JP6765091B2 - Food processor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food processor mainly used for home use and used for a process of crushing a food material to process it into a liquid or semi-liquid state. In particular, the present invention provides a warm soup by processing the food while heating it, crushing the food, or stirring and mixing the food and water to finish the food in a state where the texture and stickiness of the solid are left. It is about a food processor that can be used.

Conventionally, a wide variety of food processors have been known for home use. Known food processors of this type are those in which fruits are cut into small pieces with a rotary blade and provided as juice in a liquid state, and those in which roasted coffee beans are crushed, so-called coffee mills.

In addition, a heater-equipped heating function is provided to create a warm soup-like soup cooker with a heater, and the ingredients are cut with a cutter and then heated with a heater. A rotary heating cooker capable of simmering soymilk, and a soymilk making machine for producing soymilk by energizing a heater at predetermined time intervals and heating the soymilk are disclosed.

Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-149499) discloses the stirring and heating cooker with a heater, and as is clear from FIG. 2, the motor 4 and the rotation serving as a driving source on the lid 2a of the container itself. The cutter 6b and the heater 5 for overheating are integrally configured.

Patent Document 2 (Patent No. 27733392) discloses a rotary heating cooker, in which a cutter stand 9 is provided inside a container 5 so as to be able to stir, and a heating stand 4 to which a motor 1 and a heater are attached is provided in the main body. When the container is placed on the heating table 4, the connector provided on the container 5 and the connector provided on the main body are combined so that the main body can supply electric power for stirring to the motor. It is a thing.

Patent Document 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-235488) discloses a soybean milk maker, in which an electric motor 11 is internally provided in a lid portion, and a container in which a rotating shaft thereof and soybeans called a basket 23 are placed. The container 15 is configured by installing a net container that sinks into the container so that the rotation shaft of the basket 23 and the rotation shaft of the electric motor 11 are connected by couplings provided for each and rotate. There is. Further, a heater is attached to the base 2 of the main body 1, and by placing the container 15 on the base 2, the heat warmed by the base 2 is transferred to the bottom of the container 15 to heat the inside of the container 15. Is.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-149499 Japanese Patent No. 27733392 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-235488

What is disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a container lid in which a motor, a rotary cutter, and a heater rotation mechanism are all integrated. Not only is the lid heavy and difficult to handle, but the heater is exposed. There is also a risk of burns.

In both Patent Documents 2 and 3, a heating table made of a heater is provided at the base of the main body, and the heat obtained by heating the heating table with the heater passes through the bottom of the container placed on the heating table. It is intended to be heated.

However, it is difficult to match the surface shape of the heating table with the surface shape of the bottom of the container, and since the surfaces do not come into contact with each other, there is a problem that heat is not sufficiently transferred into the container and the heating efficiency is lowered. Since an extremely accurate surface shape is required to improve the heating efficiency, the latest attention must be paid to the processing quality, especially for large-scale products. If the quality deteriorates, the heating process will be different for each product, which will greatly affect the ingredients.

In addition, since it is necessary to place the container on the base that serves as the heating table, a base that supports the container and has a strong surface that is not easily deformed by the user's handling is required, while the bottom of the container. It also needs to have a strong bottom so that food can be stored inside and stirred at high speed with a cutter. In order to use such two separate surfaces together, it is necessary to make a container and a base with both strong surfaces, which hinders the heat conductivity and improves the heating efficiency. There was also the problem that it would be worse or that the material of the container used, the material of the heating table, and the design would be significantly restricted.

Moreover, for example, even if the same beans are used in a coffee maker, the heating and drip processes differ depending on the individual product, which greatly affects the taste. In the food processor, the heating process, stirring, and crushing process are also performed. If they are different or if they are not sufficiently controlled, the nutrients will not be extracted without being separated, or the foodstuffs will change to different properties, and the texture and taste will be greatly impaired.

However, conventional food processors have not been able to adequately control the process of crushing, stirring, and heating such foodstuffs.

The present invention pays attention to such a problem, enables appropriate heating of foodstuffs, can perform crushing and stirring in close relation to the overheating, and enhances the freedom of design for manufacturing and products. It provides a new food processor that is easy to handle and safe.

In order to achieve the above object, the food processor of the present invention comprises a container for accommodating foodstuffs and an electric motor for rotating a stirrer for crushing and stirring the foodstuffs in the container.
The container has at least a double bottom, and a space for providing a heating means is formed between the first bottom and the second bottom of the container.
Allow the container to be placed on the base of the food processor body via the second bottom above,
The above heating means
A container-side electrical connector that is fixed inside the space and is exposed to the outside from the second bottom so as to be fitted with a base-side electrical connector provided on the base of the main body of the food processor and electrically conducted.
The heat generation transfer part joined to the first bottom of the container and
It is a food processor consisting of a temperature sensor that senses heat from a heat generation transfer unit.

With this configuration, the shape of the container can be freely designed, the heat generation transfer part can be joined to the shape of the bottom of the container, and the power supply to the heat generation transmission part is a hard cover. Since it can be supplied through the container, the degree of freedom in placing the container is greatly improved. Therefore, it becomes possible to stably heat the container regardless of the shape, and it is possible to control the heating of the food material more finely.

Further, in the food processor of the present invention, the heat generation transfer portion is composed of a heater bonded, embedded in, or welded to the heat conduction portion.
The container-side electrical connector is directly or indirectly fixed to the first or second bottom.

Further, in the food processor of the present invention, the heater is made of a sheathed heater, and the heat conductive portion is made of an integral casting in which the seeds heater is embedded and has a surface corresponding to the outer surface of the first bottom.

The container-side electrical connector may be fixed directly or indirectly to the second bottom instead of being fixed directly or indirectly to the first bottom, eg, a heat conductor and a heater, a thermistor and Apart from the thermal fuse, a bracket supporting the container-side electrical connector may be fixed to the second bottom and electrically connected to the heater, thermistor and thermal fuse provided at the bottom of the vessel.

Further, the first bottom in contact with the heat conductive portion may be formed individually from the container and joined to the container to be formed as the bottom of the container.

Further, in the food processor of the present invention, a hole for screwing is provided in the second bottom so that the food processor can be screwed to the bracket joined to the first bottom of the container, and the first bottom and the second bottom are provided. Is configured to be screwed together.

Furthermore, the present invention discloses a food processor having a new processing process in a heatable food processor, which comprises a container for containing food, a stirrer for crushing and stirring food in the container, and a container. A food processor consisting of a heating means for heating and a control circuit for controlling the rotation of the stirrer and heating by the heating means.
Has a basic at least first machining profile and
The first processing profile includes a first process that involves crushing the foodstuff by rotating the stirrer at a relatively high speed before substantially heating the foodstuff by the heating means.
After crushing by the first process, heating is performed by a heating means to continuously rotate and stir the stirring body at a relatively low rotation speed while raising the temperature so as to be close to a predetermined temperature. It consists of a second process that includes. Further, the food processor of the present invention has a basic second processing profile in addition to the basic first processing profile, and the second processing profile heats the food material to a predetermined temperature by heating with a heating means. The first process, which includes the process of letting the ingredients simmer,
It comprises a second process including a process of intermittently rotating the stirrer to crush the food in the process of stopping the heating by the heating means and lowering the temperature of the food.

Further, in the food processor of the present invention, the first processing profile interrupts the rotation of the stirrer at a rotation speed lower than that in the first process while stopping the heating and lowering the temperature from the temperature raised in the second process. It further comprises a third process, which comprises a process of stirring to lower the temperature to the desired heat retention temperature.

Further, in the food processor of the present invention, the rotation of the stirrer is further reduced while the second processing profile lowers the temperature of the second process from the temperature of the second process to a lower temperature while the heating is stopped. It comprises a third process involving the process of intermittently rotating the stirrer at longer time intervals before the rotation operation.

Further, the food processor of the present invention has a basic third machining profile, the basic third machining profile being combined or independent after the basic first machining profile and the second machining profile. The third processing profile includes a process of intermittently heating to maintain a predetermined temperature and intermittently rotating the stirrer in parallel.

The processing mode that provides the first processing profile and the processing mode that provides the second profile are pre-programmed according to the finished product for the foodstuff.

By providing the above-mentioned different basic processing profiles, appropriate processing can be performed according to the finished product obtained from the food material to be processed.

For example, a processing mode having a first processing profile is applied to soymilk production. As a result of trial and error by the test, when heat is applied, the soybean component solidifies, and even if it is crushed, the soybean component does not diffuse evenly and finely throughout, resulting in low-concentration soymilk, so by crushing at low temperature The soybean component can be extracted more.

In addition, the third process of the first processing profile includes a time for intermittently rotating and stirring the stirrer at a relatively low rotation speed, but intermittently, especially for foodstuffs containing proteins such as soy milk. By providing a period for rotating the stirrer, it is possible to prevent the protein from settling on the bottom of the container and solidifying, and it is possible to effectively prevent the protein from settling and burning the protein. In particular, since a net container such as a basket is not provided in the container, the entire inside of the container, especially near the bottom, can be agitated evenly at a low speed, so that the texture is matured to a mellow texture with no bias in the ingredients even though it is a substantial heat retention stage. Can be done.

As described above, in the case of soymilk or the like in which the component required by the material coagulates with temperature or in the case of a material in which the component tends to precipitate, the mode according to the basic first profile is applied.

In the specific processing mode according to the basic first profile, the number of rotations to be agitated or not agitated, and the heating temperature should be determined by the material to be processed and the finished product. It is programmed differently depending on.

It is an overall perspective view of the food processor 100 by one Embodiment of this invention. It is an overall perspective view of the main body part of the food processor 100 of FIG. It is an overall perspective view from the oblique bottom direction of the container 40 of FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded configuration diagram of a container 40, a cutter assembly 95 mounted on the container 40, and a container lid 45 and a lid packing 46. It is an image figure which attaches the cutter blade 97 to the cutter shaft 98 of the cutter assembly 95. It is a side sectional view of the food processor 100 of FIG. It is a side sectional view of the container 40 of FIG. It is a bottom view of the container 40 in FIG. 1 with the bottom cover removed. The operation panel of the food processor 100 of FIG. 1 is shown. The circuit configuration block of the control board 32 is shown. It is an image diagram of the process when the container 40 is attached to the main body 20. It is an image diagram of the process when the container 40 is removed from the main body 20. It is a schematic diagram of the flow at the time of processing soybean such as soymilk. It is a schematic diagram of the flow when making soup. It is a side view of the inner container 50 of the example which opened the bottom of the inner container 50. FIG. 13A is a side sectional view showing a state in which the cutter bearing 59 and the heat conductor 79 are coupled to the inner container bottom 51 that closes the open bottom of the inner container 50, and FIG. 13B is a bottom view thereof. ..

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of an embodiment of the food processor 100 according to the present invention, FIG. 2A is an overall perspective view of the food processor 100 with the lid 20 removed, and FIG. 2B is a view from the bottom of the container 40. 3A is an exploded configuration diagram of the container 40 removable from the main body 20 of the food processor 100, FIG. 3B is a configuration conceptual diagram of the cutter assembly 95 used in the container 40, and FIG. 4 is a hood. It is a side sectional view of the processor 100.

The food processor 100 is composed of a main body 20 and a container 40 that can be attached to and detached from the main body 20. The main body 20 is composed of a main body cover (housing) 21, a main body opening / closing lid 10 that is openably connected to the main body cover 21, and a base portion 30 that is connected to the main body cover 21 and is a base that supports the entire food processor. A cutter assembly 95 for crushing or stirring the food material can be rotatably installed in the 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main body opening / closing lid 10 has a motor 11 inside, and is electrically connected to the control board 32 in the base portion 30, and the motor 11 rotates according to the user's operation. ..

As shown in FIG. 3B, the cutter assembly 95 (also simply referred to as a "cutter") is composed of a cutter shaft portion 92, a cutter shaft portion 92, and a removable cutter portion 93, which are integrally formed. You may. The cutter shaft portion 92 has a long-extended cutter shaft 98 that serves as a rotation shaft, and a motor-side coupling 98a at one end of the cutter shaft 98 on the motor side. The cutter portion 93 is provided with a container bottom side coupling 98b at an end in a direction opposite to that of the motor side coupling 98a. An enlarged knob portion is formed on the container bottom side coupling 98b, and the cutter portion 93 can be attached to or detached from the cutter shaft portion 92 by pinching the knob portion with a finger. In this example, in the cutter assembly 95, a knife cutter composed of two blades sharp in the rotation direction extends from the shaft portion to the periphery, effectively crushing the food material put into the container 40. The number of blades, the distance between the blades, and the direction of the blades can be appropriately selected according to the capacity of the container 40, the type of food to be crushed, and the like. A plurality of cutter portions 93 having different shapes can be prepared so that the cutter blades 97 having different shapes can be used depending on the processing method of the food material.

The container 40 is a container for storing the foodstuff to be processed in the container 40. A cutter bearing 59 is provided in the container 40 to support the coupling 98b on the bottom side of the container so that it can rotate freely. For example, the cutter bearing 59 has a cylindrical shape protruding from the bottom of the container 40, and the container bottom side coupling 98b is a hole for receiving the cylindrical shape.

On the other hand, one end of the motor rotating shaft 12 of the motor 11 also has a shaft coupling 12a that fits with the motor side coupling 98a, and can transmit the rotational force of the motor 11 to the cutter shaft 98. For example, the motor-side coupling 98a has a cylindrical shape in which a plurality of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the cutter shaft 98 are formed at equal intervals around the cylinder, and the shaft coupling 12a is composed of holes for receiving the cylinder. A plurality of grooves are formed on the side surface around the hole so as to mesh with the plurality of protrusions of the motor-side coupling 98a.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the container 40 with the cutter assembly 95 installed, the container lid 45, and the lid packing 46.

The container lid 45 and the lid packing 46 are designed to be combined and integrated. The lid packing 46 is elastic and can be made of, for example, a rubber material.

The container lid 45 that closes the container 40 is provided with a through hole that allows the motor-side coupling 98a of the cutter 95 installed in the container 40 to penetrate. The through hole of the container lid 45 is formed with an inclined portion 47 that inclines in the container 40 toward the center of the hole from the middle, and forms a tapered surface in the cutter axial direction when viewed from the inside of the container 40. The size of the through hole defined by the tip of the inclined portion 47 is such that the rotation of the cutter shaft 98 passing through the through hole is not alienated when the cutter shaft 98 is rotationally driven, and even if the cutter shaft 98 is unevenly distributed. Even if it is mounted in the container 40, the position of the cutter shaft 98 is corrected, and when the main body opening / closing lid 10 is closed, it protrudes from the shaft coupling 12a of the motor rotating shaft 12 and the through hole of the container lid 45. The size is such that the cutter shaft 98 is guided so that the coupling 98a on the motor side can be appropriately fitted.

The cutter 95 is provided with a circular splash prevention portion 96 that expands in the radial direction from the cutter shaft 98 so as to be close to the tip of the inclined portion (tapered portion) 47, and is provided in the inclined portion (tapered portion) 47 and its vicinity. Due to the interaction of the provided anti-repellent portion 96, when the foodstuff is processed in the container 40, a part of the foodstuff to be crushed jumps up, or the water is scattered by strong stirring and scattered out of the container 40. Is designed to be effectively prevented.

That is, since the inclined portion (tapered portion) 47 is inclined inward of the container 40 from the middle portion of the container lid 45 toward the cutter shaft 98, the food material rebounding from the inner wall of the container 40 can be received and the container can be received. The expanding repelling prevention part 96 prevents the rebound from the bottom, and the inclined part (tapered part) 47 and the repelling prevention part 96 have a slight gap to prevent the food from rebounding from various directions. The inclined portion (tapered portion) 47 and the splash prevention portion 96 cooperate with each other to prevent leakage to the outside, and it is possible to prevent the food processor 100 and its surroundings from being soiled.

The container lid 45 is provided with two water level sensors 48a and 48b. When the container lid 45 is attached to the container 40, the water level sensors 48a and 48b are attached to the container lid 45 so as to be substantially perpendicular to the water surface of the water contained in the container 40.

At least one of the water level sensors 48a and 48b is foldable by a hinge or a screw stopper so that its length can be adjusted. For example, FIG. 4 shows a state in which one of the water level sensors 48a and 48b is folded, and FIG. 5A shows a state in which one of the folded water level sensors 48a and 48b is extended. On the surface of the container lid 45 facing the main body opening / closing lid 10 direction, contact surfaces conducting with each of the water level sensors 48a and 48b are exposed. On the other hand, the main body opening / closing lid 10 is provided with contact terminals (pins) 13a and 13b for conducting conductive contact corresponding to the contact surface, and the water level sensors 48a and 48b when the main body opening / closing lid 10 is closed. The contact surface of the above is in conductive contact with each of the contact terminals 13a and 13b. The contact terminals 13a and 13b are electrically connected to a control circuit 32 provided inside the base portion 30.

A contact terminal (pin) 23 for making conductive contact with the bottom of the container 40 is provided from the main body base portion 30 so as to extendably project from the base portion 30. The contact terminal 23 is provided at a position where it enters the screw hole so that the contact terminal 23 is electrically conductive with the head of the screw for connecting to the inner container 50 through the screw hole provided at the bottom of the outer container 60. There is. As will be described later, in order to bond the outer container 60 and the inner container 50, the outer container 60 is screwed to a conductive joint portion 78 provided at the bottom of the inner container 50. Therefore, by placing the container 40 on the base portion 30, the contact terminal 23 is electrically conductive with the container 40. Further, the base side contact terminal 23 is also electrically conductive to the control circuit 32 like the lid side contact terminals 13a and 13b.

When the container 40 is placed on the base portion 30 and the main body opening / closing lid 10 is closed, the control circuit 32 is urged toward the container and comes into contact with the contact terminal 23 which is conducted with the container through the screw and the coupling portion 78. The continuity between the terminals 13a and 13b and the long and short water level sensors 48a and 48b that are electrically connected is monitored, and a large amount of water or a small amount of water can be detected according to the conduction state.

For example, the control circuit 32 can determine that the amount of water is excessive when the water level rises to the shorter sensor of the two water level sensors 48a and 48b. If there is no continuity with the longer sensor, it can be determined that the amount of water is small (empty). The water level detected by the water level sensors 48a and 48b can be adjusted by the degree of bending of the bendable sensor. Of course, the length of the water level sensor may be fixed, and cooking can be started only when a predetermined amount of water is satisfied. Further, since the contact terminal 23 can make a conductive contact with the container 40, the container can be electrically set to the ground level of the control circuit 32, so that the water level level can be stably sensed.

The control circuit 32 is also electrically connected to the motor 11 and controls the rotation of the motor 11. The load applied to the cutter 95 changes depending on the amount of foodstuff in the container 40 and the degree of crushing. In this example, a motor with a drive capacity that can handle a load that can be considered within the allowable amount of food used is selected, but it is controlled so that the desired rotation speed set in advance can be maintained even when the load changes. The circuit 32 may continuously detect the rotation speed of the motor 11 and automatically increase or decrease the rotation of the motor 11.

The main body opening / closing lid 10 has open / close buttons 13 that can be operated by the user to lock and unlock the opening / closing of the main body opening / closing lid 10 on both sides of the main body 20 from the front. When the main body opening / closing lid 10 is closed, the main body opening / closing lid 10 is locked so that the closed main body opening / closing lid 10 is not accidentally opened while the food processor 100 is being operated. As shown in FIG. 9B, the lock is released by pushing both the left and right open / close buttons 13 inward from both sides, and the lid 10 can be opened by hand in the pushed state. When the open / close button 13 is released with the lid 10 closed, the lock is applied by the urging force of a spring (not shown), and the main body open / close lid 10 does not open carelessly.

As shown in the drawing, it is preferable to provide the open / close button 13 on both sides so that the main body open / close lid 10 does not open even if one open / close button 13 is pressed by mistake. By providing this pair of open / close buttons 13, even if one of the open / close buttons 13 is closed, the main body 20 of the food processor 100 will not be turned on unless the other open / close button 13 is closed. The power is turned on when the lid 10 is closed and both open / close buttons 13 are locked. On the contrary, when the main body 20 is in operation and the user tries to turn off the power, one of the open / close buttons 13 may be pressed.

Since the food processor 100 is provided with the motor 11 inside the main body opening / closing lid 10, the center of gravity is high. In order to lower the center of gravity, the power supply board 31, the control circuit 32, the operation panel 35, and the like are provided on the base portion 30 that supports the main body 20. The power supply board 31 is electrically connected to an electric outlet, and during operation of the control circuit 32, the operation panel 35, the motor 11, the contact terminals 23, 13a, 13b, the heater 72 provided inside the container 40, and the like. It is possible to supply electricity directly or indirectly to electrical components that require electric power.

Explaining the container 40, the container 40 is composed of a container having two major layers, an inner container 50 and an outer container 60.

The outer container 60 of the container 40 is provided with a handle 66 that can be held by a person's finger. The outer shape of the container 40 is a substantially square pillar having a mouth that can be closed by the container lid 45 and is opened upward, and the four corners form a substantially loose R when viewed from above (that is, in the direction of the opening).

A container storage area is formed between the main body opening / closing lid 10 and the base portion 30 so as to match the outer shape of the container 40. With the main body opening / closing lid 10 open, the container 40 can be held by the handle 66 and placed on the base portion 30 in the container accommodating area inside the main body 20 from a space wide open toward the front of the main body 20. .. FIG. 9A conceptually shows the procedure for placing the container. In FIG. 9A, the main body opening / closing lid 10 is shown in a closed state for easy understanding, but in order to place the container 40, the main body opening / closing lid 10 must be in an open state.

The main body cover 21 that connects the main body opening / closing lid 10 and the base portion 30 is a container 40 so that the container 40 can be inserted from the wide open front opening that opens the main body opening / closing lid 10 and guided to an appropriate mounting position. It has an internal shape that matches the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the lid.

As will be described later, the base-side electric connector 34 protrudes from the upper surface of the base portion 30, which is the surface on which the container 40 is placed, and the connection portion is exposed. On the other hand, a container-side electric connector 74 having an exposed connecting portion is provided on the bottom of the container 40. It is preferable that the container-side electric connector 74 does not protrude from the bottom of the container 40 so that the container 40 can be stably placed on a flat portion. When the container 40 is placed on the base portion 30 along the induction shape of the main body cover 21, the base-side electric connector 34 and the container-side electric connector 74 are fitted and electrically conductive.

That is, the main body 20 has an inner wall having a shape that is in contact with or close to the surface around the side surface of the container 40, and the container 40 and the main body 20 are combined so as to have an appropriate positional relationship. Can be easily placed on the main body 20.

The container 40 has an inner container 50 and an outer container 60. The container 40 is mainly used as a container for putting foodstuffs to be processed into the inside of the container and effectively heating, crushing, and stirring the food. The inner container 50 can be molded from stainless steel, for example, SUS, and the surface is coated with a coating treatment such as fluorine coating. On the other hand, the outer container 60 has an appearance as a product, is provided for easy holding and handling by the user, and is provided to accommodate the inner container 50 and form a surface on which the container can be placed in addition to the bottom of the inner container 50. It has two bottoms. A space 90 is provided between the second bottom and the bottom of the inner container 50, and the space 90 is used to receive electric power from the base portion 30 to convert it into heat and supply the heat to the bottom of the inner container 50. A heating means for this can be provided.

The mechanism for heating the inside of the inner container 50 will be specifically described below.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the control circuit (control unit) 22 in the control board 32 and its peripheral devices. The control circuit 22 includes a microcomputer 24 and a motor drive circuit 26 that drives and controls the motor. The microcomputer 24 is connected to the operation panel 35, various sensors 27 such as a temperature sensor and a speed sensor of a motor, an input / output (I / O) circuit 24a connected to a motor drive circuit 26, a CPU 24b, and a memory 24c (ROM). , RAM) and a bus 24d connecting them. In the memory 24c, a program for executing a process consisting of various processes determined based on the basic operation profile shown below and various parameters for executing the process are recorded. Further, although not shown here, the power supply to the heater by ON / OFF control of the heater is also controlled by the microcomputer 24 of the control circuit 22. If there is only one switch, the switch may be turned on even if the opening / closing lid 10 is pressed diagonally. In this case, even if the rotating shaft 12 of the motor and the coupling 12a on the motor side are incompletely fitted, the motor will operate and cause abnormal noise or failure. Therefore, as described above, each of the open / close buttons 13 on the left and right sides of the open / close lid 10 has a role of a switch, and by connecting these in series, the open / close lid 10 is pushed diagonally and tilted and closed. In that case, the power supply operation is prohibited.

A base-side electric connector 34 electrically connected from the power supply board 31 is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 30 on which the container 40 is placed. On the other hand, in the space 90 occupying between the bottom of the inner container 50 and the bottom of the outer container 60, a heating assembly 70 for heating the bottom of the inner container 50 and transferring heat to the inside of the inner container 50 is provided. ..

The lower part 80 of the outer container and the upper part 65 of the outer container are integrally molded with a resin such as polypropylene resin (PP resin), but FIG. 6 shows the bottom portion of the outer container 60 (hereinafter, referred to as “lower part 80 of the outer container” for convenience). The bottom surface of the inner container 50 is exposed by cutting from the upper portion 65 of the outer container, and the heating assembly 70 attached to the bottom outer surface of the inner container 50, the temperature sensor 77 provided around the heating assembly 70, and the outer container 60. A sensor terminal block 76 composed of a bracket (mounting bracket) for connecting the container 50 and the inner container 50 and four connecting portions 78 are shown.

The heating assembly 70 can be composed of a heat generation transfer unit including a heat conductor 79 and a heater 72, and a container-side electric connector 74 supported by the heat conductor 79 and electrically connected to the heater 72. The heat conductor 79 may be provided with a thermal fuse for cutting off the electric power to the heater 72 when the temperature becomes abnormal.

By using the integrated heating assembly, the heating assembly can be fixed to the container as it is, and the complexity of separately attaching the container-side electric connector can be reduced.

Adjacent to the periphery of the heating assembly 70, on the bottom peripheral edge of the inner container 50, a thermistor 77 acting as a temperature sensor via a welded mounting plate, a sensor terminal block 76 supporting the sensor terminals, and an outer container 60. A connecting portion 78 is provided at which a screw is stopped to connect the inner container 50 and the inner container 50.

The heat conductor 79 is formed so as to substantially match the surface shape of the bottom of the inner container 50 so that the heater 72 passes through the bottom of the inner container 50 and the heat conduction is effectively transmitted to the inner surface of the inner container 50. For example, the heat conductor 79 has a surface that comes into contact with the outer surface of the bottom of the inner container 50. The heater 72 and the heat conductor 79 can be integrally formed by casting. For example, by casting a metal such as aluminum so as to embed a heater extending in a circumferential shape parallel to the plane, for example, by die casting or gravity method, one surface coincides with the joint surface of the bottom of the container 40. It can be a substantially flat plate-shaped heat generation transfer member. By using a sheathed heater for the heater 72 and casting and burying the heater, the heat generated by surface contact with the heat conductor 79 can be efficiently transferred to the bottom of the inner container 50.

If heat can be effectively transferred to the heat conductor 79 suitable for the bottom outer surface of the inner container 50, the heat conductor 79 can be attached to a metal plate such as SUS by another method of casting, for example, by bonding or welding. It may be joined and integrated with the heat conductor 79.

The size of the heat conductor 79 may be such that it fits in the bottom surface of the inner container 50, and it becomes easy to match the shape of the surface of the inner container 50.

The heat conductor 79 is welded to the bottom of the inner container 50, for example, and the entire heating assembly 70 is attached to the bottom of the inner container 50. In addition to welding, any joining method such as bonding or screwing may be used as long as the heat conductor 79 can be reliably joined to the bottom of the inner container 50.

Further, the heat conductor 79 may be joined to the bottom of the inner container 50 while the flat sheathed heater is tightly sandwiched between the heat conductor 79 and the outer surface of the bottom of the inner container 50.

An example of a method of attaching a heat generation transfer member in which a heater 72 and a heat conductor 79 are integrally formed to the bottom of an inner container 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.

FIG. 13A is a side sectional view showing a state in which the cutter bearing 59 and the heat conductor 79 are fixed to the inner container bottom 51 that closes the open bottom of the inner container 50, and FIG. 13B is a bottom view thereof.

As shown in FIG. 12, an opening is formed at the bottom of the inner container 50 to form a bottom opening edge 50a of the inner container 50. A plate-shaped inner container bottom 51 that closes the opening is separately prepared. A peripheral portion of the inner container bottom 51 is provided with an edge 51a so that it can be joined to the surface of the bottom opening edge 50a of the inner container 50 by a method such as welding, and is provided with the bottom opening edge 50a of the inner container 50. By joining the peripheral edge 51a of the inner container bottom 51 to the periphery, the bottom of the inner container 50 closed by the inner container bottom 51 is formed. The inner container bottom 51 is preferably made of the same material as the inner container 50, and can be molded from stainless steel such as SUS, for example.

Holes through which the cutter bearing 59 can pass are provided in the central portion of the inner container bottom 51 and the central portion of the heat conductor 79. As described above, the heater 72 and the heat conductor 79 are integrally formed so as to be compatible with at least a part of the outer surface of the inner container bottom 51, and become the first bottom portion of the inner container 50. It is integrated with the bottom 51 by the joining direction such as welding and bonding. The tip of the cutter bearing 59 is threaded, and the tip of the cutter bearing 59 passing through the through hole formed in the center of the inner container bottom 51 and the center of the heat conductor 79 is screwed from the opposite side via a sealing material. Then, the inner container bottom 51, the heat conductor 79, and the cutter bearing 59 are integrated.

By opening the bottom of the inner container 50 and individually providing the inner container bottom 51 that closes the opening, it is possible to more closely bond the heat conductor 79 to the inner container bottom 51. In particular, by individually forming the inner container 50 as a small solid, it becomes easier to match the surface shape of the heat conductor 79. Further, the inside of the container usually requires a coating such as a fluorine coating, but if there is a coating on the surface on which the cutter assembly 95 abuts and slides, it will be peeled off at that portion, which is not preferable. Therefore, after coating the inside of the container 40 so that the cutter bearing 59 portion is not coated, the cutter bearing 59 is screwed to a heat generation transmission member which is a separate member so that the structure can be retrofitted.

Returning to FIG. 6, connecting portions 78 are provided on all sides in the region around the opening edge 50a at the bottom of the inner container 50. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, the lower portion 80 of the outer container is provided with a plurality of holes through which the shaft of the screw for screwing is passed, corresponding to the position of the joint portion 78. Each of the plurality of connecting portions 78 is provided with a screw-cut hole for receiving the shaft of the screw, and the outer container 60 is fixed to the inner container 50 by screwing to the joint portion 78 through the hole of the lower portion 80 of the outer container. To.

Note that FIG. 6 shows a state in which a screw is attached to a part of a joint portion 78 for screw-joining between the outer container 60 and the inner container 50.

The container-side electric connector 74 is a connector for receiving electric power from the base-side electric connector 34 of the base portion 30 and supplying the electric power to the heater 72. The lower part 80 of the outer container is provided with a hole so that the container-side electric connector 74 is exposed to the outside from the bottom of the container 40 and can be connected to the base-side electric connector 34.

The thermistor 77 is for preventing excessive heating by the heater 72 and appropriately supplying desired heat, and the control circuit 32 sends a signal of a change in resistance from the thermistor 77 to the container-side electric connector 74 and It receives power via the base-side electric connector 34, controls the supply of electric power to the heater 72, and can adjust the temperature. As a result, excessive heating can be prevented, and even if the planned heating cannot be performed due to a disconnection of the heater or the like, it can be detected. In addition, the thermal fuse 71 is provided in case the heat rises abnormally, so that it can receive excessive heat from the heat conductor 79 and cut off the supply of electricity to the heater 72. There is.

The thermistor 77 is not directly bonded to the heat conductor 79, but is bonded to a mounting base of metal (SUS) having good thermal conductivity, which is bonded to the bottom of the inner container 50 around the heat conductor 79. It becomes possible to appropriately monitor the temperature inside. On the other hand, by joining the thermal fuse 71 to the heat conductor 79, it is possible to quickly respond to the excessive heat from the heat conductor 79.

An air filter 82 such as a vent filter is provided on the inside of the bottom of the outer container lower portion 80 (that is, the side facing the bottom of the inner container 50) so that air can flow between the outside and the space 90. I have to. The air filter 82 regulates the air pressure between the outer container upper portion 65 and the outer container lower portion 80 to prevent the intrusion of water from the outside into the space 90 portion, and secures the flow of air to reduce the internal corrosion.

In the above example, the configuration in which the bottom of the inner container 50 is opened and the inner container bottom 51 is separately provided and joined has been described, but if the object of the present invention can be achieved, the bottom of the inner container 50 is not opened. , The heat conductor 79 may be directly bonded to the bottom of the inner container 50.

In the previous example, the heat conductor 79 has a role as a base for supporting the electric connector 74 on the container side, but the function as the base is given to another element, and the heat conductor 79 moves to the bottom of the inner container 50. It may be specialized in the function as heat conduction of. By doing so, the heat conductor 79 can be made of a softer metal or a thinner metal instead of a hard metal, and can be flexibly adapted to the joining surface of the bottom of the inner container 50. A new bracket may be used as a support for the container-side electrical connector 74 to be joined to the bottom of the inner container 50.

As can be understood by those skilled in the art from the above description, the outer container lower portion 80 and the outer container upper portion 65 may be separated and individually molded, and the outer container lower portion 80 may serve as a cover covering the bottom of the container 40 for accommodating foodstuffs. Then, the bracket that supports the container-side electric connector 74 may be fixed to the inside of the cover.

When fixing the hard bracket to the inside of the bottom of the separable outer container lower part 80 that serves as a cover, the heater, thermistor, and thermal fuse of the container-side electric connector 74 and the heat conductor 79 are covered with a flexible and heat-resistant coating. It is possible to connect with a wire covered with a wire, and when the cover is attached, the wire can be folded into the space created between the double bottoms.

The heat conductor 79, which is an element of the heat generation transfer part, can be made of metal, or of any kind as long as it has heat resistance and high heat conduction and can be bonded to the outer surface of the bottom of the container to which heat is applied. It may be a flexible heat conductive sheet or a heat conductive plate. As for the joining method of the heater, which is an element of the heat generation transfer part, it is possible to select a possible joining method such as adhesion or sticking, embedding in the heat conduction plate, welding, caulking, etc., and the heat conduction sheet or heat conduction plate Depending on the hardness of, a rigid bracket that supports the container-side electrical connector 74 is fixed to the inner container 50, or can be supported by the heat conductor 79 without using such a bracket, or outside. It can be arbitrarily selected whether to fix it inside the bottom of the bottom 80 of the container.

As a result, the container-side electric connector 74 can be securely fitted with the base-side electric connector 34, and heat can be efficiently applied from the heat conductor 79 to the bottom of the container to be heated. Whether the container-side electric connector 74 is directly or indirectly fixed to the bottom of the inner container side or directly or indirectly to the bottom of the inner container side depends on the size of the heating assembly 70 excluding the container-side electric connector. It can be determined according to the position of the sheath, the shape, and the degree of space 90.

(Food processing process)
Next, the process of food processing will be described.
In order to process the food material, the cutter 95 is attached to the container 40 removed from the main body 20 by the method already described, and the food material to be processed is put into the container 40, preferably cut into a size of several cm or less. The lid packing 46 is attached to the container lid 45 in advance, and is attached to the container 40 so that the tip of the cutter shaft 98 comes out into the hole of the container lid 45 and the hole of the lid packing 46. With the main body opening / closing lid 10 of the main body 20 open, the container 40 is installed on the base portion 30 so that the base side electric connector 34 and the container side electric connector 74 are fitted, until the main body opening / closing lid 10 is securely closed. set.

In this product, soup and soy milk made by fluidizing solids, soup that gives a so-called eating feel (hereinafter referred to as eating soup) that retains some of the shape of the ingredients, processing that makes the ingredients sticky, for example, You can make porridge, etc.

Furthermore, without using any heat, processing such as chopping, mincing, mincing, grinding, liquefying, blending liquids, kneading dough such as bread, crushing, finely grinding, and whipped It may also be used as a food processor for making cream, making meringue, etc.

The one shown in FIG. 7 shows an example of an operation panel 35 provided in front of the base portion 30 for receiving an operation from a user and indicating an operation state, a processing state, an alarm, and the like to the user. ..

Of course, it is possible to process the foodstuffs in a wider range of processing types, and the operation panel 35 may be provided with input and display capable of accepting a plurality of processing-processable operations. For example, it is possible to communicate with smartphones and tablets, and to significantly expand the range of food processing.

Returning to this example, an example of a heat treatment newly disclosed in the present invention and particularly effective will be described below.

The operation panel 35 is provided with a plurality of operation buttons 36, each of which is, for example,
It shows the finished dishes such as "smooth soup", "eating soup", "porridge", and "soy milk". The light is turned on by pressing each button.
In addition, the operation panel 35 has a status indicator 38 that indicates the completion process so that the user can visually recognize the current situation. Further, an indicator 39 indicating the heat retention state of the dish is also prepared.

In addition, a plurality of indicators 37 for displaying various alarms are also provided. The content of the alarm differs depending on the combination of the plurality of indicators 37.

The rotation speed and operating time of the cutter assembly 95 according to the recipe and the temperature control conditions by the heater are pre-programmed in the control circuit 32 according to each operation button 36.
Hereinafter, the processing of the control circuit 32 according to the operation of the operation button 36 will be shown.

(Soy milk)
FIG. 10 is an example of an operation profile when the soymilk button is pressed, and FIG. 11 is an example of an operation profile when the smooth soup button is pressed.

In the figure, the vertical bars scattered on the horizontal axis of the motor indicate when the motor is ON, and the height is shown with the relative magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor as a guide, and the time axis of the horizontal axis is also shown. It is shown as a guide to clarify the concept of the profile. In addition, vertical bars scattered on the horizontal axis of the heater indicate when the heater is ON.

Referring to FIG. 10, when the operation button 36 of soymilk is pressed, the motor first rotates at a relatively large rotation speed. This initial rotation is the initial process of grinding soybeans. It was found that when crushed with a high-speed cutter after heating, the soybean component coagulates and the soybean component cannot be extracted into a soup, so the process starts from the initial process of crushing at a low temperature. The maximum rotation speed of the cutter assembly 95 in the initial process is 4000 to 5500 rpm, and it is switched between ON and OFF in a few seconds. At the end of the initial process, ON is continued for about 20 seconds before the second process. Move.

When the crushing is completed and the process proceeds to the second process, the heater 72 is used for intermittent operation, and the stirring motor 11 is continuously operated by reducing the rotation while gradually increasing the temperature. The heater 72 is operated intermittently with the heater 72 turned off for 4 seconds and turned on for 2 seconds to slowly heat the heater 72. When it is detected that the temperature becomes 90 degrees or higher, the heater 72 is turned off, and the heater 72 is controlled while monitoring the temperature so that the temperature is maintained at a temperature close to 90 degrees or lower. In this way, the intermittent operation of the heater 72 and the low-speed continuous operation of the motor can prevent the soymilk from coagulating and burning. When this process is carried out for a predetermined time, for example, 15 minutes, the soymilk is almost ready. After that, it moves to the third process, which is the next stage.

The third process is an introduction process to the heat retention process, in which the heater 72 is completely stopped until the temperature becomes 70 degrees or less while continuing the intermittent operation of turning on the motor for 5 seconds and turning it off for 15 seconds during the process. Further, as a heat retention process, when it is detected that the temperature is below 70 degrees, the temperature is raised while intermittently operating the heater 72, when the temperature exceeds 70 degrees, the heater 72 is turned off, and when it is detected that the temperature is further below 70 degrees, the heater 72 is used. Repeat the process of raising the temperature while intermittently operating.

As described above, since the temperature sensor is placed on the bottom of the container near the heater, the temperature sensor can be monitored at a temperature close to the temperature of the bottom of the container. Therefore, in the introduction process to the heat retention process, even if the heater is turned off at all, the temperature can be continuously monitored more accurately than before, so that the cutter blade 97 located near the bottom of the inner container 50 is intermittent. As long as the temperature is made uniform by rotating the dish, it is possible to move on to the subsequent heat retention process without altering the quality of the dish. If the temperature is lowered by occasionally heating with a heater in a high temperature state, the time at a relatively high temperature will be long, which will greatly affect the taste of the dish. Also, in the past, it was not possible to monitor at a sufficiently accurate temperature, so even if you try to keep the heat by turning off the heater, the temperature of the dish will unnecessarily cool down, and a large amount of heat will be given to warm it. This will greatly hinder the taste and texture of the dish, but the present invention can solve this problem.

The heat retention is continued for a certain period of time, and when the certain time is exceeded, the heat retention process is terminated and the power of the food processor 100 is also turned off.

(soup)
Unlike soy milk, smooth soup (drinking soup), eating soup, and porridge have the same basic profile, but here because the conditions of intermittent operation of the motor are different in the cooking process before the heat retention process. I will explain them all together.

After heating with the heater 72 and detecting 90 degrees or more, after repeating ON and OFF intermittently for a predetermined time, the heater 72 is turned off, the first process of boiling by heating is completed, and the process proceeds to the second process. ..

In the second process, the motor is intermittently operated to grind. At this time,
In "Smooth Soup", 5 seconds ON / 10 seconds OFF 30 times + 20 seconds ON / 10 seconds OFF twice, rotation speed is 4000 to 5500 rpm,
In "Eatable Soup", 5 seconds ON / 10 seconds OFF 3 times, rotation speed is 400-600 rpm,
In "porridge", 0.5 seconds ON / 1 second OFF 3 times + 2.5 seconds ON 1 time, rotation speed is 400-500 rpm,
Drive at.
With the above, the soup and the like are completed, and then the third step is started.

The third step is the introduction process to the heat retention process, in which the motor is turned on for 5 seconds and turned off for 25 seconds, and the intermittent operation at a rotation speed of 400 to 600 rpm is continued during the process until the temperature drops to 70 degrees or less. Stop the heater 72 completely.

When it detects that the temperature has dropped below 70 degrees, it shifts to the heat retention process, raises the temperature while operating the heater 72 intermittently, turns off the heater 72 when it exceeds 75 degrees, and when it detects that the temperature drops below 70 degrees, the heater 72 Repeat the process of raising the temperature while intermittently operating.

As a result, the heat retention is continued for a certain period of time, and if the certain time is exceeded, the heat retention process is stopped and the power of the food processor 100 is also turned off, thereby preventing deterioration of the taste of the food material due to excessive heat retention. can do.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, there are different basic profile categories, such as first stirring and crushing, or heating and steaming and then crushing, depending on the material to be processed and the finished product. It is prepared.

In addition to the above basic profile, a basic profile in which the heat retention process is removed from the above basic profile is also prepared. Then, a program for machining processing based on the basic profile is stored in the control circuit 22 and executed. Based on the basic profile, there is a specific processing mode in advance, such as how much heating is required, how often the stirring is intermittently performed, or not, depending on the finished product. Once programmed, the user can press the finished product to perform a specific processing mode based on its basic profile concept, allowing them to cook more delicious dishes.

100 Food processor 10 Main body open / close lid 11 Motor 12 Motor rotation shaft 12a Coupling 13a, 13b Contact terminal 20 Main body 21 Main body cover 22 Control circuit 23 Contact terminal 24 Microcomputer 24a Input / output circuit 24b CPU
24c memory 24d bus 26 motor drive circuit 27 various sensors 30 base (base)
30a Bottom plate 30b Rubber feet 31 Power supply board 32 Control board 33 Connector support 34 Base side electric connector 35 Operation panel 36 Operation button 37 Flashing lamp 38 Indicator lamp 39 Heat retention button 40 Container 41 Container packing 45 Container lid 46 Lid packing 47 Inclined part ( Tapered part)
48a, 48b Water level sensor 50 Inner container 50a Inner container bottom opening edge 51 Inner container bottom 51a Inner container bottom peripheral edge 59 Cutter bearing 60 Outer container 65 Outer container upper 66 Handle 70 Heating assembly 72 Heater 74 Heater side electric connector 75 Plug (for container side electric connector) Bracket 76 Sensor terminal block 77 Thermista 78 Coupling part 79 Thermal conductor 80 Outer container lower part 81 Outer container lower part connecting part 82 Air filter 90 Space 95 Cutter 96 Position adjustment part 97 Cutter blade 98 Cutter shaft

Claims (10)

A food processor having a container for accommodating foodstuffs and an electric motor for rotating a stirrer for crushing and stirring the foodstuffs in the container.
The container has at least a double bottom, and a space for providing a heating means is formed between the first bottom and the second bottom of the container.
The container is placed on the base of the food processor body via the second bottom.
The heating means
Fixed inside the space
A heat generation transfer unit joined to the first bottom of the container,
It has a temperature sensor that senses heat from the heat generation transfer unit.
In response to the installation of the container on the base of the food processor main body, the heat generation transmission unit generates heat to heat the contents in the container in response to the electric power supplied from the food processor main body side. An electrical connection is made between the base of the body of the food processor and the heating means of the container.
Further, in the process of heating by the heating means and raising the food material to a desired temperature, control is performed in which the rotation of the stirrer and the heating by the heat generation transmission unit of the heating means are related and controlled according to the food material. A food processor with a circuit. The food processor according to claim 1, wherein the heat generation transfer unit has a heat conductive portion and a heater bonded, embedded, or welded to the heat conductive portion. The food processor according to claim 2, wherein the heater is made of a sheathed heater, and the heat conductive portion is made of an integral casting having a surface in which the seeds heater is embedded and has a surface in contact with the outer surface of the first bottom. .. Further, a hole for screwing is provided in the second bottom so that it can be screwed to the bracket joined to the first bottom adjacent to the heat conductive portion, and the first bottom and the second bottom are provided. The food processor according to claim 3, wherein the bottom is screwed together. The food processor according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the first bottom that contacts the heat conductive portion is formed separately from the container and joined to the container. In addition, it has at least a basic first machining profile
The first processing profile comprises a process of crushing the foodstuff by rotating the stirrer at a relatively high speed before substantially heating the foodstuff by the heating means.
After crushing by the first process, heating is performed by a heating means to continuously rotate and stir the stirring body at a relatively low rotation speed while raising the temperature so as to be close to a predetermined temperature. The food processor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a second process. In addition, it has a basic second machining profile
The second processing profile includes a first process including a process of heating by the heating means to raise the food material to a predetermined temperature and boiling the food material.
The sixth aspect of claim 6 comprises a second process including a process of intermittently rotating the rotation of the stirrer to crush the food in the process of stopping the heating by the heating means and lowering the temperature of the food. Food processor. Further, the first processing profile is
The process includes a process of stopping the heating and lowering the temperature from the temperature raised in the second process while intermittently stirring the rotation of the stirrer at a rotation speed lower than the rotation in the first process to lower the temperature to a desired heat retention temperature. The food processor according to claim 7, further comprising a third process. Further, the second processing profile is
With the heating stopped, the temperature of the stirrer is further reduced while lowering the temperature from the second process to a lower temperature, and the stirrer is moved at longer time intervals from the rotation operation to the next rotation operation. The food processor according to claim 8, wherein the food processor comprises a third process including a process of intermittent rotation. In addition, it has a basic third machining profile
The basic third machining profile can be applied in combination after the basic first machining profile or after the second machining profile, or the basic third machining profile is independent. The third processing profile according to claim 9, wherein the third processing profile includes a process of intermittently heating to maintain a predetermined temperature and intermittently rotating the stirrer in parallel. Food processor.