JP7653605B2 - Cooking equipment - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a cooking device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a cooking device that is equipped with a normally used coil and a larger coil, and that can cook objects heated by the coils without interfering with each other.

The cooking device described in Patent Document 1 comprises a main body having a large coil with a radius r1, a medium coil with a radius r2, and a small coil with a radius r3, and a rectangular top plate that covers the upper part of the main body and places an object to be heated by at least one of the three coils on. The central positions of the large coil, medium coil, and small coil in the front-rear and left-right directions are different from each other, and r1>r2>r3 holds.

JP 2012-74168 A

In recent years, there has been a demand for improved convenience in cooking appliances.

Therefore, the objective of this disclosure is to provide a cooking device that is more convenient and solves the above problems.

A cooking device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes:
A top plate having a first cooking area and a second cooking area on which an object to be heated is placed;
A first heating unit disposed below the first cooking area;
A second heating section disposed below the second cooking area;
A storage facility disposed below the top plate;
An energy application unit that releases or absorbs energy to the items contained in the storage facility;
a display unit disposed on the top plate and displaying display information related to the first heating unit, the second heating unit, and the storage facility;
A control unit that controls the first heating unit, the second heating unit, the energy application unit, and the display unit;
Equipped with
In a plan view of the top plate, the first cooking area and the second cooking area are provided in a left-right direction of the top plate,
In a plan view of the top plate, the display unit is positioned in front of the second cooking area in the front-to-rear direction of the top plate.

This disclosure makes it possible to provide a cooking device with improved convenience.

1 is a perspective view of an example of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a schematic front view of an example of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooking device of FIG. 3 taken along line AA. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an operation display unit. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the operation display unit. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the operation display unit. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a state in which the cooking device is placed in a kitchen. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of a cooking device according to a first modified example. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooking device of Modification 1 shown in FIG. 10 taken along line BB. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. 15 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the cooking device of FIG. 14 in a state where the top plate is removed. FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a cooking device according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of a cooking device according to a second modified example.

(Background to this disclosure)
For example, a cooking device having an operation display unit mounted in a kangaroo pocket is known. The kangaroo pocket is a portion provided on the front surface of the cooking device and includes a rotatable polyhedron. The polyhedron includes a cover surface that constitutes the front surface of the cooking device and a mounting surface on which the operation display unit is mounted.

The mounting surface provided on the polyhedron can be stored inside the cooking device and can be exposed from the cooking device by rotating the polyhedron. Specifically, when the operation display unit is not in use, the mounting surface can be stored inside the cooking device, and when the operation display unit is in use, the mounting surface can be exposed from the cooking device. For example, when the operation display unit is in use, the user exposes the operation display unit from the cooking device by rotating the polyhedron in a direction in which the mounting surface is exposed from the cooking device. On the other hand, when the operation display unit is not in use, the user stores the operation display unit inside the cooking device by rotating the polyhedron in a direction in which the mounting surface is stored in the cooking device.

However, when mounting an operation display unit in a kangaroo pocket on the front of a cooking appliance, there are restrictions on the size of the operation display unit. For example, in Japanese kitchen counters, standards are set for the opening through which the front of the cooking appliance is exposed, which limits the size of the kangaroo pocket. For this reason, the size of the operation display unit is also limited by the size of the kangaroo pocket.

In recent years, there has been a demand to increase the size of the operation display unit to improve its convenience. For example, by increasing the size of the operation display unit, it is desired to increase the amount of information displayed on the operation display unit and to increase the number of operation buttons for automatic cooking menus, etc.

The inventors therefore considered increasing the size of the operation and display unit by placing it on the top plate of the cooking device. The inventors then devised an arrangement for multiple heating units, which resulted in discovering a configuration that increases the space on the top plate for placing the operation and display unit, leading to the following disclosure.

The cooking device of the first aspect of the present disclosure includes a top plate having a first cooking area and a second cooking area on which an object to be heated is placed, a first heating unit disposed below the first cooking area, a second heating unit disposed below the second cooking area, a storage unit disposed below the top plate, an energy application unit that releases or absorbs energy to the object stored in the storage unit, a display unit disposed on the top plate and displays display information related to the first heating unit, the second heating unit, and the storage unit, and a control unit that controls the first heating unit, the second heating unit, the energy application unit, and the display unit, and in a plan view of the top plate, the first cooking area and the second cooking area are provided in the left-right direction of the top plate, and in a plan view of the top plate, the display unit is disposed in front of the second cooking area in the front-rear direction of the top plate.

In the cooking device of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the second cooking area may be disposed further back than the first cooking area in the front-to-rear direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

In the cooking device of the third aspect of the present disclosure, the display unit may be disposed to the side of the first cooking area in the left-right direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

In the cooking device of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the first heating section may include a plurality of heating coils.

In the cooking device of the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the top plate has a third cooking area provided between the first cooking area and the second cooking area in a plan view of the top plate, the third cooking area being provided behind the first cooking area in the front-to-rear direction of the top plate and to the side of the second cooking area in the left-to-right direction of the top plate, and the cooking device may further include a third heating unit disposed below the third cooking area.

In the cooking device of the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the display unit may display information related to the third heating unit.

The cooking device of the seventh aspect of the present disclosure may further include an operating unit disposed on the top plate for operating the first heating unit, the second heating unit, or the energy application unit, and the operating unit may be disposed in front of the second cooking area in the front-to-rear direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

The cooking device of the eighth aspect of the present disclosure may further include an operating unit disposed on the top plate for operating the first heating unit, the second heating unit, the third heating unit, or the energy application unit, and the operating unit may be disposed in front of the second cooking area in the front-to-rear direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

In the cooking device of the ninth aspect of the present disclosure, the operating unit may be disposed to the side of the first cooking area in the left-right direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

The cooking device of the tenth aspect of the present disclosure may include an operation display unit including the display unit and the operation unit.

In the cooking device of the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, the operation display unit may include a touch panel liquid crystal.

The cooking device of the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure further includes a first light output unit that is arranged around the first heating unit in a plan view of the top plate and outputs light, and a second light output unit that is arranged around the second heating unit in a plan view of the top plate and outputs light, and in a plan view of the top plate, the first light output unit may have a first notch that exposes the first heating unit in the left-right direction of the top plate, and in a plan view of the top plate, the second light output unit may have a second notch that exposes the second heating unit in the left-right direction of the top plate.

In the cooking device of the thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the storage compartment may be disposed on the opposite side of the top plate to the display unit in the left-right direction.

The cooking device of the fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure further includes a main body on which the top plate is placed and in which the storage compartment is provided, the storage compartment having an opening/closing door for opening and closing the storage compartment, and the opening/closing door may be disposed over the entire front surface of the main body.

The cooking device of the fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure may further include a communication unit that transmits the display information to an external device.

The cooking device of the sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure may further include a communication unit that receives operation information for operating the first heating unit, the second heating unit, or the energy application unit from an external device.

In the cooking device of the seventeenth aspect of the present disclosure, the top plate may be placed in a kitchen, and the upper surface of the top plate may be flush with the ceiling surface of the kitchen.

In the cooking device of the eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a sensor for detecting contact or proximity of an object to be heated to the display unit may be provided below the second cooking area and the display unit in the front-to-rear direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

In the cooking device of the 19th aspect of the present disclosure, a sensor for detecting contact or proximity of an object to be heated to the display unit may be provided below the first cooking area and the display unit in the left-right direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate.

One embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its applications, or its uses. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic, and the ratios of the dimensions do not necessarily correspond to the real thing.

(Embodiment 1)
[Overall configuration]
1 is a perspective view of an example of a cooking device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that the X-Y-Z coordinate system shown in the figure is for the purpose of aiding in understanding the invention and does not limit the invention. The X and Y directions indicate the horizontal direction, and the Z direction indicates the vertical direction. In this specification, the X direction indicates the left-right direction, and the Y direction indicates the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cooking device 1A is a cooking device that heats a heating object C1. The heating object C1 is an object to be heated, for example, a cooking vessel such as a pot. In this embodiment, an induction heating cooking device that inductively heats the heating object will be described as an example of the cooking device 1A. The cooking device 1A shown in FIG. 1 is an integrated induction heating cooking device that is incorporated into a system kitchen for use.

In the cooking device 1A, a top plate 10 is disposed on the main body 2, and the top plate 10 is provided with a first cooking area A1, a second cooking area A2, and an operation display unit 30. The object C1 to be heated is placed in the first cooking area A1 or the second cooking area A2 and heated. The main body 2 is also provided with a storage compartment 20.

The detailed configuration of the cooking device 1A is explained using Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a cooking device 1A according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the cooking device 1A includes a top plate 10, a first heating section 11, a second heating section 12, a storage section 20, an energy application section 21, an operation display section 30, and a control section 40.

<Top plate>
The top plate 10 is a plate having a rectangular shape in a plan view. The top plate 10 is made of, for example, so-called heat-resistant glass. The heat-resistant glass is, for example, thermally strengthened glass such as borosilicate glass and crystallized glass.

The top plate 10 is disposed on the upper part of the main body 2. The top plate 10 has a first cooking area A1 and a second cooking area A2 on which an object to be heated is placed. The first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 have a circular shape in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 1, an operation display unit 30 is disposed on the top plate 10.

<First heating section>
The first heating section 11 is disposed inside the main body 2 and below the top plate 10. The first heating section 11 is disposed below the first cooking area A1. The first heating section 11 is formed of, for example, a heating coil. The first heating section 11 has a circular outer shape in a plan view.

<Second heating section>
The second heating section 12 is disposed inside the main body 2 and below the top plate 10. The second heating section 12 is disposed below the second cooking area A2. The second heating section 12 is formed of, for example, a heating coil. The second heating section 12 has a circular outer shape in a plan view.

In this embodiment, the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 have the same shape and size. Also, the first heating section 11 and the second heating section 12 have the same shape and size.

<Containment Vault>
The storage 20 stores items to be stored. In this embodiment, the storage 20 is, for example, a grill for heating food such as fish. As shown in Fig. 1, the storage 20 is disposed inside the main body 2 and below the top plate 10. The storage 20 has an opening on the front side of the main body 2. An opening/closing door 22 for opening and closing the storage 20 is disposed at a position on the front side of the main body 2 where the opening of the storage 20 is provided.

<Energy action part>
The energy application unit 21 emits or absorbs energy to the contents placed in the storage facility 20. In this embodiment, the energy application unit 21 is, for example, a heating unit such as a heater that emits thermal energy to the contents and heats the contents.

<Operation display section>
The operation display unit 30 includes a display unit 31 and an operation unit 32 .

The display unit 31 displays information related to the cooking device 1A. For example, the display unit 31 displays display information related to the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the storage unit 20. The display information includes, for example, information such as the heating temperature, heating time, heating mode, automatic cooking menu, and the presence or absence of an object to be heated or an object stored in the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the storage unit 20.

The operation unit 32 operates the cooking device 1A. For example, the operation unit 32 is disposed on the top plate 10 and operates the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the energy application unit 21. The operation unit 32 accepts operation information input by the user. The operation information includes, for example, information for setting the heating temperature, heating time, heating mode, automatic cooking menu, etc. of the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the energy application unit 21.

In this embodiment, the operation display unit 30 is configured integrally with the display unit 31 and the operation unit 32. The operation display unit 30 includes, for example, a touch panel liquid crystal.

<Control Unit>
The control unit 40 controls the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, the energy application unit 21, and the operation display unit 30. For example, the control unit 40 displays display information on the display unit 31, and controls the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, the energy application unit 21, and the display unit 31 based on operation information received by the operation unit 32.

The control unit 40 can be realized, for example, by a semiconductor element. For example, the control unit 40 can be configured by a microcomputer, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The functions of the control unit 40 may be configured by hardware alone, or may be realized by combining hardware and software.

For example, the control unit 40 realizes a predetermined function by reading data and programs stored in the memory unit and performing various arithmetic processing.

[Regarding the arrangement of the first heating unit, the second heating unit, and the operation display unit]
An example of the arrangement of the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the operation display unit 30 will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device 1A according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, in a plan view of the top plate 10, the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 are provided in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. Note that "plan view" means viewing from the Z direction. "Plan view of the top plate 10" means viewing from the thickness direction (Z direction) of the top plate 10.

In addition, in a plan view of the top plate 10, the operation display unit 30 is disposed in front of the second cooking area A2 in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10. Note that "in front" means the front side of the cooking appliance 1.

Specifically, in a plan view of the top plate 10, the second cooking area A2 is positioned further back than the first cooking area A1 in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10. In other words, in a plan view of the top plate 10, the first cooking area A1 is positioned in front of the second cooking area A2. Note that "back" refers to the rear side of the cooking appliance 1.

In addition, when viewed from above on the top plate 10, the operation display unit 30 is disposed to the side of the first cooking area A1 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10.

In this embodiment, in a plan view of the top plate 10, a line segment that is equidistant from both ends of the top plate 10 in the left-right direction (X direction) is defined as the center line CL1. In the top plate 10, the first cooking area A1 is located to the left of the center line CL1, and the second cooking area A2 is located to the right of the center line CL1. In addition, the operation display unit 30 is located to the right of the center line CL1.

By positioning the second cooking area A2 further back than the first cooking area A1 in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10 in a plan view of the top plate 10, it is possible to create space in front of the second cooking area A2 to position the operation display unit 30.

[About the opening and closing of the storage facility doors]
An example of the opening and closing door 22 of the storage facility 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 4 is a schematic front view of an example of cooking device 1A of embodiment 1 according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, an opening and closing door 22 of storage 20 is arranged over the entire front surface of main body 2. The dimension of opening and closing door 22 in the left-right direction (X direction) is approximately the same as the dimension of the front surface of main body 2 in the left-right direction (X direction). Note that "approximately the same" includes an error of ±10% or less. Also, "the entire front surface of main body 2" means, for example, the front portion of main body 2 exposed from an opening of a system kitchen when cooking device 1A is installed in the system kitchen.

The opening and closing door 22 has a cover surface 22a. The cover surface 22a is the surface exposed on the front side of the main body 2, and constitutes the outer surface of the cooking appliance 1. The cover surface 22a is provided with a handle 22b. The handle 22b is a part that protrudes from the cover surface 22a and can be held by the user with the fingers.

The cover surface 22a is formed flat except for the handle 22b. Specifically, the cover surface 22a is formed as a plane that extends continuously in the left-right direction (X direction) of the cooking device 1A. In other words, the cover surface 22a does not have any steps or grooves.

In this way, the opening and closing door 22 is arranged over the entire front surface of the main body 2, thereby improving the design. Also, in the cooking device 1A, the operation display unit 30 is provided on the top plate 10, so it is not necessary to arrange the operation display unit 30 on the front surface of the main body (in a so-called kangaroo pocket) as in the past. Therefore, the opening and closing door 22 can be arranged over the entire front surface of the main body 2, thereby improving the design.

The opening and closing door 22 may also be located on a portion of the front surface of the main body 2. In this case, the area of the front surface of the main body 2 other than the opening and closing door 22 is fixed and not movable. Therefore, it is easier to align the front surface of the main body 2 with the front surface of the kitchen counter in the Y direction (i.e., the front-to-rear direction) compared to when both the opening and closing door 22 and the kangaroo pocket are movable.

The entire front of the main body, including the cover surface 22a of the opening and closing door 22, may be made of the decorative plate or a similar panel or decorative film of the front of the kitchen counter. This increases the sense of unity of the entire kitchen and improves the design. In particular, with the cooking device 1A, since the operation display unit is not placed in the kangaroo pocket, it is only necessary to align the opening and closing door 22 with the kitchen counter, making alignment easy. Therefore, the front of the kitchen counter can be made flat with the same decorative plate, improving the design. A window may be provided in part of the front of the main body so that the inside of the storage unit 20 can be seen.

As shown in FIG. 1, a power switch 25 is provided on the top surface at the end of the handle 22b. Here, if a touch panel liquid crystal or a touch switch is used as the operation unit, it may have a lower sensitivity than a physical switch. The power switch 25 is required to have a high sensitivity because it has the role of "emergency stop". On the other hand, arranging a physical switch may result in poor design. In this embodiment, the opening and closing door 22 is large and the handle 22b can be long, so arranging the power switch 25 on the handle 22b has little effect on the design of the handle 22b and the top surface. Note that in this embodiment, the power switch 25 is given as an example of a physical switch to be arranged on the handle 22b, but other switches such as a switch for an interior light may also be arranged.

[About the structure of the containment facility]
The structure of the storage facility 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooking device 1A of Figure 3 taken along line A-A. As shown in Figure 5, the storage compartment 20 is disposed on the opposite side of the top plate 10 from the operation and display unit 30 in the left-right direction (X direction). In other words, in a plan view of the top plate 10, the storage compartment 20 is disposed in a position that does not overlap at least the liquid crystal portion of the operation and display unit 30. Note that the control board and the like of the operation and display unit 30 may be disposed in a position that overlaps with the storage compartment 20.

Specifically, when viewed from the front side of the cooking appliance 1A, the storage compartment 20 is disposed on the left side of the top plate 10 inside the main body 2, and the operation display unit 30 is disposed on the right side of the top plate 10. Therefore, the storage compartment 20 is not disposed below the operation display unit 30 inside the main body 2, and a space 3 is formed. The space 3 functions as an air guide passage through which air flows. As a result, the operation display unit 30 can be cooled by being blown against it. For example, a fan may be disposed in the space 3 to blow air toward the operation display unit 30.

The storage facility 20 has a storage chamber 23, and a storage dish 24 is placed inside the storage chamber 23. A roughly rectangular parallelepiped space is formed inside the storage chamber 23. An energy action unit 21 is provided on the inner wall of the storage chamber 23. In this embodiment, two energy action units 21 are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction (Z direction) of the storage chamber 23. Note that the object that is placed in the storage chamber 23 and subjected to the action of the energy action unit 21 may be something other than the storage dish 24, and may be an ordinary pot.

The storage tray 24 is a tray on which the contents C2 are placed. The contents C2 is placed in the storage chamber 23 while being placed on the storage tray 24. For example, the contents C2 is food such as meat or fish.

In this embodiment, the energy action unit 21 is a heating unit such as a heater. In the cooking device 1A, the storage unit 20 is disposed on the opposite side of the operation display unit 30 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10, so that the operation display unit 30 and the storage unit 20 are disposed apart. This makes it possible to prevent heat generated in the storage unit 20 from being transmitted to the operation display unit 30. In addition, by forming a space 3 below the operation display unit 30, the operation display unit 30 can be cooled.

[Operation display unit]
An example of the operation display unit 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation display unit 30. As shown in Figure 6, the operation display unit 30 has a display unit 31 that displays first display information 31a and second display information 31b as display information. The first display information 31a indicates the heating power of the first heating unit 11. The second display information 31b indicates the heating time of the second heating unit 12.

The operation display unit 30 has timer/heat operation buttons 32aa, 32ba, heating stop buttons 32ab, 32bb, and grill operation 32c. The timer/heat operation buttons 32aa, 32ba are buttons for switching the timer setting and heat setting of the first heating unit 11 and the second heating unit 12, respectively. The heating stop buttons 32ab, 32bb are used to stop heating of the first heating unit 11 and the second heating unit 12, respectively. When the grill operation 32c is pressed, it transitions to an operation display that accepts the selection of a grill menu, as in the grill operation 32c in FIG. 8.

The timer/heat operation buttons 32aa, 32ba, the heating stop buttons 32ab, 32bb, and the grill operation 32c correspond to the operation unit 32. In this embodiment, the display unit 31 and the operation unit 32 are integrated into a touch panel liquid crystal, so the operation unit 32 is displayed on the display unit 31. The user operates the timer/heat operation buttons 32aa, 32ba, the heating stop buttons 32ab, 32bb, and the grill operation 32c displayed on the display unit 31 to operate the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the energy application unit 21.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the first display information 31a and the second display information 31b are displayed large on the operation display unit 30, so that the user can easily view the first display information 31a and the second display information 31b, improving convenience. In addition, the operation display unit 30 can display many operation buttons and menus, such as timer/heat operation buttons 32aa, 32ba, heating stop buttons 32ab, 32bb, and grill operation 32c. This improves operability.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the first display information 31a has a circular display 131a, a number 231a written inside it, and a frame-by-frame button 331a. The number 231a indicates the heat level, and the user can increase or decrease the heat level with the frame-by-frame button 331a. The circular display 131a is divided into multiple areas, and the number or range of the highlighted areas corresponds to the heat level. If the timer/heat level operation button 32aa is pressed in the state of the first display information 31a in FIG. 6, the number 231a indicating the heat level changes to a time display as in the second display information 31b. The second display information 31b has a circular display 131b and a number 231b written inside it. The number 231b indicates, for example, the remaining heating time. If the timer/heat control button 32ba is pressed while the second display information 31b in FIG. 6 is in the state of the second display information 31b, the number 231b indicating the remaining heating time will change to indicate the heat, as in the first display information 31a, and the frame advance button will also be displayed.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the operation display unit 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the display unit 31 displays an automatic menu screen 31c for the first heating unit 11. A plurality of menu buttons 32d are arranged on the automatic menu screen 31c. Each of the plurality of menu buttons 32d displays, for example, information on a dish menu. The dish menu includes, for example, text information indicating the name of the dish, or image information indicating a picture of the dish. The plurality of menu buttons 32d are assigned setting information of a heating temperature and a heating time corresponding to the information on the dish menu indicated by each button. When the user selects one button from the plurality of menu buttons 32d, the control unit 40 controls the first heating unit 11 based on the setting information assigned to the selected button. For example, when the menu button 32d displaying the dish menu information of "hotcake" is selected, the control unit 40 controls the first heating unit 11 based on the heating temperature and heating time corresponding to hotcake.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, six menu buttons 32d are displayed on the automatic menu screen 31c. The six menu buttons 32d are large enough for the user to easily see, and improve operability with the user's finger. When the up arrow or down arrow displayed on the automatic menu screen 31c is selected, another menu button 32d is displayed. In this way, the operation display unit 30 can display the automatic menu screen 31c and use multiple menu buttons 32d. This can improve convenience.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the operation display unit 30. Figure 8 shows a state in which multiple grill menu buttons 32e and multiple grill operation buttons 32f are displayed by selecting the grill operation 32c shown in Figure 6.

Each of the multiple grill menu buttons 32e displays, for example, grill menu information. The grill menu includes, for example, text information indicating the name of a dish or image information indicating a picture of the dish. The multiple grill menu buttons 32e are assigned setting information of heating temperature and heating time corresponding to the grill menu information indicated by each button. When a user selects one button from the multiple grill menu buttons 32e, the control unit 40 controls the energy application unit 21 based on the setting information assigned to the selected button. For example, when the grill menu button 32e displaying the grill menu information of "grilled fish" is selected, the control unit 40 controls the energy application unit 21 based on the heating temperature and heating time corresponding to grilled fish.

The multiple grill operation buttons 32f include buttons corresponding to, for example, manual mode, maintenance mode, and interior light on mode. The "manual mode" is a mode in which the energy application unit 21 is operated manually. The "maintenance mode" is a mode in which the storage unit 20 is cleaned. The "interior light on mode" is a mode in which the interior light located in the storage unit 20 is turned on.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, three grill menu buttons 32e are displayed in grill operation 32c. Furthermore, three grill operation buttons 32f are displayed in grill operation 32c. Furthermore, the three grill menu buttons 32e and the three grill operation buttons 32f are large enough for the user to easily see, and improve operability with the user's finger. Note that when the left arrow or right arrow displayed in grill operation 32c is selected, another grill menu button 32e is displayed. In this way, the operation display unit 30 displays grill operation 32c, and multiple grill menu buttons 32e and multiple grill operation buttons 32f can be used. This improves convenience.

[About the heating cooker placed in the kitchen]
An example of a state in which the cooking appliance 1A is placed in a kitchen will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the state in which the cooking device 1A is placed in the kitchen 4. As shown in Figure 9, the kitchen 4 is provided with a recess 4a into which the cooking device 1A is fitted. The recess 4a is recessed downward from the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4. The recess 4a includes a first recess 4aa and a second recess 4ab.

The first recess 4aa is a recess in which the main body 2 of the cooking device 1A is placed. The first recess 4aa is connected to an opening on the front side of the kitchen 4. When the main body 2 of the cooking device 1A is placed in the first recess 4aa, the front of the main body 2 is exposed from the opening of the kitchen 4 that is connected to the first recess 4aa. As a result, the opening and closing door 22 of the storage unit 20 that is placed in front of the main body 2 is exposed from the opening of the kitchen 4.

The second recess 4ab is a recess in which the top plate 10 of the cooking appliance 1A is placed. In a plan view of the kitchen 4, the second recess 4ab has a larger outer shape than the first recess 4aa. When the top plate 10 is placed in the second recess 4ab, the upper surface 10a of the top plate 10 is flush with the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4. "Flush" means that there is no step between the upper surface 10a of the top plate 10 and the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4 when viewed from the front side of the kitchen 4. In other words, the height of the upper surface 10a of the top plate 10 and the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4 are the same.

In this way, by making the upper surface 10a of the top plate 10 and the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4 flush, convenience can be improved. For example, in this embodiment, since the second heating unit 12 is located at the back, it is assumed that work will be done in the area where the operation display unit 30 is located at the front or in its vicinity. In this case, if the upper surface 10a of the top plate 10 and the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4 are flush, the work space can be flexibly expanded, improving convenience.

[effect]
According to the cooking device 1A according to the first embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

The heating cooker 1A comprises a top plate 10, a first heating section 11, a second heating section 12, a storage compartment 20, an energy application section 21, an operation display section 30 and a control section 40. The top plate 10 has a first cooking area A1 and a second cooking area A2 on which an object to be heated is placed. The first heating section 11 is disposed below the first cooking area A1. The second heating section 12 is disposed below the second cooking area A2. The storage compartment 20 is disposed below the top plate 10. The energy application section 21 releases or absorbs energy to the object contained in the storage compartment 20. The operation display section 30 includes a display section 31 and an operation section 32. The display section 31 is disposed on the top plate 10 and displays display information related to the first heating section 11, the second heating section 12 and the storage compartment 20. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 are provided in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the operation display unit 30 is disposed in front of the second cooking area A2 in the front-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10.

This configuration can improve the convenience of the cooking device 1A. In the cooking device 1A, the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 are provided in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10 in a plan view of the top plate 10, and the operation display unit 30 is arranged in front of the second cooking area A2 in the front-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10. By arranging the operation display unit 30 on the top plate 10 in this way, the operation display unit 30 can be made larger than when the operation display unit 30 is mounted in a kangaroo pocket. This allows the display unit 31 to be made larger, so that more display information can be displayed. In addition, the space for arranging the operation unit 32 can be made larger. As a result, the user can easily view the displayed information and perform more operations, improving convenience.

In a plan view of the top plate 10, the second cooking area A2 is positioned further back than the first cooking area A1 in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10. This configuration ensures space to position the operation display unit 30 in front of the second cooking area A2. This allows a larger operation display unit 30 to be positioned on the top plate 10, further improving convenience.

In a plan view of the top plate 10, the operation display unit 30 is disposed to the side of the first cooking area A1 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. This configuration makes it easier to secure space to place the operation display unit 30 in front of the second cooking area A2. This allows a larger operation display unit 30 to be placed on the top plate 10, further improving convenience.

The operation display unit 30 includes a touch panel liquid crystal. With this configuration, the display unit 31 and the operation unit 32 are integrally configured, which further improves convenience. In addition, the number of parts can be reduced.

The storage 20 is disposed on the opposite side of the top plate 10 from the operation display unit 30 in the left-right direction (X direction). This configuration makes it possible to prevent heat generated in the storage 20 from being transmitted to the operation display unit 30. This makes it possible to prevent the display unit 31 of the operation display unit 30 from being affected by heat from the storage 20.

The cooking device 1A further includes a main body 2 on which the top plate 10 is placed and in which the storage compartment 20 is provided. The storage compartment 20 has an opening/closing door 22 for opening and closing the storage compartment 20, and the opening/closing door 22 is arranged over the entire front surface of the main body 2. This configuration can improve the design of the cooking device 1A. For example, if a kangaroo pocket equipped with an operation display unit is arranged on the front surface of the main body, a boundary (step) is formed between the opening/closing door of the storage compartment and the kangaroo pocket. In the cooking device 1A, since the operation display unit 30 is arranged on the top plate 10, it is not necessary to arrange the kangaroo pocket on the front surface of the main body 2. Therefore, the opening/closing door 22 can be arranged over the entire front surface of the main body 2, and therefore no boundary with other components is formed. As a result, the design can be improved.

The top plate 10 is placed in the kitchen 4, and the upper surface 10a of the top plate is flush with the top surface 4b of the kitchen 4. This configuration can further improve convenience.

In this embodiment, an example in which the first heating unit 11 and the second heating unit 12 are configured as heating coils has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first heating unit 11 and the second heating unit 12 may be heaters.

In this embodiment, an example in which the cooking device 1A has two heating sections 11 and 12 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cooking device 1A may have three or more heating sections.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the first heating section 11 and the second heating section 12 have the same shape and size, but this is not limited to this. For example, the first heating section 11 and the second heating section 12 may have different shapes and sizes.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 have the same shape and size, but this is not limited to this. For example, the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 may have different shapes and sizes.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the storage 20 is a grill and the contents C2 are food such as meat or fish, but this is not limiting. For example, in addition to heating, the storage 20 may also perform heat retention, cooling, humidification, moisture retention, or drying. The contents C2 may be, for example, tableware, etc.

In this embodiment, an example in which the energy application unit 21 is a heating unit has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the energy application unit 21 may include a steamer that emits high-temperature water vapor, a refrigeration cycle device that cools, a humidifier, a blower, a dryer, etc., in addition to the heating unit.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the operation display unit 30 is configured with the display unit 31 and the operation unit 32 integrated together, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the display unit 31 and the operation unit 32 may be separate.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the operation display unit 30 is a touch panel LCD, but this is not limiting. For example, the display unit 31 may be an LED, and the operation unit 32 may be a physical button.

In this embodiment, an example in which one display unit 31 is arranged on the top plate 10 has been described, but this is not limiting. For example, multiple display units 31 may be arranged on the top plate 10. For example, two display units 31 may be arranged side by side on the top plate 10.

In this embodiment, an example in which both the display unit 31 and the operation unit 32 are arranged on the top plate 10 has been described, but this is not limiting. In the cooking device 1A, it is sufficient that at least the display unit 31 is arranged on the top plate 10, and the operation unit 32 does not have to be arranged on the top plate 10.

<Modification 1>
Fig. 10 is a schematic plan view of a cooking device 1AA of modified example 1. As shown in Fig. 10, in the cooking device 1AA, in a plan view of the top plate 10, a first cooking area A1 is provided to the right of a center line CL1 of the top plate 10, and a second cooking area A2 is provided to the left of the center line CL2. In addition, in a plan view of the top plate 10, the operation display unit 30 is disposed to the left of the center line CL1 of the top plate 10 and in front of the second cooking area A2.

As described above, in the first modification, the positions of the first cooking area A1, the second cooking area A2, and the operation display unit 30 are swapped from left to right compared to the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment. Even with this configuration, it is possible to improve convenience.

Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of cooking appliance 1AA of modified example 1 shown in Figure 10 taken along line B-B. As shown in Figure 11, storage compartment 20 is disposed on the opposite side of top plate 10 from operation display unit 30 in the left-right direction (X direction). Specifically, when viewed from the front side of cooking appliance 1AA, storage compartment 20 is disposed on the right side of top plate 10 inside main body 2, and operation display unit 30 is disposed on the left side of top plate 10. Furthermore, storage compartment 20 is not disposed below operation display unit 30 inside main body 2, and space 3 is formed.

In this way, in the first modification, the arrangement of the storage compartment 20 and the operation display unit 30 is swapped from left to right compared to the cooking device 1 of the first embodiment. Even with this configuration, it is possible to prevent the heat generated in the storage compartment 20 from being transmitted to the operation display unit 30.

(Embodiment 2)
Second Embodiment A cooking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

In the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the second embodiment, the same or equivalent configurations as in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals. Also, in the second embodiment, descriptions that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted.

Figure 12 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device 1B according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

Embodiment 2 differs from embodiment 1 in that the first heating section 11A includes multiple heating coils 11a.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the cooking device 1B, the first heating section 11A includes multiple heating coils 11a arranged in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10.

In a plan view of the top plate 10, the heating coil 11a has a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10 and a transverse direction in the front-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10. In this embodiment, the heating coil 11a has a substantially rectangular shape.

In a plan view of the top plate 10, the first cooking area A1 has a generally rectangular shape. The first cooking area A1 has a longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10, and a lateral direction in the left-to-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. The multiple heating coils 11a are arranged below the first cooking area A1.

The operation display unit 30 displays information related to the multiple heating coils 11a and can operate the multiple heating coils 11a. For example, the operation display unit 30 displays information indicating which of the multiple heating coils 11a are being used. The operation display unit 30 displays a frame indicating the first cooking area A1 on the display unit 31, displays the heating coils 11a that are being used within the frame, and does not necessarily have to display the heating coils 11a that are not being used. The operation display unit 30 also displays operation buttons for operating the multiple heating coils 11a. The user can operate the multiple heating coils 11a by operating the operation buttons.

For example, the cooking device 1B includes a sensor disposed near the heating coils 11a. The cooking device 1B detects that an object to be heated is disposed above the heating coils 11a by the sensor. The sensor is, for example, an infrared sensor.

In this embodiment, the first heating section 11 includes four heating coils 11a. In this case, the first heating object may be heated using two heating coils 11a arranged at the rear side in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10 in a plan view of the top plate 10. In addition, at this time, the second heating object may be heated using two heating coils 11b arranged at the front side. The heating temperature of the first heating object and the heating temperature of the second heating object may be different. In this way, multiple heating objects may be heated within the first cooking area A1.

[effect]
According to the cooking device 1B according to the second embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

In the cooking device 1B, the first heating section 11A includes multiple heating coils 11a. This configuration can further improve the convenience of the cooking device 1B. By using multiple heating coils 11a, the first cooking area A1 can be made larger. This allows multiple heating objects to be placed in the first cooking area A1 and heated.

In addition, in the cooking device 1B, the operation display unit 30 can display information related to the multiple heating coils 11a and can also operate the multiple heating coils 11a. This configuration can further improve the convenience of the cooking device 1B. For example, in order to operate the multiple heating coils 11a, more information and operation buttons are displayed on the operation display unit 30, so the larger the size of the operation display unit 30, the better. In the cooking device 1B, the operation display unit 30 is disposed on the top plate 10, so the size of the operation display unit 30 can be increased and displays and operation buttons for operating the multiple heating coils 11a can be displayed.

In this embodiment, an example in which multiple heating coils 11a are arranged in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10 has been described, but this is not limiting. For example, multiple heating coils 11a may be arranged in the left-to-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the heating coil 11a has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view of the top plate 10, but this is not limiting. For example, the heating coil 11a may have a circular, elliptical, or rectangular shape in a plan view of the top plate 10. The heating coil 11a may also have a shape that combines multiple pieces, such as a circular shape that combines multiple sectors.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the first cooking area A1 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view of the top plate 10, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the first cooking area A1 may have an elliptical shape in a plan view of the top plate 10.

(Embodiment 3)
A cooking device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

In the third embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the third embodiment, the same or equivalent configurations as in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals. Also, in the third embodiment, descriptions that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted.

Figure 13 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device 1C according to embodiment 3 of the present disclosure.

The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the top plate 10 has a third cooking area A3 and a third heating unit 13 is disposed below the third cooking area A3.

As shown in FIG. 13, in the cooking device 1C, the top plate 10 has a third cooking area A3. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the third cooking area A3 is provided between the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2. The third cooking area A3 is provided behind the first cooking area A1 in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10 and next to the second cooking area A2 in the left-to-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10.

When viewed from above on the top plate 10, the third cooking area A3 is smaller than the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2.

The cooking device 1C further includes a third heating section 13 disposed below the third cooking area A3. The third heating section 13 heats an object to be heated disposed in the third cooking area A3. For example, the third heating section 13 is a heating coil or a heater.

The operation display unit 30 displays information related to the third heating unit 13. In other words, in the operation display unit 30, the display unit 31 displays information related to the third heating unit 13. For example, the operation display unit 30 displays information such as the heating temperature of the third heating unit 13, the heating time, the heating mode, the automatic cooking menu, and the presence or absence of an object to be heated.

The operation display unit 30 operates the third heating unit 13. In other words, in the operation display unit 30, the operation unit 32 operates the third heating unit 13. For example, the operation display unit 30 displays operation buttons for operating the third heating unit 13 and accepts operations from the user.

[effect]
According to the cooking device 1C according to the third embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

In the cooking device 1C, the top plate 10 has a third cooking area A3 between the first cooking area A1 and the second cooking area A2 in a plan view of the top plate 10. The third cooking area A3 is located behind the first cooking area A1 in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10 and next to the second cooking area A2 in the left-to-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. The cooking device 1C includes a third heating unit 13 disposed below the third cooking area A3. This configuration allows the cooking area to be increased, improving convenience. Furthermore, the third cooking area A3 does not narrow the space on the top plate 10 for disposing the operation display unit 30.

The operation display unit 30 displays information related to the third heating unit 13 and operates the third heating unit 13. With this configuration, even if the third cooking area A3 is increased, the information related to the third heating unit 13 can be visually confirmed by the operation display unit 30 arranged on the top plate 10, and the third heating unit 13 can be operated. This improves convenience. For example, if the operation display unit 30 is configured with a touch panel liquid crystal, it is not necessary to provide a new display unit and operation unit to accommodate the third cooking area A3 and the third heating unit 13.

In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the operation display unit 30 displays information related to the third heating unit 13 and operates the third heating unit 13, but this is not limiting. For example, it is sufficient that the top plate 10 is provided with a display unit 31 that displays information related to the third heating unit 13. The top plate 10 does not necessarily have to be provided with an operation unit 32 that operates the third heating unit 13.

(Embodiment 4)
A cooking device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the fourth embodiment, differences from the third embodiment will be mainly described. In the fourth embodiment, the same or equivalent configurations as those in the third embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals. Also, in the fourth embodiment, descriptions that overlap with the third embodiment will be omitted.

Figure 14 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device 1D according to embodiment 4 of the present disclosure. Figure 15 is a schematic plan view of an example of the cooking device 1D of Figure 14 with the top plate 10 removed.

The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that it includes a first light output unit 14 arranged around the first heating unit 11 and a second light output unit 15 arranged around the second heating unit 12.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the cooking device 1D has a first light output unit 14 and a second light output unit 15.

The first light output unit 14 is disposed around the first heating unit 11 in a plan view of the top plate 10 and outputs light. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the first light output unit 14 is provided with a first notch SP1 that exposes the first heating unit 11 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. In this embodiment, the first light output unit 14 has a ring shape, and the first notch SP1 is provided on both sides of the first light output unit 14 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. This allows the first light output unit 14 to have a symmetrical shape in a plan view of the top plate 10, for example, and improves aesthetics.

The first light output unit 14 outputs light toward the top plate 10 and indicates the position on which the object to be heated is placed. The first light output unit 14 also changes the degree of light output depending on the heating temperature.

The second light output unit 15 is disposed around the second heating unit 12 in a plan view of the top plate 10, and outputs light. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the second light output unit 15 is provided with a second notch SP2 that exposes the second heating unit 12 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. In this embodiment, the second light output unit 15 has a ring shape, and the second notch SP2 is provided on both sides of the second light output unit 15 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. This allows the second light output unit 15 to have a symmetrical shape in a plan view of the top plate 10, for example, and improves aesthetics.

The second light output unit 15 outputs light toward the top plate 10 and indicates the position on which the object to be heated is placed. The second light output unit 15 also changes the degree of light output depending on the heating temperature.

For example, the first light output unit 14 and the second light output unit 15 are LEDs.

The first light output unit 14 and the second light output unit 15 are controlled by the control unit 40.

In the left-right direction (X direction) of the cooking device 1D, the first heating unit 11 is positioned close to the left inner wall of the main body 2. In a plan view of the cooking device 1D, a first notch SP1 of the first light output unit 14 is provided around the first heating unit 11 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the main body 2. Therefore, the first heating unit 11 can be positioned close to the left inner wall of the main body 2 by the space of the first notch SP1.

In the left-right direction (X direction) of the cooking device 1D, the second heating unit 12 is positioned close to the right inner wall of the main body 2. In a plan view of the cooking device 1D, a second notch SP2 of the second light output unit 15 is provided around the second heating unit 12 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the main body 2. Therefore, the second heating unit 12 can be positioned close to the right inner wall of the main body 2 by the space of the second notch SP2.

As a result, in a plan view of the main body 2, the distance between the first heating unit 11 and the second heating unit 12 can be increased. This allows for a larger space to be provided for the operation display unit 30A, making the operation display unit 30A even larger.

[effect]
According to the cooking device 1D of the fourth embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

The cooking device 1D includes a first light output unit 14 and a second light output unit 15. The first light output unit 14 is disposed around the first heating unit 11 in a plan view of the top plate 10 and outputs light. The second light output unit 15 is disposed around the second heating unit 12 in a plan view of the top plate and outputs light. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the first light output unit 14 is provided with a first cutout SP1 that exposes the first heating unit 11 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. In a plan view of the top plate 10, the second light output unit 15 is provided with a second cutout SP2 that exposes the second heating unit 12 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. With this configuration, the distance between the first heating unit 11 and the second heating unit 12 can be increased in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate, and the space for arranging the operation display unit 30 on the top plate 10 can be increased. This allows the operation display unit 30 to be made even larger, improving convenience.

In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the first notch SP1 is provided on both sides of the first light output unit 14 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10, but this is not limiting. For example, it is sufficient that the first notch SP1 is provided on the side closer to the left inner wall of the main body 2 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. The first notch SP1 does not have to be provided on the side farther from the left inner wall of the main body 2 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the second notch SP2 is provided on both sides of the second light output unit 15 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10, but this is not limiting. For example, it is sufficient that the second notch SP2 is provided on the side closer to the right inner wall of the main body 2 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10. The second notch SP2 does not have to be provided on the side farther from the right inner wall of the main body 2 in the left-right direction (X direction) of the top plate 10.

The second light output unit 15 may have a notch on the rear side, i.e., on the side closer to the inner wall on the rear side of the main body 2, in addition to the second cutout SP2, or integrally with the second cutout SP2, or instead of the second cutout SP2. This allows the second heating unit 12 to be positioned on the rear side, and the width of the operation display unit 30 in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) to be increased.

(Embodiment 5)
A cooking device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the fifth embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the fifth embodiment, the same or equivalent configurations as in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals. Also, in the fifth embodiment, descriptions that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted.

Fig. 16 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cooking device 1E according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 17 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a cooking device 1E according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. In the fifth embodiment, the "control unit 40" of the first embodiment is referred to as the "first control unit 40", the "operation display unit 30" is referred to as the "first operation display unit 30", the "display unit 31" is referred to as the "first display unit 31", and the "operation unit 32" is referred to as the "first operation unit 32".

The fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the cooking appliance 1E includes a first communication unit 41 and communicates with an external device 50.

As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the cooking device 1E has a first communication unit 41.

The first communication unit 41 communicates with the external device 50. The first communication unit 41 includes a circuit that communicates with the external device 50 in accordance with a predetermined communication standard. The predetermined communication standard includes, for example, LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), USB, HDMI (registered trademark), CAN (controller area network), and SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface).

The first communication unit 41 is controlled by the first control unit 40.

The first control unit 40 transmits display information to the external device 50 via the first communication unit 41. The first control unit 40 also receives operation information from the external device 50 via the first communication unit 41. The display information includes information related to the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the storage facility 20. The operation information includes information for operating the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, or the energy application unit 21. For example, the operation information includes information regarding operations such as turning on or off the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the energy application unit 21, setting the heating temperature, setting the heating time, setting the heating mode, setting the automatic menu, and setting the grill menu.

<External Device>
The external device 50 is a device that communicates with the cooking appliance 1 by wire or wirelessly. The external device 50 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet PC, an external controller, etc. In this embodiment, the external device 50 preferably communicates with the cooking appliance 1 by wire. In the case of wireless communication, short-distance communication is preferable. From the viewpoint of safety, it is preferable to limit remote operation of the cooking appliance 1. In the case of wired communication or short-distance wireless communication, the user is approximately close to the cooking appliance 1, and can respond immediately in the event of an emergency. As a result, for example, when the cooking appliance 1 is placed in a counter-facing kitchen, it can be operated from both the front and the back using the external device 50. Note that, when the external device 50 is connected to the cooking appliance 1 by wide-range communication such as wireless LAN, it is preferable that the operation of the external device 50 is limited to sending a menu to the cooking appliance 1, updating a program, acquiring a history such as electricity charges, etc. When the external device 50 communicates with the cooking appliance 1 by wire, it is preferable that a connection terminal is arranged on the top or side of the cooking appliance.

As shown in FIG. 17, the external device 50 includes a second operation display unit 51, a second communication unit 52, and a second control unit 53.

The second operation display unit 51 includes a second display unit 54 and a second operation unit 55. The second display unit 54 displays display information related to the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the storage facility 20. The second operation unit 55 accepts operation information for operating the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the energy application unit 21.

In this embodiment, the second operation display unit 51 is configured by integrating the second display unit 54 and the second operation unit 55. The second operation display unit 51 includes, for example, a touch panel liquid crystal.

The second communication unit 52 communicates with the first communication unit 41 of the cooking appliance 1E. The second communication unit 52 includes a circuit that communicates with the first communication unit 41 in accordance with a predetermined communication standard. The predetermined communication standard includes, for example, LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), USB, HDMI (registered trademark), CAN (controller area network), and SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface).

The second communication unit 52 receives display information transmitted from the first communication unit 41. In addition, the second communication unit 52 transmits operation information input on the second operation display unit 51 to the first communication unit 41.

The second communication unit 52 is controlled by the second control unit 53.

The second control unit 53 controls the second operation display unit 51 and the second communication unit 52. For example, the second control unit 53 displays the display information received by the second communication unit 52 on the second display unit 54 of the second operation display unit 51. The control unit 53 transmits operation information from the user received by the second operation unit 55 of the second operation display unit 51 to the first communication unit 41 via the second communication unit 52.

The second control unit 53 can be realized, for example, by a semiconductor element. For example, the second control unit 53 can be configured by a microcomputer, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The functions of the second control unit 53 may be configured by hardware alone, or may be realized by combining hardware and software.

For example, the second control unit 53 realizes a predetermined function by reading data and programs stored in the memory unit and performing various arithmetic processing.

In this manner, in the cooking device 1E, the display information is transmitted to the external device 50 by the first communication unit 41. The external device 50 receives the display information by the second communication unit 52 and displays the display information on the second display unit 54 of the second operation display unit 51.

The external device 50 also receives operation information through the second operation unit 55 of the second operation display unit 51, and transmits the operation information to the cooking appliance 1E through the second communication unit 52. The cooking appliance 1E receives the operation information through the first communication unit 41, and operates the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and/or the energy application unit 21 based on the operation information.

[effect]
According to the cooking device 1E of the fifth embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

The cooking device 1E includes a first communication unit 41 that transmits display information related to the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, and the storage unit 20 to the external device 50. With this configuration, the display information can be transmitted to the external device 50 and displayed on the external device 50. This can improve convenience.

The first communication unit 41 receives operation information for operating the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, or the energy application unit 21 from the external device 50. With this configuration, the cooking appliance 1E can receive operation information from the external device 50 and control the first heating unit 11, the second heating unit 12, or the energy application unit 21 based on the operation information. This can improve convenience.

In the present embodiment, an example in which the first communication unit 41 transmits display information and receives operation information has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first communication unit 41 may transmit display information but not receive operation information. Alternatively, the first communication unit 41 may receive operation information but not receive display information.

In this embodiment, an example in which the second communication unit 52 receives display information and transmits operation information has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second communication unit 52 may receive display information but not transmit operation information. Alternatively, the second communication unit 52 may transmit operation information but not receive display information.

In this embodiment, an example in which the external device 50 includes the second operation display unit 51 has been described, but this is not limiting. For example, the external device 50 may include the second display unit 54 and not include the second operation unit 55. Alternatively, the external device 50 may include the second operation unit 55 and not include the second display unit 54.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the second operation display unit 51 is a touch panel LCD, but this is not limiting. For example, in the second operation display unit 51, the second display unit 54 may be an LED, and the second operation unit 55 may be a physical button. Alternatively, the second operation unit 55 may be an audio input unit such as a microphone that accepts audio input.

In this embodiment, an example in which one external device 50 communicates with the cooking appliance 1E has been described, but this is not limiting. For example, multiple external devices 50 may communicate with the cooking appliance 1E.

In this embodiment, the storage compartment 20 may not be required. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, if the cooking device 1B has multiple heating coils 11a, the operation display unit 30 can display more information even if the storage compartment 20 is not provided, and therefore a larger size increases convenience.

Also, as shown in FIG. 18, in a plan view of the top plate 10, a sensor 26 that detects contact or proximity of the heated object to the operation display unit 30 may be provided below between the second heating unit 12 (second cooking area A2) and the operation display unit 30 in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the top plate 10. This makes it possible to prevent heat generated from the second heating unit 12 from being transmitted to the operation display unit 30 via the heated object C1.

A similar sensor 26 may also be provided below the top plate 10 between the first heating section 11 (first cooking area A1) and the operation and display section 30 in the left-right direction (X direction). Examples of the sensor 26 include a capacitance touch sensor, an infrared temperature sensor, a contact temperature sensor (thermocouple, thermistor), and a brightness sensor. This can prevent the pan from coming close to the operation and display section 30 during heating.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.

The cooking device disclosed herein can be used as an induction cooking device that displays a display on the top plate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A, 1AA, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E Cooking device 2 Body 3 Space 4 Kitchen 4a Recess 4aa First recess 4ab Second recess 4b Top surface 10 Top plate 10a Upper surface 11 First heating section 12 Second heating section 13 Third heating section 14 First light output section 15 Second light output section 20 Storage section 21 Energy action section 22 Opening/closing door 23 Storage chamber 24 Storage tray 25 Power switch 26 Sensor 30, 30A Operation display section (first operation display section)
31 Display section (first display section)
32 Operation unit (first operation unit)
40 Control unit (first control unit)
41 First communication unit 50 External device 51 Operation display unit (second operation display unit)
52 Second communication unit 53 Second control unit 54 Second display unit 55 Second operation unit A1 First cooking area A2 Second cooking area A3 Third cooking area C1 Object to be heated C2 Contents CL1 Center line SP1 First cutout SP2 Second cutout

Claims (19)

a top plate having a first cooking area and a second cooking area on which an object to be heated is placed;
A first heating unit disposed below the first cooking area;
A second heating section disposed below the second cooking area;
A storage facility disposed below the top plate;
An energy application unit that releases or absorbs energy to the items contained in the storage facility;
a display unit disposed on the top plate and displaying information related to the first heating unit, the second heating unit, and the storage facility , and an operation display unit disposed on the top plate and having an operation unit for operating the first heating unit, the second heating unit, or the energy application unit ;
a control unit that controls the first heating unit, the second heating unit, the energy application unit, and the operation display unit;
Equipped with
In a plan view of the top plate, the first cooking area and the second cooking area are provided on either side of a center line that is equidistant from both ends of the top plate in the left and right direction,
In a plan view of the top plate, the operation display unit is disposed in front of the second cooking area in the front-rear direction of the top plate, shifted to the side where the second cooking area is provided with respect to the center line in the left-right direction of the top plate, and is not disposed above the storage compartment.
Heating cooker. In a plan view of the top plate, the second cooking area is disposed further back than the first cooking area in a front-rear direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to claim 1 . In a plan view of the top plate, the operation display unit is disposed to the side of the first cooking area in a left-right direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to claim 1 or 2. The first heating section includes a plurality of heating coils.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The top plate has a third cooking area provided between the first cooking area and the second cooking area in a plan view of the top plate,
The third cooking area is provided behind the first cooking area in the front-rear direction of the top plate and next to the second cooking area in the left-right direction of the top plate,
The cooking device further includes a third heating unit disposed below the third cooking area.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The display unit displays information related to the third heating unit.
The cooking device according to claim 5. The operation unit operates the third heating unit.
The cooking device according to claim 5 or 6. In a plan view of the top plate, the operation display unit is disposed to the side of the first cooking area in a left-right direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . The operation display unit includes a touch panel liquid crystal.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . a first light output unit that is disposed around the first heating unit in a plan view of the top plate and outputs light;
a second light output unit that is disposed around the second heating unit in a plan view of the top plate and outputs light;
Further equipped with
a first cutout that exposes the first heating unit in a left-right direction of the top plate in a plan view of the top plate,
In a plan view of the top plate, the second light output unit is provided with a second cutout that exposes the second heating unit in a left-right direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 . The container is disposed on the opposite side of the operation display unit in the left-right direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 . The top plate is placed on a main body on which the container is provided,
The storage facility has an opening/closing door for opening and closing the storage facility,
The opening and closing door is disposed over the entire front surface of the main body.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 . A communication unit that transmits the display information to an external device.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 . Further comprising a communication unit that receives operation information for operating the first heating unit, the second heating unit, or the energy application unit from an external device.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 . The top plate is placed in a kitchen,
The upper surface of the top plate is flush with the top surface of the kitchen.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 . In a plan view of the top plate,
A sensor for detecting contact or proximity of an object to be heated to the display unit is provided below the second cooking area and the display unit in the front-rear direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 . In a plan view of the top plate,
A sensor for detecting contact or proximity of an object to be heated to the display unit is provided below the first cooking area and the display unit in the left-right direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 16 . The first cooking area and the second cooking area have substantially the same shape and substantially the same size.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 17 . The operation display unit is not disposed adjacent to the first cooking area in the front-rear direction of the top plate.
The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 18 .

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