.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram similarly.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the temperatures in the pot, the bottom of the pot, and the lid, and the pressure and the amount of heating in the pot.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rice cooker main body 3 Heating means (coil) 4 Pot 5 Pot temperature detecting means (bottom sensor) 6 Lid body 7 Pressure mechanism 8 Boiling detecting means (lid sensor) 10 Control means 12 First timer means 13 Second timer means 16 Forced dry-up means 17 heated resting means S6 heating pause means TB pot temperature (reference temperature) TC constant temperature Td predetermined temperatures T ₁ set temperature T ₂ a predetermined time

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Naito 3-201, Minamiyoshikata, Tottori-shi, Tottori Tottori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuyoshi Aoto 3-201, Minamiyoshikata, Tottori-shi, Tottori Sanyo Electric (72) Inventor Daisuke Ikemoto 3-201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Sanyo Electric Tottori F-term (reference) 4B055 AA03 AA08 BA09 BA62 CA21 CA64 CA73 CD02 GA07 GA08 GB06 GB08 GB09 GB12 GC04 GC16 GD01 GD02 GD05

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pot for storing cooked rice, a pressure mechanism for sealing and pressurizing the inside of the pot, and a heating means for heating the cooked rice,
Boiling temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of steam generated from the inside of the pan, and pot temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the bottom of the pan,
A heating pause means for suspending the heating of the heating means for a predetermined time by an output of the boiling temperature detection means, wherein the temperature in the pot is made substantially constant and the rice is pressed and cooked by the pressure mechanism. After the heating means has been stopped for a certain time, the pot temperature detecting means detects the pot temperature (TB), and the heating means is controlled at a certain temperature (TC) higher than the pot temperature to maintain the boiling state for a certain time. Characterized electric rice cooker. 2. After the boiling state for a certain period of time is over, the pan temperature detecting means detects a predetermined temperature (T) higher than the pan temperature (TB).
The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the heating is stopped by heating up the heating means in d). 3. The electric rice cooker according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined temperature (Td) higher than the pot temperature (TB) is set to a temperature slightly higher than the constant temperature (TC).