JP2017176651A - rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker comprising a menu display part which allows a user to immediately recognize which menu is currently selected when the user presses a selection button.SOLUTION: The rice cooker comprises: an inner pot containing rice to be cooked; a rice cooker body having an inner pot accommodation part for accommodating the inner pot in a removable manner; and a lid body openably and closably covering the inner pot accommodation part. The rice cooker can perform a plurality of types of rice cooking menus by controlling heating means for heating the inner pot according to a preset rice cooking program. An operation part from which a user selects a cooking menu comprises: a display part 13 on which the plurality of types of rice cooking menus are displayed; and a selection button for sequentially selecting the rice cooking menu displayed on the display part. The selected rice cooking menu is displayed by enclosing a menu name 41e of the selected rice cooking menu from four directions of up, down, left, and right with cursors 41a-d.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present application relates to a rice cooker, and particularly to a rice cooker that displays a menu selected by a user in an easy-to-understand manner in an operation unit where a user selects a rice cooking menu.

  In recent years, rice cookers have a microcomputer to control the energization current to the IH coil and heater, which are heating means, based on the temperature of the inner pot detected by a temperature sensor arranged around the inner pot, By adjusting the temperature of the inner pot finely in each of the rice cooking process, which is the temperature process, cooking process (boiling process), follow-up cooking process, and unevenness process, the user's preference is not affected by changes in the amount of rice cooking or the environmental temperature. The rice can be cooked deliciously according to the situation.

  In addition to the variety of rice cooking options, in addition to adjusting rice cooking, various types of rice, such as wheat rice, miscellaneous rice, cooked rice, gomoku rice, bean rice, rice, rice, brown rice, rice porridge, etc. You can cook deliciously by simply selecting the rice cooking menu and pressing the rice cooking start button.

  In a conventional rice cooker equipped with such various rice cooking menus, a display window in which menus that can be selected by the user are displayed in a list on the operation unit where the user sets the contents of rice cooking, and the direction of menu selection is indicated by an arrow. Each time the user operates the selection button, the currently selected menu is blinked and displayed (see Patent Document 1).

  The user recognizes which menu is blinking in the display window, grasps the current selection, repeatedly presses the selection button so that the desired menu blinks, and then selects the desired menu. Confirmed that was flashing and pressed the operation button to start cooking rice.

JP 2006-212198 A

  The menu selection method in the conventional rice cooker is such that the currently selected menu display blinks in response to the user pressing the selection button. However, when the user presses the selection button, the next menu display located in the direction indicated by the operation button starts to blink corresponding to the user's button operation. The display disappears once. In addition, since it takes a certain amount of time to recognize that the specific rice cooking menu display is blinking, there is a time lag from when the user presses the selection button until the currently selected menu is accurately recognized. There was a problem that occurred.

  This application solves the problem regarding the menu name display on the display unit for menu selection in such a conventional rice cooker, and which menu is currently selected when the user presses the selection button. The purpose is to obtain a rice cooker equipped with a menu display unit that can immediately grasp the above.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the rice cooker disclosed in the present application includes an inner pot in which to-be-cooked rice is placed, a rice cooker body having an inner pot accommodating portion that accommodates the inner pot in a removable manner, and the inner pot accommodating portion. A rice cooker capable of executing a plurality of types of rice cooking menus by controlling a heating means for heating the inner pot according to a rice cooking program set in advance. The operation unit that selects the rice cooking menu has a display unit on which a plurality of types of rice cooking menu names are displayed, and a selection button that sequentially selects the rice cooking menu displayed on the display unit, and the selected unit is selected. The rice cooking menu is displayed by enclosing the menu name of the selected rice cooking menu with a cursor from four directions (up, down, left, and right).

  The rice cooker disclosed in the present application, in the operation unit for selecting the rice cooking menu, among the plurality of rice cooking menus in which the menu name is displayed on the display unit, the selected rice cooking menu is the top, bottom, left, and right surrounding the menu name Displayed with a four-way cursor. By doing in this way, the rice cooking menu name is always displayed on the display section, and it can be shown which rice cooking menu is selected, and the user is selected even immediately after pressing the selection button. You can check the cooking menu.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the rice cooker concerning embodiment. It is a top view which shows the operation part of the rice cooker concerning this embodiment. It is an enlarged plan view of a display part for demonstrating the display content in a display part. It is a figure which shows the display state of a display part at the time of selecting the rice cooking u. FIG. 4A shows the display state of the display unit in the initial state of menu selection. FIG. 4B shows a display state of the display unit in a state where the user presses the menu selection button once. It is a figure which shows the display state of a display part in the case of selecting a some rice cooking menu simultaneously. FIG. 5A shows an initial state when a plurality of menus are selected. FIG. 5B shows a state where a plurality of menus are selected at the same time. It is a figure which shows the display state of the modification which is a form from which the state which has selected the several menu simultaneously is different. It is a figure which shows the display state which matches and displays the state as which the additional rice cooking menu which can be added and selected is selected. FIG. 7A shows a state in which the first additional rice cooking menu is selected. FIG. 7B shows a state where the second additional rice cooking menu is selected.

  The rice cooker disclosed in the present application includes an inner pot in which to-be-cooked rice is placed, a rice cooker body having an inner pot accommodating portion that accommodates the inner pot in a removable manner, and a lid that covers the inner pot accommodating portion in an openable and closable manner. And a rice cooker capable of executing a plurality of types of rice cooking menus by controlling heating means for heating the inner pot in accordance with a preset rice cooking program, wherein the user selects the rice cooking menu. The unit has a display unit on which a plurality of types of rice cooking menu names are displayed, and a selection button for sequentially selecting the rice cooking menu displayed on the display unit, and the selected rice cooking menu is selected. The menu name of the cooking rice menu that is being displayed is surrounded by a cursor from the four directions of up, down, left and right.

  The rice cooker disclosed in the present application has the above-described configuration, so that the menu name of the selected rice cooking menu among the plurality of selectable rice cooking menus that are displayed side by side on the display unit is the menu. The name is surrounded and displayed by the cursor from four directions, up, down, left and right. For this reason, it can distinguish easily from others, without blinking the menu name of the selected rice cooking menu, and the user can confirm the selected rice cooking menu, always confirming the description of all the rice cooking menu names. In addition, by arranging four cursors surrounding the menu name of the rice cooking menu, when selecting multiple rice cooking menus at once, the display form that surrounds the menu name notation of the selected rice cooking menu at once with the cursor is realized It is possible to easily express the selection contents of various cooking rice menus.

  In the rice cooker disclosed in the present application, it is preferable that the cursor is arranged with predetermined gaps at the four corners of the menu name of the rice cooking menu. By doing in this way, while being able to perform electrode arrangement | positioning to the segment which displays a menu name easily, the selected rice cooking menu name can be enclosed and displayed nicely.

  Moreover, when the menu name of the rice cooking menu that can be selected at the same time is arranged adjacent in the vertical direction or the left-right direction, and when selecting a plurality of the rice cooking menus at the same time, It is preferable not to display the cursor located in the gap portion of the menu name. By doing in this way, the menu names of a plurality of rice cooking menus can be displayed surrounded by the cursor in a lump state.

  Further, around the menu name of the rice cooking menu that can be selected only at the same time as another rice cooking menu that is not selected alone, a cursor is arranged in the gap between the menu name of the other rice cooking menu that is selected at the same time. Preferably not. By doing in this way, the number of cursors arrange | positioned at a display part can be reduced, and the structure of a display part can be simplified.

  Moreover, in the rice cooker disclosed in the present application, the menu name of the rice cooking menu and the menu names of a plurality of additional rice cooking menus that can be selected when the rice cooking menu is selected are the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. When the user selects the rice cooking menu, the cursor is displayed so as to surround the entire arrangement area of the menu name of the rice cooking menu and the menu name of the additional rice cooking menu, It is preferable that the menu names of the plurality of additional rice cooking menus are sequentially lit and displayed in accordance with the operation of the operation buttons by the user. By doing in this way, the selection state of the additional rice cooking menu which can be added and selected at the time of selection of one rice cooking menu can be displayed clearly.

  Hereinafter, the rice cooker disclosed in the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a rice cooker according to the present embodiment.

  The rice cooker according to the present embodiment includes rice and water, and an inner pot (not shown) that contains cooked rice that is various ingredients such as vegetables, beans, and meat in the rice cooking menu, and the inner pot accommodates the inner pot. The rice cooker main body 20 which can be accommodated in the part, and the lid body 10 which covers the upper part of the inner pot accommodating part of the rice cooker main body 20 so that opening and closing is possible. In addition, in FIG. 1, the cover body 10 which covers an inner pot accommodating part is shown in the closed state.

  On the upper surface of the lid 10, operation buttons 11 and 12 for the user to give various settings to the rice cooker, a liquid crystal panel for displaying the operation status of the operation buttons 11 and 12, the operation state of the rice cooker, and the like An operation unit 30 is formed on which a display unit 13 formed by an image display panel is arranged. The detailed configuration of the operation unit 30 will be described later in detail.

  The rice cooker shown by this embodiment is a rice cooker which can perform pressure rice cooking by adjusting the pressure inside an inner pot with a pressure valve, and the inner side of the inner pot is on the rear side of the operation unit 30 on the upper surface of the lid 10. When the pressure valve is opened in order to reduce the pressure, the pressure regulating cap 14 into which the steam generated in the inner pot flows is arranged. The pressure adjusting cap 14 is formed with a steam discharge port 15 for discharging steam to the outside. Since the pressure adjusting cap 14 is formed inside the lid body 10 and connected to a steam path (not shown) directed toward the inner pot, the steam that has risen up to the pressure adjusting cap 14 during the pressure cooking process is vaporized in the pressure adjusting cap 14. It becomes an "Onaba" produced by liquid separation and is returned to the inner pot.

  The lid body 10 opens and closes the inner pot accommodating portion by rotating with respect to the rice cooker body 20 by a hinge mechanism (not shown) arranged at the upper part of the position corresponding to the back side as viewed from the user of the rice cooker body 20. Can do. A lock button 16 is provided at the front side center portion of the upper surface of the lid body 10. When the lock button 16 is pushed in with the lid body 10 closed, the lid body 10 is unlocked, and the lid is opened by a spring mechanism (not shown). The entire body 10 opens to the rear (back) side in FIG. In addition, from a viewpoint of improving safety, even if the user accidentally touches the lock button 16 during execution of the rice cooking process, the lock is not released, and the lid 10 is not instructed to stop the rice cooking program from the operation unit 30. It can be set not to open.

  Although not shown in the figure, an operation circuit connected to various operation buttons 11 and 12 of the operation unit and a display on the display unit 13 are provided in a portion located below the operation unit 30 in the lid 10. A circuit unit including a drive circuit for outputting an image is disposed. Moreover, in the rice cooker of this embodiment, the circuit which comprises a circuit part as a control circuit in which the control means which performs the rice cooking process according to a predetermined rice cooking program corresponding to the rice cooking menu selected by the user is included. It is mounted on the board.

  A control circuit including a microcomputer arranged in the circuit unit surrounds the inner pot while checking the temperature state of each part of the inner pot based on the output from the temperature sensor arranged in the rice cooker body 20. Thus, the electric power supply to the heating means arrange | positioned in the rice cooker main body 20 is adjusted, and the temperature control of an inner pot is performed. Moreover, in the rice cooker of this embodiment, a control circuit controls the pressure valve which is a pressure adjustment means, adjusts the pressure inside an inner pot to a predetermined value, and performs various rice cooking programs.

  In the rice cooker of this embodiment, a nonmetallic pot called an earthen pot can be used for the inner pot. When heating a non-metallic pan, a heating element coated with a metal thin film such as silver or stainless steel is arranged on the outer surface side portion of the inner pan facing the heating means arranged in an annular shape in the inner pot accommodating portion. The When a current is passed through the work coil as the heating means, the heating element generates heat, and the heat generated by the heating element raises the temperature of the non-metallic inner pot.

  As a heating means, in addition to the work coil that performs induction heating, a heater that generates heat when current flows and heats the inner pot with its radiant heat can be adopted, and even in the rice cooker of this embodiment, the upper part of the inner pot The side surface on the side is heated by a heater disposed in the inner pot accommodating portion.

  Thus, in the rice cooker of this embodiment, the non-metallic pan with high heat storage property is used as the inner pan, and further, the pressure rice with the pressure inside the inner pan being 1 atm or more in the heating step in the rice cooking step. By doing, you can cook even more delicious rice.

  In addition, the structure of the rice cooker demonstrated above is an example of the rice cooker to which the invention disclosed in the present application is applied. The specific structure of the rice cooker, the type and arrangement position of the heating means, and the material of the inner pot Whether it is made of metal or non-metal, and whether or not pressure rice can be performed is not limited in rice cookers to which the invention disclosed in the present application is applied, and is appropriately selected. Contents.

  Hereinafter, in the rice cooker according to the present embodiment, the contents of the operation unit 30 on the upper surface of the lid 10 that operates various rice cooking programs executed by the control circuit as selection of the rice cooking menu desired by the user will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view showing details of the operation unit in the rice cooker according to the present embodiment.

  In the rice cooker according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 30 receives the first operation button 11 (11a, 11b, 11c) for instructing the execution of the basic operation of the rice cooker, the selection of the rice cooking menu, and the instruction for the time display. The 2nd operation button 12 (12a, 12b, 12c) to perform and the display part 13 which displays the execution condition of a rice cooking program, such as the selected rice cooking menu and time display, are arrange | positioned.

  In the case of the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the first operation button 11 is a slightly larger circular button. As shown in FIG. 2, the “reservation” button (11a), the “rice cooking” button (11b), and “cancel”. Three buttons (11c) are arranged.

  The reservation button 11a is a button for instructing the start of reserved rice cooking in which cooking is performed by specifying a desired cooking time. The rice cooking button 11b is a button for instructing to start the rice cooking program immediately after the operation. The cancel button 11c is a button for canceling operations such as reserved rice cooking and rice cooking start instruction.

  Thus, in the rice cooker concerning this embodiment, the 1st operation button 11 is a main operation button which instruct | indicates the start and cancellation of main operation | movement of a rice cooker. For this reason, in the rice cooker of this embodiment, the 1st operation button 11 is larger than the 2nd operation button 12, and is arrange | positioned so that it may stand out on the outer side of the frame 31 surrounding the 2nd operation button 12 and the display part 13. ing.

  In addition, in the rice cooker of the present embodiment, when cooking wheat rice using “barley” or “mochi wheat” other than rice, the rice that has been cooked is added with “rice” or washed in water. It is possible to cook "washed rice". In these rice cooking menus, it is necessary to perform a rice cooking operation with a program having a separate process different from other normal rice cooking in terms of material, finish, and rice cooking process. For this reason, the rice cooking menu of these separate processes can be selected one by one by pressing the reservation button 11a or the rice cooking button 11b twice or more.

  In the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the reservation button 11a and the rice cooking button 11b of the first operation buttons 11 are lit to notify that the rice cooking program instructed by pressing the button is being executed. Lamps 11a1 and 11b1 are provided.

  In the case of the rice cooker of this embodiment, the 2nd operation button 12 is a horizontally long rectangular shape, and is formed a little smaller than the 1st operation button 11. FIG. As the second operation button 12, there are arranged, as shown in FIG. 2, an “hour / minute” instruction button (12a), a “heat retention” button (12b), and a “menu” selection button (12c) as a selection button. ing.

  The hour / minute instruction button 12a is a button for inputting a desired number divided into “hour” and “minute” when setting the cooking time at the time of reserved cooking. In the case of the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the hour / minute instruction button 12a has one hour / minute instruction button 12a connected to two switch terminals, and when the left side of the hour / minute instruction button 12a is pressed, the “time” is changed to the right side. By pressing, you can set “minutes” respectively.

  The heat retention button 12b is a button for the user to select a heat retention process to be transferred after the rice cooking program ends. The heat retention button 12b is provided with a lamp 12b1 that lights and displays that the rice cooker is performing heat insulation.

  The menu selection button 12c is connected to the left and right switch terminals in the same manner as the hour / minute button 12a, and changes the menu to be selected in the direction represented by the left-right triangle displayed on the upper surface of the button. It can be performed. Specifically, if the left side of the menu selection button 12c is pressed, the menu shown on the left side from the menu name selected so far in the display of the rice cooking menu name shown on the display unit 13 is displayed. The display of the selected menu name moves to the name. Similarly, if the right side of the menu selection button 12c is pressed, the menu name displayed on the right side of the currently selected menu name is selected for the various menu displays shown on the display unit 13. Is done. The user uses the menu selection button 12c to sequentially select a desired menu name from a plurality of menu names displayed on the display unit 13 in the direction indicated by the triangle indicated on the surface of the menu selection button 12c. be able to. The user presses the menu selection button 12c until the menu name of the desired rice cooking menu is selected until the menu name of the desired rice cooking menu is selected. The rice cooking button 11b can be pressed to start cooking with a predetermined rice cooking menu.

  In addition, although the description is abbreviate | omitted in FIG. 2, in the operation part 30 of the rice cooker of this embodiment, the substantially rectangular shape in which the corner | angular part was formed surrounding the arrangement position of the 2nd operation button 12 and the display part 13 was formed. A frame 31 is provided. By coloring the inside of the frame 31 with a dark color, the portion in the frame 31 is used as a design accent on the top surface of the lid 10 of the rice cooker, and the second operation button 12 and the display unit 13 are associated with each other. However, it is possible to intuitively understand that the second operation button 12 is a button for selecting a rice cooking menu displayed on the display unit 13 or setting a time display displayed on the display unit. I have to.

  The display unit 13 is configured by an image display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an electroluminescence display (ELD), and can display a rice cooking menu name that can be executed by the rice cooker, an operation state of the rice cooker, a time, and the like. In addition, a plurality of display segments are arranged at predetermined positions.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing the display unit.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which all segments that can be lit in the display unit 13 are lit. In the process where the user actually uses the rice cooker, the situation where all the segments are lit simultaneously as shown in FIG. 3 does not occur. Further, in order to show the individual display contents on the display unit 13 more accurately, in FIG. 3, the display form of the actual display unit is shown in a state in which black and white display is inverted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the display unit 13 of the rice cooker according to the present embodiment has a menu name notation 41 for displaying a menu name of a rice cooking menu such as “eco-cooking” and “white rice”, and rice cooking such as “reservation of water absorption”. Program display 42 showing the setting status of additional programs before and after, time required for cooking, setting time for reserved rice cooking, hour / minute display 43 for displaying current time, etc. Another process rice display 44 indicating that cooking is performed is arranged.

  The menu name notation 41 includes a menu name 41e of a rice cooking menu that can be selected as a rice cooking program, and four cursors of an upper cursor 41a, a left cursor 41b, a right cursor 41c, and a lower cursor 41d surrounding the menu name 41e from the top, bottom, left, and right. It is constituted by.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the upper cursor 41a, the left cursor 41b, the right cursor 41c, and the lower cursor 41d are arranged on each side of the display area of the menu name 41e, respectively, and surround the menu name 41e as a whole. Is arranged. However, in the display unit 13 of the rice cooker according to the present embodiment, the four corner portions of the menu name 41e, that is, the end portions of the respective cursors arranged so as to form a rectangular ring as a whole are adjacent to the end portions of the other cursors. A gap is formed between the ends of the cursor.

  As described above, the display unit 13 of the rice cooker of the present embodiment uses an image display device such as an LCD, arranges electrodes formed in the shape of the displayed segment, and connects the electrodes to each electrode. The desired segment is lit by applying a driving voltage for turning on the display of the electrode to display necessary information. At this time, if the entire circumference of the menu name 41e is surrounded by the cursor without any gap, the electrode wiring for displaying the menu name 41e arranged inside cannot be arranged. Such a problem does not occur when the wiring layer to the electrode is composed of two or more layers, or when an image display panel of an information display format using a combination of dots is used instead of segment display, but only limited information If the display is sufficient, the configuration of the image display device used for the display unit 13 is unnecessarily complicated, resulting in high costs. For this reason, in the cursor formed surrounding the menu name 41e, it is preferable that at least part of the cursor is a gap portion where no electrode for display is arranged, and the menu name 41e is routed through the electrode wiring to be lit.

  As described above, if only the electrode wiring to the electrode for displaying the menu name 41e is to be formed in a plane, the cursor gap may be provided only in a part around the menu name 41e. For example, a rectangular annular segment surrounding all four sides of the menu name 41e may be formed, and a gap may be provided only at a part thereof such as the central portion of the lower side. However, in the case of such a cursor form, there is an adverse effect that the gap portion becomes conspicuous.

  For this reason, in the display part 13 of the rice cooker of this embodiment, the menu name 41e is surrounded by four cursors 41a, 41b, 41c, and 41d that are divided into four sides with gaps at the four corners. As a result, the gap between the cursors surrounding the menu name 41e is not conspicuous, and the user is prevented from having a strong sense of discomfort. In addition, in the display unit 13 in which a plurality of menu name notations 41 are arranged in a vertical and horizontal matrix, each menu name 41e is surrounded by a cursor arranged on each of the four sides, As will be described later, the cursor can be turned on so as to surround a plurality of menu names 41e arranged adjacently in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction.

  In the display unit 13 of the rice cooker of the present embodiment, six menu name notations 41 are arranged in the horizontal direction and a maximum of three levels in the vertical direction. More specifically, there are 15 menu name notations 41 from “eco-cooking” arranged at the upper left end of the display unit 31 to “germ rice” arranged in the third row from the right part. In the left-right direction, six are arranged in the first stage, five in the second stage, and four in the third stage.

  The program display 42 is a display which shows the content of the water absorption process and heat retention process performed before and after a normal rice cooking process. The program display 42 is composed of segments with the shape of the displayed characters as they are. The program display 42 sequentially displays a desired additional process program in response to an operation of pressing the reservation button 11a or the heat retention button 12b while the user is selecting the rice cooking menu. For example, in the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the user can set the heat retention process after completion of rice cooking such as “no continuous heat retention” or “6 hours of heat retention” by pressing the heat retention button 12b.

  The hour / minute display 43 can display a 4-digit number by a combination of bar-shaped segments. “:” Formed by a small circular segment in the center to indicate the time or time and the minute display, and the “minute” character indicating the unit when only the minute unit is displayed Is provided in the arrangement area of the hour / minute display 43. The display content of the hour / minute display 43 can be selected and changed by pressing the right or left side of the hour / minute instruction button 12a which is one of the second operation buttons 12. The hour / minute display 43 displays the time and time of completion of rice cooking, the remaining heat retention time, etc. during execution of the rice cooking process, during the heat insulation process, during standby for reserved rice cooking, or during execution of the reserved rice cooking process. Moreover, when the operation of the rice cooker is stopped, the current time can be set to be displayed.

  The separate process display 44 is a display representing the four separate process menus of “Oshimugi”, “mochi wheat”, “rice cake”, and “non-washed rice” described above. In the display unit 13 of the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the cooking content displayed as the separate process display 44 is a menu name 41e in which the menu name notation 41 is white on a black background and four white segments 41a to 41d surrounding the menu name 41e. On the other hand, the separate process display 44 displays the menu contents with black characters in a substantially white rectangular area. In this way, the rice cooking menu shown in the separate process display 44 is not the same row as the normal rice cooking menu such as “eco-cooking” “white rice”, for example, “Oshigi” “mochi” It shows that it is a rice cooking menu that is additionally selected in a state where the rice cooking menu “barley rice” is selected.

  Next, in the rice cooker of this embodiment, the display form of the display part at the time of a user selecting a rice cooking menu is demonstrated.

  FIG. 4 shows the display content of the display unit in a state where the rice cooking menu is selected. FIG. 4A shows the initial state when the menu is selected, and FIG. 4B shows the display contents when the user presses the menu selection button once when the menu is selected.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the menu set as the initial state of the rice cooker is selected, all menu names 41e from “eco-cooking” to “germ rice” that can be selected at this time are displayed.

  In the initial state of the menu selection screen shown in FIG. 4A, “eco-cooking”, which is the menu name notation 41 displayed first, is in the temporary selection state. Four cursors, an upper cursor 41a, a left cursor 41b, a right cursor 41c, and a lower cursor 41d, illuminate and surround the menu name 41e of “eco-cooking” to be selected.

  In this state, when the user presses the portion on the right side of the menu selection button 12c where the triangle is displayed, it is displayed to the right of “Eco Cooking”, assuming that the user has instructed to move to the right menu. The four cursors that surround the menu name 41e of "white rice", the upper cursor 41a, the left cursor 41b, the right cursor 41c, and the lower cursor 41d, are lit.

  In this way, each time the user presses the right triangle of the menu selection button 12c, the menu name 41e surrounded by the four lit cursors moves to the right one. As shown in FIG. 4, the menu name 41 e of “wheat rice” is arranged on the rightmost side of the first row of the menu name notation 41. If the right side of the menu selection button 12c is further pressed when selecting “wheat mash”, the cursor surrounding the menu name 41e of “Miscellaneous Grain” located on the leftmost side of the second row lights up. In this way, the right end of the menu names 41e arranged side by side is handled as being continuous with the menu name 41e at the left end of the next stage. Further, when the last menu name “germ rice” that can be sequentially selected by continuously pressing the right button of the menu selection button 12c is selected, if the right portion of the menu selection button 12c is further pressed, The cursor around the menu name 41e of "Eco Cooking" is turned on after returning to "Eco Cooking" arranged in the section.

  In addition, when the menu name “Eco-cooked” at the upper left corner is selected, when the left portion of the menu selection button 12c is pressed, the “germ rice” menu arranged at the lower right corner is displayed. When the selection is made, the surrounding cursor is lit, and each time the left button of the menu selection button 12c is pressed, the menu name 41e adjacent to the left is sequentially selected.

  Thus, in the display part 13 of the rice cooker of this embodiment, at the time of selection of a rice cooking menu, the menu name 41e of the selected rice cooking menu is surrounded 4 in the state which all the menu names 41e which can be selected are lit. When the two cursors 41a to 41d are lit, it is displayed that the rice cooking menu has been selected. For this reason, the user can easily grasp which rice cooking menu is currently selected, and which menu will be selected next when the menu selection button is pressed, at the same time as the menu selection button is pressed. can do.

  Next, a case where a plurality of menus are selected simultaneously will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining display contents on the display unit when two rice cooking menus that can be selected simultaneously are selected. Fig.5 (a) is a figure which shows the display part of the state which selected the rice cooking menu used as a basis first among the rice cooking menus which can select two, FIG.5 (b) selected previously. The second rice cooking menu that is selected along with the basic rice cooking menu also shows the display unit that is selected at the same time.

  In FIG. 5, in the state where the “brown rice” menu for cooking brown rice is selected as the basic rice cooking menu to be selected in advance, so that a large amount of gamma amino acids contained in the brown rice can be obtained, The case where the GABA increase rice cooking menu which adds rice cooking over time longer than a program is additionally selected is illustrated.

  When the rice cooking menu is selected, the menu selection button 12c is repeatedly pressed from the initial state of “eco rice” being selected, and the user selects the menu once again. When the right portion of the button 12c is pressed, the “brown rice” rice cooking menu on the right side is selected. Fig.5 (a) shows the state by which the "brown rice" rice cooking menu was selected as a rice cooking menu, and it turns out that the four cursors 41a-41d around the menu name 41e of brown rice are lighting.

  Next, when the user presses the right portion of the menu selection button 12c again, the “GABA” rice cooking menu next to “brown rice” is selected, but the GABA rice cooking menu can be selected independently as described above. It is an accompanying rice cooking menu that can be selected only in a situation where the “brown rice” rice cooking menu is selected instead of the rice cooking menu. For this reason, in the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the “GABA” rice cooking menu in the “brown rice” rice cooking menu is displayed for the first time by pressing the right side portion of the menu selection button 12c while the “brown rice” rice cooking menu is selected. This is a choice.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, among the four cursors arranged around the brown rice menu name 41e, the upper cursor 41a, the left cursor 41b, and the lower cursor 41d remain lit. Only the right cursor 41c is turned off. Furthermore, the upper cursor 41a, the right cursor 41c, and the lower cursor 41d of the GABA menu name 41e are turned on, and the six menu names 41e of brown rice and GABA are surrounded by one frame. It becomes a state.

  Thus, in the display part in the rice cooker of this embodiment, when the one rectangular frame comprised of the six cursors surrounding the outside of the two menu names 41e arranged adjacent to each other lights up. It can be clearly shown to the user that the “rice brown” and “GABA” rice cooking menu is selected.

  As described above, since the “GABA” rice cooking menu is a rice cooking menu that can be selected only in combination with the “brown rice” rice cooking menu, the menu name 41e of GABA rice cooking is not surrounded by four cursors. The left cursor 41b of the menu name notation 41 of “GABA” is not necessary. For this reason, in the rice cooker concerning this embodiment, as shown in Drawing 3 showing the state where all the segments of indicator 13 are lit, left cursor 41b in menu name notation 41 of GABA is not formed. I understand that.

  In this way, when there is a cursor that is never lit due to the characteristics of the rice cooking menu to be displayed, even if the configuration of the image display device that constitutes the display unit 13 is slight, the segment itself is not formed. This can be simplified, and the cost of the display unit 13 can be reduced.

  In addition, in FIG. 5, when two rice cooking menus can be selected simultaneously, the example which arrange | positions these two menu names 41e along with the left-right direction was shown. On the other hand, menu names 41e of two rice cooking menus that can be selected simultaneously can be arranged in the vertical direction.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display state of the display unit of the first modified example in which the menu names of the two rice menus that can be selected simultaneously are arranged in the vertical direction.

  In the display unit of the rice cooker of the present embodiment, the menu name of the selected rice cooking menu is displayed so as to be surrounded by four cursors arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. Similar to the case where one menu name is displayed in one frame, as shown in FIG. 6, two menu names arranged in the vertical direction can be displayed surrounded by one frame.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the GABA menu name selected only at the same time as brown rice is arranged below the brown rice menu name, the upper cursor 41a in the GABA menu notation 41 that is never lit. It is preferable not to form.

  In the form shown in FIG. 5, when brown rice + GABA is selected as the rice cooking menu and the right button of the menu selection button 12c is pressed, it is displayed to the right of the GABA menu name 41e. “Owa”, which is a single rice cooking menu, is selected, and the four cursors 41a to 41d around the menu name 41e of “Okowa” are lit.

  Next, the 2nd modification of the rice cooking menu display in the display part in the rice cooker of this embodiment is demonstrated.

  In the second modification, when there are a plurality of additional rice cooking menus that can be additionally selected in a state where one rice cooking menu is selected, the menu name including the selected additional rice cooking menu is surrounded by a cursor. is there.

  FIG. 7 shows a display form on the display unit of the second modification. Fig. 7 (a) shows the state where the "Oshimugi" menu is added and selected when the rice cooking menu "Barley rice" is selected, and Fig. 7 (b) shows that the "mochi wheat" menu is added when the rice cooking menu "Barley rice" is selected. Each of the selected states is shown.

  More specifically, in the second modified example shown in FIG. 7, the menu name 41e of the “wheat rice” menu name 41e selected as the rice cooking menu, the left cursor 41b, the right cursor 41c, and an additional selection menu. The left cursor 41b and the right cursor 41c of the menu name 41e of “push wheat”, and the left cursor 41b, the right cursor 41c, and the lower cursor 41d of the menu name 41e of “mochi wheat”, which is another additional selection menu, are lit. Thus, the entire area where the three menu names 41e of “wheat mash”, “push wheat”, and “mochi wheat” are arranged is displayed as if surrounded by the cursor.

  For example, when the user operates the menu selection button 12c and selects “wheat mash” as the rice cooking menu, the state where “barley” is simultaneously selected as the additional rice cooking menu as shown in FIG. Become. At this time, when the user presses an operation button such as the reservation button 11a or the rice cooking button 11b, the menu name display of “Oshimugi” is turned off and the menu name display of “mochimugi” is turned on instead, and the additional rice cooking menu is displayed. As shown in FIG. 7B, “mochi wheat” is selected. In the following, in response to the pressing of the user's operation button, “Oshimugi” and “mochimugi” are alternately lit, so that the desired menu as an additional rice cooking menu in the state where the rice cooking menu “barley rice” is selected Can be selected.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in the display unit of the second modification example, in the above-described embodiment, the additional selection indicating that the menu name is additionally selected by changing the display form of the menu name as the separate process display 44. A menu can be notified to the user that the menu is additionally selected by surrounding the menu name with a cursor in the same manner as other rice cooking menus. In this way, the rice cooking menu to be additionally selected by making the display part of the menu name indicating that it is in the selected state by being surrounded by the cursor as the entire area where a plurality of menu names are displayed side by side The user can easily grasp the selected rice cooking menu.

  In addition, in FIG. 7, although the example which has two or more additional rice cooking menus which can be selected additionally was shown, the number of the additional rice cooking menus which can be selected additionally may be three or more. Absent. Moreover, in the example shown in FIG. 7, although the example which arranged the rice menu which can be selected additionally was arranged in the up-down direction was shown, it is possible to arrange the rice menu which can be additionally selected and arranged in the left-right direction. Needless to say.

  Thus, in the rice cooker of this embodiment, in the menu notation 41 which displays a rice cooking menu in the display part 13, by making the four cursors 41a-41d arrange | positioned around the menu name 41e light, It is displaying that the cooking rice menu is selected.

  For this reason, compared with the case where the menu currently selected is blinked and displayed, the menu name 41e of the selected rice cooking menu can always be visually recognized, and the user can select the desired rice cooking menu. The operation to select can be easily performed.

  In addition, as described in the above embodiment, since the menu name 41e of the selected rice cooking menu is surrounded and lit by four cursors, the menu name 41e is individually lit around each menu name 41e. Four cursors 41a to 41d that can be moved are arranged. For this reason, it is possible to display a state where a plurality of rice cooking menus are selected, such as displaying two consecutive menu names 41e in a single frame shape, in a form that can be easily recognized.

  Furthermore, as shown as a 2nd modification, the one rice cooking menu is selected by lighting the cursor arrange | positioned in the position surrounding the circumference | surroundings of the whole area | region where a several menu name is displayed. The selection states of a plurality of additional selection menus that can be selected in the state can also be displayed in the same manner.

  Thus, in the display part in the rice cooker concerning this embodiment, with the easy-to-understand of the selected rice cooking menu name at the time of the selection operation of the rice cooking menu by the user, the selection state of the rice cooking menu in which a plurality is combined, Can be displayed in an easy-to-understand form.

  In addition, the number of operation buttons 11 and 12 arranged in the operation unit 30, the shape of each button, the arrangement position of various information displayed on the display unit, the arrangement order, and the like exemplified in the above embodiment are merely examples, It should be designed appropriately corresponding to the rice cooking function provided in each rice cooker.

  Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which each menu name is surrounded by four cursors has been illustrated, but one cursor is placed between the menu names and the two menus adjacent to each other are displayed. It can also be configured to be shared by name notation. In this case, the number of segments corresponding to the cursor formed on the display unit can be greatly reduced.

  In addition, although not shown in the above-described embodiment, a “confirm” or “decision” operation button that the user confirms and presses the displayed menu content is correct, or a voice explaining the user operation By adding a guide function, the user can select a desired rice cooking program without hesitation. By doing in this way, it is not restricted to the display format of the selected rice cooking menu, Furthermore, the rice cooker excellent from the surface of user friendliness is realizable.

  When the rice cooker disclosed in the present application selects the rice cooking menu desired by the user, the user can intuitively and reliably recognize the rice cooking menu in the selected state. For this reason, it is useful as a rice cooker excellent in user friendly in that the user can select a desired rice cooking menu very easily.

10 Lid 12c Menu selection button (selection button)
13 Display unit 20 Rice cooker body 30 Operation unit 41a Up cursor (cursor)
41b Left cursor (cursor)
41c Right cursor (cursor)
41d Cursor down
41e Menu name

Claims (5)

An inner pot for cooking rice,
A rice cooker body having an inner pot accommodating portion for accommodating the inner pot in a removable manner;
A lid that covers the inner pot accommodating portion so as to be openable and closable,
By controlling the heating means for heating the inner pot according to a preset rice cooking program, a rice cooker capable of executing a plurality of types of rice cooking menus,
The operation unit where the user selects the rice cooking menu has a display unit on which menu names of a plurality of types of rice cooking menus are displayed, and a selection button for sequentially selecting the rice cooking menu displayed on the display unit. ,
A rice cooker characterized in that the selected rice cooking menu is displayed by enclosing the menu name of the selected rice cooking menu in four directions (up, down, left, and right) with a cursor.   The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the cursor is arranged with predetermined gaps at four corners of the menu name of the rice cooking menu.   When the menu names of the rice cooking menus that can be selected at the same time are arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction or the left-right direction, and the plurality of rice cooking menus are selected at the same time, the menu names arranged adjacently The rice cooker of Claim 1 or 2 which does not display the said cursor located in the clearance gap part.   Around the menu name of the rice cooking menu that can be selected only at the same time as other rice cooking menus that are not selected alone, the cursor is not placed in the gap with the menu name of the other rice cooking menu that is selected at the same time, The rice cooker of Claim 3. The menu name of the rice cooking menu and the menu names of a plurality of additional rice cooking menus that can be selected when the rice cooking menu is selected are continuously arranged in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction,
When the user selects the rice cooking menu, the cursor is displayed so as to surround the entire arrangement area of the menu name of the rice cooking menu and the menu name of the additional rice cooking menu,
The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein menu names of the plurality of additional rice cooking menus are sequentially lit and displayed in accordance with an operation of the operation button by a user.

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