JPH10155652A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker convenient for use, enabling a user to properly and easily obtain enough information regarding the hours and times of a clock, a reserved cooking mode and a heat insulation relationship. SOLUTION: A clock time is shown on an LCD 51 in a non-operated mode and during the operation of a timer for a reserved cooking process, a preset cooking finish time is shown. Also, the elapsed time of heat insulation is shown at a heat insulating process. In this case, when a clock switch 55 is pressed during the indication of the cooking finish time or the elapsed heat insulating time, a clock time corresponding to the indication is shown. Also, when the clock switch 55 is released, the indication of the LCD 51 is reset to the cooking finish time or the elapsed heat insulating time.

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 clock function, a reserved rice cooking function, and a warming function.
The present invention relates to a clock, a rice cooker for displaying a time and a time relating to reserved rice cooking and heat retention.

[0002]

Means for switching between the display of the time of the clock and the display of the set time of the timer are as follows.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-84767 or
As described in 1-1137522 and the like,
Various proposals have been made. However, these proposals have some problems as described below in consideration of usability as a rice cooker. The device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-84767 always displays the time of a clock. JP-A-61-137
The rice cooker described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 522 mainly displays the time of the clock even during use of the timer. In any case, when it is desired to check the set time of the timer such as the rice cooking start time or the cooked time, the set time of the timer is displayed by operating a predetermined switch. However, as a matter that the user wants to know as the operation of the rice cooker during the operation of the timer, the set time or time of the timer is more demanding. This is because the time of the clock can be confirmed by a clock device in the home other than the display of the rice cooker, but the set time or time of the timer of the rice cooker cannot be displayed unless the rice cooker itself is used.

Further, as described in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 51-20845 or Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 60-20334, a rice cooker for displaying the elapsed time of heat retention while keeping rice warm has been known. . However, in this type of conventional rice cooker, there is no concept of switching the display, and there is a problem that another time or time such as a clock time cannot be displayed and confirmed while the elapsed heat retention time is displayed.

Furthermore, even if the configuration of the rice cooker for displaying the elapsed time of the heat retention is combined with the configuration of the rice cooker having the clock function and the reserved rice cooker function in recent years, the elapsed time of the heat retention during the heat retention can be obtained. If only the user can know, the user cannot get enough information.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and is convenient in that a user can adequately and easily obtain sufficient information on a time and a time relating to a clock, a reserved rice cooking and a heat retention. The purpose is to provide a good rice cooker.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a time and time display means, an operation means including a reset type switch, a clock means, and a set cooking time. In a rice cooker provided with a reserved rice cooker that automatically starts rice cooking after a timer operation so that rice is cooked, and a heat retaining means that keeps the rice warm, the time / time display means displays the time of the clock during the off state. Is displayed, when the timer operation of the reserved rice cooking is started from the off state, the set cooking time is displayed until the timer operation ends,
When the heat retention is started from the off state, the elapsed time from the start of the heat retention is displayed, and while the cooking time or the elapsed time is displayed, when a predetermined reset switch is operated, a clock is displayed during that time. Is displayed, and after the operation of the reset switch is stopped, the cooking time or the heat retention elapsed time before the operation of the reset switch is continuously displayed.

As described above, during the timer operation of reserved rice cooking,
The set cooking time is always displayed, and during warming, the warming elapsed time is always displayed, and the user does not perform any operation on the time or time related to these rice cooker-specific functions. You can know. In addition, even when the timer of the reserved rice cooking is operating or the temperature is kept warm, the time of the clock can be displayed and confirmed by operating a predetermined reset switch. Moreover, after the operation of the reset type switch is finished, the display returns to the time of cooking or the elapsed time of heat retention,
No hassle to restore the display.

[0008]

An embodiment of the rice cooker according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 6 which is a cross-sectional view showing the entire configuration of the rice cooker, 1 is a rice cooker main body,
Reference numeral 2 denotes an outer frame that forms an outer shell of the rice cooker main body 1.
The bottom plate 3 is fixed to the open bottom. Further, a bottomed cylindrical inner frame 4 is provided inside the outer frame 2. The inner frame 4 is formed by combining an inner frame upper portion 5 integral with the outer frame 2 and an inner frame lower portion 6 formed of a component separate from the outer frame 2.

A bottomed cylindrical pot 11 is accommodated in the inner frame 4 so that it can be inserted and removed. In the pot 11, a heating layer 13 made of a magnetic metal material is joined to a bottom surface and a lower portion of a side surface of a pot main body 12 made of aluminum or the like. In addition, hot pot 11
Is supported by the inner frame 4 at its upper end, and a pan insulation layer 14 made of air is formed between the inner surface of the inner frame 4 and the outer surface of the pan 11 except at the upper end of the pan 11. ing.

Further, a pot temperature sensor 16 provided at the center of the bottom of the inner frame lower portion 6 is structured so as to contact the outside of the bottom surface of the pot 11 so that the temperature of the pot 11 can be detected. Has become. A heating coil 18, which is a heating means held by a coil base 17, is provided on the outer surface of the lower portion 6 of the inner frame facing the heat generating layer 13 on the outer surface of the pot 11.

A power supply board 21 forming a power supply circuit and a heating board 22 forming a control circuit for the heating coil 18 are disposed below the coil base 17 in the outer frame 2. I have. The control circuit for the heating coil 18
To supply a high-frequency current to the power supply. Then, the heating layer 13 of the pan 11 is
Generates heat, and the pan 11 is heated. Further, a switching element 23 for generating the high-frequency current is mounted on the heating substrate 22, and since the switching element 23 generates considerable heat, a radiator 24 for radiating heat is connected. It is. Further, the heating substrate 22
Is provided with a substrate temperature sensor 25. In addition, outer frame 2
An operation panel 27 holding an operation board 26 is provided on the upper side surface of the. The operation panel 27 is provided with a display unit and an operation unit described later.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a lid. The lid 31 opens and closes an upper surface opening of the pot 11, and includes an outer lid 32 and a frame-shaped outer lid fixed to a lower peripheral portion of the outer lid 32. An outer shell is formed by the cover 33 and an inner lid 34 that covers an opening inside the outer lid cover 33. The inner lid 34 is located between the lid reinforcing plate 35 positioned above and fixed on the outer lid cover 33 and the inner lid holding portion 36 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer lid cover 33. The portion is inserted and held, and is movable up and down within a predetermined range with respect to the outer cover 33. At the same time, the inner lid 34
It is pushed downward by a spring 37 mounted between the cover 34 and the lid reinforcing plate 35. This is for improving the adhesion of the inner lid 34 to the pot 11. Note that a lid packing 38 made of an annular elastic body is interposed between the peripheral portion of the lid reinforcing plate 35 and the peripheral portion of the inner lid 34.

A lid heater 41 and a lid temperature sensor 42 are provided on the upper surface, that is, the rear surface, of the inner lid 34. further,
At the center of the outer lid 32, a steam port 43 and a steam port packing 44 made of an annular elastic body are assembled. Then, the locking portion 45 formed on the lower portion of the steam port 43 is engaged with the receiving portion 46 formed on the inner peripheral portion of the steam port packing 44 so that the outer lid 32 is
It is fixed to. On the other hand, a steam port is
A steam hole 47 for communicating the inside of the pot 11 to the outside of the rice cooker main body 1 together with 43 is formed. In addition, steam port packing 44
Is in close contact with the upper surface of the inner lid 34 so as to surround the steam hole 47 in order to maintain airtightness.

Next, the configuration of the operation panel 27 will be described with reference to FIG. The operation panel 27 has an LCD 51 and three LEDs 52, 53 and 54 as display means, and eight switches 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and
62 are provided. The LCD 51 serves as time and time display means for displaying the time of the clock, which is the current time, the cooked time set in the reserved cooking rice, the elapsed time of the heat retention and the remaining time of the spotting, and displays numbers or characters representing time or time. A time / time display section 51a to be displayed, a reservation display section 51b made of the word `` reservation '' lit when the cooked time is displayed, and `` am '' indicating whether the displayed time is in the morning or afternoon, And a course display section 51d for displaying the selected rice cooking course. The three LEDs 52, 53, 54 are for displaying a process. That is, the reservation display LED 52 is lit during the timer operation in the reserved rice cooking, the heat retention display LED 53 is lit during the temperature retention, and the rice cooked display LED 54 is lit during the rice cooking.

Each of the switches 55,..., 62 is a normally-open type return-type switch (push button switch), which is turned on only when pressed, and turned off when stopped. Of the switches 55,..., 62, the clock switch 55 is used for setting the time of the clock. When the time switch 55 is pressed in the time setting mode of the clock, the time setting mode of the clock is released. Note that the clock switch 55 also has another function described later. The hour switch 56 is
It is used to set the time in the time setting mode of the clock and in the cooking time setting mode. Each time the hour switch 56 is pressed, the time display in the time / time display section 51a changes.
The minute switch 57 is used to set the minute in the time setting mode of the watch and in the cooking time setting mode. Each time the minute switch 57 is pressed, the time / time display section 51a is displayed.
The display of minute changes. The reservation switch 58 is used when cooking rice for reservation, and when the reservation switch 58 is pressed in the off state, the cooking time setting mode is set. When the switch 59 is pressed, the switch 59 is forcibly turned off. The menu switch 60 is used for setting a rice cooking course. Each time the menu switch 60 is pressed, the rice cooking course of white rice, soft, soft, fast-cooking, and rice porridge is switched. When the rice cook switch 61 is pressed, the rice cooker starts. In particular, when the rice cook switch 61 is pressed in the cook-up time setting mode, the timer operation of reserved rice cooker starts. Further, when the thermal insulation switch 62 is depressed in the OFF state, the thermal insulation starts.

The present rice cooker has functions of a clock means, a heat retaining means for keeping rice warm, and a reserved rice cooking means, in addition to the functions of a normal rice cooking means. In this reserved rice cooking, when the cooking time (cooking end time) is set and the timer operation is started as described above, the rice is cooked at the set cooking time so that the rice is cooked for a predetermined period of time. Cooking starts automatically (for example, 55 minutes before), and switches from the cooking process to the warming process at the time of cooking.

FIG. 7 schematically shows the configuration of the electric control of the rice cooker. The microcomputer 71 comprises an operating means including the switches 55,.
6, 25, and 42, and controls the output and cutoff of the heating coil 18 via an IH driving circuit 72 and a high-frequency current generating means 73, which are control circuits on the heating board 22, based on the signals. Heater driving circuit 74
The power supply to the lid heater 41 is controlled via a display 75 and the LCD 51 and the LED 5 are controlled via a display driving circuit 76.
The display operation of the display means consisting of 2, 53 and 54 is controlled.

Next, a description will be given of the heating control at the time of cooking rice and at the time of keeping the temperature with reference to the graph of FIG. In addition,
The solid line graph at the top of the figure shows the temperature of the pan temperature sensor 16, and the dotted line graph at the top of the figure shows the lid temperature sensor 42.
Shows the temperature. Also, the middle graph in the figure shows the timing and output of energization of the heating coil 18,
The lower graph in the same figure shows the energization timing and output of the lid heater 41. In the middle and lower graphs in the figure, the hatched portions indicate the energization timing. In the rice cooking process, a cooking process, a boiling heating process, a boiling continuous heating process, a cooking process, and a steaming process are sequentially performed. Hereinafter, the control of these steps will be described, but the numerical values and time specifically exemplified vary according to the rice cooking course, the product, and the like.

In the hot-cooking process, the output of the induction heating of the pot 11 is relatively low, and the water temperature in the pot 11 is heated to a high temperature of 60 ° C. or less to promote the water absorption of rice. Done. After the end of the cooking process, the process moves to the boiling heating process. This boiling heating step is a step of boiling water in the pan 11, and continuous heating is performed by the maximum heating amount of the heating coil 18. Then, during the boiling heating process, the lid temperature sensor 42
Is 90 ° C. or more, and when the temperature change stabilizes at a predetermined temperature gradient, the process proceeds to the boiling continuous heating step. In the boiling continuous heating process, the output of the induction heating of the pan 11 is slightly reduced, and a predetermined intermittent energization is performed.
The amount of heating is such that the boiling state of the water in the container continues for about 1 to 7 minutes. And, if a predetermined stroke time has passed, or
When the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 16 rises by 2 to 5 ° C., the boiling continuous heating process is completed, and the process shifts to the cooking process. In this cooking process, the output of the induction heating of the pot 11 is maximized, and intermittent energization is performed. When the temperature of the pan temperature sensor 16 rises by 10 to 15 ° C., the cooking process ends, and the process shifts to the spotting process. In this spotting process, the output of the induction heating of the pot 11 is made relatively low, heating is performed according to the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 16, and the inside of the pot 11 is kept at a high temperature so as not to cause scorching. Ensure effectiveness. Then, for example, when a predetermined stroke time elapses, the swing stroke ends, and the process shifts to a warming stroke. In this warming process, heating is performed with a low heating amount according to the temperature of the pan temperature sensor 16, and the temperature of the rice in the pan 11 is maintained at about 70 to 76 ° C to about 64 to 70 ° C. In addition, even when the heat retention is started from the cut-off state, the heat retention control is performed similarly to the case where the heat retention is automatically started after the completion of the rice cooking. Also,
In the case of reserved rice cooking, if the set cooking time has been reached and the rice cooking has actually been completed, the warming process is started.

Next, the display control of the time and the time on the operation panel 27 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 and FIG. In the off state (S1), as shown in FIG. 5, except for the time setting mode of the clock and the cooking time setting mode, as shown in FIG.
The clock time is displayed on a and the morning and afternoon display section 51c (S2). Then, when cooking is immediately started without using the reserved rice cooking function from the off state (S3), the time / time display section 51
The display of a and the morning and afternoon display section 51c remains the display of the time of the clock (S4). In the off state, as shown in FIG. 5, all of the three LEDs 52, 53, and 54 are turned off, but during the rice cooking, the cooked rice display LED 54 is turned on. Then, at the end of the rice cooking process (S5), the display of the time / time display section 51a changes to the remaining time of the cooking process (S6), as shown in FIG. This display shows the time until cooking in minutes. Note that the rice cooking display LED 54 flashes during the muramura process. Then, when the steaming ends (S7), the heat retention starts.

On the other hand, when the timer operation of the reserved rice cooker starts from the off state (S8), the time and time display section 51a and the morning and afternoon display section 51c are set by the user as shown in FIG. The cooked time remains displayed until the timer operation ends, that is, until the cooked time is reached (S9). Note that the reservation display L is displayed during the timer operation of the reserved rice cooking.
ED52 lights up.

When the heat retention starts automatically after the rice cooking is completed or from the off state by pressing the heat retention switch 62 (S10), the time / time display section 51a displays the heat retention as shown in FIG. The elapsed time is displayed (S11). This display shows the elapsed time from the start of heat retention in units of one hour. That is, the display of the heat retention elapsed time is increased by one every hour, but is continued up to a maximum of 99. Then, when the heat retention elapsed time exceeds 99 hours, the display shows 99
Flashes as is. The h on the right side of the display of the elapsed heat retention time indicates that the unit of the display is one hour. In addition,
During the heat keeping process, the heat keeping display LED 53 is turned on.

When the cooking time set during the timer operation of the reserved rice cooking is displayed as described above, the clock switch 55 of the operation panel 27 is pressed to be turned on (S12). The display on the display section 51a and the display section 51c in the morning and afternoon are switched to the time display of the clock (S1
3). When the watch switch 55 returns to the original off state by releasing the finger from the watch switch 55 (S14),
The display of the time / time display section 51a and the morning / afternoon display section 51c return to the display of the cooked time before the clock switch 55 is pressed, and the display of the cooked time is continued. Note that the display may not be returned immediately when the finger is released, but may return to the display of the cooked time after a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) elapses after the release of the finger. Similarly, when the elapsed time of warming is displayed during the warming process, when the clock switch 55 is pressed (S15), the display of the time / time display section 51a and the morning / afternoon display section 51c is changed to the time of the clock. It switches (S16) and stops pressing the clock switch 55 (S17
), The display of the time / time display section 51a and the morning / afternoon display section 51c return to the display of the elapsed heat retention time.

It should be noted that the time of the clock may be confirmed by pressing the clock switch 55 in the same manner even when the remaining time of the fluctuation is displayed during the wandering process. Furthermore, in the rice cooker which performs reheating to raise the temperature of the rice during the heat retention and displays the remaining time until the end of the reheating during the reheating, the clock is similarly displayed during the display of the remaining time. The time on the clock may be confirmed by pressing the switch 55.

The clock switch 55 is, as already described,
This switch is not a dedicated switch for checking the time of the clock during the warming process or during the timer operation of reserved rice cooking, but a switch for adjusting the time of the clock that is originally displayed. In other words, when the clock switch 55 is pressed while the clock time is displayed on the time / time display section 51a and the morning / afternoon display section 51c, the clock time display on the time / time display section 51a and the morning / afternoon display section 51c blinks. Then, the clock stops measuring the time. In this state, the time of the clock can be changed by operating the hour switch 56 and the minute switch 57. And
When the clock switch 55 is pressed again, the clock restarts measuring the time from the changed time.

Although it is possible to provide a dedicated switch as a switch for checking the time of the clock during the warming process or during the timer operation of reserved rice cooking, as in this embodiment,
If the clock switch 55 is also used for adjusting the time of the clock, since the clock switch 55 is a switch related to the display of the time of the clock as a switch for temporarily confirming the time of the clock, the user does not feel uncomfortable. ,
Further, there is no problem that the number of switches is increased due to the addition of the function for checking the time of the clock.

As described above, during the operation of the timer for reserved rice cooking, the reservation time, that is, the cooked time is always displayed, so that the setting contents of the rice cooker can be confirmed just by looking at the LCD 51, and the majority of users It is convenient for If the user wants to check the time of the clock, the user can easily check the time of the clock simply by pressing the clock switch 55, and the rice cooker has less complaints about usability. And the clock switch
55 is a switch related to a conventional clock function, and does not cause a decrease in usability due to an increase in the number of switches. Similarly, when the elapsed heat retention time is displayed, the time of the clock can be checked simply by pressing the clock switch 55, and the time of the clock, which is information other than the functions unique to the rice cooker, can also be checked. Becomes Moreover, the clock switch 55
Press to confirm the time on the clock and release your finger from the clock switch 55, so that the display automatically returns to the original display.Therefore, it does not take any trouble to return the display, and the time and Since the information is displayed with priority, the usability is not reduced because the information is not easily obtained.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example,
Although the rice cooker of the above embodiment is of the electromagnetic induction heating type, the main heating source may be an electric heater.

[0029]

According to the rice cooker of the present invention, the time of the clock is displayed during the cut-off state, the cooked time is displayed during the timer operation of the reserved rice cooker, and the elapsed time of the heat insulation is displayed during the heat insulation. When the cook time or the heat retention elapsed time is displayed, when a predetermined reset switch is operated, a clock time is displayed during that time, and after stopping the operation of the reset switch, the cook time or Since the display is returned to the display of the elapsed time of the heat retention, the user can accurately and easily obtain sufficient information on the time and the time relating to the clock, the reserved cooking and the heat retention, and the usability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the display of time or time on the operation panel, showing a state in which the cooking time set in the reserved cooking is displayed.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the display of time or time on the operation panel, showing a state in which the remaining time of a spot is displayed.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a display of time or time on the operation panel, showing a state in which a heat retention elapsed time is displayed.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the display of time or time on the operation panel, showing a state in which the time of the clock is displayed.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the whole rice cooker.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the same.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the timing of heating and the change over time in temperature.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing control of display of time or time according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 51 LCD (time and time display means) 55 Clock switch (return type switch)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cooking machine comprising: a time and time display means; an operation means including a reset switch; a clock means; and a timer operation so that rice is cooked at a set cooking time, and automatically starts cooking rice. In a rice cooker provided with a reserved rice cooker and a heat retaining means for keeping the rice warm, the time / time display means displays the time of the clock during the off state, and starts the timer operation of the reserved rice cooking from the off state. In the case, the set cooking time is displayed until the timer operation ends,
When the heat retention is started from the off state, the elapsed time from the start of the heat retention is displayed, and while the cooking time or the elapsed time is displayed, when a predetermined reset switch is operated, a clock is displayed during that time. The rice cooker is characterized in that the rice cooker is configured to display the time of day and, after stopping the operation of the reset switch, continuously display the cooked time or the heat retention elapsed time before operating the reset switch. vessel.