JP2011222174A - Induction heating cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an induction heating cooker that allows users to visually grasp actually applied amount of output heat and degree of adjustment of the output heat for cooking food.SOLUTION: A control unit 25 causes a center LCD 6 to display "Left IH 1000 W"; and further, turns red a display window 7a for heat power levels "1" to "5" of a left heating port heat power display 7 and turns blue the display window 7a for heat power levels "6" to "8", with a degree of luminance that is higher than a luminance used in a stand-by state.

Description

  The present invention relates to an induction heating cooker capable of displaying and adjusting a fine heating power output.

  The heating power adjustment of the conventional induction heating cooker is normally set from the lowest heating power (100 W) to the highest heating power (2500 W), and is roughly set as a setting value. Fine heating adjustment can be set between 100 W and 2500 W by the fine adjustment input means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP2003-297541A (5th page, FIG. 1-2)

  However, in the conventional induction heating cooker, it is difficult to visually check how much the heating power has been changed, and if a numerical display is provided for visual confirmation, it will lead to an increase in cost. There was a problem.

  In addition, even with the same thermal power setting, the thermal power output applied to the heated object is actually different depending on the heated object such as a pan, and the actual thermal power output is unknown on the display of the thermal power setting.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and a first object is to provide an induction heating that can visually grasp an actual heating power output to the object to be heated and a degree of the heating power adjustment. Is to get a cooker.
Moreover, the 2nd objective is to obtain the induction heating cooking appliance which can fine-tune an actual thermal power output.

  An induction heating cooker according to the present invention includes a heating coil that induction-heats an object to be heated, output current detection means that detects an output current flowing through the heating coil, and a heating power for adjusting the heating power output to the heating object. Adjustment control means, operation mode switching operation means for switching the operation mode, display means for displaying the heating power output, and a control device for controlling the induction heating operation by the heating coil, the control device, Based on the switching information for switching the operation mode received from the operation mode switching operation means, the operation mode is switched, and when the operation mode is a fine adjustment mode, depending on a predetermined operation amount by the heating power adjustment operation means The heating power output is increased or decreased smaller than when the operation mode is the normal mode, and the operation mode is the normal mode. If the operation mode is the fine adjustment mode, the thermal power output is greatly increased or decreased by the predetermined operation amount by the thermal power adjustment operation unit, and based on the output current detected by the output current detection unit The thermal power output is calculated, and the calculated thermal power output is displayed on the display means.

According to the present invention, even with the same thermal power setting, even when the actual thermal power output varies depending on the material or shape of the heated object such as a pan, the heated object is calculated based on the output current flowing through the heating coil. Since the thermal power output is displayed, the actual thermal power output can be confirmed.
Moreover, since the thermal power output can be finely adjusted even at the same thermal power level by the fine adjustment mode, it is possible to carry out a precise heating operation together with the fact that the actual thermal power output can be confirmed as described above. .

It is an external appearance perspective view of the induction heating cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a top view of the induction heating cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a control block diagram of the induction heating cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart of the heating power setting operation of the induction heating cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the display operation | movement of the thermal power display part of the induction heating cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
(Configuration of induction heating cooker)
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the induction heating cooker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the induction heating cooker.
In the induction heating cooker 100 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a top plate 2 is installed on the upper surface of the main body 1, and the top plate 2 is heated such as a pan. A left heating port 3, a right heating port 4, and a central heating port 5 for placing objects are formed. Further, on the upper surface of the front part of the main body 1, a central LCD 6, a left LCD 6a and a right LCD 6b for displaying various setting values, abnormality information, and the like, a left heating port heating power display unit 7 for displaying a heating power output by LEDs and the like, and a right heating port heating power A display unit 8 and an upper surface operation unit 9 for performing operations such as various settings are provided. The upper surface operation unit 9 is provided with a mode change-over switch 9a for switching the operation mode related to the thermal power adjustment operation and the thermal power output display to a normal mode or a fine adjustment mode described later. Further, air taken into the grill portion 12 to be described later from the intake port (not shown) installed on the rear surface of the main body 1 and the cooked food in the grill portion 12 are provided on the upper surface behind the main body 1. An exhaust port 10 is installed to discharge the generated smoke to the outside. Further, the front view of the main body 1 shows a left heating port operation dial 11a composed of an encoder knob for performing ON / OFF operation and heating power adjustment operation of induction heating heating operation described later at the left heating port 3, and right heating. Right heating port operation dial 11b composed of an encoder knob for adjusting ON / OFF operation and heating power of the heating operation of induction heating described later at the mouth 4, and the food to be put into the grill portion 12 formed inside the main body And a power switch 13 for turning on and off the power of the induction heating cooker 100 are installed.
The left heating port operation dial 11a and the right heating port operation dial 11b correspond to “thermal power adjustment operation means” of the present invention, and the mode change switch 9a corresponds to “operation mode switching operation means” of the present invention. The central LCD 6, the left heating port heating power display unit 7, and the right heating port heating power display unit 8 correspond to “display means” of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the induction heating cooker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 25 installed inside the main body 1 is connected to the drive circuit 24 and transmits a control signal to the drive circuit 24. The drive circuit 24 is connected to the inverter circuit 23, generates a drive signal based on the control signal received from the control device 25, and outputs the drive signal to the inverter circuit 23. In this inverter circuit 23, a resonance coil 22 is connected in series with a heating coil 21 that is disposed below the left heating port 3 and induction-heats an object to be heated such as a pan placed on the left heating port 3. A resonant circuit is connected. The inverter circuit 23 supplies a high-frequency current to the series resonance circuit including the heating coil 21 based on the drive signal received from the drive circuit 24. In addition, an output current detection unit 26 that detects a current flowing through the heating coil 21 (hereinafter referred to as “output current”) and transmits the current information to the control device 25 is provided.

The heating coil 21, the resonance capacitor 22, the inverter circuit 23, the drive circuit 24, and the output current detection means 26 are for inductively heating an object to be heated such as a pan placed in the left heating port 3. However, not only the left heating port 3 but also the right heating port 4 and the central heating port 5 are provided with the same ones. Note that, for example, the central heating port 5 may be heated not by induction heating, but by a radiant heater or the like that heats an object to be heated by radiation.
Hereinafter, the induction heating operation, the heating power adjustment operation, and the heating power output display to be described later will be described for the left heating port 3.

  The control device 25 is connected to the central LCD 6, the left heating port heating power display unit 7, the upper surface operation unit 9, and the left heating port operation dial 11a. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the left LCD 6a, the right LCD 6b, the right heating port heating power display unit 8, and the right heating port operation dial 11b are also connected to the control device 25.

  The left heating port heating power display unit 7 is installed on the upper surface of the front portion of the main body 1 as described above, and, for example, a display window 7a divided into eight is provided. Each display window 7a has, for example, a thermal power level of “1” to “8”, and an LED is provided below each display window 7a. Each display window 7a lights up. Regarding the above-mentioned thermal power level, for example, thermal power level “1” is 150 W, thermal power level “2” is 300 W, thermal power level “3” is 500 W, thermal power level “4” is 750 W, thermal power level “5” is 1000 W, thermal power Level “6” is assigned to 1500 W, thermal power level “7” is assigned to 2000 W, and thermal power level “8” is assigned to 2500 W. Further, the display windows 7a of the thermal power levels “1” to “3” are the low thermal power region, the thermal power levels “4” and “5” are the intermediate thermal power region, and the thermal power levels “6” to “8” are the high thermal power region. It is divided.

(Induction heating operation of induction heating cooker)
Next, the induction heating operation of the induction heating cooker according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
The user places an object to be heated, such as a pan, into which the food to be cooked is placed, in the left heating port 3. Then, when the user performs a heating start operation on the left heating port operation dial 11a, the operation information is transmitted from the left heating port operation dial 11a to the control device 25. The control device 25 transmits a control signal to the drive circuit 24 based on the received operation information. The drive circuit 24 outputs a drive signal to the inverter circuit 23 based on the received control signal. The inverter circuit 23 supplies a high frequency current to the series resonance circuit of the heating coil 21 and the resonance capacitor 22 based on the drive signal. The heating coil 21 induction-heats the object to be heated placed on the left heating port 3 with this high-frequency current. At this time, the control device 21 calculates the thermal power output for the object to be heated based on the output current value flowing through the heating coil 21 received by the output current detection means 26, and outputs the thermal power output to the central LCD 6 and the left heating port thermal power display unit. 7 to send. The central LCD 6 displays the received thermal power output, and the left heating port thermal power display unit 7 displays the thermal power level corresponding to the received thermal power output. Details of the display of the thermal power output and the display of the thermal power level will be described later.

(Induction heating cooker operation mode switching operation, thermal power adjustment operation and thermal power output display operation)
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the heating power setting operation of the induction heating cooker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the display operation of the heating power display unit of the induction heating cooker.

  First, the operation mode switching operation will be described. When the “fine adjustment” switch in the mode changeover switch 9a shown in FIG. 2 is pressed by the user, the changeover information is transmitted from the mode changeover switch 9a to the control device 25. The control device 25 that has received the switching information sets the operation mode to the fine adjustment mode. Similarly, when the “normal” switch in the mode switch 9a is pressed by the user, the control device 25 sets the operation mode to the normal mode.

  Next, the heating power adjustment operation and the heating power output display operation of the induction heating cooker 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

(S11)
When the user operates the power switch 13 installed on the front surface of the main body 1 and the induction heating cooker 100 is turned on, the process proceeds to step S12. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, in the standby state where the induction heating cooker 100 is turned on and the induction heating operation is not performed, the left heating port heating power display unit 7 is The display windows 7a for the thermal power levels “1” to “3” in the low thermal power area are green, the thermal power levels “4” and “5” in the medium thermal power area are orange, and the thermal power level “6” in the large thermal power area. "-8" display windows 7a are lit in red.
In addition, the lighting color of the left heating port heating power display part 7 in a standby state is not limited to the color shown above, It is good also as what lights up with another color.

(S12)
The user places an object to be heated such as a pan on the left heating port 3 and presses the left heating port operation dial 11a. The left heating port operation dial 11a transmits operation information including the content of the start of the heating operation to the control device 25. Based on the operation information, the control device 25 causes the inverter circuit 23 and the heating coil 21 to start an induction heating operation on the object to be heated placed on the left heating port 3 via the drive circuit 24.

(S13)
At the time of the first heating operation immediately after the power is turned on, the control device 25 controls the heating operation so that the operation mode is the normal mode and the heating power level is “5” (1000 W) as a default setting. Specifically, the control device 25 controls the thermal power output for the object to be heated, which is calculated based on the output current detected by the output current detection means 26, to be the thermal power level “5” (1000 W). At this time, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the control device 25 displays “left IH 1000 W” on the central LCD 6, and further, the thermal power levels “1” to “5” in the left heating port thermal power display unit 7. The display window 7a is turned red, and the display windows 7a having the thermal power levels “6” to “8” are turned blue so that they are lighter than the lighting state in the standby state.
Note that the lighting color of the left heating port heating power display unit 7 in the heating operation state is not limited to the color shown above, and may be turned on with other colors.

(S14)
The user operates the left heating port operation dial 11a in order to adjust the thermal power output to the object to be heated to a desired amount.

(S15)
The control device 25 determines whether the current operation mode is the fine adjustment mode or the normal mode. As a result of this determination, if the operation mode is the fine adjustment mode, the process proceeds to step S16. On the other hand, when the operation mode is the normal mode, the process proceeds to step S17.

(S16)
In the fine adjustment mode, when the user performs a one-click operation of the left heating port operation dial 11a in the plus direction, the control device 25 increases the thermal power output by 10 W when the thermal power level is “1” to “3”, for example. When the thermal power levels are “4” and “5”, the thermal power is increased by 50 W, and when the thermal power levels are “6” to “8”, the thermal power output is increased by 100 W. On the other hand, when the user performs a one-click operation of the left heating port operation dial 11a in the minus direction by the user, for example, in the case of the thermal power level “1” to “3”, the control device 25 decreases the thermal power output by 10 W. In the case of “4” and “5”, the thermal power is decreased by 50 W, and in the case of the thermal power levels “6” to “8”, the thermal power output is decreased by 100 W. FIG. 5B shows the display state of the central LCD 6 and the lighting state of the left heating port heating power display section 7 when the user clicks the left heating port operation dial 11a four times in the plus direction. . In this case, the control device 25 displays “left IH 1200 W” on the central LCD 6. At this time, since the thermal power output has not reached 1500 W corresponding to the thermal power level “6”, the control device 25 keeps the lighting state of the left heating port heating power display unit 7 in the same lighting state as in step S13.

FIG. 5C shows the display state of the central LCD 6 when the user further clicks the left heating port operation dial 11a six times in the plus direction, and the lighting of the left heating port heating power display unit 7 Indicates the state. In this case, the control device 25 displays “left IH 1500 W” on the central LCD 6. At this time, since the thermal power output has reached 1500 W corresponding to the thermal power level “6”, the control device 25 turns the display windows 7a of the thermal power levels “1” to “6” in the left heating port thermal power display unit 7 red, Then, the display windows 7a having the thermal power levels “7” and “8” are lit in blue, brighter than the lighting state in the standby state.
Note that the lighting color of the left heating port heating power display unit 7 in the heating operation state is not limited to the color shown above, and may be turned on with other colors.

(S17)
In the normal mode, when the user performs a one-click operation of the left heating port operation dial 11a in the plus direction by the user, the control device 25 increases the thermal power level by one for the thermal power output. Here, the control device 25 increases the thermal power output so that the thermal power output is changed from the thermal power level “5” (1000 W) to the thermal power level “6” (1500 W). In this case, the control device 25 displays “left IH 1500 W” on the central LCD 6, and further displays the display windows 7 a of the thermal power levels “1” to “6” in the left heating port thermal power display unit 7 in red and thermal power The display windows 7a of the levels “7” and “8” are lit in blue, brighter than the lighting state in the standby state. On the other hand, when the user performs a one-click operation of the left heating port operation dial 11a in the minus direction by the user, the control device 25 decreases the thermal power level by one for the thermal power output. Here, the control device 25 decreases the thermal power output so that the thermal power output is changed from the thermal power level “5” (1000 W) to the thermal power level “4” (750 W). In this case, the control device 25 displays “left IH 750 W” on the central LCD 6, and further displays the display windows 7 a of the heating power levels “1” to “4” in the left heating port heating power display unit 7 in red, and the heating power The display windows 7a of levels “5” to “8” are lit in blue, brighter than the lighting state in the standby state.

  As described above, when the left heating port operation dial 11a is operated, the heating power output is increased or decreased according to the operation mode, and the heating power output is displayed.

  As described above, the heating power output of the object to be heated placed on the left heating port 3 is adjusted by operating the left heating port operation dial 11a, and the central LCD 6 and the left heating port heating power display unit 7 are adjusted. Although the operation of displaying the thermal power output is shown in FIG. 5, the same operation is performed on the object to be heated placed on the right heating port 4 by operating the right heating port operation dial 11 b. In this case, the thermal power output may be displayed on the central LCD 6 and the right heating port thermal power display unit 8. Thus, for example, in cooking at the left heating port 3, cooking that requires fine adjustment of the thermal power output by the fine adjustment mode is performed, and in cooking at the right heating port 4, by roughly adjusting the thermal power output by the normal mode As in the case of performing cooking, the operation mode can be individually set according to the cooking mode of each heating port, and the usability in cooking can be improved.

  In addition, the operation mode is switched by operating the mode switch 9a. However, by operating the mode switch 9a, the left heating port 3 and the right heating port 4 can be switched to a common operation mode. Alternatively, the mode switching switch may be installed independently for the left heating port 3 and the right heating port 4, and the operation mode may be switched individually by each heating port.

  Further, as described above, the control device 25 is configured to display the calculated value of the thermal power output on the central LCD 6, but is not limited to this. For example, the heating operation in the left heating port 3 is being performed. In such a case, it is possible to display on the left LCD 6a, and to display on the right LCD 6b when the heating operation is being performed in the right heating port 4. In this case, the left LCD 6a and the right LCD 6b correspond to “display means” of the present invention.

(Effect of Embodiment 1)
Based on the output current detected by the output current detection means, even when the actual thermal power output varies depending on the material or shape of the heated object such as a pan, even with the same thermal power setting as in the above configuration and operation. Since the calculated thermal power output for the object to be heated is displayed, the actual thermal power output can be confirmed.
Moreover, since the actual thermal power output value is displayed on the LCD, the user can grasp the accurate thermal power output value and can confirm the appropriateness for the heating operation of the pan as the object to be heated.
Moreover, since the actual thermal power output is displayed by the LED display in the thermal power display unit, the degree of adjustment of the thermal power output can be visually grasped.
In addition, when the heating operation is being performed, the user is performing the heating operation by lighting it brighter than the lighting state of the LCD of the thermal power display unit in the standby state where the heating operation is not performed. Can be easily confirmed, and the thermal power output can be easily recognized.
Furthermore, in addition to the normal mode for switching the thermal power level, the thermal power output can be finely adjusted even at the same thermal power level by the fine adjustment mode. Heating operation can be performed.

  In the above configuration, the left heating port operation dial 11a and the right heating port operation dial 11b have been described as the operation means for adjusting the heating power output in the normal mode and the fine adjustment mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, for example, an operation switch having an up / down key may be replaced.

  1 Main Body, 2 Top Plate, 3 Left Heating Port, 4 Right Heating Port, 5 Center Heating Port, 6 Center LCD, 6a Left LCD, 6b Right LCD, 7 Left Heating Port Thermal Power Display, 7a Display Window, 8 Right Heating Port Thermal power display unit, 9 upper surface operation unit, 9a mode changeover switch, 10 exhaust port, 11a left heating port operation dial, 11b right heating port operation dial, 12 grill unit, 13 power switch, 21 heating coil, 22 resonance capacitor, 23 inverter Circuit, 24 drive circuit, 25 control device, 26 output current detection means, 100 induction heating cooker.

Claims (8)

A heating coil for inductively heating an object to be heated;
Output current detection means for detecting a current flowing through the heating coil (hereinafter referred to as “output current”);
Thermal power adjustment operation means for adjusting the thermal power output for the object to be heated;
An operation mode switching operation means for switching the operation mode;
Display means for displaying the thermal power output;
A control device for controlling the induction heating operation by the heating coil;
With
The controller is
Based on the switching information for switching the operation mode received from the operation mode switching operation means, the operation mode is switched,
When the operation mode is the fine adjustment mode, the thermal power output is increased or decreased smaller than the operation mode when the operation mode is the normal mode by a predetermined operation amount by the thermal power adjustment operation unit, and the operation mode is the normal mode. In some cases, the thermal power output is greatly increased or decreased by the predetermined operation amount by the thermal power adjustment operation means than in the case where the operation mode is the fine adjustment mode,
The induction heating cooker, wherein the heating power output is calculated based on the output current detected by the output current detection means, and the calculated heating power output is displayed on the display means. The induction heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays the thermal power output calculated by the control device as a thermal power level divided into stages. The induction heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display means displays the value of the thermal power output calculated by the control device. The display means includes
An LED device is provided to display the thermal power level,
The induction heating cooker according to claim 2, wherein when the heating operation by the heating coil is performed, the LED device is lit brighter than a standby state in which the heating operation is not performed. When the operation mode is set to the normal mode, the adjustment operation of the heating power output in the heating power adjustment operation unit is performed by switching for each heating power level. The induction heating cooker described. When the operation mode is set to the fine adjustment mode, the thermal power output adjustment operation in the thermal power adjustment operation means is performed by increasing or decreasing an amount smaller than the thermal power output difference between the thermal power levels. 6. The induction heating cooker according to claim 2, 4 or 5. The heating coils are respectively disposed below the plurality of heating ports,
The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the operation mode switching operation means enables the operation mode switching operation individually for a plurality of the heating coils. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heating power setting operation means is an operation dial configured by an encoder knob.

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