JP2010214038A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker having the function of preventing glutinousness generated in cooking from boiling over, which can cook delicious rice by preventing the glutinousness from boiling over without reducing the heating power to heat a pot, by applying optimal heating power according to the amount of rice to be cooked, and by ensuring less uneven cooking. <P>SOLUTION: The top of the rice cooker body is covered with an openable/closable lid 2. A detachable pot 1 is housed in the rice cooker body. The pot 1 is heated by a heating means 3. The temperature of the pot 1 is detected by a pot temperature detecting means 4, and the temperature of the lid 2 is detected by a lid temperature detecting means 5. A rice cooking control means 6 controls the heating means 3 to start cooking after determining the amount of rice on the basis of the inputs by the pot temperature detecting means 4 and the lid temperature detecting means 5. The rice cooker has an air circulation device 8 blowing air to the steam or glutinous bubbles generated in rice cooking at the lid 2. The rice cooking control means 6 controls the action of the air circulation device 8 and always carries out rice cooking with optimal high heating power for the amount of rice to be cooked. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rice cooker having an air circulation device and having a function of preventing a rice ball generated during rice cooking from being blown out.

In the case of a rice cooker occurring during rice cooking, the conventional rice cooker has reduced the heating power to heat the pan to suppress the occurrence of the rice cooker and prevented the rice cake from spilling out of the rice cooker body (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-56628

  However, in such a conventional configuration, when rice crackers occur during rice cooking, the generation of rice crackers can be suppressed to prevent spilling out of the rice cooker body, but the heating power for heating the pan is reduced. Therefore, it was impossible to cook rice with the heating power suitable for the amount of rice cooked, and as a result, there was a problem that delicious rice could not be cooked, for example, the cooking unevenness increased.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can prevent rice balls from being spilled without reducing the heating power for heating the pan, and cooks with the optimal heating power for the amount of rice cooking without reducing the heating power. The purpose is to make rice with good taste, gloss, and stickiness, with less unevenness in cooking, and the rice grains swell well.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is provided with an air circulation device that blows outside air to the pot opening, and the foam of the rice cake generated at the time of cooking is extinguished by blowing air with the air circulation device. Prevent spilling out. Therefore, rice can be cooked with a high heating power optimum for the amount of rice cooked, and there is little uneven cooking, rice grains swell well, and delicious rice with umami, gloss and stickiness can be cooked.

  The rice cooker of the present invention can suppress the spilling of rice balls from the lid to the outside of the rice cooker body by the air circulation device, so the amount of rice cooked without reducing the heating power to heat the pan The rice can be cooked with the optimum high heating power, and there is little uneven cooking, the rice grains swell well, and delicious rice with umami, gloss and stickiness can be cooked.

  1st invention is a rice cooker main body, the lid | cover which covers the upper part of the said rice cooker main body removably, the pan detachably accommodated in the said rice cooker main body, the heating means which heats the said pan, and the said pan Pan temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the lid, lid temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the lid, an air circulation device provided on the lid for blowing outside air to the pot opening, the pot temperature detecting means, and the It has rice cooking control means for determining the amount of rice cooking from the input of the lid temperature detection means, controlling the heating means to perform rice cooking, and controlling the operation of the air circulation device. As a result, rice bubbles generated during rice cooking can be prevented from being blown out by the outside air blown by the air circulation device and spilling out of the rice cooker body. In addition, since the temperature rise in the pan is faster and more uniform and can be maintained at a high temperature, there is little uneven cooking, rice grains swell well, and delicious rice with umami, gloss and stickiness can be cooked.

  In a second aspect based on the first aspect, the rice cooking control means has a plurality of operation patterns for operating the steam circulation device, and the amount of steam generated in each step of performing rice cooking and The operation is performed with an optimum operation pattern for each process according to the amount of the thread. For example, in the leveling process and rice cooking amount determination process that constitutes the cooking process, the energization rate of the heating means is increased to raise the temperature of the pan at once, so that steam and rice bubbles start to be generated. The air flow of the device is increased slightly, and in the boiling maintenance process, the amount of steam and the amount of bubble generation is maximized, so the air flow of the air circulation device is maximized. By setting this, wind can be blown to the steam and rice bubble generated more efficiently, and the rice cake can be prevented from being blown out of the rice cooker body. In addition, by operating the air circulation device even in the uneven process, the steam in the pan can be appropriately treated, and the rice spilling can be prevented without lowering the rice cooking performance.

  3rd invention WHEREIN: In the said 1st or 2nd invention, the rice cooking control means adjusts the operating time of an air circulation apparatus according to the determined rice cooking amount, and is the rice cooking amount of a rice cooking control means. Because the operation time is adjusted according to the amount of rice cooked according to the judgment result, the air circulation device can be operated efficiently with the required operation time, reducing unnecessary power consumption, and the inside of the pot during cooking with unnecessary operation time It is possible to prevent the temperature of the rice from falling and the rice cooking performance from deteriorating.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the rice cooking control means adjusts the air volume of the air circulation device according to the determined rice cooking quantity, and the rice cooking quantity judgment of the rice cooking control means is performed. Since the air volume is adjusted according to the amount of rice cooked as a result, the air circulation device can be operated efficiently with the necessary air volume, reducing unnecessary power consumption, and reducing the temperature inside the pot during cooking with an excessive air volume. And it can prevent that rice cooking performance falls.

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

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1: shows the block diagram of the rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of this invention, and FIG. 2 shows sectional drawing of the rice cooker.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pot 1 is a container for water and rice, and the upper surface opening is covered with a lid 2. The heating means 3 heats the pan 1, and the pan 1 is made of a magnetic material, and is induction-heated by a heating coil 3a and an inverter circuit 3b that supplies a high-frequency current to the heating coil 3a. The heating means 3 is constituted by the heating coil 3a and the inverter circuit 3b.

  The pan temperature detecting means 4 detects the temperature of the pot 1, and the lid temperature detecting means 5 detects the temperature of the lid 2. The rice cooking control means 6 inputs the temperature information of the pan temperature detection means 4 and the lid temperature detection means 5, performs the cooking of the heating means 3 according to a predetermined sequence, and controls the temperature after the completion of the rice cooking. The rice cooking control means 6 inputs the temperature information from the pan temperature detection means 4 and the lid temperature detection means 5, and the detection of the lid temperature detection means 5 from the point where the detected value of the pot temperature detection means 4 exceeds the first temperature. The time until the value exceeds the second temperature is measured, the amount of cooked rice is determined from this time, and the heating power of the heating means 3 is adjusted based on this cooked rice amount.

The rice ball detection means 7 detects the blow-up of the rice ball to the lid 2 that occurs during rice cooking, and the output is input to the rice cooking control means 6, and the rice ball detection means 7 When it detects, the input of the rice cooking control means 6 is restrict | limited and the spilling on a cover is prevented. In the present embodiment, the air circulation device 8 can prevent the spilling out of the rice cooker body by blowing the wind on the bubble, but the user may prefer or mistakenly use extremely soft rice. In order to ensure safety in the case where water is added more than expected, a detecting means 7 is provided.

  The air circulation device 8 blows wind against steam or rice bubbles generated during rice cooking, and is provided on the lid 2. The rice cooking control means 6 operates the air circulation device 8 according to the preset operation pattern according to the amount of steam generated in each process or the determined amount of cooking rice, and always has a high heating power that is optimal for the amount of rice cooking. It is configured to cook rice.

  The input means 9 is constituted by a switch, and the user starts, cancels, and reserves rice cooking. The display means 10 is constituted by an LED, an LCD, etc., and various information such as a rice cooking menu and time is displayed. To display.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the rice cooker body 11 has a pot storage portion 12 for storing the pot 1 therein, and the pot storage portion 12 is fitted to the inner peripheral portion of the upper opening of the rice cooker body 11. A substantially annular upper frame 12a and a coil base 12b formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape corresponding to the shape of the pan 1 and integrally coupled to the upper frame 12a. The pot 1 for putting rice and water is detachably stored in the pot storage unit 12. The heating coil 3a which comprises the heating means 3 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the coil base 12b. An opening is provided in the center of the bottom of the coil base 12b, and the pan temperature detecting means 4 is disposed in this opening so as to be able to contact the bottom of the pan 1.

  The lid 2 is attached to the rice cooker body 11 by a hinge shaft 13 so as to be freely opened and closed, and can be engaged with a hook 14 provided at the front portion of the rice cooker body 11. A substantially disc-shaped inner lid 15 is detachably attached to the inside of the lid 2, that is, the side covering the opening of the pan 1, so that the opening of the pan 1 can be sealed. When the lid 2 is closed, the packing 16 is pressed against the flange of the pan 1 so as to seal the pan 1.

  The lid 2 is provided with a lid temperature detecting means 5, a meander detecting means 7 and an air circulation device 8. In the meander detection means 7, the steam cylinder 17 is detachably provided on the lid 2, and a magnetic float 18 is provided at the lower part of the steam cylinder 17 so as to be moved by a rice bowl generated during rice cooking. A reed switch 19 is disposed at a position facing the float 18. As a result, the float 18 moves when the rice ball reaches the float 18 portion, and a change in the magnetic field is detected by the reed switch 19 so as to detect the blow-up to the lid 2 of the glass. The steam cylinder 17 is provided with a steam valve 21 so as to block the steam port 20 inside.

  The air circulation device 8 rotatably supports a fan 23 driven by a motor 22 between a fan case 24 and a lid cover 25. Moreover, the clearance gap 26 is provided between the rice cooker main body 11 and the lid | cover 2, and the clearance gap is provided between the inner cover 15 and the lid cover 25 which comprises the lower part of the lid | cover 2, and the ventilation path 27 is comprised. . Thereby, by the rotation of the fan 23 driven by the motor 22, the outside air is sucked into the air circulation device 8 through the air passage 27 from the gap 26 between the rice cooker body 11 and the lid 2, and from the air circulation device 8. The sent wind is sent from the blower opening (not shown) of the inner lid 15 into the pan 1 so as to blow the wind on steam or rice bubbles generated during cooking.

  The control board 28 is arranged in the lid 2 and is not shown, but is constituted by a microcomputer constituting the rice cooking control means 6, a switch constituting the input means 9, an LED or LCD constituting the display means 8, and the like. Yes. The pan temperature detecting means 4 and the lid temperature detecting means 5 are composed of a thermistor, one of which is connected in series with a resistor on the control board 28, and a DC voltage is applied across the connected thermistor and the resistor. Furthermore, the partial pressure value at the connection point between the thermistor and the resistor is converted into a digital value by inputting it into an AD converter built in the microcomputer, and the microcomputer calculates temperature information from this digital value. The temperature information is obtained from the resistance value of the thermistor.

  First, the operation of the rice cooking process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a time chart of the rice cooking process of the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the solid line in FIG. 3 indicates the pan temperature detected by the pan temperature detecting means 4, and the dotted line is the lid detected by the lid temperature detecting means 5. Indicates temperature.

  First, when rice and water are put into the pan 1, and this pan 1 is stored in the rice cooker body 11, and the operation is started, as shown in FIG. 3, a pre-cooking step, a smoothing step, a determination step, and a boiling maintenance step. Each process, such as a cooking process and an unevenness process, which have the above, is sequentially executed. First, in the pre-cooking process, the energization rate of the heating unit 3 is increased and the energization is performed with a strong heating power until the temperature of the pan 1 detected by the pan temperature detection unit 4 reaches a predetermined temperature θ3 (for example, 55 ° C.). After the temperature of the pan 1 reaches the predetermined temperature θ3 (55 ° C.), the energization rate of the heating means 3 is lowered to reduce the heating power, and the temperature of the pan 1 is turned on so as to maintain the predetermined temperature θ3 (55 ° C.). / Off control is performed for a predetermined time (for example, 20 minutes after the temperature of the pan 1 reaches a predetermined temperature θ3 (55 ° C.)). The gelatinization of rice begins at about 55 ° C. or higher, but the rice can be hydrated in a relatively short time by immersing the rice in water at a water temperature just below the lower limit at which this gelatinization begins.

  When the pre-cooking process is finished, the cooking process and the judgment process are configured. In the break-in process and the determination process, the rice cooking control means 6 increases the energization rate of the heating means 3 in order to make a transition to boiling at a stretch with a strong heating power. As shown by the dotted line, the temperature of the lid 2 does not increase so much until the pre-cooking step. However, when the energization rate of the heating means 3 is increased and heated with high heating power in the leveling step and the determination step, the inside of the pan 1 boils and steam is generated, and the temperature of the lid 2 rises due to the heat of the steam.

  Then, after the pan temperature detected by the pan temperature detecting means 4 reaches the first predetermined temperature θ1 (for example, 80 ° C.) in the determination step, the lid temperature detected by the lid temperature detecting means 5 is the second predetermined temperature. The amount of cooked rice in the pan 1 is determined based on the determination time T until the temperature θ2 (for example, 70 ° C.) is reached.

  Then, the process proceeds to the boiling maintenance step, the heating output is adjusted according to the amount of rice cooked, and when the predetermined temperature θ4 (for example, 130 ° C.) is reached, the unevenness step is started, and the rice cooking operation is terminated after the set time.

  Next, the operation when a beep occurs will be described. In a state where there is no onset, the float 18 of the onset detecting means 7 is located close to the reed switch 19 as shown in FIG. 2, and in this state, the reed switch 19 is in an off state.

  After the pre-cooking process, when the cooking process is started, the energization rate of the air circulation device 8 is increased to operate. When the air circulation device 8 operates, the rotation of the fan 23 driven by the motor 22 causes the outside air to be sucked into the air circulation device 8 from the gap 26 between the rice cooker body 11 and the lid 2 through the air passage 27, The wind sent from the air circulation device 8 is sent into the pot 1 from the air outlet of the inner lid 15 as shown by the arrow c.

  At the same time, when the cooking process is started and the energization rate of the heating means 3 is increased and heating is performed with high heating power, the inside of the pan 1 boils and steam is generated, and at the same time, as shown by the arrow in FIG. It is most likely to be generated from before and after the end and from the beginning of the boiling maintenance process. The generated rice ball tries to go outside through the steam cylinder 17 through a path indicated by an arrow a in FIG. At this time, if it passes through the route indicated by the arrow b, it enters the detection means 7 and moves the float 18 in the upper right direction. As a result, the float 18 is separated from the reed switch 19 and the reed switch 19 is turned on. When the reed switch 19 is turned on, the air volume of the air circulation device 8 is increased.

  By blowing the increased amount of wind on the bean bubble generated in the pan 1, the beak generated in the pan 1 can be extinguished without lowering the energization rate of the heating means 3 and dropping the heating power. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the spilling through the steam cylinder 17 through the path indicated by the arrow a in FIG.

  In addition, at this time, the power generated in the pan 1 can be eliminated without lowering the heating rate of the heating means 3 and dropping the heating power, so that the rice can be cooked with a high heating power optimum for the amount of cooking, Since the temperature rise in the pan 1 becomes faster and more uniform, the whole pan is kept at a high temperature, more starch and umami components are eluted from the rice, and this is concentrated and coated on the surface of the rice grain. You can cook delicious rice with increased stickiness, less uneven cooking, and well-swelled rice grains.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the lid 2 has the air circulation device 8 that blows wind on the steam or rice bubble generated during rice cooking, the rice bowl is cooked from the lid 2 during rice cooking. Since it can prevent spilling out of the main body 11, the rice cooking control means 6 controls the operation | movement of the air circulation apparatus 8, and since it comprised so that rice cooking might always be performed with the high thermal power optimal for the amount of rice cooking, the pot 1 As the temperature rise in the pot becomes even faster and uniform, the whole pan is kept at a high temperature, more starch and umami components from the rice are eluted, and this is concentrated and coated on the surface of the rice grain. It is possible to cook delicious rice with increased stickiness, less uneven cooking and well-swelled rice grains.

(Embodiment 2)
The rice cooking control means 6 shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of operation patterns for operating the air circulation device 8, and an optimum operation pattern for each process according to the amount of steam and the amount of rice generated in each process of performing rice cooking. Thus, the air circulation device 8 is operated. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In the rice cooking process, when the pre-cooking process for the purpose of absorbing water into the rice is finished, the process enters the leveling process that constitutes the cooking process and the rice cooking amount determination process. In the leveling process and the rice cooking amount determination process, the heating rate of the heating means 3 is increased and heating is performed with a high heating power, so that the inside of the pan 1 begins to boil, and a rice ball begins to be generated at the same time as the steam (onset generation initial stage). . After that, in the boiling maintenance process, the inside of the pan is completely boiled, the generation of rice cracker is maximized (the rice balls are continuously generated), and then the water absorption and rice redeposition to the rice proceeds, and time passes. As you do, the amount of rice balls decreases.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, in the leveling process and the rice cooking amount determination process (the initial generation stage), the rotational speed of the motor 22 of the air circulation device 8 is set to the “medium” level, and the air volume is adjusted. In the boiling maintaining step where the generation of stickiness is maximum (the continuous generation stage), the rotational speed of the motor 22 of the air circulation device 8 is set to the “fast” level so that the air volume is maximized. Further, in the uneven process in which the amount of generation is reduced with the passage of time, the rotational speed of the motor 22 of the air circulation device 8 is set to the “slow” level to reduce the air volume. Thereby, it is possible to prevent spilling from the lid 2 to the outside of the rice cooker body 11 efficiently and efficiently.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the rice cooking control means 6 has a plurality of patterns for operating the air circulation device 8, and according to the amount of steam generated in each step of performing rice cooking and the size of each rice, Since it was made to operate | move with the operation | movement pattern optimal for a process, it can prevent that a rice ball blows out of the rice cooker main body 11 from the lid | cover 2 efficiently by energy saving. In addition, by operating the air circulation device 8 in the uneven process, the steam in the pan can be appropriately processed, and the spilling of rice balls can be prevented without lowering the rice cooking performance.

(Embodiment 3)
The rice cooking control means 6 shown in FIG. 1 adjusts the operation time of the air circulation device 8 according to the determined rice cooking amount. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  The operation in the above configuration will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the lid temperature detected by the lid temperature detection means 5 after the pan temperature detected by the pot temperature detection means 4 reaches the first predetermined temperature θ1 (for example, 80 ° C.) in the determination step. As shown in (Table 1), the amount of cooked rice in the pan 1 is determined by the determination time T until the second predetermined temperature θ2 (for example, 70 ° C.) is reached.

  Next, when a beep occurs in the boiling maintenance process, the bean detecting means 7 detects the beggar and operates the air circulation device 8. At this time, as shown in (Table 2), the operation time of the air circulation device 8 is controlled by the determined amount of cooked rice in the pan 1.

  Thereby, the air circulation device 8 can be efficiently operated in a necessary operation time, wasteful electric power is suppressed, and the temperature inside the pot 1 during cooking is lowered by the air volume more than necessary, and the rice cooking performance is lowered. Can be prevented.

As mentioned above, in this Embodiment, since the rice cooking control means 6 was made to adjust the operation time of the steam processing apparatus 8 according to the determined rice cooking amount, the air circulation apparatus 8 is made into the required operation time. It can operate | move efficiently, can suppress useless electric power, and can prevent that the temperature inside the pan in cooking rice falls by the operation time more than necessary, and a rice cooking performance falls.

(Embodiment 4)
The rice cooking control means 6 shown in FIG. 1 adjusts the air volume of the air circulation device 8 according to the determined rice cooking volume. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  The operation in the above configuration will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the lid temperature detected by the lid temperature detection means 5 after the pan temperature detected by the pot temperature detection means 4 reaches the first predetermined temperature θ1 (for example, 80 ° C.) in the determination step. As shown in (Table 1), the amount of cooked rice in the pan 1 is determined by the determination time T until the second predetermined temperature θ2 (for example, 70 ° C.) is reached.

  Next, when a beep occurs in the boiling maintenance process, the bean detecting means 7 detects the beggar and operates the air circulation device 8. At this time, as shown in (Table 2), the air volume of the air circulation device 8 is controlled by the determined rice cooking amount in the pan 1.

  Thereby, the air circulation device 8 can be efficiently operated in a necessary operation time, wasteful electric power is suppressed, and the temperature inside the pot 1 during cooking is lowered by the air volume more than necessary, and the rice cooking performance is lowered. Can be prevented.

  As mentioned above, in this Embodiment, since the rice cooking control means 6 adjusted the air volume of the air circulation apparatus 8 according to the determined rice cooking amount, the air circulation apparatus 8 is efficiently used with the required air volume. It can operate | move, wasteful electric power can be suppressed, and it can prevent that the temperature inside the pan in cooking rice falls by the air volume more than necessary, and rice cooking performance falls.

  In the present embodiment, the air volume of the air circulation device 8 is adjusted according to the determined rice cooking amount, but both the air volume and the operation time of the air circulation device 8 are adjusted according to the determined rice cooking amount. Alternatively, similar actions and effects can be obtained.

  As mentioned above, since the rice cooker concerning this invention can suppress that the rice ball generated at the time of rice cooking by an air circulation device spills from the lid to the outside of the rice cooker body, it has a high heating power that is optimal for the amount of rice cooking. Since rice can be cooked, rice with less unevenness, and rice grains with well-swelled rice can be cooked, it is useful as a rice cooker having a function of preventing the rice balls generated during rice cooking from being blown out.

The block diagram of the rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of this invention. Cross section of the rice cooker Time chart of the rice cooking process of the rice cooker The figure which shows the operation pattern of the air circulation device of the rice cooker

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pan 2 Lid 3 Heating means 4 Pan temperature detection means 5 Lid temperature detection means 6 Rice cooking control means 8 Air circulation apparatus 11 Rice cooker main body

Claims (4)

A rice cooker body, a lid that covers the upper portion of the rice cooker body so as to be opened and closed, a pan that is detachably stored in the rice cooker body, a heating means that heats the pan, and a pan that detects the temperature of the pan Temperature detection means; lid temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the lid; an air circulation device that is provided on the lid and blows outside air to the pot opening; and inputs of the pot temperature detection means and the lid temperature detection means The rice cooker which has the rice cooking control means which controls the operation | movement of the said air circulation device while determining the amount of rice cooking and controlling the said heating means and performing rice cooking. The rice cooking control means has a plurality of operation patterns for operating the air circulation device, and operates with an optimal operation pattern for each process according to the amount of steam and the amount of rice generated in each process of performing rice cooking. 1 is a rice cooker. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rice cooking control means adjusts the operation time of the air circulation device according to the determined rice cooking amount. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rice cooking control means adjusts the air volume of the air circulation device according to the determined rice cooking volume.