JP7518945B2 - Cooking equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooking device equipped with a magnetron and equipped with a wireless communication device capable of communicating with the outside world.

In recent years, network home appliance systems using home appliances equipped with wireless communication functions, so-called network home appliances, are becoming more and more common. In a network home appliance system, network home appliances and communication terminal devices such as tablet terminals and smartphones can communicate with each other via a communication network, and the communication terminal devices can be used to remotely control the network home appliances and check the operating status of the network home appliances.

One such network home appliance is a cooking appliance equipped with a magnetron. Cooking with a magnetron refers to cooking with a so-called microwave oven function that generates microwaves. However, cooking appliances equipped with magnetrons have sides made of a metal casing to block microwaves. Therefore, if a wireless communication device (wireless communication adapter) is installed in a position covered by the metal casing, communication radio waves are blocked, resulting in communication errors such as a decrease in communication distance. Therefore, for example, as in Patent Document 1, a special resin wireless communication device storage section is provided in the casing, or as in Patent Document 2, a communication antenna is provided inside a resin leg, thereby ensuring the communication performance of the wireless communication device.

JP 2005-260891 A (Published on September 22, 2005) Patent No. 4469513 (registered March 5, 2010)

As described above, in a conventional cooker equipped with a magnetron, in order to ensure communication with the wireless communication device, it is necessary to provide a special resin housing for the wireless communication device in the cooker or to modify the structure of the cooker. This leads to an increase in the manufacturing process and costs.

The present invention has been made in consideration of solving the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a cooking appliance that can be installed in a position where a wireless communication device can be easily communicated without providing a special configuration for installing a wireless communication device in the cooking appliance and without changing the structure of the cooking appliance.

In order to solve the above problems, a heating cooker according to one aspect of the present invention is a heating cooker equipped with a magnetron, comprising a heating chamber for accommodating an object to be heated, a door section that is arranged to be able to open and close the heating chamber and has a window section and a non-metallic frame section that surrounds the window section, and a display and operation section that displays and accepts operations, and an installation space for installing a wireless communication device that communicates with the outside is provided inside the frame section or in a non-metallic circuit storage section that stores a drive circuit for the display and operation section.

In addition, a heating cooker according to one aspect of the present invention is a heating cooker equipped with a magnetron, which comprises a heating chamber for accommodating an object to be heated, a door section that is arranged to be able to open and close the heating chamber and has a window section and a non-metallic frame section that surrounds the window section, a display operation section that displays and accepts operations, a steam generating device that generates water vapor, and a water storage container that is a container for storing water to be replenished to the steam generating device and is mainly made of non-metal and can be removed to the outside, and an installation space for installing a wireless communication device that communicates with the outside is provided inside the frame section, in a non-metallic circuit storage section that stores a drive circuit for the display operation section, or in a position that contacts the water storage container.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooking appliance that can be installed in a position where a wireless communication device can be effectively communicated without providing a special configuration for installing a wireless communication device in the cooking appliance and without changing the structure of the cooking appliance.

1A and 1B are front views of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a door closed and with the door open, respectively. FIG. 11 is a front view of a cooking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the door open. 11A and 11B are diagrams showing a cooking device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a simplified perspective view. 13A to 13D are diagrams illustrating examples of the arrangement of a wireless communication adapter and a water tank in a cooking device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view of a cooking device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention with the door open. FIG. 13 is a front view of another cooking device according to embodiment 5 of the present invention with the door open.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

Figure 1 is a front view of the cooking device 1 of this embodiment, (a) showing the state with the door (door portion) 3 closed, and (b) showing the state with the door 3 open. The cooking device 1 is equipped with a magnetron M that generates microwaves, and is a cooking device that performs microwave cooking as cooking. The cooking device 1 may have an oven cooking function in addition to the microwave cooking function. However, in this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, all cooking is performed using the microwave function.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cooking device 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped casing 2 and a door 3, and the space surrounded by the casing 2 is a heating chamber 2a for accommodating an object to be heated. The magnetron M is provided inside the casing 2 (e.g., on the opposite side of the door 3 across the heating chamber 2a).

The door 3 has a window (window portion) 3a arranged opposite the heating chamber 2a, and a frame (frame portion) 3b surrounding the window 3a. Heat-resistant glass or heat-resistant transparent resin is fitted into the window 3a so that the heating chamber 2a can be seen.

The frame 3b is made of a non-metallic material, for example, resin. The door 3 is provided so that the heating chamber 2a can be opened and closed, and rotates approximately around the lower edge, with a handle 4 attached to the upper side as a user aid for opening and closing the door 3. In this embodiment, the door 3 is opened and closed by rotating approximately around the lower edge of the door 3, but this is not limited thereto, and the door 3 may be opened and closed by rotating around the left or right edge of the door 3, for example.

In addition, a shielding material of a size sufficient to cover the entrance of the heating chamber 2a is formed on the surface of the door 3 facing the heating chamber 2a.

The cooking device 1 further includes a display operation unit 5 that displays various information related to the cooking device 1 and accepts operations for the cooking device 1. The display operation unit 5 may be configured as a touch panel, for example. The display operation unit 5 may also be provided with a dial or buttons.

The drive circuit of the display operation unit 5 is housed in a non-metallic circuit housing 50. The circuit housing 50 is provided with a cooling fan (not shown) and is designed to lower the temperature in order to reduce the effects of heat caused by cooking. As shown in FIG. 1, the circuit housing 50 is formed as part of the interior of the frame 3b of the door 3. In this embodiment, the display operation unit 5 is formed integrally with the door 3. Alternatively, it can be said that the circuit housing 50 is formed integrally with the door 3.

Furthermore, the cooking appliance 1 has an installation space inside the frame 3b or in the circuit storage section 50 for installing a wireless communication adapter (wireless communication device) for communicating with the outside. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state in which a wireless communication adapter is not installed in the cooking appliance 1, and therefore the wireless communication adapter is not shown.

As described above, the door 3 and the display operation unit 5 are made of a non-metallic material. Generally, in a cooking device equipped with a magnetron, the door and the display operation unit are covered with a non-metallic material to prevent the temperature from rising because the user touches them directly. For this reason, the door frame is made of a non-metallic material, or the circuit housing that houses the drive circuit of the display operation unit is made of a non-metallic material, which is a common configuration of a cooking device equipped with a magnetron. Therefore, the cooking device 1 can provide an installation space for a wireless communication adapter in a position covered with a non-metallic member without providing a special configuration to the common configuration of a cooking device equipped with a magnetron and without changing the structure.

In particular, since the circuit storage section 50 is provided with a cooling fan, the effect of heat on the wireless communication adapter can be further reduced by providing an installation space for the wireless communication adapter in the circuit storage section 50.

As can be seen from the above, the cooking appliance 1 can enable the wireless communication adapter to perform good communication without providing any special configuration for installing the wireless communication adapter and without modifying the structure. Furthermore, when the wireless communication adapter is installed in the installation space, the wireless communication adapter is not covered by metal and is less susceptible to the effects of heat, enabling good communication.

The cooking appliance 1 functions as a so-called network home appliance that connects to an external communication network by installing a wireless communication adapter in the installation space. Note that a publicly known wireless communication adapter can be used, and for example, a device in which a wireless communication circuit and an antenna are integrated can be used.

Although the above describes a cooking device 1 equipped with a magnetron, the configuration in which the wireless adapter is installed inside the door frame or in the circuit storage section of the display and operation unit can also be applied to cooking devices that do not have a magnetron, such as ovens and toaster ovens.

[Embodiment 2]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. For the sake of convenience, the same reference numerals are used for members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and their description will be omitted. Fig. 2 is a front view of the cooking device 1a of this embodiment with the door 3 open.

In the first embodiment, the display operation unit 5 was formed integrally with the door 3, but in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the display operation unit 5 is attached to the casing 2 and is not integral with the door 3.

In the cooking appliance 1a, an installation space for installing a wireless communication adapter that communicates with the outside is provided inside the frame 3b or in the circuit storage section 50. As with the cooking appliance 1, the cooking appliance 1a can be configured so that the wireless communication adapter can perform good communication without providing a special configuration for installing the wireless communication adapter and without changing the structure.

[Embodiment 3]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 3 and 4. For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are given to members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 3 shows the cooking device 10 of this embodiment, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a simplified perspective view. Note that in this perspective view, for simplicity, all of the components of the cooking device 10 are drawn as rectangular parallelepipeds.

In addition to the configuration and functions of the cooker 1 described in embodiment 1, the cooker 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a steam generator 8 as shown in FIG. 3(b) and has an oven cooking function using steam generated by the steam generator 8. Note that a heating device such as a heater that realizes the oven cooking function is not shown.

The steam generator 8 is a device that heats water supplied from the water tank (water storage container) 6 to generate saturated steam, which is then supplied to the heating chamber 2a. A dew receiver 7 is detachably attached to the bottom of the casing 2 to recover the steam used for heating. Publicly known technology can be used for the steam generator 8 and the oven cooking method using the steam generated by the steam generator 8.

The water tank 6 is a container that stores moisture to be replenished to the steam generator 8. The water tank 6 is formed so that it can be removed from the cooking device 10 and filled with water. In this embodiment, the water tank 6 is formed from resin. The water tank 6 only needs to be mainly non-metallic, and may be entirely non-metallic, or may be partially formed from metal. Note that, as described below, when a wireless adapter is installed in a position in contact with the water tank 6, it is preferable that the metal portion of the water tank 6 is formed and positioned so as not to interfere with communication of the wireless adapter.

A fan (not shown) for cooling the water tank 6 is provided near the water tank 6. The cooling fan near the water tank 6 is used to reduce the heat near the water tank 6 to prevent deformation, deterioration, damage, etc. of the water tank 6 due to heat during cooking.

In this embodiment, the cooking appliance 10 has an installation space for installing a wireless communication adapter that communicates with the outside, inside the frame 3b, in the circuit storage section 50, or in a position adjacent to the water tank 6. The simplified perspective view of the cooking appliance 10a in FIG. 3(b) shows a state in which the wireless communication adapter 20 is installed in a position adjacent to the water tank 6. The wireless communication adapter 20 is a well-known type in which a wireless communication circuit and an antenna are integrated.

In the cooking device 10, the effect of providing an installation space for installing a wireless communication adapter inside the frame 3b or in the circuit storage section 50 is the same as that of the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment.

Since the water tank 6 is removable and made mainly of non-metallic material, when the water tank 6 is placed in contact with the wireless communication adapter in the installation space, the wireless communication adapter installed there will communicate with the outside through the water tank 6. The water tank 6 is also kept at a low temperature because it is replenished with moisture. Furthermore, a cooling fan or the like is generally provided around the water tank 6 to reduce the effects of heat caused by cooking, and is designed to lower the temperature. Therefore, even when the installation space for the wireless communication adapter is placed in contact with the water tank 6, which is made mainly of non-metallic material, the effects of metal and heat on the wireless communication adapter can be reduced.

Therefore, even in the case of a cooking appliance 10a equipped with a steam generating device 8 that generates water vapor, it is possible to provide a cooking appliance in which the wireless communication adapter 20 can perform good communication without providing a special configuration for installing the wireless communication adapter 20 and without changing the structure.

Here, if an installation space for the wireless communication adapter is provided below the water tank 6, there is a concern that water leakage from the water tank 6 may adversely affect the wireless communication adapter. However, as shown in FIG. 3(b), there is no such concern above the water tank 6. Also, the lower part of the heating chamber 2a is an area that is less susceptible to the effects of heat than other areas. Therefore, it is preferable that the installation space for the wireless communication adapter be located above the water tank 6 and below the heating chamber 2a.

A specific example will be described in which the installation space for the wireless communication adapter is provided in a position adjacent to the water tank 6. Figures 4(a) to 4(d) are diagrams showing examples of the positional relationship between the water tank 6 and the wireless communication adapter 20, and are views of the wireless communication adapter 20 as viewed from above.

In FIG. 4(a), the installation space of the wireless communication adapter 20 is the space behind the water tank 6a (the back side of the water tank 6a). Therefore, in this case, the wireless communication adapter 20 contacts the water tank 6a at the back of the water tank 6a. In FIG. 4(b), the installation space of the wireless communication adapter 20 is the space surrounded by the water tank 6b. Therefore, in this case, the wireless communication adapter 20 contacts the water tank 6b in the space surrounded by the water tank 6b. In FIG. 4(c), the installation space of the wireless communication adapter 20 is the space on the side of the water tank 6c. Therefore, in this case, the wireless communication adapter 20 contacts the water tank 6c on the side of the water tank 6c. In FIG. 4(d), the installation space of the wireless communication adapter 20 is the upper part of the water tank 6d. Therefore, in this case, the wireless communication adapter 20 contacts the water tank 6d at the back of the water tank 6d. In this way, the installation space of the wireless communication adapter 20 is not limited as long as it is in a position where it contacts the water tank 6.

By installing the wireless communication adapter 20, the cooking appliance 1 functions as a so-called network home appliance that connects to an external communication network.

Furthermore, the cooking device 10 may be configured to be capable of cooking using superheated steam. In this case, the steam generated by the steam generating device 8 is heated by a heater (not shown) for generating superheated steam, and this superheated steam fills the heating chamber 2a to heat the food to be heated.

In addition, in the cooking device 10 of this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the display operation unit 5 may be provided separately from the door 3. Also, the door 3 may be configured to rotate around the left or right edge of the door 3 to open and close.

The above describes a cooking device 10 equipped with a magnetron and a steam generator, but the configuration in which the wireless adapter is installed inside the door frame or in the circuit storage section of the display and operation unit can also be applied to cooking devices that do not have a magnetron but have a steam generator, such as an oven.

[Embodiments 4 and 5]
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figures 5 and 6. For the sake of convenience, the same reference numerals are used to designate members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 5 is a front view of the cooking device 10a of embodiment 4 with the door 3 open. Also, Figure 6 is a front view of the cooking device 10b of embodiment 5 with the door 3 open.

The heating cooker 10a differs from the heating cooker 10 of embodiment 3 in the location of the water tank 6e. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the heating cooker 10 of embodiment 3. The water tank 6e is made of resin and is attached to the side of the heating chamber 2a so that it can be removed from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the cooking device 10b of the fifth embodiment, the display operation unit 5 is attached to the casing 2 and is not integrated with the door 3. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the cooking device 10a of the fourth embodiment. Note that, like the cooking device 10a, the cooking device 10b of the fifth embodiment also has a water tank 6f installed on the side of the heating chamber 2a.

In the cooking appliances 10a and 10b, an installation space for installing a wireless communication adapter that communicates with the outside is provided inside the frame 3b, in the circuit storage section 50, or in a position adjacent to the water tank 6e (6f). As with the cooking appliance 10, the cooking appliances 10a and 10b can be designed so that the wireless communication adapter can communicate well without providing a special configuration for installing the wireless communication adapter and without changing the structure.

〔summary〕
A heating cooker (1) according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a heating cooker equipped with a magnetron (M), comprising a heating chamber (2a) for accommodating an object to be heated, a door section (door 3) arranged to be able to open and close the heating chamber and having a window section (window 3a) and a non-metallic frame section (frame 3b) surrounding the window section, and a display operation section (5) for displaying information and accepting operations, and an installation space for installing a wireless communication device for communicating with the outside is provided inside the frame section or in a non-metallic circuit storage section that stores a drive circuit for the display operation section.

In the above configuration, an installation space for installing the wireless communication device is provided inside the non-metallic frame, or in a non-metallic circuit housing that houses the drive circuit of the display operation unit. Generally, the door and the display operation unit are covered with a non-metallic material to prevent temperature rise, since the user touches them directly. Therefore, the frame of the door is made of a non-metallic material, or the drive circuit of the display operation unit is made of a non-metallic material, which is a common configuration for a heating cooker equipped with a magnetron. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to provide an installation space for the wireless communication device in a position covered with a non-metallic member without providing a special configuration to the common configuration of a heating cooker equipped with a magnetron, or without changing the structure.

In particular, the circuit housing for the drive circuit of the display operation unit is equipped with a cooling fan or the like to reduce the effect of heat caused by cooking, and is designed to lower the temperature. Therefore, by providing installation space in the circuit housing for the drive circuit of the display operation unit, the effect of heat on the wireless communication device can be further reduced.

As can be seen from the above, the above configuration makes it possible to provide a cooking appliance that allows the wireless communication device to be installed in a position that allows good communication without providing a special configuration for installing the wireless communication device in the cooking appliance and without changing the structure of the cooking appliance. Furthermore, when the wireless communication device is installed in the installation space, the wireless communication device is not covered by metal and is less susceptible to the effects of heat, making it possible to perform good communication.

The cooking device (10, 10a, 10b) according to aspect 2 of the present invention is a cooking device equipped with a magnetron (M), and is equipped with a heating chamber (2a) for accommodating an object to be heated, a door section (door 3) that is provided so as to be able to open and close the heating chamber and has a window section (window 3a) and a non-metallic frame section (frame 3b) surrounding the window section, a display operation section (5) that displays and accepts operations, a steam generator (8) that generates water vapor, and a water storage container (water tank 6) that is a container for storing water to be replenished to the steam generator and is mainly made of non-metal and can be removed to the outside, and an installation space for installing a wireless communication device that communicates with the outside is provided inside the frame section, in a non-metallic circuit storage section that stores a drive circuit for the display operation section, or in a position that contacts the water storage container.

According to the above configuration, an installation space for installing a wireless communication device is provided inside the non-metallic frame, in a non-metallic circuit housing that houses the drive circuit of the display operation unit, or in a position that contacts a water storage container that is mainly made of non-metal. The effect of providing an installation space for installing a wireless communication device inside the non-metallic frame, in a non-metallic circuit housing that houses the drive circuit of the display operation unit, is the same as that of the cooking device according to aspect 1 of the present invention.

Since the water storage container is removable and made mainly of non-metallic material, when the water storage container is placed in contact with the wireless communication device in the installation space, the wireless communication device installed there will communicate with the outside through the water storage container, which is made mainly of non-metallic material. The water storage container is also low in temperature because it is replenished with water. Furthermore, the water storage container, which is made mainly of non-metallic material, is generally designed to lower the temperature by providing cooling fans or the like around it to reduce the effects of heat caused by cooking. Therefore, even when the installation space for the wireless communication device is placed in a position in contact with the water storage container, which is made mainly of non-metallic material, the effects of metal and heat on the wireless communication device can be reduced.

As can be seen from the above, with the above configuration, even in a cooking appliance that has a steam generating device that generates water vapor in addition to a magnetron, it is possible to provide a cooking appliance that allows the wireless communication device to communicate well without providing a special configuration for installing the wireless communication device and without changing the structure.

The heating cooker according to aspect 3 of the present invention is the heating cooker according to aspect 2 above, in which the water storage container is disposed at the bottom of the heating chamber, and the position in contact with the water storage container may be a position that is at the top of the water storage container and at the bottom of the heating chamber.

If the installation space for the wireless communication device is located below the water storage container, there is a concern that water leakage from the water storage container may adversely affect the wireless communication device. However, there is no such concern if the installation space is located above the water storage container. Also, the lower part of the heating chamber is an area that is less susceptible to the effects of heat than other areas. Therefore, with the above configuration, the space that is less susceptible to the effects of moisture and heat can be used as one of the installation spaces for the wireless communication device.

The cooking device according to aspect 4 of the present invention is a cooking device according to any one of aspects 1 to 3 above, in which the circuit storage section may be formed integrally with the door section.

The above configuration makes it possible to apply the present invention to a cooking device in which the circuit storage section is integrally formed with the door section.

In the cooking device according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in the cooking device according to any one of aspects 1 to 4 above, the wireless communication device may be a device in which the wireless communication circuit and the antenna are integrated.

With the above configuration, the wireless communication circuit and antenna are integrated into one device, so the installation space can be made smaller than if they were provided separately, and the placement of other components of the cooking device is not affected.

The cooking device according to aspect 6 of the present invention is a cooking device according to any one of aspects 1 to 5 above, in which a wireless communication device (wireless communication adapter 20) is installed in the installation space, and the wireless communication device is connected to an external communication network.

The above configuration makes it possible to configure a cooking device that can communicate well with the outside world using a wireless communication device.

Furthermore, the present invention also includes a network home appliance system including a cooking appliance according to aspect 6 above and a communication terminal device capable of communicating with a wireless communication device installed in the cooking appliance.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. The technical scope of the present invention also includes embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in the different embodiments. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in the respective embodiments.

The present invention is a cooking device equipped with a magnetron, and can be used in cooking devices that are equipped with wireless communication devices and used as network home appliances.

1, 1a, 10, 10a, 10b Cooking device 2 Casing 2a Heating chamber 3 Door (door portion)
3a Window (window section)
3b Frame (frame part)
6, 6a to 6f Water tank (water storage container)
8 Steam generating device 20 Wireless communication adapter (wireless communication device)
50 Circuit storage section M Magnetron

Claims (1)

In a heating cooker equipped with a magnetron,
A heating chamber for accommodating an object to be heated;
A door portion that is provided so as to be able to open and close the heating chamber and has a window portion and a frame portion that surrounds the window portion;
a display operation unit that performs display and accepts operations;
The present invention comprises a steam generating device that generates water vapor, and a water storage container that is a container for storing water to be supplied to the steam generating device and is made mainly of a non-metal and is removable to the outside,
A cooking appliance comprising: a wireless communication device for communicating with the outside, the wireless communication device being provided inside the frame and above the water storage container; and communication with the outside through the water storage container.

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