JP2009139019A - Heating cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manually alter the contents of a setting object by intuitive and easy operation without any projecting part and any restriction on design. <P>SOLUTION: An operating part 6 for manually altering the contents of a setting object in cooking includes: a plurality of touch switches 10-17 disposed in the circumferential direction and operated according to a change in capacitance; and a circumferential operating part 18 formed in the circumferential direction to operate the plurality of touch switches 10-17. The part includes a control circuit for detecting a signal input from the plurality of touch switches 10-17 according to the contact while a user moves the circumferential operating part 18 in the circumferential direction and determining the operating direction of the operating part 6 based on the detection result. Any projected part is not needed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooking device having a function for manually changing the contents of a setting target in cooking.

Conventionally, as a means for manually changing the content of a setting target (for example, cooking time) in cooking, a heating cooker provided with a rotatable operation knob on the operation panel has become mainstream (for example, patents). Reference 1). According to this, the user can change the content of the setting target according to the rotation direction and the rotation amount of the operation knob, and the operation is intuitive and easy.
A configuration using an optical sensor instead of such an operation knob is also considered. For example, the cooking device described in Patent Document 2 is provided with a plurality of optical sensors arranged in the circumferential direction inside the operation panel, detects the user's operation with the plurality of optical sensors, and changes the contents of the setting target. Like to do.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-83024 JP-A-8-43131

  By the way, in recent years, a door that opens and closes the heating chamber is pivotally provided at the lower front portion of the cooking device, and an operation panel is provided on the front surface of the door. In the cooking device having such a configuration, when an operation knob is provided on the operation panel as in Patent Document 1, the operation knob protrudes from the front surface of the door. For this reason, when the door is opened, an obstacle (for example, food or cooking utensils) may be pinched or bumped between the operation knob and the installation base, and the operation knob or the operation panel may be damaged.

  In addition, if the optical sensor is provided inside the operation panel as in Patent Document 2, the portion operated by the user does not protrude from the front surface of the door. It disappears. However, since it is necessary to provide a transmission part for transmitting the light of the optical sensor at a position facing the optical sensor, the external part of the cooking device may be damaged by the transmission part, which is subject to design restrictions. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to manually change the contents of a setting target in cooking without providing a protruding portion and without being restricted in design. An object of the present invention is to provide a cooking device that can be operated by an intuitive and easy operation.

  The cooking device according to the present invention is a cooking device provided with operation means for manually changing the contents of a setting target in cooking, wherein the operation means is arranged in a circumferential direction according to a change in capacitance. And a plurality of touch switches that operate in the circumferential direction to operate the plurality of touch switches, and the user moves the circumferential operation unit in the circumferential direction. Detecting means for detecting signals input from the plurality of touch switches in response to contact, and determining an operation direction of the operation means based on the detection result, wherein the determination means determines the operation direction. The present invention is characterized in that the content of the setting target is changed according to the operation direction of the operation means.

  According to the heating cooker of the present invention, the operation means for manually changing the content of the setting target in cooking, a plurality of touch switches that are arranged in the circumferential direction and operate according to the change in capacitance, In order to operate the plurality of touch switches, it is composed of a circumferential operation portion formed in the circumferential direction, and the protruding portion is unnecessary. In addition, by using such a capacitive touch switch, it is not necessary to provide a transmission part for transmitting light, and there is no restriction in design.

  In addition, when the user operates the operation unit and touches the circumferential operation unit while moving the circumferential operation unit in the circumferential direction, the operation direction of the operation unit is determined by the determination unit, and the setting target is set according to the determined operation direction. The contents are changed. Therefore, the user can manually change the content of the setting target in cooking by an intuitive and easy operation of tracing the circumferential operation portion in the circumferential direction.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, a rectangular heating chamber 3 having an open front is provided in a rectangular cabinet 2 that forms the outline of a microwave oven 1 as a heating cooker. It accommodates cooked food and can be cooked. A door 4 that opens and closes the opening of the heating chamber 3 is pivotally provided at the lower front portion of the cabinet 2 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. An operation panel 5 is provided at the lower front portion of the door 4.

  The operation panel 5 includes an operation unit 6 (for manually changing the contents of setting objects for cooking (for example, a permutation in which cooking time, cooking temperature, and cooking menu are ordered) or confirming the contents of the setting objects after the change. Equivalent to the operation means), a display 7 for displaying the content of the setting target in cooking, the progress of cooking, the cooking start instruction key 8 for instructing the start of cooking, the cancellation of the change of the content of the setting target and the cooking A cancel instruction key 9 for instructing stop is provided.

Next, the configuration of the operation unit 6 will be described with reference to FIG.
The operation unit 6 has a circular shape as a whole, a plurality of touch switches 10 to 17 arranged in the circumferential direction, and a circumferential operation unit formed in the circumferential direction along the touch switches 10 to 17. 18 and a confirmation key 19 provided inside the circumferential operation unit 18.

  Among these, since the configuration of the touch switches 10 to 17 is the same, for example, the touch switch 10 will be described as a representative. The touch switch 10 includes an input unit 20 and an electrode unit 21. The input unit 20 is formed by dividing a part of the resin plate 22 (see FIG. 3) constituting the front surface of the operation unit 6 into a plurality (in this case, eight) along the circumferential direction. This is a region that comes into contact when a person operates. Each of the input units 20 has a fan shape, and the plurality of input units 20 are arranged in the circumferential direction, whereby an annular circumferential operation unit 18 is configured.

  The electrode unit 21 has a fan shape that is slightly smaller than the input unit 20, and is attached to the back surface of the input unit 20. Thereby, the electrode part 21 is arrange | positioned in the circumferential direction so that it may become cyclic | annular and each may be in the insulated state in the back side of the circumferential operation part 18. As shown in FIG. In addition, a portion where the plurality of electrode portions 21 are arranged in the input unit 20 is configured as a detection range of the touch switches 10 to 17.

  The circumferential operation unit 18 has a dimension between the outer peripheral part and the inner peripheral part that is one dimension larger than the dimension between the outer peripheral part and the inner peripheral part of the touch switch 10-17, that is, the detection range of the touch switch 10-17. The circumference operation unit 18 is provided within the detection range of the plurality of touch switches 10 to 17. In addition, annular convex portions 23 and 24 (see FIG. 3) that slightly protrude (for example, about 0.5 mm) to the front of the operation portion 6 are provided on the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of the circumferential operation portion 18, respectively. It has been. These convex portions 23 and 24 are formed integrally with the resin plate 22. The circumferential operation portion 18 is substantially a portion surrounded by the convex portions 23 and the convex portions 24.

  The confirmation key 19 includes an input unit 25 and an electrode unit 26. The input unit 25 is formed on a part of the resin plate 22 (inner side of the circumferential operation unit 18) and has a circular shape. The electrode portion 26 has a circular shape that is slightly smaller than the input portion 25, and is attached to the back surface of the input portion 25 so as to be insulated from the electrode portion 21.

  Auxiliary keys 27 and 28 arranged in the left-right direction are provided above the operation unit 6. Each of these auxiliary keys 27 and 28 includes an input unit 29 and an electrode unit 30. The input unit 29 is formed on a part of the resin plate 22 (above the operation unit 6) and has a rectangular shape. The electrode portion 30 has a rectangular shape that is slightly smaller than the input portion 29, and is attached to the back surface of the input portion 29 so as to be insulated from the electrode portion 21.

  Next, the electrical configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows a schematic electrical configuration related to the microwave oven 1. In FIG. 4, the control circuit 31 (corresponding to determination means and time detection means) includes a microcomputer. A heating control unit 32 and a touch detection circuit 33 are connected to the control circuit 31. The heating control unit 32 controls a magnetron, a hot air heater (none of which are shown), and the like.

  The touch detection circuit 33 includes eight circuit units 34 connected in parallel. The eight circuit units 34 correspond to the eight touch switches 10 to 17, respectively, and a capacitor 36, a diode 37, and an analog switch 38 connected in series to the output terminal of the oscillation circuit 35 that outputs an oscillation signal having a predetermined frequency. It is composed of The electrode portion 21 is connected between the capacitor 36 and the diode 37 via a connection conductor 39, and the diode 37 and the analog switch 38 are grounded via a resistor 40 and a charge capacitor 41. The output terminal of the analog switch 38 is connected to the A / D input port of the control circuit 31. The control terminal of the analog switch 38 is controlled by the digit output of the output port of the control circuit 31.

  The output current of the oscillation circuit 35 charges the charge capacitor 41 via the capacitor 36 and the diode 37. The voltage of the charge capacitor 41 is applied to the A / D input port of the control circuit 31 when the control signal applied to the control terminal of the analog switch 38 is “HI”.

  A circuit 34 a shown in FIG. 4 is a circuit including a diode 37, an analog switch 38, a resistor 40, and a charge capacitor 41. The control circuit 31 is connected to the display 7 and, although not shown, a confirmation key 19 and auxiliary keys 27 and 28 are connected in the same configuration as the touch switches 10 to 17, respectively. Yes.

  In the above configuration, for example, when the user touches the input unit 20 of the touch switches 10 to 17 to change the setting target in cooking, a capacitor is equivalently connected between the input unit 20 and the electrode unit 21 facing the input unit 20. Since the part 42 is formed, in the touch detection circuit 33, the output of the oscillation circuit 35 flows to the ground through the human body, and thus the voltage of the charge capacitor 41 is lowered. Thereby, the capacitance change of the capacitor | condenser part 42 of the touch switches 10-17 is detected. This decrease in the voltage of the charge capacitor 41 is output as a detection signal, whereby the control circuit 31 determines that the input unit 20 of the touch switches 10 to 17 has been input. In this case, the time during which the voltage of the charge capacitor 41 is reduced is the input time of the touch switches 10-17.

  With such a configuration, the touch switches 10 to 17 function as a capacitive touch switch that operates in accordance with a change in capacitance accompanying a user's contact operation (touch operation). And the control circuit 31 changes the content of the setting object in cooking according to the input from the touch switches 10-17. Even when the enter key 19 or the auxiliary keys 27 and 28 are operated, a touch detection circuit (not shown) corresponding to each input unit operates in the same manner. Reference numerals 27 and 28 function as capacitive touch switches. In addition, the cooking start instruction key 8 and the cancel instruction key 9 are also configured by a capacitive touch switch, and are connected to the control circuit 31 with the same configuration as the touch switches 10 to 17.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the user traces the circumferential operation unit 18 in the clockwise direction from the touch switch 10 (contacts while moving), for example, the control circuit 31 receives a signal (in FIG. 5) input from the touch switch 10. A waveform (refer to a waveform indicated by A)) is detected, and then a signal (refer to a waveform indicated by B) input from the touch switch 11 is detected. In this case, since the touch switch 11 that has detected the signal following the touch switch 10 is arranged in the clockwise direction of the touch switch 10, the control circuit 31 operates the circumferential operation unit 18 in the clockwise direction. It is determined that the content has been set (equivalent to a determination means), and the content of the setting target in cooking is increased (for example, the cooking time is increased from 30 seconds to 40 seconds).

  On the other hand, when the user traces the circumferential operation unit 18 from the touch switch 10 in the counterclockwise direction, for example, the control circuit 31 detects a signal input from the touch switch 10 and then touches the touch switch 10. A signal input from the switch 17 is detected. In this case, since the touch switch 17 that has detected the signal following the touch switch 10 is arranged in the counterclockwise direction of the touch switch 10, the control circuit 31 has the circumferential operation unit 18 in the counterclockwise direction. The content of the setting target in cooking is reduced.

  Further, the control circuit 31 receives a signal from any one of the plurality of touch switches (for example, the touch switch 10), and then receives the signal from another touch switch (for example, the touch switch 11 or the touch switch 17). The time (movement time) until the signal is input is detected (corresponding to the time detection means), and the change amount (increase amount and decrease amount) of the content to be set in cooking is changed according to the detection result. It has become.

  For example, when changing the content (setting value) of cooking time as a setting target in cooking, when the circumferential operation unit 18 is operated clockwise from the touch switch 10, the control circuit 31 receives a signal from the touch switch 10. After the input, the moving time until the signal is input from the touch switch 11 is detected. And as shown in FIG. 6, if the detected movement time is 0.3 second or more, the control circuit 31 will change the increase amount to 1 point (equivalent to 10 seconds of cooking time). If the detected movement time is 0.2 to 0.3 seconds, the control circuit 31 changes the increase amount to 2 points (equivalent to 1 minute of cooking time), and if it is 0.2 seconds or less, Change the increase to 3 points (equivalent to 5 minutes cooking time). That is, the setting is made such that the faster the circumferential operation unit 18 is operated, the greater the amount of change in the contents of the setting target in cooking, and the smaller the amount of change as the operation is slowly performed.

  When the circumferential operation unit 18 is operated counterclockwise from the touch switch 10, the control circuit 31 changes the amount of decrease in the content to be set in cooking according to the detected moving time. For example, if the detected movement time is 0.3 seconds or more, the decrease amount is changed to 1 point.

  When the user touches the confirm key 19 after operating the circumference operation unit 18, the control circuit 31 confirms the content of the setting target after being changed by the operation of the circumference operation unit 18. Perform cooking according to the changed content.

  By the way, when cooking for a long time (for example, 15 minutes), the cooking time is roughly changed to a dozen minutes (for example, 13 minutes), and the remaining several minutes (about 1-2 minutes) are finely adjusted. Is generally set. In the present embodiment, the control circuit 31 first increases the cooking time to 13 minutes in response to the circumferential operation unit 18 being quickly operated in the clockwise direction. Thereafter, when the auxiliary key 27 is touched, the cooking time is increased by 1 minute. In this case, the control circuit 31 increases the cooking time by a predetermined amount (for example, 1 minute) on condition that the auxiliary key 27 is continuously operated for a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds). Yes. On the other hand, when the auxiliary key 28 is touched, the control circuit 31 decreases the setting target by a predetermined amount.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 6 for manually changing the content of the setting target in cooking is arranged in the circumferential direction and operates according to the change in capacitance. The touch switches 10 to 17 and the circumferential operation portion 18 formed in the circumferential direction for operating the plurality of touch switches 10 to 17 are configured, and a portion protruding from the front surface of the door 4 is not necessary. In addition, since the plurality of touch switches 10 to 17 are configured by such a capacitive touch switch, it is not necessary to provide a transmissive portion for transmitting light, and there is no design restriction.

  Further, when the user operates the operation unit 6 and touches the circumferential operation unit 18 while moving in the circumferential direction, the operation direction of the operation unit 6 is determined by the control circuit 31, and according to the determined operation direction. The contents of the setting target are changed. Therefore, the user can manually change the contents of the setting target in cooking by an intuitive and easy operation of tracing the circumferential operation unit 18 in the circumferential direction.

  Since the circumferential operation unit 18 is provided within the detection range of the plurality of touch switches 10 to 17, when the user performs an input operation by tracing the circumferential operation unit 18, the user's finger or the like Even if the operation unit 18 is slightly deviated, the input is accepted. Therefore, the user can operate without a sense of incongruity, and the operability is less likely to be impaired.

  Since the convex portions 23 and 24 are provided on the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of the circumferential operation portion 18, the convex portions 23 and 24 serve as a guide when the user operates, and the operability can be improved. Moreover, the operation part in the operation part 6 becomes clear by the said convex parts 23 and 24. FIG. In this case, the protrusions 23 and 24 protrude from the front surface of the operation panel 5, but the protrusion amount is very small (about 0.5 mm in the present embodiment). For example, when the door 4 is opened. Even if the projections 23 and 24 are crushed by an obstacle or the like between the installation table and the operation panel 5 or the operation unit 6, there is little risk of failure or damage.

  The change amount of the content to be set is changed according to the movement time from one of the touch switches 10 to 17 until another touch switch is operated. In this case, if it is set so that the amount of change is increased when the movement time is short, for example, if it is desired to change the contents of the setting object to the maximum, the setting object can be set by quickly operating the circumference operation unit 18. Can be greatly changed, and the operation amount of the user can be reduced.

  Since the confirmation key 19 for confirming the contents of the setting object after the change is provided inside the circumference operation part 18, the contents of the setting object after the change are determined by the confirmation key 19 in the vicinity of the circumference operation part 18. It can be confirmed and operability can be improved. In addition, the structure is simpler than the configuration in which the confirmation key is provided in the center of the rotatable operation knob.

  Since the auxiliary keys 27 and 28 for changing the content of the setting target by a predetermined amount are provided, fine adjustment of the content of the setting target can be performed by a touch operation of the auxiliary key 27 and 28. In the fine adjustment to change by a predetermined amount, the pressing operation is performed by adjusting the step by a predetermined amount by the contact operation of the auxiliary keys 27 and 28 rather than linearly adjusting by the operation of the circumferential operation unit 18 in the circumferential direction. Intuitive operation feeling similar to the above can be obtained, and operability can be improved.

  Since the content of the setting target is changed by a predetermined amount on condition that the auxiliary keys 27 and 28 are operated for a predetermined time, the user presses the auxiliary keys 27 and 28 until the content of the setting target reaches a target. It is only necessary to keep pressing, and the operation is intuitive and easy.

  In this embodiment, the case where the operation unit 6 is operated using the touch switch 10 as a reference has been described. However, the same operation and effect can be achieved when the operation unit 6 is operated using the other touch switches 11 to 17 as a reference. Can be obtained. Further, the setting target in cooking is not limited to cooking time, and the setting of cooking temperature and the selection of permutations in which cooking menus are ordered can be performed in the same manner.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, description is abbreviate | omitted about the part same as 1st Embodiment mentioned above, and only a different part is demonstrated.
The operation unit 6 of the present embodiment is provided with dual-purpose switches 51 and 52 instead of a part of the plurality of touch switches 10 to 17 (in this case, the touch switches 10 and 17) shown in the first embodiment. It has been. These dual-purpose switches 51 and 52 are the switches that use the touch switches 10 and 17 shown in the first embodiment as auxiliary keys 27 and 28.

In this case, if the movement time from the shared switch 51 (52) until another touch switch is operated is 0.5 seconds or less, the control circuit 31 outputs a signal input from the shared switch 51 (52). It is processed as a touch switch signal, and the content to be set is changed according to the operation direction and the movement time. On the other hand, if the movement time is 0.5 seconds or longer, the signal input from the dual-purpose switch 51 (52) is processed as an auxiliary key signal, and the content to be set is changed by a predetermined amount.
According to the present embodiment, since a part of the plurality of touch switches 10 to 17 is also used as an auxiliary key, there is no need to newly provide an auxiliary key, and the structure can be simplified.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified or expanded as follows.
The amount of change in the content to be set in cooking is not limited to that shown in FIG. 6 and can be changed as appropriate.

The number of touch switches is not limited to eight, and more or less than eight touch switches may be provided.
The confirmation key 19 and the auxiliary keys 27 and 28 may not be configured by a capacitive touch switch, but may be configured by, for example, a flat push button that does not protrude from the front surface of the operation panel 5.

1 is a schematic front view of a microwave oven according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Front view of the operation unit and its surroundings Cross section of touch switch Block diagram showing electrical configuration of microwave oven The figure which shows the example of the signal input from a touch switch The figure which shows the relationship of the variation | change_quantity of the movement time, the content of the setting object in cooking, and the variation | change_quantity of cooking time FIG. 2 equivalent view showing the second embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a microwave oven (heating cooker), 6 is an operation part (operation means), 10 to 17 are touch switches, 18 is a circumferential operation part, 19 is a confirmation key, 23 and 24 are convex parts, Reference numeral 28 denotes an auxiliary key, 31 denotes a control circuit (determination means, time detection means), and 51 and 52 denote dual-purpose switches (touch switches, auxiliary keys).

Claims (8)

In the cooking device provided with operation means for manually changing the content of the setting target in cooking,
A plurality of touch switches arranged in the circumferential direction and operating in accordance with a change in capacitance, and a circumferential operation unit formed in the circumferential direction to operate the plurality of touch switches. And consisting of
A signal input from the plurality of touch switches is detected in response to a user touching the circumferential operation unit while moving in the circumferential direction, and an operation direction of the operation unit is determined based on the detection result. A judgment means to
A heating cooker configured to change the contents of the setting target according to the operation direction of the operation means determined by the determination means.   The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential operation unit is provided within a detection range of the plurality of touch switches.   The heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein convex portions are provided on an inner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral portion of the circumferential operation portion. A time detection unit that detects a time from when a signal is input from any one of the plurality of touch switches to when a signal is input from another touch switch;
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cooking device is configured to change an amount of change in the content of the setting target according to a detection result by the time detection means.   The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a confirmation key for confirming the content of the set object after the change is provided inside the circumferential operation unit.   The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an auxiliary key for changing the content of the setting target by a predetermined amount.   The cooking device according to claim 6, wherein the setting target is changed by a predetermined amount on condition that the auxiliary key has been operated for a predetermined time.   The cooking device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a part of the plurality of touch switches is also used as the auxiliary key.

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