JP3319953B2 - Automatic rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic rice cooker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an automatic rice cooker of this kind, for example,
The thing described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-114745 is known. This conventional device comprises a metering device, a rice washing device, a rice cooker device, a control device for controlling these devices, and the like. Then, the control device is set by rice cooking condition setting means for setting rice cooking conditions, driving time setting means for obtaining an operation time based on the set rice cooking conditions, reservation means for reserving a cooking time, and reservation means. A start time setting means for subtracting the operation time set by the operation time setting means from the reserved time to obtain an operation start time; and a dry detecting means for detecting a dry-up in a state where the water in the pot of the rice cooker device is depleted. Up detecting means, a sifting time setting means for performing a staking step for a predetermined time after detecting dry-up, and a remaining time obtained by subtracting an elapsed time after the starting of the sizing step from the setting time set by the setting means. It had a remaining time display means for displaying time.

[0003]

In the automatic rice cooker, it has been considered that rice porridge can be cooked in addition to ordinary rice. However, in the conventional rice cooker, dry-up is detected. The detection signal indicates the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time after the start of the murai process from the murai time, thereby displaying the remaining time until the cooking. This is due to the fact that the actual cooking time and the cooking reservation time deviate due to fluctuations in the rice washing time, water addition and subtraction time, etc. depending on the water supply flow rate, and the rice cooking time fluctuating depending on conditions such as water temperature and rice quality. On the other hand, since there is no change in the unevenness time, the time when dry-up is detected is used as a reference for displaying the remaining time.

[0004] Therefore, when rice porridge is incorporated into an automatic rice cooker, rice porridge does not dry up, so that the remaining time cannot be displayed for rice porridge in the same manner as for rice. There is a problem. Therefore, the present invention is capable of selecting a plurality of rice cooking modes having different remaining time display processes, such as a case where porridge rice is incorporated into the automatic rice cooker, in addition to normal rice for cooking ordinary rice. It is another object of the present invention to appropriately display the remaining time until cooking in each rice cooking mode.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following measures. That is, a feature of the present invention is that, in claim 1, in an automatic rice cooker including a rice cooker device and a main control device for controlling the rice cooker device, the main control device performs a normal rice cooker. Do regular rice cooking
Mode selection means for selecting between a rice porridge mode and a rice porridge mode for rice porridge cooking.
Display the remaining time until cooking when
The first remaining time display means and porridge mode are selected.
The second remaining time to display the remaining time until cooking
And a remaining time display means having a display means .
The remaining time display means indicates that the
Displays the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from the start
And the second remaining time display means starts the rice cooking operation.
Start cooking rice from the time until cooking
Time after subtracting elapsed time or rice cooker
From when the kettle reaches a predetermined temperature until cooking
From the time, after the rice cooking operation started, the kettle reached the predetermined temperature
One that displays the time had subtracted the elapsed time from the time
At one point.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic rice cooker comprising a rice cooker device and a main control device for controlling the rice cooker device, wherein the rice cooker device is provided separately from the main control device. A sub-control device for the device is provided, in the sub-control device , a rice cooking menu of "white rice" for performing normal rice cooking,
Rice porridge rice cooking menu selection
A possible rice cooking menu selection means is provided, and when the rice cooking menu of “white rice” is selected,
First remaining time display means for displaying remaining time until rising
And the cooking when the rice menu of "Okayu" is selected
Second remaining time display means for displaying the remaining time until the rise
Remaining time display means having a first remaining time display
The means is to start from the time of the
Displays the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time.
The remaining time display means that the rice cooker starts
Elapsed time from start of rice cooking operation
At the time of deduction or after the rice cooking operation starts
From the time when it reaches a certain temperature to the time of cooking,
After the start of the rice operation,
The point is that the time obtained by subtracting the overtime is displayed .

[0007] The first remaining time display means may be a rice cooking process.
If there is a post-cooking process later, uneven
From the time when the rice cooking process is completed
Displays the time minus the overtime, there is no additional cooking process
In that case, from the time of the rice brewing,
It may display the time after subtracting the elapsed time
No.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. 5 and 6, the automatic rice cooker is
It has a main body frame 1, in which a metering device 2, a rice washing device 3, a rice cooker device 4, and a main control device 5 for automatically controlling the operation of each device are provided. . The metering device 2 includes a rice storage unit 6 for storing rice, and a measuring unit 7 for measuring and discharging a predetermined amount of rice in the rice storage unit 6. The rice washing device 3 includes a rice washing unit 8 for washing the rice discharged from the measuring unit 7 and a rice discharging unit 9 for discharging the rice in the rice washing unit 8. The rice cooker device 4 is composed of an electric kettle or a gas kettle, and cooks rice discharged from the rice discharging unit 9. The rice cooker device 4 includes the main controller 5
Separately, a sub-control device 10 for the rice cooker device 4 is provided. The sub-control device 10 controls the heat so that rice or porridge can be cooked according to a rice-cooking start command from the main control device 5 or a rice-cooking start command from the sub-control device 10. In addition, the heating power is controlled so as to perform the steps of “pre-cooking”, “main cooking”, and “additional cooking”.

FIG. 7 shows an operation display panel 11 of the main control device 5. At the top of the panel 11, a "reservation" button 12 for driving by reservation, an "immediate" button 13 for driving immediately, a "start" button 14 for starting driving, and a "start" button 14 for canceling. "Cancel" buttons 15 are arranged in a horizontal row. A clock display unit 16 for displaying the time, flow rate, and amount of cooked rice beside these push button rows.
Is provided. Below the row of push buttons, a process position display section 17 indicating each process is provided. The display unit 17 is configured to display the process being processed by lighting or blinking a lamp. Further, the display unit 17
Is disposed next to the button. Above the push button 18, there is provided a time display section 19 for waiting for raising, and below the push button 18, there is provided a remaining time display section 20 for displaying a remaining time until cooking.

Below the clock display section 16, a check position display section 21 is provided. This display part 2
Reference numeral 1 indicates an error or trouble in each process by lighting or blinking a lamp. A graphic display unit 22 is provided between the process position display unit 17 and the check position display unit 21. The graphic display unit 22 depicts the entire shape of the present rice cooker, and a lamp is provided at a position corresponding to the process position and the check position. The lamp is operated by the process position display unit 17. When the check position display unit 21 is activated, the lamp at the corresponding position is turned on or blinks when the check position display unit 21 is operating.

In the lower part of the operation display panel 11, a rice cooker selecting unit 23 for selecting a rice cooker, a hardness selector 24 for adjusting the amount of rice cooked, and a rice cooker for selecting a degree of rice washing. A washing selection unit 25 and a mode selection unit 26 for selecting a rice cooking mode are arranged in a row.
Below the selection section row, a timer setting section 27 for setting a raising time and a spotting time, and a maintenance section 2
8, a time / reservation set unit 29 for performing a time / reservation set, and a display / clear unit 30 for the total amount of cooked rice are arranged in a horizontal row.

The mode selection section 26 is provided with a "mode" button 26A, and the rice cooking mode includes a normal rice cooking mode for cooking normal rice and a rice porridge mode for cooking rice with porridge. The mode is “automatic once”, in which the entire process from weighing to cooking is performed once.
And two modes, "automatic twice", in which all the steps are performed twice, and "preparing rice for cooking", in which the rice is washed and waited for raising. Each time the "mode" button 26A is pressed, the mode selection means of the main controller 5 sequentially switches the modes "automatic once", "automatic twice", "rice preparation" and "porridge". You can choose.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, a "menu selection" is provided on the operation unit on the outer surface of the sub-control device 10 for the rice cooker device 4.
A button 39, a "pre-cooking selection" button 40, a display unit 41 for displaying an error or time, a "cooking" button 42 for causing the rice cooker 4 to perform a cooking operation, and an "off" button 43 for stopping the cooking. And a cooked rice display 44 indicating that the cooked rice is being cooked. The rice cooking menu selected by the sub-control device 10 includes a “white rice” rice cooking menu for causing the rice cooker device 4 to perform a normal rice cooking operation and a “rice porridge” rice cooking for causing the rice porridge to operate. A menu is provided, and the rice cooking menu of “white rice” includes a plurality of rice cooking courses that operate differently from a rice cooking course of “white rice 1” and a rice cooking course of “white rice 2”.

[0014] The rice cooking course of "white rice 1" and the rice cooking course of "white rice 2" are, for example, rice cooking of "white rice 2" in comparison with rice cooking course of "white rice 1" according to customer's preference and the kind of rice. The cooking method is slightly different so that the course is slightly softer. The "menu selection" button 3 is operated by the menu selection means and the course selection means of the sub-control device 10.
Every time 9 is pressed, the rice cooker course of "white rice 1" of the rice cooker of "white rice", the rice cooker course of "white rice 2" of the rice cooker of "white rice", and the rice cooker menu of "porridge" are sequentially switched. It has become. In addition, "cooked rice" button 4
By pressing 2, the rice cooker device 4 performs the rice cooking operation in accordance with the rice cooking menu and the rice cooking course selected by the "menu selection" button 39 under the control of the sub-control device 10.

When the "automatic once" or "automatic twice" rice cooking mode is selected by the mode selecting means of the main controller 5, the rice cooker is started by the start signal from the main controller 5 to the sub-controller 10. The apparatus 4 automatically cooks rice. At this time, if the sub-control device 4 is selected for the rice course of “white rice 1” or “white rice 2”, the rice cooking operation is performed with the rice menu of “white rice” as it is, and the sub-control device 4 performs the rice cooking of “porridge”. If the menu is selected, the rice is automatically switched to "white rice 1", and rice cooking operation is performed in the rice rice menu of the "white rice".

When the rice cooking mode of "porridge" is selected by the mode selecting means of the main controller 5,
In the same manner as described above, the rice cooker device 4 automatically performs the rice cooking operation according to the start signal from the main control device 5 to the sub control device 10. At this time, if the sub-control device 4 is selected as the rice menu of “porridge”, the rice cooker operates with the rice menu of “porridge” as it is, and the sub-control device 4 cooks rice of “white rice 1” or “white rice 2”. If the course has been selected, the mode is automatically switched to "porridge", and the rice is cooked in the rice menu of "porridge".

Further, when the rice cooking mode of "preparing rice" is selected by the mode selecting means of the main control device 5, the start signal is not sent from the main control device 5 to the sub-control device 10, and the rice cooker device 4 By the pushing operation of the “cooking” button 42, the rice cooking operation is performed in the rice cooking menu selected by the sub-control device 10. The one shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the main control device 5, wherein a reservation unit 31 is configured to display the “reservation” button 12
It is constituted by a reservation setting unit 29. In the case of reserved driving, first, the "reservation" button 12 is pressed, and then the time displayed on the clock display section 16 is set to the desired cooking time by the time / reservation setting section 29.

The rice cooking condition setting means 32 comprises the rice cooking amount selecting section 23, the hardness selecting section 24, the washing method selecting section 25, and the mode selecting section 26. The swing time setting means 33 is constituted by the timer setting section 27, and when the “Mushroom” button 27A is pressed, the swing time displayed on the remaining time display section 20 advances by 1 minute, and the push is pushed. If you continue, it will fast forward and you can set the spotting time arbitrarily. The operation time setting means 34 is based on various conditions set by the rice cooking condition setting means 32, and the operation time of the automatic rice cooker (total time of weighing, washing rice, cooking rice, and steaming rice) by an arithmetic program incorporated in advance.
Is what you want.

The start time setting means 35 performs the processing shown in FIG. That is, when the reservation operation of the cooking time is performed by the reservation means 31, it is determined whether or not the pre-cooking step is selected for the rice cooker device 4 (or whether or not the rice cooker device 4 has a pre-cooking step). Determine. This pre-cooking process is one of the rice cooking processes controlled by the sub-control device 10 of the rice cooker device 4.
This is the process of cooking with low heat at the beginning of rice cooking, as it is called Choro-Choro or Naka-Pappa. When the rice cooker device 4 has a pre-cooking step, the start time is obtained by the following equation. Start time = reservation time-driving time-pre-cooking time

If there is no pre-cooking step (eg, rice porridge, no sub-controller, etc.), start time = reservation time-operating time is obtained as follows. Regardless of the cooking time, it can be cooked almost as scheduled. Then, when the obtained start time comes, an operation start command is issued to the weighing device 2 and the like via the operation instruction means 36, and the operation operation (weighing, rice washing,
A series of operations for cooking rice) is started.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for displaying the remaining time until cooking. The remaining time display processing is performed as follows. That is, when the normal rice cooking mode of the main control device 5 is selected to be "automatic once" or "automatic twice", the rice cooking process proceeds in the rice cooker device 4, and the water in the kettle disappears. Then, the temperature of the kettle rises sharply. This temperature rise is detected by a dry-up detecting means 37 (see FIG. 1) composed of a temperature sensor or the like,
A state in which the water in the kettle has run out, that is, so-called dry-up is detected. Then, by detecting this dry-up, it is determined that the rice cooking process has been completed. If the sub-control device 10 has an additional cooking process, after the additional cooking process has been completed, the Is performed, and if there is no re-cooking step, it is programmed to start the spotting step immediately after detecting the dry-up.

Therefore, if there is no additional cooking step, the time from the detection of the dry-up to the cooking is different, and after the detection of the dry-up, the fluctuation time set by the main controller 5 is used to determine the time after the detection of the dry-up . If the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time is displayed, the display of the remaining time becomes inaccurate. Therefore, when the rice cooker device 4 has an additional cooking step, the remaining time is obtained by the following equation. Remaining time = additional cooking time + spotting time-elapsed time The additional cooking time is the additional cooking time set by the sub-control device 10, and the spotting time is set by the spotting time setting means 33. is time, time is elapsed, the elapsed time after the detection of the de line up.

If the rice cooker 4 has no additional cooking step, the additional cooking time is set to 0 in the above equation, and
Remaining time is calculated, and remaining time = spotting time-elapsed time. The remaining time thus obtained is displayed on the remaining time display section 20. Therefore, the first remaining time display means 38A is constituted by the remaining time calculation means and the remaining time display section 20 described above.

Next, when the main control device 5 is set to the rice porridge mode, for example, when the time from the start of the rice cooking operation to the completion of the cooking is fixed, the start signal of the rice cooking operation is The remaining time display unit 20 displays the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time after the start of the rice cooking operation from the rice cooking time of rice porridge (calculated by the arithmetic program based on various conditions set by the rice cooking condition setting means 32). , The remaining time is displayed. Therefore, in the case described above, the remaining time is obtained by the following equation. Remaining time = Cooking time-Elapsed time

The time from the start of the rice cooking operation until the temperature of the kettle reaches the predetermined temperature at which the temperature of the kettle becomes substantially constant may vary depending on the water temperature or the like. When controlling to make the time required for rice cooking after the start constant, as shown in FIG. 3, after the rice cooking operation is started, it is detected that the temperature of the pot has reached a predetermined temperature, and this detection signal indicates Main rice cooking time (set time until cooking after detecting that the temperature of the pot has reached a predetermined temperature, which is calculated by an arithmetic program based on various conditions set by the rice cooking condition setting means 32 as described above. ) Is displayed on the remaining time display unit 20 by subtracting the elapsed time after detecting that the temperature of the shuttle has reached the predetermined temperature.

In this case, the remaining time is obtained by the following equation. Remaining time = main rice cooking time−elapsed time Therefore, the above-described remaining time calculation means and the remaining time display unit 20 constitute second remaining time display means 38B. The display process of the remaining time described above is performed by the sub control device 10.
In the same manner as described above, even if the rice is cooked by the "cooking" button 42, the rice cooking menu of "white rice" or "porridge" selected by the rice cooking new selecting means of the sub-control device 10 is selected. The remaining time until cooking is displayed by the first and second remaining time display means 38A and 38B.

The first remaining time display means 38A
It is preferable that the sub-control device 10 performs a calculation process of the remaining time according to each of “white rice 1” and “white rice 2”. Further, in order to detect the temperature of the pot in the case of the rice porridge, the dry-up detecting means 37 may be used.
Further, the method of calculating the remaining time in the case of porridge is not limited to the above method, and may be performed based on another detection signal during cooking rice.
Furthermore, a mode other than the rice porridge mode may be incorporated, and a third remaining time display means for displaying the remaining time until cooking corresponding to the mode may be provided.

[0028]

According to the present invention, a plurality of rice cooking modes or rice cooking menus having different remaining time display processing can be set in the automatic rice cooker, for example, when porridge rice is incorporated in addition to ordinary rice. Even if it is possible to select one, it is possible to appropriately display the remaining time until completion of each rice cooking mode or rice cooking menu.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an automatic rice cooker of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for obtaining a remaining time.

FIG. 3 is another flowchart for obtaining a remaining time.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for obtaining a start time.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the automatic rice cooker according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the automatic rice cooker according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view of an operation panel of the automatic rice cooker according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of an operation unit of the sub control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 rice cooker device 5 main control device 32 rice cooking condition setting means 38 remaining time display means 38A first remaining time display means 38B second remaining time display means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Keiichi Sanpei 64 Ishizukita-cho, Sakai-shi, Osaka Inside Kubota Sakai Works Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Minoru Nakajima 2-27-2 Mizuhashi, Higashi-Osaka-shi, Osaka (56) References JP-A-3-94708 (JP, A) JP-A-7-8377 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47J 27/00 A47J 27/14-27/18

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic rice cooker comprising a rice cooker device and a main control device for controlling the rice cooker device, wherein the main control device is a normal rice cooker mode for performing a normal rice cooker.
And a mode selection means that can select a porridge mode for porridge rice cooking, and a normal rice cooking mode is selected.
1st display of remaining time until cooking when set
Remaining time display means and when rice porridge mode is selected
Second remaining time display hand that displays the remaining time until cooking
A remaining time display means having a step and a first remaining time
The interval display means starts the murara process from the murara time.
Displays the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from
The second remaining time display means indicates that the rice cooking operation has started.
From the time until cooking, after the rice cooking operation starts
After subtracting the elapsed time, or after starting the rice cooking operation
The time from when the kettle reaches a certain temperature to when it is cooked
From, when the kettle reaches a predetermined temperature after the rice cooking operation starts
An automatic rice cooker characterized by displaying a time obtained by subtracting an elapsed time from the time . 2. An automatic rice cooker comprising a rice cooker device and a main control device for controlling the rice cooker device, wherein the rice cooker device has a sub-control for the rice cooker device separately from the main control device. device is provided, the sub control unit, usually
A rice cooker menu of “white rice” and rice porridge
Performing the selection of the cooking menu of "porridge" is provided cooking menu selection means capable, in the main control unit, "white
Until the rice is cooked when the rice menu is selected
First remaining time display means for displaying the remaining time of
Until cooked when Yu menu was selected
And second remaining time display means for displaying the remaining time.
The time display means is provided, and the first remaining time display means is
The elapsed time from the start of the murara process
Displays the deducted time, and the second remaining time table
The indication means from the start of the rice cooking operation to the completion of cooking.
Subtract the time elapsed since the start of the rice cooking operation
For a while, or after the rice cooker starts
Cook from time to rise from the time of Tsu, rice operation Star
The time elapsed since the kettle reached the specified temperature after
An automatic rice cooker characterized by displaying a subtraction time . 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first remaining time display means is provided after the rice cooking step.
If there is a re-cooking process, skip to the re-cooking time
After the rice cooking process has been completed
Displays the time after subtraction, if there is no additional cooking process
The time since the rice cooking process was completed
It is characterized by displaying the time after subtracting the time
The automatic rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein