JP2704151B2 - Cooker - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heating cooker such as a microwave oven capable of executing automatic cooking of a selected cooking menu in addition to manual cooking in which a user sets a cooking mode and a cooking time. .

[0002]

For example, in a microwave oven with an oven function, a cooking program corresponding to a plurality of cooking menus is stored in advance in a microcomputer or the like.
There is provided one in which heating cooking is automatically executed by a corresponding cooking program based on a user selecting an arbitrary one from a plurality of cooking menus. Also, in such a microwave oven, the user,
Needless to say, it is possible to execute manual cooking for designating cooking modes such as “range”, “oven”, and “toaster” and cooking time, temperature, and the like.

[0003] A microwave oven of this type is provided with an operation panel 1 as shown in FIG. In the center of the operation panel 1, a plurality of selection keys 2 corresponding to a cooking menu group such as "side dish" and "confectionery / bread" are provided vertically. On the left side of the selection key 2, there is provided a menu display section 3 having a cooking menu printed on its surface.

The menu display section 3 displays a plurality of cooking menus belonging to a cooking menu group of "all-in-one vegetables" such as "boiled vegetables" and "boiled root vegetables", as well as "cookie specialty" and "cookie specialty". A plurality of cooking menus belonging to a cooking menu group of "sweets / bread" such as "cake specialty" are printed, and LEDs 4 corresponding to the respective cooking menus are provided.

In order to execute automatic cooking, the user first depresses any one of the selection keys 2 to designate a cooking menu group, and further selects the cooking menu group. Is repeatedly selected to select the cooking menu. For example, when the user wants to select “meat potatoes / boiled foods”, first, he operates the selection key 2 of “side dish” (at this time, the L of the top “boiled leafy vegetables”) is operated.
If the ED 4 is turned on), and the selection key 2 of “Dish” is further operated twice, the lighting of the LEDs 4 moves in order, and the LED 4 of “meat potatoes / boiled foods” is turned on. Thereafter, when the start key 5 is operated, automatic cooking according to the cooking program of "meat potatoes / boiled foods" is executed.

However, the operation panel 1 described above has a plurality of selection keys 2 for selecting and setting a cooking menu related to automatic cooking, a start key 5 and a time for manual cooking. Since the knobs for setting are arranged in a distributed manner, there is a problem that the number of components of the operation part is large and the configuration is complicated. Further, the user may be confused about where to operate to select a desired cooking menu or set a cooking time, or may have to search for the position of the start key 5 or the time setting knob. , The operation was relatively complicated.
In addition, the operability is required to be improved, for example, the selection key 2 must be pressed many times, which makes the operation troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heating cooker capable of simplifying the configuration of an operation portion of an operation panel and improving operability. To offer.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating cooker comprising: an operation panel provided on a main body; and a display unit provided on the operation panel for displaying a cooking menu, a cooking mode, a cooking time, and the like. And a setting knob provided on the operation panel for selecting a cooking menu by a rotating operation;
A start button provided coaxially with the setting knob for instructing the start of cooking by a pressing operation, and when a predetermined cooking mode is determined, the function of the setting knob is the content of cooking time and the like. It is characterized by a configuration that can be switched for setting.

In this case, when manual cooking is selected, the function of the setting knob can be switched to cooking time setting (the invention of claim 2), and at this time, manual cooking is selected. It is also possible to provide a display for prompting the user to perform a time setting operation when this is done (the invention of claim 3).

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a microwave oven with an oven function will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 6 shows an appearance of a microwave oven as a heating cooker.
Inside, a cooking room 12 and a machine room (not shown) are provided side by side. As shown in FIG. 7, the cooking chamber 12 is provided with an oven heater 13 for oven cooking, a grill heater 14 for grill cooking, and the like, and a magnetron 15 for range cooking and the like are provided in the machine room. Is provided.

The above-mentioned oven heater 13, grill heater 1
As shown in FIG. 7, a microcomputer 1 and a magnetron 15 are provided as control means provided in a machine room.
6 is controlled via drive circuits 17, 18 and 19, respectively. As described below, the microcomputer 16 sets the oven heater according to the user's selection of the cooking menu for automatic cooking or the setting of the cooking mode and cooking time for manual cooking, as described later. 13, the grill heater 14, the magnetron 15, and the like are controlled, so that cooking of the food contained in the cooking chamber 12 is performed.

On the front surface of the main body 11, a door 20 for opening and closing the cooking chamber 12 is rotatably provided, and an operation panel 21 is provided. Hereinafter, the operation panel 21 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

First, a time display section 22 for digitally displaying a cooking time and the like is provided above the operation panel 21. A cooking menu display unit 23 is provided immediately below the time display unit 22. The cooking menu display section 23 is configured by printing various types of automatic cooking menus on a translucent panel. The cooking menus include “warm. Vegetable. Thaw” and “heart”. Full cooking ”and“ Bread. Sweets ”
The cooking menu display section 23 includes an upper section 23a and a middle section 23b, respectively.
And on the lower portion 23c.

On the upper section 23a, "warm.vegetable.defrost" as a title of the cooking menu group is printed on the upper part, and on the lower part, cooking menus such as "rice" and "side dishes" are arranged in two rows. Printed. Also, the middle section 23
Similarly, b and the lower section 23c include “cooked rice”, “red rice”, and “cookies”, “cake”, etc. under the titles of the cooking menu groups “heart full cooking” and “bread. The cooking menu is printed.

On the back side of the cooking menu display section 23, an upper section 23a, a middle section 23b and a lower section 23
A backlight 24 (shown only in FIG. 7) is provided for each of c. In this case, the titles of the cooking menu group are printed so as to be always displayed to the user irrespective of the lighting of the backlight 24. However, as shown in FIGS. Is printed so that it rises bright only when illuminated from behind by the backlight 24, and becomes dark as a whole when the backlight 24 is turned off.

Further, the cooking menu display section 23 is provided with an LED 25 as a light emitting element for each cooking menu. Each of the backlights 24 and each of the LEDs 25 are
As shown in FIG. 7, the microcomputer 16 controls turning on / off of light through display circuits 26 and 27.

As described in detail later, one LED 25 corresponding to the cooking menu is selectively turned on in response to the user's selection operation of the cooking menu, and the cooking to which the cooking menu belongs is selected. The backlight 24 corresponding to the menu group is selectively turned on. The time display section 22 is also controlled by the microcomputer 16 via a display circuit 28.

Now, as shown in FIG.
A dial 29 is provided at the lower part of the device so as to be able to rotate and press. In this embodiment, the dial 29
Functions as a setting knob for the user to select and set a cooking menu or set a cooking time, and also functions as a start button for the user to instruct the start of cooking. Therefore, the start button is provided coaxially and integrally with the setting knob. In this case, the dial 29
Are large enough to be easily operated by eliminating the need for a plurality of conventional selection keys.

When the dial 29 is turned, a pulse switch 30 (shown only in FIG. 7) is operated, and as shown in FIG. A pulse signal is input to the microcomputer 16 via a menu and time setting circuit 31. Then, when the dial 29 is pressed, a start switch 32 (shown only in FIG. 7) is operated. The signal of the start switch 32 is also input to the microcomputer 16 via the key switch circuit 33.

The microcomputer 16 stores cooking programs corresponding to the respective cooking menus, and executes automatic cooking in accordance with a user's selection. In this case, when the dial 29 is rotated, the microcomputer 16 sequentially turns on the LED 25 of the cooking menu display unit 23 and turns on the backlight 24 according to the turning angle of the dial 29. The user can select the desired cooking menu LE
The rotation of the dial 29 is stopped where D25 is lit, and the dial 29 is pressed in this state, whereby the cooking menu is automatically executed.

Below the dial 29, a "range", "toaster", "oven", "temperature control" for performing manual cooking (cooking in which the user sets the mode and time of cooking). , Etc. are provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the signals of these manual keys 34 are also
The data is input to the microcomputer 16 via the key switch circuit 33. Here, when manual cooking, which is a predetermined cooking mode, is selected (confirmed), the function of the dial 29 is switched to content setting, in this case, time setting, and the cooking time can be set by a rotating operation. I can do it.

In this case, as shown in FIG.
A function display lamp 35 for displaying the current function of the dial 29 is provided on the upper left of the dial 9 to indicate that the turning operation of the dial 29 can be received, and "SELECT AUTO" is lit. At times, the above-described cooking menu is selected by rotating the dial 29,
When the "time" is lit, the time can be set by rotating the dial 29. The set time at this time is determined by the time display unit 22.
Is displayed. It should be noted that the time display unit 22 is configured to display the cooking mode and the like in characters.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The food is stored in the cooking chamber 12 and the door 2
0 is closed, the microcomputer 16
Is controlled according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

That is, when the door 20 is closed, first, "select auto" of the function display lamp 35 is turned on (step S1). In this state, when one of the manual keys 34 is pressed to set the mode of manual cooking (Yes in step S2), it is determined that the course of manual cooking is selected, and the function display lamp is displayed. 35 is switched to "time" lighting (step S3). The display of the function display lamp 35 prompts the user to execute the time setting operation.

Thereafter, when the dial 29 is rotated (Yes in step S4), the cooking time is displayed on the time display section 22 in accordance with the amount of rotation (step S5). Stops the operation when the desired time is displayed. Thus, the cooking mode and time are set, and thereafter, when the dial 29 is pressed (started) (Yes in step S6), the set cooking is executed (step S7). .

On the other hand, if the user does not press the manual key 34 (No in step S2) and turns the dial 29 (Yes in step S8), it is determined that the automatic cooking course has been selected. You. Here, when the user rotates the dial 29, the LEDs 25 corresponding to the respective cooking menus of the cooking menu display unit 23 are sequentially turned on one by one. In this case, the dial 29 is turned right (clockwise). ) (Y in step S9)
es), and the LEDs 25 are sequentially turned on from the top cooking menu ("rice") (step S).
10).

When the dial 29 is turned to the left (counterclockwise) (No in step S9), the LED 2
The lighting of No. 5 proceeds in the return direction (step S11). Therefore, now, the "rice" LED 25
When the dial 29 is turned to the left while is turned on, the LED 25 of the last "pizza" is turned on. By turning the dial further to the left, the "pound cake" and "Madeleine" are turned on. The LED 25 is turned on in the order of "...". The user selects one of the cooking menus displayed on the cooking menu display section 23 by turning on the LED 25 as described above.

At this time, the backlight 24 is turned on together with the lighting of the LED 25 (step S12). In this case, one of the three backlights 24 is selectively used. Only the cooking menu group that is lit and to which the currently lit LED 25 cooking menu belongs is illuminated from behind and displayed brightly.

Specifically, from "rice" to "fish and shellfish"
LE of cooking menu of "warm, vegetable, thaw"
When D25 is lit, the upper portion 23a is illuminated by the backlight 24 (see FIG. 2), and when the LED 25 of the cooking menu of “heart full cooking” from “cooking rice” to “sake steaming” is lit. When the middle section 23b is illuminated by the backlight 24 (see FIG. 3) and the LED 25 of the "bread. Confectionery" cooking menu from "cookie" to "pizza" is lit, the lower section 23c
Is illuminated by the backlight 24 (see FIG. 4).

After the selection of the cooking menu, if the dial 29 is pressed (started) (Yes in step S13), the selected cooking menu (corresponding to the lighted LED 25) is selected. Is performed (step S14).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the functions of the conventional plurality of selection keys 2 and the start key 5 and the knob for setting the cooking time during manual cooking can be performed by one dial 29. The configuration of the operation portion of the operation panel 21 can be greatly simplified. Therefore, the dial 29 can be made large enough to be easily operated, and even if the number of cooking menus increases, the time display section 22 and the menu display section 23 can be widened to provide a cooking menu. Can be displayed in large characters. At this time, one dial 29
Is also used as both the setting knob and the start button, so that the number of parts is reduced correspondingly and the configuration can be further simplified.

When the user selects and sets the cooking menu, the user only has to rotate the dial 29, so that the operation is much simpler than that of pressing the selection key 2 many times. When the user selects the cooking menu related to the automatic cooking or sets the time related to the manual cooking, only one dial 29 needs to be operated, so which key should be operated by the user. I do not get lost. Furthermore, unlike the conventional one in which the start key 5 is arranged at a position different from the selection key 2, the start button is integrated with the dial 29, so that the user has to search for the start button. No, dial 29
Cooking can be started smoothly by a simple operation of simply performing a pressing operation following the turning operation of the.

Further, in this embodiment, when the manual cooking is selected, the "time" of the function display lamp 35 is turned on to urge the user to perform the time setting operation using the dial 29. Therefore, usability is improved.
Further, when the user selects and sets a desired cooking menu, only the backlight 24 corresponding to the cooking menu group to which the selected cooking menu belongs is turned on. The display is extremely easy for the user to select, and the selection operation can be easily performed.

As a result, according to the present embodiment, the area occupied by the operation portion in the operation panel 1 is increased, and the operation portion of the operation panel 21 is compared with the conventional operation, which is relatively complicated and cumbersome. Can be greatly simplified, the operability of the user can be improved in any case of automatic cooking and manual cooking, and the display 23 of the menu display section can be displayed. It is possible to obtain an excellent practical effect of making it easy to see.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the dial 29 in which the setting knob for setting the cooking menu and the cooking time and the start button for instructing the start of the cooking are provided. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the use knob and the start button are provided separately. In this case, a start button may be provided at the center (inside), and a ring-shaped setting knob may be provided on the outer peripheral side. In this case, the setting knob and the start button are provided coaxially. Also, the structure of the operation portion of the operation panel can be simplified, and the operability can be improved. In this configuration, it is possible to prevent the pressing force from being applied to the start button by mistake during the turning operation of the setting knob, and to obtain an erroneous operation prevention effect.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the cooking time is set by the dial 29 when the manual cooking is determined is described as an example. Set the temperature, set the number of breads with the setting knob when the “toaster” is confirmed, or use the setting knob to set the weight of the thawing material when performing raw thawing cooking. May be set.

In the above embodiment, the menu display unit 2
3, the backlight 24 may be omitted if the display is easy to see. At this time, a large number of cooking menus need not be classified into a cooking menu group. The present invention can be implemented with appropriate modifications without departing from the gist.

[0038]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the heating cooker of the first aspect of the present invention, the operation panel is provided with a setting knob for selecting a cooking menu by a rotating operation. A start button for instructing the start of cooking by pressing operation is provided coaxially with the setting knob, and when a predetermined cooking mode is determined, the function of the setting knob is used to set contents such as cooking time. Since the configuration is such that the operation panel can be switched, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the operation portion of the operation panel and to achieve an excellent effect that the operability can be improved.

In this case, if manual cooking is selected, the function of the setting knob can be switched to the setting of the cooking time (the heating cooker according to claim 2), so that the user can manually operate the cooking device with a simple operation. The time for cooking can be set. Further, at this time, if the display for prompting the user to perform the time setting operation is made when the manual cooking is selected (the heating cooker according to claim 3), the usability is further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a front view of an operation panel.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state where an upper part of the cooking menu display is illuminated;

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which a middle section of the cooking menu display section is illuminated;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state where the lower part of the cooking menu display is illuminated;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for selecting a cooking menu.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a microwave oven.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing an electrical configuration.

FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

In the drawing, 11 is a main body, 12 is a cooking room, 16 is a microcomputer, 21 is an operation panel, 22 is a time display unit, 2
Reference numeral 3 denotes a cooking menu display unit, 24 denotes a backlight, 25 denotes an LED, 29 denotes a dial (setting knob, start button), 34 denotes a manual key, and 35 denotes a function display lamp.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus for performing heating cooking based on a set cooking menu and cooking time, wherein an operation panel provided on the main body and a cooking menu, a cooking mode, a cooking time and the like provided on the operation panel are displayed. A display unit to be provided, a setting knob provided on the operation panel for selecting a cooking menu by a rotating operation, and a start button provided coaxially with the setting knob and instructing a start of cooking by a pressing operation. And a function of the setting knob is switched for setting contents such as a cooking time when a predetermined cooking mode is determined. 2. The heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein when the manual cooking is selected, the function of the setting knob is switched for setting the cooking time. 3. The heating cooker according to claim 2, wherein when manual cooking is selected, a display for prompting a user to perform a time setting operation is displayed.