JP7524092B2 - Cooking equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooking device that cooks rice by heating and cooking rice and water as the food to be cooked.

Rice cookers are well known as devices that heat and cook rice and water to make rice, and for example, patent documents 1 and 2 disclose devices that use microwaves as a heating source. While such rice cookers heat the food to be cooked quickly, they have problems such as the need to select an installation location due to the large size of the main body due to the built-in large magnetron, the weight of the main body makes it difficult to transport, and the food to be cooked is heated unevenly, resulting in poor taste. In addition, there is an increasing demand from users who do not have such a rice cooker, who want to cook small amounts of rice each time, such as one bowl's worth, without keeping it warm or freezing it, or whose rice cooker is out of order due to a malfunction, and so on, and rice cooking containers for such cooking devices, i.e., containers dedicated to cooking rice, are also sold.

JP 2002-177137 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-237920

In rice cookers that are primarily used to cook rice, such as those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the temperature of a dedicated container, a pot, is monitored and the heating time is controlled to cook the rice, and the temperature of the food being cooked is detected by accurately detecting the temperature of the pot, thereby controlling the amount of heat applied to the food. However, in cooking appliances such as microwave ovens that are primarily used to cook things other than rice, steam is generated in the cooking chamber that houses the container, so the temperature of the container cannot be detected accurately when cooking rice, and as a result, the temperature of the rice and water being cooked cannot be calculated accurately.

Specifically, cooking appliances use an infrared sensor to detect the temperature of the container. This infrared sensor is installed at the top of the cooking chamber to accurately detect the surface temperature of the food to be cooked placed on the center of the cooking chamber stand, and mainly detects the surface temperature of items near the center of the cooking chamber stand. However, for example, when steam is generated from water to be cooked, this steam is released into the cooking chamber and the infrared rays are diffusely reflected, so the infrared sensor cannot accurately detect the temperature of the container and cannot accurately grasp the temperature change of the food to be cooked in the container, which may result in overheating or underheating. In particular, when cooking rice, it is necessary to detect the dry-up phenomenon in which the temperature of the food to be cooked rises rapidly when the water in the container runs out, but conventional cooking appliances were not able to accurately detect this dry-up phenomenon.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a cooking device that can accurately grasp the temperature change of the food being cooked in a container placed in a cooking chamber.

The cooking device of the present invention comprises a cooking chamber that houses a container for containing food to be cooked, the container having a steam hole for releasing steam for the food to be cooked , a heating means for heating the container, a control means for controlling the heating means, a container temperature detection means for non-contact detecting the surface temperature of the container , and a steam detection sensor provided on the ceiling wall of the cooking chamber and detecting the temperature of the cooking chamber , wherein the container temperature detection means detects the surface temperature of the outer surface of the part of the container that is in contact with the food to be cooked, and when the container temperature detection means detects a predetermined temperature increase after the steam detection sensor detects boiling of the food to be cooked, the control means controls the heating means to reduce the amount of heat applied to the container or to stop heating the container, and the container temperature detection means is provided so that the steam hole is located at a higher position than the container temperature detection means when the container is placed in the cooking chamber .

According to the invention of claim 1, the temperature change of the food to be cooked can be accurately grasped by the container temperature detection means. In addition, since the steam evaporated from the food to be cooked in the container rises above the surface of the water in the food to be cooked, the effect of the steam on the container temperature detection means can be minimized, and the detection accuracy of the drying-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food to be cooked S runs out can be improved and ensured, preventing under-heating and over-heating, and allowing stable cooking not only for rice cooking but also for other dishes.

1 is an external perspective view of a microwave oven showing a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts around the container bottom temperature sensor. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration of the first embodiment. 13 is a graph showing the change over time in the detected temperature of the container bottom temperature sensor and the detected temperature of the steam detection sensor during rice cooking. FIG. 11 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of an oven range according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts around the container bottom temperature sensor of an oven range showing a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a microwave oven showing a further modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front.

Below, preferred embodiments of the cooking device of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that common parts are designated by common reference numerals throughout these drawings.

Figures 1 to 5 show the configuration of a cooking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention applied to a microwave oven. First, the overall configuration of the microwave oven will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Reference numeral 1 denotes a body configured in a substantially rectangular box shape, which includes a metal cabinet 2 as a member that covers the outer shell of the microwave oven that is the product. Reference numeral 3 denotes a door that is provided on the front of the body 1 and can be opened and closed freely.

The top of the door 3 is equipped with a handle 4 for opening and closing the door 3, which opens vertically, and the side of the door 3 is equipped with an operation panel unit 5 for display, notification, and operation. The operation panel unit 5 is provided with a display means 6 that displays the cooking settings and progress, as well as operation means 7, such as keys on the operation panel unit 5 and a touch panel on the surface of the display means 6, which enable various operation inputs related to cooking. Although not shown, an operation panel PC (printed circuit) board is arranged behind the operation panel unit 5 inside the door 3 to control the display means 6 and operation means 7. Also, 8 is a power cord equipped with a power plug that can be inserted and removed from a household outlet.

The cabinet 2 that forms the left and right side surfaces and top surface of the main body 1 is arranged to cover a metal oven 11, which forms a cooking chamber 12 that houses a container 13 that contains food S to be cooked. Because the oven 11 is made of metal, the entire inner surface of the cooking chamber 12, except for the container stand 24 described below, is made of a material that is not permeable to microwaves.

The walls forming the inner surface of the cooking chamber 12 are the ceiling wall 12a, the bottom wall 12b, the left side wall 12c, the right side wall 12d, and the back wall 12e. The ceiling wall 12a is provided with a steam detection sensor 14 consisting of a thermistor as a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the cooking chamber 12, and the upper outside of the left side wall 12c is provided with a food temperature sensor 15 consisting of an infrared sensor as a temperature distribution detection means for detecting the temperature distribution inside the cooking chamber 12. The food temperature sensor 15 detects the temperature distribution throughout the cooking chamber 12 through a window 16, and detects the surface temperature of the food in a short time from the amount of infrared radiation emitted by the food contained therein. The front of the cooking chamber 12 reaches the oven front plate (not shown) that forms the front of the oven 11, and is open to allow the food S to be put in and taken out, and this opening is configured to be opened and closed by a door 3.

A magnetron 19 is provided as a microwave generating means in the side space 18 of the main body 1 formed between the right side wall 12d of the cooking chamber 12 and the cabinet 2, located at the side of the cooking chamber 12, to supply microwaves, which are radio waves, into the cooking chamber 12. A cylindrical waveguide 21 is provided from the upper space 20 of the main body 1 formed between the ceiling wall 12a of the cooking chamber 12 and the cabinet 2 to the above-mentioned side space 18. The base of the waveguide 21 extends laterally beyond the right side wall 12d of the cooking chamber 12 and is connected to an antenna 22, which serves as a radiator for radiating microwaves, provided at the tip of the magnetron 21. The tip of the waveguide 21 also communicates with a window 23 formed in the ceiling wall 12a, which serves as the ceiling of the cooking chamber 12. With this configuration, when electricity is applied to the magnetron driver 33 (see FIG. 4), microwaves are emitted from the magnetron 21 and transmitted to the waveguide 21, and the microwaves are emitted toward the interior space of the cooking chamber 12 through a window 23 provided on the ceiling side of the cooking chamber 12.

The container 13 is made of glass, ceramic, plastic, or other materials that transmit microwaves as radio waves, and consists of a container body 13a and a lid 13b. The container body 13a is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open top, and stores rice and water as the food S to be cooked inside. The bottom of the container body 13a is formed in a roughly bowl shape with a convex upward center and a ring-shaped periphery that contacts the place where the food is placed, preventing steam generated during cooking, for example, from entering the gap space C formed between the bottom of the container body 13a and the place where the food is placed. The lid 13b covers the top opening of the container body 13a and can be opened and closed freely, and a steam hole 13c is formed in the ceiling part of the lid 13b to release steam generated inside the container 13 to the cooking chamber 12 outside the container 13.

A container stand 24 on which the container 13 is placed is provided on the bottom wall 12b of the cooking chamber 12. The container stand 24 is made of glass or ceramic that transmits microwaves, and a transparent or semi-transparent infrared-transmitting window 24b is formed in the portion facing the container stand 24a on which the container 13 is placed. A container bottom temperature sensor 25 consisting of an infrared sensor is provided between the bottom wall 12b and the container stand 24, facing this infrared-transmitting window 24b.

When the food S contains moisture and is heated by microwaves, the temperature of the food S rises. If moisture is present in the food S, the temperature of the inside of the container 13 in contact with the food S will not exceed the boiling temperature of 100°C. In other words, after the food S boils, this part is cooled to 100°C, the boiling temperature of the food S, by the food S, which is the content of the container 13. On the other hand, the temperature of the inside of the container 13 in the part not in contact with the food S is not significantly affected by the food S, so even if the temperature of this part is detected, it is not possible to reliably determine whether moisture is present in the container 13, and it is also difficult to calculate the temperature of the food S.

The container bottom temperature sensor 25 of this embodiment detects the surface temperature of the outer surface of the container facing the bottom of the container body 13a, which is the part of the container 13 that comes into contact with the food S, and can quickly detect temperature changes in the food S. The container bottom temperature sensor 25 is also provided on the container mounting portion 24a, which is located below the water surface of the food S and the steam hole 13c, which is the source of steam. Since the steam evaporated from the food S in the container 13 rises above the water surface of the food S and is released upward from the steam hole 13c, the steam does not head toward the container bottom temperature sensor 25, and the effects of steam can be minimized. Therefore, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 acts as a container temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the container 13 without contact.

In addition, since the infrared sensor is affected by microwaves, it is preferable to install the container bottom temperature sensor 25 in a location where microwaves cannot easily reach, for example, near the center of the container mounting section 24a where microwaves are not directly emitted when the container 13 is placed on it.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the cooking device main body 1 around the container bottom temperature sensor 25 in this embodiment. Explaining with reference to Figure 3, the bottom surface of the container main body 13a is formed in a roughly bowl shape with a center that is convex upward by 0.5 mm or more and a ring-shaped peripheral portion that contacts the container mounting portion 24a of the container mounting stand 24, so that, for example, steam generated during cooking does not enter the gap space C formed between the bottom of the container main body 13a and the mounting portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the infrared rays detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 from being diffused by, for example, steam, and the field of view V1 of the container bottom temperature sensor 25 can reliably reach the bottom of the container main body 13a through the infrared transmission window 24b, so that the temperature of the bottom of the container 13 can be reliably detected. In addition, the container body 13a can be stably placed on the container placement portion 24a without rattling, and the convex portion in the center of the bottom surface of the container body 13a acts as a beam, and the bottom surface of the container body 13a is formed in a bowl shape, which improves the strength of the bottom of the container body 13a. Note that in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the container body 13a is formed in a roughly bowl shape, but the bottom surface may also be formed flat and legs may be provided on the outer periphery.

If water droplets are attached to the bottom of the container body 13a, the temperature of the container body 13a will rise during cooking, causing the water droplets to boil and turn into steam, which may fill the gap C and cause the infrared rays detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 to be diffusely reflected. Furthermore, when the steam cools and turns into water droplets again, the pressure in the gap C may decrease, causing the bottom surface of the container body 13a and the container mounting part 24a of the container stand 24 to be in a state of adhesion. For this reason, in the cooking device of this embodiment, the container mounting part 24a of the container stand 24 may be provided with irregularities at the contact points with the bottom surface of the container body 13a, so that the air passage 26 is formed when the container body 13a is placed on it. With this configuration, even if water droplets are attached to the bottom of the container body 13a, steam can be released from the air passage 26 into the cooking chamber 12, preventing the gap C from filling with steam. Also, air from the cooking chamber 12 can flow into the gap C, preventing a drop in pressure in the gap C.

Figure 4 shows the main electrical configuration of the microwave oven of this embodiment. In the figure, 31 is a control means constituted by a microcomputer, and as is well known, this control means 31 includes a CPU as a calculation means, a memory as a storage means, a timer as a timekeeping means, an input/output device, etc.

The input port of the control means 31 is electrically connected to the aforementioned operation means 7, steam detection sensor 14, food temperature sensor 15, container bottom temperature sensor 25, and door open/close detection means 32 that detects the open/close state of the door 3. The output port of the control means 31 is electrically connected to the aforementioned display means 6 and a magnetron drive device 33 that serves as a drive means for driving the magnetron 19. Therefore, in this embodiment, the magnetron 19 and magnetron drive device 33 act as heating means.

The control means 31 has a function of receiving an operation signal from the operation means 7 and each detection signal from the steam detection sensor 14, the food temperature sensor 15, the container bottom temperature sensor 25, and the door opening/closing detection means 82, and outputting a drive control signal to the magnetron drive device 33 and a display control signal to the display means 6 at a predetermined timing based on the timing from the timing means. These functions are realized by the control means 31 reading a program recorded in the memory as a storage medium, and in this embodiment in particular, the control means 31 is provided with a program that causes the control means 31 to function as a cooking control unit 34 and a display control unit 35.

The cooking control unit 34 mainly controls the operation of each part related to cooking the food S. When it receives an operation signal associated with the operation of the operating means 7, if it determines that the door 3 is closed based on a detection signal from the door open/close detection means 82, it sends a control signal to the magnetron driving device 33 in response to the operation signal, thereby controlling various cooking operations for the food S.

In this embodiment, multiple menus are stored in advance in the memory as cooking information including the ingredients of the food S to be heated and the heating conditions for performing microwave heating, and the heating cooking control unit 34 has an automatic cooking function that automatically heats the food S to be cooked in a predetermined procedure according to the selected menu when an operation is performed from the operating means 7 for one of the menus selected from the menus.

Among these automatic cooking functions, in this embodiment, when an automatic rice cooking menu for cooking rice and water as the food to be cooked S is selected, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 is provided as one function of the heating cooking control unit 34, which automatically sets the cooking time and microwave output without any input from the operating means 7 while radiating microwaves from the magnetron 19 into the inside of the cooking chamber 12, and sequentially executes the following processes: a soaking process to promote the absorption of water by the rice placed in the container 13, a boiling heating process to raise the temperature of the food to be cooked S to boiling in a short period of time, a boiling continuation process to keep the food to be cooked S boiling, and a steaming process to maintain the temperature at a high level without burning the rice.

The display control unit 35 cooperates with the cooking control unit 34 to control the operation related to the display of the display means 6. The display means 6 controlled by the display control unit 88 is composed of a liquid crystal panel or a lighting lamp, but other display devices may also be used.

Next, the operation of the microwave oven having the above configuration in the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a graph showing the change over time in temperature _t1 detected by container bottom temperature sensor 25 and temperature _t2 detected by steam detection sensor 14 during rice cooking by the heating cooker of this embodiment.

First, rice and water are placed in the container body 13a as the food S to be cooked that contains moisture, and the lid 13b is closed. At the same time, the power plug of the power cord 8 is inserted into an outlet to energize the body 1, the door 3 is opened while holding the handle 4, and the container 13 is placed on the container placement section 24a of the container placement stand 24. After that, the door 3 is closed while holding the handle 4, a cooking menu is selected using the operating means 7, and then a command is given to start cooking the food S. In accordance with the control program built into the memory of the control means 31, a control signal generated in response to the selected cooking menu is output from the output port of the control means 31 at a predetermined timing, and the food S is cooked.

For example, if the automatic rice cooking menu is selected, the display control unit 35 controls the display means 6 to display a container selection screen for selecting and inputting the type and category of the container 13, such as the material, shape, thickness, and color of the container 13. In this manner, in this embodiment, the type and category of the container 13 can be input, and the temperature of the food S to be cooked in the container 13 is calculated from the detection signal from the container bottom temperature sensor 25 based on the information on the selected type and category of the container 13, and microwave heating can be performed.

Then, when the type and category of container 13 are selected and input using the operation means 7 to start cooking rice, the operation signal is received by the control means 31, and the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 of the control means 31 receives each detection signal from the steam detection sensor 14 and the container bottom temperature sensor 25, and sends a control signal to the magnetron driving device 33 so that the food S to be cooked is heated to the set temperature according to the heating pattern of the automatic rice cooking menu. This drives the magnetron 19 to supply and radiate microwaves, which are radiated into the cooking chamber 12, and the food S stored in the container 13 placed on the container stand 24 is heated in the microwave.

Specifically, when rice cooking starts, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 of the control means 31 performs a soaking process for a predetermined time, for example 15 minutes, to make the rice of the food S absorb water. At this time, the water temperature in the container 13 may be raised to a predetermined temperature, for example 35 to 55°C, or up to 60°C, to promote water absorption by the rice. Here, the food temperature sensor 15, which detects the temperature of the food without contact, has difficulty in accurately detecting the water temperature because the container body 13a containing the food S is covered with the lid 13b and the food S is not in contact with the lid 13b, and the steam detection sensor 14 has difficulty in accurately detecting the temperature of the food S until steam is generated. For this reason, in this embodiment, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 detects the temperature of the bottom of the container 13 with which the food S is in contact, and the water temperature in the container 13 is calculated based on the type and category of the container 13 selected and input.

After that, when the soaking process is completed for a specified time and the process moves to the next boiling heating process, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron 19 to be driven continuously until the food S is detected as boiling, thereby heating the food S in the container body more strongly than in the soaking process, and raising the temperature of the food S to boiling in a short time, for example, about 10 minutes. Here, if the water temperature of the food S is raised to, for example, 60°C in the soaking process, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron drive device 33 to adjust the amount of heat to raise the water temperature of the food S from 60°C to the boiling temperature of 100°C in about 5 minutes.

When the water temperature of the food S reaches about 70°C, steam begins to be generated from the food S, and the steam detection sensor 14 detects the generation of steam from the food S and detects the temperature of the steam. After that, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 detects that the temperature of the bottom of the container 13 has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example 90°C or higher, based on a detection signal from the container bottom temperature sensor 25, and when it also detects that the temperature of the steam from the food S has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example 90°C, based on a detection signal from the steam detection sensor 14, it starts boiling detection to detect the boiling of the food S. Specifically, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 continues to control the magnetron 19 to continue to drive the magnetron 19 to strongly heat the food S inside the container 13, while calculating the slope of the detected temperature, i.e., how much the detected temperature of the steam detection sensor 14 rises in a predetermined time. When the slope of the temperature detected by the steam detection sensor 14 becomes stable below a certain value, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 performs boiling detection, determining that the food S inside the container 13 has boiled, and moves on to the next boiling continuation process.

When the steam detection sensor 14 detects boiling and the process moves to the boiling continuation process, the specific heat of water decreases, so the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron drive unit 33 to reduce the amount of heat, and the boiling of the food S inside the container 13 continues to promote the gelatinization of the rice. Specifically, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 manages the amount of heating by the magnetron 19 using the temperature detected by the steam detection sensor 14 so that the temperature of the steam of the food S becomes a predetermined temperature, for example 100°C. The automatic rice cooking control unit 36 detects the drying-up phenomenon of the food S based on the temperature detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 by detecting that the water inside the container 13 has run out during the boiling continuation process and that a predetermined temperature rise has occurred based on the temperature detection signal of the bottom of the container 13 from the container bottom temperature sensor 25. Here, when the temperature detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 reaches a predetermined dry-up temperature, for example 120°C, the dry-up phenomenon of the food S inside the container 13 is detected, the boiling continuation process ends, and the process moves from the boiling heating process to the next steaming process.

In the steaming step, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron driving device 33 to reduce the amount of heat, or controls the magnetron driving device 33 to stop, so that the inside of the container 13 is kept at a high temperature, and the water not absorbed by the rice of the food S is absorbed by the rice to further promote the gelatinization of the rice, or the excess water is evaporated and released outside the container 13 through the steam hole 13c of the lid 13b. The steaming step of this embodiment continues for a predetermined time, for example, 10 to 15 minutes, but is set to be 20 minutes or more after boiling is detected by the steam detection sensor 14, and if it is less than 20 minutes, the steaming step is extended until 20 minutes have passed since boiling was detected. In this way, by ensuring a high-temperature holding time of 20 minutes after it is determined that the food S has boiled, for example, a holding time of 20 minutes at 98°C or higher, the rice of the food S can be sufficiently gelatinized, and sufficiently gelatinized rice can be cooked. When the steaming step is completed, automatic rice cooking is completed.

In this embodiment, rice and water are used as the food S containing moisture, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, stewed or simmered dishes may be used as the food S containing moisture, and a container without a lid, such as a plate, may be used as the container 13. In this case, the device is configured to prevent overheating by detecting the dry-up phenomenon when microwave heating is performed. Specifically, when microwave heating is performed, the steam detection sensor 14 and the food temperature sensor 15 are used to detect the temperature of the food S. When the food S boils and all the moisture evaporates, the temperature of the food S rises above the boiling temperature of 100°C. When the temperature detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 reaches a predetermined dry-up temperature, for example 120°C, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 detects the dry-up phenomenon of the food S inside the container 13 and controls the magnetron 19 and the magnetron drive unit 33 to reduce the amount of heat applied to the container 13 or to stop heating the container 13. As a result, if overheating occurs during microwave heating or if the container 13 becomes abnormally hot, the amount of heat applied to the container 13 can be reduced or heating can be stopped, preventing the food S from carbonizing or catching fire, improving safety.

As described above, the microwave oven as a heating cooker of this embodiment includes the cooking chamber 12 that contains the container 13 containing rice and water as the food to be cooked S, the magnetron 19 and magnetron drive unit 33 as heating means for heating the container 13, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 as control means for controlling the magnetron 19 and magnetron drive unit 33, and the container bottom temperature sensor 25 as container temperature detection means for non-contact detection of the surface temperature of the container 13. The container bottom temperature sensor 25 detects the surface temperature of the outer surface of the bottom of the container body 13a as the part of the container 13 that is in contact with the food to be cooked S, and when the container bottom temperature sensor 25 detects a predetermined temperature rise after the food to be cooked S boils and detects the drying-up phenomenon of the food to be cooked S, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron 19 and magnetron drive unit 33 to reduce the amount of heat to the container 13 or to stop heating the container 13.

With this configuration, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 can accurately detect the surface temperature of the outer surface of the bottom of the container body 13a, which is the part of the container 13 that is in contact with the food S to be cooked, so that the temperature change of the food S can be quickly calculated and accurately understood. In addition, since the steam evaporated from the food S in the container 13 rises above the water level of the food S, the effect of the steam on the container bottom temperature sensor 25 can be minimized, and the detection accuracy of the drying-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food S runs out can be improved and ensured, preventing under-heating and over-heating, and allowing stable cooking, not just rice cooking.

In addition, in the microwave oven of this embodiment, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 is provided in the container placement section 24a, which is located at a position lower than the water level of the rice and water contained in the container 13 as the food to be cooked (S) containing moisture. When the container bottom temperature sensor 25 detects a predetermined temperature rise after the food to be cooked (S) boils and detects the drying up phenomenon of the food to be cooked (S), the automatic rice cooking control section 36 controls the magnetron 19 and magnetron driving device 33 to reduce the amount of heat applied to the container 13 or to stop heating the container 13.

This configuration also minimizes the effect of steam on the container bottom temperature sensor 25, improves and ensures the detection accuracy of the dry-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food being cooked S runs out, and prevents under- and overheating, allowing for stable cooking of not only rice but also other dishes.

The microwave oven of this embodiment further includes a container 13 having a steam hole 13c that releases steam from the food S to be cooked into the cooking chamber 12. When the container 13 is placed in the cooking chamber 12, the steam hole 13c is located higher than the container bottom temperature sensor 25. This allows the steam that evaporates from the food S in the container 13 to be released upward from the steam hole 13c, minimizing the effect of the steam on the container bottom temperature sensor 25. This further improves and ensures the accuracy of detection of the drying-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food S runs out.

The microwave oven of this embodiment also includes a container selection screen as a container selection means for selecting and inputting the type and category of the container 13, and the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 is configured to calculate the temperature of the food S to be cooked from the detection signal of the container bottom temperature sensor 25 based on the information selected and input on the container selection screen. This allows microwave heating to be performed even more accurately.

The microwave oven of this embodiment is also configured with a cooking chamber 12 that houses a container 13 that contains food S to be cooked, a steam detection sensor 14 as a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the cooking chamber 12, a food temperature sensor 15 as a temperature distribution detection means for detecting the temperature distribution within the cooking chamber 12, and a container bottom temperature sensor 25 as a container temperature detection means for detecting the surface temperature of the bottom surface of the container body 13a of the container 13.

With this configuration, the steam detection sensor 14 and food temperature sensor 15 can be used to detect the temperature of the food S during heating, and the container bottom temperature sensor 25 can be used to detect the specified dry-up temperature of the food S. Therefore, if the food S becomes overheated during heating or the container 13 becomes abnormally heated, the amount of heat applied to the container 13 can be reduced or heating can be stopped, preventing the food S from carbonizing or catching fire, improving safety.

Figures 6 and 7 show the configuration of a cooking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention applied to an oven range. In this embodiment, the device is configured to perform oven heating in addition to range heating, and is further configured with a temperature sensor at the bottom of the side of the container.

The configuration of the oven range of this embodiment will be explained based on FIG. 6. 41 is a hot air heater unit for heating the oven, which is provided inside the main body 1' on the outdoor side of the cooking chamber 12. This hot air heater unit 41 is provided in the side space 18 of the main body 1 as a heating means for the container 13 containing the food S to be cooked, and is generally composed of a convex casing 42 attached to the right side wall 12d, a hot air heater 43 for heating the air, a hot air fan 44 for sending the heated air into the cooking chamber 12 to circulate it, and an electric hot air motor 45 for rotating the hot air fan 44 in a predetermined direction. The hot air heater 43 and the hot air fan 44 are each disposed in a heating chamber 46 formed on the outdoor side of the cooking chamber 12 as an internal space between the right side wall 12d and the casing 42.

The hot air fan 44 is a so-called centrifugal fan that takes in air in the axial direction and expels it in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction by centrifugal force during rotation, and the tubular hot air heater 43 is arranged surrounding the radial direction of the hot air fan 44. The hot air heater 43, which is also a heat generating part, is, for example, a sheath heater, a mica heater, a quartz tube heater, or a halogen heater. The right side wall 12d has an intake port 47 in its center, and multiple hot air outlets 48 around the intake port 47. These intake ports 47 and hot air outlets 48 function as ventilation sections that communicate between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 46.

In this embodiment, when the hot air fan 44 rotates as a result of the hot air motor 45 being energized, air is sucked in from inside the cooking chamber 12 through the suction port 47 and blown out in the radial direction of the hot air fan 44, where it is heated by the energized hot air heater 43, and the hot air passes through the hot air outlet 48 and is supplied into the cooking chamber 12. This forms a path for circulating hot air inside and outside the cooking chamber 12, and the food S and container 13 in the cooking chamber 12 are heated by hot air convection.

The microwave heating means of this embodiment and its detailed structure will be described. The microwave heating means of this embodiment employs a configuration that radiates microwaves from below the container stand 24 of the cooking chamber 12 toward the internal space of the cooking chamber 12, with a magnetron 19 provided at the bottom of the side space 18 of the main body 1 and a waveguide 21 provided in the space 51 formed between the bottom wall 12b of the cooking chamber 12 and the container stand 24. In addition to the magnetron 19, magnetron drive unit 33, and waveguide 21 described above, the microwave generator is mainly composed of a rotating antenna 52 provided below the container stand 24a and an antenna rotation motor 53 that rotates this rotating antenna.

The rotating antenna 52 stirs the microwaves oscillated by the magnetron 19 and guided directly below the rotating antenna 52 by the waveguide 21, and irradiates the microwaves evenly onto the container 13 placed on the container stand 24. The entire rotating antenna 52 is positioned parallel to the container stand 24, facing the container stand 24.

In this embodiment, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 is provided on the bottom wall 12b below the space 51 to avoid the influence of microwaves from the rotating antenna 52, and is positioned below the contact point between the container mounting part 24a and the bottom peripheral part of the container body 13a. In addition, an infrared-transmitting window 24b is formed in the part facing the container mounting part 24a above the container bottom temperature sensor 25.

55 is a container side lower temperature sensor that is installed at a predetermined height from the container stand 24 on which the container 13 is placed on the lower outer side of the left side wall 12c and detects the surface temperature of the lower side of the container body 13a. This container side lower temperature sensor 55 is composed of an infrared sensor and is installed at a position lower than the steam hole 13c, which is the source of steam in the container 13, to minimize the influence of steam. In addition, the container side lower temperature sensor 55 of this embodiment is installed at a height slightly above the position where the container stand 24 is arranged, and is configured to detect the surface temperature of the rising part 13d that transitions from the bottom to the side of the container body 13a. Therefore, since the container side lower temperature sensor 55 can be installed at a position lower than the water surface of the food S to be cooked contained in the container 13, the steam evaporated from the food S does not head toward the container side lower temperature sensor 55, but is released upward from the steam hole 13c, thereby minimizing the influence of steam generated from the container 13. In addition, the distance between the container side lower temperature sensor 55 and the rising portion 13d, which is the temperature detection position of the container body 13a, i.e., the distance of the field of view V2 of the container side lower temperature sensor 55, can be minimized, and even when the amount of food S to be cooked is small, the surface temperature of the rising portion 13d, which is the outer surface of the part of the container 13 that is in contact with the food S to be cooked, can be detected, so the temperature change of the food S to be cooked can be grasped quickly and accurately.

Figure 7 illustrates the main electrical configuration of the microwave oven of this embodiment. In addition to the operation means 7, steam detection sensor 14, food temperature sensor 15, container bottom temperature sensor 25, door open/close detection means 32, and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 described above, the input port of the control means 31 is electrically connected to a hot air motor rotation detection means 61 that detects the rotation speed of the hot air fan 44, and a rotating antenna position detection means 62 that detects the origin position of the rotating antenna 52 that constitutes the microwave generator. In addition to the display means 6 and magnetron drive device 33 described above, the output port of the control means 31 is electrically connected to a rotating antenna drive means 63 for operating the antenna rotating motor 53 that rotates and drives the rotating antenna 52 that radiates microwaves into the cooking chamber 12, a heater drive means 64 such as a relay that turns on and off the hot air heater 27 for heating the oven, and a hot air motor drive means 65 for rotating and driving the hot air motor 45.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, when an automatic rice cooking menu is selected in which rice and water as the food S are cooked by microwave heating, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 is provided as one of the functions of the heating cooking control unit 34, which radiates microwaves from the magnetron 19 into the inside of the cooking chamber 12, automatically sets the cooking time and microwave output without any operation input from the operating means 7, and sequentially executes the soaking process, boiling heating process, continued boiling process, and steaming process to microwave the food S inside the container 13.

In addition, when the automatic oven cooking menu for heating meat such as a block of meat or meat with bones as the food S to be cooked is selected and the type of meat is then selected, the heating cooking control unit 34 of this embodiment has the function of automatically setting the cooking time and heating temperature without any operation input from the operating means 7 while supplying air heated by the hot air heater 27 to the inside of the cooking chamber 12 by the hot air fan 28, and controlling the operation of the hot air heater 27 and the hot air fan 28 at the set temperature until the set time is reached, thereby hot air convection heating the meat as the food S placed in the cooking chamber 12.

Next, the operation of the oven range with the above configuration will be described in detail in the second embodiment. The process from selecting and inputting the type and category of the container 13 using the operation means 7 to starting rice cooking is the same as in the first embodiment, so the explanation will be omitted.

When rice cooking starts, the operation signal is received by the control means 31, and the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 of the control means 31 receives each detection signal from the steam detection sensor 14, the container bottom temperature sensor 25, the container side lower temperature sensor 55, and the rotating antenna position detection means, and sends a control signal to the magnetron drive device 33 and the rotating antenna drive means 63 so that the food S to be cooked is heated to the set temperature. This drives the magnetron 19 to supply and radiate microwaves, and the rotational force generated in the antenna rotation motor 53 is transmitted to the rotating antenna 52 to rotate it, radiating microwaves into the cooking chamber 12, and the food S stored in the container 13 placed on the container stand 24 is heated in the microwave. The specific temperature control is the same as that of the microwave oven of the first embodiment. Here, the object S to be heated may be heated in the microwave using the temperature detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 instead of the temperature detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25, or the object S to be heated may be heated in the microwave using the temperatures detected by both the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 in combination.

In addition, rice and water may be placed in the container 13 as the food S and cooked using oven heating. In this case, air heated by the hot air heater 27 is supplied to the inside of the cooking chamber 12 by the hot air fan 28. When this air comes into contact with the container 13, that part is heated, and the temperature of the food S cannot be accurately determined using the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 55 at the bottom of the container side. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the food S may be cooked using oven heating using the temperatures detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the steam detection sensor 14. The specific temperature control is the same as in the microwave oven of the first embodiment, so a description is omitted.

As described above, the oven range as a cooking device of this embodiment includes a cooking chamber 12 that houses a container 13 that contains rice and water as food S, a magnetron 19 and a magnetron drive unit 33 as heating means for heating the container 13, a heater drive unit 64 and a hot air motor drive unit 65, a cooking control unit 34 as control means for controlling the magnetron 19 and the magnetron drive unit 33, the heater drive unit 64 and the hot air motor drive unit 65, and a container bottom temperature sensor 25 and a container side lower temperature sensor 55 as container temperature detection means for non-contactly detecting the surface temperature of the container 13. The temperature sensor 25 detects the surface temperature of the outside of the bottom of the container body 13a, which is the part of the container 13 that is in contact with the food S to be cooked, and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 detects the surface temperature of the outside of the lower part of the side of the container body 13a, which is the part of the container 13 that is in contact with the food S to be cooked. When the container bottom temperature sensor 25 or the container side lower temperature sensor 55 detects a predetermined temperature rise after the food S boils and detects the drying up phenomenon of the food S, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 is configured to control the magnetron 19 and magnetron driving device 33 to reduce the amount of heat to the container 13 or to stop heating the container 13.

With this configuration, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 accurately detects the surface temperature of the outer surface of the bottom of the container body 13a, and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 accurately detects the surface temperature of the lower side of the container body 13a, so that the temperature change of the food S can be quickly calculated and accurately understood. In addition, the steam evaporated from the food S in the container 13 rises above the water surface of the food S and is released upward from the steam hole 13c, so the effect of the steam on the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 can be minimized, and the detection accuracy of the drying-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food S runs out can be improved and ensured, preventing undercooking and overheating, and allowing stable cooking as well as rice cooking.

In addition, in the oven range of this embodiment, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 is provided on the bottom wall 12b, which is located lower than the water level of the food S contained in the container 13, and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 is provided on the lower outside of the left side wall 12c, which is located lower than the water level of the food S contained in the container 13.When the container bottom temperature sensor 25 or the container side lower temperature sensor 55 detects a predetermined temperature rise after the food S boils and detects the drying up phenomenon of the food S, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron 19 and magnetron driving device 33 to reduce the amount of heat applied to the container 13 or to stop heating the container 13.

This configuration also minimizes the effect of steam on the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55, improves and ensures the detection accuracy of the drying-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food being cooked S runs out, prevents under-heating and over-heating, and allows for stable cooking, not just rice cooking.

The oven range of this embodiment also includes a container 13 with a steam hole 13c that releases steam from the food S into the cooking chamber 12. When the container 13 is placed in the cooking chamber 12, the steam hole 13c is located higher than the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55. This allows the steam that evaporates from the food S in the container 13 to be released upward from the steam hole 13c, minimizing the effect of the steam on the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55. This further improves and ensures the accuracy of detection of the drying-up phenomenon that occurs when the water in the food S runs out.

The oven range of this embodiment is also configured with a cooking chamber 12 that houses a container 13 containing food S to be cooked inside, a steam detection sensor 14 as a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the cooking chamber 12, a food temperature sensor 15 as a temperature distribution detection means for detecting the temperature distribution within the cooking chamber 12, and a container bottom temperature sensor 25 or a container side lower temperature sensor 55 as a container temperature detection means for detecting the surface temperature of the bottom or lower part of the side of the container body 13a of the container 13.

With this configuration, the steam detection sensor 14 and food temperature sensor 15 can be used to detect the temperature of the food S during heating, and the container bottom temperature sensor 25 or the container side lower temperature sensor 55 can be used to detect the specified dry-up temperature of the food S. Therefore, if the food S becomes overheated during heating or the container 13 becomes abnormally heated, the amount of heat applied to the container 13 can be reduced or heating can be stopped, preventing the food S from carbonizing or catching fire and improving safety.

Figure 8 shows a modified version of the second embodiment. In this modified version, a reflector 67 is provided, and the temperature of the container 13 is detected by reflecting infrared light from the container bottom temperature sensor 25 to the reflector 67.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts around the container bottom temperature sensor 25 of the cooking device in this modified example. Explaining with reference to Figure 8, 67 is a reflector provided in the space 51 and arranged below the infrared transmission window 24b. The container bottom temperature sensor 25 is also provided at the bottom of the left side wall 12c and arranged so that the field of view V1 faces the reflector 67 in the space 51. Here, the reflector 67 is arranged at an angle to the container stand 24 so that the infrared rays emitted from the bottom of the container 13 through the infrared transmission window 24b are emitted toward the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container bottom temperature sensor 25 can detect the infrared rays. In this way, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 of this modified example also acts as a container temperature detection means that detects the surface temperature of the outer surface of the bottom of the container body 13a in a non-contact manner.

By configuring it in this way, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 can be installed away from the rotating antenna 52 and the waveguide 21, and therefore can be installed in a location that is not affected by microwaves. In addition, because the container bottom temperature sensor 25 is installed below the container stand 24, the effect of steam can be minimized. And because the container bottom temperature sensor 25 is installed on the left side wall 12c rather than the bottom wall 12b, the space between the bottom wall 12b and the cabinet 2 can be effectively utilized.

Figure 9 shows a further modified example of the second embodiment. In this modified example, a microwave oven serving as a cooking device applies the configuration of the second embodiment to microwave heating of, for example, commercially available retort foods or prepackaged cooked rice in sterile packs, so-called packaged rice.

When heating these packaged cooked rice in a microwave oven, the manufacturer specifies that the cooking time should be, for example, about 2 minutes at 500W or 600W, or about 1 minute 30 seconds at 1000W. However, there is a risk that the user may mistakenly heat the rice in the microwave oven for longer than the specified time of 1 minute 30 seconds at 900W or 1000W, or for longer than the specified time of 2 minutes at 500W or 600W. In such cases, with conventional cooking machines, overheating can cause all the moisture in the rice, which is the food S in the packaged cooked rice, to evaporate, resulting in the food S being carbonized or the packaged cooked rice container 13' being deformed or melted.

Usually, the container body 13a' of the packaged cooked rice is made of a material that takes heat resistance into consideration, such as PP/EVOH/PP (polypropylene/ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer/polypropylene), and the container body 13a' is plate-shaped and low in height as shown in FIG. 9 in order to quickly heat the rice, which is the food S inside the container 13', in the microwave with a small amount of heat and to take up as little space as possible during storage. And usually, the lid 13b' of the container 13' is made of a material that is resistant to acids and microwave heating, such as silica (alumina) vapor-deposited PET/NY/sealant. However, since the lid 13b' is not in contact with the food S, the food temperature sensor 15 can detect the temperature of the lid 13b' but cannot calculate or grasp the temperature of the food S. In addition, the lid 13b' is usually peeled off from the container body 13a' in a specific area to create a steam hole 13c' before the packaged cooked rice is heated in the microwave. This causes steam from the rice (food S) to be released through the steam hole 13c', and the steam detection sensor 14 detects the temperature of this steam to detect the temperature of the rice. However, overheating occurs after all the moisture in the rice (food S) has evaporated, making it difficult for the steam detection sensor 14 to detect the drying up or overheating of the rice.

While packaged cooked rice has the advantage of being storable at room temperature, the initial temperature of the rice serving as the food S when stored at room temperature is low, for example, around 0-10°C in winter, and high, for example, around 25-30°C in summer. If packaged cooked rice like this is heated in a microwave for a uniform period of time, it will be undercooked in winter and overcooked in summer. Therefore, in this modified example, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 are used to detect the surface temperature of the outer surface of the part of the container 13' that is in contact with the food S, thereby detecting the drying-up phenomenon of the rice in the packaged cooked rice.

Explaining with reference to FIG. 9, the packaged rice container 13' corresponds to the container 13 of the second embodiment, and the container body 13a' and lid 13b correspond to the container body 13a and lid 13b of the second embodiment. In addition, when the "packed rice" menu is selected, for example, in which packaged rice as the food to be cooked S is heated in a microwave oven, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 of this modified example has the function of radiating microwaves from the magnetron 19 into the inside of the cooking chamber 12, automatically setting the cooking time and microwave output without operation input from the operating means 7, and heating the food to be cooked S inside the container 13 in the microwave oven. The other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment, so explanations are omitted.

Next, the operation of the microwave oven with the above configuration will be described in detail. First, a predetermined portion of the lid 13b' of the packaged rice container 13' is peeled off from the container body 13a' to create the steam hole 13c'. Around the same time, the power plug of the power cord 8 is inserted into the outlet to energize the main body 1, the door 3 is opened while holding the handle 4, and the container 13' is placed on the container placement section 24a of the container placement stand 24. After that, the door 3 is closed while holding the handle 4, and after selecting and operating a menu such as "packed rice" using the operation means 7, an instruction is given to start cooking the food S. The operation signal is received by the control means 31, and the automatic rice cooking control section 36 of the control means 31 receives each detection signal from the steam detection sensor 14, the container bottom temperature sensor 25, the container side lower temperature sensor 55, and the rotating antenna position detection means, and sends control signals to the magnetron drive device 33 and the rotating antenna drive means 63 so that the food S is heated to the set temperature. This drives the magnetron 19 to supply and radiate microwaves, and the rotational force generated in the antenna rotation motor 53 is transmitted to the rotating antenna 52 to rotate it, radiating microwaves into the cooking chamber 12 and heating the object S to be heated contained in the container 13 placed on the container stand 24 in the microwave. Therefore, packaged cooked rice can be heated in the microwave without selecting the microwave heating output, such as 500W or 600W, or without selecting the microwave heating time.

Specifically, when microwave heating begins, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 controls the magnetron driving device 33 and the rotating antenna driving means 63 so that the container 13', i.e., the rice as the food S, is heated in the microwave at a predetermined output, for example 500 W or 600 W.
In this modified example, as described above in the second embodiment, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 detects the temperature of the bottom of the container 13' with which the rice as the food S is in contact, and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 detects the surface temperature of the rising part 13d' that transitions from the bottom to the side of the container 13' with which the rice is in contact. The temperature of the rice in the container 13' is calculated based on the type and category of the container 13' that is automatically selected when the "packed rice" menu is selected. As described above in the second embodiment, the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the container side lower temperature sensor 55 can minimize the influence of steam, and can minimize the distance of the field of view V2 of the container side lower temperature sensor 55, and can quickly and accurately grasp the temperature change of the rice in the container 13'.

Then, when the water inside the container 13' runs out and the temperature detected by the container bottom temperature sensor 25 and the temperature detected by the container side lower temperature sensor 55 reach a predetermined dry-up temperature, for example 120°C, the automatic rice cooking control unit 36 detects the drying-up phenomenon of the rice inside the container 13' and controls the magnetron driving device 33 and the rotating antenna driving means 63 to stop the microwave heating, thereby ending the microwave heating. Therefore, the temperature control of the microwave heating can be performed automatically, and it is possible to prevent the food S from being underheated or overheated due to an incorrect setting of the microwave heating, and it is possible to prevent the rice as the food S from being carbonized and the container 13' for the packaged rice from being deformed or melted. In addition, the temperature control of the microwave heating can be performed automatically regardless of the initial temperature of the rice in the packaged rice.

When selecting the "packed rice" menu, a means for adjusting the temperature of the food item S after it has been heated in the microwave, such as a "packed rice warming temperature adjustment switch", may be provided. In this case, if the temperature of the food item S after it has been heated in the microwave is set higher, the predetermined dry-up temperature is set higher, for example to 130°C, and if the temperature is set higher, the predetermined dry-up temperature is set lower, for example to 110°C. Therefore, the temperature of the food item S after it has been heated in the microwave can be changed according to preference, and packaged cooked rice can be heated in the microwave stably.

...

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the microwave oven of the first embodiment and the oven range of the second embodiment are described separately, but the configurations of both the first and second embodiments may be included. Furthermore, the configuration and shape of each part of this embodiment are not limited to those shown in the drawings, and may be modified as appropriate.

12. Kitchen
12a Ceiling wall
13 Container 13c Steam vent
14 Steam detection sensor
19 Magnetron (heating means)
25 Container bottom temperature sensor (container temperature detection means)
33 Magnetron driving device (heating means)
34 Cooking control unit (control means)
36 Automatic rice cooking control unit (control means)
55 Container side lower part temperature sensor (container temperature detection means)
64 Heater driving means (heating means)
65 Hot air motor driving means (heating means)

Claims (3)

A cooking chamber that accommodates a container for accommodating food , the container having a steam hole for releasing steam from the food ;
A heating means for heating the container;
A control means for controlling the heating means;
a container temperature detection means for detecting the surface temperature of the container in a non-contact manner;
A steam detection sensor is provided on a ceiling wall of the cooking chamber and detects the temperature of the cooking chamber .
The container temperature detection means detects the surface temperature of the outer surface of the portion of the container that is in contact with the food to be cooked,
When the container temperature detection means detects a predetermined temperature rise after the steam detection sensor detects the boiling of the food to be cooked, the control means controls the heating means to reduce the amount of heat applied to the container or to stop heating the container ;
A cooking device comprising : a container temperature detection means disposed so that the steam hole is located at a higher position than the container temperature detection means when the container is accommodated in the cooking chamber . A cooking chamber that accommodates a container containing a moist food to be cooked and has a steam hole for releasing steam from the food to be cooked ;
A heating means for heating the container;
A control means for controlling the heating means;
a container temperature detection means for detecting the surface temperature of the container in a non-contact manner;
A steam detection sensor is provided on a ceiling wall of the cooking chamber and detects the temperature of the cooking chamber .
The container temperature detection means is provided at a position lower than the water surface of the food to be cooked,
When the container temperature detection means detects a predetermined temperature rise after the steam detection sensor detects the boiling of the food to be cooked, the control means controls the heating means to reduce the amount of heat applied to the container or to stop heating the container ;
A cooking device comprising : a container temperature detection means disposed so that the steam hole is located at a higher position than the container temperature detection means when the container is accommodated in the cooking chamber . A container selection means for selecting and inputting the type and category of the container is further provided,
3. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the control means is configured to calculate the temperature of the food from the detection signal of the container temperature detection means based on the information selected and input by the container selection means.

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