JP2917326B2 - Water volume display - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a water amount display device for displaying an appropriate water amount for a rice cooking amount.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, the following procedure is generally performed before rice cooking is started. First, rice is weighed in a measuring cup as desired, the weighed rice is washed, the rice is stored in a container, and the amount of rice is adjusted according to the level of water provided on the inner surface of the container according to the amount of rice. A proper amount of water is stored, and then the rice is started after the container is stored in the container body.

However, the above-mentioned weighing procedure involves storing water in conformity with the water level line provided on the inner surface of the container. Weighing becomes difficult, and as a result, the amount of rice and the amount of water may not correspond properly, and there may be a problem that good rice cannot be cooked.

To solve such a problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
The display device of the amount of rice cooked in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-26095 has been proposed. This is a weighing means for measuring the weight of the container containing the rice, a rice cooked amount determining means for determining the amount of rice based on the output of the weighing means, and a determined rice amount based on the determination result of the rice cooked amount determining means. The appropriate water amount determining means for determining the amount of water suitable for rice cooking, and the amount of water supply relative to the determined appropriate water amount based on the output of the measuring means for supplying water into the container containing rice and measuring the weight change of the container containing rice and water. A comparison means for judging excess or deficiency, and a display means for displaying whether or not the water supply is appropriate based on the judgment result of the comparison means. First, the amount of rice is measured by the measuring means, and the measured value is cooked. It is stored as an amount, and an appropriate amount of water for the amount of cooked rice is determined by an appropriate amount of water determining means,
This is to judge whether or not the supplied water amount is excessive or deficient with respect to the appropriate water amount and display the determined amount on the display means, so that the appropriate water amount can be obtained without using the water level line of the container. However, this requires that the amount of rice is first measured and stored by the measuring means in order to determine the appropriate amount of water.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above prior art, rice before washing is put into a container, weighed by a weighing means, the weighed result is stored in a memory by a switch operation, and then the weighed rice is stored in the container. From the rice to a container for washing rice, and after washing the rice, it is necessary to store the container in the container again. After this procedure, water can be supplied. For this reason, although the amount of water can be properly adjusted without using a water level line, there is a problem that the measurement of the amount of rice and the memory set of the measured value require much labor and are inconvenient to handle. Further, in the display device of the amount of cooked water described in this publication, an operation panel having a water amount display portion is provided at the center of the vertical side wall portion of the rice cooker main body as a display device main body, so that the display of the water amount display portion is provided. There is a problem that it is difficult to visually recognize and there is a possibility that water may be erroneously adjusted.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-146215, when a desired rice cooking amount is set by a cup number setting key corresponding to the rice cooking amount setting means, an appropriate amount of water based on the set rice cooking amount is measured by the weight measuring means. There is disclosed a rice cooker in which the degree of the measured value of the amount of water in the inner pot is determined by a water amount determining means. However, the rice cooker disclosed herein does not take into account any evaporation amount during rice cooking in setting an appropriate amount of water based on the set amount of cooked rice, so that an appropriate amount of water is not set accurately and is unsatisfactory. There is a concern that the judgment result may be incorrect. Further, in this conventional rice cooker, the operation panel having the display portion of the water amount display device such as a display lamp for displaying rice, water, etc. is provided substantially at the center of the cylindrical body of the exterior body. However, it cannot solve the problem that the display unit of the display device of the amount of rice cooked water disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-96216 is difficult to visually recognize.

Therefore, the present invention can omit the measurement of the amount of rice by the measuring means and the memory setting procedure, and can set the appropriate amounts of rice and water accurately by taking into account the amount of evaporation during cooking, and furthermore, can set the appropriate amount of rice. An object of the present invention is to provide a water amount display device in which a display indicating the amount of water is easy to see, and adjustment of water level is easy and reliable.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The water amount display device according to claim 1 of the present invention measures the amount of cooked rice for setting the amount of cooked rice, and stores and measures rice and water in a container. 2.3 of the setting value of the measuring means and the rice cooking amount setting means
Determining means for judging the degree of the measured value of the measuring means with respect to the appropriate amount of rice and water based on the weight slightly larger than twice, and water amount displaying means for displaying the judgment result; The means is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the water amount display device, the water amount display means is provided on the device main body so as to be inclined upward.

(Operation) According to the first aspect of the present invention, the water amount display means displays the degree of the measurement value of the measurement means with respect to the appropriate amount of rice and water based on the set value of the rice cooking amount setting means. In addition, the appropriate amount of rice and water necessary for determining the degree of the measurement value of the weighing means is slightly larger than 2.3 times the set value of the rice cooking amount setting means in consideration of the evaporation amount during cooking. , A proper amount of rice and water is set accurately, and a satisfactory determination result can be obtained.
In addition, since the water amount display means is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body, the display is easy to see, and the adjustment of the water level is easy and reliable.

Further, in claim 2, since the water amount display means is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body so as to be inclined upward, when the user looks at the water amount display means from diagonally above, the display of the display means is substantially from the front. Since it can be visually recognized, the display can be more easily and accurately recognized.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example in which a rice cooker is equipped with a water amount display device. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body as an apparatus main body having an inner case 2 and an outer case 3. A known weight sensor 4 such as the one disclosed by the applicant in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-211018 is provided at the inner bottom of 2. Reference numeral 5 denotes a container accommodated in the inner case 2. The container 5 is placed on a support member 6 and the weight is added to the weight sensor 4 via a rod 7 connected to the weight sensor 4. The weight sensor 4 outputs a weight detection signal. Reference numeral 8 denotes a rice cooker provided on the inner bottom of the inner case 2, 9 denotes a cup-shaped heat-sensitive portion provided so as to be in pressure contact with the outer bottom of the container 5, and a temperature sensor 10 is provided inside. . 11 is a lid for opening and closing the upper opening of the container body 1, 12 is an operation panel provided on the upper part of the front surface of the container body 1 and inclined upward, 13 is rice,
13A is water.

FIG. 4 shows an operation panel 12, which includes an operation means 14 comprising a plurality of switches and a display means 15 comprising an LED or the like. The display means 15 has a cooked rice quantity display means 16 for displaying the rice quantity and a water quantity display means 17 for displaying the water quantity.

The rice cooking amount display means 16 has a display unit 18 composed of a 4-digit 7-segment LED, and display units 19, 19A, and 19B in the form of characters "cooking amount", "cup", and "g". Display
18 is displayed as 148.5g ≒ 1 cup. The rice cooking amount display means 16 displays the rice cooking amount set when the rice is weighed and the amount is converted by weight per cup on the display section 19A of the "cup". In addition, a display when the rice cooking amount is set by the rice cooking amount setting means, which will be described later, is also displayed. When the rice cooking amount is used as a weighing unit, it is displayed on the display unit 19B of “g”. Water amount display means 17 is 1
0 The display unit 20 is formed in a column, and the character 21 that is “soft” is written on the side of the display unit 20 in the second row from the top, and “4” is displayed on the side of the display unit 20 in the fourth row. The character 22 is written on the side of the display unit 20 in the sixth row.
Is written. In addition, a character 24 “Water amount” is written below the lower display unit 20. This water amount display means 17 turns on the LED of the display unit 20 corresponding to the character 22 `` Pu '' when the measured value is the appropriate water amount for the amount of cooked rice,
When the amount of water is larger than the appropriate range, the lighting gradually changes toward the direction of the "soft" character 21, that is, toward the upper stage, and when the amount of water is less, the lighting gradually changes toward the direction of the "soft" character 23, that is, toward the lower stage. Transition. This stage division is for 10 cups, for example
It is set to be performed on the amount of cooked rice every 50 g, and indicates that the range from the character “soft” 21 to the character “hard” 23 is within the edible range. The operating means 14 is a start switch 25
, A cancel switch 26, and a rice quantity switch as a rice quantity setting means
27 and a setting dial switch 28 as a rice cooking amount setting means. Around one side of the setting dial switch 28, a numeral 29 of “1” to “10”, a character 30 of “cup” and a character 31 of “cooking rice A” are written, and “cooking rice B” around the other side.
Character 32 and "measurement" character 33 are written, each number
29 and characters 30, 31, 32, and 33 indicate designated points 34 for adjusting the dial. This setting dial switch 28
Has a function of switching between a rice cooker A mode set to the character 31 “cooked rice A”, a rice cooker B mode set to the character 32 “cooked rice B”, and a measurement mode set to the character 33 “measure”. When setting to the A mode, the rice cooking amount can be set to 10 by matching the number 29 from “1” to “10”.
It can be set arbitrarily in stages. By turning the setting dial switch 28, the mode is selected, and in the rice cooking A mode, the amount of rice to be cooked is set in ten steps. When the rice is not operated, the amount of water is displayed in the set mode. The rice quantity switch 27 is "g"
This is for converting the unit rice display to the “cup” unit display.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control means 35 comprising a microcomputer, which is not shown as is well known.
CPU, clocking means, ROM and RAM as storage means, input circuit,
It has an output circuit, a backup circuit having a backup power supply, and the like. The ROM stores a rice cooking program, a weighing program, a weighed value, a comparison constant value, and the like.
The control means 35 has a control function for cooking rice, a calculation function for the weight detection signal from the weight sensor 4, a control function for the display means 15, and the notification means 36, and the like.
The control means 35 and the weight sensor 4 constitute a weighing means 37. The control means 35 has a function of controlling the mode selection operation as shown in the block diagram of FIG. It has a mode determining means 41 for determining a mode set according to a signal from the setting dial switch 28 as a mode selecting means and setting the measuring mode 38, the rice cooking A mode 39 or the rice cooking B mode 40. Control means
35 has the configuration shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1 for controlling the rice cooking A mode. This is a display control means 42 for displaying the amount of cooked rice based on the setting signal from the setting dial switch 28 as a rice cooking amount setting means, and judging a degree of the weighing value to an appropriate value obtained based on the rice cooking amount setting value. The determining means 43 and the water amount displaying means 17 based on the determination result.
And display control means 44 for controlling the display of. In addition, the control means 35 performs the seventh control for executing the control of the rice cooking B mode.
It has the configuration shown in the block diagram of FIG. In this embodiment, a rice cooking amount determination unit 45 for determining the rice cooking amount based on signals from the measuring unit 37 and the rice amount switch 27 as the rice amount setting unit is added to the one shown in FIG.

First, the mode selection operation will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG.

Press start switch 25 and set dial switch 28
When the mode is set arbitrarily by turning, the mode determining means 41 determines and sets the set mode based on the signal of the setting dial switch 28. In this case, when the rice cooker A mode is set, characters 19 and 19A of "cooker amount (cup)" are displayed on the rice cooker amount display means 16, and when the rice cooker B mode is set, characters 19A of "cup" are displayed.
When set to the weighing mode, a character 19B of "g" is displayed. In the rice cooking A mode, since the setting is already made in accordance with the rice cooking amount display, the display on the rice cooking amount display means 16 may be omitted.

Next, the operation in the rice cooking A mode will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. First, a setting dial switch 28 as a rice cooking amount setting means is turned to set a number 29 of a desired number of cups. The display control means 42 displays the number of cups set on the rice cooking amount display means 16. On the other hand, before or after this set, the user measures the amount of rice corresponding to the desired rice cooking amount set by the setting dial switch 28 with a measuring cup, and after washing the rice, puts it in the container 5 and sets it in the container body 1. And supply water. When the rod 7 descends according to the weight, the weight is detected by the weight sensor 4 and given to the control means 35. The judging means 43 sets the appropriate amount of water for the set rice cooking amount as the weight of rice + water, and compares the measured value from the measuring means 37 to determine the degree of the measured value to the appropriate value.
Based on the result of this determination, the display control means 44 sets the water amount display means 17
The display unit 20 is lit and displayed step by step. In this case, the appropriate value of the amount of rice + water with respect to the amount of cooked rice is set in a range that is about 2.3 times the weight ratio of cooked rice, that is, rice. This is 5 (cup) $ 148.5 (g) $ 743 when the cooked rice amount is 5 cups
Because (g) is the weight of rice, 743 (g) x 2.3 ≒ 1709 (g)
Is 2.3 times the weight, and the value obtained by adding the amount of evaporation during rice cooking becomes an appropriate value, which is set as a reference range of about ± 10 g. When it is within this reference range, the display unit 20 corresponding to the character “P” is turned on as appropriate, and based on this, the lighting of the display unit 20 shifts up and down according to the degree of water flow.

The operation in the rice cooking B mode will be described with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG.

First, when the lid 11 is opened and a desired amount of rice is stored in the container and the rice amount switch 27 is pressed, a signal from the weight sensor 4 is given to the rice cooking amount determination means 45, and the measured value is converted into a rice cooking amount. When it is within the capacity range, it is stored and displayed on the rice cooking amount display means 16. Thereafter, when the rice is transferred to a rice-washing container and washed, and the washed rice is stored in the container 5 and supplied with water, the determination means 43 determines the appropriate rice + water based on the measured amount of cooked rice in the same manner as in the cooked rice A mode. The degree of the measured value with respect to the amount is determined and displayed on the water amount display means 17. In addition,
When the determination result of the determination means 43 deviates from the cookable capacity of the rice cooker, the notification means 36 notifies.

In the weighing mode, the weight of an object to be weighed such as rice or water is weighed, and the weighed value is displayed in “g” units.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, in the rice cooking A mode, the desired rice cooking amount is set by operating the setting dial switch 28 as the rice cooking amount setting means, and an appropriate amount of water for the set value, that is, substantially rice + water Set an appropriate value,
Since this is compared with the measured value of rice + water to indicate the degree of the measured value to the appropriate value, first, as before, rice before washing is first placed in the container 5 and weighed by the measuring means 37,
The weighing result is stored in a memory by a switch operation, and the complicated procedure of transferring the weighed rice from the container 5 to the rice washing container, storing the rice in the container 5 after washing the rice, and further reducing the amount of rice can be omitted. In this embodiment, the user can store the desired number of cups of rice in a container for washing rice in a container for washing rice, and then store the rice in the container 5 in this embodiment. Just simplifies the operation.

Further, the appropriate amount of rice and water necessary for determining the degree of the measurement value of the weighing means 37 is determined by taking into account the evaporation amount during cooking, and setting the setting dial switch 28 serving as the rice cooking amount setting means. Since the weight is slightly higher than 2.3 times, appropriate amounts of rice and water are set accurately, and a satisfactory judgment result can be obtained.

Moreover, such proper setting of the amount of rice and water is performed while looking at the display section 20 of the water amount display means 17 of the display means 15 of the operation panel 12. Since it is provided at the upper part, the visibility of the display by the water amount display means 17 is improved. In particular, in this embodiment, since the operation panel 12 is provided to be inclined upward, when the user operates the rice cooker from obliquely above, the operation panel 12 is visually recognized almost from the front. Therefore, since the lighting position of the display unit 20 of the water amount display means 17 can be accurately read, the adjustment of water level can be easily and reliably performed.

Further, since the rice cooking amount setting means is formed by the setting dial switch 28, the operability of the setting is excellent and the rice cooking amount can be used in the next setting, so that it is not necessary to reset the rice cooking amount in the case of the same rice cooking amount as the previous time.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, a description has been given of an example in which a rice cooker is provided with a water amount display device. However, as shown in FIG.
The scale having 47 may be equipped with a water amount display device. Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example having a mode selection function has been described as an example, but it may be used as a water amount display device having only the rice cooking A mode shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Although the rice cooking amount setting means is formed by a dial switch, it is applicable to various switches.For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a push button rice cooking amount setting switch 28A is provided on the operation panel 12, and the rice cooking amount setting switch 28A is provided. Each time the button is pressed, “1” to “10” cups may be sequentially set and displayed on the rice cooking amount display means 16.

[Effect of the Invention] Claim 1 of the present invention is a rice cooking amount setting means for setting a rice cooking amount, a measuring means for storing rice and rice in a container and weighing the rice,
Judging means for judging the degree of the weighing value of the weighing means with respect to an appropriate amount of rice and water based on a weight slightly more than 2.3 times the set value of the rice cooking amount setting means, and a water amount for displaying the judgment result Display means, and the water amount display means is provided in the upper part of the apparatus main body, so that the measurement of the rice amount by the measuring means and the memory setting procedure can be omitted, and the water amount capable of improving operability In addition to providing a display device, it is possible to accurately set the appropriate amounts of rice and water by taking into account the amount of evaporation during cooking, and furthermore, a water amount display means is provided at the top of the device body. Therefore, the display is easy to see, and adjustment of water level can be easily and reliably performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the water amount display means is provided to be inclined upward in the apparatus main body. Can be visually recognized from almost the front, so that the display is more visible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 10 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration for controlling rice cooking A mode, FIG. 2 is a block diagram, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the operation panel, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration for mode setting, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing control of mode selection, and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration for mode control, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing rice cooking B mode control, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a rice cooker equipped with a water amount display device, FIG.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a scale equipped with a water amount display device, and FIG. 12 is a front view showing another embodiment of the rice cooking amount setting means. 1 ... container body (apparatus body) 5 ... container 17 ... water amount display means 28 ... setting dial switch (rice cooking amount setting means) 28A ... rice cooking amount setting switch (rice cooking amount setting means) 37 ... measuring means 43 …… Judgment means

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-61-146215 (JP, A) JP-A-60-96216 (JP, A) JP-A-1-204623 (JP, A) JP-A-3-17728 (JP) , U) One author outside Fumiko Matsumoto, "Cooking and Rice", Gakken Shoin, August 1, 1979, p. 88-89 (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A47J 27/00-27/64

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rice cooking amount setting means for setting a rice cooking amount, a weighing means for storing and weighing rice and water in a container, and a weight slightly larger than 2.3 times the set value of the rice cooking amount setting means. Determining means for determining the degree of the measured value of the measuring means with respect to the determined appropriate amounts of rice and water, and water amount displaying means for displaying the result of the determination, wherein the water amount displaying means is provided at the top of the apparatus main body. A water amount display device, characterized in that: 2. The water amount display device according to claim 1, wherein said water amount display means is provided on said main body so as to be inclined upward.