JPH0565172B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a control device for a grill that is equipped with a timer for automatically stopping heating when the operating time exceeds a predetermined time.

[Prior Art] For example, a gas grill is equipped with an opening/closing door on the front side of the gas stove, etc., and it is not easy to determine from the outside whether the grill burner is burning or not. For this reason,
As with the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 61-38322, in consideration of safety against forgetting to turn off the fire, the system automatically heats up the grill or other cooking device after a certain period of time (for example, 15 minutes) has passed since the start of use. There are cooker safety devices that are equipped with a timer to stop the cooking.

In such cases, it is possible to set the timer's operating time arbitrarily, not only from the standpoint of safety but also from the standpoint of ease of use, as proposed in the utility model registration application in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 58-46949. There are gas appliances.

As described above, some cooking appliances and the like equipped with a timer stop heating when the timer ends, and notify the user of the end of the grill operation using a notification device such as a buzzer.

On the other hand, many burners and gas appliances, including grill burners, have an electromagnetic safety valve opened by the electromotive force of the thermocouple during combustion, which prevents a misfire and prevents the thermostat from heating up. Many devices are used that automatically close the gas passage when the temperature of the couple drops.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In general, when cooking with a grill, if the heating is stopped midway through before the cooking is finished, the cooking will be incomplete, and even if the food is reheated, the food will not have the appropriate amount of moisture. It is necessary to continue heating until the end of cooking because the flavor may not be maintained or the taste may deteriorate.

On the other hand, with conventional grills, heating automatically ends after a certain time set by a timer or an arbitrarily set operating time, and at this time an alarm alerts the user that heating has ended. By the time you notice that the heating has finished due to the notification, the heating has already stopped, and if the timer setting is inappropriate and the cooking is insufficient, then However, it will be necessary to perform the ignition operation again and reheat it.
As mentioned above, problems such as poor taste occur.

Further, in this case, if the temperature of the thermo couple drops, it is necessary to continue operating the ignition operation button etc. until the thermo couple is sufficiently heated, which is very troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a control device that makes it easy to use a grill continuously for a required period of time while ensuring safety by limiting the operating time of the grill using a timer.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a control device for a grill that includes a timer that starts operating in connection with an operation for starting use of a grill and operates for a certain period of time, and that operates a heating source only while the timer is operating. The technical means includes providing a notification means for giving a notification a predetermined time before the end of the operation of the timer, and an operation time extension means for extending the operation time of the timer.

[Function] In the present invention, when the start-of-use operation is performed, the timer starts operating, the grill is simultaneously operated, and the heating source performs heating.

When the specified time elapses before the timer ends,
Notification is performed by the notification means.

Based on this notification, the user senses that the grill is nearing the end of its operation, and if the user feels that there is insufficient heating time for the food to be cooked, the user operates the operation time extension means to activate the timer. The time can be extended.

Therefore, the grill continues to operate and heat continues as the timer's operating time is extended.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the operation time of the grill can be extended based on the notification before the operation of the heat source in the grill ends. This can prevent heating from being stopped midway due to heating if the time is insufficient.

Therefore, cooking failures due to insufficient cooking time can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the case of a gas grill or the like in which the heating source is a burner, there is no need for an operation to relight the fire when the fire is extinguished, which eliminates the hassle.

[Example] Next, the present invention will be explained based on examples.

FIG. 2 shows a gas stove 1 equipped with a grill control device of the present invention. Two gas stoves 2 and 3 are provided on the top surface of the gas stove 1, and the front side of the gas stove 1 is provided with two gas stoves 2 and 3. includes a grill opening/closing door 4a for taking food in and out of the grill 4, which has an inner grill box inside the gas stove 1, and an on/off button for operating each gas stove 2, 3 and the grill 4, respectively. 5, 6, 7, and an operation panel 20 for setting the operating state of each gas stove 2, 3 and grill 4.

Each gas stove 2, 3 performs a normal heating operation, and also has a safety function that stops combustion when the temperature of the food to be cooked rises above a certain temperature. stove burner 2a,
In the center of 3a, there is a temperature sensor 2 with a built-in thermistor for detecting the temperature of a cooking container such as a pot.
A control circuit 30, which will be described later, performs safety control based on the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 2b and 3b, thereby ensuring safety.

Around the temperature sensors 2b, 3b, the temperature sensors 2b, 3 are heated by the flames of the stove burners 2a, 3a.
In order to avoid affecting the detected temperature of b.
Fireproof walls 2c and 3c are provided.

Each of the temperature sensors 2b and 3b is supported by a spring (not shown) in an upward direction of the gas table 1, so that the detection part comes into elastic contact with the cooking container, etc. .

A grill burner 4 consisting of two burners arranged above and below each stove burner 2a, 3a and the grill opening/closing door 4a and placed above and below the food to be cooked.
As shown in FIG. 3, fuel supply pipes 8a, 8b, and 8c branched from a gas pipe 8 connected to a fuel gas supply port (not shown) are connected to b.

Further, each burner 2a, 3a, 4b has ignition electrodes 2d, 3d,
4d, and thermocouples 2e, 3e, and 4e that sense combustion heat and generate electromotive force.

Each fuel supply pipe 8a, 8b, 8c is provided with an integrated valve mechanism 11, 12, 13 for shutting off fuel gas and adjusting the amount of gas.

Valve function parts constituting each valve mechanism 11, 12, 13 include fuel control valves 11a, 12a, 13a, main valve 1
1b, 12b, 13b, electromagnetic safety valve 11c, 12
There are c and 13c.

The opening degree of each fuel control valve 11a, 12a, 13a is changed by a gas amount control lever 5a, 6a, 7a provided on the front of the gas table 1, and the amount of fuel supplied to each burner is adjusted.

The main valves 11b, 12b, 13b are connected to the ignition/extinguishing buttons 5, 6 provided on the front of the gas stove 1,
It opens and closes in response to the operation of 7, and has a cam mechanism that alternately changes between an open state and a closed state by pressing the ignition/extinguishing buttons 5, 6, and 7.

The electromagnetic safety valves 11c, 12c, 13 are opened and closed in connection with the opening and closing operations of the respective main valves 11b, 12b, 13b, and are maintained in the closed state when the main valves 11b, 12b, 13b are in the closed state.
b, 12b, 13b when changing from the closed state to the open state, if the ignition/extinguishing button 5, 6, 7 is continued as it is, the open state is maintained, and the push operation is released (stopped). When the main valves 11b, 12b, 13b are maintained in the open position by the cam mechanism, the thermocouples 2e, 3e, 4e are connected to separately provided coils.
It remains open only when a current value above a certain value is energized, and when the current value is small,
It becomes closed and gas supply is stopped.

In addition, in the valve mechanisms 11, 12, 13, ignition/extinguishing buttons 5, 6, 7 are pressed when the main valves 11b, 12b, 13b are changed from the closed state to the open state. Ignition switches 11d, 12d, 13d are provided, which close the contacts only in the event of an accident.

In addition, each of the extinguishing buttons 5, 6, and 7 is equipped with a signal switch 11e, 12e, and 13e for detecting the valve-opening position in order to detect the valve-opening position at which each main valve 11b, 12b, and 13b is opened. It is equipped.

In the gas table 1 having the above configuration,
Each burner is controlled by a control circuit 30 provided within the gas table 1.

The control circuit 30 is formed mainly of a microcomputer, and as shown in FIG.
It consists of functional parts such as stove control parts 31, 32 and grill control part 33 corresponding to each burner.

When the ignition switches 11d, 12d linked to the ignition/extinguishing buttons 5, 6 close their contacts, each stove control section 31, 32 discharges a spark at the ignition electrodes 2d, 3d, and causes each stove burner 2a, 3a to discharge a spark. starts burning.

Also, during the combustion of each stove burner 2a, 3a,
The coils of the electromagnetic safety valves 11c and 12c are energized by the outputs from the thermocouples 2e and 3e to attract the valve bodies and maintain them in the open state. If each stove burner 2a, 3a misfires due to boiled over food, etc., and the output of the thermocouples 2e, 3e decreases, the current flowing to the electromagnetic safety valves 11c, 12c decreases, Because it cannot absorb the body,
As a misfire detection state, the electromagnetic safety valves 11c and 12c are closed, and the supply of fuel gas is stopped.

Further, during combustion, automatic stop control is also performed to monitor the temperature of the food to be cooked based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensors 2b and 3b of the cooking container such as a pot to prevent overheating.

Controls to prevent overheating include a low-cut operation that stops the fuel supply when the temperature of the food to be cooked exceeds approximately 130°C to prevent burning when cooking simmered dishes, etc. There are two types of operation: a high-cut operation in which the temperature limit is further increased to about 250°C, and in this embodiment, the selector switch 21b provided on the operation panel 20,
21c, the operation mode is switched each time the operation is performed, and corresponding to the switching of the operation mode, the green LEDs 22b, 22c and the red LEDs 23b, 23 provided near the on/off buttons 5, 6 are activated.
c indicates each mode of low-cut operation and high-cut operation.

In order to perform safer operation, the machine enters a low-cut operating mode with a lower temperature limit upon starting use, and when the selector switches 21b and 21c are pressed, the operating mode changes to high-cut operating mode. When the temperature is detected, the power supply to the electromagnetic safety valves 11c and 12c is stopped, and the fuel supply is stopped.

In this case, the ignition/extinguishing buttons 5 and 6 are the main valve 11
Since only the electromagnetic safety valves 11c and 12c are closed while keeping the electromagnetic safety valves 11c and 12b open, a buzzer 34, which will be described later, is used to indicate that automatic stop control based on temperature detection has been performed. Inform the user of this, and then press the on/off button 5.
Prompts the main valves 11b and 12b to close by pressing 6.

This notification is for each LED 22b, 22c, 23b, 23c that is lit when automatic stop control is performed.
may be changed to a blinking operation.

In the control of the grill 4 by the grill control unit 33,
As in the case of each of the stove burners 2a and 3a above, the thermocouple 4 for the grill burner 4b
While safety control is performed by detecting misfires and the like using e, safety is ensured against overheating by limiting the heating time rather than by temperature detection.

For this purpose, the grill control section 33 is equipped with a timer section 33a.

The timer section 33a starts operating when the ignition/extinguishing button 7 is pressed and the signal switch 13e closes its contact, and normally after 15 minutes have passed, the timer section 33a starts operating.
It acts to automatically close the electromagnetic safety valve 13c and stop the supply of fuel gas.

The timer section 33a also has timer setting keys 24 and 7 on the operation panel 20 in order to set the operating time.
It is equipped with a time display part 25 that displays the operating time in two-digit Arabic numerals depending on the segment,
Any time within minutes can be set as the operating time.

Here, as mentioned above, 15
After the minute is set, if the timer setting key 24 is pressed, the set time becomes 1 minute, and thereafter, each time the timer setting key 24 is pressed, the set time advances by 1 minute. ,Max
You can set 15 minutes.

In this way, in the timer section 33a, the set time is advanced by pressing the timer setting key 24, so as long as the timer section 33a is operating, the set time can be changed at any time using the timer setting key 24. Can be extended. Therefore, if the timer setting key 24 is not operated, heating will automatically end in 15 minutes, but the timer section 33a
If you operate the timer setting key 24 before the operation of the grill burners 4 ends, you can easily extend the operation time.
B can be used continuously without being extinguished, reducing cooking failures.

Furthermore, even when the operating time is set using the timer setting key 24, the operating time can be extended in the same way, so even if the preset time is not appropriate, heating can be performed continuously.

In addition, the time display section 25 displays the time in minutes when the operating time of the timer section 33a is one minute or more, and displays the time in seconds when the operating time is less than one minute. When an extension operation is performed, 1 minute is set in the first operation, and the operating time is increased by minutes thereafter.

In particular, in the present invention, in order to easily extend the operating time of the timer section 33a, a buzzer 3 is used as a notification means to notify that the end of heating by the grill burner 4b is approaching.
4 are provided.

This buzzer 34 is designed to perform a notification operation 30 seconds before the timer section 33a extinguishes the grill burner 4b.
By operating the timer setting key 24 in response to the notification, the usage time of the grill burner 4b can be extended without fail. Therefore, when it is desired to continue using the grill burner 4b, there is no possibility that the grill burner 4b will be extinguished because it is in a hot state.

Furthermore, the buzzer 34 notifies you when the operation of the timer section 33a ends, and even after the end of the operation, repeats the notification every 1 minute until the valve closing operation (extinguishing operation) of the main valve 13b is performed using the ignition extinguishing button 7. and prompts the user to perform the above operation (closing the main valve 13b).

Further, the grill control unit 33 is provided with an ignition lamp 26 close to the ignition/extinguishing button 7 for indicating the ignition of the grill burner 4b.

The ignition lamp 26 is turned on when the temperature detected by the thermocouple 4e provided close to the grill burner 4b reaches a predetermined temperature or higher, and is turned off when the detected temperature falls, indicating a misfire detection state. be done.

In the grill control unit 33, even though the main valve 13b is not closed by the ignition/extinguishing button 7 and the signal switch 13e is in a state where the contact is closed, the electromagnetic safety valve 13c is closed due to misfire detection or the like. In this case, the buzzer 34 notifies the user.

This notification may be made by changing the ignition lamp 26 to a blinking operation.

In addition, the lock lever 9 provided on the front of the gas stove 1 makes it impossible to press the extinguishing buttons 5, 6, and 7 to prevent young people from inadvertently operating the ignition. It locks like this.

Next, the operation of the grill 4 in the gas stove 1 of this embodiment having the above configuration will be explained based on FIG. 4.

At time t1, when the user operates and presses the ignition/extinguishing button 7, the main valve 13b opens and the electromagnetic safety valve 13c opens, supplying fuel gas to the grill burner 4b.

At this time, the signal switch 13e and the ignition switch 13d close their contacts, and in the grill control section 33, the timer section 33a starts operating in response to the closing operation of the signal switch 13e.
A number indicating 15 minutes appears on the time display section 25, and in parallel with these, a spark discharge is performed at the ignition electrode 4d by a high voltage generating circuit (not shown).

In the grill burner 4b, the supplied fuel gas is ignited and ignited, thereby heating the thermocouple 4e.

When the temperature of the thermocouple 4e rises sufficiently at time t2, the ignition is detected based on the output of the thermocouple 4e, the ignition lamp 26 indicates ignition, and the electromagnetic safety valve 13c is attracted and maintained in the open state. be done.

When the user releases the push operation of the ignition/extinguishing button 7 in response to the display on the ignition lamp 26, the main valve 13b is maintained in the open state by the cam mechanism, and at this time, the electromagnetic safety valve 13c is maintained in the open state. Therefore, fuel gas is continuously supplied to the grill burner 4b.

After confirming the ignition of the grill burner 4b, the user operates the timer setting key 24 as necessary to set the usage time of the grill 4, and the displayed time on the time display section 25 changes, and the timer section 33a changes.
The operation time of the timer section 33a is set correspondingly, and the operation time T of the timer section 33a is set by the above operation, and the operation end time of the timer section 33a is correspondingly set to, for example, time tn.

While the grill 4 is cooking, the timer section 33
The operating time T of a gradually decreases with the passage of time, and the display time of the time display section 25 decreases correspondingly.

When the remaining operating time T of the timer section 33a is less than 1 minute and the remaining time T3 reaches 30 seconds at time t3, the buzzer 3
The notification is made by 4.

In this case, the buzzer 34 is driven by five pulse signals with small pulse widths, such as those shown in FIG. 5, to help the user notice that the operating time of the timer section 33a is approaching. There is.

Therefore, the user checks the cooking status of the food to be cooked, and if the heating time is short and the cooking is insufficient, press the timer setting key 2 as shown in the dashed line.
4 can be operated to extend the operating time T of the timer section 33a.

As a result, due to the extension of the operating time T, the operating end time becomes time t4, and heating can be performed continuously from the start of use of the grill 4 until time t4.

Therefore, heating is stopped during cooking,
No more cooking mistakes due to incomplete cooking.

At time t4, the operating time T of the timer section 33a
is completed, the time displayed on the time display section 25 becomes 0 minutes, the electromagnetic safety valve 13c is closed, and the fire extinguishing operation of the grill burner 4b is performed.

At this time, the buzzer 34 notifies that the fire extinguishing operation has been performed.

In this case, the buzzer 34 is driven by five pulse signals with increased pulse widths as shown in FIG. Valve 13b
This is suitable for prompting the valve to close.

When the valve is closed using the ignition/extinguishing button 7, the opening lock of the main valve 13b is released and the main valve 13b is closed.
The signal switch 13e is turned off, and the time display section 2
The display of 5 disappears.

In the above embodiment, after the ignition operation, the timer section 3
3a, but in order to perform a large number of dishes, even if no particular cooking time is set, the timer section 33a will operate when notified by the buzzer 34 30 seconds before the end of its operation. Since you only need to extend the time, there is no need to worry about the fire being extinguished in the middle of cooking.

In addition, if the operation time is not extended using the timer setting key 24, the grill burner 4b will be automatically extinguished after a certain operation time, for example, 15 minutes after the ignition operation, so the operation time of the timer section 33a will not be changed. If there is time left, grill the food 4
Even if you take it out from inside and forget to use the extinguish button 7, the timer 33a
Since the electromagnetic safety valve 13c is closed at the end of the operation, the grill 4 will not be overheated and is safe.

(Modified Example) (A) In the above embodiment, the alarm operation is performed 30 seconds before the extinguishing operation of the grill burner 4b is performed, but the alarm operation is configured to be performed one minute before the extinguishing operation, but it is possible to check the cooking status of the food to be cooked. You may allow some leeway. In addition, 1
If you have a double-sided grill, you can check the cooking status by turning the food over, and if it is not cooked enough, you can extend the timer.

(a) Since the time for checking the doneness of cooking differs depending on the amount and type of food to be cooked, it may be possible to switch between the above-mentioned 30 seconds before and 1 minute before, or to make it variable.

(C) In the above embodiment, the buzzer 34 was used as the notification means, but a melody, chime, or "XX
The notification may be made by voice synthesis such as "Seconds ago".

(D) In the above embodiment, the ignition lamp 26 was provided to notify the ignition of the grill burner 4b.
The time display section 25 may be used for displaying the ignition without providing an ignition lamp for the grill 4.

To this end, the time display section 25 does not display the time when the ignition/extinguishing button 7 is operated to ignite, but only displays the operating time of the timer section 33a when the thermocouple 4e detects ignition.

In this case, the operation of the timer section 33a may start when the ignition operation is performed using the ignition/extinguishing button 7, as in the above embodiment, or when the time display starts, which also serves as ignition detection.

(E) In the above embodiment, when the ignition/extinguishing button is operated, the ignition lamp does not display any display until ignition is confirmed, but the ignition lamp blinks along with the ignition operation, and lights up continuously when ignition is detected. Alternatively, an LED that can be lit in a plurality of colors may be used to emit green light during ignition operation and red light when ignition is detected.

(f) In the above embodiments, a gas grill on a gas stove was shown, but an electric grill may also be used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram for explaining the control contents in a gas table according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a gas table according to the present embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the gas table according to the present embodiment. Fig. 4 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the grill in the gas stove of this embodiment, and Figs. 5 and 6 are for explaining the sound generated by the buzzer of this embodiment. FIG. In the figure, 4...Grill, 4b...Grill burner (heat source), 24...Timer setting key (operation time extension means), 33...Grill control section (grill control device), 33a...Timer section (timer ), 34...
Buzzer (notification means).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A grill control device that includes a timer that starts operating in connection with an operation to start using the grill and operates for a certain period of time, and that operates a heating source only while the timer is operating, comprising: 1. A control device for a grill, comprising: a notification means for giving a notification a predetermined time before the end of the timer; and an operation time extension means for extending the operation time of the timer.