JP5799658B2 - Electric rice cooker and rice cooking method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric rice cooker capable of electrically heating a pot in which rice and water are accommodated, and more particularly to an electric rice cooker capable of executing various types of rice cooking processing by a control means.

  An electric rice cooker for electrically heating a pan in which rice and water are stored is known. Among such electric rice cookers, there are those that can execute a normal rice cooking process, a quick cooking process, a cooking process, and the like by the control means controlling the heating means. In addition, some electric rice cookers can cook rice with a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure inside the pot.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electric rice cooker. According to Patent Document 1, the electric rice cooker has drive means for opening the passage opening / closing means, and operation control means for controlling the drive means according to the rice cooking process. By the operation control means, for example, in the initial stage of the boiling maintenance process of the rice cooking process, when the spillage of a rice ball or the like comes to occur, the driving means is operated to open the passage opening / closing means and open the steam escape passage To do. Then, since steam is released through the steam escape passage, no spillage occurs. On the other hand, when the steam pressure in the inner pot decreases to a certain extent and the spill does not occur, the opening and closing means is returned to the closed state, the pressure in the inner pot is increased, and the starch conversion of rice starch is promoted. The

  Moreover, according to patent document 2, an electric rice cooker is the induction heating means which induction-heats an inner pot, the cooking heating control mode setting means, and the heating temperature of the said inner pot is more than the heating temperature in normal rice cooking heating control mode. And a heat-up control means for making the heat-up temperature higher. The cooking heating control means is configured to execute the cooking heating control in the cooking heating process including a predetermined heating stop control time, and the residual heat is not increased without excessively raising the heating temperature of the inner pot by the heating stopping control. By increasing the total heating time including the heat, it was possible to form a safe but reliable burn.

  Patent Document 3 also discloses a pressure rice cooker. According to Patent Document 3, the pressure maintaining operation by the pressure maintaining means is canceled after the natural pressure reduction in the unevenness process is completed. Thereafter, a scorching process is performed by reheating by the heating means.

JP-A-9-140576 JP 2003-325331 A JP 2000-37291 A

  However, when the steaming or steaming process is performed with the pressure in the pan being high, the resulting rice may become sticky. There is also a need for a method for efficiently performing the steaming process and the steaming process.

  An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an electric rice cooker that can prevent rice from sticking during boiling or steaming while boiling water in the pot with the pressure inside the pot raised It is to be. Moreover, the objective of another situation of this invention is to provide the electric rice cooker which can perform a steaming process and a steaming process efficiently.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, a heating means for heating a pot containing rice and water, a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the pot, and a heating means and a pressure adjusting mechanism are controlled. In this way, a heating step for boiling rice and water, a boiling maintenance step for maintaining the boiling state, a boiling step for adding rice to the rice, and a steaming step for steaming the rice are performed. There is provided an electric rice cooker comprising a control means. The control means keeps the pot pressure high for at least some period during the boiling maintenance process, lowers the pot pressure after some period and increases the pressure inside the pot before the steaming process begins. Reduce to atmospheric pressure.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, the heating means for heating the pot containing rice and water, the pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the pot, the heating means and the pressure adjusting mechanism are controlled. A boiling temperature process for maintaining the boiling state, a boiling process for maintaining the boiling state, a steaming process for steaming the rice, and a rice steaming process, There is provided an electric rice cooker comprising a control means for executing a heat retaining step for maintaining the temperature of the rice. The control means executes a steaming process after the cooking process, and executes a heat retaining process after the steaming process.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, in an electric rice cooker including a heating means for heating a pot containing rice and water, a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the pot, and a control means A method for cooking rice is provided. The rice cooking method includes a heating step for boiling rice and water, a boiling maintaining step for maintaining the boiling state, a cooking step for adding rice to the rice, and a steaming step for steaming the rice. Keep the pot pressure high for at least some period during the boiling maintenance process, reduce the pot pressure after some period, and reduce the pressure inside the pot to atmospheric pressure before the steaming process begins .

  According to another aspect of the present invention, in an electric rice cooker including a heating means for heating a pot containing rice and water, a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the pot, and a control means A method for cooking rice is provided. The rice cooking method includes a temperature raising step for boiling water, a boiling maintenance step for maintaining the boiling state, a cooking step for adding rice to the rice after the boiling maintenance step, and a steaming step for steaming the rice after the cooking step.

  As described above, in a certain aspect of the present invention, while boiling the water in the pan in a state where the pressure inside the pan is increased, it is possible to prevent rice from becoming sticky during the cooking process or the steaming process. Can do. Moreover, in another situation of this invention, a boil processing and a steaming process can be performed efficiently.

It is a top view which shows the electric rice cooker 100 which concerns on this Embodiment. It is AA arrow sectional drawing in FIG. It is BB arrow sectional drawing in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the inner cover 105 which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the electric rice cooker 100 which concerns on this Embodiment. It is an image figure which shows the sequence of the microcomputer 110 which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a 1st flowchart which shows the process sequence of the microcomputer 110 which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a 2nd flowchart which shows the process sequence of the microcomputer 110 which concerns on this Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

<Overall configuration of electric rice cooker>
First, the whole structure of the electric rice cooker 100 is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG.

  With reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, an electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment includes a main body 101 and a lid unit 102 attached to the upper surface of the rear portion of the main body 101 via a hinge 106.

  An inner case 104 made of synthetic resin is attached to the inside of the main body 101. An inner pot 103 is detachably disposed on the inner case 104. The inner pot 103 is made of a magnetic metal plate capable of electromagnetic induction. The inner pot 103 may be a clay pot.

  On the outer peripheral surface of the inner case 104, there are first and second heaters 151A and 151B for heating the inner pot 103 during rice cooking so as to wrap substantially the entire side wall part 103b from the bottom wall part 103a of the inner pot 103. Is provided. In addition, a heat retaining heater (not shown) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the inner case 104 corresponding to the entire periphery of the side wall 103b of the inner pot 103. A lid heater (not shown) is provided below the lid unit 102.

  An inner lid 105 is detachably attached to the lower surface of the lid unit 102, that is, on the main body 101 side of the lid unit 102. On the upper surface of the lid unit 102, an operation panel 120 for a user to operate the electric rice cooker 100 is provided.

A center sensor 131 for measuring the temperature at the center of the bottom surface of the inner pot 103 is disposed at the center of the bottom surface of the inner case 104. A lid sensor 132 for measuring the temperature at the center of the bottom surface of the inner lid 105 is disposed on the bottom surface of the lid unit 102.
<Pressure adjustment mechanism of electric rice cooker>

  Next, a pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the inner pot 103 will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the inner lid 124 according to the present embodiment.

  With reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, electric rice cooker 100 includes a first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 and a second pressure adjustment mechanism 180.

  The first pressure adjusting mechanism 170 includes a first vent 172 formed in the inner lid 124, a first ball 171 for opening and closing the first vent 172, and a command from the microcomputer 110 described later. And a member for separating the first ball 171 from the first vent hole 172. The state in which the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 is effective means a state in which the first ball 171 blocks the first air hole 172 (by its own weight). Conversely, the state in which the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 is invalid refers to a state in which the first ball 171 is separated from the first vent hole 172. In the present embodiment, in order for the air inside the inner pot 103 to lift the first ball 171 through the first vent 172, the pressure of the air inside the inner pot 103 is 1.2 to It is necessary to reach 1.3 atm.

  The second pressure adjusting mechanism 180 is based on a second ventilation hole 182 formed in the inner lid 124, a second ball 181 for opening and closing the second ventilation hole 182, and a command from the microcomputer 110. And a member for (actively) pressing the second ball 181 against the second air hole 182. The state in which the second pressure adjustment mechanism 180 is effective refers to a state in which the second ball 181 is actively pressed against the second ventilation hole 182. The state in which the second pressure adjusting mechanism 180 is invalid means that the second ball 181 is not pressed against the second vent 182, that is, the second ball 181 is (by its own weight) the second vent 182. The state which is blocking. In the present embodiment, the second ball 181 is lighter than the first ball 171. In order for the air inside the inner pot 103 to lift the second ball 181 through the second vent 182, the pressure of the air inside the inner pot 103 needs to reach 1.02 to 1.1 atm. There is.

Control of the first and second pressure adjusting mechanisms 170 and 180 by the microcomputer 110 will be described later.
<Hardware configuration of electric rice cooker>

  Next, the hardware configuration of the electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment.

  1 to 5, electric rice cooker 100 includes an operation panel 120 disposed on the upper surface of lid unit 102. Operation panel 120 includes a display 121 and buttons 122. More specifically, the operation panel 120 is provided with a reservation button 1221, a rice cooking button 1222, a heat retention button 1223, a cancel button 1224, a menu button 1225, a burn button 1226, and a time button 1227.

  The operation panel 120 inputs a command corresponding to the operation of the button 122 by the user to the microcomputer 110. For example, the user shifts the electric rice cooker 100 to a normal rice cooking mode, a quick cooking mode, a rice cooking mode, etc. by operating the button 122. The display 121 displays text and images based on instructions from the microcomputer 110.

  The electric rice cooker 100 includes a speaker 123 arranged on the outer surface of the electric rice cooker 100. The speaker 123 outputs an electronic sound or an audio guide based on a signal from the microcomputer 110.

  The electric rice cooker 100 includes a center sensor 131 for measuring the temperature at the center of the lower surface of the inner pot 103. The center sensor 131 measures the temperature at the bottom center of the inner pot 103 and inputs the measurement result to the microcomputer 110. Electric rice cooker 100 also includes a lid sensor 132 for measuring the temperature of the lower surface of inner lid 105. The lid sensor 132 measures the temperature of the lower surface of the inner lid 105 and inputs the measurement result to the microcomputer 110.

  The lower surface of the inner pot 103 includes main IHs 151A and 151B for heating the lower surface of the inner pot 103. The main IHs 151A and 151B are connected to the microcomputer 110 via the driver 141. The driver 141 changes the outputs of the main IHs 151A and 151B based on the signal from the microcomputer 110. In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 110 can control the outputs of the main IHs 151A and 151B in multiple stages (for example, level 0 to level 16) via the driver 141.

  A lid heater 152 is included on the lower surface of the lid unit 102. The lid heater 152 is connected to the microcomputer 110 via the driver 142. The driver 142 changes the output of the lid heater 152 based on a signal from the microcomputer 110. In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 110 can control the output of the lid heater 152 in multiple stages (for example, level 0 to level 16) via the driver 142.

  The side surface of the inner pot 103 includes a heat retaining heater 153 for heating the side surface of the inner pot 103. The heat retaining heater 153 is connected to the microcomputer 110 via the driver 143. The driver 143 changes the output of the heat retaining heater 153 based on a signal from the microcomputer 110. In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 110 can control the output of the heat retaining heater 153 in multiple stages (for example, level 0 to level 16) via the driver 143.

  The electric rice cooker 100 includes a first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 and a second pressure adjustment mechanism 180 for adjusting the pressure inside the inner pot 103. In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 110 separates the first ball 171 of the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 from the first vent hole 172 by a pushing member using a solenoid. In this case, the first pressure adjusting mechanism is invalid. Further, the microcomputer 110 presses the second ball 181 of the second pressure adjustment mechanism 180 against the second vent hole 182 by a pressing member using a solenoid (actively). In this case, it is said that the second pressure adjustment mechanism is effective.

  More specifically, when the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 is disabled, that is, when the first ball 171 of the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 is separated from the first vent hole 172, The inner pressure is maintained at atmospheric pressure (1.00 atm).

  When the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 is effective and the second pressure adjustment mechanism 180 is invalid, that is, the first ball 171 closes the first vent hole 172 with its own weight, and the second ball 181 also has its own weight. When the second ventilation hole 182 is closed, the pressure inside the inner pot 103 increases to 1.02 to 1.1 atm as the temperature of the inner pot 103 increases.

  When both the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 and the second pressure adjustment mechanism 180 are effective, that is, the first ball 171 closes the first vent hole 172 by its own weight, and the second ball 181 When pressed against the air hole 182, the pressure inside the inner pot 103 rises to 1.2 to 1.3 atm as the temperature of the inner pot 103 rises.

  The electric rice cooker 100 includes a clock 160. The clock 160 inputs the current time to the microcomputer 110. The clock 160 also serves as a timer for measuring the elapsed time from a predetermined time point, and inputs the elapsed time to the microcomputer 110.

  The electric rice cooker 100 includes a microcomputer 110 for controlling each part of the electric rice cooker 100. More specifically, the microcomputer 110 includes a microprocessor that performs operations, a memory that stores programs and data, and the like. In the microcomputer 110, each part of the electric rice cooker 100 (for example, the main IH 151, the lid heater 152, the heat retaining heater 153, the display 121, the speaker 123, etc.) is executed by the microprocessor executing a program stored in the memory. To control.

In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 110 shifts to a normal rice cooking mode, a quick cooking mode, a rice cooking mode, and the like according to a user command input via the operation panel 120.
<Operation of microcomputer>

  Next, the operation of the microcomputer 110 in the ghost mode will be described. FIG. 6 is an image diagram showing an operation sequence of the microcomputer 110 in the ghost mode. FIG. 7 is a first flowchart showing the processing procedure of the burning process by the microcomputer 110 in the burning mode. FIG. 8 is a second flowchart showing the processing procedure of the burning process by the microcomputer 110 in the burning mode.

  The microcomputer 110 receives a command for shifting to the “fake mode” from the user via the operation panel 120. When the microprocessor of the microcomputer 110 receives the instruction, the microprocessor 110 starts the frying process shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 based on the memory program (including the operation sequence shown in FIG. 6).

  Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the microcomputer 110 controls the main IH 151A, 151B based on the measured temperature from the center sensor 131 to execute the water absorption process (step S102). The microcomputer 110 executes the first temperature raising step (step S104).

  The microcomputer 110 determines whether the water in the inner pot 103 is boiling based on the measured temperature from the lid sensor 132 (step S106). If the water in the inner pot 103 is not boiling (NO in step S106), the microcomputer 110 repeats the processing from step S104. The microcomputer 110 determines the total number of rice based on the time until the boiling is detected.

  If the water in the inner pot 103 is boiling (YES in step S106), the microcomputer 110 executes the second temperature raising step (step S108). At this time, the microcomputer 110 makes the first and second pressure adjustment mechanisms 170 and 180 effective. That is, the microcomputer 110 raises the pressure of the inner pot 103 to 1.2 to 1.3 atm using the pressure adjusting mechanisms 170 and 180.

  The microcomputer 110 refers to the clock 160 to determine whether or not the execution time of the second temperature raising step has reached the first predetermined time (step S110). If the execution time of the second temperature raising step has not reached the first predetermined time (NO in step S110), microcomputer 110 repeats the process of step S110.

  If the execution time of the second temperature raising step reaches the first predetermined time (YES in step S110), the microcomputer 110 executes the first boiling maintenance step (step S112). The microcomputer 110 determines whether or not the execution time of the first boiling maintenance process has reached the second predetermined time (step S114). If the execution time of the first boiling maintenance step has not reached the second predetermined time (NO in step S114), the microcomputer 110 repeats the process of step S114.

  When the execution time of the first boiling maintenance step reaches the second predetermined time (in the case of YES in step S114), the microcomputer 110 causes the second pressure adjustment mechanism only for a few seconds (for example, 2 seconds). 180 is disabled and only the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170 is enabled. That is, the first and second balls 171 and 181 close the first and second vent holes only by their own weight, so that the pressure in the space inside the inner pot 103 is maintained at 1.02 to 1.1 atm. It is. Thereby, the boiling in the inner pot 103 can be intensified, and the rice and water in the inner pot 103 can be stirred.

  The microcomputer 110 executes the second boiling maintenance process (step S118). At this time, the microcomputer 110 enables the first and second pressure adjusting mechanisms 170 and 180. The microcomputer 110 determines whether or not the execution time of the second boiling maintenance step has reached a third predetermined time (step S120). If the execution time of the second boiling maintenance process has not reached the third predetermined time (NO in step S120), the process of step S120 is repeated.

  When the execution time of the second boiling maintenance process reaches the third predetermined time (YES in step S120), the third boiling maintenance process is executed (step S122). At this time, the microcomputer 110 disables the second pressure adjustment mechanism 180 and enables only the first pressure adjustment mechanism 170. That is, the first and second balls 171 and 181 close the first and second vent holes 172 and 182 only by their own weight, so that the pressure in the space inside the inner pot 103 is 1.02 to 1.1 atm. To be kept.

  The microcomputer 110 determines whether or not the measured temperature from the center sensor 131 has reached the first predetermined temperature (step S124). If the measured temperature has not reached the first predetermined temperature (NO in step S124), microcomputer 110 repeats the process in step S124.

  When the measured temperature reaches the first predetermined temperature (YES in step S124), microcomputer 110 executes the burning process (step S126). At this time, the microcomputer 110 disables the first and second pressure adjustment mechanisms 170 and 180. That is, when the first ball 171 opens the first air hole 172, the pressure in the space inside the inner pot 103 is maintained at atmospheric pressure.

  Since the electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment thus reduces the pressure in the inner pot 103 stepwise, the juice in the inner pot 103 is outside the electric rice cooker 100. It is possible to prevent spouting out vigorously.

  The microcomputer 110 refers to the clock 160 to determine whether or not the execution time of the fake process has reached a fourth predetermined time (step S128). If the execution time of the burning process has not reached the fourth predetermined time (NO in step S128), microcomputer 110 repeats the process of step S128.

  More specifically, the microcomputer 110 repeats the fake process for the fifth predetermined time and the fake pause process for the sixth predetermined time until the fourth predetermined time elapses. The microcomputer 110 sets the outputs of the main IHs 151A and 151B to the maximum so that the measured temperature of the center sensor 131 is 169 ° C. The microcomputer 110 turns off the main IHs 151A and 151B as the fake pause process.

  If the execution time of the cooking process reaches the fourth predetermined time (YES in step S128), microcomputer 110 executes the steaming process (step S130). At this time, the microcomputer 110 continues to invalidate the first and second pressure adjustment mechanisms 170 and 180.

  The microcomputer 110 determines whether or not the execution time of the steaming process has reached the seventh predetermined time (step S132). If the execution time of the steaming process has not reached the seventh predetermined time (NO in step S132), the microcomputer 110 repeats the process of step S132.

When the execution time of the steaming process reaches the seventh predetermined time (YES in step S132), the microcomputer 110 ends the rice cooking process and executes the heat retaining process (step S134). In the heat retaining step, the microcomputer 110 keeps the temperature of the inner pot 103 at the maintenance temperature of the heat retaining step, which is lower than the maintenance temperature of the steaming step.
<Other application examples of electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment>

  It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or apparatus. Then, a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the program code stored in the storage medium It is possible to enjoy the effects of the present invention also by reading and executing.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code However, it is needless to say that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Electric rice cooker, 101 Main body, 102 Lid unit, 103 Inner pan, 103a Bottom wall part, 103b Side wall part, 104 Inner case, 105 Inner lid, 106 Hinge, 110 Microcomputer, 120 Operation panel, 121 Display, 122 button, 123 speaker, 124 inner lid, 131 center sensor, 132 lid sensor, 141 driver, 142 driver, 143 driver, 151A, 151B heater, 152 lid heater, 153 heat retention heater, 160 clock, 170 first pressure adjustment mechanism, 171 first 1 ball, 172 1st ventilation hole, 180 2nd pressure regulation mechanism, 181 2nd ball, 182 2nd ventilation hole, 1221 Reservation button, 1222 Rice cooking button, 1223 Heat retention button, 1224 Cancel button, 1225 New button, 1226 button, 1227 Time button.

Claims (2)

Heating means for heating the pot containing rice and water;
A pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the pan;
By controlling the heating means and the pressure adjusting mechanism, a temperature raising step for boiling the rice and water, a boiling maintaining step for maintaining a boiling state, and a sashimi for applying rice to the rice A control means for performing a process and a steaming process for steaming the rice,
The control means includes
The pan pressure is kept high during at least a part of the boiling maintenance process, and after the part of time, the pressurization before the cooking process is performed at a low pressure between a maximum pressure and an atmospheric pressure. An electric rice cooker that is maintained for a certain period of time and reduces the pressure inside the pan from the low pressure to atmospheric pressure before the steaming process is started. Heating means for heating the pot containing rice and water;
A pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside the pan;
By controlling the heating means and the pressure adjusting mechanism, a temperature raising step for boiling the rice and water, a boiling maintaining step for maintaining a boiling state, and a sashimi for applying rice to the rice A control means for performing a process, a steaming process for steaming the rice, and a heat retaining process for maintaining the temperature of the rice,
The control means includes
After maintaining at a high pressure, maintaining at a low pressure between the maximum pressure and the atmospheric pressure for a certain period of time, after the boiling maintenance step, performing the burning step,
Performing the steaming step after the cooking step,
The electric rice cooker which performs the said heat retention process after the said steaming process.

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