JP6796009B2 - rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rice cooker having a porridge cooking function.

Rice porridge is said to have ten merits, such as good digestion, low calorie and dieting effect, and to improve physical condition, and is called "porridge tori". In addition, porridge is used as baby food when you have a cold and have no appetite, and the porridge food culture of eating porridge for breakfast is well established in China and other countries. As a market need, the number of people who cook porridge is increasing year by year, and porridge is attracting attention from the viewpoint of health consciousness and diet.

On the other hand, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a rice cooker having a porridge cooking function so that porridge can be cooked at home. Such a rice cooker has a rice cooking course such as a rice porridge course that cooks rice porridge in addition to a white rice course that cooks white rice, and when one rice cooking course is selected from among them, control means based on the heating pattern of the selected rice cooking course. By controlling the heating means, it becomes possible to perform not only white rice cooking but also rice porridge cooking.

Further, in another Patent Document 3, a rice porridge water level line having two water level lines of "five minutes gayu" and "zen gayu" is printed and formed on the inner surface of the pot, and the rice porridge water level line is used as a guide. By adjusting the amount of water put in the pot, in the same rice porridge cooking course, the ratio of rice and water is 1:10, and the ratio of rice and water is 1:10. The rice cookers that can be obtained are disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-8821 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-14540 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-24128

In the rice cookers of Patent Documents 1 to 3, if the rice porridge course is selected from a plurality of rice cooking courses and the amount of water to be put into the pot is adjusted using the rice porridge water level line, either Gomingayu or Zengayu It can be cooked separately. However, this simply changed the ratio of water to rice, and the heating control to the pot was the same, so it was not a true distinction.

In other words, it is not possible to produce a wide and clear texture by separately cooking rice porridge with water, as in the case of separately cooking white rice in the white rice course. In addition, we could not meet the user's request that we do not want to change the amount of water but want to make a difference in texture, such as wanting to eat porridge with a large amount of water but chewy, and wanting to eat porridge with a small amount of water but soft. ..

Therefore, in view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rice cooker capable of cooking rice porridge with a different texture even if the amount of water to be put in a pot is the same.

The present invention cooks porridge from a cooked rice by controlling a pot for accommodating grains and water as a rice cooker, a heating means for heating the pot, and the heating means with a predetermined heating pattern. The porridge-cooking control means is provided with a control means and a selection means that enables selection of a desired porridge-cooking state from a plurality of porridge-cooking states, and the porridge-cooking control means is set to the porridge-cooking state selected by the selection means. Correspondingly, the heating pattern is made different by providing a difference in the time and temperature of the rice porridge that promotes the water absorption of the grains in the pot, and even if the amount of the water with respect to the grains is the same, it is selected by the selection means. and it is obtained by a that raised cooking the hardness of porridge configuration corresponding to the texture level.

According to the invention of claim 1, the porridge cooking control means can control the heating means with different heating patterns according to the porridge cooking state selected by the selection means, so that the amount of water to be put in the pot is the same. Even if there is, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture.

According to the invention of claim 1 , by providing a difference in the porridge time according to the porridge cooking state selected by the selection means, the shorter the porridge time, the less water absorption into the grain and the harder it is. It is cooked into a porridge with a texture, and conversely, the longer the soaking time, the more water is absorbed by the grains, and the porridge with a soft texture is cooked. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put in the pot is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture simply by changing the control of the heating means.

According to the invention of claim 2, the amount of heating until the water boils is provided by providing a difference in the electric power value and the energizing method of the heating means according to the rice porridge cooking state selected by the selection means. The larger the amount of heat to boil, the shorter the time to simmer the cooked rice, and the harder the texture of the porridge, the shorter the time to simmer the cooked rice. It gets longer and cooks into a soft-textured porridge. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put in the pot is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture simply by changing the control of the heating means.

According to the invention of claim 3 , by providing a difference in the time for continuing boiling of water according to the porridge cooking state selected by the selection means, the shorter the boiling duration, the more the inside of the pot boils. The porridge with a hard texture is cooked with less water absorption from the porridge, and the longer the boiling duration, the more water is absorbed by the porridge after boiling in the pot, and the porridge with a soft texture. Cooked up. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put in the pot is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture simply by changing the control of the heating means.

It is an overall sectional view of the rice cooker in one Example of this invention. The same is the top view of the operation panel. Same as above, it is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration. Same as above, it is sectional drawing which shows the inner surface of a pot. Same as above, it is a time chart showing the transition of the detected temperature and the heating output when the texture level of the cooked rice is selected to be the hardest in the course of white rice porridge. Same as above, it is a time chart showing the transition of the detected temperature and the heating output when the texture level of the cooked rice is selected to be the softest in the course of white rice porridge. It is a time chart showing the transition of the detected temperature and the heating output in the conventional white rice porridge course. It is a figure which shows the classification table of a universal design hood. It is a figure which shows the classification table of the food permission standard for a person with swallowing difficulty.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the rice cooker according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Explaining the overall configuration of the rice cooker based on FIG. 1, 1 is a bottomed main body, 2 is a lid that covers the upper surface opening of the main body 1 so as to be openable and closable. It is formed. A hinge 3 serving as a connecting portion with the main body 1 is provided at the rear portion of the lid 2, and the hook button 4 provided on the upper surface of the front portion of the lid 2 is pushed to operate to engage the lid 2 with the main body 1. The lid 2 is automatically opened with the hinge 3 as the center of rotation.

A pot container 5 having a bottomed tubular shape and made of a non-magnetic material or the like is formed in the main body 1, and the pot container 5 has a rice cooker containing grains such as rice and wheat and water. An inner pot 6 as a bottom tubular pot is detachably provided. The inner pot 6 has a so-called round pot shape in which the side surface thereof is curved in an R shape and the central body portion has a wider area than the upper end opening, and extends to the outer peripheral side around the upper end of the inner pot 6. An annular flange portion 7 is formed. The flange portion 7 is placed on the upper surface of the pot container 5 when the inner pot 6 is housed in the pot container 5, and the inner pot 6 is formed with a gap between the pot container 5 and the inner pot 6. 6 is suspended from the pot container 5. Here, the inner pot 6 is configured by joining a heating element 9 made of a magnetic metal material such as ferritic stainless steel to the outer surface of a base material 8 whose main material is aluminum having good thermal conductivity.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a heating coil that electromagnetically induces and heats the heating element 9 of the inner pot 6. The heating coil 11 is formed by spirally winding a litz wire, which is a conductor, so as to face the heating element 9 of the inner pot 6. As a result, when a high-frequency current is supplied to the heating coil 11, the heating element 9 of the inner pot 6 generates heat due to the alternating magnetic field generated from the heating coil 11, and the rice to be cooked in the inner pot 6 and thus in the inner pot 6 during rice cooking and heat retention. Is heated.

An inner pot temperature sensor 12 as an inner pot temperature detecting means is arranged in the opening provided in the center of the bottom of the pot accommodating body 5 so as to elastically contact the bottom of the outer surface of the inner pot 6. The inner pot temperature sensor 12 detects the temperature of the inner pot 6, and mainly controls the heating temperature of the bottom of the inner pot 6 by the heating coil 11.

On the upper surface of the lid 2, in addition to the hook button 4 as the lid opening operation body, the operation panel 17 as a panel including the display unit 15 and the operation unit 16 and the inside of the inner pot 6 due to heating of the object to be cooked. A steam port 19 or the like for discharging the generated steam to the outside of the rice cooker is provided. Further, on the lower side of the lid 2, an inner lid assembly 21 as a lower member of the lid 2 is arranged. The inner lid assembly 21 is provided with an inner lid 22 made of a metal material having a disk shape having substantially the same diameter as the upper opening of the inner pot 6 and the inner lid 22 in order to seal between the inner lid 6 and the inner lid 22. A lid packing 23 as an elastic member provided on the entire outer circumference of the lid 22 and a pressure adjusting portion 24 for adjusting the internal pressure of the inner pot 6 are provided. The lid packing 23 formed in an annular shape abuts on the upper surface of the flange portion 7 of the inner pot 6 when the lid 2 is closed to close the gap between the inner pot 6 and the inner lid 22. The steam generated from the pot 6 is sealed. Further, the steam port 19 and the pressure adjusting unit 24 communicate with each other inside the lid body 2, and the steam generated in the inner pot 6 is discharged to the outside from the steam port 19 by these steam ports 19 and the pressure adjusting unit 24. A steam discharge mechanism is formed.

The pressure regulating portion 24 is provided with a pressure regulating valve 26 that opens and closes the steam passage 25 between the inside of the inner pot 6 and the steam port 19. The pressure regulating valve 26 has a ball shape and is placed on a valve seat 28 mounted at a substantially central portion of the inner lid 22 in conjunction with a solenoid 27 provided inside the lid 2. The valve seat 28 of the pressure regulating portion 24 is provided with a communication hole 29 that is opened and closed by the pressure regulating valve 26 in the middle of the steam passage 25, and when the solenoid 27 is not energized, the tip portion thereof is held in the advanced position to adjust the pressure. By retracting the pressure valve 26 from the communication hole 29 of the valve seat 28, the steam passage 25 is opened so that the pressure is the same inside and outside the inner pot 6, while the tip portion thereof is retracted when the solenoid 27 is energized. By rolling the pressure regulating valve 26 into the communication hole 29 of the valve seat 28 by its own weight, the communication hole 29 is closed and pressure is applied to the inside of the inner pot 6. In this state, when the inside of the inner pot 6 reaches a predetermined pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure (for example, 1.2 atm: 1 atm = 101325 Pa), the pressure regulating valve 26 opens the communication hole 29 against its own weight and inside. Adjust so that no further pressure is applied to the inside of the pot 6. That is, the pressure adjusting unit 24 here has a function as a pressurizing means for pressurizing the object to be cooked inside the inner pot 6 to a state higher than the atmospheric pressure while the solenoid 27 is energized.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a decompression means provided for lowering the inside of the inner pot 6 to lower than the normal atmospheric pressure with the lid 2 closed to the main body 1. In addition to the decompression pump 32 as a decompression drive source provided at the rear of the lid 2, the decompression means 31 has a tubular path (inside the lid 2) that communicates between the decompression pump 32 and the inside of the inner pot 6. It is composed of an electromagnetic valve 33 (see FIG. 2) that opens and closes the path (not shown). In this embodiment, two decompression pumps 32 are provided inside the lid 2, but the decompression pump 32 may be provided inside the main body 1, and the number thereof is not limited to two. As an example, when one decompression pump 32 is operated, the inside of the closed inner pot 6 is decompressed to 0.6 atm, and when two decompression pumps 32 connected in series are operated, the inside of the closed inner pot 6 is operated. Is decompressed to 0.4 atm.

Then, in this embodiment, when the inner pot 6 is housed in the pot container 5, the solenoid 27 is energized after the lid 2 is closed, and the pressure reducing pump 32 is started from the state where the pressure regulating valve 26 closes the communication hole 29. The path is opened by the solenoid valve 33, the air inside the inner pot 6 is discharged to the outside of the main body 1 through the path and the pressure reducing pump 32, and the pressure inside the sealed inner pot 6 is reduced. When the pressure inside the inner pot 6 drops below the atmospheric pressure by a certain value, the operation of the pressure reducing pump 32 is stopped, the path is blocked by the solenoid valve 33, and the inside of the inner pot 6 is kept in the decompressed state. There is. Further, when the inside of the inner pot 6 is returned from the decompression state to the same pressure as the outside air, the operation of the decompression pump 32 is stopped and the path is opened by the solenoid valve 33. That is, the decompression means 31 in this embodiment also has a configuration as a pressure return means for returning the inside of the inner pot 6 from the decompression state to the same pressure as the outside air.

In order to heat the inner pot 6, in addition to the heating coil 11 that mainly heats the bottom of the inner pot 6 from the lower side surface, a side heater 35 that mainly heats the upper side surface of the inner pot 6 is used. It is arranged on the upper side of the outer surface of the pot container 5. Further, inside the lid 2, a lid heater 36 as a lid heating means for heating the inner lid 22 and a thermistor type lid temperature sensor 37 for controlling the temperature of the inner lid 22 by the lid heater 36 are provided. ..

Reference numeral 41 denotes a control means provided behind the inside of the main body 1 and configured by mounting a microcomputer (microcomputer) or the like on a substrate. The control means 41 includes a heat generating element 42 for driving the heating coil 11.

FIG. 2 shows the operation panel 17 in the fully displayed state. In the figure, the display unit 15 is composed of an LED display unit 51 arranged at a substantially central portion of the operation panel 17, and indicator lamps 52, 53, 54 arranged around the LED display unit 51. .. The LED display unit 51 selects a time / time display unit 51a for displaying the current time, a reservation time, a time until rice cooking is completed, and a grain display unit 51b for displaying the type of grain to be put in the inner pot 6. It is composed of a cooking method display section 51c for displaying how to cook the grain, and a cooking method display section 51d for displaying the set degree of cooking.

Then, the grain display unit 51b here includes a display element 51b1 for selecting "white rice", a display element 51b2 for selecting "washless rice", a display element 51b3 for selecting "brown rice", and "wheat rice" selection. Display element 51b4 for selecting "millet rice" and display element 51b5 for selecting "millet rice", and the cooking method display section 51c includes a display element 51c1 for selecting "sokuuma" and a display for selecting "cooking". Element 51c2, display element 51c3 for selecting "rice", display element 51c4 for selecting "eco mode", display element 51c5 for selecting "porridge", display element 51c6 for selecting "Kamado master", Consists of. Further, the separate cooking display unit 51d is arranged at the left end of the display element 51d1 for selecting the separate cooking and the display element 51d1 developed by arranging square symbols in the horizontal direction in order to select the hardness of rice or rice porridge. The "clear and light" display element 51d2, the "mochimochi-rich" display element 51d3 arranged at the right end of the display element 51d1, and the "recommended" display element 51d4 arranged at the lower center of the display element 51d1. Consists of.

The indicator lamps 52, 53, 54 display the actual state of the rice cooker, and the "reserving" indicator lamp 52 lights up between the time when the reservation is completed and the time when the rice cooking is started, and the rice is cooked. When the indicator lamp 53 "during rice cooking" is lit and the inside of the inner pot 6 is depressurized by the depressurizing means 31, the "vacuum" of the indicator lamp 52 is lit and the inner pot 6 is lit during rice cooking. The "pressure" of the indicator lamp 52 lights up between the time when the internal pressure starts to rise and the rice cooker is cooked, and when the rice cooker is keeping warm, the "warming" of the indicator lamp 52 lights up. When the key is locked, the key symbol of the indicator lamp 53 lights up, and when the off key 63 is accepted by pressing and holding the off key 63 described later, the "off 3 second press" of the indicator lamp 54 lights up. It has become. The display form of the LED display unit 51 and the display lamps 52, 53, 54 may be appropriately changed according to the specifications of the rice cooker.

The operation unit 16 includes a home key 61, a rice cooking key 62, a cut key 63, a reservation key 64, a forward key 65, and a return key 66 arranged side by side on the lower portion of the operation panel 17. The heat retention key 67, the grain selection key 68, and the cooking method selection key 69 are arranged side by side. Each of these keys 61 to 69 is composed of a capacitive touch key, and a transparent electrode (not shown) arranged on the back surface of the operation panel 17 corresponding to each key 61 to 69. When a human body, which is a conductor, approaches, the capacitance value changes and an operation signal is output to the control means 41.

Among them, LEDs (not shown) are arranged on the back surface of the operation panel 17 corresponding to the keys 61 to 67, and receive a display control signal from the control means 41 and face the front surface of the operation panel 17. The keys 61 to 67 are individually turned on or off at a desired brightness. Further, the other grain selection key 68 is arranged on the upper surface of each display element 51b1 to 51d5 constituting the grain display unit 51b, and the cooking method selection key 69 is a display element 51c1 constituting the cooking method display unit 51c. It is arranged on the upper surface of each of ~ 51c6. The configuration of the keys 61 to 69 may be appropriately changed according to the specifications of the rice cooker.

The home key 61 is operated before operating the other keys 62 to 69, and is lit in a dimmed state during heat retention or reservation standby by the display control signal from the control means 41, and in other cases. Is off. When the home key 61 is touched in this state, the control means 41 receives the operation signal from the home key 61 and sends a display control signal to the operable keys among the other keys 62 to 69 for a certain period of time. , The key that can be operated is lit brightly without dimming, and the operation signal from the key is received.

The rice cooking key 62 is operated when starting rice cooking. When the rice cooking key 62 is touched while the rice cooking key 62 is lit, the control means 41 receives the operation signal from the rice cooking key 62 and the main body It is configured to start cooking rice for the rice to be cooked in 1.

The off key 63 is operated when stopping rice cooking or heat retention. When the off key 63 is touched while the off key 63 is lit, the control means 41 receives an operation signal from the off key 63 and receives an operation signal from the off key 63. Stop heating the cooked rice in the main body 1 and turn it off. Further, in this embodiment, the cut key 63 is automatically locked after a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) from the start of rice cooking in order to prevent a malfunction in which the rice is suddenly turned off.

The reservation key 64 is operated when performing reservation rice cooking. When the reservation key 64 is lit, the reservation key 64 is touched, the reservation time and the rice cooking course are confirmed, and then the rice cooking key 62 is touched. The control means 41 cooks the rice to be cooked in the main body 1 at a preset reserved time.

The forward key 65 and the back key 66 are operated to adjust the cooking time for the reserved time and the current time. For example, to adjust the current time, the home key 61 is touched in the off state and then lit. When the forward key 65 or the back key 66 is touch-operated for a predetermined time, for example, 1 second or more, the control means 41 blinks the current time displayed on the time / time display unit 51a, and the forward key 65 or the back key 66 is used. Accepts the operation signal of. If you touch the forward key 65, the current time advances by 1 minute, and if you touch the back key 66, the current time advances by 1 minute. Further, if the forward key 65 and the back key 66 are kept touched, the current time can be adjusted in units of 10 minutes. Finally, by touching the off key 63, the blinking of the current time on the time / time display unit 51a is stopped, and the adjustment of the current time is completed. To adjust the reserved time, touch the reserved key 64 that is lit, and then touch the forward key 65 or the back key 66 to set the reserved time displayed on the time / time display unit 51a. It can be variably set in units of 10 minutes.

In this embodiment, the forward key 65 and the back key 66 are a time adjustment key for adjusting the reserved time and the current time displayed on the time / time display unit 51a, and a cooked meal displayed on the separate cooking display unit 51d. It is also arranged as a separate cooking selection key for selecting the feeling to a desired level.

The heat retention key 67 is operated when heat retention is performed. When the heat retention key 67 is touched while the heat retention key 67 is lit, the control means 41 receives an operation signal from the heat retention key 67 and the main body 1 It is configured to start heat retention and reheating of the rice to be cooked inside.

The grain selection key 68 is operated when selecting the type of grain to be cooked, and when any of the display elements 51b1 to 51d5 lit as the grain display unit 51b is touched, the control means 41 is pressed from the grain selection key 68. In response to the operation signal of, a specific grain type corresponding to the touched part is selected from a plurality of grain types. Here, when the home key 61 is touched to light all the display elements 51b1 to 51d5 and then, for example, the upper surface of the display element 51b1 is touched, the "white rice" corresponding to the touched display element 51b1 is a specific grain. By the display control signal from the control means 41 to the grain display unit 51b, only the selected "white rice" selection display element 51b1 among all the display elements 51b1 to 51d5 is changed from lighting to blinking. It is configured to switch.

The cooking method selection key 69 is operated when selecting the cooking method to be cooked, and after selecting a specific grain type with the grain selection key 68 described above, the display elements 51c1 to light up as the cooking method display unit 51c. When any of the above 51c6 is touched, the control means 41 receives the operation signal from the cooking method selection key 69, and a specific cooking method corresponding to the touched portion is selected from the plurality of cooking methods. Here, when a specific grain type is selected by touching the grain selection key 68 and then, for example, the upper surface of the display element 51c5 is touched, "porridge" corresponding to the display element 51c5 is selected as a specific cooking method. Then, by the display control signal from the control means 41 to the cooking method display unit 51c, only the selected "porridge" selection display element 51c5 is switched from lighting to blinking among all the display elements 51c1 to 51c6. It has become.

The grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69 correspond to a course selection means for selecting a heating pattern corresponding to a specific rice cooking course from the heating patterns corresponding to a plurality of rice cooking courses stored in the control means 41. To do. In this embodiment, the type of grain to be cooked and the cooking method can be selected with separate keys 68 and 69 as the rice cooking course, but these may be collectively selected with a common key.

In this embodiment, the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69 are touch-operated to select the type of grain to be cooked and the cooking method to be a specific rice cooking course, and then the advance key 65 to be a separate cooking selection key. By touching the or back key 66, the desired texture level can be selected from the texture levels of the cooked rice that are in a plurality of cooked states according to the selected specific grain type and cooking method. ing. Here, in addition to the case where "white rice" or "washless rice" is selected as the grain type and "Kamado master" is selected as the cooking method, "porridge" is used as the cooking method regardless of the selected grain type. When the forward key 65 or the back key 66 is touched, the control means 41 receives the operation signals from these keys 65 and 66, and when the forward key 65 is touched, the texture level of the cooked rice is cooked. Is selected softer than before, and when the return key 66 is touched, the texture level of the cooked rice is selected harder than before. At the same time, the display control signal from the control means 41 to the separate cooking display unit 51d switches the square symbol corresponding to the selected texture level from lighting to blinking in the display element 51d1 of the separate cooking display unit 51d. It is composed.

Then, in this embodiment, when the rice cooking key 62 is touched after selecting the type and cooking method of the grain to be the rice cooking course to be cooked and the texture level of the cooked rice as described above, the control means 41 controls the rice cooking key 62. The setting of the rice cooking course including the selected texture level is memorized by receiving the operation signal from, and the rice cooking course and the texture level set to start cooking the rice to be cooked in the main body 1. There is.

Next, the control system of the control means 41 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, the control means 41 receives each temperature detection signal from the inner pot temperature sensor 12 and the lid temperature sensor 37 and an operation signal from the operation unit 16 to heat the inner pot 6 during rice cooking and heat retention. In addition to controlling the coil 11, the side heater 35, and the lid heater 36 that heats the lid 2, the operations of the solenoid 27 that moves the pressure regulating valve 26, the pressure reducing pump 32, and the electromagnetic valve 33 are controlled, and further. It controls the display of the display unit 15. In particular, the control means 41 of this embodiment mainly controls the heating coil 11 based on the detection temperature of the inner pot temperature sensor 12, controls the temperature of the bottom of the inner pot 6, and is based on the detection temperature of the lid temperature sensor 37. The lid heater 36 is mainly controlled to control the temperature of the inner lid 22. The heating coil 11, the lid heater 36, and the side heater 35 described above correspond to the heating means 44 for heating the cooked rice placed in the inner pot 6.

When the control means 41 operates the rice cooking key 62 of the operation unit 16 to instruct the start of rice cooking as a function in the control sequence of the program stored in the storage means 46, the control means 41 promotes the absorption of water of the grains put into the inner pot 6. Heating that raises the cooked rice to boiling in a short time, and continuing boiling until the water contained in the cooked rice runs out, and boiling the cooked rice into dry-up rice, and cooking A rice cooking control means 71 that heats the cooked rice inside the inner pot 6 at a desired temperature and pressure by sequentially executing each step of murashi that keeps the raised rice at a high temperature that does not burn it, and the inner pot 6 Each of the heat retention control means 72 for controlling the internal rice to be kept at a predetermined heat retention temperature is provided.

In particular, in this embodiment, the heating patterns of a plurality of different rice cooking courses are stored in advance in the storage means 46 in accordance with the above-mentioned selectable grain types and cooking methods, and the grains serve as the course selection means. When the selection key 68 or the cooking method selection key 69 is operated, one grain type and cooking method are specified from among them, and the heating pattern of one rice cooking course corresponding thereto is selected. In response to this, the rice cooking control means 71 controls the heating means 44 and the depressurizing means 31 based on the heating pattern of the rice cooking course selected by the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69, respectively, and is included in the series of steps described above. It is configured to cook rice for the rice to be cooked in the pot 6.

In the storage means 46, each heating pattern is stored and stored corresponding to all the rice cooking courses that can be selected by the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69. Among these rice cooking courses, not only when either "white rice" or "washless rice" is selected with the grain selection key 68 and "Kamado master" is selected with the cooking method selection key 69, but also grain selection Select one of all grain types (here, "white rice", "washless rice", "brown rice", "wheat rice", "miscellaneous grain rice") that can be selected with the key 68, and how to cook When "rice" is selected with the selection key 69, the level of the texture of cooked rice or rice can be adjusted by pressing the forward key 65 and the back key 66, and the rice cooking control means 71 can be used. Depending on the desired texture level selected with these keys 65 and 66, the heating pattern corresponding to the rice cooking course selected with the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69 is appropriately changed, and the rice is covered in the inner pot 6. The structure is such that the cooked rice is cooked to the desired texture.

By the way, in this embodiment, as the "porridge" course that can be selected with the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69, not only white rice porridge corresponding to "white rice" but also brown rice porridge corresponding to "brown rice" and "brown rice" It has several abundant "porridge" courses, such as wheat porridge for "wheat rice" and millet porridge for "millet rice".

As the rice to be cooked in the inner pot 6, not only grains such as rice, wheat and millet and water, but also other ingredients may be included, and the corresponding "porridge" course that can be selected by the operation unit 16 You may increase the variation of. For example, Nanakusa-gayu with seven herbs (seven kinds of spring), tea porridge with roasted tea, potato porridge with sweet potatoes, beans porridge with risotto, vegetables, etc. It can also be a rice cooker with a wide variety of "porridge" courses, such as risotto for putting your favorite ingredients such as mushrooms, sausages, and seafood.

Then, in this embodiment, in correspondence with each of these selectable "porridge" courses, the storage means 46 stores and stores individual heating patterns, and any "porridge" course selected by the operation unit 16 can be used. By operating the forward key 65 and the back key 66, the rice porridge cooked control means for cooking the rice porridge in the inner pot 6 into porridge with a desired hardness within the range from soft rice to porridge that can be crushed with the tongue. The rice porridge control means 71 is provided with the function of.

FIG. 4 shows the inner surface of the inner hook 6. In the figure, 75 is a plurality of appropriate water level lines printed on the inner surface of the inner rice cooker 6, and the appropriate water level lines 75 are white rice used when cooking “white rice” or “washless rice” rice. In addition to the water level line 75a, the rice cooker water level line 75b, which is used when cooking rice regardless of the type of grain, and "brown rice" are used as various water level lines that are put in the inner pot 6 differently from when rice is cooked. Brown rice water level line 75c used when cooking rice, miscellaneous rice water level line 75d used when cooking rice of "miscellaneous grain rice", and wheat rice water level line 75e used when cooking rice of "wheat rice" And.

In addition, the rice porridge water level line 75b here is the water level line 75b1 for quintuplets where the ratio of grains such as rice and water is 1:10, and the water level line 75b1 for which the ratio of grains and water is 1: 5. It is provided with a water level line 75b2 for use. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 using either of the water level lines 75b1 and 75b2 as a guide, not only the hardness of the porridge can be changed by the forward key 65 and the return key 66, but also the water for the grain can be changed. It is possible to cook a wide variety of porridge with different proportions of water. The oyster water level line 75b, which is a display unit for cooking porridge, is composed of at least two or more water level lines 75b1 and 75b2 in which the ratio of the amount of water to the grain is different, and although not shown, the other seven minutes are A water level line for (the ratio of cereals to water is 1: 7) and a water level line for three-quarter water (the ratio of cereals to water is 1:20) may be provided.

Next, the operation of the rice cooker having the above configuration will be described with reference to the tie charts of FIGS. 5 and 6. Each of these figures is a course of "white rice porridge" in which "white rice" and "rice porridge" are selected with the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69, respectively, from the start to the end of rice cooking. The detection temperature of the pot temperature sensor 12 (“pot TH” in the figure), the detection temperature of the lid temperature sensor 37 (“lid TH” in the figure), and the power consumption of the heating coil 11 that induces and heats the inner pot 6 (in the figure). It shows how the "W output") changes. Further, in FIG. 5, in the display element 51d1 of the separate cooking display unit 51d, the return key 66 is operated so that the blinking square symbol is closest to the display element 51d2 of "clear and light", and the texture of the cooked food is cooked. It is a time chart when the level is selected to be the hardest, and FIG. 6 shows the texture of the cooked food by operating the key 65 that advances so that the blinking square symbol is closest to the display element 51d3 of "mochimochi". It is a time chart when the level is selected softest.

First, in this embodiment, the procedure for cooking rice porridge will be described. After putting, for example, white rice (polished rice) as a weighed grain in the inner pot 6, the rice porridge water level line 75b will be combined with the desired grain. With reference to, for example, the water level line 75b1 for porridge, which corresponds to the proportion of water, water is poured to the position of the water level scale corresponding to the amount of rice on the water level line 75b1. After setting in the pot container 5 of the inner pot 6 containing these water and rice, when the lid 2 is closed and the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69 are touch-operated, a plurality of pieces stored in the storage means 46 are stored. From the heating patterns of the rice cooking course, one desired heating pattern of the rice cooking course is selected. After that, when the rice cooking key 16a is operated to instruct the start of rice cooking, the rice cooking operation by the rice cooking control means 71 incorporated in the control means 41 starts.

When the cooking method selection key 69 selects the "porridge" cooking course, the rice cooking control means 71 cooks the selected rice, regardless of the type of grain selected by the grain selection key 68 among the plurality of rice cooking courses. Based on the heating pattern of the course, while controlling the heating means 44 and the depressurizing means 31, each process of dipping, heating, continuing boiling, and murashi is executed in order, and rice porridge is made from the grains and water put in the inner pot 6. Cook. However, in the case of the "porridge" cooking course, unlike the rice cooking course in which rice is cooked (for example, when "Kamado Master" is selected with the cooking method selection key 69), the water contained in the cooked rice is continuously boiled. Continue boiling while leaving it, and shift to unevenness as it is. Therefore, in the rice cooking heating by the "porridge" cooking course, continuous boiling and unevenness are performed for a predetermined time as one process. The desired rice cooking course selected immediately before by the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69 is stored in the non-volatile storage means 46 when starting rice cooking, so that the power is turned on to the rice cooker. It is possible to save the trouble of re-operating the grain selection key 68 and the cooking method selection key 69 each time.

Next, the features of heating control based on the heating pattern corresponding to the "polished rice porridge" course will be described in detail. In this embodiment, in the "white rice porridge" course, the porridge in the inner pot 6 is cooked to the desired texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66. The harder the texture level, the shorter the soaking time and the lower the water absorption rate to the grain, and the softer the selected texture level, the longer the soaking time and the more water absorption rate to the grain. Raise. (2) In the heating process, the harder the selected texture level, the shorter the heating amount to the inner pot 6 is to leave the texture, and the selected texture level becomes. The softer it is, the more slowly the heating amount to the inner pot 6 is reduced so that the texture is not left. (3) In the process of continuing boiling and murashi after boiling, the harder the selected texture level, the shorter the boiling time for continuing boiling of water from the time of boiling to the end of rice cooking, and the selected food. The harder the sensation level, the longer the simmering time for continuing boiling of water from the time of boiling to the end of rice cooking. The heating control means 71 is configured to appropriately change the heating pattern of the "polished rice porridge" course so that the above three points can be realized.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rice cooking control means 71 selects the desired texture level by operating the forward key 65 and the back key 66 after selecting the “polished rice porridge” course in advance. When the rice cooking key 62 instructing the start of rice cooking is operated in this state, based on the heating pattern of the "white rice porridge" course read from the storage means 46, the inner pot temperature sensor 12 is used in the process immediately after the start of rice cooking. The output (power value and energization rate) of the heating coil 11 and the side heater 35 is appropriately adjusted so that the water temperature in the inner pot 6 becomes a predetermined temperature according to the detected temperature, and the bottom of the inner pot 6 Each side surface is heated.

Further, in the "polished rice porridge" course, the rice cooking control means 71 operates the solenoid 27, the pressure reducing pump 32, and the solenoid valve 33 so that the pressure inside the inner pot 6 becomes a reduced pressure state lower than the atmospheric pressure in the dipping process. Control each. When the rice cooking control means 71 starts the process, the solenoid 27 is switched from the non-energized state to the energized state, and the pressure adjusting valve 26 closes the communication hole 29 of the steam passage 25. Then, in this state, in order to discharge air from the inside of the closed inner pot 6 through the decompression means 31, the operation of the electromagnetic valve 33 is controlled so as to open the path from the inside of the inner pot 6 to the decompression pump 32. , One or a plurality of decompression pumps 32 are continuously operated, and the air inside the inner pot 6 is evacuated by the decompression pump 32. After that, if the operation of the electromagnetic valve 33 is controlled so as to block the path from the inside of the inner pot 6 to the pressure reducing pump 32, even if the operation of the pressure reducing pump 32 is stopped, the inside of the inner pot 6 is caused by slow leak or heating. Although the pressure gradually rises, the decompression state of the pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure is maintained by one evacuation for the entire period of the single stroke. While the pressure reducing pump 32 is operating, the control means 41 may display the fact on the display unit 15, so that the user can know that the inside of the inner pot 6 is being decompressed.

In this way, in the "white rice porridge" course, the water temperature in the inner pot 6 is heated to a predetermined temperature in the soaking process immediately after the start of rice cooking, and the cooked rice in the inner pot 6 is kept in a decompressed state. .. Further, the rice cooking control means 71 has a harder texture level selected in order to variably adjust the heating pattern of the "white rice porridge" course according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66. The shorter the time of the rice porridge, the lower the water absorption rate of rice, and conversely, the softer the selected texture level, the longer the time of the rice porridge, and the higher the water absorption rate of rice.

This is because, as shown in FIG. 5, when the hardest texture level is selected, the soaking time is set to about 5 minutes, whereas as shown in FIG. 6, the softest texture. It can be seen from the fact that when the level is selected, the time is set to about 20 minutes. Further, in order to raise the water temperature in the inner pot 6 to a predetermined temperature in a short time as the texture level is selected to be harder, the output power value of the heating coil 11 is set high to control the power transmission and disconnection. I'm doing it. As a result, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a hardness corresponding to the selected texture level.

When the rice cooking process is completed and the process shifts to the next heating process, the rice cooking control means 71 controls the energization of the heating coil 11 and the side heater 35 to heat the cooked rice in the inner pot 6 more strongly than the rice cooking process. Then raise the temperature of the cooked rice to a boil. Further, when the rice cooking control means 71 shifts from the instinct stroke to the heating stroke, the path from the inside of the inner pot 6 to the decompression pump 32 is closed, and the solenoid 27 is temporarily de-energized without operating the decompression pump 32. The pressure regulating valve 26 is retracted from the communication hole 29. As a result, the steam passage 25 is in an open state in which the inside and outside of the inner pot 6 are communicated without being sealed, and the inside of the inner pot 6 immediately returns to the same normal pressure as the outside air.

In this way, in the heating process by the "polished rice porridge" course, strong heating is performed from the heating means 44 to the inner pot 6 with the inside of the inner pot 6 returning to normal pressure, but the rice cooking control means 71 advances the key 65. In order to variably adjust the heating pattern of the "polished rice porridge" course according to the texture level selected with the or back key 66, the harder the selected texture level, the more the amount of heating to the inner pot 6 is. Increased short-time heating leaves a texture, and the softer the selected texture level, the slower the amount of heat to the inner pot 6 is reduced, leaving no texture. As described above, the power value and the energization rate of the heating coil 11 and the side heater 35 are controlled.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the hardest texture level is selected, the power value of the heating coil 11 is increased and the power is cut off at the time of starting up to strongly heat the inside of the inner pot 6 after the heating stroke. When the softest texture level is selected, as shown in FIG. 6, the heating power (heating amount) of the rice to be cooked is set to be stronger by continuously energizing without using electricity. It can also be seen from setting the heating power (heating amount) to the cooked rice to be weak by lowering the power value of the heating coil 11 and repeating the power transmission and disconnection. As a result, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a hardness corresponding to the selected texture level.

In the rice cooking control means 71, the detection temperature of the inner pot temperature sensor 12 becomes a predetermined temperature, for example, 90 ° C. or higher in the heating step, and in addition, the detection temperature of the lid temperature sensor 37 also becomes a predetermined temperature, for example, 90 ° C. or higher. Then, the inclination of the detection temperature of the lid temperature sensor 37 (how much the detection temperature rises at a predetermined time) is calculated. Then, when the slope of the detected temperature becomes stable below a certain value, it is determined that the water in the inner pot 6 has boiled, the heating process is terminated, and the process proceeds to the next boiling continuation process.

When the process shifts to the continuous boiling process, the rice cooking control means 71 lowers the output of the heating coil 11 compared to the previous heating process, and the temperature of the cooked rice in the inner pot 6 detected by the inner lid temperature sensor 12 is changed. The heating coil 11 is cut off to continue the boiling state so as to maintain a predetermined temperature (for example, 98 ° C.) or higher. Further, when the process shifts to the continuous boiling process, the rice cooking control means 71 periodically disconnects the solenoid 27 so that the object to be cooked in the inner pot 6 repeats a pressurized state higher than normal pressure and atmospheric pressure. Then, when a predetermined time has elapsed after shifting to the boiling continuation process, the rice cooking control means 71 ends the boiling continuation process including unevenness, and shifts to heat retention by the heat retention control means 72.

In this way, in the continuous boiling process including the unevenness of the "polished rice oyster" course, heating is performed to keep the rice to be cooked in the inner pot 6 at a predetermined temperature or higher, but the rice cooking control means. In order to variably adjust the heating pattern of the "polished rice porridge" course according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66, the 71 is boiled continuously as the selected texture level is harder. Shorten the time from the start to the end of the process so that the rice is boiled in a short time, and the harder the selected texture level, the longer the time from the start to the end of the continuous boiling process. Take time to simmer the rice.

This is because, as shown in FIG. 5, when the hardest texture level is selected, the total time of the continuous boiling process including unevenness is set to about 23 minutes, whereas as shown in FIG. In addition, when the softest texture level is selected, it can be seen from the fact that the total time of the continuous boiling process including unevenness is set to about 45 minutes. As a result, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a hardness corresponding to the selected texture level.

For reference, the detection temperature of the inner pot temperature sensor 12 (“pot TH” in the figure), the detection temperature of the lid temperature sensor 37 (“lid TH” in the figure), and the inner pot 6 in the conventional “white rice oyster” course are shown. FIG. 7 shows a time chart of the power consumption (“W output” in the figure) of the heating coil 11 for inductive heating. In a conventional rice cooker, it is possible to cook five minutes of rice porridge or whole rice porridge by adjusting the amount of water put into the inner pot 6 by using the rice porridge water level line 75b of the inner pot 6. , The heating pattern in the "white rice porridge" course was constant, and it was not possible to obtain porridge with a different texture. However, in this embodiment, the heating pattern is appropriately variably adjusted by the rice cooking control means 71 even in the same "polished rice porridge" course according to the desired texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66. Therefore, it is possible to cook a wide variety of rice porridge by adjusting the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 by using the rice porridge water level line 75b of the inner pot 6.

Further, in this embodiment, the range of porridge cooked using the forward key 65 and the back key 66 is described in the universal design food classification table (see FIG. 8) set by the Japan Nursing Food Association as "Category 1: Rice. -Soft rice "-" Category 3: Zengayu "is approximated to the hardness, and the category table of food permission standards for people with swallowing difficulties established by the Consumer Affairs Agency (former: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare) (see Fig. 9). In, it is also possible to approximate the hardness of "permission standard I" to "permission standard III". However, according to these criteria, the rice cooking control means 71 not only changes the heating pattern of the porridge cooking course according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 or the back key 66, but also provides dedicated nursing care provided in the inner pot 6. It is preferable to adjust the amount of water by using the edible water level line (not shown) as a guide. As a result, porridge can be widely used as a long-term care food for the elderly and the sick.

As described above, in this embodiment, the inner pot 6 as a pot for storing at least grains and water as the cooked rice, the heating means 44 for heating the inner pot 6, and the heating means 44 are controlled by a predetermined heating pattern. This makes it possible to select a desired texture level by touch operation from the rice cooking control means 71 as a rice porridge cooking control means for cooking rice porridge from the rice to be cooked and the texture level in which a plurality of rice porridges are cooked. As the selection means, the forward key 65 and the return key 66 of the operation unit 16 are provided, and the rice cooking control means 71 has a configuration in which the heating pattern of porridge cooking is different according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the return key 66. It has become. In this case, the cooked rice may include ingredients other than grains and water.

According to the above configuration, the rice cooking control means 71 controls the heating means with different heating patterns according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66, and according to the porridge cooking state selected by the selection means. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook rice porridge with different textures by using the forward key 65 and the back key 66.

Further, the rice cooking control means 71 of the present embodiment provides a difference in the time for promoting water absorption of grains in the inner pot 6 according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the return key 66. The structure is such that the heating pattern for cooking rice porridge is different.

According to the above configuration, by providing a difference in the porridge time according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66, the shorter the porridge time, the less water is absorbed by the grain. It is cooked into a porridge with a hard texture, and conversely, the longer the time is spent, the more water is absorbed by the grains, and the porridge with a soft texture is cooked. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture simply by changing the control of the heating means 44.

Further, the rice cooking control means 71 of the present embodiment provides a difference in the amount of heating until the water in the inner pot 6 is boiled according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the return key 66 of the operation unit 16. As a result, the heating pattern for cooking rice porridge is different.

According to the above configuration, by providing a difference in the amount of heating until the water boils according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66, the larger the amount of heating until boiling, the more rice to be cooked. The shorter the time to simmer the food, the harder the texture of the porridge, and conversely, the smaller the amount of heating until boiling, the longer the time to simmer the rice to be cooked, and the softer the texture of the porridge. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture simply by changing the control of the heating means 44.

Further, the rice cooking control means 71 of the present embodiment provides a difference in the time for continuing boiling of water in the inner pot 6 according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the return key 66 of the operation unit 16. Therefore, the heating pattern for cooking rice porridge is different.

According to the above configuration, by providing a difference in the time for continuing boiling of water according to the texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66, the shorter the boiling duration, the more the inside of the inner pot 6 becomes. The less water is absorbed by the grains after boiling, the porridge is cooked with a hard texture, and the longer the boiling duration, the more water is absorbed by the grains after the inner pot 6 is boiled. It is cooked in a soft-textured porridge. Therefore, even if the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 is the same, it is possible to cook porridge with a different texture simply by changing the control of the heating means 44.

Further, in the inner pot 6 of the present embodiment, a plurality of water level lines 75b1 and 75b2 having different ratios of the amount of water to grains are provided on the porridge water level line 75b formed as a display unit indicating the amount of water for cooking porridge. It is provided.

According to the above configuration, in the porridge water level line 75b formed in the inner pot 6, the operation unit 16 is formed by adjusting the amount of water to be put into the inner pot 6 with any one of the plurality of water level lines 75b1 and 75b2 as a guide. It is possible to obtain a wide variety of porridge with different ratios of water to grain at the desired texture level selected by the forward key 65 and the back key 66.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the above embodiment, a multifunctional rice cooker that can select the "porridge course" for cooking porridge from a plurality of rice cooking courses including rice such as white rice has been shown, but the rice cooker for porridge cooking specialized for porridge cooking has been shown. It may be a rice cooker. Further, a selection means for selecting a desired texture level from a plurality of texture levels may be configured by a switch or key other than the forward key 65 and the back key 66.

6 Inner hook 16 Operation unit (selection means)
44 Heating means 71 Rice cooking control means (porridge cooking control means)
75b Rice porridge water level line (display)
75b1, 75b2 Multiple water level lines

Claims (3)

A pot that holds at least grains and water as rice to be cooked,
A heating means for heating the pot and
By controlling the heating means with a predetermined heating pattern, the rice porridge cooking control means for cooking porridge from the rice cooker and
It is equipped with a selection means that makes it possible to select the desired porridge cooked state from a plurality of porridge cooked states.
The porridge cook control means, in accordance with the porridge cooked up state selected by the selection means, is different from the heating pattern by providing a difference in the time and temperature of the soaked promoting water absorption of cereal in said pot, said cooker, characterized in that the amount of the water is a structure that raised cooked to hardness of porridge according to the texture level selected by the selecting means be identical for cereals. The rice porridge cooking control means differs in the amount of heating until the water in the pot is boiled by providing a difference in the electric power value and the energization method of the heating means according to the rice porridge cooking state selected by the selection means. by providing the rice cooker according to claim 1 Symbol mounting characterized by being configured for different said heating pattern. The rice porridge cooking control means has a configuration in which the heating pattern is different by providing a difference in the time for continuing boiling of water in the pot according to the rice porridge cooking state selected by the selection means. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2 .