JP2015023906A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker having a rice cooking process which improves the taste of cooked brown rice.SOLUTION: The rice cooker includes: a pot for storing a material to be heated; a heating part for heating the pot; a temperature detection part for detecting the temperature of the pot; and a control part for subjecting the heating part to heat control. The control part includes an immersion heating control part which performs heating control so as to make the pot for storing brown rice as a material to be heated and water in which the brown rice is immersed is at almost 90°C or higher during at least part of the period of the immersion process when receiving an indication to start a brown rice cooking process including the immersion process and the subsequent boiling process.

Description

  The present invention relates to a rice cooker, and more particularly to a rice cooker having a rice cooking function for brown rice.

  Brown rice is rich in nutrients including various minerals, and contains functional ingredients that are antioxidants such as γ-aminobutyric acid, inositol, ferulic acid, vitamin E, and phytic acid, which are amino acids. It has attracted attention in recent years.

  When brown rice is cooked, the whole hull is cooked and eaten, so it is difficult to eat for those who can eat white rice. The rice cooker which improved this point is disclosed by patent document 1 (Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2009-232924), for example. The rice cooker of patent document 1 (Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2009-232924) has the brown rice rice cooking course with the pre-processing process for brown rice, and this pre-processing process is higher than the gelatinization temperature of rice, It is characterized by comprising a high temperature water immersion process for destroying the seed coat and a low temperature water immersion process which is set in the subsequent stage and which is lower than the gelatinization temperature of the rice and which encourages the brown rice where the seed coat has been destroyed to infiltrate.

  Moreover, patent document 2 (Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2006-15033) discloses another rice cooker having a brown rice rice cooking function. According to this rice cooker, by providing an inner lid between the steam heating means and the rice, it is possible to block the radiant heat from the steam heating means and make the rice less likely to be burned or dried. Even when cooking rice, the steam temperature can be raised sufficiently by reducing the burning and drying of the rice, the steam input in the steaming process is raised to a high temperature with respect to white rice, and gelatinization is performed by adding heat energy and moisture Make progress.

  Moreover, the rice cooker of patent document 3 (Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2009-5595) has the pre-processing process only for brown rice, in order to increase GABA and a functional component in brown rice. Specifically, after exposure to a high temperature up to 80 ° C., exposure to a low temperature of 40 ° C. has confirmed an increase in functional components.

  Further, Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-257966) and Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-219674) also disclose rice cookers with improved rice cooking functions.

  Germinated brown rice has attracted attention along with brown rice due to the growing health-consciousness. Non-Patent Document 1 (Agricultural Facility Volume 30 No. 1 19966.6.p1-10), Patent Document 6 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-65642), Patent Document 7 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-93097) are related to germination of brown rice. No. 1), Patent Document 8 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-245786), Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-5795), and the like.

JP 2009-232924 A JP 2006-15033 A JP 2009-5795 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-257966 JP 2009-219674 A JP 2005-65642 A JP 2000-93097 A JP 2001-245786 A

Agricultural facilities Vol.30 No.1 19966.6. p1-10

  The objective of this invention is providing the rice cooker which has the rice cooking process which can improve the taste of cooked rice of brown rice.

  A rice cooker according to an aspect of the present invention controls heating of a kettle for containing an object to be heated, a heating unit for heating the kettle, a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the kettle, and the heating unit. A control unit, and when the control unit receives an instruction to start the brown rice cooking process including the dipping process and the subsequent boiling process, at least part of the dipping process, An immersion heating control unit is included that controls heating so that a pot that contains certain brown rice and water for immersing the brown rice becomes approximately 90 degrees or more.

Preferably, the first half of the dipping process includes at least a part of the period.
Preferably, the immersion heating control unit raises the temperature of the kettle to a substantially boiling temperature in the soaking process, and performs heating control so that the kettle becomes approximately 90 degrees or more during at least a part of the subsequent soaking process.

Preferably, the substantially latter half of the dipping process includes at least a part of the period.
Preferably, the rice cooker further includes a stirring unit for stirring the heated object in the kettle and a stirring body control unit for controlling the stirring unit, and the stirring control unit drives the stirring unit in the dipping process. .

  Preferably, a rotating body having a stirring unit is further provided. The rotating body is attached to the upper part of the rice cooker body in which the kettle is accommodated so that it can be opened and closed, and can be closed so as to cover the kettle, when the lid is closed with respect to the rice cooker body. It is attached to the surface facing the object to be heated inside and can be rotated while attached to the lid, and the rotating body can store and deploy the stirring unit, and the stirring control unit Further, the development of the part from the rotating body and the storage in the rotating body are further controlled, and the stirring control unit is driven in a state where the stirring unit is deployed from the rotating body during at least a part of the dipping process.

  Preferably, when the immersion heating control unit raises the temperature of the kettle to a substantially boiling temperature in the dipping step and controls the heating so that the boiling temperature becomes approximately 90 degrees or more and less than the boiling temperature in at least a part of the subsequent period, the stirring control unit When the object to be heated shows a boiling state, the stirring unit is driven in a state of being housed in the rotating body.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a heating unit of a rice cooker receives a start instruction of a brown rice cooking process including a dipping process of immersing brown rice in water in a kettle and a subsequent boiling process; When the start instruction is received, the method includes heating control so that the kettle containing brown rice and water for immersing the brown rice becomes approximately 90 degrees or more in at least a part of the dipping process.

  According to the present invention, in at least a part of the dipping process, by controlling the heating so that the pot that contains the brown rice that is the object to be heated and the water for dipping the brown rice is approximately 90 degrees or more, The taste of cooked rice can be improved.

It is the schematic perspective view which looked at the rice cooker which concerns on this Embodiment from diagonally upward. It is a schematic perspective view of the rice cooker of the state which opened the cover which concerns on this Embodiment. It is the schematic which looked at the rotary body which concerns on this Embodiment from the inner hook side. It is a schematic perspective view for demonstrating the stirring state of the 1st, 2nd stirring body which concerns on this Embodiment. It is the schematic top view which looked at the rice cooker which concerns on this Embodiment from upper direction. It is an enlarged view of the liquid crystal display part which concerns on this Embodiment. It is the schematic of the cross section which cut the rice cooker which concerns on this Embodiment with the vertical surface. It is a block diagram showing the outline | summary of the structure of the control system of the rice cooker which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a block diagram showing the detail of the main control system in the control system structure of FIG. It is a block diagram showing the detail of the sub control system in the control structure of FIG. It is a figure which shows the timing chart of the rice cooking process which concerns on this Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a heating sequence according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the rice cooking process which concerns on this Embodiment 1 in contrast with the conventional rice cooking process. It is a figure which shows the experimental result of the taste which concerns on this Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the rice cooking process which concerns on this Embodiment 2 in contrast with the conventional typical rice cooking process. It is a flowchart of the heating sequence which concerns on this Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a figure explaining the stirring aspect which concerns on this Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a figure explaining the rice cooking process which concerns on this Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a flowchart of the heating sequence which concerns on this Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a figure explaining the change of the dissolved oxygen amount which concerns on this Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a figure explaining the effect of the germination promotion which concerns on this Embodiment 3. FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same.

<Device configuration>
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the rice cooker 100 with the lid open.

  With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the rice cooker 100 contains the rice cooker main body 1 and the cover body 2 attached to the rice cooker main body 1 so that opening and closing was possible. The rice cooker body 1 is located below the lid 2. The lid 2 is attached to the upper part of the rice cooker body 1 so as to be openable and closable, and has a shape that can be closed so as to cover the upper opening of the inner pot 7 accommodated in the rice cooker body 1.

  An open button 3 for opening the lid 2 is arranged on the front surface of the rice cooker body 1. A power cord 47 is disposed on the rear surface of the rice cooker body 1. Most of the power cord 47 is wound around a cord reel (not shown) in the rice cooker body 1 so that it can be pulled out.

  A liquid crystal display unit 5 for displaying how to cook or a cooking name and a plurality of operation switches 6 are arranged on the front part of the upper surface of the lid 2, and the operation switch 6 further has an LED for indicating an operation state. A (Light Emitting Diode) indicator 61 is provided. The operation switch 6 may be a switch that accepts a physical operation (such as pressing) or may be a capacitive touch key. When the operation switch 6 is a capacitive touch key, a backlight of the touch key may be used instead of the indicator 61. The liquid crystal display unit 5 is an example of a display unit.

  A steam discharge port 2 a for discharging steam in the inner pot 7 (FIG. 2) corresponding to a pot for storing an object to be heated such as rice is provided at the rear part of the upper surface of the lid 2. . The steam outlet 2a corresponds to a steam cylinder 22a described later.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the rice cooker body 1 stores an inner pot 7 for storing a heated object such as rice or water as an example of the heated object.

  A locked portion 8 is provided at the front portion of the upper surface of the rice cooker body 1, and a locking portion 23 is provided at the front portion of the lower surface of the lid 2. The locking portion 23 is releasably locked to the locked portion 8.

In the rice cooker body 1, a lid lock portion 9 for locking the lid 2 is provided.
The lid 2 includes an outer lid 21a positioned on the side opposite to the inner hook 7 when the lid 2 is closed, and an inner lid 22 positioned on the inner hook 7 when the lid 2 is closed. .

  A rotation motor 24 is installed in the outer lid 21a. A connecting shaft (not shown) is rotatably installed in the central portion of the outer lid 21a, and the rotational driving force generated by the rotary motor 24 is used as a pulley (not shown) or a timing belt 21 (not shown) described later. Receiving and rotating through.

  A rotating body 25 is rotatably disposed between the rice cooker body 1 and the lid body 2 and is detachably attached to the lid body 2. The rotating body 25 is rotatably attached to the hook side of the lid body 2. More specifically, one end of the rotating shaft 29 protrudes from the portion of the rotating body 25 on the lid 2 side (see FIG. 4). One end of the rotating shaft 29 is detachably connected to the connecting shaft of the outer lid 21a, and rotates integrally with the connecting shaft. The rotating shaft 29 is rotatable with respect to the rotating body 25.

  First and second stirring rods 26A and 26B (representatively referred to as stirring rod 26) are attached to the rotating body 25. The first and second stirring rods 26A and 26B are adjacent to the rotating body 25 in the radial direction and are deployed so as to be in contact with the rice in the inner pot 7 and can be stirred. It is possible to switch between a stowed state in which stirring is impossible due to separation from rice in the pot 7 and a semi-deployed state that is an intermediate position between both states. That is, each of the first and second stirring rods 26A and 26B has one end rotatably attached to the rotating body 25, and the other end (tips 19a and 19b described later) is the rotating body. The state can be switched, such as unfolding away from 25 or being stored as shown in FIG. Here, specifically, the first and second stirring rods 26A, 26B have a twin blade shape, and are an example of a stirring unit in the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the rotating body 25 viewed from the inner hook 7 side.
The rotating body 25 has a lid side member 27 and an inner hook side member 28 detachably attached to the surface of the lid side member 27 on the inner hook 7 side. Between the lid-side member 27 and the inner hook-side member 28, the first and second stirring body / bevel gears 30, the first stirring body gears 31A, 32A, 33A, the second stirring body gear 31B, 32B and 33B are arranged. The rotational drive of the rotary shaft 29 is transmitted to the first agitator rotating shaft 34A via the first and second agitator / umbrella gears 30 and the first agitator gears 31A, 32A, 33A, It is transmitted to the second agitator rotating shaft 34B via the second agitator / umbrella gear 30 and the second agitator gears 31B, 32B, 33B. As a result, when the rotating shaft 29 rotates, the first and second stirring rods 26A and 26B are rotated about the first and second stirring body rotating shafts 34A and 34B. 4 shows a state in which the stirring rod 26 is housed in the rotating body 25 (hereinafter also referred to as the housing state), a state in which the stirring rod 26 is unfolded from the rotating body 25 (hereinafter also referred to as the unfolded state) shown in FIG. It is possible to switch between a state and a semi-deployed state that is an intermediate position of the storage state.

  In addition, in FIG. 4, illustration of the rice cooker main body 1 and the cover body 2 is abbreviate | omitted so that 1st, 2nd stirring rod 26A, 26B can be visually recognized.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the rice cooker 100 as viewed from above.
Referring to FIG. 5, a liquid crystal display unit 5 as an example of a display unit and a plurality of operation switches 6 arranged so as to surround liquid crystal display unit 5 are provided on the front part of the upper surface of lid 2. Yes. A later-described main processing unit (CPU) 10a has a function of an instruction receiving unit that inputs an instruction indicated by an operation content from a user operation of the operation switch 6.

  The operation switch 6 includes a heat retention / cancellation switch 6A, a dish selection switch 6B, a rice selection switch 6C, a rice cooking / start switch 6D, and a rice washing switch 6E for instructing rice washing using stirring by the stirring rod 26. , Reservation switch 6F, downward switch 6G, and upward switch 6H. The operation switches 6A to 6H are provided with LED indicators 61A to 61H, respectively.

  The heat retention / cancellation switch 6A is a switch for instructing the start of the heat retention or the cancellation of the started cooking or selected contents, and indicates that the heat retention state is present when the LED indicator 61A is lit.

  The dish selection switch 6B is a switch for selecting a cooking menu to be executed from the cooking menu stored in advance, and the cooking menu is selected in a predetermined order each time it is pressed. The LED indicator 61B is lit, indicating that the cooking menu has been selected.

  The rice cooking selection switch 6C is a switch for selecting a rice cooking menu to be executed from pre-stored rice cooking menus, and each time the button is pressed, the rice cooking menu is selected in a predetermined order. The LED indicator 61C is lit, indicating that the rice cooking menu is selected. The rice cooking menu includes brown rice cooking and germinated brown rice cooking.

  The rice cooking / start switch 6D is a switch for instructing the start of a cooking sequence corresponding to a rice cooking menu, a cooking menu, a rice washing menu, which will be described later, or a set time, and is pressed to select the cooking sequence or first. The start of heating control (cooking start etc.) according to the program corresponding to the menu is instructed. When the LED indicator 61D is lit, this indicates that the rice cooking menu, cooking menu, or rice washing menu is being executed.

  The rice washing switch 6E is a switch for selecting a rice washing menu which is an operation menu for washing the rice stored in the inner pot 7 with water. The LED indicator 61E is lit to indicate that the rice washing menu is selected.

  The reservation switch 6F is a switch for instructing the start reservation of the rice cooking menu, the cooking menu, the rice washing menu, and the like, and accepts the time (reservation time) until the start of the previously selected menu when pressed. It becomes a state. The fact that the LED indicator 61F is lit indicates that the start of the rice cooking menu, cooking menu, rice washing menu, etc. is reserved.

  The down direction switch 6G and the up direction switch 6H are switches for instructing to send the selected content and set time forward or backward (forward feed, backward feed). The LED indicators 61G and 61H are lit to indicate that a post-feed operation or a post-feed operation is being performed.

  FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the liquid crystal display unit 5 and shows all characters and figures that can be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 5.

  The liquid crystal display unit 5 includes a rice display unit 5a for displaying the type of rice, a cooking display unit 5b for displaying how to cook rice, a cooking display unit 5c for displaying a cooking menu, and a rotation. To display the internal state display unit 5d for displaying the stirring state in the inner pot 7 by the body 25 and the first and second stirring rods 26A, 26B, the time display unit 5e, and the operation state of the operation switch 6 Operation state display section 5f.

  As an example, the rice display unit 5a displays one of “white rice”, “washless rice”, “brown rice”, “germinated brown rice”, and “split rice”.

  As an example, the cooking method display portion 5b includes “rice”, “superior”, “oisagi”, “cooking”, “rice porridge”, “gomi-gayu”, “curry”, “small amount”, “grill” ”,“ Sushimeshi ”and“ Eco-cooked rice ”are displayed.

  As an example, the cooking display unit 5c displays one of “boiled food”, “stew”, “steamed food”, “confectionery”, “my menu”, “reservation 1”, and “reservation 2”.

  The display of the rice display unit 5a, the cooking method display unit 5b, and the cooking display unit 5c changes according to the operation of the operation switch 6.

  The display of the internal state display unit 5d changes according to the state of the rotating body 25 and the first and second stirring rods 26A and 26B.

The display of the time display part 5e changes with progress of time or a cooking process.
The operation state display unit 5f displays that the operation with the operation switch 6 is in an invalid state.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a cross section of the rice cooker 100 cut along a vertical plane.
In FIG. 7, the rice cooker body 10 is set with an inner pot 7 containing rice and water. Around the inner hook 7, an IH heater 12 and a heater 15 for heating, a power supply device 13 a, and a temperature sensor 15 a for detecting the temperature of the inner hook 7 are provided. The timing belt 21 is a mechanism built in the fixed inner lid 28a, which is a twin blade mechanism 20a (see FIGS. 3 and 4) for switching the development and storage of the stirring rod 26, and steam from the inner hook 7 is used. A steam cylinder 22a for discharging is provided. The inner pot 7 contains rice and water, which are the object to be heated 23a, and is stirred by the stirring rod 26 in a developed state. Note that, instead of the IH heater 12, a hot plate heater, a heating unit using microwaves may be provided, or these may be combined.

  In the present embodiment, the inner pot 7 has a two-layer structure of outer stainless steel and inner aluminum, and a 3 mm thick one with fluorine coating on the inner side is used. On the inner wall surface of the inner pot 7, a rice cooking line indicating the amount of storage of the object to be heated is printed. The user adds water to this scale line depending on the total number of cooked rice. In the state where the inner pot 7 containing the object to be heated is set in the rice cooker main body 1, the inner pot 7 is heated by energizing the IH heater 12 arranged on the side surface from the bottom surface of the main body, and the object to be heated is heated. Being cooked. The temperature of the inner pot 7 is adjusted by a main CPU 10a (described later) receiving a temperature detected by a temperature sensor 15a disposed at the bottom of the pot, and outputting a heating control signal to the IH heater 12, which operates according to the heating control signal. .

  The twin blade mechanism 20a is a mechanism for operating the rotating mechanism by the rotating body 25 attached to the fixed inner lid 28a holding the stirring rod 26 via the timing belt 21, and is related to a rotating body control unit described later. Provided. The twin blade mechanism 20a is a functional mechanism that rotates the rotating body 25, expands the stirring rod 26 when the rotating body 25 rotates to the right, and retracts when the counterclockwise rotation is applied.

  The fixed inner lid 28a is attached to the lid 2 by a magnet so that the user can remove it, and can be removed and washed after cooking. The fixed inner lid 28a is configured to seal the inner pot 7 with the lid 2 closed, and has a small hole (not shown) on the surface so that steam can be exhausted when boiling. .

  The CPU 10a controls the heating of the IH heater 12 and the development / development of the stirring rod 26 by a program stored in advance based on an operation command input by the user via the operation switch 6 and a temperature detection signal input from the temperature sensor 15a. Storage switching control is performed.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the control system of the rice cooker 100.

  Referring to FIG. 8, the control system of rice cooker 100 is broadly divided into a main control system on the lid 2 side and a sub-control system on the rice cooker body 1 side. The main control system on the lid 2 side includes a main CPU 10a, and the sub control system on the rice cooker body 1 side includes a sub CPU 10b.

  In addition to controlling each function included in the main control system, the main CPU 10a outputs a control signal to a sub CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10b to cause the sub CPU 10b to control each function included in the sub control system. . The sub CPU 10b outputs various signals to the main CPU 10a.

  The main CPU 10a and the sub CPU 10b are electrically separated (insulated). Therefore, the communication units 54a and 54b for exchanging the signal between the main CPU 10a and the sub CPU 10b perform wireless communication using a photocoupler as an example.

  The main control system includes a power supply circuit 50a, and the sub control system includes power supply circuits 50b and 50c. The AC power supplied from the commercial power source 470 corresponding to the power supply device 13a via the power cord 47 (not shown) included in the rice cooker body 1 is brought to the power circuits 50b and 50c of the sub-control system.

  The sub-control system power supply circuit 50c converts the supplied AC power into DC power and supplies it to the sub CPU 10b. The sub-control system power supply circuit 50b is a power supply circuit for supplying power to the main control system. After the supplied AC power is converted into DC power, it is converted into AC power for supply to the main control system and insulated. Pass to the transformer 40. The AC power is transformed by the insulation transformer 40 and then input to the power circuit 50a of the main control system. The main control system power supply circuit 50a converts the input AC power into DC power and supplies it to the main CPU 10a. That is, the power supply circuit 50a and the power supply circuit 50b are electrically insulated by the insulating transformer 40, and transmit electric energy from the power supply circuit 50a to the power supply circuit 50b by electromagnetic induction.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing details of the main control system in the control system configuration of FIG. For the sake of explanation, the configuration of the sub-control system is also illustrated.

  Referring to FIG. 9, the main control system includes a main CPU 10a. The main CPU 10a operates with power supplied from the power supply circuit 50a.

  The main CPU 10a is electrically connected to a ROM (Read Only Memory) 11a and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 12a which are memories for storing programs executed in the main CPU 10a and various data.

  The main CPU 10a further includes a communication unit 54a, a liquid crystal display unit 5, an operation switch 6, an LED indicator 61, a buzzer 14 for notification, a timer 16 for timing a reservation timer and a rice cooking process, an attachment / detachment detection unit 55, The motor drive circuit 57 and the lid open / close detection unit 56 are electrically connected. The main CPU 10a collates the time measurement data from the timer 16 with predetermined time data for the rice cooking process, and controls the execution of the rice cooking process based on the collation result.

  The main CPU 10a selects and executes a corresponding program by receiving an operation signal input from the operation switch 6. The main CPU 10a controls the display on the liquid crystal display unit 5, lighting / extinguishing of the LED indicator 61, and ringing of the buzzer 14 by executing a program. Moreover, the control signal for controlling the structure used as a control object based on execution of the said program among each part contained in a sub control system is passed to the communication part 54a, and it outputs with respect to sub CPU10b. The rotating body control unit also functions as an agitation control unit that operates in conjunction with the rotating body 25 to control the agitation operation (development / accommodation, agitation speed) of the agitation rod 26.

  The motor drive circuit 57 is a mechanism for driving the rotary motor 24 related to the rotating body 25. The main CPU 10a has a function of a rotating body control unit that controls the motor driving circuit 57 so as to drive the rotating motor 24 at a necessary timing and with a necessary driving amount in accordance with the execution of the program. Note that a detection signal from a lid opening / closing detection unit 56, which will be described later, is also input to the motor drive circuit 57, and the rotation motor 24 may be driven / not driven in response to the detection signal.

  The motor drive circuit 57 applies a voltage according to the control signal from the main CPU 10a to the rotary motor 24. An output shaft (not shown) of the rotary motor 24 is connected to the rotary shaft 29 of the rotating body 25, and the rotational speed of the output shaft is set in proportion to the voltage applied to the rotary motor 24. When the same voltage is applied to the rotating motor 24, if the load (torque) increases, in other words, if the load on the rotating body 25 increases, the rotational speed of the output shaft decreases accordingly, while the rotating motor The current supplied to 24 increases in proportion.

  The attachment / detachment detection unit 55 is a mechanism for detecting attachment / detachment of the rotating body 25 configured to be attachable / detachable to / from the lid body 2. The lid open / close detection unit 56 is a mechanism for detecting the open / closed state of the lid 2 with respect to the rice cooker body 1.

  Further, in addition to the configuration of FIG. 9, a mechanism for detecting the state of the stirring rod 26 with respect to the rotating body 25 (deployed state, semi-deployed state, stored state) may be included. The configuration of this mechanism is not limited to a specific configuration. For example, a sensor may be used, and the state of the stirring rod 26 may be determined by determining the amount of rotation based on the pulse signal of the rotary motor 24. May be detected.

These detection signals are input to the main CPU 10a and used for control as necessary.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing details of a sub-control system in the control configuration of FIG. For the sake of explanation, the structure of the main control system is also shown.

  Referring to FIG. 10, the sub control system includes a sub CPU 10b. The sub CPU 10b operates by receiving power supply from the power supply circuit 50c.

The sub CPU 10b includes a synchronization detector 43, an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) 45, a current transformer 59, and a relay 51a.
51b, an oscillation circuit 52 for generating a pulse signal, a lid lock drive unit 44, a fan drive circuit 58, a temperature detection circuit 41, and a reset circuit 53 for performing reset control are electrically connected.

  The power line from the commercial power source 470 is connected to the rectifier circuit 48 via the relay 51c. A current transformer 59 is connected between the commercial power supply 470 and the rectifier circuit 48. The current transformer 59 detects a current flowing through the power line and outputs a detection value to the sub CPU 10b.

  Capacitors 46 and 49 are connected to the rectifier circuit 48 via the choke coil 42, and the induction coil 4 c is connected to the capacitor 46 in parallel. The electric power converted into direct current by the rectifier circuit 48 is supplied to the induction coil 4 c through the smoothing circuit including the choke coil 42 and the capacitor 49. The capacitor 46 and the induction coil 4c are connected to the sub CPU 10b via the IGBT 45.

  Furthermore, the power line from the commercial power source 470 is connected to the lid heater 4a and the heat retaining heater 4b via the diodes D1 and D2, and power is supplied to these heaters. Relays 51a and 51b are connected to a power supply path to the lid heater 4a and the heat retaining heater 4b. Relays 51a and 51b are turned ON / OFF in response to a control signal from sub CPU 10b. The relays 51a and 51b constitute an “opening / closing device” capable of interrupting the power supply path to the lid heater 4a and the heat retaining heater 4b.

  A communication unit 54b is further electrically connected to the sub CPU 10b. The communication unit 54b receives a control signal from the main CPU 10a and controls each unit according to the control signal. The sub CPU 10b controls ON / OFF of the IGBT 45 in accordance with a control signal from the main CPU 10a, thereby variably changing the energization rate (Duty ratio) of the induction coil 4c so that the heating amount by the IH heater 12 changes. To do. At this time, the synchronization detection unit 43 extracts a synchronization signal from the AC power supplied from the commercial power supply 470 and inputs it to the sub CPU 10b. The sub CPU 10b controls ON / OFF of the IGBT 45 at a timing based on the synchronization signal.

  Further, the sub CPU 10b controls the heating and heat retention in the lid heater 4a and the heat retaining heater 4b by controlling ON / OFF of the relays 51a and 51b in accordance with a control signal from the main CPU 10a.

  The lid lock drive unit 44 is a mechanism for driving the lid lock unit 9, and the sub CPU 10b controls the lid lock drive unit 44 to lock / unlock the lid lock unit 9 according to a control signal from the main CPU 10a.

  The fan drive circuit 58 is a mechanism for driving the cooling fan 13 that cools the heat generated by the induction coil 4c, and the sub CPU 10b controls the fan drive circuit 58 to drive the cooling fan 13 in accordance with a control signal from the main CPU 10a. To do.

  The temperature detection circuit 41 detects the temperature based on the sensor signal from the temperature sensor 15a, and inputs the detection signal to the sub CPU 10b. The sub CPU 10b converts the detection signal into digital data and outputs it to the main CPU 10a. Thereby, the main CPU 10a acquires temperature data indicating the temperature of the inner pot 7 measured by the temperature sensor 15a from the input digital data.

The relay 51c cuts off the supply of power supplied from the commercial power source 470 to the lid heater 4a, the heat retaining heater 4b, and the induction coil 4c. The exciting coil of the relay 51c is connected to the main CPU 10a of the main control system. When power is supplied from the main CPU 10a to the exciting coil, the contact of the relay 51c is closed (OFF). When the exciting coil is not energized, the contact is opened (ON) to the relay 51c. That is, the main CPU 10a of the main control system can perform control for directly shutting off the supply of power to the lid heater 4a, the heat retaining heater 4b, and the induction coil 4c according to the program to be executed.

  Here, the IH heater 12 related to the induction coil 4c corresponds to a heating unit for heating the inner pot 7 during cooking, but the lid heater 4a or the heat retaining heater 4b may also function as a heating unit.

In the following embodiments, the brown rice rice cooking process using the rice cooker 100 will be described.
[Embodiment 1]
<Operation>
In Embodiment 1, a brown rice rice cooking sequence will be described as a cooking sequence. This rice cooking sequence corresponds to a program for controlling the heating of the heating unit so that the temperature and heating time of the inner pot 7 change. The program has a function for controlling the heating unit so as to change the energization rate (Duty ratio) to the heating unit over time, and the program includes information on the heating time, the energization rate, the target temperature, and the like as parameters. Moreover, a rice cooking sequence includes the rice cooking process according to progress of cooking, and it is also called performing a rice cooking process that main CPU10a performs a sequence (program).

<Brown rice cooking process of Embodiment 1>
As is clear from the difference between new rice and old rice, it is important for the inventors to absorb rice with sufficient water before cooking, and the same applies to brown rice. Under the consideration that it is, the ease of water absorption was examined from the characteristics of brown rice. According to the study, brown rice has a bran layer (formed with `` glue layer '' and `` skin (seed coat and pericarp) '') on the surface of white rice, and this pericarp is rich in dietary fiber and contains insoluble cellulose. It was found that insoluble cellulose, which is hardly soluble in water, hinders the water absorption of brown rice. Therefore, the inventors have come to the knowledge that if the insoluble cellulose can be removed in the dipping process (that is, the water absorption process), the water absorption is promoted and cooked rice with excellent taste can be obtained. The inventors have found by experiment that when immersed in hot water at 60 ° C. or 80 ° C., there is no difference in the hardness of the outer skin, and that the insoluble cellulose begins to break down at a high temperature of about 90 ° C. or more. Obtained the observation that remarkable destruction starts at 92 ° C.

  Therefore, in Embodiment 1, the brown rice is heated at a high temperature in the dipping process. Thereby, insoluble cellulose is destroyed and water absorption is promoted. Moreover, the period of an immersion process and the period of a rice cooking process are shortened by making it easy to absorb water.

  The rice cooking process of brown rice is demonstrated with reference to FIG. In FIG. 11, (A) shows the temperature (unit: ° C.) change in the rice cooking process, and (B) shows the rotation speed (unit: rpm) of the rotating body 25 in the rice cooking process, in association with the common time axis. ) Shows the change, and (C) shows the effect (purpose) of the rotation of the rotating body 25. Times T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 are attached to the time axis for explanation.

  With reference to (A) of FIG. 11, in a rice cooking process, the heating process which accelerates | stimulates gelatinization of the immersion process (rice cooking process start-time T3) equivalent to the water absorption process of brown rice after that. The dipping process is a process for heating the inner pot 7 containing brown rice, which is an object to be heated, and water for dipping the brown rice. A heating process includes the cooking process (time T3-T4) to boiling, the boiling process (time T4-T6) which maintains a boiling state, and the steaming process (time T6-T7) in order of time. After finishing the steaming process, the process proceeds to a process for keeping the cooked cooked rice warm.

  FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of the rice cooking process according to the first embodiment. The said flowchart shows the program of the heating sequence for brown rice cooking, and the said program is stored in memory previously. The main CPU 10a obtains the amount of the object to be heated (the amount of brown rice) from the output of a weight sensor (not shown) or from a user operation input, and gives the program. The program acquires parameters including a duty ratio for energizing the IH heater 12 and times T1 to T7. For example, these parameters are calculated from a heated object amount (brown rice amount) using a predetermined arithmetic expression. Alternatively, a predetermined table is searched to acquire these parameters. In the heating sequence for brown rice cooking, the temperature of the inner pot 7 is set to (A) in FIG. 11 regardless of the amount of the heated object in the heating sequence for brown rice cooking by executing the rice cooking process based on the parameter determined according to the heated object amount (brown rice amount). Can be changed.

  First, the user puts a predetermined amount of brown rice after washing into the inner pot 7 taken out from the rice cooker body 1 and an amount of water corresponding to the amount of brown rice. The unit of the amount of brown rice is goo and koji, and 1 go corresponds to 150 g and 1 kaki corresponds to 1500 g. In the case of brown rice, more water is added than the same amount of white rice. Water is added according to the level line corresponding to the amount of brown rice printed on the inner wall surface of the inner pot 7.

  Thereafter, the inner pot 7 is set in the rice cooker body 1 and the lid 2 is closed. When the brown rice course is designated and the rice cooking / start switch 6D is operated, the main CPU 10a accepts the operation command.

  Based on the received operation command (step S3), the main CPU 10a reads a heating sequence program for brown rice cooking from the memory and executes the program. The main CPU 10a controls each part including the IH heater 12 according to the program, and the execution of the rice cooking process of FIG. 11A is started (step S5). The temperature sensor 15a is also activated simultaneously with the start of the rice cooking process, and the temperature of the inner pot 7 during the rice cooking process is detected. The main CPU 10a controls the duty ratio so as to maintain a constant temperature when the temperature hunts. When the main CPU 10a accepts the operation command (step S3), the inner hook 7 is set based on the detection data of the weight sensor, and the inner pot 7 containing the object to be heated is set. The rice cooking process may be started on the condition that it is determined.

  After starting the rice cooking process, the main CPU 10a determines whether or not the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 15a has reached approximately 100 ° C. (step S7), so that the temperature of the inner pot 7 reaches approximately 100 ° C. at time T1. The duty ratio of the heater 12 is controlled.

  When it is determined that the temperature has substantially reached 100 ° C. at time T1 (YES in step S7), the main CPU 10a keeps the temperature of the inner pot 7 at a substantially boiling temperature (100 ° C.) from time T1 to time T2. The duty ratio of the IH heater 12 is controlled (step S9). This boiling continues for a period of, for example, 1 second to 5 minutes.

  From time T2 to time T3, the main CPU 10a turns off the IH heater 12, etc., and rotates the cooling fan 13 to lower the temperature of the inner hook 7 so that it is maintained at about 90 ° C. or more and less than 100 ° C. ( Step S11). If it is determined that the immersion process is finished, that is, if it is determined that the data of the timer 16 indicates time T3 (YES in step S15), the process proceeds to the boiling process.

  In the cooking process, the main CPU 10a controls the duty ratio of the IH heater 12 so that the boiling temperature (100 ° C.) is reached in a relatively short period of time T3 to T4. The main CPU 10a controls the duty ratio related to the IH heater 12 so that the boiling process after the cooking process continues for a period of time T4 to T6.

  After boiling continued, there was almost no free water in the inner pot 7, and the rice was sufficiently gelatinized to become rice. Then, it moves to the steaming process. In the steaming process from time T6 to T7, the duty ratio of the IH heater 12 is controlled so that the temperature does not become 90 ° C. or lower. In the steaming step, the water remaining slightly on the surface is absorbed by the rice grains, and the rice changes to a fully steamed state. When the steaming process ends, the rice cooking process is completed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to a heat retaining process.

  In the rice cooking process, the excess steam during boiling at times T1 to T2 and T4 to T6 is exhausted to the outside through a small hole in the inner lid or the steam cylinder 22a as necessary.

  According to the rice cooking process of FIG. 11 (A), in the dipping process, heating the brown rice to a high temperature of about 90 ° C. or higher destroys the insoluble cellulose and promotes water absorption. Can be cooked into cooked rice with excellent taste.

  In FIG. 11A, the inner pot 7 is controlled to be heated so as to be approximately 90 ° C. or higher and lower than 100 ° C. (boiling temperature) during at least a part of the dipping process. This at least part of the period may be included in a substantially first half process (corresponding to time T1 from the start of the rice cooking process) until reaching the boiling state in the dipping process, and is included in a substantially second half process. Or may be included in both. In the substantially second half step, the temperature of the inner pot 7 is increased to approximately 100 ° C. (approximately boiling temperature), and at least approximately 90 ° C. and less than 100 ° C. (boiling temperature) in at least a part of the subsequent period (time T2 to T3). Heating control is performed.

<Configuration for imparting liquidity>
In this Embodiment 1, fluidity | liquidity is provided with respect to a to-be-heated material with a heating.

  The main CPU 10 a has a function of a rotating body control unit that controls the rotating body 25, and the rotating body control unit controls the driving of the rotating body 25 in the rice cooking process including the dipping process, that is, the stirring operation of the stirring rod 26. In FIG. 11B, the alternate long and short dash line indicates the stirring period with the stirring rod 26 in the unfolded state, the solid line indicates the period in which only the rotating body 25 is rotated when the stirring rod 26 is stored, and the broken line indicates that the rotating body 25 rotates. The period during which is stopped.

  With reference to (B) and (C) of FIG. 11, fluidity imparting in the rice cooking process will be described. First, when the rice cooking process is started, the rotating body control unit sends a signal to the motor control unit, and rotates clockwise To output. The motor control unit outputs a control signal based on the given rotation speed to the motor drive circuit 57. The motor drive circuit 57 energizes the rotary motor 24 based on the control signal. As a result, the rotating body 25 rotates to the right, and the stirring rod 26 expands (falls down) in the inner pot 7 along with the clockwise rotation. When it is determined that the stirring rod 26 has been lowered, the stirring time is counted so as to continue the rotation operation. The stirring operation (giving fluidity) of the object to be heated in the inner pot 7 continues until time T1 in the unfolded state.

  When the rotating body control unit determines from the output data of the timer 16 that the time T1 has come, the motor control unit outputs a control signal for causing the motor driving circuit 57 to stop the rotation motor. The motor drive circuit 57 stops the rotation of the rotary motor 24 based on the control signal. Thereby, the stirring operation by rotation of the stirring rod 26 is stopped, and the fluidity imparting to the heated object is stopped.

  Thereafter, the motor drive circuit 57 again energizes the rotary motor 24 based on the control signal. As a result, the rotating body 25 rotates counterclockwise, and the stirring rod 26 enters the retracted state along with the counterclockwise rotation. If it determines with having accommodated, the rotary body 25 of the cover body 2 will be rotated in the period of the substantially boiling temperature of time T1-T2.

  When the rotating body control unit determines that the time T2 has been reached, the motor control unit outputs a control signal to the rotation motor 24 to the motor drive circuit 57, the stirring bar 26 is in a deployed state, and the stirring bar 26 is in the timed state. The material to be heated in the inner pot 7 is stirred until T3.

  The rotating body control unit outputs a control signal when time T3 is reached, switches the stirring bar 26 in the unfolded state to the storage state, and stores the stirring bar 26 during the subsequent cooking period from time T3 to T4. And the rotation of the rotating body 25 is stopped (0 rpm).

  Thereafter, the rotating body control unit again outputs a control signal to the motor drive circuit 57, and rotates the rotating body 25 of the lid 2 during the period of the boiling process from time T4 to T6. Thereafter, the rotating body 25 is stopped in the steaming process and the heat retaining process.

  Referring to (C) of FIG. 11, during the period from the start of the rice cooking process to time T1 and the period of time T2 to T3, the brown rice and water in the immersed state are stirred by the stirring rod 26 in the expanded state, and heat is efficiently generated. Conduction promotes destruction of insoluble cellulose. In other words, the brown rice seed coat is softened at the time of boiling, and the brown rice hull is thinned by the subsequent flow caused by stirring. As a result, water easily penetrates into the brown rice and water absorption further progresses. Therefore, stirring during these periods mainly contributes to improving the taste.

  Further, the rotation of the rotating body 25 in the housed state in the boiling state at the times T1 to T2 and the times T4 to T5 acts so as to crush bubbles of water vapor that has risen up to the lid body 2 due to boiling. Thereby, bumping from the steam cylinder 22a is prevented. Further, during the time T4 to T5 in the boiling process, the rotation of the rotating body 25 acts to prevent bumping, but the subsequent rotation of the time T5 to T6 returns the vapor bubbles to the surface of the rice in the inner pot 7. It forms a so-called "Onaba" film, which is an umami component, and acts to improve the taste.

  In the present embodiment, the rotating body control unit is composed of a combination of a circuit and a program, and this program variably controls the rotational speed of the rotating body 25, the period of rotation, and the like by a parameter setting function incorporated in the program. The For example, in the case of 2 rice cooking, as shown in FIG. 11 (B), the rotation speed of the stirrer 26 in the housed state is 400 rpm, and the rotation speed in the unfolded state is at least 150 rpm. It is not limited to. For example, at the time of 2 go rice cooking, it may be rotated at intervals of 2/60 seconds in the period of rice cooking to time T1, and may be rotated at intervals of 5/15 seconds in the period of time T2 to T3.

  Moreover, regarding the stirring operation by the stirring rod 26, the amount of stirring from the start of the rice cooking process to the boiling at time T1 may be larger than the amount of stirring at time T2 to T3 after detection of boiling maintenance. If it does in this way, it can be made to reach a boiling maintenance process promptly in a comparatively early stage from the start of a rice cooking process, and also gives fluidity and promotes water absorption while polishing a softened outer skin by stirring. Can do.

  Moreover, regarding the stirring operation period, in the case of 2 go rice cooking, when it is determined that 25 minutes or more have elapsed since the start of rice cooking and it is determined that the temperature of the inner pot 7 is 90 ° C. or less (at time T3) Equivalently), the stirring operation at time T2 to T3 may be terminated.

  Further, the stirring operation by the stirring rod 26 in the developed state may be repeated continuously or intermittently only in a predetermined temperature range by setting parameters incorporated in the program.

<Comparison with conventional brown rice cooking process>
FIG. 13 shows data from the inventors' experiments. With reference to FIG. 13, said brown rice rice cooking process is demonstrated compared with the conventional typical brown rice rice cooking process. The brown rice cooking process consists of a dipping process for absorbing water, a cooking process, a boiling process, and a steaming process in order of time from the start of cooking rice. (A) of FIG. 13 is a graph which shows the temperature characteristic of the rice cooking process of the brown rice which concerns on Embodiment 1, and (B) of FIG. 13 is a graph which shows the temperature characteristic of each process of the conventional brown rice cooking. In addition, for each graph, the strength of the thermal power (that is, the power consumption of the IH heater 12) is indicated by binary values of high fire and low fire. The elapsed time (unit: minute) is plotted on the horizontal axis of the graph, and the temperature (unit: ° C) of the inner pot 7 is plotted on the vertical axis.

  In the conventional brown rice cooking of (B) of FIG. 13, it cooks with the temperature characteristic which heats gently from normal temperature (20 degreeC) to 60 degreeC, and raises water absorption gradually.

  On the other hand, in this Embodiment 1, the inner pot 7 is about 90 degreeC or more and about 100 degreeC (boiling temperature) in the first half of a water immersion process, more specifically in the initial stage (rice cooking process start-time T1), when it starts cooking with a strong fire. The heating is controlled to be less than the value, and then the boiling temperature (100 ° C.) is reached, and the boiling temperature is maintained for the time T1 to the time T2. In the first embodiment, at a relatively early stage from the start of the rice cooking process to time T1, fluidity is imparted by the stirring rod 26 (see (C) of FIG. 11), so that the boiling temperature is reached in a short time. Can be reached. Thereafter, the boiling maintenance is continued, the temperature is controlled to decrease, and the mixture is stirred again to impart fluidity. In the meantime, the heating unit is turned off, the stirring operation is performed, and the cooling fan 13 further promotes cooling, whereby the temperature of the inner pot 7 decreases. The amount of stirring of the stirring rod 26 (such as the amount of rotation of the stirring rod 26) at the time of this temperature drop (time T2 to T3) is made larger than the initial stirring amount (from the start of the rice cooking process to time T1) to promote a temperature drop.

  If the boiling temperature (high temperature) state is excessively maintained at the above-described times T2 to T3, the amount of moisture evaporated in the inner pot 7 becomes too large. That is, water absorption becomes insufficient. Therefore, in the first embodiment, at time T2 to T3, the heating unit is turned off, the cooling fan 13 is driven, and the object to be heated is stirred by the stirring rod 26, thereby maintaining the high temperature. It is possible to maintain the temperature in the inner pot 7 to such an extent that the water does not evaporate, that is, the amount of water for water absorption can be maintained. Moreover, water absorption is also promoted by stirring rice.

  After the cooking process, it is boiled again in the same manner as the conventional brown rice cooking process, heat is applied and excess water is discharged as steam, and the rice cooking is completed through the subsequent steaming process.

  In the case of 2 combined rice cooking, according to the brown rice rice cooking process of FIG. 13 (A) according to the first embodiment, rice cooking is completed in about 55 minutes, compared to the conventional case of FIG. 13 (B). The required time was shortened. According to the graph, the rice cooking process according to Embodiment 1 was able to shorten the time required for rice cooking by 30% or more than before.

  FIG. 14 shows brown rice cooked in the rice cooking process (rice cooking time 55 minutes) according to Embodiment 1 of FIG. 13A and the conventional rice cooking process (rice cooking time 90 minutes in FIG. 13B). ) Shows the evaluation results of the taste with the brown rice cooked in (1). The evaluators were 10 adults and evaluated ease of eating and softness. The evaluation method was given a score of 3, 2, 1 in order of ease of eating. In other words, the closer the score is 3, the easier it is to eat and the softer it is. The results are marked with different alphabets for statistically significant differences with a 5% risk rate. The same alphabet is not significantly different. FIG. 14 shows these statistical results in a graph. From this graph, it can be seen that the taste evaluation is higher in the rice cooking process according to Embodiment 1 than in the brown rice cooked in the conventional rice cooking process.

  According to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, unlike conventional ones, by heating and stirring so as to promote water absorption in the dipping process, cooked brown rice with a sufficiently superior taste compared to conventional ones in a short time. I was able to. That is, by imparting fluidity to the object to be heated in the period from the soaking process until boiling (rice cooking process start to time T1) and in the period for reducing the temperature after boiling (time T2 to time T3). It is possible to cook brown rice with excellent taste, and even those who eat only white rice can cook brown rice with excellent taste.

<Modification of Embodiment 1>
In the soaking process, fluidity can be imparted over the entire period excluding the boiling continuation period. On the other hand, if the same cooking is performed each time, the user gets tired of eating every day. In view of this point, the fluidity imparting time in the above embodiment is made variable. In other words, when stirring intermittently, each stirring time may be varied to leave a texture like brown rice. In that case, the rotating body control unit drives and controls the rotating body 25 so that the fluidity imparting time is 30 seconds and the rest is 30 seconds, or the fluidity is detected under a detected temperature of 95 ° C. or less. The rotator 25 is controlled in accordance with a program for controlling so as not to be applied.

  Moreover, the program of this Embodiment 1 is performed also at the time of the brown rice cooking setting by a reservation timer. In that case, according to the length of the reservation waiting time or the softening of brown rice being promoted by the rise in water temperature due to the reservation waiting period, stirring in the dipping process according to the length of the period from the reservation setting to the start of reserved rice cooking Change the amount.

[Embodiment 2]
<Operation>
Also in this Embodiment 2, although the rice cooking sequence of brown rice is demonstrated as a cooking sequence of the rice cooker 100, especially the rice cooking sequence which controls heating temperature so that "umami component" may be pulled out from brown rice is demonstrated. Similarly to the first embodiment, the brown rice rice cooking sequence of the second embodiment also corresponds to a program for controlling the heating of the heating unit so that the temperature and heating time of the inner pot 7 change. The program has a function for controlling the heating unit so as to change the energization rate (Duty ratio) to the heating unit over time, and the program includes information on the heating time, the energization rate, the target temperature, and the like as parameters. Moreover, a rice cooking sequence includes the rice cooking process according to progress of cooking, and it is also called performing a rice cooking process that main CPU10a performs a sequence (program). The brown rice cooking sequence described in the second embodiment can be similarly applied to the white rice cooking sequence.

<Brown rice cooking process of Embodiment 2>
In order to extract the umami component of brown rice, it is known that the optimum temperature zone for promoting the activity of the enzyme contained in the brown rice is 40 ° C to 60 ° C in the dipping process. The inventors pay attention to the fact that the optimum temperature zone varies depending on the type of enzyme, and it is desirable to control the heating so that a different optimum temperature zone is set according to the type of enzyme in the dipping process. And gained knowledge.

  In order to extract “flavor components” such as amino acids and glucose from the experiment, the inventors maintain the temperature in the optimum temperature zone (hereinafter also referred to as the first temperature zone) of the proteolytic enzyme that produces amino acids. (Hereinafter also referred to as the first water absorption step), and then maintained at a temperature higher than that (hereinafter also referred to as the second temperature range) of the starch degrading enzyme that produces glucose (hereinafter also referred to as the second temperature range). The result was that brown rice with excellent taste (umami) could be cooked by heating control with stepwise temperature rise (also referred to as second water absorption step). Here, the “optimum temperature range” indicates the optimum temperature range or temperature range in which the enzyme exerts its action.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a comparison between the rice cooking process according to the second embodiment and the conventional rice cooking process when the amount of brown rice and water that are to be heated are the same, respectively. Represents experimental results. (A) of FIG. 15 is a graph which shows the temperature characteristic of the rice cooking process of the brown rice which concerns on Embodiment 2, and (B) of FIG. 15 is a graph which shows the temperature characteristic of each process of the conventional brown rice cooking. Each graph also shows the strength of the thermal power (that is, the amount of power of the IH heater 12). In the graph, the horizontal axis represents elapsed time (unit: minutes) and the vertical axis represents the temperature (unit: ° C.) of the inner pot 7. The brown rice cooking process includes a dipping process corresponding to the water absorption process and a heating process for promoting subsequent gelatinization of the rice. The heating process includes a cooking process up to boiling, a boiling process for maintaining the boiling state, and a steaming process in time order. After finishing the steaming process, the process proceeds to a heat insulation process for keeping the cooked cooked rice warm.

  In the conventional brown rice cooking of FIG. 15 (B), the inner pot 7 is raised from room temperature (20 ° C.) to about 60 ° C. at the initial stage of the dipping process, and then maintained at about 60 ° C. The rice is cooked with a temperature characteristic that gradually increases water absorption. Thus, conventionally, the temperature range in the dipping process is only about 60 ° C.

  On the other hand, in this Embodiment 2 of (A) of FIG. 15, the optimal temperature range which differs in an immersion process is provided. Specifically, a first temperature zone that is an optimum temperature zone for a proteolytic enzyme that produces amino acids, and a second temperature zone that is higher than the first temperature zone and that is an optimum temperature zone for starch degrading enzymes that produce glucose. Establish a temperature zone. When the rice cooking process is started, the temperature is raised with heating and reaches the first temperature zone (approximately 40 ° C.), the first temperature zone is heated so as to be maintained for the length of the first water absorption step. Then, after finishing the first water absorption step, heating is performed so that the temperature rises from the first temperature zone to the second temperature zone (approximately 60 ° C.) in the subsequent second water absorption step period.

  In this manner, by maintaining the optimal temperature range of the enzyme in the dipping step, the action of the enzyme is activated, and the production of amino acids that are umami taste components and glucose that is a sweet taste component is promoted. As a result, it can be cooked into good-tasting rice.

  In particular, during the initial relatively short period after the start of the second water absorption process (period TH in FIG. 15A), the heating rate is increased to increase the temperature rise rate and approach the second temperature zone. After the period TH elapses, the heating amount is controlled so as to reduce the heating amount so as not to exceed the second temperature zone, that is, to maintain the second temperature zone. Thereby, by increasing the heating amount at an earlier stage than reaching the second temperature zone, the water in the inner pot 7 is rapidly heated and the rate of temperature increase is increased, and the time to reach the second temperature zone is shortened. Can do. Subsequently, the second temperature zone can be efficiently reached without exceeding the second temperature zone by heating with a smaller heating amount. By such heating control, the optimal temperature of the rice endogenous enzyme can be accurately maintained, and the rice can be cooked into good-tasting rice from which sweetness and umami are extracted.

  According to the experiment, the period of the first water absorption process is set to 6 minutes to 16 minutes after the start of the rice cooking process (referred to as the first method), and immediately after the start of the rice cooking process (0 minutes) to 16 minutes. Even if it is different from the setting method (referred to as the second method) (the length of the second water absorption process is the same for the period of 16 to 27 minutes after the start of the rice cooking process), the same good-tasting rice I was able to cook. Therefore, in the rice cooking process, either one of the first method and the second method is applied as the first water absorption process. it can.

  FIG. 16 shows a flowchart of the rice cooking process according to the second embodiment. The said flowchart shows the program of the heating sequence for brown rice cooking, and the said program is stored in memory previously. The main CPU 10a obtains the amount of the object to be heated (the amount of brown rice) from the output of a weight sensor (not shown) or from a user operation input, and gives the program. The program acquires the duty ratio and heating time parameters of the IH heater 12. The parameters of the heating time include start time and end time for the first water absorption process and the second water absorption process. The main CPU 10a acquires these parameters, for example, from a heated object amount (brown rice amount) using a predetermined arithmetic expression or by searching a predetermined table. According to the heating sequence for brown rice rice cooking, the temperature of the inner pot 7 is set to ( Rice can be cooked according to the changing characteristics of A).

  In operation, first, the user sets an inner pot 7 containing a predetermined amount of brown rice and an amount of water corresponding to the amount of brown rice in the rice cooker body 1 and closes the lid 2. When the brown rice course is designated and the rice cooking / start switch 6D is operated, the main CPU 10a accepts the operation command.

  Based on the received operation command (step S23), the main CPU 10a reads a heating sequence program for brown rice cooking from the memory and executes the program. The main CPU 10a controls each part including the IH heater 12 according to the program, and the rice cooking process shown in FIG. 15A is started (step S25).

  The temperature sensor 15a is also activated simultaneously with the start of the rice cooking process, and the temperature of the inner pot 7 during the rice cooking process is detected. The main CPU 10a controls the duty ratio so as to maintain a constant temperature when the temperature hunts. When the main CPU 10a receives the operation command (step S23), it is confirmed that the inner hook 7 is set based on the detection data of the weight sensor and that the inner hook 7 containing the object to be heated is set. The rice cooking process may be started on the condition that it is determined.

  After starting the rice cooking process, the main CPU 10a determines whether or not the first temperature zone has been reached from the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 15a (step S27), and the temperature of the inner pot 7 is the first temperature at the start of the first water absorption process. Heat control to reach the belt.

  If it is determined that the first temperature zone has been reached at the start of the first water absorption step (YES in step S27), heating control is performed so that the detected temperature maintains the first temperature zone during the period of the first water absorption step. When the end of the first water absorption process is determined from the output of the timer 16 (YES in step S31), the main CPU 10a suddenly increases the detected temperature by controlling the heating at a predetermined duty ratio, and the start time of the second water absorption process The heating is controlled to reach the second temperature zone. The heating control for the rapid temperature rise is executed for the period TH (step S33).

  Thereafter, the main CPU 10a performs heating control so that the detected temperature maintains the second temperature zone during the second water absorption step (NO in step S35, step S37). When the end of the second water absorption process is determined from the output of the timer 16 (YES in step S35), the main CPU 10a performs heating control so as to shift to the cooking process and then shift to the boiling process.

  After boiling continued, there was almost no free water in the inner pot 7, and the rice was sufficiently gelatinized to become rice. Then, it moves to the steaming process. In the steaming step, the duty ratio related to the IH heater 12 is controlled so that the temperature does not become 90 ° C. or lower. When the steaming process ends, the rice cooking process is completed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to a heat retaining process.

  In the above brown rice cooking process, the temperature of the rice near the IH heater 12 at the bottom of the inner pot 7 is maintained by shifting to the second temperature zone higher than that and holding it in the first temperature zone in the dipping process. , Can prevent a sudden rise. Moreover, even if it heats by an immersion process, it can suppress that the nutrient component in brown rice flows out into water by controlling heating so that an optimal temperature range may be maintained. Therefore, it can avoid that the water absorption to brown rice is prevented by the nutrient component which flowed into water during the soaking process.

  Moreover, although it is known that the water absorption of brown rice will be accelerated as the water temperature is higher, the transition period from the first temperature zone to the higher second temperature zone is relatively short in the dipping process of the second embodiment. By setting it as period TH, the immersion process time for water absorption can be shortened, and a total rice cooking process time can be shortened by extension.

<Agitating in immersion process>
In the second embodiment, in the dipping process, the object to be heated is stirred with the stirring rod 26 in the unfolded state as shown in FIG. 7 (see FIG. 7). The rotating body control unit intermittently stirs the object to be heated by the first stirring amount when the first water absorption step is executed, and the second stirring larger than the first stirring amount when the second water absorption step is executed. The rotating body 25 is controlled so as to stir the amount. In the 1st water absorption process, it stirs so that the overlap of rice grains may be dissolved, and in the 2nd water absorption process, it is made a larger amount of stirring than the 1st water absorption process, and it makes a rice grain collide and scrapes the surface.

  According to the experiments by the inventors, compared to the case where stirring was not performed in the dipping process, it was possible to cook rice with better taste by stirring.

  Regarding the amount of stirring, the rotating body control unit controls the rotating body 25 to rotate at 150 rpm. Regarding the rotation of the first water absorption process, in the first method, the rotary motor 24 is driven according to the duty ratio which is ON for 1 second per 2 minutes, and in the second method, the rotary motor 24 is turned ON for 10 seconds per minute. After driving at a duty ratio of about 4 minutes, the drive is performed at a duty ratio of ON for 1 second per 2 minutes. Regardless of which method is applied to the first water-absorbing step, the second water-absorbing step is driven at a duty ratio that is ON for 4 seconds per 25 seconds and then ON for 1 second per 2 minutes.

  As described above, by stirring the object to be heated in the dipping process, heat conduction to the object to be heated is promoted, and the first or second temperature zone can be reached earlier than when the object is not stirred.

  Moreover, the water temperature in the inner pot 7 can be made uniform by stirring, water unevenness in the rice grains can be prevented, and the unevenness of the texture of the cooked rice can be reduced to obtain a good-tasting rice. Specifically, in the first water-absorbing process, water absorption of rice has just started and is not sufficient, so intermittent stirring has the effect of reducing the overlap of rice grains and increasing the contact area between water and rice grains. By continuously performing the amount of stirring in the second water absorption step, an appropriate amount of starch on the surface of the rice can be shaved by friction between the rice grains, and the contained starch grains in water can be increased. Starch granules are more reactive with enzymes, increasing sweetness. Furthermore, in the steaming process that has undergone the boiling process, this starch grain adheres so as to cover the rice grain, so that when the user puts the rice grain in the mouth, it feels sweet and cooks to a good and tasty taste. be able to. Moreover, the surface becomes smooth by being covered with starch grains, and the glossiness of the rice grains increases.

<Configuration of Embodiment 2>
The rice cooker 100 according to the second embodiment includes a kettle (inner kettle 7) for housing an object to be heated, a heating unit (IH heater 12 or the like) for heating the kettle, and a temperature for sensing the kettle temperature. A temperature detection unit (temperature sensor 15a) and a control unit (heating control unit) for controlling heating of the heating unit are provided, and the control unit starts a brown rice cooking process including an immersion process and a subsequent boiling process. When the instruction is accepted, the temperature is maintained in the optimal temperature range of the proteolytic enzyme that produces amino acids in the soaking step (first water absorption step), and then the optimal temperature range of the starch degrading enzyme that produces higher glucose In order to maintain the temperature (second water absorption step), the temperature is controlled to increase stepwise.

  Therefore, maintaining the optimal temperature range of the enzyme in the dipping process activates the enzyme's action and promotes the production of amino acids that are umami taste components and glucose that is a sweet taste component. Can be cooked to taste rice.

  Preferably, the rice cooker 100 further includes a stirring unit (stirring rod 26) for stirring the heated object in the kettle, and a stirring control unit for controlling the stirring operation of the stirring unit, and the stirring control unit Drives the stirrer in the above immersion process.

  Therefore, it is possible to reach the optimum temperature earlier by stirring until the temperature is maintained than when stirring is not performed. Moreover, by stirring, the water temperature inside the kettle becomes uniform, water is absorbed uniformly into the rice grains, and the unevenness of texture is reduced, so that the food can be cooked with good taste.

  Preferably, the stirring control unit stirs the heated object in the pot intermittently with the first stirring amount in the first water absorption step and stirs with the second stirring amount larger than the first stirring amount in the second water absorption step. Control part.

  Therefore, in the 1st water absorption process, since the water absorption of the rice has just started, it is not enough, and it has the effect of reducing the overlap of rice by intermittent stirring, and increasing the contact area of water and a rice grain. Moreover, in a 2nd water absorption process, the starch on the surface of rice is shaved in an appropriate amount by friction between rice by performing stirring continuously, and starch granules are increased. Starch granules are more reactive with enzymes, increasing sweetness. Furthermore, since this starch grain covers the rice grain, it can be cooked into rice with a good taste that is sweet and feels sweet when it is included in the mouth. In addition, the surface of the rice grain is shaved and covered with the starch grain, so that the surface of the rice grain can be smoothed and the gloss can be improved.

  Preferably, in the immersion process, the heating control unit heats the first water amount suddenly with the first heating amount at the time of temperature increase in the second water absorption step, and then gradually heats with the second heating amount less than the first heating amount. The heating part is controlled.

  Therefore, by increasing the heating amount at an earlier stage than reaching the optimum temperature, the water in contact with the inside of the kettle is suddenly heated, increasing the temperature rise rate of the immersion water, and shortening the time to reach the optimum temperature. be able to. Then, it can be made to reach | attain optimal temperature efficiently, without exceeding optimal temperature by heating with the heating amount smaller than it. Thereby, the optimal temperature for the rice endogenous enzyme can be accurately maintained, and the rice can be cooked into good-tasting rice from which sweetness and umami are extracted.

<Comparison with conventional technology>
In the rice cooking methods described in Patent Documents 4 and 5, in the process of absorbing water, the temperature of the rice near the pot bottom near the pot heating time cannot be prevented from rising rapidly, and the nutrients in the rice flow out. Or because the water absorption into the rice is hindered, it has a problem that delicious rice cannot be cooked uniformly. Moreover, although rice has the characteristic that water absorption is promoted so that water temperature is high, in the method of these patent documents, in order to pass through a low temperature zone in a water absorption process in steps, the conventional general rice cooking sequence ( In the case of obtaining rice softness equivalent to a sequence in which the temperature is increased to around 60 ° C. at a stretch, there is a problem that the total rice cooking time becomes long because the time of the water absorption process has to be extended.

  According to the brown rice cooking process of said Embodiment 2, the rice cooking process time can be shortened by making it transfer to an optimal temperature range rapidly by heating control, and the subject which patent documents 4 and 5 have can be eliminated.

[Embodiment 3]
In Embodiment 3, a germinated brown rice rice cooking course will be described among the brown rice rice cooking courses that the rice cooker 100 has. Germinated brown rice contains many functional ingredients such as various minerals and other nutritional components and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), inositol, ferulic acid, vitamin E, and phytic acid. However, even if brown rice is cooked as it is with white rice, the taste and digestion and absorption are poor. Therefore, germinated brown rice, which has reduced these problems, is preferred. Furthermore, germinated brown rice is superior in terms of nutrition such as GABA content, and recently, germinated brown rice has been evaluated as an excellent functional food.

  Germinated brown rice is generally produced by immersing brown rice in water and absorbing water, but it takes a long time until germination, and bacteria grow during the production process, and malodorous components (carbon dioxide, etc.) associated with fermentation are produced. Although it occurs, according to the germinated brown rice cooking course of Embodiment 3, germination time can be shortened, and the generation of malodorous components (carbon dioxide, etc.) accompanying the growth of germs and germination can be suppressed.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a stirring aspect of the dipping process according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 17, the rotating body control unit controls the rotation amount (angle, direction) of the rotating motor 24 to hold the stirring rod 26 so that the angle formed with the lid body 2 is approximately 45 °. This is referred to as a semi-deployed state. The semi-deployed state refers to a developed state of the stirring rod 26 such that the tip portions 19a and 19b of the stirring rod 26 are in contact with (immersed in) only the immersion water thereon without contacting the brown rice.

  The rotating body control unit acquires the rotation amount for the semi-deployed state from the amount of the object to be heated. Specifically, since the immersion water level in the dipping process changes depending on the amount of brown rice, the rotating body control unit estimates the water level from the amount of brown rice obtained at the start of the rice cooking process, and from the estimated water level, because of the above-mentioned semi-deployed state Get the amount of rotation. The water level or the rotation amount is acquired by calculating from a predetermined arithmetic expression or by searching a predetermined table.

  Thus, the end of the stirring bar 26 opposite to the tip portions 19a and 19b is rotatably attached to the rotating body 25, and the tip portions 19a and 19b are separated from or approach the rotating body 25. It is attached so that the distance to separate is variable.

<Operation>
The germinated brown rice rice cooking sequence of the third embodiment also corresponds to a program for controlling the heating of the heating unit so that the temperature and the heating time of the inner pot 7 change as in the first and second embodiments. The program has a function for controlling the heating unit so as to change the energization rate (Duty ratio) to the heating unit over time. The program includes information on the heating time, power supply rate, target temperature, and the like as parameters. Moreover, a rice cooking sequence includes the rice cooking process according to progress of cooking, and it is also called performing a rice cooking process that main CPU10a performs a sequence (program).

<Germination brown rice cooking process of Embodiment 3>
The inventors have come to the knowledge that the time required for germination can be shortened by maintaining the amount of oxygen remaining in the immersion water in the soaking process in the germinating brown rice rice cooking process. The germination brown rice cooking process according to this knowledge is shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. The germination brown rice cooking process of Embodiment 3 shown in these figures has the immersion process which germinates in a short time by performing the sequence which maintains the amount of dissolved oxygen in immersion water, and a subsequent heating process. In the heating process, cook brown rice with soaking water containing a lot of nutrients from germination <Knowledge based on experiments>
FIG. 20 is a graph of experimental results showing changes in the amount of existing oxygen according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 21 is a graph showing experimental results of brown rice germination according to the third embodiment. In the graph of FIG. 20, the amount of oxygen present (unit: mg / l) is taken on the vertical axis, and the elapsed time is taken on the horizontal axis. In FIG. 20, the case 1 of only water which does not have an immersion thing about the water of the same quantity and the same temperature (target temperature 30 degreeC), and the cases 2 and 3 which assumed the brown rice rice cooking are shown. Cases 2 and 3 are cases in which brown rice having an amount corresponding to the same amount of water as in case 1 is immersed. Case 2 shows a case of stirring, and case 3 shows a case of not stirring.

  For each of these cases, the temporal change in the amount of oxygen present was measured. As a result, it can be seen from Case 1 that the amount of available oxygen naturally decreases with time, but in Cases 2 and 3, the rate of decrease is faster than in Case 1. This is because oxygen is consumed for germination of brown rice. Comparing cases 2 and 3, the rate of decrease in the amount of available oxygen in case 2 can be made slower than in case 3. In other words, even in the case of brown rice soaking water, the knowledge that the amount of oxygen remaining can be compensated and the rate of decrease can be slowed by drawing air (oxygen) floating on the surface of the soaking water by stirring into the water. It was.

  In the graph of FIG. 21, the vertical axis represents germination rate (unit:%), and the horizontal axis represents elapsed time (unit: Hour). FIG. 21 shows a case A immersed in a predetermined amount of brown rice and water (target temperature 30 ° C.) in the inner pot 7 of the rice cooker 100 (with stirring), and the same amount as the case A in the beaker. The change in the amount of oxygen present in the water is shown in case B immersed in brown rice and water (target temperature 30 ° C.) (no stirring). According to the graph, in the case of no stirring as in Case B, that is, in the case where the amount of available oxygen continues to be consumed without sending air, it took about 18 hours to germinate 30% of the brown rice, while stirring and remaining. In case A in which the amount of oxygen was maintained, 30% could be shortened to about 6 hours for germination.

  From these experiments, the inventors have found that in the soaking step in the germinating brown rice rice cooking step, the time required for germination can be shortened by maintaining (supplementing) the amount of oxygen remaining in the soaking water by stirring. Therefore, in the third embodiment, a step of stirring the immersion water is provided in the immersion step.

<Germination brown rice cooking process of Embodiment 3>
FIG. 18 shows temperature changes in the germinated brown rice rice cooking process according to the third embodiment. The germinated brown rice cooking process includes an immersion process and a heating process. A heating process includes a cooking process, a boiling process, and a steaming process in order of time. Thereafter, the process proceeds to a heat retaining process.

  Referring to FIG. 18, first, the main CPU 10 a controls the heating by energizing the IH heater 12 after starting the rice cooking process, that is, by starting the first period of the dipping process. Here, the first period is a period during which heating control is performed so that the object to be heated stored in the inner pot 7 is heated to a preset target temperature (for example, 30 ° C.). As described in the above non-patent document, this target temperature indicates the temperature of the immersion water for germinating the immersed brown rice.

  Next, the rotating body control unit outputs a control signal to the rotation motor 24 and fully deploys the stirring rod 26 in the inner pot 7 as the inner lid 20 rotates forward. The rotating body control unit rotates the rotating body 25 to rotate the stirring rod 26 in the deployed state in the inner pot 7 to stir the object to be heated. The rotating body controller rotates the rotary motor 24 continuously or intermittently based on the temperature data of the inner pot 7 from the temperature sensor 15a and the time of the timer 16. In conjunction with this rotation, the heated object in the inner pot 7 is agitated by the agitation rod 26 in the unfolded state.

  After starting the rice cooking process, the heating control unit controls energization to the IH heater 12, and heating of the object to be heated is started. The heating control unit causes the developed stirring rod 26 to stir until the target temperature (30 ° C.) is reached. Thereby, heat is efficiently transferred to the mixture of rice and water, and the entire inner pot 7 can be heated to the target temperature in a short time.

  If the stirring operation is not performed, when the main CPU 10a determines that the temperature has reached 30 ° C. from the output of the temperature sensor 15a, that is, only the inner pot 7 heated by the IH heater 12 and its vicinity are 30 ° C. Is reached, the IH heater 12 is once turned off. However, since the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 15a is different from the internal temperature of the inner pot 7, it is not until the inner pot 7 near the temperature sensor 15a is cooled by the rice and water that have not been sufficiently heated. The IH heater 12 is turned on again. Therefore, it takes a long time for the mixture of rice and water to reach 30 ° C.

  Returning to FIG. 18, when the main CPU 10 a determines that the time that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 15 a exceeds a predetermined temperature of 30 ° C. as the upper limit temperature of the immersion process has continued for a certain period of time, the main body controller 10 temporarily stops the rotary motor 24. .

  Next, the rotating body control unit outputs a control signal indicating a rotation amount for switching the stirring rod 26 to the semi-deployed state with respect to the rotating motor 24. When the rotary motor 24 rotates in accordance with the control signal, the tip portions 19a and 19b of the stirring rod 26 are in arbitrary positions in the inner hook 7 (for example, a position where the angle formed by the stirring rod 26 with respect to the lid 2 is 45 °). Move up. This is a position where the tip portions 19a and 19b of the stirring rod 26 do not touch the brown rice below the inner pot 7, but only the water above the brown rice (see FIG. 17).

  Thereafter, the second period of the dipping process is entered. The second period is a period during which the mixture of brown rice and water stored in the inner pot 7 is maintained at the target temperature (30 ° C.). At this time, the stirring rod 26 is set in the above-described semi-deployed state, and the rotating body 25 is rotated by a predetermined number of rotations to perform stirring. Since only the water is stirred by the stirring rod 26 in the semi-deployed state, oxygen uptake into water is promoted, and the dissolved oxygen amount of the immersion water can be maintained (supplemented) without damaging the rice being immersed. .

  The heating control unit controls energization of the IH heater 12 so as to maintain the target temperature (30 ° C.) in the second period. Here, depending on the setting, the program for imparting fluidity with the stirring rod 26 may be an operation in a certain temperature range, or may be repeated on and off by time.

  Next, when the main CPU 10a determines the end of the second period, that is, determines the end of the dipping process, the rotating body control unit outputs a control signal to the rotary motor 24. The rotating body 25 rotates by the amount of rotation indicated by the control signal, and the stirring rod 26 interlocked with this rotation is switched from the semi-deployed state to the stored state, and the stirring operation stops.

  Thereafter, as in the first and second embodiments, the process proceeds to a heating process (starting process → boiling process → steaming process), and after the heating process is completed, the process proceeds to a heat retaining process.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the heating sequence according to the third embodiment. The said flowchart shows the program of the heating sequence for germination brown rice rice cooking, and the said program is stored in memory previously. The main CPU 10a obtains the amount of the object to be heated (the amount of brown rice) from the output of a weight sensor (not shown) or from a user operation input, and gives the program. The program acquires the duty ratio parameter of the IH heater 12, the time of each process of the rice cooking process, the parameters indicating the first period and the second period, and the like. For example, these parameters are calculated from a heated object amount (brown rice amount) using a predetermined arithmetic expression. Alternatively, a predetermined table is searched to acquire these parameters. In the heating sequence for germinating brown rice cooking, the temperature of the inner pot 7 follows the characteristics of FIG. 18 in the heating sequence for germinating brown rice cooking by executing the rice cooking process based on the parameter determined according to the amount to be heated (brown rice amount). Can be changed.

  First, the user puts a predetermined amount of washed brown rice into the inner pot 7 taken out from the rice cooker main body 1 and an amount of water corresponding to the amount of brown rice. Thereafter, the inner pot 7 is set in the rice cooker body 1 and the lid 2 is closed. When the designation operation of the germinated brown rice course is performed and the rice cooking / start switch 6D is operated, the main CPU 10a accepts the operation command.

  Based on the received operation command (step S41), the main CPU 10a reads a heating sequence program for germinating brown rice cooking from the memory and executes the program. The main CPU 10a controls each part including the IH heater 12 according to the program, and the execution of the rice cooking process of FIG. 18 is started (step S43). The temperature sensor 15a is also activated simultaneously with the start of the rice cooking process, and the temperature of the inner pot 7 during the rice cooking process is detected. The main CPU 10a controls the duty ratio so as to maintain a constant temperature when the temperature hunts.

  The heating control unit controls the IH heater 12 while determining whether the target temperature (30 ° C.) has been reached from the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 15a in the first period after the start of the rice cooking process (step S45).

  If it is determined that the target temperature has been reached (YES in step S45), the heating control unit controls the IH heater 12 so as to maintain the target temperature in the second period.

  When the heating control unit determines the end of the second period, that is, the end of the dipping process from the timing data of the timer 16 (YES in step S49), the heating control unit proceeds to the boiling process through the cooking process (step S51), and after the steaming process The cooking process is completed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to a heat retaining process.

  In the third embodiment, oxygen is mixed into the immersion water by stirring using the stirring rod 26 in a semi-deployed state in the immersion process, thereby suppressing a decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen, so that the immersion process can be performed in a relatively short time. Germination becomes possible. Moreover, generation | occurrence | production of the malodorous component accompanying fermentation can be suppressed because germination time is shortened.

  Further, the stirring mechanism for preventing a decrease in the dissolved oxygen amount can use the washing mechanism or the stirring mechanism used for improving the taste of the first and second embodiments, that is, an air pump, other bubble generating device, for water circulation. It is not necessary to provide a dedicated system such as a special mechanism.

  In addition, by shifting to the heating process following this soaking process, rice that has excellent taste by shifting to the heating process while containing nutrients (GABA, etc.) eluted in water by germination during the soaking process. Can be cooked. That is, brown rice can be changed into germinated brown rice in the rice cooker 100, and then the nutrient-rich germinated brown rice can be cooked without additional operation.

  In the third embodiment, the stirring rod 26 is switched to the housed state after the dipping process is completed. However, the stirring bar 26 may be switched again to the unfolded state, and stirring may be added to make the temperature uniform in the start-up process. Further, in the boiling process, the inner lid 18 may be rotated in the housed state, and control may be performed such that the “rice ball” containing the umami component (immersion water that rises during boiling) is retained in the kettle.

<Configuration of Embodiment 3>
The rice cooker 100 according to the third embodiment includes a kettle (inner kettle 7) for housing an object to be heated, a heating unit (IH heater 12) for heating the kettle, and a temperature for sensing the kettle temperature. A temperature detection unit (temperature sensor 15a), a control unit (heating control unit) for controlling heating of the heating unit, a stirring unit (stirring rod 26) for stirring the heated object in the kettle, An agitation control unit that controls the operation. When the start instruction of the germinated brown rice cooking process including the dipping process and the subsequent boiling process is received, the stirring control unit drives the stirring unit in the dipping process.

  Therefore, by stirring by the stirring unit in the dipping process, oxygen in the water surface is drawn into the dipping water and the amount of dissolved oxygen is suppressed from decreasing. Subsequently, the soaking water and the rice are heated as they are to cook rice.

  According to said rice cooker 100, since it can suppress the reduction | decrease resulting from germination (brown rice respiration) of the oxygen concentration of immersion water and can supply oxygen required for a germination reaction, immersion of the water which does not have the said control Can germinate more rapidly than by germination. This makes it possible to shorten the germination time.

  Moreover, anaerobic alcohol fermentation is suppressed by supplying oxygen, and malodor is hardly generated. Furthermore, since it transfers to a rice cooking process with the type | system | group used for the immersion process, the nutrient-rich germinated brown rice can be cooked compared with what replaces water, without impairing the nutrient component eluted to immersion water.

  Moreover, as a means for suppressing a decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen in the immersion water, the stirring unit stirs only the water in the upper part of the rice without directly touching the rice in the system. Preferably, stirring is performed at a relatively high speed.

  With such a stirring section, the amount of dissolved oxygen can be easily maintained without having a dedicated system using an air pump or the like. Furthermore, the stirring unit can be used to keep the temperature inside the kettle uniform or to prevent spilling during cooking.

  Said rice cooker 100 is attached to the upper part of a rice cooker main body so that opening and closing is possible, and it arrange | positions rotatably between the lid body which can be closed so that the said inner pot may be covered, and a rice cooker main body and the said lid body. And a drive mechanism for rotating the rotator. The stirrer has a first end rotatably attached to the rotating body, and second ends (tips 19a, 19b) located on the side opposite to the first end are separated from the rotating body. It is attached so that the distance to be made is variable (separate or approach).

  The driving unit generates a driving force for rotating the rotating body in the first direction, whereby the second end of the stirring unit is separated from the rotating body, while the driving unit moves the rotating body in a direction opposite to the first direction. By generating a driving force for rotating in the second direction, the second end of the stirring unit is controlled to approach the rotating body, and the second end of the stirring unit is fixed at an arbitrary position. Control the driving force. Thereby, only the immersion water of the rice upper part is stirred.

  The above arbitrary position is determined from the amount of the object to be heated accommodated in the pot. More preferably, the amount of rice and the water level in the pot are detected, and the above-mentioned arbitrary position is acquired based on this detection. Therefore, regardless of the amount of rice and the amount of water added, it is possible to obtain an arbitrary position for stirring only the immersion water at the top of the rice without damaging the rice.

  Preferably, in the initial stage (first period) of the dipping process, the stirring control unit is configured to fully deploy the stirring unit with respect to the rotating surface of the rotating body (position A and position) so as to stir the rice and the entire water. The second end of the stirring unit is moved to a position where it does not touch the rice by generating a driving force for rotating in the second direction after a certain time (referred to as position B). At least until the end of the dipping process (second period), the stirring is controlled at position B.

  Therefore, by stirring the whole in the initial stage of the dipping process, the inside of the kettle can be quickly adjusted to a temperature range suitable for germination. Furthermore, once the temperature is met, the stirring section takes the shape of the above position B, and the dissolved oxygen concentration of the immersion water can be maintained without crushing the rice.

<Comparison with conventional technology>
The above Non-Patent Document 1 shows that germination is promoted by suppressing a decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen accompanying brown rice respiration. As a specific method, bubbling is performed during the immersion disclosed in Patent Document 6. And a method of mixing oxygen in the immersion water by some means such as stirring in Patent Document 7. Since these methods are specialized only for germinating brown rice production, a dedicated system such as an air pump or other device for generating bubbles and a mechanism for circulating water is required. Furthermore, in these cases, since a drying process is performed after germination, nutrients eluted in water in the germination process are discarded.

  Further, Patent Documents 8 and 9 disclose rice cookers in which brown rice is dipped in water and then cooked as it is, but these germinate by simply providing time for dipping brown rice in water, or increase immediately after dipping. It specializes in starting GABA starting from brown rice. Therefore, in the dipping process, only temperature control suitable for each is performed, and no other mechanism for promoting germination is provided, and it is desirable to provide a function for further promoting brown rice germination in a rice cooker. It is.

  On the other hand, in the germination brown rice cooking process which concerns on Embodiment 3, as mentioned above, germination is accelerated | stimulated by a stirring function, and germination brown rice cooking is enabled in a short time.

<Modification of Embodiment>
As stirring of the to-be-heated material by the stirring rod 26, it can utilize for the stirring operation | movement of the rice washing process as a rice sharpening process before starting a rice cooking process.

  In the embodiment, the stirring mechanism is configured by the rotation motor 24, the timing belt 21, the twin blade mechanism 20a, the inner lid 18, and the stirring rod 26. However, the stirring mechanism is not limited to this, and the bottom of the inner pot 7 is provided. A mechanism using a provided stirring blade or the like may be used.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  1 Rice cooker body, 2 lid, 7 inner pot, 15a temperature sensor, 16 timer, 20a twin blade mechanism, 21 timing belt, 24 rotation motor, 25 rotation body, 26 stirring rod.

Claims (6)

A kettle for containing an object to be heated;
A heating unit for heating the kettle;
A temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the pot;
A control unit for controlling the heating of the heating unit,
The controller is
Water for immersing the brown rice that is the object to be heated and the brown rice in at least a part of the period of the immersion process when receiving an instruction to start the brown rice cooking process including the immersion process and the subsequent boiling process A rice cooker including an immersion heating control unit that controls the heating so that the pot that accommodates the temperature reaches approximately 90 degrees or more.   The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the first half of the dipping step includes the at least part of the period. The immersion heating control unit
In the immersing step, the temperature of the kettle is raised to a substantially boiling temperature, and heating control is performed so that the kettle becomes approximately 90 degrees or more and lower than the boiling temperature during at least a part of the subsequent immersing step. 2. The rice cooker described in 2.   The rice cooker according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a process in a substantially latter half of the dipping process includes the at least part of the period. A stirring section for stirring the object to be heated in the kettle;
A stirring control unit for controlling the stirring unit,
The rice stirrer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stirring control unit drives the stirring unit in the dipping process. A method for controlling a heating part of a rice cooker,
Receiving a start instruction of a brown rice cooking process including a soaking process of immersing brown rice in water in a kettle and a subsequent boiling process;
When the start instruction is received, and at least a part of the dipping step, heating is controlled so that the kettle containing brown rice and water for dipping the brown rice becomes approximately 90 degrees or more. , Control method.