JPH067257A - Detector for cutting state by food processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the end of cutting whereby time required for cutting with a cutter is automatically controlled. CONSTITUTION:This detection means is composed of a bounce detection means composed of a light emitting element 9 and a light receiving element 10, both of which are disposed in the upper place of a cutter, and an integrating means 12 for integrating the outputs of the light receiving element 10, and a comparison means 14 for comparing the output value of the bounce detection means with a specific value and for outputting a coincidence signal. Further, a cut detection controller for detecting the end of cutting comprises a time measuring means 15 for measuring time from the start of cutting to the input of the coincidence signal from the comparison means 15, and a remaining time arithmetic means 16 which, calculates the the remaining time required for cutting and outputs it based on the time measured by the time measuring means 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food processor for cutting food such as vegetables and the like, and relates to detection of the cut state of food and the end of cutting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional food processor is shown in FIG.
Will be explained together.

A conventional food processor has a container body 4
1. A drive motor 42 is provided on the outer side of the bottom of the drive motor 1.
The two rotary shafts 43 are located inside the container body 41 by penetrating the bottom of the container body 41, and the rotary shaft 43 is detachably provided with a cutter 44 for cutting food. A lid 45 for opening and closing the opening provided at the upper part of the container body 41 is provided, and the user manually judges the cut state of the food with his eyes or intuition to manually stop the rotation of the cutter 44.

[0004]

In the conventional food processor described above, since the user manually judges the cutting state with his / her eyes or intuition to stop the rotation of the cutter manually, the cutting becomes too fine and the cutting becomes too fine. It was difficult to perform the optimum cutting (control of the cutting time) due to lack.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a cutting state detecting device for a food processor capable of optically detecting the cutting state of food and detecting the end of cutting for automatically controlling the cutting time. It is intended to be provided.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention stores a splashing state detecting means for detecting the degree of splashing of food at the time of cutting and an output value of the detecting means. A disconnection state detection device is configured with a comparison unit that outputs a coincidence signal in comparison with a predetermined value.

The bounce condition detecting means is composed of a light emitting element, a light receiving element, and integrating means for integrating the output values of the light receiving element. The light emitting element and the light receiving element face each other above the cutter or from the light emitting element. The light receiving element is arranged in such a relationship that the light beam emitted and reflected by the splashed food is received by the light receiving element, and the integrating means counts or integrates the output value of the light receiving element per a predetermined time.

The predetermined value is an output value of the bounce condition detecting means in a specific state (for example, a cut state of 80%) before the end of cutting, and a value obtained by an experiment is stored in the storage means in advance. This is what I had allowed.

Further, in addition to the bounce condition detecting means and the comparing means described above, a time measuring means for measuring a time from the start of cutting until the input of a coincidence signal of the comparing means, and a cutting residual amount based on the time measuring time of the time measuring means. By including the remaining time calculating means for calculating and outputting the time, the cutting state detecting device of the food processor is configured to detect that a suitable cut food can be obtained by cutting the remaining time.

[0010]

In the cut state detecting device of the food processor having the above structure, as the food is cut by the cutter and becomes finer, the number of objects jumping to the upper part of the cutter increases, so that the food emitted from the light emitting element jumps at the time of cutting. By detecting and integrating the number of intercepted (or reflected) times per predetermined time by the light receiving element and the integrating means, the spattering condition of the food is detected, and the integrated value is determined by an experimentally determined predetermined value (for example, 80% is The cut state (e.g., a cut state of 80%) is detected by detecting a match with a predetermined value of the cut state).

Further, based on the time from the start of cutting to the output of the coincidence signal by the comparing means (for example, the time required for 80% of the cut state), the relational expression obtained in advance by experiments. The remaining cutting time is calculated and the cutting is performed for the remaining time to detect that a suitable cut food can be obtained.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the cutting state detecting device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a food processor incorporating the cutting state detecting device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing one example of the cutting state detecting device of the present invention.

In a food processor incorporating the cutting state detecting device of the present invention, a drive motor 2 is provided outside the bottom of a container body 1 made of a transparent material, and a rotary shaft 3 of the drive motor 2 is attached to the bottom of the container body 1. The cutter rotating shaft 5 of the food cutting cutter 4 for cutting the food is fitted to the rotating shaft 3 by penetrating it and positioning it inside the container body 1.
Is provided so as to be located below the container body 1, and a container base 6 in which the drive motor 2 is installed is provided at the bottom of the container body 1.

The container body 1 is attached to the cutter rotating shaft 5.
An adhering food removing body 8 for removing food adhering to the inner wall surface and the lower surface of the lid 7 is continuously provided, and the container base 6 is opposed to the light emitting element 9 and the light receiving element at a position above the cutter 4. And 10 are provided. Further, the container base 6 is provided with a control device 11 including a microcomputer for controlling the operation of the entire food processor, and the control device 11 inputs an output from the light receiving element 10 for a predetermined time. The integrating means 12 for integrating the output values per unit, the comparing means 14 for comparing the output value of the integrating means 12 with a predetermined value stored in the storage means 13 and outputting a coincidence signal, and the comparing means from the start of cutting. 14 for counting the time until the coincidence signal is input, and remaining time calculating means 1 for calculating and outputting the cutting remaining time based on the time measured by the time measuring means 15.
6 and drive control means 1 for controlling the drive of the motor 2 and the like.
7 and 7.

The detection of the degree of jumping of cut food is
The light emitting element 9, the light receiving element 10, and the integrating means 12 for integrating the number of times the light receiving element 10 is turned ON / OFF per predetermined time are detected, and the disconnection state is detected by the output value (ON
The disconnection of the remaining time calculated by the time counting means 15 and the remaining time calculating means 16 is performed by the comparing means 14 for comparing the OFF number) with the predetermined value (predetermined number) stored in the storing means 13. If it is performed, it is detected that a suitable cut food is obtained.

The remaining time calculation in the remaining time calculation means 16 is a relational expression between a suitable cutting time T obtained by an experiment in advance and a time t from the start of cutting measured by the time measuring means 15 until reaching a predetermined value. The calculation is performed based on the remaining time calculation formula T _Z = 9t / 13 + 40 which is created and stored from T = 22t / 13 + 40 (approximate formula shown in FIG. 3).

Next, the operation of the food processor incorporating the cutting state detecting device of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. A lid 7 that closes the opening of the container body 1.
Open, and attach the cutter 4 and the cutter rotating shaft 5 with the adhered food removing body 8 to the rotating shaft 3 of the drive motor 2 located at the bottom of the container body 1, and store the food to be cut in the container body 1 and cover it. When 7 is closed, the operation switch is turned on and the cutter 4 is rotated, the time measuring means 15 is started and the light emitting element 9 and the light receiving element 10 are energized.

The light-receiving element 10 sends an ON signal to the accumulating means 12 every time the food splashed at the time of cutting blocks the light beam emitted from the light-emitting element 9, and the accumulating means 12 is turned on for 1 second every 1 second.
The number of times PT _ON is output to the comparison circuit 14. The comparison circuit 14 stores the number of ON times PT _ON input from the integration means 12 in the storage means 1
3 is compared with a predetermined value (45 in this embodiment) stored in No. 3, and when the predetermined value is reached, a coincidence signal is output to the clock means 15.

The time measuring means 15 measures the elapsed time t from the start of cutting.
The feed to the remaining time calculating unit 16, the remaining time calculating unit 16 by substituting the elapsed time t in the remaining time calculating equation T _Z = 9t / 13 + 40 calculates the remaining time T _Z, based on said residue time T _Z The drive control means 17 controls energization of the drive motor 2, the light emitting element 9, and the light receiving element 10. When the power supply to the drive motor 2 is stopped by the control of the drive control means 17 and the cutting is completed,
A suitable cut food according to the experiment is obtained.

The arrangement relationship between the light emitting element and the light receiving element is not limited to the facing relationship described above, and the light receiving element may receive the light rays emitted from the light emitting element and reflected by the splashed food. The integrating means is not limited to one that counts the number of ON signals from the light receiving element, but may be one that integrates the ON signals with an integrating circuit. In the case where the food processor is incorporated into the microwave oven, the container base is composed of a heating box. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0021]

The cutting state detecting device for a food processor according to the present invention can detect the cutting state of food (particularly the specific state before the end of cutting), and control can automatically obtain a suitable cut food.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a food processor incorporating a cutting state detection device.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing a disconnection state detection device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram showing a relationship between a suitable cut time and a time required to reach a predetermined value.

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart of the disconnection state detection device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an overall sectional view showing an example of a conventional food processor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container main body 2 Drive motor 4 Cutter 9 Light emitting element 10 Light receiving element 11 Control device 12 Integration means 14 Comparison means 15 Timekeeping means 16 Remaining time calculation means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A food processor comprising: a splashing state detecting means for detecting the degree of splashing of food at the time of cutting; and a comparing means for comparing an output value of the detecting means with a predetermined value and outputting a coincidence signal. Disconnection detection device. 2. A splashing state detecting means for detecting the degree of splashing of food at the time of cutting, a comparing means for comparing an output value of the detecting means with a predetermined value and outputting a coincidence signal, and the above from the start of cutting. A disconnection state detecting device for a food processor, comprising: a time measuring means for measuring a time until a coincidence signal of a comparing means is inputted; and a remaining time calculating means for calculating and outputting a remaining cutting time based on the time measured by the time measuring means.