JP2001258725A - Electric rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to cook rice perfectly into a hodgepodge or a porridge regardless of the condition of the rice before cooking. SOLUTION: In cooking rice into a hodgepodge or a porridge by supplying electric power to a heating means for cooking (an electric heater 3), the power distribution to a cover heating means (a shoulder heater 12) is controlled to keep the temperature detected by an upper temperature detection means (a shoulder sensor 14) lower than a prescribed value. Then the power distribution to the electric heater 3 is stopped at the time the temperature detected by the shoulder sensor 14 has reached a detected boiling temperature to cook rice perfectly into a hodgepodge or a porridge regardless of the condition (the temperature or the amount, for example) of the content of a rice pot (rice and seasoned soup or rice and water, for example).

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, and more particularly to an electric rice cooker for controlling energization during porridge or porridge cooking.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally known electric rice cookers include a rice cooker main body configured to be able to take out the rice cooker in a freely removable manner.
A lid of the rice cooker main body, a rice heating means for heating the rice cooker, a lid heating means for heating a lower surface of the lid, and a rice cooker temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the rice cooker. There are things.

[0003] The electric rice cooker having the above-mentioned configuration is used not only for cooking rice but also for cooking porridge and porridge.

[0004]

However, when porridge or porridge is cooked from rice using an electric rice cooker, the temperature rise and convection are different from when rice is cooked from rice. In addition, since the state of the rice before cooking is various, there is a problem that the cooked rice is not fixed at the same temperature detection as that of rice.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to be able to cook porridge or porridge from rice irrespective of the state of the rice before cooking. Things.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, as a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, a rice cooker main body configured so as to be capable of taking out a rice cooker and a rice cooker main body are provided. An electric rice cooker comprising: a lid, a rice heating unit for heating the rice cooker, a lid heating unit for heating the lower surface of the lid, and a rice cooker temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker. Energizing the rice cooker and an upper temperature detector attached to the lid or the lid to detect the temperature of the rice cooker and contents contained in the rice cooker; First cooking means for controlling energization of the lid heating means so as to maintain the temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means at a predetermined value or less when cooking porridge or porridge from rice, and the upper temperature detecting means Temperature detected by Teng is attached and a second control means for stopping the power supply to the cooking heating means upon reaching the detection temperature.

[0007] With the above arrangement, when cooking rice or porridge from rice by energizing the heating means for rice cooking, the temperature of the rice cooker and the contents contained in the rice cooker are detected. The power supply to the lid heating means for heating the lower surface of the lid is controlled so that the temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means attached to the upper part of the rice cooker main body or the lid is kept at a predetermined value or less, and thereafter the upper temperature detecting means When the detected temperature reaches the boiling detection temperature, the power supply to the heating means for cooking rice is stopped. Therefore,
The temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means (in other words, rice cooker,
A constant temperature (ie, a predetermined temperature)
And then heated to the boil, regardless of the state (eg, temperature, amount, etc.) of the contents (eg, rice and seasoning broth or rice and water) contained in the rice cooker. Or you can cook porridge.

[0008] As in the invention of claim 2, claim 1
In the electric rice cooker described above, when control delay means for delaying the stop of energization by the second control means for a predetermined time after the temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means reaches the boiling detection temperature is added, If an error occurs between the boiling temperature detection by the means and the actual boiling temperature, the second
By delaying the stop of power supply by the control means for a predetermined time, a cooking state in which the error is absorbed can be obtained.

As in the invention of claim 3, claim 1
3. In the electric rice cooker according to any one of (2) and (3), when a third control means for stopping power supply to the lid heating means is provided when a predetermined time elapses after the power supply is stopped by the second control means, A step in which heating from the lid heating means is continued for a predetermined time after the completion of cooking (ie, a spotting step)
Is added, and delicious porridge or porridge can be cooked.

[0010]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, this electric rice cooker has an outer case 4 forming an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, and a protective frame 6 made of sheet metal and configured to accommodate a rice cooker 5.
And a rice cooker main body 1 composed of
And a hot platen type electric heater 3 which is disposed on the inner bottom of the protective frame 6 and serves as a rice cooking heating means for heating the rice cooker 5.

The outer case 4 includes a body 4a serving as a side peripheral surface of the rice cooker main body 1, a shoulder 4b serving as a joint between an upper edge of the protection frame 6, and a bottom part of the rice cooker main body 1. In the present embodiment, the body 4a and the bottom 4c are formed of a synthetic resin integrally molded product, and the shoulder 4b is formed separately. In some cases, the body 4a and the shoulder 4b may be formed of an integrally molded product made of synthetic resin, and the bottom 4c may be formed separately.

On the inner bottom surface of the protective frame 6, a plate-like hot plate 7 made of a good heat conductor (for example, aluminum alloy or the like) and the hot plate 7
An electric heater 3 including an electric heating element 8 embedded therein is provided. Reference numeral 9 denotes a center sensor which functions as a rice cooker temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker 5, and 10 denotes a heat retaining heater attached to a side peripheral portion of the protection frame 6.

A shoulder ring 11 made of synthetic resin is attached to the inner peripheral edge of the shoulder portion 4b of the outer case 4 (in other words, the edge of the rice cooker main body 1) by force fitting.
A metal heater ring 13 having an annular shoulder heater 12 is attached to the upper surface of the shoulder ring 11. On the upper surface of the heater ring 13, as described later,
When the lid 2 is closed, the outer peripheral portion of the radiator plate 21 attached to the lower surface of the heat sink 21 is pressed into contact (in other words, is in contact with heat conduction). That is, in the present embodiment,
The shoulder heater 12 functions as lid heating means for heating the lower surface of the lid 2.

A part of the shoulder heater 12 is cut off, and a shoulder sensor 14 is attached to the cutout. The shoulder sensor 14 functions as upper temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker 5 and the contents contained in the rice cooker 5.

On the other hand, the lid 2 is pivotally supported on a rear portion of the outer case shoulder 4b via a hinge unit (not shown) so that it can be opened and closed and is detachably mounted. It is composed of an upper plate 15 and a lower plate 16 made of a synthetic resin forming a lower surface.

At the center of the upper plate 15 and the lower plate 16, an opening 1 into which a pressure adjusting cylinder 22 described later is removably inserted.
Downward and upward cylindrical portions 1 that are welded to each other are formed at the edges of the openings 17 and 18.
9 and 20 are integrally protruded.

A pressure control cylinder 22 is detachably attached to the opening 17, and a radiator plate 21 is fixed to a lower end of the pressure control cylinder 22. An outer peripheral portion of the heat radiating plate 21 is provided with a shoulder heater 12 provided on an edge of the rice cooker main body 1 (that is, an outer case shoulder 4a) when the lid 2 is closed.
(Specifically, the heater ring 13) is to be brought into contact with heat conduction. Reference numeral 23 denotes a carrying handle.

The electric components of the electric rice cooker having the above configuration are connected as shown in the block diagram of FIG. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the already described electrical elements, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 24 denotes a microcomputer unit (hereinafter abbreviated as a microcomputer); 25, a commercial AC power supply; 26, a rectifying circuit; 27, a relay;
29 is a triac, 30 is various input keys (for example, a cooking rice key, a reservation key, etc.), 31 is a rice cooker detection sensor, 32
Is a liquid crystal display device.

The microcomputer 24 supplies power to the shoulder heater 12 so as to maintain the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 at a predetermined value T ₁ (eg, 80 ° C.) or less when cooking rice or porridge from rice. Control the first
And the second control means for stopping the power supply to the electric heater 3 when the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 reaches the boiling detection temperature T ₂ (for example, 90 ° C.). The function and the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 are the boiling detection temperature T ₂ (for example, 90 ° C.).
And a function as a control delay unit for delaying the stop of energization by the second control unit for a predetermined time t ₂ (for example, one second) even after reaching the predetermined time t ₂ , and a predetermined time t ₃ after the stop of energization by the second control unit Has a function as third control means for stopping the power supply to the shoulder heater 12 at the time when the time has elapsed.

Next, the heating control at the time of cooking with the rice cooker having the above-described configuration will be described in detail with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

At the time of porridge cooking, rice and seasoned broth are put in the rice cooker 5 and the electric heater 3 and the shoulder heater 12 are energized for cooking.

In step S1, temperature information Tc and Tk from the center sensor 9 and the shoulder sensor 14 are input to the microcomputer 24. In step S2, Tc ≦ 80 ° C.
Is determined. The determination is made to prohibit the continuous use of the electric rice cooker for porridge cooking, and when a negative determination is made here (that is, when T> 80 ° C.), Proceeding to step S14, the user is warned by buzzer notification and control is terminated.

If an affirmative determination is made in step S2, energization of the electric heater 3, which is a rice cooking heater, is started in step S3, energization of the shoulder heater 12 is started in step S4, and the detection of the shoulder sensor 14 is performed. A temperature raising step in which the temperature Tk is controlled to the control temperature of 80 ° C. is started.

[0026] In the heating step, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 4, even if an attempt is holding the detected temperature Tk shoulder sensor 14 to a predetermined temperature T _1, the heating power of the electric heater 3 rice temperature (i.e. Then, the center sensor 9
(The detected temperature of the shoulder sensor 14), the detected temperature Tk of the shoulder sensor 14 also increases. Therefore, in step S5, the heating timer counts up (that is, t ₁ = 1).
It is determined whether or not 800 seconds have elapsed). If an affirmative determination is made here, the temperature raising step is terminated and step S
8, but if a negative determination is made, Tc ≧ 90 ° C. and Tk ≧ 90 ° C. in steps S6 and S7.
Is determined, and if the determination is affirmative, the temperature raising step is terminated and the process proceeds to step S8. Here, the fact that the detection temperature Tk of the shoulder sensor 14 has become 90 ° C. means that the boiling detection temperature T ₂ at which the rice boiled.
(See FIG. 4). That is, while the temperature rising timer is not counting up, or Tc <90
C. and Tk <90 ° C., the heating process is continued, but the heating timer counts up or Tc ≧ 90
When the temperature has become equal to 90 ° C. and Tk ≧ 90 ° C., the temperature raising step is completed, and the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, energization of the electric heater 3 is continued. In step S9, energization of the shoulder heater 12 is continued, and the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 is controlled to the control temperature of 80 ° C. The process is started. In the cooking process, the cooking timer is counted up in step S10 (that is, t ₂ =
This is performed until it is determined that one second has elapsed (step S1).
If the timer t ₂ up cooked at 0 is determined to have counted up, cook up process is terminated, the step S
Proceed to 11. The cooking process is performed by the shoulder sensor 1
To the actual boiling temperature and the boiling temperature detection T ₂ by 4 are those required when an error occurs, it may be omitted.

In step S11, the power supply to the electric heater 3 is stopped, and in step S12, the shoulder heater 12 is turned off.
And the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 is maintained.
Is started at the control temperature of 80 ° C., which is counted up by the timer in step S13 (that is, t ₃ = 12).
This is performed until it is determined that 0 seconds have elapsed), and step S
When the timer t ₃ steaming in 12 is determined to be counted up, the steaming process is completed, the porridge is increased cooked.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when cooking porridge from rice by energizing the electric heater 3, the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 is set to a predetermined value T ₁ (for example, 80 ° C.) or lower. The energization of the shoulder heater 12 is controlled so as to keep the
Is detected by the boiling temperature T ₂ (for example, 90
(° C.), the power supply to the electric heater 3 is stopped, and the temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14 (in other words, the internal temperature including the rice cooker and the contents) is reduced to the predetermined temperature T. After maintaining at ₁ (for example, 80 ° C.), it is heated to the boiling point, regardless of the state (for example, temperature and amount, etc.) of the contents (for example, rice and seasoning broth) stored in the rice cooker 5. , Can cook porridge well.

The temperature Tk detected by the shoulder sensor 14
Even after the temperature reaches the boiling detection temperature T ₂ (for example, 90 ° C.), the stop of power supply to the electric heater 3 is delayed for a predetermined time t ₂ (for example, 1 second).
4. Even if there is an error between the boiling detection by 4 and the actual boiling, a cooked state in which the error is absorbed can be obtained.

In addition, the power supply to the shoulder heater 12 is stopped when a predetermined time t ₃ (for example, 120 seconds) has elapsed after the power supply to the electric heater 3 is stopped. time t ₃ only process heat from the shoulder heater 12 is continued (i.e., steaming process) will be is added, it is possible to increase cook a delicious porridge.

In the above embodiment, the shoulder heater for indirectly heating the radiator plate on the lower surface of the lid is employed as the lid heating means, but the lid heater for directly heating the radiator plate on the lower surface of the lid is employed. In that case, a lid sensor attached to the heat sink may be used as the upper temperature detecting means.

In the above embodiment, the case of cooking porridge was described. However, the same applies to any case of cooking from rice such as porridge.

Further, in the above embodiment, a hot plate type electric heater is used as the heating means for rice cooking, but an electromagnetic induction coil for generating an induced eddy current in the rice cooker is used as the heating means for rice cooking. In some cases.

[0035]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a rice cooker main body configured to be able to take out the rice cooker, a lid of the rice cooker main body, and a rice cooker for heating the rice cooker A heating means, a lid heating means for heating a lower surface of the lid, and a rice cooker temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the rice cooker, wherein the electric rice cooker is housed in the rice cooker and the rice cooker. In order to detect the temperature of the contents, the upper part of the rice cooker main body or the upper temperature detecting means attached to the lid, and in cooking rice porridge or porridge from rice by energizing the heating means for rice cooking, First control means for controlling energization of the lid heating means so as to maintain the temperature detected by the upper temperature detection means at a predetermined value or less; and when the temperature detected by the upper temperature detection means reaches the boiling detection temperature. The heating means for cooking rice And second control means for stopping the power supply to the rice cooker so that the temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means is maintained at a predetermined value or less when cooking the porridge or porridge from the rice by supplying power to the heating means for rice cooking. The energization to the lid heating means for heating the lower surface of the lid body is controlled, and thereafter, when the temperature detected by the upper temperature detection means reaches the boiling detection temperature, the energization to the rice cooking heating means is stopped. After the temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means (in other words, the internal temperature including the rice cooker and the contents) is kept at a constant temperature (that is, a predetermined temperature), it is heated to the boiling point and stored in the rice cooker. Irrespective of the state (eg, temperature and amount, etc.) of the contents (eg, rice and seasoning soup or rice and water), porridge or porridge can be cooked well.

As in the invention of claim 2, claim 1
In the electric rice cooker described above, when control delay means for delaying the stop of energization by the second control means for a predetermined time after the temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means reaches the boiling detection temperature is added, If an error occurs between the boiling temperature detection by the means and the actual boiling temperature, the second
By delaying the stop of power supply by the control means for a predetermined time, a cooking state in which the error is absorbed can be obtained.

As in the invention of claim 3, claim 1
3. In the electric rice cooker according to any one of (2) and (3), when a third control means for stopping power supply to the lid heating means is provided when a predetermined time elapses after the power supply is stopped by the second control means, A step in which heating from the lid heating means is continued for a predetermined time after the completion of cooking (ie, a spotting step)
Is added, and delicious porridge or porridge can be cooked.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electric rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a connection state of electric elements in the electric rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of heating control during porridge cooking in the electric rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing a temporal change in the temperature of rice and the temperature detected by a shoulder sensor during heating control.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a rice cooker main body, 2 is a lid, 3 is a rice heating means (electric heater), 5 is a rice cooker, 9 is a rice cooker temperature detecting means (center sensor), 12 is a lid heating means (shoulder heater), 14 Is an upper temperature detecting means (shoulder sensor), and 24 is a microcomputer unit (microcomputer).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rice cooker main body configured to be able to store a rice cooker in a removable manner, a lid body of the rice cooker main body, a rice heating means for heating the rice cooker, and a lower surface of the lid body An electric rice cooker comprising a lid heating means for heating the rice cooker, and a rice cooker temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker, wherein the temperature of the rice cooker and the contents contained in the rice cooker is controlled. An upper temperature detecting means attached to an upper part of the rice cooker main body or the lid for detection, and a temperature detected by the upper temperature detecting means when cooking porridge or porridge from rice is maintained at a predetermined value or less. First control means for controlling power supply to the lid heating means, and second control means for stopping power supply to the rice heating means when the temperature detected by the upper temperature detection means reaches the boiling detection temperature. Characterized by the addition of Electric rice cooker. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising control delay means for delaying the stop of power supply by said second control means for a predetermined time even after the temperature detected by said upper temperature detection means reaches the boiling detection temperature. Item 1. An electric rice cooker according to Item 1. 3. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising a third control means for stopping the power supply to the lid heating means when a predetermined time has elapsed after the power supply was stopped by the second control means. An electric rice cooker according to any one of the preceding claims.