JPH09262177A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker which has a large appealing effect on the visual sense of a customer and is equipped with a demonstrating function having an actual sense of presence. SOLUTION: A rice cooker concerned is equipped with a mode selecting means 21 to select either of the demonstration mode and rice boiling mode in conformity of the signal fed through a mode changeover key 12 and a rice boil start key 13. A rice boiling mode control means 22 executes the rice boiling process using a halogen heater control means 24 and a main heater control means 23 when the normal mode is selected by the selecting means 21, and a demonstration mode control means 25 operates the halogen heater control means 24 when the demonstration mode is selected by the selecting means 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rice cooker having a demonstration function for store display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is a schematic control block diagram of a conventional rice cooker disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-33613, in which 41 is a pot, 42 is a heating element, and 43 is a substrate. The provided mode switching circuit has mode switching terminals, and when the terminals are short-circuited, the output side is set to a high level. Reference numeral 44 denotes a mode selecting means which selects the normal rice cooking mode 45 when the output side of the mode switching terminal is at the low level, and selects the product explanation time shortening mode 46 when the output side is switched to the high level. Reference numeral 47 is a display lamp provided corresponding to each process of preheating, rice cooking, steaming, and heat retention.

In the rice cooker having the above-mentioned mode selecting means, when the mode shortening mode 46 for product explanation is selected by the mode selecting means 44, the heating element 42 is turned off to preheat, cook rice, steam, and keep warm. The steps are sequentially performed for a certain shortened time, and the display lamps of the respective steps are sequentially turned on.

[0004]

In the conventional rice cooker described above, the indicator lamp 4 that lights up during the demonstration is shown.
Since the display of 7 is small and the heating element 42 is in the off state, the display effect on the customer's eyesight is weak and the demonstration is unrealistic.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has a great effect of exhibiting to the eyes of the customer.
The purpose is to provide a rice cooker with a demonstration function that gives a real feeling.

[0006]

The rice cooker according to the present invention comprises:
A rice cooking container detachably installed inside the rice cooker body,
A lid that is openably and closably attached to the rice cooker body, a light-emitting body heater that is provided on the lid and emits light to the rice cooking container to heat it
Light emitter heater heating control means for controlling the output of the light emitter heater, a main heater provided at the bottom of the rice cooker body for heating the rice cooking container, a main heater heating control means for controlling the output of the main heater, and an external operation Mode selection means for selecting either one of the demonstration mode and the normal mode from the signal inputted by, and when the normal mode is selected by the mode selection means, the light emitter heater heating control is performed by a preset rice cooking program. Means and the main heater heating control means for executing the rice cooking process, and when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selection means, the light emitter heater heating control means is set by a preset demonstration program. Demonstration mode control means for controlling It is intended.

Further, the rice cooker of the present invention has a lid temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the lid, and when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the detected temperature of the lid temperature detecting means is a predetermined temperature. In the above case, the temperature prohibiting means for outputting the prohibition signal for prohibiting the output of the luminous body heater to the luminous body heater heating control means is provided.

Further, the rice cooker of the present invention has a lid opening / closing detecting means for detecting opening / closing of the lid, and when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the lid opening / closing detecting means detects closure of the lid. In this case, a lid prohibiting means for outputting a prohibition signal for prohibiting the output of the luminous body heater to the luminous body heater heating control means is provided.

Further, the rice cooker of the present invention has a lid opening / closing detecting means for detecting opening / closing of the lid, and when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the lid opening / closing detecting means detects closure of the lid. When the normal mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the lid open / close detecting means detects the opening of the lid when the normal mode is selected by the mode selecting means. In this case, a lid prohibiting means for outputting the prohibition signal to the light emitter heater heating control means is provided.

Furthermore, the demonstration mode control means causes the display section of the operation section to blink when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selection means.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a rice cooker showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an operation of the rice cooker in the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, 1 is a rice cooker main body, 2 is a rice cooker, 3 is a main heater of a resistor provided at the bottom of the rice cooker 2, 4 is a thermistor bottom temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker 2, 5 is a lid that covers the upper opening of the rice cooker body 1 so as to be openable and closable,
Reference numeral 6 denotes a halogen heater which is filled with halogen gas, for example, and which heats the rice cooked in the rice cooker 2 through the glass plate 8 provided on the lower heat dissipation plate 7.

Reference numeral 9 is a hinge for opening and closing the lid 5 around the shaft 9a, 10 is a locking device for engaging and fixing the lid 5 to the rice cooker main body 1, 12 is a mode switching key provided on the panel 11, 13 Panel 1 adjacent to the mode switching key 12
It is a rice cooking start key provided in 1.

Reference numeral 21 is a mode selection means, for example, when the mode switching key 12 is off, it selects the normal mode, and when it detects the first ON of the mode switching key 12, it is a demonstration mode (hereinafter referred to as "demo mode"). Say)
Is selected, and if it is detected again after selecting the demo mode, the demo mode is deselected.

Reference numeral 22 is a rice-cooking mode control means which, when it detects that the rice-cooking start key 13 is turned on when the normal mode is selected, controls the main heater 3 based on a preset rice-cooking program. Heating control means 2
3 and the halogen heater heating control means 24 that controls the heating of the halogen heater 6.

Reference numeral 25 is a demo mode control means, which activates the timer 26 when the rice cook start key 13 is detected to be ON while the demo mode is selected by the mode selection means 21, and controls the halogen heater heating control means 24. The timer 26 starts and the count time t of the timer 26 is a predetermined time t.
When it reaches n, for example, 1 minute, the control of the halogen heater heating control means 24 is stopped.

The above-mentioned mode selection means 21, rice cooking mode control means 22 and demo mode control means 25 are other main heater heating control means 23 and halogen heater heating control means 2.
4, and a timer 26 together with a microcomputer 20.

The operation of the rice cooker configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. First, the lock device 10 is unlocked, the lid 5 is opened upward around the shaft 9a of the hinge 9, and then the power is turned on (S
1) The mode selection means 21 determines whether or not the mode switching key 12 is turned on (S2), and when it is detected that the key 12 is turned on, the demo mode is selected (S7).
When the mode switching key 12 is off, the normal mode is selected (S3) and the rice cooking mode control means 22 is notified. At this time, the rice cooking mode control means 22 controls the rice cooking start key 13
It is determined whether or not is turned on (S4), and when the rice cooking start key 13 is off, the mode selection means 21 is made to determine the state of the mode switching key 12 again (S2).

When the rice cooking container 2 containing the rice cooked is placed in the rice cooker body 1 and the lid 5 is closed and the rice cooking start key 13 is turned on, the rice cooking mode control means 22 causes the main heater to operate based on the rice cooking program. The heating control means 23 and the halogen heater heating control means 24 are controlled to sequentially perform the steps of preheating, rice cooking, and steaming, and then the rice cooking step up to heat retention is executed (S5), and the rice cooking in the normal mode is finished (S6). ).

When the mode switching key 12 is turned on with the lid 5 left open as in the beginning, the mode selecting means 21 switches the mode from the normal mode to the demo mode (S7), and the mode switching key 12 again. It is determined whether or not is turned on (S8). When it is detected that the mode switch key 12 is on, the demo mode is canceled, but the key 12
When is off, the demo mode control means 25 is notified that the demo mode has been selected.

Upon receiving the notification, the demo mode control means 25 determines whether or not the rice cooking start key 13 is turned on (S9), and when the key 13 is off, the mode selection means 21 is notified of the state. Then, it is again determined whether or not the mode switching key 12 is turned on (S8),
When it is detected that the rice cooking start key 13 is turned on, in order to execute the demo mode, the timer 26 is operated and the control of the halogen heater heating control means 24 is started to heat the halogen heater 6 to emit light (S10, S11). , And the count time t of the timer 26 is a predetermined time tn (1
It waits until (minute) is reached (S12). Count time t
When the predetermined time tn has been reached, the control of the halogen heater heating control means 24 is stopped to cut off the energization of the halogen heater 6 (S13), the fact is notified to the mode selection means 21, and the mode switching key 12 is turned on again. It is determined whether or not is turned on (S8). After this, the mode switching key 12
The demo mode can be repeated by simply pressing the rice cooking start key 13 unless is pressed.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, at the time of the demonstration, the halogen heater 6 is heated to emit light, so that it is possible to obtain an effect that the actual feeling at the time of cooking rice is disturbed and the display effect is increased. .

In the first embodiment, the halogen heater 6 is continuously heated and emitted for a predetermined time, but the same effect can be obtained by controlling the blinking of the halogen heater 6 during that time.

Embodiment 2 FIG. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of a rice cooker showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an operation of the rice cooker in the second embodiment.
The same or corresponding parts as those of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, 14 is a lid temperature sensor provided in contact with the lower radiator plate 7, and 27 is a lid temperature sensor 14.
The lid temperature detecting means for detecting the lid temperature based on the input of the signal from 28, 28 is a temperature prohibiting means, and a predetermined temperature Tm (for example, 60 ° C.) is set in advance, and is detected by the lid temperature detecting means 27 in the demo mode. The lid temperature T is compared with the predetermined temperature Tm, and when the lid temperature T is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature Tm, a prohibition signal is output to the halogen heater heating control means 24 to stop the heating and light emission of the halogen heater 6 by the demonstration. The temperature prohibiting means 28 also outputs the prohibiting signal to the demo mode controlling means 25 when the lid temperature T detected at the start of the demo mode is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature Tm.

The lid temperature detecting means 27 and the temperature prohibiting means 28 described above are added to the respective means shown in the first embodiment, and are constituted by the microcomputer 20.

The mode selecting means 21 in the present embodiment outputs a lid temperature monitoring start signal to the temperature prohibiting means 28 when the demo mode is selected. Further, when the prohibition signal is input at the start of the demonstration, the demo mode control means 25 suspends the start of the demonstration until the prohibition signal is cut off.

The operation of the rice cooker configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. It should be noted that S21 to S28 shown in this figure are the same as those in FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment.
Since it is the same as S1 to S8 in the flowchart of FIG. When the demo mode is selected by the mode selection means 21, the demo mode control means 25 determines whether or not the rice cooking start key 13 is turned on (S2).
9) When the key 13 is off, the mode selecting means 21 is notified of that fact, but when it is detected that the rice cooking start key 13 is on, the temperature prohibiting means 28 makes a judgment (cover temperature T ≧ T).
It is determined whether the prohibition signal according to m) is input (S30). When the prohibition signal is input, the start of heating and light emission of the halogen heater 6 by the demonstration is stopped, but when the prohibition signal is not input, the timer 26 is operated and the control of the halogen heater heating control means 24 is started. Then, the halogen heater 6 is heated to emit light (S31, S32).

On the other hand, the temperature prohibiting means 28 monitors the lid temperature T through the lid temperature detecting means 27 since the demo mode is selected (S33), and the lid temperature T is the predetermined temperature Tm.
In the above case, the prohibition signal is sent to the halogen heater heating control means 2
4 to stop the heating and light emission of the halogen heater 6 (S34). The demo mode control means 25 determines whether or not the elapsed time t after the timer 26 has been activated has reached a predetermined time tn (1 minute) (S35). When the count time t reaches the predetermined time tn, the control of the halogen heater heating control means 24 is stopped to cut off the energization to the halogen heater 6 (S36). Then, the fact that the demo mode has ended is notified to the mode selection means 21, and it is again determined whether or not the mode switching key 12 has been turned on (S28).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the halogen heater 6 is heated to emit light to perform the demonstration, the lid temperature T is detected and if the temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature Tm, the halogen heater 6 is prohibited from emitting heat. Therefore, even if the demonstrations are continuously performed, it is possible to prevent the lid temperature from becoming high, and it is possible to obtain the effect of eliminating the risk of burns and fires.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of a rice cooker showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an operation of the rice cooker in the third embodiment.
The same or corresponding parts as those of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 15 denotes a lid opening / closing detection switch, which closes the contact when the lid 5 is closed and opens the contact when the lid 5 is opened. Reference numeral 29 is a lid opening / closing detecting means for detecting the opening / closing of the lid 5 from the input of a signal based on the opening / closing of the contact of the lid opening / closing detection switch 15, 30 is a lid inhibiting means, and when the demo mode is selected by the mode selecting means 21, the lid is opened. When the opening / closing detection means 29 detects the closure of the lid 5, a prohibition signal is output to the halogen heater heating control means 24 to prohibit the heating and light emission of the halogen heater 6, and when the mode selecting means 21 selects the normal mode, Lid open / closed detection means 29
When the opening of the lid 5 is detected, the prohibition signal is output to the halogen heater heating control means 24. The lid inhibiting means 30 also outputs the inhibition signal to the demo mode control means 25 when the closure of the lid 5 is detected at the start of the demo mode.

The lid opening / closing detecting means 29 and the lid prohibiting means 30 described above are added to the respective means shown in the first embodiment, and are constituted by the microcomputer 20. The mode selection means 21 in the present embodiment is
When the demo mode is selected, the lid prohibiting means 30 is notified of that fact. Further, when the prohibition signal is input at the start of the demonstration, the demo mode control means 25 suspends the start of the demonstration until the prohibition signal is cut off.

The operation of the rice cooker configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power is turned on (S41), the mode selection means 21 determines whether or not the mode switching key 12 is turned on (S42), and when it is detected that the key 12 is turned on, the demo mode is selected (S52). ), When the mode switching key 12 is off, the normal mode is selected (S43) and the fact is notified to the rice cooking mode control means 22 and the lid prohibiting means 30. At this time, the rice cooking mode control means 22 determines whether or not the rice cooking start key 13 is turned on (S44), and when the rice cooking start key 13 is off, causes the mode selection means 21 to determine the state of the mode switching key 12 again. (S42).

As described above, when the rice cooker 2 containing the rice cooked is put in the rice cooker body 1 and the lid 5 is closed and the rice cook start key 13 is turned on, the rice cook mode control means 22
Controls the main heater heating control means 23 and the halogen heater heating control means 24 by the rice cooking program to sequentially perform the steps of preheating, rice cooking, and steaming, and then executes the rice cooking step up to heat retention (S45). The cooking mode control means 22 is
When entering the rice cooking process, the interruption process is started (S4
7). First, the bottom temperature is detected through the bottom temperature sensor 4 (S48), the rice is cooked by a preset program based on the detected temperature, and the lid prohibiting means 30 determines whether or not the lid 5 is open (S49). ). At this time, when the lid inhibiting means 30 determines that the lid 5 is open, it outputs an inhibition signal to the halogen heater heating control means 24 to turn off the halogen heater (S50), and the lid 5 is closed. When the judgment is made, the fact is notified to the rice cooking mode control means 22 and the interruption processing is ended (S51). This process is repeatedly executed every predetermined time, and the rice cooking in the normal mode is finished (S46).

When the mode selecting means 21 detects that the mode switching key 12 is turned on and selects the demo mode (S4).
2, S52, S53), the demo mode control means 25 determines whether or not the rice cooking start key 13 has been turned on (S).
54) When the key 13 is off, the mode selection means 21 is notified of that fact, but when it is detected that the rice cooking start key 13 is on, a prohibition signal is input by the determination (lid closing) of the lid prohibition means 28. It is determined (S5
5). When the prohibition signal is input, the start of heating and light emission of the halogen heater 6 due to the demonstration is stopped, but when it is determined that the prohibition signal is not input, the timer 26 is operated and the halogen heater heating control means 24 is operated. The control is started to heat the halogen heater 6 to emit light. (S56, S57),

On the other hand, the lid prohibiting means 30 monitors through the lid open / close detecting means 29 whether or not the lid 5 has been closed since the demo mode was selected (S58), and when the lid 5 is closed. A prohibition signal is output to the halogen heater heating control means 24 to stop the heating and light emission of the halogen heater 6 (S59). The demo mode control means 25 determines that the elapsed time t after the timer 26 is activated is the predetermined time tn (1
It has been determined whether the number of minutes has been reached (S60). When the elapsed time t reaches the predetermined time tn, the control of the halogen heater heating control means 24 is stopped to cut off the power supply to the halogen heater 6 (S61). Then, the fact that the demo mode has ended is notified to the mode selecting means 21, and it is again determined whether or not the mode switching key 12 has been turned on (S53).

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the rice is cooked, if the lid 5 is open, the halogen heater 6 is used.
The heating light emission of the halogen heater 6 is prohibited when the lid 5 is closed at the time of performing the demonstration. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption during rice cooking, and the lid can be used during the demonstration. It is possible to obtain an effect that it is possible to prevent empty heating due to closing.

Embodiment 4. In the above-mentioned embodiment, it was described that the demonstration was performed using the halogen heater 6, but as shown in FIG. 7, the display lamps 32 arranged below the time display unit 35 according to the rice cooking menu,
You may make it blink 33 and 34 at the time of a demonstration.

In this case, when the normal mode is selected, the rice cooking mode control means 22 causes the rice cooking menu selection key 3
The display lamps 32, 33 and 34 are turned on in response to the selection of 1, and when the demo mode is selected, the demo mode control means 25 sequentially turns on the display lamps 32, 33 and 34 at the same time as the halogen heater 6 heats and emits light. Blinks to and repeat this while running the demonstration.

In this way, when the display lamps 32, 33, 34 are sequentially blinked at the same time as the halogen heater 6 heats and emits light, the demonstration effect of the rice cooker can be further enhanced.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the luminous body heater is heated to emit light. The effect of increasing is obtained.

Further, when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selection means, the output of the light emitter heater is prohibited when the lid temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Therefore, even when the demonstration is continuously performed, the lid temperature is Can be prevented from becoming high temperature, and the effect of eliminating the risk of burns and fires can be obtained.

Further, when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the output of the light emitter heater is prohibited when the closure of the lid is detected, so that there is an effect that the empty heating due to the closure of the lid can be prevented. To be

Furthermore, when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selection means, the output of the light emitter heater is prohibited when the closure of the lid is detected, and when the normal mode is selected by the mode selection means, the lid is closed. Since the output of the light emitter heater is prohibited when the opening of is detected, it is possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption during rice cooking.
At the time of demonstration, it is possible to obtain an effect that it is possible to prevent empty heating due to closure of the lid.

Further, when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the display of the operation section is made to blink together with the heat emission of the light emitter heater.
The effect of further increasing the demonstration effect of the rice cooker can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a rice cooker showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the rice cooker according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of a rice cooker showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the rice cooker according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of a rice cooker showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the rice cooker according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of an operation panel for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic control block diagram of a conventional rice cooker disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-33613.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 rice cooker main body, 3 main heaters, 5 lids, 6 halogen heaters, 11 panel, 12 mode switching keys, 13
Rice cooking start key, 14 lid temperature sensor, 15 lid open / closed detection switch, 20 microcomputer, 21 mode selection means, 22 rice cooking mode control means, 25 demo mode control means, 27 lid temperature detection means, 28 temperature prohibition means, 29 lid opening / closing Detection means, 30 Lid prohibition means, 3
2, 33, 34 Indicator lamp.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Sadao Kanaya 1728 Omaeda, Hanazono-cho, Osato-gun, Saitama 1 Mitsubishi Electric Home Appliances Co., Ltd. (72) Eiji Kogure 1728 Omaeda, Hanazono-cho, Osato-gun, Saitama Prefecture Mitsubishi Electric Home Equipment Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroaki Tsukahara 1728 Omaeda, Hanazono-cho, Oza-gun, Saitama Prefecture 1 Mitsubishi Electric Home Equipment Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A rice cooking container which is detachably provided inside the rice cooker body, a lid which is openably and closably attached to the rice cooker body, and a light emitting body which is provided on the lid and emits light to the rice cooker container to heat the rice cooker container. Heater, luminous body heater heating control means for controlling output of the luminous body heater, main heater provided at the bottom of the rice cooker body for heating the rice cooking container, and main heater heating control for controlling output of the main heater Means, a mode selecting means for selecting one of a demonstration mode and a normal mode from a signal input by an external operation, and a normal mode selected by the mode selecting means,
When the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the rice cooking mode control means that controls the light emitter heater heating control means and the main heater heating control means by a preset rice cooking program, and executes the rice cooking step, A rice cooker comprising: a demonstration mode control means for controlling the light emitter heater heating control means by a preset demonstration program. 2. A lid temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the lid is provided, and when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, the light emission is performed when the detected temperature of the lid temperature detecting means is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The rice cooker according to claim 1, further comprising temperature prohibiting means for outputting a prohibition signal for prohibiting the output of the body heater to the light emitter heater heating control means. 3. The light-emitting body has a lid opening / closing detecting means for detecting opening / closing of the lid, and when the mode selecting means selects a demonstration mode, the lid opening / closing detecting means detects closing of the lid. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a lid prohibiting unit that outputs a prohibition signal that prohibits the output of the heater to the light emitter heater heating control unit. 4. The light emitting device has a lid opening / closing detection means for detecting opening / closing of the lid, and when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selecting means, when the lid opening / closing detection means detects closing of the lid. The prohibition signal for prohibiting the output of the heater is output to the luminous body heater heating control means,
When the normal mode is selected by the mode selecting means, and when the lid opening / closing detecting means detects opening of the lid, a lid inhibiting means for outputting the inhibition signal to the light emitter heater heating control means is provided. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, which is characterized. 5. The cooked rice according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the demonstration mode control means blinks the display section of the operation section when the demonstration mode is selected by the mode selection means. vessel.