JP7580752B2 - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rice cooker.

Conventionally, rice cookers such as that disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 have been provided. The rice cooker in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pot, a dry-up detection means for detecting a dry-up state based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection means, a timer means, and a control means. In this rice cooker, the time when the food to be cooked finally reaches a boiling state is detected as the time when the temperature rise per fixed time of the temperature detected by the temperature detection means has almost disappeared until dry-up is detected, and the timer means starts counting at this detection time, and rice cooking is terminated after a preset fixed time has elapsed, thereby controlling the time from when the food to be cooked finally boils to when rice cooking is completed to be constant.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-290524

Here, in the rice cooker of the conventional technology described above, the rice is moved to the steaming process after it is determined that the rice being cooked has reached a dry-up state. Therefore, in the rice cooker of the conventional technology, the steaming process is carried out when there is no moisture left in the pot. Therefore, the problem with the rice cooker of the conventional technology is that it is difficult to set and adjust the cooking settings to cook rice that has a fresh appearance and texture like rice cooked in a stove.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a rice cooker that can cook rice so that it has a fresh appearance and texture, just like rice cooked in a hearth.

(1) The rice cooker of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, has an inner pot that is detachably stored in the main body, a heating unit that heats the inner pot, and a control unit that controls the output of the heating unit, and is capable of operating in one or more operating modes to cook rice through multiple steps including a cooking process in which rice and water prepared in a predetermined mixing ratio are heated and cooked in the inner pot by the heating unit, and a steaming process in which the rice cooked in the cooking process is steamed in a state in which the inner pot is heated by the heating unit, and is characterized in that when cooking rice in a first operating mode included in the operating modes, the control unit shifts the process from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a first cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure during the cooking process.

When cooking rice in the first operating mode, the rice cooker of the present invention controls the process to transition from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot after the temperature of the inner pot reaches the first cooking temperature, which exceeds the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure. Therefore, compared to the prior art where the steaming process is performed after the rice has reached a dry-up state, the rice cooker of the present invention can cook rice in the first operating mode so that it has a fresh appearance and texture, like rice cooked in a stove.

(1-2) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that the first cooking temperature is 110 degrees Celsius.

With this configuration, it is possible to move from the cooking process to the steaming process while leaving an appropriate amount of moisture inside the inner pot. This makes it possible to provide a rice cooker that can cook rice in the first operating mode with a fresh appearance and texture, like rice cooked in a stove.

(1-3) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized by having a monitoring unit capable of monitoring the amount of moisture remaining inside the inner pot.

With this configuration, when cooking rice in the first operating mode, the rice can be transitioned from the cooking process to the steaming process when the remaining moisture level reaches an optimum level for cooking rice to give it a fresh appearance and texture.

(1-4) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that the monitoring unit is capable of monitoring the remaining amount of moisture using the change in weight of the food being cooked inside the inner pot as an indicator.

This configuration allows the amount of moisture remaining in the inner pot to be properly monitored, and the process can be transitioned from the boiling stage to the steaming stage at the optimal timing.

(1-5) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that the monitoring unit is equipped with a water level detection device capable of detecting the water level inside the inner pot.

This configuration allows the amount of moisture remaining in the inner pot to be accurately determined based on the water level, and allows the process to transition from the boiling process to the steaming process at the optimal timing.

(2) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that, when performing rice cooking operation in the first operating mode, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so that, during the steaming process, the temperature of the inner pot is lower than the temperature immediately before the process transitions from the cooking process to the steaming process, and a steaming temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure is maintained.

This configuration prevents the cooked rice from drying out during the steaming process. This makes it possible to cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture, just like rice cooked in a stove.

(2-1) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that the steaming temperature is 102 degrees Celsius.

This configuration keeps the inside of the inner pot boiling even after the rice has moved from the boiling process to the steaming process, preventing it from drying out.

(2-2) The above-mentioned rice cooker is preferably characterized in that the heating unit has a bottom heating unit that heats the inner pot from the bottom side and a lid heating unit that heats the inner pot from the lid side that closes the inner pot, and when performing rice cooking operation in the first operation mode, the inner pot is heated by both the bottom heating unit and the lid heating unit in the steaming process.

This configuration reduces the risk of temperature imbalance in the inner pot during the steaming process, allowing the rice to be properly steamed at the specified steaming temperature.

(2-3) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that, when performing rice cooking operation in the first operating mode, the output of the heating unit is controlled during the steaming process so that the temperature of the bottom side of the inner pot is maintained at the steaming temperature.

With this configuration, rice cooking can be performed during the steaming process so that the temperature of the inner pot is maintained at a specified steaming temperature.

(3) The rice cooker described above is configured such that the rice cooking operation includes a pre-cooking process in which the temperature of the inner pot is raised to a predetermined temperature below the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure before the final cooking process, and is capable of performing rice cooking operation in a second operating mode different from the first operating mode. When the second operating mode is selected, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so as to maintain the state in which the temperature of the inner pot is raised to the predetermined second pre-cooking temperature in the pre-cooking process for a predetermined second pre-cooking time, and then, in the final cooking process, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so as to maintain the state in which the temperature of the inner pot is raised to the predetermined second pre-cooking temperature for a predetermined second pre-cooking time. After the temperature reaches a certain level, the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the rice is transferred from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operating mode, and then the process is transitioned from the cooking process to the steaming process to cook the rice. When the first operating mode is selected, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so that the temperature is raised to a first pre-cooking temperature, which is lower than the second pre-cooking temperature, in the pre-cooking process and maintained at this state for a first pre-cooking time that is longer than the second pre-cooking time, and then the rice is transferred to the cooking process.

In the case of the above-mentioned configuration, when the first operation mode is selected, the output of the heating unit is controlled so that the inner pot can be kept in a raised state in the pre-cooking process at the first pre-cooking temperature, which is lower than the second pre-cooking temperature when the second operation mode is selected, for the first pre-cooking time, which is longer than the second pre-cooking time. In other words, when the first operation mode is selected, the pre-cooking process is performed under conditions where the pre-cooking temperature (first pre-cooking temperature) is lower and the pre-cooking time (first pre-cooking time) is longer than when the second operation mode is selected. As a result, when the first operation mode is selected, the rice cooker of the above-mentioned configuration can stabilize the temperature behavior of the pre-cooking process and slowly heat the rice and water. As a result, by selecting the first operation mode, it is possible to perform the rice cooking operation after the rice has absorbed moisture thoroughly in the pre-cooking process and then through the cooking process and other processes. This makes it possible to cook rice so that it has an even fresher appearance and texture.

(4) The above-mentioned rice cooker may be characterized in that, when performing rice cooking operation in the first operating mode, the rice cooker has a temperature retention period during the cooking process in which the temperature of the inner pot is maintained for a predetermined time after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a temperature condition that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure.

With this configuration, during the temperature holding period of the cooking process, the rice can be cooked slowly under temperature conditions that exceed the boiling point of water. This makes it possible to cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture.

(5) The above-mentioned rice cooker is capable of cooking rice in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode, and when the second operation mode is selected, the control unit cooks rice by transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operation mode, and the output of the heating unit is controlled so that the rate of temperature rise of the inner pot during the cooking process in the first operation mode until the first cooking temperature is reached is faster than the rate of temperature rise of the inner pot during the cooking process in the second operation mode until the second cooking temperature is reached.

With this configuration, when cooking rice in the first operating mode, the rate at which the temperature rises from the start of the cooking process until the water boils is faster than when the second operating mode is selected, making it possible to cook rice slowly at a temperature where the water boils.

(6) The above-mentioned rice cooker is capable of cooking rice in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode, and when the second operation mode is selected, the control unit cooks rice by transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the cooking process is transitioned to the steaming process in the first operation mode, and the output of the heating unit is controlled so that the temperature of the inner pot when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operation mode is lower than the temperature of the inner pot when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the second operation mode and exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure.

According to this configuration, when the first operating mode is selected, the cooking process can be completed and the steaming process can be started at a lower temperature than when the second operating mode is selected. As a result, when cooking rice in the first operating mode, the steaming process can be carried out with some moisture remaining, preventing the rice from drying out and allowing rice to be cooked with a fresh appearance and texture.

(7) The above-mentioned rice cooker is capable of performing rice cooking operation in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode, and when the second operation mode is selected, the control unit cooks rice by shifting the process from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure in the cooking process and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the cooking process is shifted to the steaming process in the first operation mode, and the rice cooking operation can be performed in the first operation mode by adjusting either or both of the output of the heating unit and the length of each process that constitutes the rice cooking operation according to the brand of rice.

This configuration makes it possible to provide a rice cooker that can perform rice cooking operation in the first operating mode with appropriate heating conditions and heating time depending on the brand of rice.

The present invention provides a rice cooker that can cook rice so that it has a fresh appearance and texture, just like rice cooked in a hearth.

1 is a perspective view showing a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control unit in the rice cooker of FIG. 1 and the relationship between the control unit and other components constituting the rice cooker. 1 is a graph showing an example of changes in the temperature of the center of rice, the temperature at the bottom of the pot, and the temperature of the pot lid when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 is operating in rice cooking mode. 10 is a flowchart showing an operational flow of a temperature detection process when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 performs rice cooking operation in stove-type rice cooking mode. 1 is a flowchart showing an operational flow of the first pre-cooking step when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 is operating in rice cooking mode. 1 is a flowchart showing an operational flow of the second pre-cooking step when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 is operating in rice cooking mode. 1 is a flowchart showing an operational flow of the first cooking step when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 is operating in rice cooking mode. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the second cooking step when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 performs rice cooking operation in stove-type rice cooking mode. 10 is a flowchart showing an operational flow of a third cooking step when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 is operating in a rice cooker cooking mode. 1 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of a steaming process when the rice cooker of FIG. 1 performs rice cooking operation in stove-type rice cooking mode.

The rice cooker 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the configuration of the rice cooker 10 will be briefly described, followed by a detailed description of the configuration of the control unit 30 and the characteristic operational control of the rice cooker 10 performed by the control unit 30. In the following description, terms indicating positional relationships such as up, down, left, right, front, back, side, top, bottom, etc. will be described assuming that the rice cooker 10 is placed in a position expected for normal use as shown in FIG. 1, unless otherwise specified.

<General configuration of rice cooker 10>
1 and 2, the rice cooker 10 includes a rice cooker body 20, a lid 40, and an inner pot 50. The rice cooker 10 employs a heating method that causes the inner pot 50 to generate heat, such as an induction heating (IH) type, a pressure IH type, or a vacuum pressure IH type.

The rice cooker body 20 includes an inner kettle housing 22, a heating section 24, a power supply section 26, a temperature sensor 28, a control section 30, etc. The inner kettle housing 22 is a section provided for housing the inner kettle 50. The inner kettle housing 22 has an approximately circular opening in a plan view, and is concave in shape with an open upper side. Therefore, the rice cooker body 20 allows the inner kettle 50 to be inserted and removed from the inner kettle housing 22 from above.

The heating section 24 is for heating the inner kettle 50. The heating section 24 has a bottom heating section 24a and a lid heating section 24b. The bottom heating section 24a is provided on the lower side of the inner kettle housing section 22 and is capable of heating the inner kettle 50 from the bottom side. The lid heating section 24b is provided on the lid section 40 side, which will be described in detail later. The lid heating section 24b is capable of heating the inner kettle 50 from the lid section 40 side.

The power supply unit 26 is provided at a position on the rear side of the heating unit 24. The power supply unit 26 is for supplying power to the parts of the rice cooker 10 that consume power, such as the heating unit 24 and the control unit 30. The power supply unit 26 is capable of applying a high-frequency current to the induction coil that constitutes the heating unit 24. Therefore, in the rice cooker 10, the power supply unit 26 applies a high-frequency current to the induction coil that constitutes the heating unit 24 to generate eddy currents in the inner pot 50, and the inner pot 50 can be heated by the electrical resistance within the inner pot 50.

The temperature sensor 28 is provided below the inner kettle housing section 22, at a position corresponding to the center of the inner kettle housing section 22. The temperature sensor 28 is for measuring the temperature at the bottom of the inner kettle 50 housed in the inner kettle housing section 22.

The control unit 30 is disposed in a space in the rice cooker body 20 that is in front of the inner pot housing 22. The control unit 30 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 26, the temperature sensor 28, an operation unit 44 provided on the lid unit 40 (described later), and the like. The control unit 30 is composed of a microcomputer or the like, and can control the operation of the rice cooker 10 through the cooperation of hardware such as a CPU and software (programs). That is, the control unit 30 can control the operation of the rice cooker 10 by receiving operation setting signals for the rice cooker 10 via the operation unit 44 and controlling the output of the power supply unit 26 based on the output signal from the temperature sensor 28.

The lid 40 is rotatably connected to the top of the rice cooker body 20 by a hinge mechanism 42. When the lid 40 is in the closed state, it can cover and close the opening of the inner pot housing 22. When the lid 40 is in the open state, the lid 40 rotates by the hinge mechanism 42, and the opening of the inner pot housing 22 is opened. In addition to the lid side heating section 24b that constitutes the heating section 24 described above, the lid 40 is equipped with an operation section 44, a display device 46, and a steam exhaust section 48.

The operation unit 44 is for operating the rice cooker 10 and is provided on the top side of the lid 40. The operation unit 44 has a plurality of buttons that are provided so as to be exposed on the top surface of the lid 40. Specifically, the operation unit 44 has a plurality of operation buttons that constitute an operation mode selection operation unit 44a, a stove cooking operation unit 44b, a rice cooking operation unit 44c, a reservation operation unit 44d, a keep warm/cancel operation unit 44e, a brand cooking operation unit 44f, etc. By operating these operation buttons, the operation unit 44 can select the operation mode of the rice cooker 10, perform setting operations for performing low-carbohydrate cooking, which will be described in detail later, start operation of rice cooking operation, setting operations related to reservation operation, setting operations related to keep warm operation, setting operations related to rice cooking operation for barley rice, brown rice, mixed grain rice, etc. In addition, the operation unit 44 has a display such as an LED, and can display the operation mode selected by the operation button and the operation reservation.

The display device 46 displays the operating status of the rice cooker 10 and information associated with the operation of the operation unit 44. The display device 46 is provided adjacent to each operation unit (operation button) that constitutes the operation unit 44.

The steam exhaust section 48 is for exhausting steam that is generated when cooking rice with the lid section 40 in the closed state. The steam exhaust section 48 is provided in a position that is above the inner kettle housing section 22 and the inner kettle 50 housed therein when the lid section 40 is in the closed state. The steam exhaust section 48 has an exhaust path consisting of openings that open toward the top and bottom sides (the inner kettle housing section 22 side) of the lid section 40 and a passage connecting both openings, and steam can be exhausted from the inside to the outside of the rice cooker 10 through this.

The inner pot 50 is a rice cooking pot that can be inserted and removed from the inner pot housing portion 22. The inner pot 50 is a generally cylindrical shape with a bottom that is open on the top, and can hold rice to be cooked, water, etc. inside.

<Configuration of control unit 30>
Next, the configuration of the control unit 30 will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 30 is electrically connected to the above-mentioned heating unit 24, power supply unit 26, temperature sensor 28, operation unit 44, display device 46, etc. The control unit 30 includes a current control unit 100, a heat amount setting unit 102, a sum number determination unit 104, a data storage unit 106, a calculation unit 108, a notification control unit 110, a timer 112, etc.

The power supply control unit 100 is for controlling the power supply to the heating unit 24. The heat amount setting unit 102 is for setting the amount of heat (electricity) to be applied by the heating unit 24 to the inner pot 50 and the rice and water prepared therein during each process of the rice cooking operation performed by the rice cooker 10. The combined amount determination unit 104 is for determining the amount of rice to be cooked (combined amount).

The data storage unit 106 is equipped with a storage medium such as a ROM or flash memory. The data storage unit 106 stores execution programs for performing rice cooking operations and calculating the amount of water required for cooking rice, and also stores data required for performing each step of the rice cooking operation in advance as a data table 106a. The calculation unit 108 can perform calculation processes such as calculating the amount of water required to cook rice, and multiplying the amount of carbohydrates and calories that the user is likely to have ingested by multiplying the amount of weight change of the cooked food, such as cooked rice, by the amount of carbohydrates and calories per unit weight of the cooked food.

The notification control unit 110 controls notifications by displaying information on the display device 46 and by sound using a speaker, buzzer, etc. (not shown). The timer 112 adjusts the duration and switching timing of each process during the rice cooking operation.

<<Regarding Operation Control by the Control Unit 30>>
The following describes characteristic operation control performed by the control unit 30 in the rice cooker 10. The rice cooker 10 can perform rice cooking operation in an operation mode selected by the user from a plurality of operation modes including a normal rice cooking mode (second operation mode) and a stove-top rice cooking mode (first operation mode) through operation control by the control unit 30. In the normal rice cooking mode and the stove-top rice cooking mode, rice can be cooked in a sequence that performs a temperature detection process, a pre-cooking process, a cooking process, and a steaming process in this order. The pre-cooking process is composed of a first pre-cooking process and a second pre-cooking process, and the cooking process is composed of a first cooking process, a second cooking process, and a third cooking process.

The temperature detection process is a process for detecting the temperature of the water prepared in the inner pot 50. The initial water temperature detected in the temperature detection process is used for purposes such as automatically determining the number of servings of rice to be cooked. The pre-cooking process is a process whose main purpose is to make the rice absorb moisture. The first pre-cooking process is a process carried out as the first stage of the pre-cooking process. The first pre-cooking process is a process for raising the temperature of the inner pot 50 to a specified temperature (holding temperature) that is below the boiling point of water. The second pre-cooking process is a process carried out following the first pre-cooking process. The Maeda base step is a process for keeping the water temperature raised in the first pre-cooking process for a certain period of time.

The cooking process is carried out after the pre-cooking process, and is a process for cooking the rice prepared in the inner pot 50. The first cooking process is a process carried out as the first stage of the cooking process. The main purpose of the first cooking process is to quickly heat the rice and water prepared inside the inner pot 50 to just before the boiling point of the water. The second cooking process is a process for maintaining the rice and water prepared inside the inner pot 50 in a boiling state. The third cooking process is a process for cooking the rice by reducing the heat more than the second cooking process and boiling the rice slowly. The steaming process is a process carried out after the cooking process. The steaming process is a process for adjusting the moisture content so that the moisture remaining in the inner pot 50 penetrates the rice approximately evenly while moderately removing the moisture from the rice cooked in the cooking process.

The normal rice cooking mode is an operation mode in which rice and water prepared in the inner pot 50 at a standard mixing ratio (hereinafter also referred to as the "standard mixing ratio") are cooked through the above-mentioned processes. In the normal rice cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so as to maintain the temperature raised to a predetermined normal pre-cooking temperature Tnm (second pre-cooking temperature) for a predetermined normal pre-cooking time Lnm (second pre-cooking time) in the pre-cooking process, and then, in the cooking process, the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches a normal cooking temperature Tnt that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure (100 degrees Celsius), and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot 50 is reduced compared to when the cooking process is switched to the steaming process in the stove cooking mode (first operation mode) described later in detail, thereby performing rice cooking operation by shifting from the cooking process to the steaming process. In normal cooking mode, the rice cooking operation can be performed by adjusting either or both of the output of the heating unit and the length of each process that constitutes the rice cooking operation depending on the brand of rice.

On the other hand, the stove cooking mode is an operating mode that performs rice cooking operation characterized by shifting from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot 50 after the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches the stove cooking temperature Tkt (first cooking temperature) at which the temperature exceeds the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure (100 degrees Celsius) during the cooking process. In the stove cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is adjusted so that the temperature of the bottom side of the inner pot 50 (pot bottom temperature T1), the temperature of the lid part 40 side (pot lid temperature T2), and the central temperature of the rice (cooked rice) change as shown in the graph in Figure 5.

Specifically, in the stove cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature rise rate of the inner pot 50 during the period until the stove cooking temperature Tkt is reached is faster than the temperature rise rate of the inner pot 50 during the period until the normal cooking temperature Tnt is reached in the cooking process of the normal cooking mode. In addition, in the stove cooking mode, the cooking process has a temperature holding period in which the temperature of the inner pot 50 is maintained for a predetermined time after the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches a temperature condition exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure (100 degrees Celsius). In this embodiment, the second cooking process constituting the cooking process is a temperature holding period, and the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature of the inner pot 50 is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, a time period between 5 minutes and 10 minutes) after the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches a temperature exceeding the boiling point of water (for example, a temperature between 103 degrees Celsius and 108 degrees Celsius).

In the stove cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature of the inner pot 50 when transitioning from the cooking process (the third cooking process in this embodiment) to the steaming process is lower than the temperature of the inner pot 50 when transitioning from the cooking process (the third cooking process in this embodiment) to the steaming process in the normal cooking mode, and exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure. Specifically, in the stove cooking mode, the temperature of the inner pot 50 when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process is set to the stove cooking temperature Tkt, which is a predetermined temperature in the range of 105 degrees Celsius or higher and 115 degrees Celsius or lower. In contrast, in the normal cooking mode, the temperature of the inner pot 50 when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process is set to the normal cooking temperature Tnt, which is a predetermined temperature in the range of 115 degrees Celsius or higher and 130 degrees Celsius or lower.

In the stove cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature of the inner pot 50 is lower than the temperature immediately before the transition from the cooking process to the steaming process during the steaming process, and the steaming temperature exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure. In this embodiment, the temperature of the inner pot 50 immediately before the transition from the cooking process (third cooking process) to the steaming process is the stove cooking temperature Tkt, which is a predetermined temperature in the range of 105 degrees Celsius to 115 degrees Celsius. In contrast, the temperature of the inner pot 50 during the steaming process (stove steaming temperature Tks) is lower than the stove cooking temperature Tkt and exceeds the boiling point of water (100 degrees Celsius). In addition, during the steaming process in normal rice cooking mode, the inner pot 50 is heated by turning off the bottom heating section 24a and turning on the lid heating section 24b of the heating section 24, whereas during the steaming process in hearth cooking mode, both the bottom heating section 24a and the lid heating section 24b are turned on to heat the inner pot 50.

In addition, in the pre-cooking process of the stove cooking mode, the temperature is raised to a stove pre-cooking temperature Tkm, which is lower than the normal pre-cooking temperature Tnm in the pre-cooking process of the normal cooking mode described above. In addition, in the pre-cooking process of the stove cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so as to maintain the stove pre-cooking temperature Tkm for a stove pre-cooking time Lkm, which is longer than the normal pre-cooking time Lnm in the pre-cooking process of the normal cooking mode described above, and then the cooking process is started.

Next, the operation of each step when performing rice cooking operation in the above-mentioned stove cooking mode will be explained in detail with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 6 to 12.

<Temperature detection process>
The operational flow of the temperature detection process will be described below with reference to FIG.

In step 1-1, the control unit 30 of the rice cooker 10 stops the output of the bottom heating unit 24a and the lid heating unit 24b (output = 0 [W]). After that, the control unit 30 advances the control flow to step 1-2 and starts timing by the timer 112. When timing by the timer 112 starts, in step 1-3, it is confirmed whether the time measured by the timer 112 has reached a predetermined temperature detection standby time Lt. When it is confirmed in step 1-3 that the temperature detection standby time Lt has been reached, the control flow advances to step 1-4. In step 1-4, the control unit 30 measures the temperature of the inner pot 50 using the temperature sensor 28. This completes the operation flow in the temperature detection process. When the temperature detection process is completed, the process moves to the first pre-cooking process in Figure 7.

<First step of pre-cooking>
Hereinafter, the operational flow of the first pre-cooking step will be described with reference to FIG.

In the first pre-cooking process, first, in step 2-1, the bottom heating unit 24a is turned on. Then, in step 2-2, the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a is set to a predetermined value (1000 [W] in this embodiment), and the heating of the inner pot 50 by the bottom heating unit 24a is started. Then, in step 2-3, it is confirmed whether the temperature of the bottom side of the inner pot 50 (pot bottom temperature T1) has reached a predetermined temperature (pre-cooking temperature Tkm). In this embodiment, the pre-cooking temperature Tkm is set to 45 degrees Celsius. When it is confirmed in step 2-3 that the pot bottom temperature T1 of the inner pot 50 has reached 45 degrees, the control flow proceeds to step 2-4. When the control flow moves to step 2-4, the control unit 30 sets the timer 112 and starts timing. Then, in step 2-5, it is confirmed whether a predetermined time (first pre-cooking time Lkm1) has elapsed since the timer 112 was set. Here, the first pre-cooking time Lkm1 is part of the pre-cooking time Lkm described above, and its length is set to a predetermined time (e.g., 50 seconds). If it is confirmed in step 2-5 that the first pre-cooking time Lkm1 has elapsed, the control unit 30 completes the first pre-cooking process. After that, the control unit 30 transitions to the second pre-cooking process shown in FIG. 8.

<Second step of pre-cooking>
Hereinafter, the operational flow of the second pre-cooking step will be described with reference to FIG.

In the second pre-cooking process, first, in step 3-1, the output W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a is set to a predetermined value, and the bottom heating unit 24a continues to heat the inner pot 50. The output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a in the second pre-cooking process is set lower than the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a in the first pre-cooking process described above. In this embodiment, the output value W1 in the first pre-cooking process is set to 1000 [W], while the output value W1 in the second pre-cooking process is set to 500 [W]. After that, the control flow proceeds to step 3-2. In step 3-2, the control unit 30 checks whether the pot bottom temperature T1 is a predetermined temperature (stove pre-cooking temperature Tkm). Here, if the pot bottom temperature T1 is the stove pre-cooking temperature Tkm, the control flow proceeds to step 3-3.

When the control flow proceeds to step 3-3, the control unit 30 sets the timer 112 and starts timing. Then, in step 3-4, it is confirmed whether a predetermined time (second cooking time Lkm2) has passed since the timer 112 was set. Here, the second cooking time Lkm2 is a part of the above-mentioned cooking time Lkm, and is specified so that the sum of the second cooking time Lkm2 and the first cooking time Lkm1 (Lkm1 + Lkm2) becomes the cooking time Lkm. In this embodiment, the second cooking time Lkm2 is sufficiently longer than the first cooking time Lkm1. Specifically, the first cooking time Lkm1 is 50 seconds, while the second cooking time Lkm2 is 1750 seconds. As a result, in the first pre-cooking process, the pot bottom temperature T1 is quickly raised to the specified pre-cooking temperature Tkm in a short pre-cooking first time Lkm1, and then the temperature is slowly maintained at the pre-cooking temperature Tkm for the second pre-cooking time Lkm2, allowing the rice to absorb sufficient moisture. When it is confirmed in step 3-4 that the second pre-cooking time Lkm2 has elapsed, the control unit 30 completes the second pre-cooking process. After that, the control unit 30 transitions to the first cooking process shown in FIG. 9.

<First cooking process>
Hereinafter, the operational flow of the first cooking step will be described with reference to FIG.

In the first cooking step, first, in step 4-1, the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a is set to a value higher than that in the second and third cooking steps that are performed later. Specifically, the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a in the second cooking step is set to 600 [W], and the output value W1 in the third cooking step is set to 800 [W], but in step 4-1, the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a is set to 1000 [W]. This promotes heating of the inner pot 50. Then, in step 4-2, the control unit 30 checks whether the temperature of the lid side of the inner pot 50 (pot lid temperature T2) has reached a predetermined temperature. Specifically, in this embodiment, it checks whether the pot lid temperature T2 has reached 60 degrees Celsius. When it is confirmed in step 4-2 that the pot lid temperature T2 has reached the predetermined temperature, the control unit 30 completes the first cooking step. The control unit 30 then transitions to the second cooking step shown in FIG. 10.

<The second cooking process>
Hereinafter, the operational flow of the second cooking step will be described with reference to FIG.

In the second cooking process, first in step 5-1, the lid-side heating unit 24b is turned on. Then, in step 5-2, the control unit 30 reduces the output value W1 of the bottom-side heating unit 24a below the output value W1 in the first cooking process, and sets the output value W2 of the lid-side heating unit 24b to a predetermined value. In this embodiment, the output value W1 of the bottom-side heating unit 24a is set to 600 [W], and the output value W2 of the lid-side heating unit 24b is set to 40 [W]. Then, the control unit 30 transitions the control flow to step 5-3.

In step 5-3, the control unit 30 checks whether the pot bottom temperature T1 of the inner pot 50 has reached a predetermined intermediate temperature Tktm. Here, the intermediate temperature Tktm is set to a temperature lower than the above-mentioned pot top temperature Tkt and higher than the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure (100 degrees Celsius). In this embodiment, the intermediate temperature Tktm is set to 105 degrees. When it is confirmed in step 5-3 that the pot bottom temperature T1 has reached the intermediate temperature Tktm, the control flow proceeds to step 5-4 while controlling the output of the heating unit 24 so that the pot bottom temperature T1 is maintained at the intermediate temperature Tktm, and the timer 112 starts timing. Then, in step 5-5, it is confirmed whether a predetermined temperature retention period has elapsed after the timer 112 starts counting. In this embodiment, the temperature retention period is set to 480 seconds. After that, when it is confirmed in step 5-5 that the specified temperature holding period has elapsed, the control unit 30 completes the second cooking step. After that, the control unit 30 transitions to the third cooking step shown in FIG. 11.

<The third cooking process>
Hereinafter, the operational flow of the third cooking step will be described with reference to FIG.

In the third cooking step, first, in step 6-1, the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a is controlled to be higher than the output value W1 in the second cooking step. In this embodiment, the output value W1 of the bottom heating unit 24a is controlled to be increased from 600 [W] to 800 [W]. At this time, the output value W2 of the lid heating unit 24b is maintained at the same output value (40 [W] in this embodiment) as in the second cooking step. Then, the control flow proceeds to step 6-2, where it is confirmed whether the pot bottom temperature T1 of the inner pot 50 has reached the predetermined pot cooking temperature Tkt (110 degrees Celsius in this embodiment). Here, when it is confirmed that the pot bottom temperature T1 of the inner pot 50 has reached the predetermined pot cooking temperature Tkt, the control unit 30 completes the third cooking step. Then, the control unit 30 shifts the process to the steaming process shown in FIG. 12.

<Steaming process>
Hereinafter, the operational flow of the steaming process will be described with reference to FIG.

In the steaming process, first, in step 7-1, the output value W1 of the bottom heating section 24a is controlled to be lower than that in the third cooking process. In this embodiment, the output value W1 of the bottom heating section 24a is controlled to be lowered from 800 [W] to 500 [W]. At this time, the output value W2 of the lid heating section 24b continues to be maintained at the same output value (40 [W] in this embodiment) even in the steaming process. After that, the control flow proceeds to step 7-2.

In step 7-2, it is confirmed whether the pot bottom temperature T1 of the inner pot 50 has reached a predetermined pot steaming temperature Tks. Here, the pot steaming temperature Tks is set to a temperature lower than the pot cooking temperature Tkt described above and equal to or higher than the boiling point of water (100 degrees Celsius). In this embodiment, the pot steaming temperature Tks is set to 102 degrees Celsius. When it is confirmed in step 7-2 that the pot bottom temperature T1 has reached the pot steaming temperature Tks, the control flow proceeds to step 7-3 while the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled to maintain the steaming temperature Tks. In step 7-3, the timer 112 starts timing. After that, in step 7-4, when it is confirmed that the timer 112 has reached a predetermined time (900 seconds in this embodiment), the control unit 30 completes the steaming process. This completes the rice cooking operation in the pot cooking mode.

The rice cooker 10 of the above-described embodiment has the following characteristic configurations (1) to (7), and provides characteristic effects.

(1) The rice cooker 10 of this embodiment has an inner pot 50 that is stored in a removable manner in the rice cooker main body 20, a heating unit 24 that heats the inner pot 50, and a control unit 30 that controls the output of the heating unit 24. By heating the inner pot 50 with the heating unit 24, the rice cooker 10 is capable of operating in one or more operating modes to perform rice cooking operation through multiple processes including a cooking process in which rice and water prepared in a predetermined mixing ratio are heated and cooked in the inner pot 50, and a steaming process in which the rice cooked in the cooking process is steamed while the inner pot 50 is heated by the heating unit 24. The rice cooker 10 has a characteristic configuration in which, when cooking rice in the kamado cooking mode included in the operation modes, the control unit 30 shifts the process from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot 50 after the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches the kamado cooking temperature Tkt (first cooking temperature) that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure during the cooking process. Therefore, by cooking rice in the kamado cooking mode, the rice cooker 10 of this embodiment can cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture like rice cooked in a kamado, compared to when the steaming process is performed after the rice has reached a dry-up state.

The rice cooker 10 described above is preferably characterized by a stove cooking temperature Tkt of 110 degrees Celsius. This allows the rice cooker 10 to move from the cooking process to the steaming process with an appropriate amount of moisture remaining inside the inner pot 50. This allows the rice cooker 10 to more reliably cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture like rice cooked in a stove when operating in stove cooking mode.

The rice cooker 10 described above is preferably characterized by having a monitoring unit capable of monitoring the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot 50. With this configuration, when operating in rice cooking mode, it is possible to transition from the cooking process to the steaming process when the remaining moisture reaches an optimal amount for cooking rice so that it has a fresh appearance and texture.

The rice cooker 10 described above may also be characterized in that the monitoring unit is capable of monitoring the remaining amount of moisture using the change in weight of the food inside the inner pot 50 as an indicator. With this configuration, the remaining amount of moisture in the inner pot 50 can be appropriately monitored, and the process can be transitioned from the cooking process to the steaming process at the optimal timing.

The above-mentioned rice cooker 10 is preferably characterized in that the monitoring unit is equipped with a water level detection device capable of detecting the water level inside the inner pot 50. With this configuration, the amount of water remaining in the inner pot 50 can be accurately determined based on the water level, and the process can be transitioned from the cooking process to the steaming process at the optimal timing.

(2) The rice cooker 10 described above is characterized in that, when performing rice cooking operation in the hearth cooking mode, the control unit 30 controls the output of the heating unit 24 so that the temperature of the inner pot 50 during the steaming process is maintained at a hearth steaming temperature Tks that is lower than the temperature immediately before the transition from the cooking process to the steaming process (stove cooking temperature: first cooking temperature) and exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure. Because of this configuration, the rice cooker 10 can prevent the cooked rice from drying out even during the steaming process. This makes it possible to cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture, as if it were cooked in a hearth. Note that the configuration related to (2) can be appropriately changed or omitted within the scope of the present invention.

The rice cooker 10 described above is preferably characterized in that the steaming temperature Tks is set to 102 degrees Celsius. This allows the inside of the inner pot 50 to be kept boiling even after the rice has moved from the cooking process to the steaming process, while preventing the rice from drying out.

The above-mentioned rice cooker 10 is preferably characterized in that the heating unit 24 has a bottom heating unit 24a that heats the inner pot 50 from the bottom side and a lid heating unit 24b that heats the inner pot 50 from the lid side that closes the inner pot 50, and when performing rice cooking operation in the kamado rice cooking mode, the inner pot 50 is heated by both the bottom heating unit 24a and the lid heating unit 24b during the steaming process. This makes it less likely that the temperature of the inner pot 50 will be uneven during the steaming process, and the rice can be appropriately steamed at the specified kamado steaming temperature Tks.

The rice cooker 10 described above is preferably characterized in that, when cooking rice in the kiln cooking mode, the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature of the bottom side of the inner pot 50 is maintained at the kiln steaming temperature Tks during the steaming process. This allows the rice cooking operation to be performed so that the temperature of the inner pot 50 is maintained at the specified kiln steaming temperature Tks during the steaming process.

(3) The rice cooker 10 described above is configured to perform a pre-cooking process in which the temperature of the inner pot 50 is raised to a predetermined temperature below the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure before the cooking process, and is configured to perform rice cooking operation in a normal cooking mode (second operation mode) different from the stove cooking mode. In addition, when the normal cooking mode is selected, the rice cooker 10 is configured to cook rice by shifting from the cooking process to the steaming process after the control unit 30 controls the output of the heating unit 24 so as to maintain the state in which the temperature is raised to a predetermined normal pre-cooking temperature Tnm (second pre-cooking temperature) in the pre-cooking process for a predetermined normal pre-cooking time Lnm (second pre-cooking time) and then transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches a normal cooking temperature Tnt that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot 50 is reduced compared to when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the stove cooking mode. In addition, when the rice cooker 10 is in the stove-cooking mode, the control unit 30 controls the output of the heating unit 24 so that the temperature is raised to a stove-cooking temperature Tkm (first pre-cooking temperature) that is lower than the normal pre-cooking temperature Tnm during the pre-cooking process and maintained at that state for a stove-cooking time Lkm (first pre-cooking time) that is longer than the normal pre-cooking time Lnm, and then the rice cooker transitions to the cooking process.

Because the rice cooker 10 is configured as described above, when the stove cooking mode is selected, the pre-cooking process can be performed under conditions where the pre-cooking temperature (stove pre-cooking temperature Tkm) is lower and the pre-cooking time (stove pre-cooking time Lkm) is longer than when the normal cooking mode is selected. As a result, when the stove cooking mode is selected, the above-mentioned rice cooker 10 can stabilize the temperature behavior of the pre-cooking process and slowly heat the rice and water. As a result, by selecting the stove cooking mode, the rice cooker 10 can perform cooking operation after thoroughly absorbing moisture in the pre-cooking process and going through the cooking process and other processes. As a result, by performing cooking operation in the stove cooking mode in the rice cooker 10, it is possible to cook rice so that it has an even fresher appearance and texture. Note that the configuration related to (3) above can be appropriately changed or omitted within the scope of the present invention.

(4) The rice cooker 10 described above is characterized in that, when operating in the kamado cooking mode, the temperature of the inner pot 50 is maintained for a predetermined time during the cooking process after the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches a temperature condition exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure. Therefore, when operating in the kamado cooking mode, the rice cooker 10 can cook rice slowly in a state where the temperature of the inner pot 50 reaches a temperature condition exceeding the boiling point of water during the temperature holding period of the cooking process. This makes it possible to cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture. Note that the configuration related to (4) can be appropriately changed or omitted within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

(5) The above-mentioned rice cooker 10 is characterized in that the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature rise rate of the inner pot 50 during the cooking process in the hearth cooking mode until the hearth cooking temperature Tkt is reached is faster than the temperature rise rate of the inner pot 50 during the cooking process in the normal cooking mode until the normal cooking temperature Tnt is reached. Therefore, when the rice cooker 10 performs cooking operation in the hearth cooking mode, the temperature rise rate from the transition to the cooking process until the water boils is faster than when the normal cooking mode is selected, and the rice can be cooked thoroughly under temperature conditions where the water boils. Note that the configuration related to (5) can be appropriately changed or omitted within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

(6) The above-mentioned rice cooker 10 is characterized in that the output of the heating unit 24 is controlled so that the temperature of the inner pot 50 when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the kamado cooking mode is lower than the temperature of the inner pot 50 when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the normal cooking mode, and exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure. Therefore, when the kamado cooking mode is selected, the rice cooker 10 can finish the cooking process and transition to the steaming process at a lower temperature than when the normal cooking mode is selected. As a result, when the rice cooker 10 performs rice cooking operation in the kamado cooking mode, it can perform the steaming process with some moisture remaining, suppressing the rice from drying up and making it possible to cook rice with a fresh appearance and texture. Note that the configuration related to (6) can be appropriately changed or omitted within the scope of the present invention.

(7) The rice cooker 10 described above can be made capable of carrying out rice cooking operation in various forms in a normal cooking mode different from the kamado cooking mode. For example, the rice cooker 10 can be made to carry out a rice cooking operation in kamado cooking mode in which the output of the heating unit 24 and/or the length of each process constituting the rice cooking operation is adjusted according to the brand of rice.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and variations, and other embodiments may be possible within the scope of the claims, based on the teachings and spirit of the invention. The components of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any component of the embodiment may also be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to obtain rights to these as well through amendments to this application or divisional applications, etc.

The rice cooker of the present invention can be used effectively as a rice cooker in general.

10: Rice cooker 20: Rice cooker body 24: Heating section 24a: Bottom side heating section 24b: Lid side heating section 30: Control section 50: Inner pot Lkm: Cooking time in front of the stove Lnm: Normal pre-cooking time Tkm: Cooking in front of the stove Temperature Tks: Steaming temperature Tkt :Kamado cooking temperature Tnm :Normal pre-cooking temperature Tnt :Normal cooking temperature

Claims (6)

An inner pot that is detachably stored in the main body;
A heating unit for heating the inner pot;
A control unit that controls the output of the heating unit,
By heating the inner pot with the heating unit, the rice cooking operation can be performed in one or more operation modes, in which rice is cooked through multiple processes including a cooking process in which rice and water prepared in a predetermined mixing ratio are heated in the inner pot and cooked, and a steaming process in which the cooked rice is steamed in a state in which the inner pot is heated by the heating unit;
When cooking rice in a first operation mode included in the operation modes, the control unit shifts the process from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a first cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process,
The rice cooking operation is performed by performing a pre-cooking process in which the temperature of the inner pot is raised to a predetermined temperature lower than the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure before the final cooking process,
The rice cooking operation can be performed in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode,
When the second operation mode is selected, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so as to maintain the state in which the temperature is raised to a predetermined second pre-cooking temperature in the pre-cooking process for a predetermined second pre-cooking time, and then in the cooking process, after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the cooking process is switched to the steaming process in the first operation mode, cooking rice is performed by shifting the process from the cooking process to the steaming process;
When the first operating mode is selected, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so as to maintain the temperature raised to a first pre-cooking temperature, which is lower than the second pre- cooking temperature, in the pre-cooking process for a first pre-cooking time that is longer than the second pre-cooking time, and then transitions to the cooking process. An inner pot that is detachably stored in the main body;
A heating unit for heating the inner pot;
A control unit that controls the output of the heating unit,
By heating the inner pot with the heating unit, the rice cooking operation can be performed in one or more operation modes, in which rice is cooked through multiple processes including a cooking process in which rice and water prepared in a predetermined mixing ratio are heated in the inner pot and cooked, and a steaming process in which the cooked rice is steamed in a state in which the inner pot is heated by the heating unit;
When cooking rice in a first operation mode included in the operation modes, the control unit shifts the process from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a first cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process,
The rice cooking operation can be performed in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode,
When the second operation mode is selected, the control unit cooks rice by shifting the process from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the process is shifted from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operation mode,
The rice cooker is characterized in that, in the cooking process of the first operating mode, the output of the heating unit is controlled so that the rate of temperature rise of the inner pot during the period until the first cooking temperature is reached is faster than the rate of temperature rise of the inner pot during the cooking process of the second operating mode until the second cooking temperature is reached. An inner pot that is detachably stored in the main body;
A heating unit for heating the inner pot;
A control unit that controls the output of the heating unit,
By heating the inner pot with the heating unit, the rice cooking operation can be performed in one or more operation modes, in which rice is cooked through multiple processes including a cooking process in which rice and water prepared in a predetermined mixing ratio are heated in the inner pot and cooked, and a steaming process in which the cooked rice is steamed in a state in which the inner pot is heated by the heating unit;
When cooking rice in a first operation mode included in the operation modes, the control unit shifts the process from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a first cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process,
The rice cooking operation can be performed in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode,
When the second operation mode is selected, the control unit cooks rice by shifting the process from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the process is shifted from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operation mode,
The output of the heating unit is controlled so that the temperature of the inner pot when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operating mode is lower than the temperature of the inner pot when transitioning from the cooking process to the steaming process in the second operating mode, and exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure. An inner pot that is detachably stored in the main body;
A heating unit for heating the inner pot;
A control unit that controls the output of the heating unit,
By heating the inner pot with the heating unit, the rice cooking operation can be performed in one or more operation modes, in which rice is cooked through multiple processes including a cooking process in which rice and water prepared in a predetermined mixing ratio are heated in the inner pot and cooked, and a steaming process in which the cooked rice is steamed in a state in which the inner pot is heated by the heating unit;
When cooking rice in a first operation mode included in the operation modes, the control unit shifts the process from the cooking process to the steaming process while moisture remains inside the inner pot after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a first cooking temperature that exceeds the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process,
The rice cooking operation can be performed in a second operation mode different from the first operation mode,
When the second operation mode is selected, the control unit cooks rice by shifting the process from the cooking process to the steaming process after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a second cooking temperature exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure in the cooking process and the amount of remaining moisture inside the inner pot is reduced compared to when the process is shifted from the cooking process to the steaming process in the first operation mode,
This rice cooker is characterized in that the second operating mode can perform a rice cooking operation in which the output of the heating section and/or the length of each process constituting the rice cooking operation is adjusted depending on the brand of rice . 5. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein when performing rice cooking operation in the first operating mode, the control unit controls the output of the heating unit so that, in the steaming process, the temperature of the inner pot is lower than the temperature immediately before the process is shifted from the cooking process to the steaming process, and a steaming temperature exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure is maintained. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, when performing rice cooking operation in the first operating mode, the cooking process includes a temperature retention period in which the temperature of the inner pot is maintained for a predetermined time after the temperature of the inner pot reaches a temperature condition exceeding the boiling point of water under atmospheric pressure.

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