JPH05302721A - Heating cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure easy observation of a display on a menu display part upon a user selecting a cooking menu in a heating cooker where many kinds of cooking menus are executable. CONSTITUTION:In a cooking menu display part 23, there are printed many kinds of cooking menus classified into the groups of cooking menus, and an LED 25 is provided for each cooking menu. On the back surface side of the cooking menu display part 23 back lights are provided corresponding to upper and lower three stages of the cooking menu groups. As a dial 29 is rotated, LEDs 25 corresponding to the respective cooking menus are lighted one by one to select a proper cooking menu. Thereupon, only a group of cooking menus to which the just-mentioned cooking menu belongs are illuminated from the back thereof for bright display.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heating cooker such as a microwave oven which automatically performs cooking based on a selected cooking menu.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a microwave oven, a microcomputer or the like stores a cooking program corresponding to a plurality of cooking menus in advance, and a user selects an arbitrary one from the plurality of cooking menus. Then, the one in which the heating cooking is automatically executed by the corresponding cooking program is provided.

This type of microwave oven is constructed by providing an operation panel 1 as shown in FIG. 8 on the front surface of the main body. At the center of the operation panel 1, a plurality of selection keys 2 corresponding to a cooking menu group such as "side dish" and "sweets / bread" are arranged vertically. On the left side of the selection key 2, a menu display section 3 having a cooking menu printed on the surface is provided.

The menu display unit 3 includes a plurality of cooking menus belonging to a cooking menu group of "side dishes" such as "boiled vegetables of leaf vegetables" and "boiled vegetables of root vegetables", and "cookie special course" and "cookie special course". A plurality of cooking menus belonging to a cooking menu group of "sweets and bread" such as "cake special course" are printed, and LEDs 4 corresponding to the respective cooking menus are provided.

In this case, when the user wants to perform automatic cooking, the user first presses any one of the selection keys 2 to specify the cooking menu group, and further the selection key 2 is selected. The cooking menu is selected by repeating the pressing operation of. For example, when the user wants to select “meat and potatoes / boiled food”, first, the selection key 2 of “side dish” is operated (at this time, the L of “leaf vegetable boiled food” at the top
If ED4 lights up) and the selection key 2 for "side dish" is operated twice, the lighting of the LEDs 4 moves in sequence, and the LEDs 4 for "meat and potatoes" turn on. After that, if the start key 5 is operated, automatic cooking according to the cooking program for "meat and potatoes" is executed.

[0006]

By the way, in recent years,
The number of cooking menus tends to increase with the diversification of user's tastes and improvement of functions of microwave ovens. However, when the number of cooking menus increases in this way, the number of written cooking menus increases and the display of the menu display unit 3 becomes complicated, which makes it difficult for the user to select the cooking menu. Was occurring.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to enable execution of various kinds of cooking menus, and to provide a menu display unit when a user selects a cooking menu. It is to provide a heating cooker that can make the display easy to see.

[0008]

The cooking device of the present invention comprises:
A translucent cooking menu display section that displays a plurality of cooking menu groups each including a plurality of cooking menus, a light-emitting element provided on the cooking menu display section for each cooking menu, and the cooking menu display A backlight provided on the back surface of the section for illuminating each of the cooking menu groups from behind, and operating means for selecting the cooking menu;
The present invention is characterized in that the light emitting element corresponding to the cooking menu selected by the operation of the operating means is turned on and the control means for turning on only the backlight corresponding to the cooking menu group to which the cooking menu belongs.

Further, it is effective if the operating means is constituted by a dial, and the cooking menu is selected by the turning operation thereof.

[0010]

According to the above means, the user can select a desired cooking menu corresponding to the lighting of the light emitting element by operating the operating means while looking at the cooking menu display section. At this time, the cooking menu display unit is translucent, and each cooking menu group is illuminated from behind by the backlight. However, the control unit controls the backlight corresponding to the cooking menu group to which the selected cooking menu belongs. Only the lights are turned on, and only the cooking menu group is illuminated from behind.

Therefore, even in the cooking menu display section having a large number of cooking menus, only a necessary part of the cooking menus is brightly displayed and becomes conspicuous, which makes it easy for the user to see.

Further, if the operating means is composed of a dial, the operation becomes easier as compared with the case where the select key is pressed many times, and the function of a plurality of select keys can be achieved by one dial. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts and save space.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a microwave oven with an oven function will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 6 shows an external view of a microwave oven which is a heating cooker. In the main body 11 of the microwave oven, a cooking chamber 12 and a machine room (not shown) are provided side by side. As shown in FIG. 7, an oven heater 13 for oven cooking, a grill heater 14 for grill cooking, and the like are provided in the cooking chamber 12, and a magnetron 15 for range cooking and the like are provided in the machine chamber. It is provided.

The oven heater 13 and the grill heater 1
4, the magnetron 15 and the magnetron 15 are controlled by a microcomputer 16 provided in a machine room via drive circuits 17, 18 and 19, respectively. With this, the microcomputer 16
Depending on the selected cooking menu as described below
The oven heater 13, the grill heater 14, the magnetron 15 and the like are controlled to automatically heat and cook the food contained in the cooking chamber 12.

On the front surface of the main body 11, a door 20 for opening and closing the cooking chamber 12 is rotatably provided, and an operation panel 21 is provided. Hereinafter, the operation panel 21 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

First, on the upper part of the operation panel 21, there is provided a time display section 22 for digitally displaying cooking time and the like. A cooking menu display section 23 is provided immediately below the time display section 22. The cooking menu display section 23 is configured by printing various kinds of cooking menus on a translucent panel.
These cooking menus are "warm. Vegetables. Defrost",
It is roughly classified into three cooking menu groups of "heartful cooking" and "bread. Confectionery", and the upper menu part 23a, the middle menu part 23b, and the lower menu part 2 of the cooking menu display part 23, respectively.
It is printed on 3c.

In the upper part 23a, "warming. Vegetables. Defrosting" as a title of the cooking menu group is printed on the upper part, and cooking menus such as "rice" and "side dishes" are arranged in two rows on the lower part. It is printed. In addition, the middle section 23
Similarly, in b and the lower part 23c, under the title of the cooking menu group of "heartful cooking" and "bread. confectionery", "rice cooked", "red rice" ... and "cookie", "cake" ... The cooking menu is printed.

On the back side of the cooking menu display section 23, an upper section 23a, a middle section 23b and a lower section 23 are provided.
A backlight 24 (illustrated only in FIG. 7) is provided corresponding to each of c. In this case, the titles of the cooking menu groups are printed so that they are always displayed to the user regardless of whether the backlight 24 is turned on. However, as shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. Is printed so that it rises brightly only when it is illuminated from behind by the backlight 24 and becomes dark as a whole when the backlight 24 is turned off.

Further, the cooking menu display section 23 is provided with an LED 25 as a light emitting element for each cooking menu. The backlights 24 and the LEDs 25 are
As shown in FIG. 7, the microcomputer 16 controls lighting and extinguishing via display circuits 26 and 27.

With this, as will be described later in detail, one LED 25 corresponding to the cooking menu is selectively turned on in response to the user's selection operation of the cooking menu, and the cooking to which the cooking menu belongs. The backlight 24 corresponding to the menu group is selectively turned on. Therefore, the microcomputer 16 functions as the control means in the present invention.
The time display unit 22 is also the microcomputer 16
Is controlled via the display circuit 28.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation panel 21
A dial 29, which is an operation means for a user to select a cooking menu, is provided in the lower part of the so as to be rotatable and pressed. When the dial 29 is rotated, a pulse switch 30 (illustrated only in FIG. 7) is operated, and as shown in FIG. 7, a pulse signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the dial 29 is output from the pulse switch 30. , And is input to the microcomputer 16 via the menu and time setting circuit 31.

In the present embodiment, this dial 29
Also serves as a cooking start button, and when it is pressed, the start switch 32 (shown only in FIG. 7) is operated. This start switch 32
Is also input to the microcomputer 16 via the key switch circuit 33.

The microcomputer 16 stores a cooking program corresponding to each of the above cooking menus and executes automatic cooking according to the user's selection. In this case, when the dial 29 is rotated, the microcomputer 16 turns on the LEDs 25 of the cooking menu display unit 23 in sequence and turns on the backlight 24 in accordance with the turning angle of the dial 29. , The user stops the rotation of the dial 29 when the LED 25 of the desired cooking menu is lit, and presses the dial 29 in that state so that the cooking menu is automatically executed. It has become.

Below the dial 29, "range", "toaster", "oven", "temperature control" for executing manual cooking (cooking in which the user sets the mode and time of cooking) A manual key 34 such as "" is provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the signals of these manual keys 34 are also
Input is made to the microcomputer 16 via the key switch circuit 33. Here, when manual cooking is selected, the function of the dial 29 is switched for time setting, and the cooking time can be set by rotating operation.

In this case, as shown in FIG.
A function display lamp 35 for displaying the current function of the dial 29 is provided in the upper left portion of the dial 9, and when "auto select" is lit, the dial 29 is rotated to operate the cooking menu as described above. Is selected and "time" is lit, the time can be set by rotating the dial 29. The set time at this time is displayed on the time display unit 22.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The food is accommodated in the cooking chamber 12 and the door 2
When 0 is closed, microcomputer 16
The control is performed according to the procedure shown in the flowchart.

That is, when the door 20 is closed, first, the "auto select" of the function display lamp 35 is turned on (step S1). Then, in this state, when any one of the manual keys 34 is pressed to set the mode of manual cooking (Yes in step S2), it is determined that the course of manual cooking is selected, and the function display lamp is displayed. 35 is switched to "time" lighting (step S3).

Thereafter, when the dial 29 is rotated (Yes in step S4), the cooking time is displayed on the time display unit 22 according to the amount of rotation (step S5), and the user Stops the operation when the desired time is displayed. This means that the cooking mode and time have been set, and when the dial 29 is then pressed (started) (Yes in step S6), the set cooking is executed (step S7). ..

On the other hand, when the user does not press the manual key 34 (No in step S2) and rotates the dial 29 (Yes in step S8), it is determined that the automatic cooking course has been selected. It Here, when the user turns the dial 29, the LEDs 25 corresponding to each cooking menu of the cooking menu display section 23 are sequentially turned on one by one. In this case, the dial 29 is turned to the right (clockwise). ) Direction (Y at step S9)
es), and the LED 25 is turned on sequentially from the top cooking menu (“rice”) (step S).
10).

When the dial 29 is rotated to the left (counterclockwise) (No in step S9), the LED2
The lighting of No. 5 proceeds in the returning direction (step S11). Therefore, now, the "rice" LED25
If the dial 29 is turned to the left while is lit, the LED 25 of the last "pizza" will be turned on, and by turning it further to the left, "pound cake" and "Madeleine" will be displayed. The LED 25 is turned on in the order of "...". The user selects one of the cooking menus displayed on the cooking menu display unit 23 by turning on the LED 25 as described above.

At this time, the LED 24 is turned on and the backlight 24 is turned on (step S12). In this case, one of the three backlights 24 is selectively operated. Only the cooking menu group to which the cooking menu of the currently lit LED 25 is lit is illuminated from behind and displayed brightly.

Specifically, from "rice" to "fish and shellfish"
LE of the cooking menu of "Warm. Vegetables. Thaw" up to
When D25 is lit, the upper part 23a is illuminated by the backlight 24 (see FIG. 2), and when the LED 25 of the "heart-full cooking" cooking menu from "rice cooking" to "steaming" is lit. , The middle part 23b is illuminated by the backlight 24 (see FIG. 3), and when the LED 25 of the cooking menu of "bread.confectionery" from "cookie" to "pizza" is lit, the lower part 23c.
Are illuminated by the backlight 24 (see FIG. 4).

When the dial 29 is pressed (started) after such a selection of the cooking menu (Yes in step S13), the selected cooking menu (corresponding to the lit LED 25) is selected. The automatic cooking of is executed (step S14).

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the user selects a desired cooking menu, the backlight 24 corresponding to the cooking menu group to which the selected cooking menu belongs.
Only the cooking menus are illuminated from behind.

Therefore, unlike the conventional one in which the display of the menu display section 3 is complicated and it is difficult for the user to select the cooking menu, the cooking menu display section 23 having a large number of cooking menus is provided. In addition, only a necessary part of the cooking menu is displayed brightly and becomes conspicuous, and the display is very easy to see for the user, and the selection operation can be easily performed.

Further, in particular, in this embodiment, since the cooking menu is selected by rotating the dial 29, the operation is extremely difficult as compared with the conventional case where the selection key 2 is pressed many times. It will be easy. Further, since the function of the plurality of selection keys 2 and the function of the start button are performed by one dial 29, the operation panel 21
The number of parts above can be reduced, and the size of the cooking menu display unit 23 can be increased, so that the cooking menu display unit 23 can be more easily seen by the user.

In the above embodiment, the cooking menu is selected by rotating the dial 29. However, the cooking menu may be selected by pressing the selection key, and the dial and start button may be selected. The present invention may be provided separately, and the present invention can be appropriately modified and implemented within the scope not departing from the gist.

[0038]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the heating cooker of the present invention, only the backlight corresponding to the cooking menu group to which the selected cooking menu belongs is turned on and only the cooking menu group is selected. Since it is lit from behind, it is possible to execute various kinds of cooking menus, and it is possible to make it easier to see the menu display when the user selects a cooking menu. Produce an effect.

In addition to the above effects, if the operation means is constituted by a dial, the selection operation of the cooking menu can be made easier, and the number of parts can be reduced and the space can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an operation panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state where the upper part of the cooking menu display is illuminated.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state where the middle section of the cooking menu display section is illuminated.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state where the lower part of the cooking menu display section is illuminated.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for selecting a cooking menu.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a microwave oven.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing an electrical configuration.

FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

In the drawings, 11 is a main body, 12 is a cooking chamber, 16 is a microcomputer (control means), 21 is an operation panel, 23 is a cooking menu display section, 24 is a backlight, and 25 is an LED.
(Light emitting element) and 29 are dials (operating means).

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A translucent cooking menu display section for displaying a plurality of cooking menu groups consisting of a plurality of cooking menus in a case of performing heating cooking based on a selected cooking menu, and the cooking menu display. A light emitting element provided corresponding to each of the cooking menus, a backlight for illuminating each of the cooking menu groups from the back provided on the back of the cooking menu display, and an operation for selecting the cooking menu Means and a control means for turning on the light emitting element corresponding to the cooking menu selected by the operation of the operating means and turning on only the backlight corresponding to the cooking menu group to which the cooking menu belongs. Cooker to cook. 2. The heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein the operating means comprises a dial for selecting a cooking menu by a rotating operation.