JP4466761B2 - Electric rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric rice cooker, and more particularly to an electric rice cooker that enables energy-saving rice cooking control in a standard rice cooking mode.

  In the case of a conventionally well-known electric rice cooker, in the standard rice cooking mode (that is, rice cooking by operating only the rice cooking key), a water absorption process for holding the inner pot at a predetermined temperature, and raising the inner pot to the cooking temperature. It is supposed that rice cooking is controlled in the order of the cooking process and the steaming process in which the inner pot is kept at a temperature slightly lower than the cooking temperature (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-275643.

  By the way, in recent years, global warming has become a problem, and carbon dioxide emission regulation has been carried out on a global scale, and how to reduce the power consumption that causes a large amount of carbon dioxide emission Has become an anthropological issue.

  However, in the conventional electric rice cooker disclosed in Patent Document 1, as described above, in the standard rice cooking mode, rice cooking is controlled in the order of the water absorption process, the cooking process, and the steaming process. However, there is a problem that power consumption is bulky and goes against the above human problems.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said point, and aims at making energy saving possible by performing rice cooking with little power consumption in standard rice cooking mode.

In this invention, as a 1st means for solving the said subject, the rice cooker main body which stores the inner pot which accommodates rice and water so that extraction is possible, the heating means which heats the said inner pot, and the said inner pot A temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the food, a rice cooking mode that is initially set at the time of purchase and includes a standard rice cooking mode that includes an energy-saving rice cooking course with a steaming process, and a rice cooking mode that is set independently by the user after purchase. In the electric rice cooker equipped with a microcomputer function that executes a selective rice cooking mode including a rice cooking course with a steaming process, the standard rice cooking mode is configured to perform rice cooking control in the energy-saving rice cooking course, In the selection rice cooking mode, the rice cooking control other than the energy-saving rice cooking course is configured to be executed, and the selection rice cooking mode is set after power-on. If the operation is not performed, in the above energy saving cooking courses in standard cooking mode is judged to have been selected and the standard cooking mode, the temperature end temperature is higher than the temperature steaming in cooking course other than the energy-saving cooking courses steaming It is configured to be set as follows.

By configuring as described above, when the operation for setting the selected rice cooking mode is not performed after the power is turned on, it is determined that the standard rice cooking mode is selected, and in the energy saving rice cooking course in the standard rice cooking mode, the steaming is finished. Since the temperature is set to be higher than the normal steaming temperature, the steaming time is shortened and energy saving can be achieved.

According to the 1st means of this invention, the rice cooker main body which stores the inner pot which accommodates rice and water so that extraction is possible, the heating means which heats the inner pot, and the temperature which detects the temperature of the inner pot A rice cooking mode that is initially set at the time of purchase and includes an energy-saving rice cooking course that includes a steaming process, and a rice cooking mode that is set independently by the user after purchase, and that includes a steaming process. In the electric rice cooker equipped with a microcomputer function that executes a selection rice cooking mode including a course, while the standard rice cooking mode is configured to execute rice cooking control in the energy-saving rice cooking course, in the selection rice cooking mode, When it is configured to execute rice cooking control other than the energy-saving rice cooking course, and when the operation to set the selected rice cooking mode is not performed after power-on Wherein in the energy saving cooking course, configured to set, as the steaming end temperature is a temperature higher than the steaming temperature in the cooking course other than the energy-saving cooking courses in the it is determined that the standard cooking mode is selected and said standard cooking mode Therefore , the steaming time is shortened, and there is an effect that energy saving can be achieved.

  Hereinafter, some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the structure and electric circuit of the electric rice cooker used in each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, this electric rice cooker is configured to be able to take out an inner pot 3 containing rice and water so as to be freely removable, and has a double structure rice cooker body 1 having a space, And a lid 2 that covers the upper opening of the rice cooker body 1 so as to be freely opened and closed.

  The rice cooker body 1 includes a synthetic resin outer case 1a constituting the outer wall, a synthetic resin bottom case 1b constituting the bottom wall, a synthetic resin shoulder member 1c constituting the shoulder, It consists of a synthetic resin-made bottomed cylindrical protective frame 4 constituting the peripheral wall. The inner pot 3 is accommodated in the protective frame 4 so as to be removable.

On the outer peripheral surface side of the protective frame 4, annular main IH coils C 1 , C 2 and C 3 acting as main heating means during rice cooking are between the bottom surface of the protective frame 4 and the bottom surface to the side peripheral surface. The curved portion and the side peripheral surface are disposed corresponding to each other. The main IH coils C 1 , C 2 , C 3 generate an alternating magnetic field (in other words, an electromagnetic wave), generate an induced eddy current in the inner pot 3 by electromagnetic induction of the alternating magnetic field, Heating is performed using the resistance heat of the induced eddy current. The inner pot 3 is made of a material (for example, a magnetic material) that can generate an induced eddy current by the main IH coils C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 . Reference numeral 7 denotes a ferrite core, which shuts off the magnetism by the main IH coils C 1 and C 2 so as not to affect the devices existing below. Reference numeral 9 denotes a power supply board.

A heat retaining heater H 1 is disposed on the protective frame 4 corresponding to the outside of the side surface of the inner pot 3. Further, a shoulder heater H 2 for heating a heat radiating plate 15 (described in detail later) provided on the lid 2 side is disposed on the inner peripheral edge of the shoulder member 1c.

  On the other hand, the lid 2 is composed of a synthetic resin upper plate 12 constituting the outer surface and a vacuum double structure lower plate 13 constituting the inner surface. The lower plate 13 is configured such that a space between two upper and lower donut-shaped metal plates (for example, stainless steel plates) 13a and 13b is a vacuum space. The lid 2 is attached to the rice cooker body 1 so as to be capable of rotating in an arc via a hinge pin 11 formed on one side of the shoulder member 1c.

A heat radiating plate 15 made of a good heat conductor (for example, aluminum alloy) for sealing the opening of the inner pot 3 when the lid 2 is closed is attached to the lower surface of the lid 2. The peripheral edge 15 is pressed against the shoulder heater H 2 when the lid 2 is closed, and heat from the shoulder heater H 2 is radiated from the heat radiating plate 15. Reference numeral 14 denotes a seal packing that seals between the heat radiating plate 15 and the lid lower plate 13, 16 denotes an inner lid attached to the lower surface of the heat radiating plate 15, and 17 denotes a peripheral edge of the heat radiating plate 15 and an opening of the inner pot 3. A seal packing 18 for sealing between the two, a lock mechanism 18 for holding the closed state of the lid 2, and an operation panel unit 20 provided with various operation keys, a liquid crystal display device and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel unit 20 includes a liquid crystal display device 21, a rice cooking key 22a, a reservation key 22b, a cancel key 22c, a heat retention key 22d, a reheating key 22e, a menu key 22f, an hour key 22g, a minute A key 22h and LEDs 23a, 23b, and 23c are provided. The liquid crystal display device 21 has various menus (“white rice”, “early cooking”, “brown rice”, “rice porridge”, “rice cooked”, “rice cake”, “no-wash rice”, “Miscellaneous cooking”, “pilaf” and “steaming”), time, reservation status, reheating display, heat retention time, etc. are displayed.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the electric rice cooker according to the present embodiment will be described based on the electrical circuit diagram shown in FIG. Parts corresponding to the respective parts shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The electric power from the commercial AC power supply 30 is supplied to the IH coils C 1 to C 3 through the temperature fuse 31 and the rectifier circuit 35 that are blown by detecting abnormal heating of the inner pot 3. Reference numeral 36 is a smoothing capacitor, 38 is a resonance capacitor, and 39 is a diode.

The IH coil C (specifically, C 1 to C 3 ) includes a power transistor 37 that is ON / OFF controlled by a command from a microcomputer unit (hereinafter abbreviated as a microcomputer) 32 through an IGBT drive circuit 42. The control signal is to be given. Reference numeral 40 denotes a synchronous trigger circuit, and 41 denotes a PWM circuit.

The microcomputer 32 controls the power transistor 37 and the synchronous trigger circuit 40 according to a predetermined program, thereby controlling the energization to the IH coil C (specifically, C 1 to C 3 ). This energization control is performed based on an output signal from the temperature sensor S. Reference numeral 43 denotes a temperature detection circuit. Further, the set state of the inner pot 3 is detected by a limit switch LS for pot detection, and a detection signal from the limit switch LS is input to the microcomputer 32 via the pot detection circuit 44. It is supposed to be.

3, reference numeral 24 denotes a shoulder heater drive circuit, 24a is a transistor for controlling the energization of the shoulder heater H 2, the heat insulating heater driving circuit 33, 33a is a transistor for controlling the energization of the thermal insulation heater H 1, 45 is a buzzer A driving circuit 45a is a buzzer.

  Next, each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

1st Embodiment The flowchart and time chart at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention are shown by FIG. 4 and FIG.

  If the operation for setting the selected course is not performed after the power is turned on, the standard course (in other words, the standard rice cooking mode that is the default mode after purchase) is selected in step S1. When the rice cooking key 22a is turned on in step S2, a simple water absorption process is executed in step S3. In this case, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 5, the water absorption step is omitted, and the temperature is raised by energizing the IH coil C. That is, as the simple water absorption process, a water absorption process is omitted. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform power control for maintaining the inner pot temperature T at the water absorption temperature in the water absorption process in the conventional rice cooking characteristic curve indicated by the dotted line in FIG.

  Next, a normal cooking process is executed in step S4, a normal steaming process is executed in step S5, and a heat retaining process is executed in step S6.

  On the other hand, when the standard course (in other words, the standard rice cooking mode) is not selected in step S1, it is determined that the selected rice cooking mode is selected, and when the rice cooking key 22a is turned on in step S7, normal water absorption is performed in step S8. A process (shown by a dotted line in the time chart of FIG. 5) is executed, a normal cooking process is executed in step S9, a normal steaming process is executed in step S10, and a heat retaining process is executed in step S11.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the case of the standard rice cooking mode, the rice cooking control in the energy saving rice cooking course (for example, the rice cooking course in which the water absorption process is omitted) is executed, while in the selective rice cooking mode, the energy saving rice cooking is performed. Rice cooking control other than the course (for example, rice cooking control with a normal water absorption process) will be executed, and power consumption during rice cooking control in the standard rice cooking mode can be reduced as much as possible to prevent global warming. Contributes to much.

  By the way, as a simple water absorption process performed in step S3, what is shown to the time chart of FIG. 6 is also employable.

That is, after energizing the IH coil C for a predetermined time at the initial stage of water absorption (for example, the time until the inner pot temperature T rises to the predetermined value T 0 ), the energization control to the heat retaining heater H 1 is performed thereafter. You may make it perform water absorption. The predetermined value T 0 is a temperature slightly lower than the water absorption holding temperature T 1 . In this way, power consumption in the water absorption process can be limited to a predetermined value or less. Therefore, power consumption during rice cooking control in the standard rice cooking mode can be reduced as much as possible, which contributes greatly to prevention of global warming. Moreover, after the predetermined time of the water-absorbing initial has elapsed, since become the water temperature maintained by insulation heater H 1 is performed, the overrun of the inner pot temperature T is almost not occur, efficient energization control Is done.

2nd Embodiment The flowchart and time chart at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention are shown by FIG.7 and FIG.8.

If the operation for setting the selected course is not performed after the power is turned on, the standard course (in other words, the standard rice cooking mode that is the default mode after purchase) is selected in step S1. is, when the cooking Ki 22a is turned ON in step S2, usually water absorption step is performed in step S3,炊上up process normal is executed in step S4, a simple steaming process is performed in step S5, In step S6, a heat retaining step is executed. In this case, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 8, the steaming step is omitted, and the energization to the IH coil C is stopped. The heat retaining heater and the shoulder heater can be energized. That is, as the simple steaming process, a steaming process is omitted. Therefore, in the steaming process in the conventional rice cooking characteristic curve shown with a dotted line in FIG. 8, the power control for keeping the inner pot temperature at the steaming temperature is not necessary.

  On the other hand, when the standard course (in other words, the standard rice cooking mode) is not selected in step S1, it is determined that the selected rice cooking mode is selected, and when the rice cooking key 22a is turned on in step S7, normal water absorption is performed in step S8. A process (shown by a dotted line in the time chart of FIG. 5) is executed, a normal cooking process is executed in step S9, a normal steaming process is executed in step S10, and a heat retaining process is executed in step S11.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the case of the standard rice cooking mode, the rice cooking control in the energy saving rice cooking course (for example, the rice cooking course in which the steaming process is omitted) is executed, while in the selective rice cooking mode, the energy saving rice cooking is performed. Rice cooking control other than the course (for example, rice cooking control with a normal steaming process) will be executed, and power consumption during rice cooking control in the standard rice cooking mode can be reduced as much as possible to prevent global warming. Contributes to much.

Third Embodiment FIGS. 9 and 10 show a flowchart and a time chart during rice cooking control in an electric rice cooker according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  If the operation for setting the selected course is not performed after the power is turned on, the standard course (in other words, the standard rice cooking mode that is the default mode after purchase) is selected in step S1. When the rice cooking key 22a is turned on in step S2, a simple water absorption process is executed in step S3. In this case, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 10, the water absorption step is omitted, and the temperature is raised by energizing the IH coil C. That is, as the simple water absorption process, a water absorption process is omitted. Therefore, the power control for maintaining the inner pot temperature T at the water absorption temperature in the water absorption process in the conventional rice cooking characteristic curve indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 10 is not necessary.

  Next, a normal cooking process is executed in step S4, a simple steaming process is executed in step S5, and a heat retaining process is executed in step S6. In this case, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 10, the steaming step is omitted, and the energization to the IH coil C is stopped. The heat retaining heater and the shoulder heater can be energized. That is, as the simple steaming process, a steaming process is omitted. Therefore, in the steaming process in the conventional rice cooking characteristic curve shown with a dotted line in FIG. 10, electric power control for keeping the inner pot temperature at the steaming temperature is not necessary.

  On the other hand, when the standard course (in other words, the standard rice cooking mode) is not selected in step S1, it is determined that the selected rice cooking mode is selected, and when the rice cooking key 22a is turned on in step S7, normal water absorption is performed in step S8. A process (shown by a dotted line in the time chart of FIG. 5) is executed, a normal cooking process is executed in step S9, a normal steaming process is executed in step S10, and a heat retaining process is executed in step S11.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the case of the standard rice cooking mode, the rice cooking control in the energy-saving rice cooking course (for example, the rice cooking course in which the water absorption process and the steaming process are omitted) is executed, while in the selective rice cooking mode, Rice cooking control other than the energy-saving rice cooking course (for example, rice cooking control with a normal water absorption process and a steaming process) will be performed, and power consumption during rice cooking control in the standard rice cooking mode can be reduced as much as possible. Contributes to the prevention of global warming.

  In this case as well, as in the first embodiment, the simple water absorption process executed in step S3 may be the one shown in the time chart of FIG.

That is, after energizing the IH coil C for a predetermined time at the initial stage of water absorption (for example, the time until the inner pot temperature T rises to the predetermined value T 0 ), the energization control to the heat retaining heater H 1 is performed thereafter. You may make it perform water absorption. The predetermined value T 0 is a temperature slightly lower than the water absorption holding temperature T 1 . In this way, power consumption in the water absorption process can be limited to a predetermined value or less. Therefore, power consumption during rice cooking control in the standard rice cooking mode can be reduced as much as possible, which contributes greatly to prevention of global warming. Moreover, after the predetermined time of the water-absorbing initial has elapsed, since become the water temperature maintained by insulation heater H 1 is performed, the overrun of the inner pot temperature T is almost not occur, efficient energization control Is done.

4th Embodiment The time chart at the time of the steaming control in the electric rice cooker concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention is shown by FIG.

In this case, and as setting the incubated start timing of lighting of the thermal insulation LED23b between t 1 from when炊上up has been completed to the normal steaming process starts. That is, the period from the end of cooking to the time when the warming LED 23b is turned on is a simple steaming process execution period. If it does in this way, steaming end temperature (in other words, heat retention start time) will be set to temperature higher than normal steaming temperature, and it will save energy. This energy saving course may be set to the standard rice cooking mode.

Fifth Embodiment FIG. 13 shows a time chart during steaming control in an electric rice cooker according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In this case, immediately before the end of the steaming process, heating is performed by energizing the IH coil C. After heating to a predetermined temperature higher than the steaming temperature, the energization to the IH coil C is stopped and heat retention is started. . In this way, by steaming for so that the temperature of the rice is increased in the final stage of the process, it can be provided a high temperature close to the freshly cooked rice to a user, ON / OFF control of the insulation heater H 1 The start timing of the heat retention control can also be delayed as shown by A in comparison with the conventional B. That is, the heat retention control time can be shortened, resulting in energy saving. Such control may be the standard rice cooking mode.

Sixth Embodiment FIG. 14 is a time chart at the time of reserved rice cooking in an electric rice cooker, (A) is a conventional one, and (B) and (C) are according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Is.

As shown in FIG. 14 (b), if the reservation time to book cooking completion from the reservation start longer than the time t 0 which is fit set Ji pre, a natural water absorption by omitting the water step, in FIG. 14 (c) As shown, when the reservation time from the start of reservation to the end of reserved rice cooking is shorter than the preset time t 0 , the water absorption process is executed as usual. If it does in this way, the electric power of a water absorption process will become energy saving. Such control may be the standard rice cooking mode.

Seventh Embodiment FIG. 15 is a time chart at the time of reserved rice cooking in an electric rice cooker, (A) is a conventional one, (B), (C) and (D) are the seventh embodiment of the present invention. It depends on the form.

As shown in FIG. 15 (b), when the reservation time from the reservation start to the end of the reserved rice cooking is longer than the preset time t 0 , the water absorption step is omitted and natural water absorption is performed. As shown in (d), when the reservation time from the start of reservation to the end of reserved rice cooking is shorter than the preset time t 0 , the water absorption process is executed as usual. The length of the water absorption process is changed between the case where the reservation time shown in FIG. 15 (c) is long and the case where the reservation time shown in FIG. 15 (d) is short. If it does in this way, while the electric power of a water absorption process becomes energy saving, the shortage of natural water absorption can be forcedly absorbed. Such control may be the standard rice cooking mode.

  By the way, as the above simple water absorption process, a water absorption process by energizing only the heat retaining heater may be employed. First, the IH coil is heated to a predetermined temperature or for a predetermined time, and then the heating source is turned off and is stopped for a predetermined time. And it is good also as what enters into a temperature rising (cooking) process after that. Moreover, in a simple water absorption process, you may change water absorption time according to initial temperature or external temperature.

  Moreover, as the said simple steaming process, you may employ | adopt the steaming output or steaming time made smaller than the steaming output or steaming time in a normal steaming process. Moreover, in a simple steaming process, it can also be set as the heating by a heat retention heater.

  Moreover, as an energy-saving rice cooking course, you may employ | adopt what performs the control which drops the thermal power at the time of rice cooking by 1 rank in the case of the amount of rice cooking less than 2/3 of a full quantity by the total number determination.

  Moreover, as an energy-saving rice cooking course, what made the output of the IH coil at the time of rice cooking the least circuit loss, and controlled heating power by control of a duty ratio may be employ | adopted.

It is the side view which made a part of electric rice cooker concerning an embodiment of the invention of this application a section. It is a front view of the operation panel part in the electric rice cooker concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a connection circuit diagram of the electrical element in the electric rice cooker concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart which shows the other example of the simple water absorption process at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart which shows the other example of the simple water absorption process at the time of the rice cooking control in the electric rice cooker concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart at the time of steaming control in the electric rice cooker concerning 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart at the time of steaming control in the electric rice cooker concerning 5th Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a time chart at the time of conventional reserved rice cooking, (B) is a time chart at the time of reserved rice cooking (when the reservation time is longer than a predetermined time) in the electric rice cooker according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, ( (C) is a time chart at the time of reservation rice cooking (when reservation time is shorter than predetermined time) in the electric rice cooker concerning 6th Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a time chart at the time of conventional reserved rice cooking, (B) is a time chart at the time of reserved rice cooking (when the reservation time is longer than a predetermined time) in the electric rice cooker according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, ( C) is a time chart for reserved rice cooking (when the reservation time is shorter than the predetermined time and the standby time is longer) in the electric rice cooker according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and (d) is the seventh time of the present invention. It is a time chart at the time of reservation rice cooking (when reservation time is shorter than predetermined time and standby time is short) in the electric rice cooker concerning this embodiment.

1 is a rice cooker body 2 is a lid 3 is an inner pot 21 is a liquid crystal display device 32 is a microcomputer
C 1 , C 2 and C 3 are heating means (main IH coil)
H 1 is a heat insulation heater

Claims (1)

Rice cooker main body for storing rice and water in a freely removable manner, heating means for heating the inner pot, temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the inner pot, and rice set initially set at the time of purchase A microcomputer that executes a standard rice cooking mode that is an energy-saving rice cooking course that includes a steaming process and a rice cooking mode that is set by the user after purchase and includes a rice cooking course that involves a steaming process. In the standard rice cooking mode, the rice cooker is configured to execute the rice cooking control in the energy-saving rice cooking course, while in the selection rice cooking mode, the rice cooking control other than the energy-saving rice cooking course is performed. When the operation for setting the selected rice cooking mode is not performed after power-on, the standard rice cooking mode is selected. And in the energy-saving cooking course in the determined and said standard cooking mode, electricity is characterized by steaming finishing temperature is configured to set to a temperature higher than the steaming temperature in the cooking course other than the energy-saving cooking courses rice cooker.

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