JP5573023B2 - Electric rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric rice cooker provided with a plurality of mutually communicable substrates (for example, a control substrate and an operation substrate).

  In recent electric rice cookers, those equipped with a plurality of mutually communicable substrates (for example, a control substrate and an operation substrate) are known. In such an electric rice cooker, by adding a microcomputer, for example, selection setting of various rice cooking menus such as white rice, quick cooking, new rice, sushi, rice cooking, brown rice, rice porridge, etc. and control of the rice cooking process corresponding to them In addition, there are many things that can perform heat insulation control. In addition, in the case of heat insulation, for example, in addition to a heat insulation menu such as standard heat insulation, gloss, heat insulation, etc., it is possible to set an arbitrary heat insulation temperature such as higher, lower, standard, etc.

  The selection setting of these various rice cooking menus or heat insulation menus uses various operation keys provided on the operation panel portion on the front side of the outer case of the rice cooker body, and a display that displays the operation setting state of the operation keys. To be done. When the selection setting operation is performed in this manner, the corresponding rice cooking menu or heat retention menu program is automatically read out from the memory unit on the microcomputer side, and appropriate rice cooking control or heat retention control is executed. (See Patent Document 1).

  However, in the case of the conventional electric rice cooker, there is one microcomputer control means as described above, and one microcomputer has various operation keys and a display unit located on the back side of the operation panel unit. The IGBT drive circuit (heater) on the control board side provided with the IGBT (or triac) and IGBT drive circuit (or heater drive circuit) of the inner case portion in the rice cooker body. Drive circuit) and a wire harness to control the IGBT drive circuit (or heater drive circuit).

  Therefore, if you increase the number of product models, change the level of rice cooking control function or heat retention control function for each model, and try to expand the product function according to the grade, it is necessary to change the microcomputer for each model The product cost is extremely high.

  Therefore, in practice, it is common not to change the microcomputer for each model, but it is common to use a common microcomputer for several product groups as few as possible. There was a problem that it was difficult to respond to the function expansion request by networking.

  Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, for example, a microcomputer for controlling rice cooking or a heat retention control is different depending on a microcomputer that performs basic control common to a plurality of models and a plurality of models. It is possible to freely implement an extended control function according to the model by combining it with multiple microcomputers that perform various controls and combining any of the latter microcomputers with the former microcomputer. An electric rice cooker has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

JP-A-11-137421 JP 2008-35879 A

  In the case of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, since a plurality of microcomputers are required, there is a problem that the cost is increased by the number of microcomputers.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the microcomputer mounted on the control board side is replaced with a storage means such as EEPROM which is a kind of nonvolatile memory, and the adjustment data is written from the inspection machine in the manufacturing process, so that the control board side The microcomputer can be omitted.

In the present invention, as a means for solving the above problems, an inner pot, a heating means for heating the inner pot during cooking, the microcomputer appropriately drives and controls the heating means, which can communicate a plurality of mutually In the electric rice cooker provided with a substrate, a microcomputer is provided on any one of the plurality of substrates, while a memory means for writing adjustment data is provided on the other substrate, and the microcomputer Information regarding input voltage detection and input current detection is transmitted to and from the storage means, and power is automatically adjusted based on the transmitted information, and the microcomputer and the storage means The information regarding the input voltage detection and input current detection is transmitted between the board pad written in the microcomputer at the time of board inspection before board installation in the electric rice cooker assembly process. It is to be written to automatically said storage means in the product inspection process after the substrate incorporate meter.

  By configuring as described above, it is possible to perform mutual communication between a substrate provided with a storage means capable of writing adjustment data and a substrate provided with a microcomputer, and a plurality of substrates each provided with a microcomputer. The same function as an electric rice cooker equipped with Therefore, an inexpensive storage means can be used in place of the microcomputer, and the microcomputer is unnecessary, so that the cost can be reduced.

  In addition, it is possible to assemble only the substrate provided with the storage means to which the adjustment data can be written separately from the other substrates, and the production efficiency is improved.

  In addition, by transmitting information related to input voltage detection and input current detection between the microcomputer and the storage means, and configured to automatically adjust the power based on the transmitted information, a plurality of Automatic power adjustment similar to an electric rice cooker equipped with a control microcomputer can be realized.

  Further, the transmission of information about the input voltage detection and the input current detection between the microcomputer and the storage means is automatically written in the storage means in the product inspection process after the board is incorporated in the electric rice cooker assembly process. Therefore, it is possible to absorb fluctuations in control output due to variations in electrical components for each board commonly used in each model, and all can be made constant.

According to the hand stage of the present invention, an electric comprising an inner pot, a heating means for heating the inner pot during cooking, the microcomputer appropriately drives and controls the heating means, and can communicate substrate into a plurality of mutually In a rice cooker, a microcomputer is provided on any one of the plurality of boards, while a storage means capable of writing adjustment data is provided on the other board, thereby providing the board provided with the storage means. This eliminates the need for a microcomputer, so that the same function as an electric rice cooker with multiple boards each equipped with a control microcomputer can be obtained, and inexpensive storage means can be used instead of the microcomputer. Since no microcomputer is required, there is an effect that costs can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to assemble only the substrate provided with the storage means capable of writing the adjustment data separately from the other substrates, which has the effect of improving the production efficiency. In addition, by transmitting information related to input voltage detection and input current detection between the microcomputer and the storage means, and configured to automatically adjust the power based on the transmitted information, a plurality of There is also an effect that automatic power adjustment similar to that of an electric rice cooker equipped with a control microcomputer can be realized. Further, the transmission of information about the input voltage detection and the input current detection between the microcomputer and the storage means is automatically written in the storage means in the product inspection process after the board is incorporated in the electric rice cooker assembly process. Therefore, it is possible to absorb fluctuations in control output due to variations in electrical components for each board commonly used in each model, and there is also an effect that all can be made constant.

It is a cutting sectional view in the center part in the front-rear direction showing the configuration of the rice cooker body of the electric rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view of the operation panel part in the rice cooker main body of the electric rice cooker concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the connection relation between the control board in the electric rice cooker concerning embodiment of this invention, and an operation board. It is a block diagram which shows the function sharing relationship of the control board in the electric rice cooker concerning embodiment of this invention, and an operation board. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement flow at the time of the control data transfer setting after a main body assembly | attachment from the board | substrate test | inspection process of the electric rice cooker concerning embodiment of this invention.

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

  In this electric rice cooker, for example, an inner pot (rice cooker) 3 made of a magnetic metal plate capable of electromagnetic induction is employed, while the inner case 3 is heated in the outer case 1 as a heating means during rice cooking. The center of the bottom wall portion 3a of the inner pot 3 so as to wrap substantially the entire side wall portion 3b from the bottom wall portion 3a of the inner pot 3 through the inner case 4 made of synthetic resin provided at a predetermined interval. First and second sets of work coils C1 and C2 corresponding to the part side and the side part side are provided, and all of the side wall part 3b of the inner pot 3 serves as a heating means for keeping the inner pot 3 warm. A warming heater H1 corresponding to the circumference and a shoulder heater H2 corresponding to the entire circumference of the opening edge 3c of the inner pot 3 are provided. Then, by appropriately driving and controlling those heating means (that is, the work coils C1, C2, the heat retaining heater H1, and the shoulder heater H2) by the microcomputer control unit (microcomputer) 50 shown in FIG. Function and heat retention function can be realized.

  The outer case 1 includes a cylindrical metal side wall 1a and a dish-shaped synthetic resin bottom wall 1b fitted and integrated on the lower side of the side wall 1a. By being connected to the upper end side of the inner case 3 through a resin shoulder member, they are integrated with each other, thereby forming a rice cooker body having an upper side opened.

  And the lid unit 2 which opens and closes in the front-back direction is provided in the upper side opening part of the said rice cooker main body via the hinge part 11 provided in the shoulder rear end part.

  The lid unit 2 includes an outer cover 12 made of a synthetic resin that constitutes an outer peripheral surface of the lid unit 2 and is provided with a pressure adjusting member 27 at a central pressure adjusting port 28, and is fitted and integrated inside the outer cover 12. A synthetic resin inner cover 13 provided and a metal inner lid 19 fitted to the outer periphery of the inner cover 13 via a poly cover 14 are provided.

  On the open end (front end) side, an operation lever 18 that engages with a predetermined position of the lid unit 2 and restricts the opening and closing of the lid unit 2 in the front-rear direction is provided.

  On the other hand, timer reservation for rice cooking / cooking / warming functions in this electric rice cooker, selection of rice cooking and warming menu, cooking menu, selection of heating amount, heating pattern, warming temperature, warming time, etc. corresponding to each menu The setting operation is performed by the user via various input switch groups (operation key groups) 24a to 24h (see FIGS. 2 and 3) provided on the front side operation panel unit 20 of the rice cooker body, and the selection setting contents Accordingly, the first and second work coils C1, C2, the heat retaining heater H1, and the shoulder heater H2 are finally controlled appropriately.

  In addition, in the central portion of the operation panel unit 20, rice cooking, cooking (for example, bread fermentation / baking), heat insulation menus, set heat retention temperature, set heat retention time, heat retention elapsed time, current time, timer rice cooking reservation A liquid crystal display unit 25 (see FIG. 2) is provided for displaying time, rice cooking completion and the remaining time until cooking completion, and various other necessary items. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 26 a is a display LED that is turned on when the rice cooking switch (rice cooking key) 24 a is turned on, 26 b is a display LED that is turned on when the heat keeping switch (heat keeping key) 24 b is turned on, and 26 c is a reservation switch (reservation key). ) A display LED that lights when the 24c is turned on.

  Further, the inner portion (back space portion) of the operation panel portion 20 in the outer case 1 is configured to descend obliquely forward from the upper position on the upper side of the control substrate 9a on the inner case 4 side, which will be described later, and the operation substrate 7a. Is held in an inclined state in parallel with the operation panel unit 20.

  On the other hand, a coil cover (coil base) 16 having a ferrite core housing portion 15 is provided below the bottom wall portion 4a of the inner case 4, and litz wires are concentrically wound between them. The first and second two sets of work coils C1 and C2 are provided, and when the work coils C1 and C2 are energized, an eddy current is induced in the inner pot 3 and heated. Yes.

  On the front side of the inner case 4 (and the coil cover 16), the front side first and second work coils C1, C2 and an IH circuit 37 having an IGBT, and an IGBT for driving the IGBT of the IH circuit 37 are provided. Various circuits such as a drive circuit 42, heater drive circuits 33 and 34 for controlling driving of the heat retaining heater H1, shoulder heater H2, etc., a diode bridge for power supply voltage rectification, and a rectifying / smoothing circuit comprising a CR circuit (the detailed configuration is And a control board cover 9 holding the control board 9a is substantially the same height as the inner case 4 and between the left and right side walls 1a, 1a of the outer case 1. Standing vertically in the vertical direction with the horizontal width to reach.

  The dish-shaped bottom wall portion 4a of the inner case 4 is formed with a fitting port for the center sensor S in which a thermistor that is a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the inner pot 3 is provided at the center of the bottom surface portion.

  Further, an inlet 21 for cooling air having a lattice structure is formed on the front side of the rice cooker main body bottom wall portion 1b, and a fan for cooling electrical equipment (short) is formed on the upper side of the inlet 21. A shaft propeller fan) 22 is provided, and cooling air from the fan 22 is introduced into a necessary portion in the rice cooker body.

  While approximately 1/2 of the diameter of the impeller portion of the fan 22 is installed corresponding to the space on the first and second work coils C1, C2 side from the control board cover 9, the other approximately A slightly larger diameter portion is installed corresponding to the heat sink 23 for heat radiation cooling of the heat-generating component such as the IGBT, the control board 9a, and the operation board 7a.

  According to such a configuration, the wind from the impeller of the cooling fan 22 for the electrical component etc. is effectively used for cooling the operation board 7a, the control board 9a, the heat sink 23, etc. on the front side of the rice cooker body. On the other hand, the first and second work coils C1 and C2 are effectively introduced also into the ventilation space of the ventilation path surrounding the first and second work coils C1 and C2 which are heat generating members. Cool effectively.

(Configuration of control circuit part)
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a control circuit portion that performs rice cooking and heat retention control on the side of the rice cooker body composed of the control board 9a and the operation board 7a configured as described above.

  On the control board 9a side, the power supply circuit section from the AC power supply 30 side includes a noise filter circuit 32, rectifying / smoothing circuits 35a and 35b, first and second work coils C1, C2, IGBT, choke coil, and resonance circuit. IH circuit 37, DC20V power supply 36, temperature detection circuit 38, input voltage detection circuit 39, IGBT drive circuit 42, input current detection circuit 43, power supply voltage zero cross detection circuit 44, heat insulation heater drive circuit 33, shoulder heater drive circuit 34, A driving circuit 29 for the fan motor 22a of the cooling fan 22, an EEPROM 40 capable of writing adjustment data, a synchronization trigger circuit 41, and the like are provided, and these are connected as shown in the figure.

  On the other hand, on the operation board 7a side, as shown in FIG. 4, a microcomputer control unit 50 having unique control data (parameter data A, B, C) different for each type A, B, C of the electric rice cooker is central. As the liquid crystal display unit 25, rice cooking or heat retention, timer reservation, reservation time setting, white rice or brown rice or millet rice, quick cooking, rice porridge, rice bran, rice cooking, cooking, etc., normal mode or energy saving mode and other each of the above Input switches 24a-24h for selecting and setting various types of rice cooking or heat retention functions determined according to the models A, B, C, LEDs 26a-26c for rice cooking, reservation, heat retention, etc., reset circuit 52, main clock signal generation circuit 54 , A sub-block signal generation circuit 55, a forced reset circuit 51, a microcomputer power supply circuit 56, a backup circuit 57, etc. are provided. It is connected as shown and the control unit 50.

  The control board 9a and the microcomputer control unit 50 on the operation board 7a side are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other according to a predetermined command signal via a communication circuit having necessary power supply wiring and signal wiring. (See the control flow in FIG. 5).

  When configured as described above, the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side can be configured for basic output control having generality common to a plurality of models having different specifications and functions. Compared with the case where the microcomputer control unit is mounted on the control board 9a, the cost can be considerably reduced.

  However, since the electric rice cookers of a plurality of models A, B, and C having different specifications and functions have different power consumption and operation data for rice cooking, heat retention, and control, the electric rice cookers of the corresponding models as they are Appropriate rice cooking control corresponding to the characteristics of can not be performed.

  Therefore, aside from the board inspection stage, as shown in FIG. 1, it is assembled in the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side common to each of the above models until it is assembled in the rice cooker body and subjected to final inspection as a product. It is necessary to input and set model-specific individual difference data (main body control parameters such as power consumption and operation data: details will be described later).

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the electric rice cooker including the display contents of the liquid crystal display unit 25 on the operation board 7a before being incorporated into the rice cooker body, the types and layouts of the various switches (various keys) 24a to 24h, and the like. Main body that varies according to individual differences such as options (functions) and sizes (rice cooking capacity) of each model of the electric rice cooker, depending on the model of the cooker (A, B, C in Fig. 4) For example, in the inspection process of the operation board 7a, the control parameters are written in advance in the memory unit by a predetermined board inspection machine (main body control parameter input computer) on the board inspection line.

  Then, first, the microcomputer control unit 50 on the operation board 7a side which is different for each model before being assembled to the rice cooker main body has the data for rice cooker and heat control according to the options, sizes specific to the electric rice cooker. Make it.

  However, in this case, if it is determined that the main body control parameter has not been written during energization (main body inspection) due to forgotten inspection (inspection omission) or the like of the operation board 7a, The electric rice cooker turns to the board inspection line again as NG and writes the proper main body control parameters.

  On the other hand, in the inspection process of the control board 9a before being incorporated into the rice cooker body, for example, a rated current (for example, a rated current (for a memory part) by means of a predetermined board inspection machine (a computer for board parameter input). Write the board parameters such as the rated input current value and the rated input voltage value when 12A) is input.

  As a result, it is possible to absorb fluctuations in control output due to variations in electrical components for each control board 9a commonly used in each model, and to make all of them have a constant output.

  However, in this case, if it is determined that the board parameters are not written at the time of energization after the inspection of the control board 9a (missing inspection), etc., the setting is made in the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side. The initial values of the input current and the input voltage are input and dealt with so that the output control can be performed as safely as possible even if the inspection of the control board 9a is forgotten.

  As described above, in the board inspection process for the boards 7a and 9a, the operation board 7a and the control board 9a to which necessary data are input and set in the corresponding microcomputer control unit 50 and the EEPROM 40 are processed in the subsequent rice cooker assembly process. As shown in FIG. 1, the microcomputer control unit 50 on the operation board 7a side and the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a are connected to each other via necessary power supply wiring and signal wiring as shown in FIG. The

(Control operation of EEPROM 40 and microcomputer control unit 50 after incorporation into the rice cooker body)
In the product inspection process after assembly into the rice cooker body, when power is first applied (energized) to the power circuit of the rice cooker body (when the AC power supply 30 in FIG. 3 is turned on), the control board 9a. The EEPROM 40 on the side and the microcomputer control unit 50 on the side of the operation board 7a perform a bidirectional communication control operation (data read / write) as shown in the flow of FIG. The above-mentioned main body control parameters input and stored in the microcomputer control unit 50 on the board 7a side are transferred to the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side and set, and the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side and the microcomputer control unit 50 on the operation board 7a side are set. Each makes it possible to perform proper rice cooking and heat control according to the original specifications and functions of the electric rice cooker.

  That is, the microcomputer control unit 50 on the operation board 7a side detects whether or not the above-described zero cross circuit (ZC circuit) 44 in FIG. 3 is energized by detecting a zero cross pulse, for example. When it is detected (step S1), it is finally input to the EEPROM 40 of the control board 9a and stored therein. The main body control parameters of the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side corresponding to the model, for example, the maximum pulse width of the IGBT driving pulse, the input current FS value (input voltage value corresponding to the rated output), the high temperature abnormality detection threshold, the power fuse , A threshold value for detecting abnormal coil current when the cooling fan is locked, a threshold value for detecting abnormal fan lock current when the cooling fan is locked, and data specific to the microcomputer managed on the microcomputer control unit 50 side on the operation board 7a side, such as size, It is checked whether data such as options and models have been initialized (whether or not the input memory is properly stored) (step S2).

  As a result, when the data is not yet initialized (when input is not set), it is processed as NG and returned to the substrate inspection line again or transferred to another data writing line and the above described The initial value of the main body side control parameter specific to the electric rice cooker is written (step S3).

  On the other hand, if the initialization is properly performed, the contents of the main body side control parameters in the data flash area of the microcomputer control unit 50 are subsequently confirmed, then moved to the RAM side and read (step S4).

  Thereafter, the setting data is read out from the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side (that is, the main body parameter data is transmitted) (step Sa). It is confirmed whether or not the main body side control parameters of the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side have been initialized (whether or not they have been input) (step S5). In this case, the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side transmits the data input state of the main body side control parameter to the operation board 7a side (step Sa).

  In this case, in the case of the first energization after assembly, the main body control parameter has not yet been input to the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side and has not been initialized. Then, the main body side control parameters stored in the RAM of the microcomputer control unit 50 on the operation board 7a side are read out and transferred to the EEPROM 40 of the control board 9a (steps S6 and Sb).

  When the writing is completed, an OK command signal is transmitted and input from the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side to the microcomputer control unit 50 of the operation board 7a, thereby completing the input setting of the initialization data for proper main body control parameters. .

  On the other hand, when the energization state is detected for the second time and thereafter, the initialization of the main body side control parameters in the EEPROM 40 on the control board 9a side is completed, so the main body control parameters of the EEPROM 40 are read as they are (step S7, In step Sc), the subsequent normal control operation can be performed (steps S8 and Sd).

  In the above embodiment, an EEPROM functioning as a storage means is mounted on the control board 9a side, but a barcode may be used instead of the EEPROM.

  The invention of the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the design can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 is an outer case 1a is a side wall portion 1b is a bottom wall portion 2 is a lid unit 3 is an inner pot 7 is an operation board cover 7a is an operation board 9 is a control board cover 9a is a control board 20 is an operation panel section 21 is a liquid crystal display section 22 Is a cooling fan 40 is a storage means (EEPROM)
50 is a microcomputer control unit

Claims (1)

  An electric rice cooker comprising an inner pot, a heating means for heating the inner pot during rice cooking, a microcomputer for appropriately driving and controlling the heating means, and a plurality of mutually communicable substrates, One of the boards is provided with a microcomputer, while the other board is provided with a storage means capable of writing adjustment data, and input voltage detection and input current between the microcomputer and the storage means. It is configured to transmit information related to detection, automatically adjust power based on the transmitted information, and to detect information related to input voltage detection and input current detection between the microcomputer and the storage means. Transmission is automatically performed in the product inspection process after the board is built-in, the board parameters written in the microcomputer at the time of board inspection before the board incorporation in the electric rice cooker assembly process. Electric rice cookers, characterized in that to be written in the storage means.

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