JPH0155005B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a control device for a rice cooker used in general households.

Conventional structure and its problems Conventionally, even if you start cooking immediately after rinsing the rice,
Rice is cooked after heating and absorbing water for a certain period of time (hereinafter referred to as the pre-cooking function) at a predetermined temperature (approximately 40℃ to 50℃) below the gelatinization temperature of rice, so that delicious rice without core can be cooked. The vessel is known. In this rice cooker, when cooking rice using a timer device, pre-cooking is always performed regardless of the length of the timer time, so if the timer time is long (e.g.
12 hours), the rice that has sufficiently absorbed water is further heated and absorbed. This has the disadvantage that the cooked rice becomes too soft. Furthermore, the above-described timer device also has the disadvantage that the timer can only set the time until the start of rice cooking.

Purpose of the Invention In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides a rice cooker that can automatically determine whether or not to pre-cook rice according to the timer time, and can also set the timer time until the end of cooking. The purpose of this invention is to provide a control device.

Structure of the Invention The rice cooker control device of the present invention includes a timer time setting means for setting a timer time until the end of rice cooking, a time comparison means for comparing the timer time with a predetermined time, and a time comparison means for comparing the timer time with a predetermined time. A first timer that operates for a time obtained by subtracting the rice cooking time for pre-cooking (first rice cooking time) from the timer time based on the first output, and a second timer that operates from the timer time based on the second output of the time comparing means. A second timer that operates for a time obtained by subtracting the rice cooking time without pre-cooking (second rice cooking time), and the operation is started by the output of the first timer to control heating of the rice cooking container to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. It consists of a pre-cooking means and a rice-cooking means that cooks rice after the pre-cooking is finished or by the output of a second timer.In particular, it automatically determines whether or not to pre-cook according to the timer time, and If cooking is not necessary, pre-cooking can be omitted and only rice cooking can be performed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a time setting means 2 for setting the rice cooking end time and a time measuring means 3 for outputting a signal of the current time.
and a time calculation means 4 which calculates the timer time by subtracting the current time from the rice cooking end time when the rice cooking end time is set. 5 is a time comparing means for comparing this timer time with a predetermined time. Reference numeral 6 designates a first timer that operates for a time obtained by subtracting the first rice cooking time from the timer time based on the first output of the time comparing means 5. Reference numeral 7 denotes a second timer which operates for a time obtained by subtracting the second rice cooking time from the timer time based on the second output of the time comparing means 5.
Here, the first rice cooking time is the rice cooking time when pre-cooking is performed, and the second rice cooking time is the rice cooking time when pre-cooking is not performed. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pre-cooking means that starts its operation in response to the output of the first timer 6. Reference numeral 9 denotes a rice cooking means that cooks rice after the pre-cooking is finished or according to the output of the second timer 7.

The determination as to whether pre-cooking is to be performed or not based on the timer time described above is made based on whether the time set by the time setting means 2 is longer than the time required for the rice to absorb water without heating. If so, pre-cooking method 8
This action is not performed.

For example, if the room temperature and water temperature are in the range of approximately 5℃ to 35℃, water can be absorbed sufficiently in about 3 hours, so the cooking time including pre-cooking, additional cooking, and unevenness (if pre-cooking is required) It takes about 54 minutes, and this is the first
This corresponds to the cooking time of . Moreover, when pre-cooking is not performed, it takes about 45 minutes, which corresponds to the second cooking time. ), approximately 4 hours is set as the standard time for determination. This reference time is then set as a predetermined time.

FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration including the peripheral portion of this embodiment. 9 is a rice cooking container, around which a heating device 10 and a temperature sensor 11 are provided. 12 is a key switch for setting the rice-cooking end time; 13 is a reference clock that is a time reference; 1
Reference numeral 4 denotes a display that shows the operating status of the device (including time, etc.). 15 is a microcomputer,
The built-in programs realize the functions of each means shown in the block diagram of FIG.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. First, in step 20, a desired rice cooking end time is input by operating the key switch 12. Next, in step 21, this rice cooking end time is subtracted from the current time and the result (difference) is stored as a timer time. In step 22, it is determined whether this timer time is 4 hours or more. If it is less than 4 hours, go to step 23, and if it is 4 hours or more, go to step 2.
Proceed to step 4. In step 23, the first timer 6 is activated to operate for a time obtained by subtracting the first rice cooking time (approximately 54 minutes) from the timer time. Step 2
In step 4, the second timer 7 is activated to operate for a time equal to the timer time minus the second rice cooking time (approximately 45 minutes). Next, in step 25, the first
Wait until the operation of the timer 6 is completed, and in step 26 perform a pre-cooking operation to heat and absorb water at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. After this pre-cooking time has elapsed, in step 27, the cooking process is started from finishing to additional cooking.・Perform a series of uneven rice cooking movements. If the second timer 7 is selected, step 28 follows step 24, where the process waits until the operation of the second timer 7 is completed, skips the pre-cooking operation of step 26, and returns to step 27. Proceed to cooking operation.

Note that in step 22, the timer time is set to 3, for example.
In the case of a short time such as 0 minutes, the rice may be cooked immediately or the rice cooking may be stopped.

The status during the series of steps 20 to 28 described above is displayed on the display 14.

In addition, in this example, the rice cooking end time can be set as is, but it is also possible to use a timer such as a motor timer and set the timer time until the end of rice cooking. If the timer time in the example is longer than a predetermined time, it is possible to apply a method in which pre-cooking is omitted and only the rice cooking operation is performed.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiment, the rice cooker control device of the present invention starts the pre-cooking operation when the timer time is longer than a predetermined time (approximately 4 hours in consideration of the rice cooking time in the embodiment). By performing only the rice cooking operation without performing the cooking process, delicious rice that is always appropriately soft can be cooked. Furthermore, since the above operations are performed automatically, an excellent effect is achieved in that troublesome operations and mistakes can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing the configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of a microcomputer program used in the embodiment. 1... Timer time setting means, 2... Time setting means, 3... Timing means, 4... Time calculation means, 5
...Time comparison means, 6...First timer, 7...
... second timer, 8... pre-cooking means, 9... rice-cooking means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A timer time setting means for setting a timer time until the end of rice cooking; a time comparison means for comparing the timer time with a predetermined time; A first timer that operates for a time that is calculated by subtracting the rice cooking time (first rice cooking time) during which pre-cooking is performed, and a second output of the time comparing means calculates the rice cooking time (second rice cooking time) during which no pre-cooking is performed from the timer time. a second timer that operates for a time subtracted by time);
a pre-cooking means that starts its operation according to the output of the first timer and controls the heating of the rice-cooking container to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time; and a rice-cooking means that cooks the rice after the pre-cooking is finished or according to the output of the second timer. A control device for a rice cooker.