JPH03194318A - Microwave oven - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to boil a very small amount of rice by specifying a water absorption time directly after starting rice boiling in a microwave oven range capable of boiling rice by microwaves, raising the water absorption temperature quickly up to a specified value, and then maintaining the temperature with a second microwave output, which is lower than the output of the first microwaves. CONSTITUTION:When a attempt is made to boil a very small amount of rice (for example, 1/2 cup or rice), a bowl with rice and water in it is placed into a heating chamber where microwaves are supplied and a menu key 4 and a start key 5 of a control element 3 are manipulated. A control means designates a relatively large output of a first microwave for a first water absorption process and a first water absorption time and drives a magnetron, which raises the temperature up to the water absorption temperature quickly. After the lapse of specified time, a second microwave output, which is smaller, and a second water absorption time are specified so that a specified temperature may be maintained under the control of the magnetron. This construction makes it possible to boil even a very small amount of rice so that it may taste deliciously.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a microwave oven capable of cooking rice using microwaves.

(b) In conventional microwave ovens capable of microwave rice cooking as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-23257, rice can be cooked deliciously when cooking a small amount of rice, but when the amount of rice is small, I can't cook rice deliciously.

In order to make rice delicious when cooking a small amount of rice, it is necessary to promote water absorption in the rice. Raising the water temperature is effective for this, but if the water absorption temperature rises too much, only the surface of the rice absorbs water. However, the result is a tasteless rice with a solid core.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention The present invention aims to provide a microwave oven that can cook delicious rice using microwaves even if the amount of rice is small.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a microwave oven capable of cooking rice using microwaves, which includes a water absorption period regulating means for regulating a water absorption period immediately after the start of rice cooking, and a water absorption period regulating means that quickly adjusts the water absorption temperature at the beginning of the water absorption period. a first microwave output specifying means for specifying a first microwave output to reach a predetermined value; and a first microwave output specifying means for specifying a first microwave output to reach a predetermined value; and a first microwave output device that is switched in the middle of the water absorption period and for maintaining the water absorption temperature at the predetermined value. and second microwave specifying means for specifying a second microwave output smaller than the output.

(e) Effect When cooking rice using microwaves by placing a bowl containing about 1/2 cup of rice and an appropriate amount of water in a heating chamber where microwaves are supplied, a water absorption period is provided immediately after the rice starts cooking. Water absorption takes place. At the beginning of this water absorption, a first microwave output is specified, and the water absorption temperature quickly reaches a predetermined value based on this first microwave output, and then a second microwave output smaller than the first microwave output is specified. is specified for switching, and the water absorption temperature is maintained at the predetermined value based on this second microwave output. As a result, water absorption of rice is promoted at an appropriate water absorption temperature, and rice can be cooked deliciously even if the amount of rice is small in subsequent rice cooking control.

(f) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of a microwave oven according to an embodiment of the present invention. On the front side of the microwave oven body 1, there is a door 2 for opening and closing the front opening of a built-in heating chamber (not shown), and an operation part 3. is provided. This operation unit 3 has a plurality of menu keys 4.4...,
It has a start key 5, etc.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit of the microwave oven, which is provided with a control section 6 consisting of a microcomputer or the like that controls the microwave oven. The control section drives and controls the magnetron 7, which supplies microwaves for heating food into the heating chamber, based on operation information from the operation section 3.

Therefore, when cooking rice with a small amount of rice (80 g), about 1/2 cup, place a bowl containing this small amount of rice and an appropriate amount of water (120 cci) in a heating chamber that is supplied with microwaves. When the rice cooking menu key 4 and the start key 5 are operated on the operation section 3, the control section 6 performs rice cooking control based on a control program built into itself as shown in FIG. The cooking temperature changes as shown in FIG.

First, in step S1, the control unit 6 generates a relatively large first microwave output P 1 a (
= 250W) and the first water absorption time tlB (=2 minutes) to output the first microwave output Pla (the magnetron 7 is driven and controlled, and the first
Wait for the water absorption time tla to elapse. At this time, the water absorption temperature rapidly rises to 1 and reaches a predetermined value of about 60° C. by the time the first water absorption time -tla has elapsed.

When this first water absorption time tla has elapsed, the control unit 6 controls the S
In 3 steps, the second microwave output P 1 b (=30W) and the second water absorption time tlb for the second water absorption step are
(=8 minutes), drive control of the magnetron 7 to output the second microwave output Plb, and S
Wait for the second water absorption time tlb to elapse in step 4. The second microwave output Plb is smaller than the first microwave output Pla. At this time, the water absorption temperature is about 60
The above predetermined value of ~65°C is maintained.

In this way, water absorption of the rice is promoted at an appropriate water absorption temperature, and a foundation has been created in which rice can be cooked deliciously even with a small amount of rice in subsequent rice cooking control.

When the second water absorption time tib has elapsed, the control unit 6 next sets the microwave output P2 (=500W) and the heating time t2 (=1 minute 45W) for the heating process in step S5.
2), the magnetron 7 is driven and controlled to output the microwave output P2, and the heating time t2 is waited for in step S6. At this time, the rice cooking temperature rises even more quickly and reaches a temperature of 98° C. for converting starch into a by the time the heating time t2 has elapsed.

There is no boiling over at this start-up.

During the above-mentioned heating [t2 has elapsed, the control section 6 then
Switch and specify the microwave output P3 (=100W) and cooking time 13 (=14 minutes) for the cooking process using the step knob 7, and drive the magnetron 7 to output the microwave output P3. and waits for the cooking time t3 to elapse in step S8. At this time, the cooking temperature is maintained at about 98°C, and the starch is gelatinized without boiling over.

When the above-mentioned cooking time t3 has elapsed, the control section 6 then switches the microwave output P, 5 (=80W) and the unevenness time t4 (=5 minutes) for the unevenness process in step S9. 1 to output the microwave output P4.
The magnetron 7 is driven and controlled, and in step S10, it waits for the above-mentioned irregularity time t4 to elapse. At this time, the gelatinization of starch progresses evenly.

When the above-mentioned irregularity time t4 has elapsed, the control section 6 then:
In the Sll step, microwave output P3 (=500Wi and additional cooking time t5 (=30 seconds) for the additional cooking process
is specified, the magnetron 7 is driven and controlled to output the microwave output P5, and in step S12, it waits for the additional cooking time I3 to elapse. At this time, excess water evaporates and the wateriness disappears.

This completes the rice cooking, but in the second rice cooking, a water absorption period is provided immediately after the rice cooking starts. At the beginning of this water absorption period, the water absorption temperature quickly reaches a predetermined value of about 60°C, and then the water absorption temperature is maintained at the above predetermined value, thereby promoting water absorption of rice to an appropriate water absorption temperature. It has a big influence, and even if the amount of rice is small, the rice will be deliciously cooked.

Moreover, the time required for water absorption is as short as 10 minutes, including the first and second water absorption times tla and tlb, which does not prevent rice cooking from being made in a shorter time.

Incidentally, for each water absorption temperature, after 10 minutes of water absorption time and 20 minutes
The water absorption rate after 5 minutes was experimentally determined and was as shown in the table below.

As can be seen from the above clothing, the water absorption rate in the water absorption process of the above example, where the water absorption temperature is about 60°C and the water absorption time is about 10 minutes, is the same as when the water absorption temperature is 20°C, which is room temperature, and the water absorption time is 20 minutes. approximately equal to the rate.

It can be seen that in the above example, approximately 10 minutes of water absorption time was saved.

In FIG. 3 according to the above embodiment, the 5i-ss4S4 step is the water absorption period specifying means of the present invention, the S1 step is the first microwave output specifying means of the present invention, and the S3 step is the second microwave output specifying means of the present invention. It is now clear that they correspond to each other.

In addition, when cooking with 1 cup or 2 cups of rice,
All you have to do is press the rice cooking menu key 4 twice and three times. In this case, the bowl is too small, so use a container with a capacity of about 1.5 i. Regarding this rice cooking control, the above-mentioned outputs and times are changed as shown in the following table.

[Margin below]

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, water absorption of rice is promoted at an appropriate water absorption temperature, and even if there are few rice leaves, delicious rice without a core can be cooked, and in addition, the time required for this water absorption is Since the cooking time can be shortened, the cooking time can be shortened, and a practical microwave oven can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings relate to a TF-range according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram, FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control program, and FIG. 4 is a temperature characteristic diagram during rice cooking. 6...control unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a microwave oven capable of cooking rice using microwaves, a water absorption period regulating means for regulating a water absorption period immediately after the start of rice cooking, and a first microwave for causing the water absorption temperature to quickly reach a predetermined value at the beginning of the water absorption period. a first microwave output specifying means for specifying an output; and a second microwave output that is switched in the middle of the water absorption period and is smaller than the first microwave output for maintaining the water absorption temperature at the predetermined value. A microwave oven characterized by comprising second microwave designation means.