JP2007313183A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker having a function of detecting the weight of an object to be cooked in a pot and capable of avoiding the display failure of water quantity measure caused by forgetting the calculation of amount of rice. <P>SOLUTION: A pot sensing means 204 senses whether a pan 12 is in a rice cooker body 10 or not, a weight sensing means 40 senses the weight of the pan 12 and the object to be cooked therein, a calculating means 206 calculates the amount of rice in a first timing of receiving a signal from a requesting means 208 for requesting the calculation of amount of rice from the output signal of a weight sensing means 40 and calculates the measure of optimal amount of water for the amount of rice from the output signal of the weight sensing means 40 input after the first timing, a display means 207 displays the calculated amount of rice and the measure of optimal amount of water for the amount of rice, and an informing means 209 gives information. The informing means 209 gives information when it detects a second timing in which the pan sensing means 204 senses that the pot 12 is removed from inside the rice cooker body 10 before the first timing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rice cooker having a function of detecting the weight of a food item put in a pan.

  Conventionally, this type of rice cooker has weight detection means for detecting weight under the pan, and detects and displays the amount of rice in the pot by the weight detection means (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .

  Further, after the amount of rice is displayed, the optimum amount of water for the amount of rice is continuously displayed by the weight detected by the weight detecting means.

  The user first sets an empty pot (hereinafter referred to as an empty pot) in which nothing is put in the rice cooker body, and stores the output from the weight detection means of the empty pot. Next, by putting the rice in the pan and operating the rice metering switch that requires the calculation of the amount of rice, the output of the weight detection means at this time is read, and the empty pan stored in the memory from this output value By taking the difference in the output value of time, we can know the weight value of rice only.

  For example, if the weight of the empty pan is 600 g, and the weight of rice in the state is 900 g, the difference is 300 g, which is the weight of rice. Since one cup of rice is about 150 g, the number of cups can be determined by dividing 150 g from the detected rice weight. Since it is 300g in this case, it is 2 cups, and the user can recognize that the amount of rice put in the pan is 2 cups by displaying it on the display unit.

  After calculating the amount of rice by operating the rice metering switch, calculate the optimal amount of water for the amount of rice and when the user approaches the optimal amount of water, add water to the pan. The lamp indicating is turned on. For example, when the optimal standard water amount is 450 g for 2 cups, when the weight reaches 300 + 450 = 750 g, the “standard” lamp is turned on. The “warming” lamp is turned on when the water is 10 g more.

  Here, since the rice cooker and the pan are sold as a set, it is only necessary to store the weight value of the empty pan in the memory once. From the second time, the amount of rice can be detected even when the rice is set directly in the pan. Furthermore, by storing in advance at the time of factory shipment, the user can save the trouble of storing the weight value of the empty pan.

Therefore, the user can know the amount of rice simply by putting the desired rice in the pan and operating the rice metering switch. I can know.
JP 2005-218653 A

  However, in the above conventional configuration, when the user puts the desired rice in the pan and forgets to operate the rice metering switch, the amount of rice cannot be calculated from the output of the weight detection means, and as a result It is not possible to display an indication of the optimal amount of water for the amount. Generally, after putting rice in the pan, the user once removes the pan from the rice cooker body and performs the rice washing. After washing the rice, when the pan is reset to the rice cooker body, even if the rice metering switch is operated at this time, the rice itself contains water, so the amount of rice is calculated from the output of the weight detection means. There was a problem that it was not possible to display the standard of the amount of water thereafter.

  This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the rice cooker which avoids the display impossibility of the standard of the water quantity by forgetting rice quantity calculation.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention detachably stores a pan in a rice cooker body having an open upper surface, covers the rice cooker body with a lid so as to be openable and closable, and controls the energization of heating means for heating the pan. The signal input from the request means that detects the weight of the pot and the food in the pot by the weight detection means, and requests the calculation of the amount of rice. The rice amount is calculated from the output signal of the weight detection means by the calculation means at the first timing according to the above, and is optimal for the rice amount calculated at the first timing from the output signal of the weight detection means input after the first timing. The amount of rice calculated by the calculating means and the optimum amount of water for that rice amount are displayed on the display means, and signals from the pan detecting means and the request means are received and notified by the notifying means. Configure and inform Is one that is configured to broadcast when detecting a second timing withdrawn the pot from rice cooker body by pan detection means before the first timing.

  Thereby, since it alert | reports by an alerting | reporting means when the 2nd timing when a pan is extracted from the inside of a rice cooker main body is detected before the 1st timing by the signal input from a request | requirement means, the user confirmed the alerting | reporting. At that time, it is possible to recognize that the amount of rice has not been calculated by the requesting means, and it is possible to avoid the inability to display the standard amount of water.

  In the rice cooker of the present invention, since the notification means notifies when the second timing at which the pan is extracted from the rice cooker main body is detected before the first timing by the signal input from the request means, the user notifies that When the notification is confirmed, it is possible to recognize that the amount of rice has not been calculated by the requesting means, and it is possible to avoid the impossibility of displaying the standard amount of water.

  1st invention is the rice cooker main body which the upper surface opened, the pan accommodated in the said rice cooker main body detachably, the lid | cover which covers the said rice cooker main body openably, and the heating means which heats the said pan. , Control means for controlling energization of the heating means, pan detection means for detecting attachment / detachment of the pan in the rice cooker body, weight detection means for detecting the weight of the pan and the food in the pan, and rice Requesting means for requesting the amount calculation, and calculating the rice amount from the output signal of the weight detecting means at a first timing by a signal input from the requesting means, and the weight detection input after the first timing Calculating means for calculating an optimum amount of water for the amount of rice calculated at the first timing from an output signal of the means, and a display for displaying the amount of rice calculated by the calculating means and the optimum amount of water for the amount of rice Means, the pan detection means and the Notification means for receiving and notifying a signal from the requesting means, wherein the notification means has a second timing at which the pan is extracted from the rice cooker body by the pot detection means before the first timing. It is configured to notify when it is detected. When the user confirms the notification, the user can recognize that the amount of rice has not been calculated by the requesting means, and before removing the pot, that is, before washing the rice. In addition, it is possible to prevent forgetting to calculate the amount of rice by the requesting means, and to avoid the inability to display the standard amount of water.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the pan detection means comprises pan weight determination means for determining whether the pan is attached or detached by comparing the weight from the output signal of the weight detection means with a predetermined value. Since the attachment / detachment of the pan can be detected only by the output signal of the weight detection means, the pan detection means can be realized with a small number of components, and the product can be reduced in weight.

  In a third aspect based on the first aspect, when the calculating means detects the second timing before the first timing, even if there is no signal input from the requesting means, the calculating means immediately before the second timing. The rice amount is calculated from the output signal of the weight detection means. When the user forgets to calculate the rice amount and removes the pan, the rice amount is automatically detected by the output signal of the weight detection means immediately before that. Can be calculated and displayed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the rice cooker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a partially cutaway side view of the rice cooker, and FIG. 3 shows a main circuit in which the rice cooker is partially blocked. FIG. 4 shows a top view of the operation / display unit of the rice cooker. In order to simplify the drawing, lead wires and the like for electrical connection are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rice cooker body 10 has an upper surface opened and a lid 20 that covers the upper surface opening is provided so as to be freely opened and closed. The storage unit 30 of the rice cooker main body 10 is composed of an upper frame 32 and a lower coil base 31, and is configured to detachably store the magnetic pot 12 in the storage unit 30. A heating coil 13 for inductively heating the pan 12 is disposed at a portion of the coil base 31 facing the bottom of the pan 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the circuit board 14 includes a driving unit 202 that constitutes the heating unit 201, a control unit 203 that controls energization of the heating unit 201, a display unit 207, and the like, and the heating that constitutes the heating unit 201. The operation of the coil 13 is controlled to inductively heat the pan 12, and the food 19 in the pan 12 is cooked. Here, the control means 203 is realized by a microcomputer 100 (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) shown in FIG. The microcomputer 100 also includes a calculation unit 206 that calculates the amount of rice and the like.

  The calculating means 206 calculates the amount of rice from the output signal of the weight detecting means 40 at the first timing by the signal input from the requesting means 208 that requests the calculation of the amount of rice, and the weight detection input after the first timing. It is configured to calculate an optimum amount of water for the amount of rice calculated at the first timing from the output signal of the means 4. The display unit 207 displays the amount of rice calculated by the calculation unit 206 and a guideline of the optimum amount of water for the amount of rice. Details will be described later. The notification means 209 receives and notifies the signals from the pan detection means 204 and the request means 208, and this notification means 209 causes the pot detection means 204 to place the pot 12 in the rice cooker body 10 before the first timing. The system is configured to notify when the second timing extracted from is detected. Details of the weight detection means 40, the pan detection means 204, etc. will be described later.

  The cooked food 19 is rice before cooking rice, a mixture of rice and water, cooked rice, or the like. This rice cooker has a power cord (not shown) and is in a “power-on” state when commercial power is supplied from the power cord.

  The pan temperature detecting means 15 is disposed at the bottom of the coil base 31 and detects the temperature of the pot 12. When the pan 12 is stored in the storage portion 30, the pot temperature detecting means 15 is the bottom of the pot 12. The temperature of the cooked food 19 is detected by detecting the temperature of the pan 12, and the output is input to the control means 203. The pan detection switch 16 constitutes a pan detection means 204 that detects the attachment / detachment of the pan 12 and detects whether the pan 12 is stored in the storage unit 30 in the rice cooker body 10. Is constituted by a micro switch rigidly connected to the rice cooker body 10, and when the pan 12 is stored in the storage unit 30, the protrusion provided on the bottom of the pan temperature detecting means 15 presses the micro switch to detect the pan. The switch 16 outputs an on signal.

  The lid opening / closing detection means 21 detects the opening / closing of the lid 20, and this lid opening / closing detection means 21 is provided in the rice cooker body 10 and is constituted by a microswitch. When the lid 20 is opened, the hinge portion of the lid 20 is a microswitch. And the lid open / close detection means 21 outputs an ON signal. The lid open / close detection means 21 is always operating when the rice cooker is turned on, and outputs an on signal or an off signal.

  The weight detection means 40 detects the weight of the pan 12, and the main part of the weight detection means 40 is composed of a support portion 17 and a load cell 18, and the load cell 18 is a robust load cell (load converter). Yes, and rigidly connected to the rice cooker body 10. A resistance wire strain gauge (not shown) is attached to the load cell 18. A change in resistance of the strain gauge when the load cell 18 is distorted is extracted as an electrical signal by a bridge circuit.

  The support portion 17 has a shape in which three protrusions are provided on a thin plate, and the thin plate is screwed to one end of the load cell 18. The protrusions of the support part 17 respectively penetrate three holes provided in the bottom part of the coil base 31, and when the pan 12 is not stored in the storage part 30, the load cell 18 detects the weight of the support part 17. . When the pan 12 is stored in the storage unit 30, the bottom of the pan 12 comes into contact with the tip of the protrusion of the support unit 17, and the load cell 18 is distorted. When the pan 12 is stored in the storage unit 30, the load cell 18 detects the total weight of the support unit 17, the pan 12, and the food 19 in the pan 12. That is, the weight detection means 40 is configured to accurately measure the weight of the pan 12 and the object to be heated (the cooked item 19) through the support portion 17 that supports the bottom surface of the pan 12 at three points.

  Electric signals from the pan temperature detection means 15, the pan detection switch 16, the lid opening / closing detection means 21, and the weight detection means 40 are input to the circuit board 14, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an operation / display unit 50 is provided on the front surface of the rice cooker body 10 of the present embodiment (not shown in FIG. 2). The operation / display unit 50 is provided with a key input means 51, a water amount display unit 52, and a liquid crystal display element 53. As key input means 51, rice weighing switch 51a, heat retention switch 51b, reservation switch 51c for timer reservation, course switch 51d for selecting rice cooking course, rice cooking switch 51e, cancel / off switch 51f, reservation time (hour and minute) When matching, a switch 51g and a minute switch 51h are arranged. The key input means 51 is connected to the microcomputer 100.

  Here, the rice weighing switch 51 a functions as a request unit 208 that makes a calculation request to the calculation unit 206.

  The water amount display unit 52 includes five lamps 52 a to 52 e disposed on the operation / display unit 50. The hardness of the rice depends on the amount of rice and water. After putting rice into the pan 12, the rice measuring switch 51a is pressed to measure the amount of rice, and then water is added. The rice cooker of this Embodiment measures the amount of rice which the user put into the pan 12, and corresponds among the lamps 52a to 52e of the water amount display unit 52 according to the hardness of the rice corresponding to the amount of rice and the amount of water. Turn on or blink the lamp. The characters “Kai” on the upper left of the lamp 52 a, “Normal” on the lamp 52 c, and “Soft soft” on the upper right of the lamp 52 e are displayed. Water can be added to cook hard rice.

  The liquid crystal display element 53 is provided with an operation guidance display unit 54, a rice amount display unit 55, and a time display unit 56. The operation guidance display unit 54 is a display unit for displaying an operation to be performed next by the user or a current state. The operation guidance display unit 54 is provided with a “water adjustment” display unit and a “press rice cooking” display unit. The next operation to be performed by the user is indicated by displaying the background portion of the characters on the display units (characters “watering” or “cooking”) in black. The rice amount display unit 55 displays a picture of the pan 12 and a measurement result of the amount of rice (the number of cups) put in the pan 12 by the user.

  The display example of FIG. 4 is a display in a state where the measurement of rice and water has been completed. The picture of the pan 12 and the rice quantity “2.3 cup” are displayed on the rice quantity display unit 55. The background of the characters “cooking rice” on the “press rice cooking” display is displayed in black, prompting the user to press the rice cooking switch 51e.

  As described above, the liquid crystal display element 53 constitutes the display means 207 and is composed of the rice amount display portion 55 and the other display portions.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the heating coil 13 induction-heats the pan 12. AC power is supplied from the AC power source 120, rectified by the diode bridge 102, and high-frequency power for induction heating is generated by an inverter circuit including the smoothing capacitor 103, the resonance capacitor 104, the switching element 105, and the heating coil 13. The inverter circuit is driven by a drive IC 107 and an induction heating control IC 108 constituting the driving means 202.

  The power supply IC 106 supplies a DC power supply for operation from the AC power supply 120 to each circuit. When the AC power supply 120 is open, the battery 121 supplies DC power to each circuit. This battery 121 is mainly used for the purpose of retaining the contents of the RAM built in the microcomputer 100.

  The thermistor 109 is built in the bottom temperature detecting means 15 and detects the temperature of the pan 12 by utilizing the fact that the thermistor 109 changes its resistance value depending on the temperature. By the oscillation of the crystal oscillator 110, the timer in the microcomputer 100 is counted to measure time. Then, by controlling the induction heating control IC 108 based on the temperature input to the microcomputer 100 and the time being measured, the heating of the pan 12 is controlled to perform rice cooking.

  The lid opening / closing detection switch 111 constitutes the lid opening / closing detection means 21, and detects that the lid is opened or closed by turning off the switch when the lid 20 is opened and turning on when the lid 20 is closed. The display is performed by the liquid crystal display panel 53 and the lamp 52.

  In the weight detection, since the signal from the load cell 18 is minute, it is amplified by the differential amplifier circuit 112 composed of an operational amplifier and a resistor and is input to the microcomputer 100. The output from the load cell 18 is proportional to the weight on the load cell 18. In the microcomputer 100, the signal amplified by the differential amplifier circuit 112 is AD-converted by a 12-bit AD converter built in the microcomputer 100 to convert the voltage signal into a numerical value. In the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the differential amplifier circuit 112 is adjusted to 1 g per 1 LSB. Therefore, if the AD conversion result is 1500, this corresponds to a 1500 g signal. Hereinafter, the value of each input signal will be described using this AD converted value.

  The operation of weight detection in the above configuration will be described. The output of the weight detection means 40 is output even when the pan 12 is not loaded in the rice cooker body 10. An input to the microcomputer 100 at the time of no load of the weight detection means 40 is used as a no-load signal Z and is stored in the storage means 205 which is a RAM of the microcomputer 100. Furthermore, when the input when the pan 12 is set in the rice cooker body 10 (empty pan state in which nothing is contained in the pan 12) is N, the difference from the no-load signal Z (NZ) Is a signal for the weight of the empty pan. This is stored in the storage means 205 as a pan detection signal N1.

If the pan 12 is set in the rice cooker main body 10 and the input to the microcomputer 100 of the weight detection means 40 when the cook 19 is contained in the pan 12 is M, the weight M1 of the cook 19 is
M1 = M−N1−Z (1)
It becomes. The calculation means 206 converts the signal from the weight detection means 40 into a weight value according to the equation (1). Further, since it is about 150 g per cup, the weight can be converted into the number of cups by dividing the calculated weight M1 by 150. When the user operates the rice weighing switch 51a which is the request means 208, the detected weight can be converted into the number of cups.

  Here, the output value of the no-load signal Z, which is an input to the microcomputer 100 when the weight detecting means 40 is not loaded, changes due to aging of the load cell 18 or room temperature. The change in the output value causes an error in weight detection. Therefore, by inputting the no-load signal Z immediately before the weight detection, it is necessary to perform a zero reset to eliminate the error in response to the output change of the load cell 18 when there is no load. In the present embodiment, the lid opening / closing detection means 21 detects the lid opening, and when the pan 12 is not set in the rice cooker body 10 by the pan detection switch 16, it is determined that there is no load, and an input at no load is performed. The zero reset is performed by storing the data in the storage unit 205.

  The pan detection signal N1 has almost no change unless the pan 12 is replaced with another one. Therefore, once stored in the storage unit 205, it is not necessary to store the data again every time. In the present embodiment, when the lid opening / closing detection means 21 detects the lid opening, and the pan detection switch 16 determines that the pan 12 is set in the rice cooker body 10, the weighing switch 51a is set to 5 seconds or longer. By continuously pressing, the storage means 205 calculates and stores a pan detection signal N1 that is the difference from the no-load signal Z from the input N at that time.

  Thus, when the rice weighing switch 51a which is the request unit 208 is operated, the calculation unit 206 calculates the cooked food 19 as the rice weight M1 and the number of cups according to the equation (1), and displays the amount of rice. This is displayed on the part 55. Further, after the rice metering switch 51a is operated, the subsequent weight increase is made into the water input by the user, and the indication of the amount of water relative to the amount of rice is displayed on the lamps 52a to 52e of the water amount display unit 52. Here, the weight M2 of the water after the operation of the rice metering switch 51a can be calculated as follows.

M2 = M−N1−Z−M1 (2)
That is, since the weight of the cooked food 19 is calculated as the rice weight M1 when the rice weighing switch 51a is operated, the weight M1 of the rice is subtracted from the weight of the cooked food 19 thereafter.

  The optimum standard water amount (weight value) for various rice amounts is stored in advance in the ROM in the microcomputer 100. When the rice amount is determined, the optimum standard water amount weight Mt is automatically determined. The For example, for 2 cups = 300 g, the optimum standard water weight Mt is determined to be 450 g.

  After the weight Mt of the standard water amount is determined, the lamps 52a to 52e are turned on or blinked depending on the corresponding condition of (Table 1) depending on the value of the water weight M2.

  For example, for 2 cups = 300 g, the weight Mt of the optimal standard water amount is 450 g. Therefore, if M2 is 420 g, (Mt × 0.91) ≦ M2 <(Mt × 0.94) in (Table 1) Therefore, if the hardness of the cooked rice is stiff, the “warming” lamp 52a is turned on, and if it is 448 g (Table 1) (Mt × 0.97) ≦ M2 <(Mt × 1.03), the “normal” lamp 52c indicating that the cooked food has a standard hardness is lit.

  In this way, after the operation of the rice metering switch 51a, when water is poured into the pan 12, a guide for the amount of water representing the hardness of the cooked rice can be displayed. In addition, when the condition of M2 <(Mt × 0.91) in (Table 1), the “warming” lamp 52a indicating the hardness is flashing, but when this is the condition, the amount of water is small. It means that you cannot cook well.

  Usually, after operating the rice metering switch 51a, the user once takes out the pan 12 from the rice cooker body 10 in order to wash the rice in the pan 12. Here, if the pan 12 is taken out from the rice cooker body 10 and the rice in the pan 12 is washed before operating the rice metering switch 51a, the rice in the pan 12 will contain moisture. It becomes impossible to calculate the weight M1 of the water, and as a result, it becomes impossible to display a guide for the amount of water representing the hardness of the rice when cooked. Therefore, in the rice cooker of the present invention, when the pan 12 is taken out before the rice weighing switch 51a is operated, the notification means 208 notifies it. The operation at this time will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The notification unit 208 is configured so that the microcomputer 100 outputs a ringing signal to the buzzer 113.

  First, in step S1, as an initial operation, the rice amount data calculated by the calculating means 206 is initialized. Here, 0 cup (0 g) is set. Subsequently, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the pan switch 16 is in an off state. If it is off, the process proceeds to step S3, and if not, the process proceeds to step S7. That the pan detection switch 16 is OFF in step S2 means that the pan 12 is not in the rice cooker body 10. In step S3, it is further determined whether the pan detection switch 16 has changed from on to off. The change from on to off means immediately after the pan 12 is taken out from the rice cooker body 10.

  If it is changed from ON to OFF in step S3, the process proceeds to step S4. Otherwise, the process returns to step S2. In step S4, it is determined whether or not the amount of rice has been calculated. If so, the process returns to step S2. If not, the process proceeds to step S5, the buzzer 113 is sounded, and the process returns to step S2.

  When the pan switch 16 is turned on in step S2, that is, when it is determined that the pan 12 is in the rice cooker body 10, the process proceeds to step S7, and it is determined whether the rice weighing switch 51a has been operated. If operated, the process proceeds to step S8, and if not operated, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S8, the calculation means 206 calculates the amount of rice by the input from the weight detection means 40 according to equation (1). In step S9, it is determined whether the amount of rice has been calculated. If it has been calculated, the process proceeds to step S10, and if calculation has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S11. If the rice metering switch 51a is operated even once, the amount of rice is calculated in step S8, and the process proceeds to step S10.

  In step S10, the calculation means 206 calculates the amount of water based on equation (2) based on the calculated amount of rice. In step S11, the rice cooking switch 51e is operated and it is determined whether to start rice cooking. If not operated, the process returns to step S2, and if operated, cooking rice is started.

  Thus, since the judgment of the rice cooking start is performed only after confirming that the pan 12 is in the rice cooker body 10 in step S2, the cooking of rice cannot be started when the pan 12 is not in the rice cooker body 10. Can be.

  Thus, when the pan 12 is taken out from the rice cooker body 10, the buzzer 113 does not ring if the rice metering switch 51a is operated even once and the amount of rice is calculated, but it rings if it is not calculated. Is what you do. Therefore, when the user takes out the pan 12 and the buzzer 113 sounds, it can be recognized that the rice weighing switch 51a has been forgotten to be pressed, and forgetting to press can be prevented.

  As mentioned above, in this Embodiment, the alerting | reporting means 209 alert | reports when the 2nd timing when the pan 12 is extracted from the inside of the rice cooker main body 10 by the saucer detection means 204 is detected before the 1st timing. When the user confirms the notification, the request unit 208 can recognize that the amount of rice has not been calculated, and before the pan 12 is removed, that is, before the rice is washed, the request unit 208 Forgetting to calculate the amount of rice can be prevented, and the inability to display the standard amount of water can be avoided.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a rice cooker according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the pan detection means 204 includes a pan weight determination means 210 that determines whether the pan 12 is attached or detached by comparing the weight from the output signal of the weight detection means 40 with a predetermined value. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.

  The operation in the above configuration will be described. The pan weight determination means 210 receives a signal from the weight detection means 40 and uses a value smaller than the signal when the empty pan 12 is set as a threshold value, which is larger than the threshold value. This can be achieved by determining “with pan” when receiving a signal, and “without pan” when receiving a small signal.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the pan detection unit 204 is the pan weight determination unit 210 that determines whether the pan 12 is attached or detached by comparing the weight from the output signal of the weight detection unit 40 with a predetermined value. Since it is configured, the pan detection means 204 can be realized by the microcomputer 100, so there is no need to provide the pan detection switch 16, and the attachment / detachment of the pan 12 can be detected only by the output signal of the weight detection means 40. The pan detection means 204 can be realized and the product can be reduced in weight.

(Embodiment 3)
When the calculation means 206 shown in FIG. 1 detects the second timing before the first timing, even if there is no signal input from the request means 208, the output signal of the weight detection means 40 immediately before the second timing. That is, when the pan detection means 204 detects the presence or absence of the pan 12, the amount of rice is based on the output signal from the weight detection means 40 when the pan 12 is securely set, for example, one second before that. Is calculated. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  The operation in the above configuration will be described. Even if the user does not operate the request means 208, when the pan 12 is taken out from the rice cooker body 10, the signal from the weight detection means 40 when the pan 12 is set automatically and reliably is used. The amount of rice can be calculated.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the calculation unit 206 detects the second timing before the first timing, even if there is no signal input from the request unit 208, the calculation unit 206 immediately before the second timing. The amount of rice is calculated from the output signal of the weight detection means 40, so that when the user forgets to calculate the amount of rice and the pan 12 is removed, the amount of rice is determined by the output signal of the weight detection means 40 immediately before that. Can be automatically calculated and displayed.

  As described above, in the rice cooker according to the present invention, the notifying means notifies when the second timing at which the pan is extracted from the rice cooker body is detected before the first timing by the signal input from the requesting means. Therefore, when the user confirms the notification, the user can recognize that the amount of rice has not been calculated by the request means, and can avoid the inability to display the standard amount of water, so cooking in a pan It is useful as a rice cooker having a function of detecting the weight of an object.

The block diagram of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention Side view of the rice cooker partially cut away Main part circuit diagram of the rice cooker partially block Enlarged top view of the operation / display section of the rice cooker Operation flowchart of the notification means of the rice cooker The block diagram of the rice cooker of Embodiment 2 of this invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Rice cooker main body 12 Pan 20 Lid 40 Weight detection means 201 Heating means 203 Control means 204 Pot detection means 206 Calculation means 207 Display means 208 Request means 209 Notification means

Claims (3)

A rice cooker body having an open top surface, a pan that is detachably stored in the rice cooker body, a lid that covers the rice cooker body so as to be openable and closable, a heating unit that heats the pan, and energization of the heating unit Control means for controlling the pan, pan detection means for detecting the attachment / detachment of the pan in the rice cooker body, weight detection means for detecting the weight of the pan and the food in the pan, and calculation of the amount of rice is requested. The rice amount is calculated from the output signal of the weight detection means at a first timing by a signal input from the request means, and from the output signal of the weight detection means input after the first timing. A calculating means for calculating an optimum amount of water for the amount of rice calculated at the first timing; a display means for displaying the amount of rice calculated by the calculating means and an optimum amount of water for the amount of rice; and the pan detection Means from said request means And a notification means for performing notification in response to the notification, wherein the notification means notifies when a second timing at which the pan is extracted from the rice cooker body by the pot detection means before the first timing is detected. Rice cooker configured to do. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the pot detecting means is constituted by a pot weight determining means for determining whether the pot is attached or detached by comparing a weight from an output signal of the weight detecting means with a predetermined value. When the calculating means detects the second timing before the first timing, the calculating means calculates the amount of rice from the output signal of the weight detecting means immediately before the second timing even if there is no signal input from the requesting means. The rice cooker according to claim 1.