JP2795189B2 - 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 cooking device such as a microwave oven.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional cooking device of this kind has a structure in which a food storage unit 2 with a door for storing food is provided in an exterior unit 1, and food 3 is stored in the food storage unit. 2 is placed on a rotating cooking pan 4 provided in the inside 2, and the total weight of the food 3 and the cooking round pan 4 is measured by a weight detection unit 6 via a load transmitting unit 5 supporting the round pan 4. Was detected. 7 is
4 shows a driving motor for rotating a cooking round plate 4 during cooking. In such a configuration, the control unit 8 controls the operation of the magnetron 9 or the electric heater 10 according to the weight of the food 3 detected by the weight detection unit 6, thereby realizing automatic cooking. The radio wave radiated from the magnetron 9 is
The food 3 is radiated into the food storage unit 2 and cooks the food 3. Alternatively, the food 3 is heated and cooked by the electric heater 10 provided on the ceiling of the food storage unit 2.

[0003]

However, in the above-described configuration, the food 3 placed on the cooking round plate 4 is not provided.
Only the weight was detected before or during cooking, and automatic cooking could be performed using that weight. Accordingly, in cooking without using the cooking round plate 4, for example, in cookie cooking using a square plate fixed to the side wall of the food storage unit 2 or in oven cooking such as bread, the heating cooker controls the weight detection unit 6. Despite having, there is a problem that automatic cooking cannot be performed because the weight of the food cannot be detected. Further, when detecting the weight of the food being cooked, since the cooking pan 4 is rotating, noise such as vibration due to rotation is detected, so that the weight is detected in synchronization with the rotation, or one rotation average. For example, a complicated detection mechanism and complicated signal processing are required (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-8509).

[0004] The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can be used for any kind of cooking, that is, using a rotating cooking pan or fixing it to the side wall of a food storage unit. Even with the square dish used, the weight of the food can be detected,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heating cooker capable of automatic cooking that can control heating by detecting the weight of food. Another object of the present invention is to provide a heating cooker that does not require a complicated detection mechanism or complicated signal processing because there is no noise due to the rotation of the cooking dish when detecting the weight of food.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, a cooking device according to the present invention comprises a food storage unit for storing food, and a heating unit for heating and cooking the food stored in the food storage unit. A heating cooking unit configured with a control unit that controls the heating unit, a weight of food stored in the food storage unit, and a weight detection unit that detects the weight of the heating cooking unit, A heating cooking unit is installed on the weight detection unit, and the heating cooking unit and the weight detection unit are connected by a signal transmission line, and the food storage unit detected by the weight detection unit. The weight of the stored food and the total weight of the cooking unit are transmitted to the control unit of the cooking unit via the signal transmission line.

[0006] Further, a heating cooker of the present invention is an exterior unit including a food storage unit with a door for storing a food cooking unit, a heating unit for heating and cooking the food, and a control unit for controlling the heating unit. consist of a, established a weight detection unit between the outer portion and said food containing portion, the food by the weight detection unit
In addition to detecting the weight of the food storage unit for storing the food, the door of the food storage unit is fixed to the exterior unit, and is not in contact with the storage unit.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the total weight of the weight of the food and the weight of the heating cooking unit can be detected by the weight detecting unit, the weight before and after the start of cooking can be detected. . Therefore, it is possible to easily detect the weight of food even when cooking using a round plate or cooking using a square plate. Also, since the weight during cooking can be easily detected, a change in the weight of food during cooking can be easily detected. Therefore, weight loss due to steam generated from food can be easily detected. Therefore, the weight of the food before cooking,
Automatic cooking in which heating cooking is controlled based on the degree of reduction in food weight due to cooking can be realized. In addition, even if the cooking pan rotates during the weight detection, noise such as vibration due to the rotation does not act as an error in the weight detection, so that the weight of the food can be easily and accurately detected.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is not necessary to support a heavy food storage unit door or a heavy power supply for a magnetron constituting a heating unit with a weight detection unit. Since a weight detection unit having a narrow range can be used, the weight of food can be detected with relatively high accuracy, and more appropriate automatic cooking can be realized. Further, even if an object is placed on the exterior unit 1 during cooking, there is no error in the detected weight value. In addition, since a weight detection unit having a relatively narrow weighing range can be used, it can be configured at a low cost. In addition, since a weight detector having a relatively narrow weighing range can be used, even a small change in weight can be detected with high accuracy.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an external view of a heating cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals. Numeral 11 denotes a door with a window 13 which can be opened and closed to allow food to be taken in and out of the heating cooking unit 12, 14 and 15 denote a display unit which shows a cooking state such as a cooking time of the heating cooking unit 12, and a selection unit which selects a cooking menu and the like. Are respectively shown. 16
Denotes a weight detection unit, and 17 and 18 denote a weighing unit and a display unit of the weight detection unit 16, respectively. Reference numeral 19 denotes a signal transmission line for transmitting the detected weight value obtained by the weight detection unit 16 to the heating cooking unit 12. In the heating cooker having such a configuration, when the food 11 is opened and closed by opening and closing the door 11 of the food storage unit of the heating cooking unit, the weight of the food and the weight of the heating cooking unit can be easily determined by the weight detection unit 16. Can be detected, and the weight value can be transmitted to the control unit of the cooking unit 12 using the signal transmission line 19. The control unit can easily detect the weight of the food by calculating a change in weight before and after opening and closing the door 11 and the like. In general, a well-known heating cooker such as a microwave oven weighs about 20k at most.
g, it can easily be about 1 g with a normal weight detector.
The weight value of the food can be detected with a resolution of the order.
Therefore, in the case of thawing cooking, automatic cooking can be easily performed by detecting the weight value of the frozen food. In this case, even if the food is on the rotating round plate for cooking or on the square plate fixed to the side wall of the food storage unit, it can be easily detected. Even if the round plate is rotated by the motor, the vibration due to the rotation does not affect the detected weight value. Therefore, a complicated detection mechanism such as detection in synchronization with rotation is not required. Further, complicated signal processing such as averaging the detected weight value by one rotation in accordance with the rotating round plate is not required. Therefore, the weight value of the food can be accurately detected. According to the heating cooker of the present invention, the weight of the frozen food can be easily detected even when the frozen food is thawed, so that the thaw cooking can be automatically performed.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a heating cooker according to another embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals. Reference numeral 20 denotes a weight detection unit provided between the exterior unit 1 and the food storage unit 2, and reference numeral 21 denotes a grounding lead connecting the exterior unit 1 and the food storage unit 2.

At least three weight detectors such as 20 are used, are arranged in a triangular shape so that the weight of the food and the food storage unit can be stably received, and the heavy food storage unit 2 is located inside the exterior unit 1. (The other two are not shown).
In this way, the food storing the food using the three weight detectors is used.
Detect the weight of the product storage section and add the respective weight values
The total weight of the stored food and the food storage
Quantity values can be obtained easily. In this case, the food storage department
Storage is hardly changed by cooking
The weight of the prepared food can be easily calculated.

In this case, the food storage unit 2 and the bottom surface of the exterior unit 1 are connected by a coil spring or the like, and the food storage unit 2 is connected to the bottom surface of the exterior unit 1 via the three weight detection units. And the food storage unit 2 may be stabilized in the exterior unit 1.

The round plate 4 and the driving motor 7 are supported by a support frame 22 fixed to the bottom surface of the food storage unit 2.

In addition, the openable and closable door 11 of the food storage section 2 is provided.
As shown in FIG. 3, a gap of about 2 mm was provided on the exterior part 1 with a hinge 23 so as not to come into contact with the food storage part 2. If the gap is about 2mm,
The microwave radiated from the magnetron into the food storage unit 2 did not leak into the exterior unit 1 and, therefore, the weight detection unit 20 did not malfunction. Also, there was no leakage from the exterior part 1 to the outside. Reference numeral 11 'indicates a state in which the door 11 of the food storage unit 2 is rotated around the hinge 23 and opened. When the door is closed, the door 11 is
About 2 mm so that it does not come into contact with the food storage unit 2
A gap of about a degree was formed.

In FIG. 2, the weight of the food 3 placed in the food storage unit 2 is detected by a weight detection unit 20 installed between the exterior unit 1 and the food storage unit 2. Therefore, the configuration can be made more compact than in the case of the first embodiment.

Since the heavy door 11 and the heavy power supply for the magnetron 9 can be supported by the exterior part 1, it can be composed of a relatively narrow weighing range of about 5 kg. . For this reason, the food storage unit 2
The weight of the food placed inside could be easily detected with a resolution of about 0.5 g. The detected weight value of the food 3 is transmitted to the control unit 8 via the signal transmission line 19. Therefore, automatic cooking can be controlled and performed in more detail than in the first embodiment.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, there is no noise at the time of weight detection due to the rotation of the round plate 4. Further, the weight of the food placed on the square plate can be easily detected. Further, even when an object is placed on the exterior part 1, unlike the first embodiment, the weight of the food can be accurately detected. In addition, by connecting the exterior part 1 and the food storage part 2 with the conducting wire 21, the magnetron 9 is connected.
Even during the operation, the weight of the food 3 could be accurately detected by the weight detection unit 20 without being disturbed by electromagnetic noise such as radio waves. This was achieved by connecting the power ground side (exterior part 1) of the magnetron and the food storage part 2.

Next, FIG. 4 shows an electrostatic capacitance type weight sensor 24 which is optimal as a weight detection unit of this kind and which can be formed flat. The weight sensor 24 is composed of two disc-shaped alumina plates (thickness: about 0.6 mm) having a diameter of about 30 mm.
5 and 26, each having a diameter of about 15 mm at the center
An upper electrode 27 and a lower electrode 28 made of a circular conductive thin film are formed and face each other. The alumina plates 25 and 26
The peripheral portion is adhered by an adhesive glass 29. The inner diameter of the adhesive glass 29 was about 24 mm, the width was about 2 mm, and the height was about 50 μm. Reference numeral 30 denotes a shell-type load receiver fixed to the center of the alumina plate 25. With this load receiver, the food storage unit 2 is supported, and the alumina plate 26 is fixed on the bottom surface of the exterior unit 1. Therefore, the weight sensor 2
No. 4 can be configured to have a flat thickness of about 5 mm or less as a whole, and is suitable for this type of weight detecting section. In addition,
The flat motor usually used for microwave ovens is about 10
mm and can be made thinner. Therefore, the heating cooker can be configured very compactly. When the shell-type load receiver 30 is pressed by the food storage unit 2, the alumina plate 25 is deformed, and the electrodes 27 and 28 are deformed.
Changes, and the capacitance formed by the electrodes 27 and 28 changes. From the change in the capacitance, the load applied to the load receiver 30 is detected.

In the above-described embodiment, the capacitance type weight sensor has been described. However, any sensor that can be configured to be flat may be used as long as it can be configured to be flat, even if it is a strain gauge type sensor.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a case in which the cooking device according to the present invention is used to automate the cooking by the weight of the food.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the case of "warm" heating in the case of radio wave heating will be described with reference to FIG. 31 is
The door 11 of the food storage unit 2 is opened, the food 3 is put, the door 11 is closed, the "warm" menu is selected, and the start switch is pressed. 32, the food weight value W before cooking
s is detected and set as the initial value of the food weight value (W = Ws). 3
At 3, the cooking time t is set to t = 0. At 34, the heating time t is determined by the initial weight value Ws.
m = axWs + b: it is determined whether or not a and b have exceeded predetermined constants. At 35, it is determined whether the weight change dW of the food exceeds a predetermined minimum weight change Wk. If the weight change dW of the food is smaller than Wk at 35, the radio wave heating is continued at 36 and the process returns to 34.

The minimum weight change Wk is generated by heating food and evaporating water vapor and the like, and is about several g, which is a weight that can be sufficiently identified even by the heating cooker of the present invention. If the weight value change dW is not recognized at 35 indefinitely, the maximum heating time tm is exceeded at 34 and 37 is ended. Therefore, it means that the heating is not performed for more than the maximum heating time tm determined by the initial weight value Ws. At 35, if the food weight change dW exceeds the minimum weight change Wk, go to 38 additional heating. 38
Then, an additional heating time dt (= cxt) determined by a time tk at which the minimum weight value change Wk is recognized and a predetermined constant c.
The additional heating is performed only by k) (the constant c is a value approximately between 0 and 2), and the heating and cooking by the radio wave ends.

In this case, instead of performing additional heating for the additional heating time dt, the food weight value W is changed to the initial weight value W.
The finished weight value Wf determined by s (Wf = dxWs + e: d,
(e is a predetermined constant), additional heating may be performed.

Next, the case of "cake" heating in the case of oven heating by a heater will be described with reference to FIG. 3
Reference numeral 8 denotes a place where the door 11 of the food storage unit 2 is opened, the food 3 is put, the door 11 is closed, the oven menu "cake" is selected, and the cooking start switch is pressed. At 39 and 40, the initial weight W = Ws of the food is detected, and the cooking time t = 0.
Is set, the oven is heated by a heater at 41, and the temperature is raised to a predetermined temperature Tm. In the case of a sponge cake or the like, Tm is around 150 ° C. At 42,
It is determined whether the set temperature Tm has been reached. When the set temperature Tm is reached, at 43, the food weight W = Wh and the cooking time t = th
Is newly set.

In this case, it is also possible to determine whether the elapsed time th is abnormally long or short based on the set temperature Tm, the elapsed time th, the initial food weight value Ws, the food weight value Wh when the set temperature is reached, and the like. It is possible. At 44, the heating time t is
It is determined whether or not the maximum heating time te at the set temperature Tm determined from the food weight value Wh at the time of reaching the set temperature Tm has been exceeded. The maximum heating time te is determined by predetermined constants d and f (te = dxWh + f). At 45, it is determined whether the weight change dW of the food exceeds a predetermined minimum weight change Wh. If 45, weight change dW of food
Is less than Wh, the heating control is continued at 46,
The heating temperature is controlled to be Tm, and the process returns to 44. The minimum weight change Wh is caused by heating the food and evaporating water vapor and the like.
It is about. 45, weight value change dW forever
Is not recognized, the maximum heating time te is exceeded at 44, and 47 ends. Therefore, the set temperature T
This means that the food is not heated for longer than the maximum heating time te determined by the food weight value Wh at the time of reaching m. 45, if the food weight change dW exceeds the minimum weight change Wh,
Go to 8 additional heating.

The additional heating is performed until the food weight value decreases to the finished weight value. In the case of a sponge cake, when the food material is about 500 g, the weight loss value is about 50 g
Then, the cooking is completed. In the case of a pound cake, when the food material is about 700 g, the weight loss value is about 30 g.
Then, the cooking is completed. As described above, the additional heating is determined by the menu selected at the start and the weights Ws and Wh of the food.

As described above, according to the heating cooker of the present invention, automatic cooking can be realized by detecting the weight of food being cooked.

[0029]

As described above, according to the heating cooker of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Even if the food stored in the food storage unit is placed on a square plate fixed to the side wall of the food storage unit, the weight of the food can be easily detected.

(2) Even if the round plate rotates, the weight of the food can be detected accurately without being disturbed by noise such as vibration.

(3) "Warm" and "cake" can be automatically cooked. (4) Even during cooking, the weight of food can be detected without being disturbed by electromagnetic noise such as microwaves.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a heating cooker according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cooking device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a cooking device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a capacitance type weight sensor.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of heating cooking by the heating cooker of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the heating cooking.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional heating cooker.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Exterior part 2 Food storage part 3 Food 8 Control part 11 Door of food storage part 12 Heating cooking part 16 Weight detection part 19 Signal transmission line 20 Weight detection part 21 Lead wire

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] A heating unit configured to heat and cook the food stored in the food storage unit, and a control unit configured to control the heating unit;
It comprises a weight detection unit that detects the weight of the food stored in the food storage unit and the weight of the heating cooking unit, and the heating cooking unit is installed on the weight detection unit, and the heating cooking unit and The weight detection unit is connected with a signal transmission line, and, the weight of the food stored in the food storage unit detected by the weight detection unit and the total weight of the heating cooking unit,
A heating cooker configured to transmit to the control unit via the signal transmission line. 2. The food product, wherein the cooking unit comprises a food storage unit with a door for storing food, a heating unit for heating and cooking the food, and an exterior unit including a control unit for controlling the heating unit. Install a weight detection unit between the storage unit and the exterior unit,
Weight of the food storage unit that stores the food in the weight detection unit
And a door for the food storage unit is fixed to the exterior unit, and the food storage unit is not in contact with the storage unit. 3. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the cooking in the heating unit is controlled by the weight value detected by the weight detection unit. 4. A heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein said weight detecting section is constituted by a flat capacitance type weight detector. 5. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the food storage part and the exterior part are connected by a ground wire.