JP7270166B2 - Induction cooker and computer program - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an induction cooker and a computer program executed by a computer of the induction cooker.

Induction heating cookers have been widely used in general household kitchens and commercial use. Patent Literature 1 discloses an induction heating cooker that starts heating when receiving two operations from the user after the power switch is turned on.

WO2009/001513

When a user attempts to heat using the induction heating cooker of Patent Document 1, the user must perform the operation many times after turning on the power. It is complicated for some users, and the induction heating cooker of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of operability.

The present disclosure provides an induction heating cooker capable of improving operability, and a computer program executed by a computer of the induction heating cooker.

An induction heating cooker according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a heating coil for induction heating of an object to be heated, a power switch for turning on the power, a multifunction switch to which different functions are assigned depending on the situation, and an image object. A display section for displaying and a control section for controlling operation in a predetermined operation mode among a plurality of operation modes are provided. Multiple modes of operation include a single operation heating mode that initiates heating on the first operation after power is turned on. The controller can control operation according to a single operating heating mode. In the single-operation heating mode, when the control unit causes the display unit to display an image object indicating the start of heating, associates the multifunction switch with the image object indicating the start of heating, and detects an input operation to the multifunction switch. This is an operation mode for performing a heating operation using a heating coil.

A computer program according to one aspect of the present disclosure is executed by a controller of an induction heating cooker. The induction heating cooker includes a heating coil for induction heating of an object to be heated, a power switch for turning on the power, a multifunction switch to which different functions are assigned depending on the situation, a display section for displaying an image object, and a controller, which is a computer, for controlling operation in a predetermined operation mode among the plurality of operation modes. Multiple modes of operation include a single operation heating mode that initiates heating on the first operation after power is turned on. A computer program is capable of causing the controller to control operation according to a single operating heating mode. The computer program, in the single operation heating mode, causes the control unit to display an image object indicating the start of heating on the display unit, a process to associate the multifunction switch with the image object indicating the start of heating, and the multifunction switch. When an input operation to is detected, a process of performing a heating operation using a heating coil is executed.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the operability of the induction heating cooker.

1 is a perspective view of an induction cooker according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG. Block diagram showing the control system of the induction heating cooker according to the present embodiment Schematic diagram of the configuration of an induction heating cooker Partial schematic diagram of operation unit and display unit Partially enlarged view around the operation unit and display unit A diagram showing the contents displayed on the display unit immediately after the power is turned on. The figure which shows the display content of the display part after a heating operation is started. A diagram showing an example in which multi-function switches, etc. are displayed on the display unit Flowchart showing the procedure of processing of the controller in a single operation heating mode FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the control unit according to the modified example of the single operation heating mode; FIG. Flowchart showing the procedure of control unit processing, including transition to standby mode Example of display on the display when automatically switching to standby mode after a certain period of time has elapsed Diagram showing changes in the display before and after turning on the power when the "single operation heating mode" is set to "pottery" Diagram showing changes in the display before and after turning on the power when the "single operation heating mode" is set to "fried food" Display example of the display that enables resumption of heating with the same settings Flowchart showing the procedure of interruption/resume processing in single operation heating mode Schematic diagram of the electronic circuit board 250 around the operation unit Diagram showing the relationship between a rectangular tact switch that constitutes a multifunction switch and a protective electrode

As described above, in the induction heating cooker of Patent Literature 1, the minimum number of operations from power-on to start of heating is two. Even though the heating is started with the fewest possible number of operations, it is preferable to avoid starting the heating without further operations after turning on the power, that is, with 0 operations. This is because the power switch may be unintentionally pressed down due to an erroneous operation or the like, and the power of the induction heating cooker may be turned on.

The inventor of the present application has developed an induction heating cooker that can start heating with the first operation after the power is turned on, that is, with one operation. In this specification, "to start heating" means that heating accompanied by an actual temperature rise is performed by starting power supply.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and redundant descriptions of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary verbosity in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the inventors provide the accompanying drawings and the following description for a full understanding of the present disclosure by those skilled in the art, and not for limiting the claimed subject matter.

(1) Embodiment (1-1) Outline Hereinafter, an induction heating cooker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an induction heating cooker 1 according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the induction heating cooker 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the induction heating cooker 1. As shown in FIG.

In addition to Figures 1 and 3, some of the drawings of the present disclosure are labeled with an X-axis, a Y-axis and/or a Z-axis. When the user faces the induction heating cooker while using the induction heating cooker, the X-axis direction indicates the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the heating cooker, and the Y-axis direction indicates the depth direction (lateral direction). , the Z-axis direction indicates the height direction. Also, the positive direction of the X-axis is defined as the right direction, and the negative direction is defined as the left direction. Also, the positive direction of the Y-axis is the rearward direction, and the negative direction is the forward direction.

《Induction Heating Cooker》
First, the general configuration of the induction heating cooker 1 according to the present disclosure will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the induction heating cooker 1 has a main body 3 and a top plate 5 on which a container is placed on the upper surface of the main body 3 . The container contains, for example, a container, which is an object to be heated, which contains ingredients to be cooked, such as stew.

Heating coils 7, 8, 9 are placed. Heating coils 7-9 generate an induction magnetic field to inductively heat the container. Although the heating cooker 1 has three heating coils 7 to 9, it may have one, two, or four or more heating coils.

In the induction heating cooker 1, for example, operation units 19, 20, and 21 are provided for operating the heating coils 7, 8, and 9, respectively. That is, each of the heating coils 7, 8, 9 "corresponds" to each of the operating portions 19, 20, 21. As shown in FIG. Thus, the components provided for each of the heating coils 7, 8, 9 are referred to herein as components "corresponding" to the heating coils.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the top plate 5 on the upper side (+Z side) of the heating coils 7 to 9, there are ring-shaped rings indicating the container mounting areas, "corresponding" to the heating coils 7, 8, and 9, respectively. markers 11, 12 and 13 are printed.

When viewed from above, ring-shaped light-emitting portions 15 and 16 are arranged outside the heating coils 7 and 8 on the top plate 5 . An arc-shaped light-emitting portion 17 is arranged on the top plate 5 in front of the heating coil 9 (−Y side). The light-emitting units 15-17 emit light, for example, when the corresponding heating coils 7-9 are energized. The light emitting units 15 to 17 each have, for example, an LED light emitting board (not shown).

A temperature sensor 18 is arranged below the top plate 5 inside the markers 11 to 13 . A detection value detected by the temperature sensor 18 is sent to the control unit 31 . The control unit 31 adjusts the amount of current flowing through the heating coils 7 to 9 while referring to the temperature detection value, and determines the timing of assist guidance of the cooking method.

On the front side (-Y side) of the top plate 5 of the induction heating cooker 1, operation sections 19, 20 and 21 are arranged. The operating units 19, 20, 21 are used by the user to operate the heating coils 7-9, respectively. The operating part 19 is provided to operate the heating coil 7 , the operating part 20 is provided to operate the heating coil 8 , and the operating part 21 is provided to operate the heating coil 9 . In this specification, the operating part 19 corresponds to the heating coil 7 , the operating part 20 corresponds to the heating coil 8 , and the operating part 21 corresponds to the heating coil 9 .

Display units 23, 24, and 25 are arranged on the front side of the top plate 5 of the induction heating cooker 1, between the heating coils 7-9 and the operation units 19-21, respectively. The display units 23, 24 and 25 respectively display the states of the operation targets of the operation units 19-21. Operations of the display units 23 to 25 are controlled by a control unit 31, which will be described later.

The display units 23 to 25 each include, for example, a matrix-dot liquid crystal display device. The matrix dot liquid crystal display device is, for example, a full dot liquid crystal display panel having a band shape extending in the width direction of the top plate 5 .

The display units 23 to 25 respectively display the state of the operation target, the contents of the operation of the heating coils 7 to 9, and the like as image objects. For example, the display unit 23 displays the details of the operation of the heating coil 7 , the display unit 24 displays the details of the operation of the heating coil 8 , and the display unit 25 displays the details of the operation of the heating coil 9 .

Image objects are text and/or images. For example, the image object is the word "heat". At this time, the induction heating cooker 1 indicates that the heating operation can be performed using the heating coils 7-9 corresponding to the display portions 23-25. In addition, the display units 23 to 25 may display an image object of characters "start" indicating the start of heating together with the characters "heating". After the heating is started, the display units 23-25 may display image objects such as numbers and icons indicating the magnitude of the heating amount (thermal power) of the heating coils 7-9.

The display units 23 to 25 may be segment display liquid crystal display devices. Text and/or images displayed using one or more segments fall under the category of image objects described above.

The main body 3 is provided with a speaker 27 for outputting information regarding heating of the heating coils 7-9. The speaker 27 is arranged on the front side of the induction heating cooker 1 and outputs voice guidance to the user.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the induction heating cooker 1 includes a control section 31 and a storage section 33 inside the main body 3 . The control unit 31 includes signal processing circuits such as a CPU and a microcontroller (microcomputer). The storage unit 33 is a storage device such as ROM, RAM, hard disk, and SSD. The storage unit 33 stores computer programs for operating the induction heating cooker 1 . The control unit 31 is configured to perform various functions described later by executing the computer program.

The control unit 31 that executes the computer program includes, at each time, a coil control unit 35 that controls the amount of current flowing through the heating coils 7 to 9, a guidance information control unit 37 that controls the display areas of the display units 23 to 25, guidance information and a cooking guidance control section 47 that controls the information output of cooking guidance. However, part or all of the coil control unit 35, the guidance information control unit 37, and the cooking guidance control unit 47 may not be realized by software, and may be composed of one or more CPUs, microprocessors, and FPGAs. may

Output signals from the operation units 19 to 21 are input to the control unit 31 . The controller 31 sets the heating amounts of the heating coils 7 to 9 according to the operation. The control unit 31 functioning as a coil control unit 35 controls the start or stop of heating of the heating coil 7 according to an operation instruction from the operation unit 19 . The coil control unit 35 supplies high-frequency current to the heating coils 7 to 9 to heat the container placed on the top plate 5 . In addition, the coil control unit 35 controls the amount of heating from the heating coils 7-9 by controlling the amount of current flowing through the heating coils 7-9. Further, since the output signals of the operation units 19 to 21 are input to the control unit 31, they are also used to control the operation of the control unit 31 functioning as the guidance information control unit 37 and the cooking guidance control unit 39.

The cooking guidance control unit 39 sends cooking guidance information to the guidance information control unit 37 at the timing when appropriate conditions are established according to a predetermined heating sequence or cooking sequence. Appropriate conditions include whether or not the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 18 satisfies a predetermined temperature condition, or whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the detected temperature reached a predetermined temperature. is the condition of These conditions are set for each assist menu for cooking guidance. When the cooking guidance control unit 39 determines that these conditions are satisfied, the cooking guidance control unit 39 instructs the guidance information control unit 37 to display cooking guidance corresponding to the conditions from the display units 23-25. These heating sequence, cooking sequence, and cooking guidance are stored in the storage unit 33 .

《Display and Operation》
Next, the display units 23-25 and the operation units 19-21 will be described with reference to FIG. The operating sections 19 to 21 each include a first operating section 51, a second operating section 53, a third operating section 55, and a fourth operating section 57. As shown in FIG. The first operation unit 51 to the fourth operation unit 57 may be, for example, touch switches including capacitive switches, or push button switches. The first operation section 51 to fourth operation section 57 set the heating operation of the corresponding heating coils 7 to 9 . The first operation unit 51 is printed with a clock pattern and is mainly used to select timer settings. The second operation unit 53 and the third operation unit 55 are printed with arrow patterns, such as “<” and “>” symbols, respectively, and are mainly used for menu selection and setting the heating power amount and timer time. used for The fourth operating portion 57 is printed with a pattern indicating the heating area corresponding to the operating portion, and functions as a multifunction switch to which different functions are assigned depending on the situation. The power switch 22 has a function of turning on the power of the induction heating cooker 1 . The power switch 22 may further have a function of shutting off the power of the induction heating cooker 1 . Aside from the power switch 22, a switch for cutting off the power may be provided.

In this specification, as an example, the fourth operation section 57 is described as a "multifunction switch 57". The control unit 31 can assign different functions to the multifunction switch 57 depending on the situation. "Depending on the situation" means depending on the usage situation, such as depending on the display contents of the display units 23 to 25 or depending on the elapsed time from a predetermined starting point. The control unit 31 changes the functions assigned in relation to the display contents of the display units 23-25. The relationship between the display contents of the display sections 23 to 25 and the functions assigned to the multifunction switch 57 will be described in detail below. It should be noted that other operation units than the fourth operation unit, that is, the first operation unit 51 to the third operation unit 55 can also operate as multifunction switches to which different functions are assigned depending on the situation. Note that the fourth operating portion 57 is an example of at least one multifunction switch. Note that the first operation portion 51, the second operation portion 53, the third operation portion 55, and the fourth operation portion 57 included in each of the operation portions 19, 20, and/or 21 are also referred to as "operation units" in the present disclosure. Collectively. The operation unit is an interface that receives a user's heating operation and/or various settings. The operation unit may be composed of any part of the first operation section 51 , the second operation section 53 , the third operation section 55 and the fourth operation section 57 .

(1-2) Details Next, the induction heating cooker 1 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail by exemplifying the display unit 24 and the operation unit 20 corresponding to the display unit 24 .

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the operation unit 20 and the display unit 24 and their surroundings. In FIG. 5, the display unit 24 is turned off, showing the state before the induction heating cooker 1 is powered on. When the power switch 22 is pressed by the user, the power of the induction heating cooker 1 is turned on.

FIG. 6 shows the display contents of the display section 24 immediately after the power is turned on. The display unit 24 displays an image object 30 of "heating" and an image object 32 of "start". Image object 30 indicates an operating mode in which heating operation is possible. Image object 32 indicates that a heating operation using heating coil 8 corresponding to operation unit 20 and display unit 24 is started when multifunction switch 57 associated with image object 32 is pressed. That is, in this situation, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned the function of starting heating.

In the induction heating cooker 1 according to the present embodiment, the controller 31 can operate in various operation modes depending on the situation. One example is the "single operation heating mode". A "single operation heating mode" refers to an operation mode in which heating is started in the first operation after power is turned on. In a situation where the control unit 31 operates in the single-operation heating mode, the user can start heating by pressing the multifunction switch 57 just once after the power is turned on.

The term "heating" as used herein refers to heating the container, which is the object to be heated, in a narrow sense, but in a broader sense, it means warming the contents, i.e., foodstuffs such as stew, by heating the container. Also includes As will be described later, the induction heating cooker 1 can cook by various methods such as cooking by “heating”, cooking by “grilled food”, and cooking by “deep-fried food”. In both cases, the heating operation is automated by the control of the control unit 31, but the heating sequence, such as how to apply current to the heating coils 7 to 9 and how to apply voltage, differs depending on the cooking method. Cooking by "heating" will be described below as an example.

FIG. 7 shows the contents displayed on the display section 24 after the heating operation is started. The “heating” image object 30 displayed in the example of FIG. 6 is changed to an image object 34 of characters, numbers and icons indicating heat power (strength of fire). Also, the “start” image object 32 is changed to the “off” image object 36 . Image object 36 indicates turning off the heat. The image object 36 indicates that the heating coil 8 corresponding to the operation unit 20 and the display unit 24 is deenergized when the multifunction switch 57 associated with the image object 32 is pressed. That is, in this situation, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned the function of ending heating. At this time, when the user presses the multifunction switch 57, the heating operation using the corresponding heating coil 8 is stopped.

As understood from the above description, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned different functions depending on the situation. The control section 31 changes the function of the multifunction switch 57 in association with the image object on the display section 24 .

In the description so far, the operating unit 20 has been described assuming that it is a switch realized by hardware. However, the operation unit 20 may be implemented by software switches and a touch panel displayed on the display unit 24 .

For example, FIG. 8 shows an example in which the multifunction switch 57 and the like are displayed on the display section 24a having a larger screen size. A touch panel (not shown) is provided so as to overlap the display section 24a. A touch panel detects a user's touch and a touch position based on pressure, changes in capacitance, and the like. For example, the control unit 31 determines that the touch position is the display position of the multifunction switch 57 and executes the function associated with the multifunction switch 57 . A touch panel is an example of an input device. Alternatively, an input device that detects the position of the user's finger and the input operation in a non-contact manner may be employed. For example, a proximity sensor capable of detecting the presence or absence of nearby objects and their positions by means of radio waves, infrared rays, etc. is installed. can detect operations on By using such a proximity sensor, it is possible to perform operations without worrying about dirty hands during cooking. Multi-function switch 57 may be realized by a combination of display 24a and such an input device.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the procedure of processing by the controller 31 in the single-operation heating mode. In the following explanation, as in the examples of FIGS. 5 to 8, the operation unit 20 and the display unit 24 are illustrated, but the other operation units and display units are exactly the same.

In step S110, when the power switch 22 is pressed by the user, the control unit 31 detects the pressing. As a result, the power of the induction heating cooker 1 is turned on.

The subsequent steps S111 and S112 are processes executed immediately after the power is turned on. In step S<b>111 , the control unit 31 displays one or more image objects on the display unit 24 . The image objects include a "start" image object 32 indicating the start of heating. In step S<b>112 , the control unit 31 associates the multifunction switch 57 with the image object 32 . Specifically, the control unit 31 associates the display content of the image object 32 with the function when the multifunction switch 57 is pressed so that heating is started when the multifunction switch 57 is pressed. In this specification, after step S110, only the multifunction switch 57 can receive an instruction to start heating the corresponding heating coil (for example, the heating coil 8) for the first time. The portion 51 to the third operation portion 55 are configured not to accept. When the user wants to use the single-operation heating mode, the user can use the multifunction switch 57, which simplifies the operation when using the single-operation heating mode.

In step S<b>113 , the control unit 31 performs a heating operation in response to detection of an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 . Thereby, the control unit 31 terminates the operation in the single operation heating mode. After the heating operation is performed, the control unit 31 may switch the display of the display unit 24 to the display shown in FIG. 7, for example. In addition, in S113, only one type of heating mode that is set in advance is executed by the initial instruction to start heating.

At step S<b>113 described above, the control unit 31 suspends the heating operation until an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 is performed. If a relatively long time elapses, the user may forget that the induction heating cooker 1 is turned on, and press the multifunction switch 57 by mistake. Then, heating may start unintentionally.

Therefore, the inventor of the present application forcibly terminates the operation in the single-operation heating mode after a certain period of time has elapsed. FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the control unit 31 according to an improved single-operation heating mode. Steps S110 to S113 are the same as in FIG. Therefore, the explanation for the second time is omitted.

In step S120, the control unit 31 determines whether or not an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 has been detected within a predetermined time. The "predetermined time" is, for example, one minute after the power is turned on. However, the induction heating cooker 1 may be provided with a setting mode in which the user can arbitrarily set the predetermined time. In that case, for example, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned a function of receiving the setting of a predetermined time. The control unit 31 can accept the setting of a predetermined time from the user via the multifunction switch 57 . The method of setting the time may be either setting by selection from options prepared in advance or setting by inputting a specific numerical value. Note that at least one of the first operation section 51 to the third operation section 55 other than the multifunction switch 57 can receive the setting of the time from the user, and the entire operation unit can set the time. should be able to accept In other words, it suffices if the time setting from the user can be accepted via the operation unit.

If an input operation to multifunction switch 57 is detected, the process proceeds to step S120. On the other hand, if no input operation to the multifunction switch 57 is detected, the single-operation heating mode processing ends. Thereby, in the case of no operation, the single-operation heating mode can be automatically terminated after a certain period of time.

In addition, as in the induction heating cooker 1 according to the present embodiment, when a plurality of heating coils 7 to 9 are provided and a plurality of multifunction switches 57 are provided corresponding to each of the heating coils 7 to 9, can be set for each heating coil. The controller 31 may count the above-described predetermined time for each heating coil, and terminate the operation in the single-operation heating mode for each heating coil after the predetermined time has passed.

Alternatively, one “predetermined time” may be set for all of the heating coils 7-9. The control unit 31 measures a predetermined time starting from the time when one of the multifunction switches provided on each of the heating coils 7 to 9 was last operated. If the control unit 31 detects no input operation to any of the multifunction switches within the predetermined time, the single-operation heating mode for all the heating coils 7 to 9 is collectively terminated.

(2) Modifications Next, various modifications of the induction heating cooker 1 will be described.

After the single-operation heating mode is automatically terminated after a certain period of time has passed through the process of FIG. As a result, for example, when the power switch 22 is accidentally turned on by an object, the power can be automatically cut off after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Another example after exiting the single-operation heating mode is transitioning to another operating mode different from the single-operation heating mode. An example of another mode of operation is "standby mode." The “standby mode” is an operation mode in which the control unit 31 can further accept selection of manual heating cooking or automatic heating cooking.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a procedure of processing of the control unit 31 including transition to the standby mode. The difference between FIG. 11 and FIG. 10 is that when step S120 is "N" (no), the controller 31 shifts to the standby mode in step S121. Since the rest is the same, the explanation for the second time is omitted.

After the control unit 31 shifts to the standby mode in step S121, the user can further operate the multifunction switch 57 or the like to select an operation mode according to the desired cooking method.

Note that when the operation mode has changed, the control unit 31 may cause the display unit 24 to display an image object indicating that the operation mode has changed. Along with the display of such an image object, or instead of the display, the control unit 31 may output a sound from the speaker 7 indicating that the operation mode has changed.

FIG. 12 shows an example of the display on the display section 24 when the mode automatically shifts to the standby mode after a certain period of time has elapsed. As shown in FIG. 12, the display unit 24 displays a character image object "menu" and symbol objects "<" and ">". When the user presses one of the second operation unit 53 and the third operation unit 55 corresponding to the symbol objects “<” and “>”, an image associated with the symbol image object, for example, in FIG. image is displayed on the display unit 24 . When the user presses the multifunction switch 57 associated with the "start" image object 32, heating is started again. This allows the user to manually perform the cooking. Note that an image other than the image in FIG. 6 may be displayed on the display unit 24 by the user's operation. The user can select an automatic cooking mode of operation, such as a "baked" mode, a "fried" mode, for example.

As described above, the "single-operation heating mode" is an operation mode of the control unit 31 that can start "heating" with the first operation after the power is turned on. "Heating" assumes that the container is induction-heated by a preset constant thermal power (initial thermal power). The user can preset the initial heating power for the induction heating cooker 1 .

A specific method for setting the initial thermal power is arbitrary. For example, after the power is turned on, the control unit 31 shifts to a setting mode for changing thermal power in response to a user's operation. In the setting mode, for example, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned a function of accepting selection of one thermal power from among multiple stages of thermal power. When the user selects the desired thermal power using the multifunction switch 57, the control unit 31 accepts the selection, and when heating is started in the "single operation heating mode", heating is performed with that thermal power. Change the heating sequence. This enables the control unit 31 to perform heating in the "single operation heating mode" with the preset heating power.

Targets that can be set in advance are not limited to thermal power. In the induction heating cooker 1, the user can preset a different heating sequence such as "grilling" or "frying" instead of "heating" in the first operation after the power is turned on. .

FIGS. 13(a) to 13(c) show changes in the display on the display unit 24 before and after the power is turned on when the "single operation heating mode" is set to "pottery". FIG. 13(a) shows the display section 24 before the power is turned on. In (b), the display unit 24 displays an image object 130 indicating "pottery" and an image object 132 indicating "start". , each image object 134 and 136 is displayed.

14(a) to 14(c) show changes in display on the display unit 24 before and after the power is turned on when the "single operation heating mode" is set to "fried food". FIG. 14(a) shows the display section 24 before the power is turned on. In (b), the display unit 24 displays an image object 230 indicating "fried food" and an image object 232 indicating "start". , each image object 234 and 136 is displayed.

The specific method of setting "grilled food", "fried food", etc. as the "single operation heating mode" is arbitrary. For example, for each of a plurality of cooking methods, a heating sequence for automating the heating operation is stored in the storage unit 33 in advance. After the power is turned on, the controller 31 shifts to a setting mode for changing the heating sequence in response to the user's operation. In the setting mode, for example, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned a function of accepting selection of one cooking method from among a plurality of cooking methods. When the user selects a cooking method from among a plurality of cooking methods using the multifunction switch 57, the control unit 31 accepts the designation of the selected cooking method in advance, and responds to the selected cooking method after the power is turned on. Change the parameters for the initial operation to display an image object that As a result, immediately after the power is turned on, the control unit 31 can display an image object corresponding to a preselected cooking method, and can start heating in a heating sequence according to the cooking method by the user's first operation. be possible.

As described with reference to FIG. 7, there may be cases where the user stops heating after starting heating in the single operation heating mode. An example of the reason why the user stops heating is to check whether the object to be heated, the container or the food material in the container, has been heated to a desired degree, or to add seasonings, food materials, or the like. After that, it is considered that there are many opportunities to resume heating.

In such a case, it is considered convenient for the user if heating is resumed in the same operation mode as before heating was stopped. The "same operation mode" means that the cooking method, heating power, etc. are set the same.

FIG. 15 is a display example of the display unit 24 that enables resumption of heating with the same settings. In FIG. 7, after the multifunction switch 57 corresponding to the "off" image object 36 is pressed and the control unit 31 stops heating, the display on the display unit 24 is switched to the display shown in FIG. The control unit 31 changes the “off” image object 36 ( FIG. 7 ) to the “resume” image object 38 and displays it on the display unit 24 . At this time, the display of the image object 34 of characters, numbers, and icons indicating fire power (strength of fire) is maintained as it is. When the user presses the multifunction switch 57 corresponding to the resume image object 38, the display on the display unit 24 returns to the display of FIG. 7 again, and heating is resumed in the same operation mode.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the procedure of interruption/resume processing in the single-operation heating mode.

In step S130, the controller 31 performs the heating operation in the single-operation heating mode. This processing corresponds to the processing up to step S113 in FIGS. 7, 10, and 11, for example. In step S131, the controller 31 displays an image object 36 (FIG. 7) indicating that heating is stopped.

In step S<b>132 , the control section 31 stops the heating operation in response to detection of an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 corresponding to the image object 36 .

In step S133, the control unit 31 displays the image object 38 (FIG. 15) indicating the resumption of heating on the display unit 24. FIG.

In step S134, the control unit 31 determines whether or not an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 corresponding to the image object 38 (FIG. 15) has been detected within a predetermined time. This process is provided for the same reason as step S120 in FIG. For example, the "predetermined time" is two minutes after heating is stopped.

The “predetermined time” here may also be arbitrarily set by the user, as in step S120 of FIG. In that case, for example, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned a function of receiving the setting of a predetermined time. The control unit 31 can accept the setting of a predetermined time from the user via the multifunction switch 57 . Note that at least one of the first operation section 51 to the third operation section 55 other than the multifunction switch 57 can receive the setting of the time from the user, and the entire operation unit can set the time. should be able to accept In other words, it suffices if the time setting from the user can be accepted via the operation unit.

If an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 is detected within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S135, and if not detected, the process ends without restarting heating. At this time, the same processing as the end processing in FIG. 9, for example, may be performed to end the single-operation heating mode.

In step S135, the controller 31 resumes the heating operation in the operation mode when the heating operation was stopped in response to the detection of the input operation to the multifunction switch 57. FIG. According to the above process, the user does not need to readjust the setting value for heating even after the heating is temporarily stopped and restarted. Therefore, user convenience can be greatly improved.

A user who has been using the conventional induction heating cooker described in Patent Document 1, for example, may find it difficult to use the single-operation heating mode. Therefore, the induction heating cooker 1 may be provided with a function for presetting the number of operations required from power-on to execution of the heating operation. The user can be provided with an operational feeling similar to that of a conventional induction heating cooker by setting the heating mode to require two operations instead of the single-operation heating mode. That is, the control unit 31 can control the operation of the induction heating cooker 1 in the single operation heating mode, and according to the user's preference, the heating is started with two operations after turning on the power, which is a familiar procedure from the past. It is also possible to control the operation of the induction heating cooker 1 by It should be noted that the two operations here mean not only the operation of pressing down the multifunction switch 57 twice, but also the operation of the operation unit as a whole. For example, the two operations include an operation of pressing down the multifunction switch 57 once after pressing down the second operation portion 53 once. Also, for example, the multifunction switch 57 is assigned a function of receiving a setting of the number of operations, and the user receives a setting of a predetermined number of operations through the multifunction switch 57 . Note that at least one of the first operation section 51 to the third operation section 55 other than the multifunction switch 57 may be able to receive the setting of the number of operations from the user. It is sufficient if the setting can be accepted. In other words, it suffices if the setting of the number of operations from the user can be accepted via the operation unit.

Next, protective electrodes provided to prevent erroneous operations by a user or the like will be described.
FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of an electronic circuit board 250 around the operation unit 20. As shown in FIG. For example, the multifunction switch 57 is provided as a capacitive touch switch 240 . Other switches are similar. The multi-function switch 57 will also be described below as an example.

One or more guard electrodes 242 are positioned along a portion of multi-function switch 57 . A current and/or voltage is constantly applied to the protective electrode 242 . The control unit 31 can monitor current and/or voltage and detect electrical changes thereof. When the controller 31 detects an electrical change in the protective electrode 242 before detecting an input operation to the multifunction switch 57 , it invalidates the input operation to the multifunction switch 57 .

For example, it is assumed that the user manually wipes dirt off the top plate 5 from the upper right to the lower right in FIG. 17 . At this time, if the multifunction switch 57 is pressed by mistake, an unintended heating operation may start. In order to invalidate such an erroneous operation, it should be possible to detect whether or not the user has pinpointed the multifunction switch 57 . Therefore, one or more protective electrodes 242 are arranged along a part of the multifunction switch 57 so as to pinpoint the state in which the multifunction switch 57 is not pressed.

Although the protective electrode 242 is not provided around the power switch 22 in FIG. 17, it may be provided.

FIG. 18 shows the relationship between a rectangular tact switch 240 that constitutes the multifunction switch 57 and a protective electrode 242 . The shielding electrodes 242 include a first shielding electrode 242a in the X-axis direction and a second shielding electrode 242b in the Y-axis direction. The first protective electrode 242 a and the second protective electrode 242 b are arranged along two adjacent sides of the tact switch 240 . In the examples of FIGS. 17 and 18, protective electrodes are not provided between the four switches, but they may be provided. Protective electrodes may be provided along four sides of the rectangular tact switch 240 or along two sides parallel to the X-axis direction.

The embodiment of the induction heating cooker 1 according to the present disclosure has been described above. The processing according to the flowchart described above is realized as the operation of the control unit 31 by a computer program. Such a computer program can be stored in storage unit 33 and executed by control unit 31 .

(3) Aspects As is clear from the above embodiments and modifications, the present disclosure includes the following aspects. In the following, reference numerals are given in parentheses only for the purpose of clarifying correspondence with the above embodiment.

A first aspect is an induction heating cooker (1), comprising a heating coil (7, 8 and/or 9) for induction heating of an object to be heated, a power switch (22) for turning on the power, A multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) to which different functions are assigned depending on the situation, a display section (24) for displaying image objects, and operation in a predetermined operation mode out of a plurality of operation modes. and a control unit (31) for controlling the Multiple modes of operation include a single operation heating mode that initiates heating on the first operation after power is turned on. A controller (31) is capable of controlling operation according to a single operating heating mode. In the single-operation heating mode, the control unit (31) causes the display unit (24) to display an image object indicating the start of heating, and turns the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) to start heating. is associated with an image object showing , and a heating operation using the heating coil (7, 8 and/or 9) is performed when an input operation to the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is detected. is. Thereby, the operability of the induction heating cooker (1) can be improved.

A second aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on the first aspect. In a second aspect, the multi-function switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) within a predetermined time after the power is turned on and the controller (31) starts operating in the single-operation heating mode. If no input operation is detected, the control section (31) ends the single-operation heating mode. By exiting the single-operation heating mode, unintentional heating by the user after a predetermined period of time can be avoided.

A third aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on the second aspect. In a third aspect, the plurality of operating modes includes a standby mode that accepts selection of manual cooking or automatic cooking. After exiting the single-operation heating mode, the controller (31) operates in standby mode. As a result, it is possible to select an operation mode according to the desired cooking method while avoiding unintentional heating by the user after the predetermined time has elapsed.

A fourth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to third aspects. In a fourth aspect, there are a plurality of heating coils (7, 8, 9), a multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is provided for each heating coil (7, 8, 9), and a predetermined is set for each heating coil (7, 8, 9). A control unit (31) measures a predetermined time for each heating coil (7, 8, 9) and detects an input operation to the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) within the predetermined time. If not, the single operation heating mode is terminated for each heating coil (7, 8, 9). As a result, unintentional heating by the user can be avoided for each of the heating coils (7, 8, 9) after the predetermined time has elapsed.

A fifth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to third aspects. In a fifth aspect, there are a plurality of heating coils (7, 8, 9), a multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is provided for each heating coil (7, 8, 9), and a predetermined is set in common for the plurality of heating coils (7, 8, 9). The control unit (31) operates from the time when any one of the multifunction switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) provided for each heating coil (7, 8, 9) was last operated. Measure a given time. If no input operation to the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is detected within a predetermined time, the controller (31) controls the plurality of heating coils (7, 8, 9) exit the single-operation heating mode for all of As a result, unintentional heating by the user after the predetermined time has elapsed can be avoided for all of the plurality of heating coils (7, 8, 9).

A sixth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any of the second to fifth aspects. In the sixth aspect, the control section (31) accepts the setting of the predetermined time. This allows the user to set the predetermined time to exit the single-operation heating mode to suit their preferences.

A seventh aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to sixth aspects. In a seventh aspect, the induction heating cooker (1) further comprises a storage device (33) pre-stored with a heating sequence for automating the heating operation for each of a plurality of cooking methods. Multi-function switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) are assigned the function of accepting the selection of one cooking method among a plurality of cooking methods. A control unit (31) accepts in advance a designation of a cooking method selected from among a plurality of cooking methods via multifunction switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57), and responds to the selected cooking method. Reading the heating sequence, in the single-operation heating mode, the controller (31) performs the heating operation according to the read heating sequence. This allows the controller (31) to perform heating in the "single-operation heating mode" in a preset heating sequence.

An eighth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to seventh aspects. In the eighth aspect, the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is assigned the function of receiving the heating power setting at the start of heating. The control unit (31) accepts in advance the heating power setting at the start of heating via the multifunction switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57). In the single operation heating mode, the controller (31) performs the heating operation with the set heating power. This enables the control section (31) to perform heating in the "single operation heating mode" with a preset heating power.

A ninth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to eighth aspects. In the ninth aspect, after starting heating, the control section (31) causes the display section (24) to display an image object indicating the stop of heating, and presses the multifunction switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57). , is associated with an image object indicating the stop of heating, and the heating is stopped when an input operation to the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is detected. Thus, the multifunction switch used to start heating can also be used to stop heating.

A tenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on the ninth aspect. In the tenth aspect, after stopping the heating, the control section (31) causes the display section (24) to display an image object indicating the start of heating. The control unit (31) associates the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) with an image object indicating the start of heating. When the control unit (31) detects an input operation to the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) within a predetermined time or within the number of times of operation, it operates in the operation mode before stopping heating. . Even after the heating is temporarily stopped and restarted, there is no need to readjust the setting values for the heating, so user convenience can be greatly improved.

An eleventh aspect is the induction cooker (1) based on the tenth aspect. In the eleventh aspect, the control section (31) accepts setting of a predetermined time in advance. Thereby, the time for operating in the operation mode before stopping the heating can be set according to the user's preference.

A twelfth aspect is the induction cooker (1) based on the tenth aspect. In the twelfth aspect, the control section (31) accepts setting of the number of operations. Thereby, the number of operations for operating in the operation mode before stopping the heating can be set according to the user's preference.

A thirteenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to twelfth aspects. In a thirteenth aspect, the induction cooker (1) comprises an operating unit that includes a multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) and accepts user input. The operation unit is assigned a function of receiving a setting of the number of operations after the power is turned on until the heating operation is performed. The control unit (31) operates in a non-single-operation heating mode after the power is turned on when the setting of the number of operations is received in advance via the operation unit. 31) is an operation mode in which a heating operation using the heating coils (7, 8, 9) is performed after receiving a set number of operations via the operation unit. By providing the non-single-operation heating mode, it becomes possible to start heating after turning on the power, according to the user's preference, for example, with the same number of operations as the familiar conventional model.

A fourteenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on the thirteenth aspect. In the fourteenth aspect, when the number of operations is set to two times in advance, the control unit (31) accepts selection of a menu indicating heating from a plurality of menus via and further starts heating. When the selection of is received, the heating operation is performed. Thereby, the user can select a mode in which heating is started by performing two operations instead of one, depending on the user's preference.

A fifteenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to fourteenth aspects. In a fifteenth aspect, the induction cooker (1) further comprises one or more guard electrodes (242) arranged along a portion of the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57). The controller (31) can detect electrical changes in the guarding electrodes (242) by monitoring the current and/or voltage applied to the one or more guarding electrodes (242). When the controller (31) detects an electrical change in the protective electrode (242) before detecting an input operation to the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57), the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) Disable input to (51, 53, 55 and/or 57). By utilizing the protective electrode (242), it is possible to pinpoint whether or not the multi-function switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) has been pressed, avoiding unintentional initiation of the heating operation. .

A sixteenth aspect is the induction cooker (1) based on the fifteenth aspect. In a sixteenth aspect, the one or more guarding electrodes (242) comprises a first guarding electrode (242a) and a second guarding electrode (242b). In the case that the multi-function switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is of rectangular shape, the first guard electrode (242a) and the second guard electrode (242b) are connected to the multi-function switch (51, 53, 55). and/or along two adjacent sides of 57). As a result, it is possible to pinpoint whether or not the multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) has been pressed, and to avoid unintended start of the heating operation.

A seventeenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to sixteenth aspects. In the seventeenth aspect, when the operation mode changes, the control section (31) displays an image object indicating that the operation mode has changed on the display section (24). Thereby, it is possible to visually notify the user that the operation mode has changed.

An eighteenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to seventeenth aspects. In the eighteenth aspect, the induction heating cooker (1) further comprises a speaker (7) for outputting sound. When the operation mode changes, the control unit (31) outputs a sound indicating that the operation mode has changed from the speaker (7). Thereby, the user can be notified by sound that the operation mode has changed.

A nineteenth aspect is an induction cooker (1) based on any one of the first to eighteenth aspects. In the nineteenth aspect, only the multifunction switch (any one of 51, 53, 55, and 57) accepts the start of heating in the first operation after the power is turned on. When the user wants to use the single-operation heating mode, the user can use a specific multi-function switch, which simplifies the operation when using the single-operation heating mode.

A twentieth aspect is a computer program executed by the controller (31) of the induction heating cooker (1). The induction heating cooker (1) includes heating coils (7, 8, 9) for induction heating an object to be heated, a power switch (22) for turning on the power, and multiple functions to which different functions are assigned depending on the situation. Function switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57), a display section (24) for displaying image objects, and a control section (which is a computer for controlling operation in a predetermined operation mode among a plurality of operation modes). 31). Multiple modes of operation include a single operation heating mode that initiates heating on the first operation after power is turned on. The computer program is capable of causing the controller (31) to control operation according to a single operating heating mode. The computer program causes the controller (31) to display an image object indicating the start of heating on the display (24) in the single-operation heating mode, the multifunction switches (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is associated with an image object indicating the start of heating, and when an input operation to a multifunction switch (51, 53, 55 and/or 57) is detected, a heating operation using a heating coil (7, 8, 9) is performed. Execute the process to be performed. Thereby, an induction heating cooker (1) with improved operability can be obtained.

The single-operation heating mode that enables heating to begin on the first operation after the power is turned on, according to the disclosure of the present disclosure, is applicable to both domestic and commercial induction cookers. is.

1 heating cooker 3 main body 5 top plate 7, 8, 9 heating coil 11, 12, 13 marker 15, 16, 17 light emitting unit 18 temperature sensor 19, 20, 21 operation input unit 22 power switch 23, 24, 25 display unit 27 speaker 31 control unit 33 storage unit 51 first operation unit (multifunction switch)
53 second operation unit (multi-function switch)
55 Third operation unit (multi-function switch)
57 fourth operation unit (multi-function switch)

Claims (19)

a heating coil that induction-heats an object to be heated;
a power switch for turning on the power;
a multi-function switch arranged on the power switch side and assigned different functions depending on the situation;
another switch positioned next to the multifunction switch;
a display that displays an image object;
a control unit that controls operation in a predetermined operation mode among a plurality of operation modes,
The plurality of operation modes include a single operation heating mode in which heating is started in the first operation after the power is turned on , and a standby mode in which selection of manual heating cooking or automatic heating cooking is accepted. ,
The control unit is capable of controlling operation in the single operation heating mode,
In the single operation heating mode, the control unit
causing the display unit to display an image object indicating the start of heating;
associating the multifunction switch with an image object indicating the start of heating;
An operation mode for executing a heating operation using the heating coil when an input operation to the multifunction switch is detected,
After the power is turned on and the controller starts operating in the single operation heating mode,
if no input operation to the multifunction switch is detected within a predetermined time, the control unit terminates the single-operation heating mode and executes the standby mode;
The control unit can control the operation in the standby mode,
In the standby mode, the control unit
When an input operation to the another switch is detected, the manual heating cooking or automatic heating cooking is selected,
After that, the induction heating cooker is in an operation mode of executing a heating operation using the heating coil according to the selected heating cooking method when an input operation to the multifunction switch is detected. A plurality of the heating coils exist,
The multifunction switch is provided for each heating coil,
The predetermined time is set for each heating coil,
The control unit measures the predetermined time for each heating coil, and if the input operation to the multifunction switch is not detected within the predetermined time, the single operation is performed for each heating coil. The induction cooker according to claim 1 , which terminates the heating mode. A plurality of the heating coils exist,
The multifunction switch is provided for each heating coil,
The predetermined time is set in common for a plurality of heating coils,
The control unit measures the predetermined time starting from the time when one of the multifunction switches provided for each heating coil was last operated,
3. The induction of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said single operation heating mode is terminated for all of said plurality of heating coils if no input operation to said multifunction switch is detected within said predetermined time. heating cooker. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein said control unit receives setting of said predetermined time. further comprising a storage device pre-stored with a heating sequence for automating the heating operation for each of a plurality of cooking methods;
The multifunction switch is assigned a function of accepting selection of one cooking method from among a plurality of cooking methods,
The control unit accepts in advance a designation of a cooking method selected from the plurality of cooking methods via the multifunction switch, reads out a heating sequence corresponding to the selected cooking method,
The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein in the single operation heating mode, the control unit performs the heating operation according to the read heating sequence. The multifunction switch is assigned a function to accept the setting of the heating power at the start of heating,
The control unit accepts in advance the setting of the thermal power at the start of heating via the multifunction switch,
The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the single operation heating mode, the control unit performs the heating operation with the set heating power. wherein, in the single-operation heating mode, the control unit is configured to start heating with a preset thermal power when an input operation to the multifunction switch is detected after the power is turned on. Item 6. The induction heating cooker according to any one of Items 1 to 5. After starting the heating, the control unit
causing the display unit to display an image object indicating that the heating is stopped;
associating the multifunction switch with an image object indicating the cessation of heating;
stopping the heating when an input operation to the multifunction switch is detected;
The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . After stopping the heating, the control unit
causing the display unit to display an image object indicating the start of heating;
associating the multifunction switch with an image object indicating the start of heating;
When an input operation to the multifunction switch is detected within a predetermined time or within the number of times of operation, the operation mode before stopping the heating is operated.
The induction heating cooker according to claim 8 . 10. The induction heating cooker according to claim 9 , wherein said control unit accepts setting of said predetermined time in advance. 10. The induction heating cooker according to claim 9 , wherein said control unit receives setting of said number of times of operation. An operation unit that includes the multifunction switch and receives user input,
The operation unit is assigned a function of receiving a setting of the number of operations after the power is turned on until the heating operation is performed,
The control unit operates in a non-single-operation heating mode after the power is turned on when the setting of the number of operations is received in advance via the operation unit,
The non-single-operation heating mode is an operation mode in which the control unit performs a heating operation using the heating coil after receiving the set number of operations via the operation unit.
The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 11 . When the number of operations is previously set to two times, the control unit accepts selection of a menu indicating heating from a plurality of menus via the operation unit, and further accepts selection of start of heating. and the heating operation. further comprising one or more guard electrodes positioned along a portion of the multifunction switch;
The control unit is capable of detecting electrical changes in the protective electrodes by monitoring the current and/or voltage applied to the one or more protective electrodes,
2. From claim 1, wherein the controller disables the input operation to the multifunction switch when an electrical change in the protective electrode is detected before detecting the input operation to the multifunction switch. 14. The induction heating cooker according to any one of 13 . the one or more guarding electrodes comprise a first guarding electrode and a second guarding electrode;
15. The multifunction switch according to claim 14 , wherein said first protective electrode and said second protective electrode are arranged along two adjacent sides of said multifunction switch when said multifunction switch has a rectangular shape. induction cooker. 16. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 15 , wherein when said operation mode changes, said control unit displays an image object indicating that said operation mode has changed on said display unit. It also has a speaker that outputs audio,
17. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 16 , wherein when said operation mode changes, said control unit outputs a sound indicating that said operation mode has changed from said speaker. 18. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 17 , wherein only said multifunctional switch accepts a start of heating in the first operation after said power is turned on. The induction heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein said multifunction switch is arranged closer to said power switch than said another switch.

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