JP2022084280A - Cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cooker capable of automatically finishing food with suitable texture and deliciousness without requiring users to do complicated work.SOLUTION: A cooker (1) comprises a heating box (12) where food (F) is arranged, a heating unit (20) that heats the inside of the heating box (12), a temperature detection unit (30) that detects an internal temperature of the food (F), and a control unit (90) that controls the heating unit (20) based on the internal temperature of the food (F). The control unit (90) controls the heating unit (20) so that within a range where the internal temperature of the food (F) is 50°C or higher and 60°C or lower, an increase rate of the internal temperature of the food (F) is 2.0°C/min or higher.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The technique of the present disclosure relates to a cooker.

Conventionally, a cooking device for cooking food has been known. As a cooking cooker, a sensor that detects the temperature and state of foodstuffs is mounted, and a cooking device that controls the heating of foodstuffs based on changes in the temperature and state of foodstuffs has been proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 includes a temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature of a food material, estimates the internal temperature of the food material from the surface temperature of the food material detected by the temperature sensor, and tastes the food material based on the internal temperature of the food material. Disclosed is a cooker that cooks to effectively increase the ingredients. In this cooking device, the rate of temperature rise of the food during the time when the taste component of the food is reduced due to decomposition is faster than the rate of temperature rise of the food during the time when the taste component of the food is generated and increases. , Control the heating of ingredients.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-218545

By the way, in the conventional cooking device, it is necessary for the user to adjust the heating condition of the food material in order to finish the food material with a suitable texture and deliciousness, which is troublesome. Further, in a conventional cooking device, if two or more kinds of ingredients are to be cooked at the same time, it is necessary to manually set the position and cooking conditions of each ingredient, which makes the work by the user complicated and difficult.

An object of the technique of the present disclosure is to provide a cooking device capable of automatically finishing a food material into a suitable texture and deliciousness without requiring a user to perform complicated work.

When the vegetables are cooked, the inventors of the present application adjust the softness of the vegetables according to the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the vegetables when the internal temperature of the vegetables is in the range of 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or lower. I found out what I could do. When the internal temperature of the vegetables is in the range of 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or lower, the destruction of the cell wall contained in the vegetables is promoted. When the cell wall of vegetables is destroyed, water is easily drained, and a specific enzyme such as pectinase works actively in the temperature range, so that the tissue of vegetables is hardened.

In the above temperature range in which the cell wall of vegetables is destroyed, when the rate of increase in the internal temperature of vegetables is 2.0 ° C./min or higher, the faster the rate reaches a predetermined rate, the softer the vegetables are finished. The texture and deliciousness of vegetables depends on the softness of the ingredients. Therefore, in the technique of the present disclosure, the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material is set to 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range where the internal temperature of the food material is 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or lower.

The first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a cooker. The heating cooker of the first aspect is detected by the heating chamber in which the foodstuff is arranged, the heating unit that heats the inside of the heating chamber, the temperature detecting unit that detects the internal temperature of the foodstuff, and the temperature detecting unit. It is provided with a control unit that controls the heating unit based on the internal temperature of the food material. The control unit controls the heating unit so that the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material is 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range where the internal temperature of the food material is 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or less.

In the first aspect, the food material is heated so that the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material is 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range where the internal temperature of the food material is 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or less. If the food is vegetables, the degree of softening of the texture of the food can be adjusted by setting the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food in the range of 50 ° C or higher and 60 ° C or lower to 2.0 ° C / min or higher. You can adjust the softness of the ingredients. As a result, the ingredients can be automatically finished into a suitable texture and deliciousness without requiring a complicated work for the user.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is that in the cooking device of the first aspect, the control unit reaches a predetermined temperature at which the internal temperature of the foodstuff detected by the temperature detection unit is set to 60 ° C. or higher. Then, it is a cooking device that finishes the heating of the food material by the heating unit.

In the second aspect, when the internal temperature of the food material reaches a predetermined temperature set to 60 ° C. or higher, the heating of the food material is completed. If the foodstuff is vegetables, when the internal temperature of the foodstuff is 60 ° C. or higher, the higher the internal temperature, the more the pectic substances contained in the cell wall are decomposed, and the foodstuff becomes softer. Therefore, the softness of the food can be adjusted by controlling the temperature at which the internal temperature of the food reaches by heating.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is the cooking device of the second aspect, further comprising a food material information detecting unit for detecting information on the food material arranged in the heating chamber. In the cooking device of the third aspect, the control unit recognizes the type of the food material based on the information detected by the food material information detection unit, and the predetermined type according to the type of the food material. Set the temperature.

The suitable softness of an ingredient depends on the type of ingredient. If the foodstuff is a vegetable, it depends on whether it is a root vegetable or a leaf vegetable or a fruit vegetable, and further depends on the specific type of the root vegetable, the leaf vegetable or the fruit vegetable. Further, the predetermined temperature to be reached by the internal temperature of the food material corresponding to the suitable softness of the food material also differs depending on the type of vegetables.

In the third aspect, a predetermined temperature at which the internal temperature of the food is reached by heating the food is set based on the type of the food. As a result, if the foodstuff is vegetables, the foodstuff can be finished to a desired softness according to the type.

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is that in the cooking apparatus of the second or third aspect, after the control unit finishes heating the food material by the heating unit, the residual heat in the heating chamber causes the food material. It is a cooking device that heats.

In the fourth aspect, after the heating of the food by the heating unit is completed, the food is heated by the residual heat in the heating chamber. Depending on the type of food, such as leafy vegetables and fruit vegetables, the internal temperature can be brought to a predetermined temperature by the residual heat in the heating chamber. As a result, the ingredients can be finished to the desired softness while saving energy in the cooking device.

A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a cooking device further comprising a surface state detecting unit for detecting the surface state of the food material in any one of the first to fourth aspects of the cooking device. In the heating cooker of the fifth aspect, the control unit ends the heating of the food material by the heating unit based on the surface state of the food material detected by the surface state detecting unit.

In the fifth aspect, the heating of the food by the heating unit is completed based on the surface condition of the food. The surface condition of the food material changes according to the progress of cooking of the food material. Therefore, when the surface condition of the food material reaches a predetermined state in which the food is cooked moderately, the food material can be appropriately cooked by ending the heating of the food material by the heating unit.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the cooking device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, further comprising an operation unit that accepts a user's operation. The operation unit is configured to be able to input setting information related to a target arrival temperature, which is a target of the internal temperature of the food material to be reached by heating in the heating chamber. The control unit controls the heating unit so that the internal temperature of the food material reaches the target temperature reached at the end of cooking of the food material based on the setting information input by the operation unit.

In the sixth aspect, the user inputs the setting information related to the target arrival temperature of the food material in the operation unit. When the setting information related to the target temperature of the food is input in the operation unit, the heating unit is controlled based on the setting information, and the internal temperature of the food reaches the predetermined target temperature at the end of cooking of the food. .. If the food is vegetables, the higher the internal temperature of the food at the end of cooking, the softer it becomes. Therefore, the user can finish the food material to the desired softness by inputting the setting information related to the target temperature at which the food material is reached.

A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the cooking apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a food material information detecting unit for detecting information on the foodstuff in the heating chamber. be. In the cooking apparatus of the sixth aspect, the heating unit has a plurality of partial heating units that partially heat the inside of the heating chamber. Each of the plurality of partial heating portions is configured to have a variable heating region in the heating chamber. When a plurality of the foodstuffs are arranged in the heating chamber, the foodstuff information detection unit detects information on each of the plurality of foodstuffs.

In the cooking device of the seventh aspect, the control unit recognizes the food ingredient region in which the foodstuff is arranged based on the information of each of the plurality of foodstuffs detected by the foodstuff information detection unit, and the foodstuff area. The partial heating unit is controlled so as to heat the food material every time. Then, when the plurality of the foodstuffs contain different types of the first foodstuff and the second foodstuff, the control unit determines the first foodstuff so that the cooking of the first foodstuff and the second foodstuff is completed at the same time. The heating time when the internal temperature of one of the foodstuff and the second foodstuff is at least one of less than 50 ° C. and more than 60 ° C. is adjusted according to the heating time of the other foodstuff. It should be noted that the term "simultaneously completed" includes not only the case where the completion is performed exactly at the same time but also the case where the completion timing is slightly different.

In the seventh aspect, when the first and second foodstuffs of different types are arranged in the heating chamber, the information of each of the first and second foodstuffs is detected, and the information of the first foodstuff and the second foodstuff is detected. The heating time when the internal temperature of one of the ingredients is at least one of less than 50 ° C and above 60 ° C is adjusted according to the heating time of the other ingredient, and the first and second ingredients are cooked at the same time. Complete. This makes it possible to cook both the first and second foodstuffs at the same time and finish both foodstuffs with a suitable texture and deliciousness.

According to the technique of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a cooking device capable of automatically finishing a food material into a suitable texture and deliciousness without requiring a complicated work for a user.

It is a perspective view which illustrates the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a perspective view which illustrates the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which looked at the inside of the heating chamber of the heating cooker of Embodiment 1 from the front. It is a block diagram which illustrates the control part of Embodiment 1 and its main related equipment. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the rising rate and the softness of a food material in the range where the internal temperature of a food material is 50 degreeC or more and 60 or less. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the reaching point of the internal temperature of a food, and the softness of a food. It is a flowchart which shows the control example of the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the control example of the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the photographed image which photographed the leafy vegetables in the heating chamber acquired by the photographing part of the heating cooker of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a timing chart exemplifying the operation with respect to the leafy vegetables of the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the photographed image which photographed the root vegetables in the heating chamber acquired by the photographing part of the heating cooker of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a timing chart exemplifying the operation of the cooking device of Embodiment 1 with respect to root vegetables. It is a timing chart which shows the operation with respect to the leafy vegetables of the cooker of a modification 1. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the control panel of the heating cooker of the modification 3. It is a figure which illustrates the control panel of the heating cooker of the modification 3. It is a figure which looked at the inside of the heating chamber of the heating cooker of Embodiment 2 from the front. It is a perspective view which illustrates the upper heater of Embodiment 2. FIG. It is sectional drawing which illustrates the upper heater of Embodiment 2. It is a schematic diagram which illustrates the arrangement in the heating chamber of the upper heater of Embodiment 2. It is a block diagram illustrating the control unit of Embodiment 2 and its main related equipment. It is a figure which illustrates the image of a plurality of foodstuffs photographed by the photographing part of the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a timing chart which illustrates the operation of the cooking apparatus of Embodiment 2. It is a figure which illustrates the structure of the temperature detection part in the cooking apparatus of another embodiment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, regarding the heating cooker, the upper side in the vertical direction is referred to as "upper", the lower side is referred to as "lower", the opening / closing door side is referred to as "front", and the side opposite to the opening / closing door is referred to as "rear". The left side when looking at the rear side from the front side where the opening / closing door is provided is called "left", and the right side is called "right".

<< Embodiment 1 >>
In the first embodiment, a cooking device that automatically cooks a single food material will be described.

-Composition of cooker-
1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the inside of the heating chamber 12 of the cooking apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. The cooking device 1 is a so-called convection oven. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the heating cooker 1 includes a housing 10, a heating unit 20, a temperature detection unit 30, a three-dimensional measurement unit 40, a photographing unit 50, and an internal temperature detection unit 60. A display unit 70, an operation unit 72, a storage unit 80, and a control unit 90 are provided.

<Case>
The housing 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped box with an open front surface. The internal space of the housing 10 constitutes the heating chamber 12. Ingredient F is arranged in the heating chamber 12. Examples of the food material F include meat, fish, vegetables, and those in the cooking process. An opening / closing door 14 for opening / closing the heating cabinet 12 is provided on the front surface (opening surface) of the housing 10. The heating cabinet 12 is provided with a mounting shelf 16.

The mounting shelf 16 is configured by integrally combining a rectangular frame-shaped member made of a wire rod and a plurality of rod-shaped members extending in the front-rear direction and arranged in the left-right direction inside the frame-shaped member. Both ends of the mounting shelf 16 in the left-right direction are supported by the side wall of the housing 10, that is, the side surface portion for partitioning the heating cabinet 12. The tray 18 is placed on the mounting shelf 16. The tray 18 is a plate-like material made of metal (for example, iron). Ingredient F is placed on the tray 18.

<Heating part>
The heating unit 20 heats the inside of the heating chamber 12. The heating unit 20 has a plurality of heaters. The plurality of heaters in this example are an upper heater 22, a lower heater 24, and a convection heater 26. The upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 are individually configured so that their outputs can be adjusted independently.

The upper heater 22 is provided on the upper wall of the housing 10, that is, the upper surface portion for partitioning the heating chamber 12. The lower heater 24 is provided on the bottom wall of the housing 10, that is, the lower surface portion for partitioning the heating chamber 12. For example, the upper heater 22 and the lower heater 24 are each composed of a heating wire that generates heat when energized. The upper heater 22 and the lower heater 24 may each be configured by an infrared heater that radiates infrared rays, or may be configured by a combination of a heating wire and an infrared heater. Two convection heaters 26 are provided on the rear wall of the housing 10, that is, on the rear surface portion for partitioning the heating chamber 12, at the central portion in the left-right direction, divided into upper and lower sides.

The convection heater 26 is a so-called convection heater. The convection heater 26 has a centrifugal fan 27 and a heat generating portion 28. The centrifugal fan 27 is arranged on the rear side of the air outlet 29 formed on the rear surface portion of the heating chamber 12. The centrifugal fan 27 sends the air heated by the heat generating portion 28 into the heating chamber 12. The heat generating unit 28 is composed of a heating wire that generates heat when energized. The heat generating portion 28 is provided so as to surround the circumference of the centrifugal fan 27. The convection heater 26 circulates the air in the heating chamber 12 by rotating the centrifugal fan 27.

The output of the heating unit 20 is adjustable. The output of the heating unit 20 depends on the number of heaters in the driving state among the plurality of heaters, in this example, the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26, and the output of the heater in the driving state. When the outputs of the plurality of heaters are the same, the output of the heating unit 20 increases as the number of heaters to be driven increases among the plurality of heaters. Further, as the output of the heater in the driving state among the plurality of heaters increases, the output of the heating unit 20 increases.

Further, the plurality of heaters included in the heating unit 20, in this example, the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 are switched between a continuous drive state in which they are continuously driven and an intermittent drive state in which they are driven intermittently, respectively. It is possible. The upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 in the intermittent drive state are driven for a predetermined drive time in a predetermined drive cycle. The upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 can change the drive cycle and the ratio of the drive time in the intermittent drive state, respectively.

<Temperature detector>
The temperature detection unit 30 is a component for detecting the internal temperature of the food material F. The temperature detection unit 30 of this example detects the surface temperature of the food material F in a non-contact manner. For example, the temperature detection unit 30 is composed of a plurality of infrared sensors. The temperature detection unit 30 is installed on the upper surface of the heating chamber 12. The temperature detection unit 30 scans the upper surface of the tray 18 over substantially the entire area, and detects the heat distribution in the target region including the food material F. The detection result of the temperature detection unit 30 (information indicating the surface temperature of the target region including the food material F) is output to the control unit 90.

<Three-dimensional measurement unit>
The three-dimensional measurement unit 40 acquires three-dimensional information indicating the three-dimensional shape of the food material F by measuring the three-dimensional shape of the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12. Specifically, the three-dimensional information includes three-dimensional coordinates indicating the three-dimensional shape of the food material F. The three-dimensional measurement unit 40 is an example of a food material information detection unit. For example, the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 is composed of a known three-dimensional measurement device such as a TOF (Time of Flight) camera or a stereo camera. The measurement result (three-dimensional information of the foodstuff) of the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 is output to the control unit 90.

<Shooting department>
The photographing unit 50 acquires a photographed image of the food material F by photographing the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12. The photographing unit 50 is an example of a food material information detecting unit. For example, the photographing unit 50 is composed of a known photographing device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera. The photographing unit 50 is arranged at the center position in the front-rear direction on the upper left side of the housing 10 so that the food material F in the heating chamber 12 can be photographed. The captured image acquired by the photographing unit 50 is output to the control unit 90.

<Inside temperature detector>
The internal temperature detection unit 60 detects the temperature inside the heating chamber 12. The internal temperature detection unit 60 is installed in the heating chamber 12. Strictly speaking, the internal temperature detecting unit 60 detects the temperature of the air at the installation location in the heating chamber 12. For example, the temperature detection unit 60 inside the refrigerator is composed of a known temperature sensor such as a thermistor. The detection result (information indicating the temperature in the heating chamber 12) of the chamber temperature detecting unit 60 is output to the control unit 90.

<Display unit, operation unit>
The display unit 70 displays information about cooking. The operation unit 72 accepts a user's operation regarding cooking. The display unit 70 and the operation unit 72 are provided on the upper side of the opening of the heating chamber 12 as the control panel 74. For example, the control panel 74 is composed of a display device with a touch panel. The operation unit 72 of this example is composed of a touch panel. The operation unit 72 may be configured by a physical operation button or a dial type switch.

The control panel 74 displays cooking setting information as information about cooking. For example, the setting information of cooking includes the output degree of the heating unit 20, the time required for cooking, the operation mode of cooking such as manual cooking operation and automatic cooking operation, and the like. Further, on the control panel 74, the setting information of cooking is input and the cooking is started and stopped by the user's touch operation. The information input in the control panel 74 is output to the control unit 90.

<Memory unit>
The storage unit 80 stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 80 is composed of a well-known storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 80 is built in the cooking device 1. The storage unit 80 may be configured by an external storage device provided outside the housing 10. The storage unit 80 stores food material images prepared for each type of food material F. The food material image is an image of the food material F.

The storage unit 80 further stores the cooking conditions prepared for each combination of the type and size of the food material F. For example, the size of the food material F is any one of the thickness of the food material F, the volume of the food material F, the surface area of the food material F and the weight of the food material F, or at least two combinations thereof. The size of the food material F may be obtained by calculation based on the food material image. The cooking condition is a condition for finishing the food material F with a suitable texture and deliciousness in the cooking of the food material F.

The cooking condition includes a temperature profile indicating a target value of the temperature transition when the food material F is heated. The temperature profile includes the target temperature rise rate and the target temperature reached. The target temperature rise rate is a target rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material F when the internal temperature of the food material F is in the range of 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or lower. The target temperature reached is the target temperature at which the internal temperature of the food material F is reached at the end of cooking.

<Control unit>
The control unit 90 comprehensively controls the operation of the cooking cooker 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 90 includes a heating unit 20, a temperature detection unit 30, a three-dimensional measurement unit 40, a photographing unit 50, an internal temperature detection unit 60, a display unit 70, an operation unit 72, and a storage unit 80. It is electrically connected so that it can communicate. The control unit 90 is a controller based on a well-known microcomputer. The control unit 90 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 92 that executes a program, and a memory 94 that stores various programs and data executed on the CPU 92.

By executing the program stored in the memory 94, the control unit 90 receives the information input by the control panel 74 from the temperature detection unit 30, the three-dimensional measurement unit 40, the photographing unit 50, and the internal temperature detection unit 60. The heating unit 20 is controlled based on the input information. Specifically, the control unit 90 has the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the lower heater 24 so that at least two heating operations are sequentially performed according to the cooking conditions according to the type of the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12. The convection heater 26 is controlled.

The control unit 90 of the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12 based on the three-dimensional information of the food material F input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 and the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50. Recognize the type. Specifically, the control unit 90 compares the food material F contained in the captured image with the food material F contained in each of the plurality of food material images stored in the storage unit 80, and determines the similarity between the two. Then, the control unit 90 recognizes the type of the food material F contained in the food material image having the highest similarity as the type of the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12.

The control unit 90 further determines the suitability of the type of the food material F based on the three-dimensional information of the food material F input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40. Further, the control unit 90 estimates the size of the food material F based on the three-dimensional information of the food material F input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 and the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50. Specifically, the control unit 90 estimates the two-dimensional size of the food material F from the captured image, and estimates the thickness of the food material F from the three-dimensional information of the food material F. Then, the control unit 90 sets the cooking conditions according to the estimated type and size of the food material F.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the ascending speed and the softness of the food material F in the range where the internal temperature of the food material F is 50 ° C. or higher and 60 or less. In addition, this FIG. 5 shows the hardness of a plurality of samples heated with different internal temperature rise rates in the temperature range of potatoes using a texture evaluation device (manufactured by Japan Measurement System Co., Ltd., model: TEX-100N). The measured data is shown. Vegetables, which are a kind of food material F, cause a phenomenon (curing phenomenon) in which the internal temperature is mainly hardened in a temperature range of 50 or more and 60 ° C. or less in cooking. It is considered that this is because the cell wall of vegetables is destroyed, water is easily drained, and a specific enzyme such as pectinase works actively in the temperature range. The softness of the vegetables changes according to the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the vegetables in the temperature range of 50 ° C. or higher and 60 or lower.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the softness of vegetables becomes relatively hard when the rate of increase in the internal temperature of vegetables is around 2.0 ° C./min and less than that. Above that, the higher the rate of increase in the internal temperature of vegetables, the softer it becomes. From this, the target temperature rise rate of this example is set to 2.0 ° C./min or more so that the softness of vegetables can be adjusted according to the type. Although the data on potatoes are illustrated in FIG. 5, the same tendency is confirmed in other root vegetables Ro and leaf vegetables Le.

The target temperature rise rate differs depending on at least whether the food material F is a root vegetable Ro, a leaf vegetable Le, or a fruit vegetable. The target temperature rise rate may differ depending on the type of root vegetable Ro, such as whether the food material F is root vegetable Ro, potato, carrot, or lotus root. Further, the target temperature rise rate may differ depending on the type of leafy vegetables Le, such as whether the food material F is leafy vegetables Le, spinach, onions, or broccoli. Further, the target temperature rise rate may differ depending on the type of fruit vegetables, such as whether the food material F is a fruit vegetable, a tomato, an eggplant, or a cucumber.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the arrival point of the internal temperature of the food material F and the softness of the food material F. Note that FIG. 6 shows data obtained by measuring the hardness of a plurality of samples having different internal temperatures reached by heating with the above-mentioned texture evaluation device. Vegetables mainly cause a phenomenon of softening (softening phenomenon) in a temperature range of more than 60 ° C. in cooking. It is considered that this is because the above-mentioned specific enzyme does not work and the pectic substance contained in the cell wall is decomposed by heat. The tenderness of vegetables varies depending on the temperature reached when the internal temperature of vegetables is higher than 60 ° C.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the softness of vegetables becomes softer as the internal temperature reached by the vegetables is higher when the internal temperature of the vegetables is higher than 60 ° C. From this, the target reaching temperature of this example is set to 60 ° C. or higher so that the softness of the vegetables can be adjusted according to the type. Although the data on potatoes are illustrated in FIG. 6, the same tendency is confirmed in other root vegetables Ro, leaf vegetables Le, and fruit vegetables.

The control unit 90 adjusts the output of the heating unit 20 based on the cooking conditions. When the food material F is a vegetable (root vegetable, leaf vegetable or fruit vegetable), the control unit 90 executes the first temperature zone heating operation and the second temperature zone heating operation according to the cooking conditions. The control unit 90 further executes a third temperature zone heating operation as needed.

The first temperature zone heating operation is a heating operation when the internal temperature of the food material F is less than 50 ° C. The second temperature zone heating operation is a heating operation when the internal temperature of the food material F is 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or lower. In the second temperature zone heating operation, the target temperature rise rate is used as the target rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material F. The third temperature zone heating operation is a heating operation when the internal temperature of the food material F is higher than 60 ° C. Whether or not to execute the heating operation in the third temperature zone is determined by the target temperature reached included in the cooking conditions.

The control unit 90 recognizes the food material region FA in which the food material F in the heating chamber 12 is arranged, based on the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50. The control unit 90 further acquires the surface temperature of the food material region FA as the surface temperature of the food material F based on the surface temperature of the target region input from the temperature detection unit 30. Then, the control unit 90 estimates the internal temperature of the food material F based on the surface temperature of the food material F. The control unit 90 switches from the first temperature zone heating operation to the second temperature zone heating operation and from the second temperature zone heating operation to the third temperature zone heating operation based on the estimated internal temperature of the food material F. And do.

Specifically, when the estimated internal temperature of the food material F reaches 50 ° C. during the execution of the first temperature zone heating operation, the control unit 90 ends the first temperature zone heating operation and heats the second temperature zone. Start operation. Further, the control unit 90 ends the second temperature zone heating operation when the estimated internal temperature of the food material F reaches 60 ° C. during the execution of the second temperature zone heating operation. Then, when the target arrival temperature is higher than 60 ° C., the control unit 90 of this example starts the third temperature zone heating operation. The control unit 90 ends the third temperature zone heating operation when the estimated internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached during the execution of the third temperature zone heating operation.

-Operation of the cooker-
7 and 8 are flowcharts showing a control example of the cooking utensil 1 of the first embodiment.

In order to cook the food material F by using the cooking device 1, the user first puts the food material F into the heating cabinet 12. Next, the user performs an operation of setting the cooking method of the foodstuff F on the control panel 74. The user further performs an operation instructing the start of cooking on the control panel 74. By doing so, the cooking device 1 automatically cooks the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, first, the control unit 90 determines whether or not an operation instructing the start of cooking is input from the user (step ST1). Whether or not an operation instructing the start of cooking is input is determined based on the operation on the control panel 74. When the control unit 90 determines that the operation for instructing the start of cooking is not input (NO), the control unit 90 ends the process without starting the cooking.

When the control unit 90 determines that the operation for instructing the start of cooking is input (YES), the temperature detection unit 30, the three-dimensional measurement unit 40, the photographing unit 50, and the internal temperature detection unit 60 Read the input information (step ST2). When information is input from the temperature detection unit 30, the three-dimensional measurement unit 40, the photographing unit 50, and the internal temperature detection unit 60, the control unit 90 together with the three-dimensional information of the food material F input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40. , The type and size of the food material F are recognized based on the shot image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50 (step ST3).

When the control unit 90 recognizes the type and size of the food material F, the control unit 90 sets the cooking conditions for the food material F based on the type and size of the food material F (step ST4). As the cooking conditions for the food material F, a cooking condition suitable for the type and size of the food material F is selected from a plurality of cooking conditions stored in the storage unit 80. When the finish condition of the food material F is input on the control panel 74, the cooking conditions are selected in consideration of the finish condition.

Then, the control unit 90 executes cooking of the food material F according to the set cooking conditions (step ST5). When cooking the food material F, the control unit 90 estimates and monitors the internal temperature of the food material F based on the surface temperature of the food material F input from the temperature detection unit 30. The control unit 90 drives at least one heater of the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 so that the internal temperature of the food material F changes according to the temperature profile included in the cooking condition, and the food material F is driven. To heat.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when the food material F is a vegetable (root vegetable, leaf vegetable or fruit vegetable), the control unit 90 first starts the first temperature zone heating operation (step ST5-). 1). In the first temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven with a predetermined output according to the cooking conditions to heat the food material F in the heating chamber 12. During the execution of the first temperature zone heating operation, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the internal temperature of the food material F has reached 50 ° C. or higher (step ST5-2). Here, when the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the food material F is less than 50 ° C. (NO), the control unit 90 continues the execution of the first temperature zone heating operation.

When the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the food material F has reached 50 ° C. or higher (YES), the control unit 90 ends the first temperature zone heating operation and starts the second temperature zone heating operation (in the case of YES). Step ST5-3). In the second temperature zone breaking operation, the heating unit 20 is driven with a predetermined output so as to realize the target temperature rising rate according to the cooking conditions, and the food material F in the heating chamber 12 is heated. As a result, the internal temperature of the food material F in the heating chamber 12 rises at a rate of 2.0 ° C./min or more. The rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material F at this time differs depending on the type of the food material F.

In the second temperature zone heating operation, the destruction of the cell wall of the food material F (vegetables) is promoted. During the execution of the second temperature zone heating operation, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the internal temperature of the food material F is higher than 60 ° C. (step ST5-4). Here, when the internal temperature of the food material F is 60 ° C. or lower (NO), the control unit 90 continues to execute the second temperature zone heating operation. When the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the food material F is higher than 60 ° C. (YES), the control unit 90 ends the second temperature zone heating operation (step ST5-5).

Next, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the target arrival temperature included in the cooking conditions is 60 ° C. (step ST5-6). Here, when the target arrival temperature is 60 ° C. (NO), the control unit 90 ends cooking. Further, when the target arrival temperature is higher than 60 ° C. (YES), the control unit 90 starts the third temperature zone heating operation (step ST5-7). In the third temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven at a predetermined output so that the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature according to the cooking conditions, and the food material F in the heating chamber 12 is heated.

In the heating operation in the third temperature zone, the pectic substances contained in the cell walls of vegetables are decomposed by heat. During the execution of the third temperature zone heating operation, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the internal temperature of the food material F has reached the target temperature reached (step ST5-8). Here, when the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the food material F has not reached the target temperature reached (NO), the control unit 90 continues to execute the third temperature zone heating operation. Further, when the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the food material F has reached the target temperature reached (YES), the control unit 90 ends the third temperature zone heating operation (step ST5-9).

As described above, when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached, the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 is terminated. Then, the cooking of the food material F is completed. When the cooking of the food material F is completed, the control unit 90 completes the cooking by turning on the lamp provided as the display unit 70 on the control panel 74 and ringing the sound generator provided on the heating cooker 1. Notify to.

-Example of cooking with a cooking device-
The case of cooking the leafy vegetables Le and the case of cooking the root vegetables Ro will be described below with respect to the cooking example using the cooking device 1.

<Cooking leafy vegetables>
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a photographed image of leafy vegetables Le in the heating chamber 12 acquired by the photographing unit 50 of the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment with respect to the leafy vegetables Le.

When the leafy vegetables Le is put into the heating chamber 12 and the operation of instructing the start of cooking is performed by the user on the control panel 74, the control unit 90 receives the three-dimensional information input from the three-dimensional measuring unit 40. Based on the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50, the type (that is, the leafy vegetable Le or the specific type of the leafy vegetable Le) and the size of the food material F in the heating chamber 12 are recognized, and the size is recognized. As shown in FIG. 9, the food material region FA in which the food material F is arranged is recognized, and the surface temperature of the food material F is acquired.

As shown in FIG. 10, when leafy vegetables Le are cooked by using the heating cooker 1, the heating cooker 1 performs a first temperature zone heating operation, a second temperature zone heating operation, and a third temperature zone heating operation. Will be executed. The leafy vegetables Le to be cooked are, for example, spinach and Japanese mustard spinach. In this case, for example, as the cooking conditions, the target temperature rising rate is set to 2.1 ° C./min and the target reaching temperature is set to 70 ° C.

The first temperature zone heating operation starts at time t ₀ when the instruction to start cooking is input, and ends at time t ₁ when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches 50 ° C. In the first temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven to heat the leafy vegetables Le. For example, in the first temperature zone heating operation, the upper heater 22 and the convection heater 26 are driven in a continuous drive state, and the lower heater 24 is not driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the first temperature zone heating operation is not limited to this, and at least one of the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 so that the internal temperature of the food material F rises toward 50 ° C. One heater may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state.

The second temperature zone heating operation starts at the time t ₁ when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches 50 ° C. and ends at the time t ₂ when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches 60 ° C. In the second temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven to heat the leafy vegetables Le. For example, in the second temperature zone heating operation, the upper heater 22 and the convection heater 26 are each driven in an intermittent drive state, and the lower heater 24 is not driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the second temperature zone heating operation is not limited to this, so that the internal temperature of the food material F rises toward 60 ° C. and the rate of increase of the internal temperature of the leafy vegetables Le becomes the target temperature rise rate. In addition, at least one of the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state.

The third temperature zone heating operation starts at time t ₂ when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches 60 ° C., and ends at time t ₃ when the internal temperature of the food material reaches the target temperature reached (70 ° C. in this example). .. In the third temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven to heat the leafy vegetables Le. For example, in the third temperature zone heating operation, the upper heater 22 and the convection heater 26 are driven in a continuous drive state, and the lower heater 24 is not driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the third temperature zone heating operation is not limited to this, and at least one of the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 so that the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached. The heater may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state.

By cooking in the cooking device 1 as described above, the leafy vegetables Le are finished with a moderate softness and a suitable texture and deliciousness.

<Cooking root vegetables>
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a photographed image of the root vegetables Ro in the heating chamber 12 acquired by the photographing unit 50 of the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment with respect to the root vegetables Ro.

When the root vegetables Rp are put into the heating chamber 12 and the operation of instructing the start of cooking by the user is performed on the control panel 74, the control unit 90 receives the three-dimensional information input from the three-dimensional measuring unit 40. And the type (that is, the root vegetable Ro, or the specific type of the root vegetable Ro) and the size of the food material F in the heating chamber 12 are recognized based on the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 11, the food material region FA in which the food material F is arranged is recognized, and the surface temperature of the food material F is acquired.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the root vegetable Ro is cooked by using the cooking device 1, the cooking device 1 has a first temperature zone heating operation, a second temperature zone heating operation, and a third temperature zone heating operation. Is executed. The root vegetables Ro to be cooked are, for example, potatoes and carrots. In this case, for example, as the cooking conditions, the target temperature rise rate is set to 2.2 ° C./min and the target reaching temperature is set to 95 ° C.

The first temperature zone heating operation starts at time t ₀ when the instruction to start cooking is input, and ends at time t ₁ when the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro reaches 50 ° C. In the first temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven to heat the root vegetables Ro. For example, in the first temperature zone heating operation, the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 are driven in a continuous drive state. The driving state of the heating unit 20 is not limited to this, and at least one of the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 may be driven in a continuous driving state or an intermittent driving state.

The second temperature zone heating operation starts at the time t ₁ when the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro reaches 50 ° C. and ends at the time t ₂ when the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro reaches 60 ° C. In the second temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven to heat the root vegetables Ro. For example, in the second temperature zone heating operation, the upper heater 22 and the lower heater 24 are driven in a continuous drive state, and the convection heater 26 is driven in an intermittent drive state. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the second temperature zone heating operation is not limited to this, and the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 so that the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro becomes the target rate of temperature rise. At least one of the heaters may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state.

The heating operation in the third temperature zone is started at the time t ₂ when the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro reaches 60 ° C., and at the time t ₃ when the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro reaches the target temperature (90 ° C. in this example). finish. In the third temperature zone heating operation, the heating unit 20 is driven to heat the root vegetables Ro. For example, in the third temperature zone heating operation, the upper heater 22 and the convection heater 26 are driven in a continuous drive state, and the lower heater 24 is not driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the heating operation in the third temperature zone is not limited to this, and at least one of the upper heater 22, the lower heater 24, and the convection heater 26 so that the internal temperature of the root vegetable Ro reaches the target reached temperature. One heater may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state.

In the above example, the case where leafy vegetables Le and root vegetables Ro are cooked has been described, but in the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment, the internal temperature of the food material F is 50 ° C. or higher for the fruit vegetables as well. Moreover, the heating unit 20 can be controlled so that the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material F is 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range of 60 ° C. or lower, and cooking can be performed.

As described above, the root vegetables Ro are finished with a moderate softness and a suitable texture and deliciousness by being cooked by the cooking device 1.

-Characteristics of Embodiment 1-
In the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment, the food material F is set so that the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material F is 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range where the internal temperature of the food material F is 50 ° C. or more and 60 ° C. or less. To heat. If the food material F is a vegetable, the degree of softening of the structure of the food material F can be adjusted by setting the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material F to 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range of 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or lower. The softness of the foodstuff F can be adjusted by adjusting the amount. As a result, the food material F can be automatically finished into a suitable texture and deliciousness without requiring a complicated work for the user.

In the cooking apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached at 60 ° C. or higher, the heating of the food material F is completed. If the food material F is a vegetable, when the internal temperature of the food material F is 60 ° C. or higher, the higher the internal temperature, the more the pectic substances contained in the cell wall are decomposed, and the food material F becomes softer. Therefore, the softness of the food material F can be adjusted by controlling the temperature at which the internal temperature of the food material F reaches.

In the heating cooker 1 of the first embodiment, the target reaching temperature, which is the target temperature at which the internal temperature of the food material F reaches by heating the food material F, is set based on the type of the food material F. As a result, if the food material F is a vegetable, the food material F can be finished to a desired softness according to the type of the food material F.

-Modification example 1-
In the heating cooker 1 of the first embodiment, in the heating operation in the third temperature zone, the food material F is heated by the heating unit 20 until the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached. On the other hand, the control unit 90 in the cooking device 1 of the modification 1 is the food material F in the third temperature zone heating operation when the target temperature reached is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, 70 ° C.). The heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 is completed before the internal temperature reaches the target temperature reached. For example, the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 ends when the second temperature zone heating operation is completed.

FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing the operation of the cooking device 1 of the modification 1 with respect to the leafy vegetables Le. As shown in FIG. 13, when the leafy vegetables Le are cooked by using the heating cooker 1 of this modification, the heating cooker 1 has a first temperature zone heating operation, a second temperature zone heating operation, and a first temperature zone heating operation. Three temperature zone heating operation is executed. In this example, the target temperature reached is set to 70 ° C.

When the control unit 90 of this example ends the heating operation in the second temperature zone, the control unit 90 ends the heating of the leafy vegetables Le by the heating unit 20. In the third temperature zone heating operation performed after that, the leafy vegetables Le are heated to the target temperature reached by the residual heat in the heating chamber 12. Then, when the internal temperature of the leafy vegetables Le reaches the target temperature reached, the cooking of the food material F is completed. When the cooking of the food material F is completed, the control unit 90 notifies the user of the completion of the cooking by turning on the lamp and ringing the sound generator.

Whether or not the control unit 90 ends the heating of the leafy vegetables Le by the heating unit 20 at the end of the second temperature zone heating operation based on the temperature information in the heating chamber 12 input from the internal temperature detecting unit 60. May be determined.

When the temperature inside the heating chamber 12 is high enough to allow the internal temperature of the food material F to reach the target temperature reached by the residual heat, the control unit 90 of the food material F by the heating unit 20 at the end of the second temperature zone heating operation. Finish heating. Further, when the temperature inside the heating chamber 12 is low enough that the internal temperature of the food material F cannot reach the target reached temperature due to residual heat, the control unit 90 is in the third temperature zone even after the end of the second temperature zone heating operation. The heating unit 20 heats the food material F in the heating operation. The control unit 90 may end the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 in the middle of the heating operation in the third temperature zone.

In the above example, the case where the leafy vegetables Le is cooked has been described, but in the heating cooker 1 of the modified example 1, the root vegetables Ro and the fruit vegetables are also heated by the residual heat in the heating chamber 12. It may be.

-Characteristics of Modification 1-
In the heating cooker 1 of the modification 1, after the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 is completed, the food material F is heated by the residual heat in the heating chamber 12. Depending on the type of the food material F, such as the food material F being leafy vegetables Le or fruit vegetables, the internal temperature can be reached to the target temperature reached by the residual heat in the heating chamber 12. According to this, the food material F can be finished to a desired softness while saving energy in the cooking device 1.

-Modification example 2-
In the heating cooker 1 of the first embodiment, when the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached in the heating operation in the third temperature zone, the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 is terminated. On the other hand, the control unit 90 in the heating cooker 1 of the modification 2 ends the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 based on the surface state of the food material F. The surface state of the food material F is, for example, the color of the surface of the food material F and the degree of shrinkage. The control unit 90 recognizes the surface state of the food material F based on the captured image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50. In this example, the photographing unit 50 is an example of the surface state detecting unit.

-Characteristics of Modification 2-
In the heating cooker 1 of the second modification, the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20 is completed based on the surface state of the food material F. The surface state of the food material F changes according to the progress of cooking of the food material F. Therefore, when the surface condition of the food material F reaches a predetermined state in which the food material F has been cooked moderately, the food material F can be appropriately cooked by ending the heating of the food material F by the heating unit 20.

-Modification example 3-
In the cooking apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the type and size of the food material F put into the heating chamber 12 are recognized, and the cooking conditions of the food material F are set based on the type and size of the food material F. .. On the other hand, in the cooking device 1 of the modification 3, the user inputs the cooking setting information on the control panel 74, and the food material F is heated according to the input cooking setting information. Cooking conditions are set.

The operation unit 72 of the control panel 74 is configured to be able to input cooking setting information related to the target temperature reached for the internal temperature of the food material F. For example, the cooking setting information includes information on the type of the foodstuff F and information on the finishing condition of the foodstuff F. The information on the finishing condition of the food material F is information on the softness of the food material F when it is finished by cooking. In this example, the cooking conditions are stored in the storage unit 80 as many as the number of combinations of the type of the food material F and the finishing condition of the food material F. Then, the control unit 90 sets the cooking conditions based on the cooking setting information set by the operation unit 72, and the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature at the end of the cooking of the food material F. The heating unit 20 is controlled so as to do so.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the control panel 74 of the cooking device 1 of the modified example 3. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the control panel 74 displays a type item 75 for setting the type of the food material F and a finished item 76 for setting the finished condition of the food material F. As the type item 75, a number indicating the type of the food material F classified in advance is selectively displayed. As the finished item 76, three "soft", "normal", and "hard" are displayed as indicators of the softness of the food material F. Then, the control panel 74 is provided with a direction key 77 and a determination key 78 for setting the number of the type item 75 and the index of the finished item 76 as the operation unit 72.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the control panel 74 of the cooking device 1 of the modified example 3. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the control panel 74 may display a type item 75 for setting the type of the food material F and a temperature item 79 for setting the finished temperature of the food material F. As the temperature item 79, a target value of the internal temperature at the time of finishing by cooking the food material F is displayed. For example, the operation unit 72 can adjust the temperature of the temperature item 79 in units of 5 ° C.

The information on the type of the food material F input on the control panel 74 may be information classified into more detailed types for leafy vegetables Le, fruit vegetables and root vegetables Ro. Further, the information on the type of the food material F input on the control panel 74 may be information on a rough classification such as whether the food material F is a vegetable, a meat, or a fish.

-Characteristics of Modification 3-
In the cooking device 1 of the modification 3, the user inputs the cooking setting information in the operation unit 72. When the cooking setting information is input by the operation unit 72, the heating unit 20 is controlled based on the cooking setting information, and the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature at the end of the cooking of the food material F. do. If the food material F is a vegetable, the higher the internal temperature of the food material F at the end of cooking, the softer the food material F. Therefore, the user can finish the foodstuff F to the desired softness by inputting the setting information of cooking.

<< Embodiment 2 >>
In the second embodiment, a cooking device 1 capable of automatically cooking a plurality of foodstuffs F will be described.

The cooking device 1 of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the configuration of the heating unit 20 and the control related to the cooking. In the second embodiment, the cooking device 1 is configured in the same manner as the first embodiment except that the configuration of the heating unit 20 and the control related to the cooking are different from those of the first embodiment. Therefore, only the heating unit 20 having a different configuration and the control related to cooking will be described, and the same configuration portion will be left to the description of the first embodiment, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 16 is a front view of the inside of the heating chamber 12 of the cooking apparatus 1 of the second embodiment. FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating the upper heater 100 of the second embodiment. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the upper heater 100 of the second embodiment. FIG. 19 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of the upper heater 100 of the second embodiment in the heating chamber 12. FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating the control unit 90 of the second embodiment and its main related devices.

As shown in FIGS. 16 and 20, in the cooking apparatus 1 of the second embodiment, the heating unit 20 includes a first upper heater 100a, a second upper heater 100b, and a convection heater 26 as a plurality of heaters. Have. The first upper heater 100a, the second upper heater 100b, and the convection heater 26 are individually configured so that the outputs can be adjusted independently. Two convection heaters 26 are provided, for example, in the same arrangement as in the first embodiment.

The first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b are arranged apart from each other in the left-right direction. The first upper heater 100a is arranged on the left side in the upper surface portion of the heating chamber 12. The second upper heater 100b is arranged on the right side in the upper surface portion of the heating chamber 12. The first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b are each provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction.

Both the first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b partially heat the inside of the heating chamber 12. The first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b are examples of the partial heating unit. The first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b are configured by the upper heater 100 having the same configuration. The upper heater 100 is, for example, an infrared heater. The upper heater 100 is variably configured with a heating region HA, which is a region to be heated in the heating chamber 12.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, specifically, the upper heater 100 has a heater main body 102 and a cover 104.

The heater body 102 is a heat source that emits infrared rays. The heater body 102 is arranged in the cover 104. The cover 104 has an upper cover member 106 that covers the heater body 102 from above, and a lower cover member 108 that covers the heater body 102 from below. Although not shown, the lower cover member 108 is formed with a plurality of through holes and a plurality of slits so as to allow the heater body 102 to pass through.

Rotating shafts 110 that support the upper heater 100 are provided at both ends of the cover 104 in the longitudinal direction. Each rotation shaft 110 is rotatably supported by wall portions on both front and rear sides of the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 19, a rotation mechanism 112 for rotating the rotation shaft 110 is attached to the rotation shaft 110 provided on the rear side of the cover 104. The rotation mechanism 112 includes, for example, a motor and a gear.

In this example, three heater bodies 102 are provided. Each of the three heater bodies 102 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the upper heater 100 so as to be coaxial with the axis of the rotating shaft 110. In this way, the position of each heater main body 102 does not change even if the upper heater 100 rotates around the rotation shaft 110.

The inner surface of the upper cover member 106 constitutes a reflecting portion 107 that reflects infrared rays emitted by the heater main body 102. The cross-sectional shape of the reflecting portion 107 has a parabolic shape with the heater main body 102 as the focal point. By providing the parabolic reflecting portion 107 in this way, the infrared rays emitted from each heater main body 102 are radiated downward with relatively high directivity.

As shown in FIG. 16, when the upper heater 100 rotates around the rotation shaft 110, the reflecting portion 107 rotates, so that the infrared irradiation region, that is, the heating region HA is changed. Thereby, the food material region FA in which the food material F in the heating chamber 12 is arranged can be included in the heating region HA. The rotation of the upper heater 100 is controlled by the control unit 90. The control unit 90 individually and independently controls the rotation of the first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b, that is, the drive of each rotation mechanism 112.

<3D measurement unit, shooting unit>
When a plurality of foodstuffs F are arranged in the heating chamber 12, the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 measures the three-dimensional shapes of the plurality of foodstuffs F, thereby indicating the three-dimensional shape of each foodstuff F. To get. When a plurality of foodstuffs F are arranged in the heating chamber 12, the photographing unit 50 acquires a photographed image of the plurality of foodstuffs F. In this way, the three-dimensional measuring unit 40 and the photographing unit 50 detect the information of each of the plurality of foodstuffs F.

<Control unit>
When the control unit 90 arranges a plurality of food materials F in the heating chamber 12 based on the three-dimensional information input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 and the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50. , The type and size of each foodstuff F are recognized as the information of each of the plurality of foodstuffs F. The control unit 90 further recognizes the food material region FA in which each food material F in the heating chamber 12 is arranged, based on the three-dimensional information and the photographed image.

The control unit 90 controls the first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b so as to heat the food F for each food region FA. The first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b are rotated so as to include different food region FAs or the same food region FA in the heating region HA by driving the corresponding rotation mechanism 112 by the control unit 90, respectively. To. The control unit 90 sets cooking conditions for each food material F based on the type and size of each food material F.

Then, when the plurality of food materials F arranged in the heating chamber 12 include the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb of different types, the control unit 90 cooks the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb. The heating time when the internal temperature of one of the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb is at least one of less than 50 ° C. and more than 60 ° C. is set so as to be completed at the same time. Adjust according to.

The control flow related to the cooking of the cooking device 1 of the second embodiment is basically the same as the control flow of the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

That is, in the cooking device 1, when a plurality of foodstuffs F are put into the heating chamber 12 and an operation for instructing the start of cooking is performed on the control panel 74 (when YES in step ST1), the control unit 90 determines. , Reads the information input from the temperature detection unit 30, the three-dimensional measurement unit 40, the photographing unit 50, and the temperature detection unit 60 inside the refrigerator (step ST2), and recognizes the type and size of each of the plurality of foodstuffs F (step ST3). ..

Then, when the control unit 90 recognizes the type and size of each of the plurality of foodstuffs F, the control unit 90 sets and sets the cooking conditions of each foodstuff F based on the type and size of each foodstuff F (step ST4). Cooking of each ingredient F is executed according to the cooking conditions (step ST5). When cooking each food material F, the control unit 90 estimates and monitors the internal temperature of each food material F based on the surface temperature of each food material F input from the temperature detection unit 30.

When the cooking of the plurality of foodstuffs F is started, the control unit 90 rotates the first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b as necessary, and the foodstuff region FA different from each other is included in at least one of the heating region HAs. To be able to. When the plurality of foodstuffs F contain vegetables, the control unit 90 executes a first temperature zone heating operation and a second temperature zone heating operation for the vegetables, and further performs a third temperature zone heating operation as necessary. Perform a band heating operation.

When two or more kinds of vegetables are put into the heating chamber 12, the control unit 90 individually and independently executes the first temperature zone heating operation and the second temperature zone heating operation for the various vegetables. Then, if necessary, the heating operation in the third temperature zone is further executed. When the first temperature zone heating operation is started (step ST5-1), the control unit 90 sets the first upper heater 100a, the second upper heater 100b, and the convection heater 26 so that the cooking of the plurality of foodstuffs F is completed at the same time. The execution time of the first temperature zone heating operation of the target food material F, that is, the internal temperature of the food material F reaches 50 ° C. after starting the first temperature zone heating operation by controlling the driving state and the output of the food material F. Adjust the time until.

During the execution of the first temperature zone heating operation, when the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the target food material F is 50 ° C. or higher (YES in step ST5-2), the first temperature zone heating operation is performed. Is completed, and the second temperature zone heating operation is started (step ST5-3). In the second temperature zone destruction operation, the upper heater 100 and the convection heater corresponding to the target food material F among the first upper heater 100a and the second upper heater 100b so as to realize the target temperature rising rate according to the cooking conditions. 26 is driven by a predetermined output to heat the target food material F in the heating chamber 12. As a result, the internal temperature of the target food material F in the heating chamber 12 rises at a rate of 2.0 ° C./min or more according to the type of the food material F.

When the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the food material F is higher than 60 ° C. during the execution of the second temperature zone heating operation (step ST5-4), the control unit 90 ends the second temperature zone heating operation (step ST5-). 5). When the target temperature of the target food material F is 60 ° C. (NO in step ST5-6), the cooking is completed and the target temperature of the target food material F is higher than 60 ° C. In the case (YES in step 5-6), the third temperature zone heating operation is started (step ST5-7).

When the third temperature zone heating operation is started, the control unit 90 sets the drive state and output of the first upper heater 100a, the second upper heater 100b, and the convection heater 26 so that the cooking of the plurality of foodstuffs F is completed at the same time. By controlling, the execution time of the third temperature zone heating operation of the target food material F, that is, the time from the start of the third temperature zone heating operation until the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature reached is adjusted. do. When the control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of the target food material F has reached the target temperature reached during the execution of the third temperature zone heating operation (YES in step 5-8), the third temperature zone heating operation is executed. The heating operation in the three temperature zones is completed (step ST5-9).

-Example of cooking with a cooking device-
Hereinafter, a case where meat Me and leafy vegetables Le are cooked at the same time will be described with respect to a cooking example using the cooking device 1. Meat Me is an example of the first food material Fa. Leafy vegetables Le is an example of the second food material Fb.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating images of a plurality of foodstuffs F taken by the photographing unit 50 of the cooking device 1 of the second embodiment. FIG. 22 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the cooking device 1 of the second embodiment.

When the meat Me and the leafy vegetables Le are put into the heating chamber 12 and the operation for instructing the start of cooking by the user is performed on the control panel 74, the control unit 90 receives the tertiary input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40. Based on the original information and the photographed image of the food material F input from the photographing unit 50, the type of each food material F in the heating chamber 12 (meat Me and leafy vegetable Le, or specific of meat Me and leafy vegetable Le). The type) and size are recognized, and as shown in FIG. 21, the food area FA in which each food F is arranged is recognized, and the surface temperature of each food F is acquired.

As shown in FIG. 22, when the meat Me and the leafy vegetables Le are simultaneously cooked using the cooking device 1, for example, the first upper heater 100a appropriately includes the food material region FA of the meat Me in the heating region HA. It is rotated and the second upper heater 100b is appropriately rotated so as to include the food material region FA of the leafy vegetables Le in the heating region HA. For example, the meat Me to be cooked is beef or pork, and the leafy vegetables Le is spinach or Japanese mustard spinach. In this case, the target temperature rising rate is set to 2.3 ° C./min and the target reaching temperature is set to 70 ° C. as the cooking conditions for the leafy vegetables Le.

In the cooking device 1, a predetermined heating operation is executed for the meat Me. For example, in the heating operation for meat Me, the first upper heater 100a is continuously driven from the start to the completion of cooking (time t ₀ to time t ₃ ) based on the estimated internal temperature of meat Me. Driven by. The driving state of the first upper heater 100a in this heating operation is not limited to this, and if the meat Me is driven in a continuous driving state or an intermittent driving state so as to be juicy by combining with heating by the convection heater 26. good.

Then, in the heating cooker 1, the first temperature zone heating operation, the second temperature zone heating operation, and the third temperature zone heating operation are executed for the leafy vegetables Le so that the cooking is completed at the same time as the meat Me. .. Therefore, when the cooking is started in the cooking device 1, the control unit 90 sequentially calculates and acquires the time until the cooking of the meat Me is completed.

In the first temperature zone heating operation, the second upper heater 100b is driven to heat the leafy vegetables Le. For example, in the first temperature zone heating operation, the second upper heater 100b is driven in the intermittent drive state, and the convection heater 26 is not driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the first temperature zone heating operation is not limited to this, and at least one heater of the second upper heater 100b and the convection heater 26 so that the internal temperature of the food material F rises toward 50 ° C. Should be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state. The output of the first upper heater 100b at this time is adjusted so that the completion time of the cooking of the leafy vegetables Le is matched with the completion time of the cooking of the meat Me.

In the second temperature zone heating operation, the second upper heater 100b is driven to heat the leafy vegetables Le. For example, in the second temperature zone heating operation, the second upper heater 100b is driven in the intermittent drive state, and the convection heater 26 is not driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the second temperature zone heating operation is not limited to this, so that the internal temperature of the food material F rises toward 60 ° C. and the rate of increase of the internal temperature of the leafy vegetables Le becomes the target temperature rise rate. In addition, at least one heater of the second upper heater 100b and the convection heater 26 may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state.

In the third temperature zone heating operation, the leafy vegetables Le are heated by the residual heat in the heating chamber (strictly speaking, the heat from the first upper heater 100a). For example, in the third temperature zone heating operation, neither the upper heater 22 nor the convection heater 26 is driven. The driving state of the heating unit 20 in the heating operation in the third temperature zone is not limited to this, and at least one heater of the second upper heater 100b and the convection heater 26 is used so that the internal temperature of the food material F reaches the target temperature. It may be driven in a continuous drive state or an intermittent drive state. In this case, the output of the first upper heater 100a is adjusted so that the completion time of the cooking of the leafy vegetables Le is matched with the completion time of the cooking of the meat Me.

By cooking with the heating cooker 1 as described above, the leafy vegetables Le has a moderate softness and a suitable texture and deliciousness while simultaneously completing the cooking of the meat Me and the leafy vegetables Le. Finished.

In the above example, the case where the meat Me and the leafy vegetables Le are cooked at the same time has been described, but in the cooking device 1 of the second embodiment, the root vegetables Ro or the fruit vegetables and the meat Me are cooked at the same time. It is also possible to simultaneously cook two or more different kinds of vegetables selected from root vegetables Ro, leaf vegetables Le and fruit vegetables.

-Characteristics of Embodiment 2-
In the heating cooker 1 of the second embodiment, when the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb of different types are arranged in the heating chamber 12, the information of each of the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb is detected. The heating time when the internal temperature of one of the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb is at least one of less than 50 ° C. and more than 60 ° C. is adjusted according to the heating time of the other food material F. Then, the cooking of the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb is completed at the same time. Thereby, while cooking the first food material Fa and the second food material Fb at the same time, both foodstuffs Fa and Fb can be finished to have a suitable texture and deliciousness.

<< Other Embodiments >>
In the first embodiment, the case where the temperature detecting unit 30 measures the surface temperature of the food material F in a non-contact manner and the control unit 90 estimates the internal temperature of the food material F from the surface temperature of the food material F has been described as an example. , Not limited to this. The temperature detection unit 30 may be configured to directly measure the internal temperature of the food material F. For example, the temperature detection unit 30 may have a temperature probe 120 that is inserted into the food material F to detect the internal temperature of the food material, as shown in FIG. 23. This is the same in the above-mentioned modifications 1 and 2 and the above-mentioned embodiment 2.

In the first embodiment, the heating unit 20 has a plurality of heaters, specifically, an upper heater 22, a lower heater 24, and a convection heater 26, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the heating unit 20 may be composed of only the upper heater 22 and the convection heater 26, or may be composed of only the upper heater 22 and the lower heater 24. Further, the heating unit 20 may be composed of one heater. This is the same in the above-mentioned modifications 1 and 2.

In the second embodiment, the heating unit 20 has two upper heaters 100 and a convection heater 26, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the heating unit 20 may have three or more upper heaters 100. Further, the heating unit 20 may be composed of only a plurality of upper heaters 100. The arrangement of the upper heater 100 is not limited to the above arrangement and can be changed. Although the upper heater 100 is said to be composed of an infrared heater, the upper heater 100 is not limited to this, and may be composed of, for example, a heating wire.

In the first embodiment, the control unit 90 of the food material F arranged in the heating chamber 12 based on the three-dimensional information input from the three-dimensional measurement unit 40 and the photographed image input from the photographing unit 50. It is said to recognize the type and size, but it is not limited to this. The cooking device 1 may be configured so that the control panel 74 accepts an operation for designating the type of the food material F to be cooked. Further, the cooking device 1 may be configured so that the control panel 74 accepts an operation for designating the size of the food material F to be cooked. This is the same in the above-mentioned modifications 1 and 2 and the above-mentioned embodiment 2.

In the first embodiment, the food image and the cooking conditions are stored in the storage unit 80 built in the cooking device 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. The food material image and the cooking condition are stored in a cloud server on the Internet, and the control unit 90 may access the Internet and appropriately acquire the food material image and the cooking condition from the cloud server. This is the same in the above-mentioned modifications 1 and 2 and the above-mentioned embodiment 2.

In the first embodiment, the case where the cooking device 1 according to the technique of the present disclosure is an oven has been described as an example, but the oven is only an example of the cooking device 1, and the technique of the present disclosure is a stove or the like. It can also be applied to other cooking appliances such as grills and microwave ovens attached to the oven.

As described above, a preferred embodiment has been described as an example of the technique of the present disclosure. However, the technique of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which changes, replacements, additions, omissions, etc. are made as appropriate. It is also possible to combine the components described in the above embodiment into a new embodiment. In addition, the components described in the attached drawings and the detailed description may include components that are not essential for solving the problem. Therefore, it should not be immediately determined that those non-essential components are essential by the fact that those non-essential components are described in the accompanying drawings or detailed description.

As described above, the techniques of the present disclosure are useful for cookers.

F Ingredients Le Leafy vegetables Ro Root vegetables 1 Heating cooker 10 Housing 12 Heating cabinet 14 Opening and closing door 16 Mounting shelf 18 Tray 20 Heating unit 22 Upper heater 24 Lower heater 26 Convection heater 27 Centrifugal fan 28 Heat generating unit 29 Blower 30 Temperature detection 40 Three-dimensional measurement unit 50 Imaging unit 60 Internal temperature detection unit 70 Display unit 72 Operation unit 74 Control panel 75 Type items 76 Finished item 77 Direction key (operation unit)
78 Enter key (operation unit)
79 Temperature item 80 Storage unit 90 Control unit 92 CPU
94 Memory 100 Upper heater 100a 1st upper heater 100b 2nd upper heater 102 Heater body 104 Cover 106 Upper cover member 107 Reflector 108 Lower cover member 110 Rotating shaft 112 Rotating mechanism 120 Temperature probe

Claims (7)

A heating cabinet where ingredients are placed and
A heating unit that heats the inside of the heating chamber,
A temperature detector for detecting the internal temperature of the food, and
A control unit that controls the heating unit based on the internal temperature of the food material is provided.
The control unit controls the heating unit so that the rate of increase in the internal temperature of the food material is 2.0 ° C./min or more in the range where the internal temperature of the food material is 50 ° C. or higher and 60 ° C. or less. Characterized cooking device. In the cooking device according to claim 1,
The heating unit is characterized in that when the internal temperature of the food material detected by the temperature detection unit reaches a predetermined temperature set to 60 ° C. or higher, the heating unit terminates the heating of the food material by the heating unit. Cooking device. In the cooking device according to claim 2.
Further equipped with a food material information detection unit that detects information on the food material arranged in the heating chamber,
The control unit recognizes the type of the food material based on the information detected by the food material information detection unit, and sets the predetermined temperature according to the type of the food material. Cooking device. In the cooking apparatus according to claim 2 or 3.
The control unit is a cooking device characterized in that after the heating of the food material by the heating unit is completed, the food material is heated by the residual heat in the heating chamber. In the cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
Further equipped with a surface condition detecting unit for detecting the surface condition of the food material,
The control unit is a cooking device, characterized in that the heating of the food material by the heating unit is terminated based on the surface state of the food material detected by the surface state detection unit. In the cooking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
It also has an operation unit that accepts user operations.
The operation unit is configured to be able to input setting information related to a target arrival temperature, which is a target of the internal temperature of the food material to be reached by heating in the heating chamber.
The control unit controls the heating unit so that the internal temperature of the food material reaches the target temperature reached at the end of cooking of the food material based on the setting information input by the operation unit. A cooking device featuring. In the cooking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Further equipped with a food information detection unit that detects information on the food in the heating chamber,
The heating unit has a plurality of partial heating units that partially heat the inside of the heating chamber.
Each of the plurality of partial heating portions is configured to have a variable heating region in the heating chamber.
When a plurality of the foodstuffs are arranged in the heating chamber, the foodstuff information detection unit detects information on each of the plurality of foodstuffs.
The control unit
Based on the information of each of the plurality of foodstuffs detected by the foodstuff information detection unit, the foodstuff region in which the foodstuff is arranged is recognized, and the partial heating unit is controlled so as to heat the foodstuff in each foodstuff area. death,
When the plurality of the ingredients include different types of the first ingredient and the second ingredient, the first ingredient and the second ingredient are among the first ingredient and the second ingredient so that the cooking of the first ingredient and the second ingredient is completed at the same time. A cooking apparatus characterized in that the heating time when the internal temperature of one food material is at least one of less than 50 ° C. and more than 60 ° C. is adjusted according to the heating time of the other food material.

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