JP7705741B2 - heating cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooking device.

Conventionally, in cooking appliances such as microwave ovens, ovens, and oven ranges, food ingredients inside the heating chamber are photographed to heat the food ingredients (heated objects) well. As a conventional technique of this type, a technique has been proposed in which a camera fixed to a through hole in an electromagnetic wave shielding plate, generally called "punched metal", installed inside the door is used to photograph the inside of the heating chamber through the inner door glass installed in the door so that at least one through hole is within the field of view of the camera (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Here, "punched metal" refers to a mesh-like metal plate with multiple through holes formed. As a conventional technique of this type, a technique has been proposed in which a through hole is formed in the inner door glass installed in the door, heat-resistant glass is fitted into the through hole, and the inside of the heating chamber is photographed through the heat-resistant glass with a camera installed inside the door (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Special table 2017-527763 publication JP 2018-109453 A

However, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 had the problem that the through-holes in the punched metal (electromagnetic wave shielding plate) were included in the camera's field of view, resulting in defects in the camera's field of view.

In addition, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 2 has an issue in that the inner door glass and the heat-resistant lens are separate, so if dirt accumulates at the boundary between the inner door glass and the heat-resistant lens, defects occur in the camera's field of view.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a cooking appliance comprising a heating chamber, a door that can be opened and closed freely and has transparent glass that allows outside light to pass into the heating chamber, a camera that can capture images of the area behind the glass through the glass, an operation board having an operation unit that accepts user operations integrated therein, and a cooling air duct provided inside the door and through which cooling air passes, wherein the back of the camera faces the cooling air duct, and the cooling air duct is connected to the space in which the operation board is provided via an intake hole, and is also connected to the external space via an exhaust hole provided near the camera .
Other means will be described later.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view (1) of a cooking device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view (2) of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a cooking device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram (1) of the photographing operation of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram (2) of the photographing operation of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing a white balance setting operation of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a cooking device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a cooking device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram (1) of the photographing operation of the heating cooker according to the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram (2) of the photographing operation of the cooking device according to the third embodiment.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each figure merely shows a schematic view to the extent that the present invention can be fully understood. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In addition, in each figure, common components or similar components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations thereof will be omitted.

[Embodiment 1]
The conventional technology described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 (hereinafter, may be referred to as the "first conventional technology") and the conventional technology described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2 (hereinafter, may be referred to as the "second conventional technology") have the following problems. The present embodiment 1 also intends to provide a cooking device that solves the following problems.

(1) The first conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the through-holes of the punched metal (electromagnetic shielding plate) are included in the field of view of the camera, and therefore, even if dirt accumulates in the through-holes of the punched metal (electromagnetic shielding plate), the field of view of the camera is lost. In addition, the first conventional technology has a problem in that the through-holes of the punched metal (electromagnetic shielding plate) are reflected in the captured image, causing a change in the color tone of the captured image, which may hinder good capture of the food ingredients placed in the heating chamber.

(2) In addition, the second conventional technology described in Patent Document 2 has a problem that, when the area of the heat-resistant lens is increased, the area of the inner door glass is narrowed, and the visibility of the inside of the heating chamber for the user is reduced. In addition, the second conventional technology has a problem that, when the through hole provided in the inner door glass is increased, the electromagnetic wave shielding property is reduced by the through hole. In addition, the second conventional technology has a problem that the ambient light (light from the outside world) entering from the outer door glass provided in the door is reflected by the heat-resistant lens, and the reflected light may impair the visibility of the inside of the heating chamber for the user. In addition, the second conventional technology has a problem that the ambient light (light from the outside world) entering from the outer door glass is reflected by the heat-resistant glass, causing a change in the color tone of the captured image, which may hinder good photography of the ingredients contained in the heating chamber.

<Configuration of cooking device>
Hereinafter, the configuration of the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 1 shows the configuration of the cooking device 10 with the door closed, and Fig. 2 shows the configuration of the cooking device 10 with the door open. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main parts of the cooking device 10. Here, the cooking device 10 will be described as a microwave oven, but the cooking device 10 may be in the form of an oven, a microwave oven, or the like.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment includes a heating chamber 12 provided inside a housing 11 and a door 20 for opening and closing an opening provided on the front side of the heating chamber 12.

The heating chamber 12 is a component that heats food (object to be heated) stored inside with a heating source 13 provided around it. In this embodiment, the heating source 13 is described as being configured as an electromagnetic wave irradiation means that irradiates electromagnetic waves to the food (object to be heated). As shown in FIG. 2, the heating chamber 12 is surrounded by a top surface 16a, a left surface 16b, a right surface 16c, a back surface 16d (rear wall surface), and a bottom surface 16e, and is configured with the front side open as an opening.

The door 20 is supported so as to be freely opened and closed by a pivot support part 15 provided at the bottom of the front side of the housing 11. The door 20 opens the heating chamber 12 by tilting it towards the front (see FIG. 2), and closes the heating chamber 12 by standing up at the back (see FIG. 1). A handle 25 that the user can grasp is provided at the top of the door 20. The door 20 also has a door glass 30 that allows the user to view the inside of the heating chamber 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the door glass 30 has an inner door glass 31 (glass) arranged inside the door 20, and an outer door glass 32 arranged outside the door 20. The inner door glass 31 is arranged so that the inner surface 31a faces the heating chamber 12 and the outer surface 31b faces the internal space of the door 20. The outer door glass 32 is arranged so that the inner surface 32a faces the internal space of the door 20 and the outer surface 32b faces the outside world.

The inner door glass 31 is fixed to a door base 21 disposed on the inside of the door 20. The door base 21 has a choke structure so that it can efficiently attenuate the electromagnetic waves generated by the heating source 13.

The cooking appliance 10 uses electromagnetic wave shielding glass for the inner door glass 31 so that it can efficiently attenuate electromagnetic waves generated by the heating source 13. The electromagnetic wave shielding glass is glass in which a metal mesh 42 is integrated with tempered glass 41. The metal mesh 42 is a metal material for attenuating electromagnetic waves, and is formed in a mesh shape. The metal mesh 42 is integrated with the tempered glass 41 by bonding to the tempered glass 41 with an adhesive (not shown) or by bonding to the tempered glass 41 by plating.

The opening rate of the metal mesh 42 is higher than the opening rate of the punched metal used in the first prior art (generally less than 50%), and is, for example, about 78%. Such a metal mesh 42 appears transparent (almost transparent) because the lines that form the mesh are thin. The inner door glass 31 (glass) equipped with such a metal mesh 42 also appears transparent (almost transparent).

In the illustrated example, the inner door glass 31 has a structure in which a metal mesh 42 is placed between a tempered glass 41 and a restraining glass 43, that is, a structure having multiple layers of glass. The tempered glass 41 and the restraining glass 43 are either of equal thickness or the tempered glass 41 is thicker than the restraining glass 43.

However, the inner door glass 31 can also be constructed by joining a metal mesh 42 to a reinforced glass 41 and eliminating the restraining glass 43, that is, by having only one layer (single-phase) of glass.

The cooking device 10 may use electromagnetic wave shielding glass not only for the inner door glass 31 but also for the outer door glass 32.

The inner door glass 31 and the outer door glass 32 are transparent so that the inside of the heating chamber 12 can be seen from the outside. Therefore, the user can clearly see the inside of the heating chamber 12 through the inner door glass 31 and the outer door glass 32 during cooking, etc.

The cooking device 10 is provided with a camera 50 for photographing ingredients (heated objects) inside the door 20. The camera 50 is fixed to a frame 24 arranged on the upper edge of the door frame 23 of the door 20 with the lens optical axis 51 tilted downward from the horizontal. The camera 50 is surrounded by the door base 21, the frame 24 of the door frame 23, a shielding plate 61 that blocks ambient light (light from the outside world), and the inner door glass 31. The door base 21, the frame 24 of the door frame 23, the shielding plate 61, and the inner door glass 31 form an ambient light shielding section 60 that blocks ambient light (light from the outside world) and prevents ambient light (light from the outside world) from entering the field of view of the camera 50.

The shielding plate 61 is arranged parallel to the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50 or tilted downward from the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50. This ensures that the cooking device 10 has a clear field of view for the camera 50.

Between the door base 21 and the shielding plate 61, a shooting hole 22 is provided for viewing (shooting) the heating chamber 12 from the inner door glass 31. The camera 50 shoots the inside of the heating chamber 12 through the transparent electromagnetic wave shielding glass used as the inner door glass 31. The part of the inner door glass 31 facing the camera 50 functions as a camera protection part 31c that protects the camera 50. The camera protection part 31c also functions as a viewing window that the user uses to look into the inside of the heating chamber 12. Since the camera protection part 31c is a part of the inner door glass 31, even if it becomes dirty due to adhesion of oil, steam, etc., the adhesion can be easily wiped off. As a result, the cooking appliance 10 can easily ensure a good field of view for the camera 50. The inner door glass 31 has approximately the same dimensions as the outer door glass 32, except for the support structure.

The ambient light shielding portion 60 prevents ambient light (light from the outside) entering through the outer door glass 32 from being reflected by the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31, entering the shooting section of the camera 50, and being reflected in the captured image. The ambient light shielding portion 60 also serves as an air passage for cooling the camera 50. The shielding plate 61 of the ambient light shielding portion 60 is configured so that the end portion facing the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31 is positioned on the inside of the camera 50. A gap 62 is formed between the shielding plate 61 and the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31 so that ambient light (light from the outside) does not enter. The gap 62 prevents the shielding plate 61 from hitting the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31 and scratching the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31. In addition, instead of forming a gap 62 between the shielding plate 61 and the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31, the cooking device 10 may have the shielding plate 61 abut against the outside surface 31b of the inner door glass 31 via an elastically deformable sealant. It is preferable to prevent internal reflection and stray light by painting the surface of the ambient light shielding part 60 facing the camera 50 in a matte black color, for example.

The cooking device 10 has an operation board 28 at the bottom of the door 20. The operation board 28 is a board on which an operation unit that accepts user operations is integrated. The operation board 28 is electrically connected to a control board 29 arranged inside the housing 11 (see FIG. 1). The control board 29 is a board that controls the operation of the heating source 13, the camera 50, etc. The control board 29 is electrically connected to the heating source 13 and the camera 50. The control board 29 has a control unit 29a that controls the overall operation of the cooking device 10, and an environmental light correction unit 29b that performs color correction of the image captured by the camera 50. The control unit 29a and the environmental light correction unit 29b can be configured with an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

<Operation of cooking device>
Hereinafter, the operation of the cooking device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B, and Fig. 5. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B are explanatory diagrams of the photographing operation of the cooking device 10. Fig. 4A shows the operation of the cooking device 10 when acquiring (photographing) ambient light (light of the outside world 99), and Fig. 4B shows the operation of the cooking device 10 when photographing the inside of the heating chamber 12. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the white balance setting operation of the cooking device 10.

As shown in FIG. 4A, when setting the white balance, the cooking appliance 10 captures (photographs) the ambient light (light of the outside world 99) with the camera 50 with the door 20 open. At this time, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking appliance 10 calculates the white balance setting value based on the captured (photographed) ambient light (light of the outside world 99) and stores the calculated white balance setting value in a storage unit (not shown).

Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the cooking device 10 captures an image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 with the camera 50 while the door 20 is closed. At this time, the cooking device 10 adjusts the white balance of the captured image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 based on the white balance setting value stored in a memory unit (not shown).

Figure 5 shows the operation of setting the white balance of the cooking device 10. Here, the explanation is given assuming that the door 20 is initially closed, as shown in Figure 4A.

As shown in FIG. 5, first, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 performs an initial setting of the white balance (step S105). Next, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 determines whether to perform automatic setting of the white balance (whether to perform manual setting) (step S110).

When it is determined in step S110 that automatic setting is to be performed (if "Yes"), the control unit 29a of the cooking device 10 waits until it is determined that the door 20 is opened (step S115), and when it is determined that the door 20 is opened (see FIG. 4B) (step S120), the camera 50 captures an image of the outside world 99 (see FIG. 4B). As a result, the cooking device 10 acquires (captures) the ambient light (light of the outside world 99) (step S125). After step S125, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 automatically sets the white balance based on the acquired (captured) ambient light (light of the outside world 99) (step S130). In this case, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 calculates a white balance setting value based on the acquired (captured) ambient light (light of the outside world 99) and stores the calculated white balance setting value in a storage unit not shown.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S110 that automatic setting is not to be performed (if "No"), the control unit 29a of the cooking device 10 performs manual setting of the white balance (step S135). In this case, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 accepts the white balance setting value input by the user through the operation unit provided on the operation board 28, and stores the white balance setting value in a storage unit (not shown).

After step S130 or step S135, when the user instructs cooking of the food (object to be heated) contained in the heating chamber 12, the control unit 29a of the heating cooker 10 photographs the inside of the heating chamber 12 using the camera 50 (step S140).

After step S140, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 performs image processing on the captured image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 and stores the processed image in a storage unit (not shown) (step S140). At this time, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 performs image processing on the captured image of the interior of the heating chamber 12, adjusting the white balance of the captured image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 based on the white balance setting value stored in the storage unit (not shown) in step S130 or step S135.

In this configuration, the cooking device 10 is configured such that the camera 50 can rotate relative to the heating chamber 12. Specifically, the cooking device 10 is configured such that when the door 20 is opened and rotated around the rotation support portion 15, the camera 50 rotates together with the door 20. When the door 20 is opened, the cooking device 10 can directly acquire (photograph) ambient light (light of the external world 99) because the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50 passes through the outside of the chamber (external world) when the door 20 is opened. The cooking device 10 can then reliably perform color correction of the captured image by adjusting the white balance of the image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 captured by the camera 50 based on the acquired (photographed) ambient light (light of the external world 99).

<Main features of the cooking device>
(1) As shown in FIG. 3 , the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment includes a heating chamber 12, a door 20 that can be opened and closed freely and has transparent glass (inner door glass 31) that allows ambient light (light from the outside world) to pass through to the heating chamber 12, and a camera 50 that can capture an image of the area behind the glass through the glass.

The cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1, unlike the first conventional technology described above, does not include the through holes of the punching metal (electromagnetic shielding plate) in the field of view of the camera, so that the occurrence of defects in the field of view of the camera 50 can be suppressed. In addition, unlike the first conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 does not allow dirt to accumulate in the through holes of the punching metal (electromagnetic shielding plate), so that the occurrence of defects in the field of view of the camera 50 can be suppressed. In addition, unlike the first conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 does not allow the through holes of the punching metal (electromagnetic shielding plate) to be reflected in the captured image, so that the occurrence of color changes in the captured image that hinder good capture of the ingredients contained in the heating chamber can be suppressed.

In addition, unlike the second conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 does not accumulate dirt at the boundary between the inner door glass and the heat-resistant lens, so that the occurrence of loss of the field of view of the camera 50 can be suppressed. In addition, unlike the second conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 does not have a heat-resistant lens area, so by increasing the area of the heat-resistant lens, the area of the inner door glass becomes narrow, and the visibility from the user can be prevented from being reduced. In addition, unlike the second conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 does not have a through hole in the inner door glass, so that the shielding property of electromagnetic waves can be prevented from being reduced by the through hole. In addition, unlike the second conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 does not reflect the ambient light (light from the outside world) coming in from the outer door glass by the heat-resistant lens, so that the visibility from the user inside the heating chamber is not impaired by the reflected light. In addition, unlike the second conventional technology described above, the cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 can eliminate the problem of ambient light (external light) entering through the outer door glass being reflected on the heat-resistant glass, causing a change in color tone in the captured image and preventing good capture of the food stored in the heating chamber.

The cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment has a simple structure in which the glass (inner door glass 31) does not have the punching metal (electromagnetic wave shielding plate) of the first conventional technology or the heat-resistant lens of the second conventional technology. Even if oil, steam, or other deposits adhere to the glass (inner door glass 31) and cause dirt, the deposits can be easily wiped off. As a result, the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment can easily ensure a good field of view for the camera 50 even in an environment where it is used with a lot of dirt from oil, steam, etc.

(2) As shown in FIG. 3, the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 has a heating source 13 that irradiates electromagnetic waves to heat food (object to be heated) contained in the heating chamber 12, and uses transparent electromagnetic wave shielding glass with a higher aperture ratio than punching metal as the glass (inner door glass 31). The camera 50 is disposed inside the door 20, facing the heating chamber 12 with the electromagnetic wave shielding glass in between. The aperture ratio of the punching metal is generally about 50% or less. The electromagnetic wave shielding glass used in the cooking device 10 according to the present embodiment 1 is preferably one with an aperture ratio of 70% or more, more preferably about 78% or more, so that the wires of the metal mesh 42 are thinned and the entire glass appears transparent.

The cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 can simultaneously improve the visibility of the food (the object to be heated) contained inside the heating chamber 12 and improve the shielding of electromagnetic waves.

(3) As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 50 of the cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 is fixed to the frame at the upper edge of the door 20 with the lens optical axis 51 tilted downward from the horizontal.

The cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 can capture good images of the food (the object to be heated) contained inside the heating chamber 12.

(4) As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 50 of the cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 is surrounded by a shielding plate 61 that blocks ambient light (external light) and glass (the inner door glass 31).

The cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 can prevent ambient light (external light) from being reflected in the captured image.

(5) As shown in FIG. 3, the shielding plate 61 of the cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 is arranged parallel to the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50 or tilted downward from the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50, and a gap 62 is provided between the shielding plate 61 and the glass (inner door glass 31).

The cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 can prevent the shielding plate 61 from colliding with the glass (inner door glass 31) by the gap 62, and therefore can prevent the glass (inner door glass 31) from being scratched.

(6) As shown in FIG. 3, the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment includes an ambient light correction unit 29b that suppresses the influence of ambient light (external light) on the image captured by the camera 50.

The cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 can suppress changes in color tone of captured images caused by the influence of ambient light (external light) and the unintended reflection of ambient light (external light) in captured images.

(7) As shown in FIG. 5, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 adjusts the white balance of the image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 captured by the camera 50 with the door 20 in a closed state (see FIG. 4A) based on the image of the exterior of the heating chamber 12 captured by the camera 50 with the door 20 in an open state (see FIG. 4B).

The cooking device 10 according to this embodiment 1 directly receives ambient light (light from the outside world) when the door 20 is open (see FIG. 4B), and can be used to adjust the white balance of an image captured when heating food (objects to be heated) contained inside the heating chamber 12.

As described above, the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment can prevent defects in the field of view of the camera 50.

[Embodiment 2]
The cooking appliance 10 according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 3 ) is provided with a mechanism for cooling the camera 50 in the ambient light shielding section 60. In contrast, the second embodiment provides a cooking appliance 10A having an air passage for cooling the camera 50 between the inner door glass 31 and the outer door glass 32.

The configuration of the cooking device 10A according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main parts of the cooking device 10A according to the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cooking device 10A according to the second embodiment differs from the cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 3) in the following respects.
(1) Cooking appliance 10A has, inside door 20, cooling air passage 26 through which cooling air passes to cool operation board 28.
(2) The cooking device 10A is provided with an environmental light shielding portion 60a in which a shielding plate 61a that is shorter than the shielding plate 61 (see FIG. 3) is disposed below the camera 50 instead of the environmental light shielding portion 60 (see FIG. 3), thereby exposing the back surface of the camera 50 to the outside.
(3) The rear surface of the camera 50 faces the cooling air duct 26 .

The camera 50 covers a portion of the ambient light shielding portion 60a (the portion facing the cooling air passage 26). In other words, the ambient light shielding portion 60a is provided such that the space covered by the camera 50 faces the cooling air passage 26.

The cooling air passage 26 is provided between the inner door glass 31 and the outer door glass 32, and communicates with the space in which the operation board 28 is provided via the intake hole 27a, and also communicates with the space outside the cooling air passage 26 (the outside world) via the exhaust hole 27b provided near the camera 50.

When the cooking device 10A cools the operation board 28 with cooling air, it guides the cooling air into the cooling air passage 26 to cool the camera 50. Such a cooking device 10A can efficiently cool the camera 50, improving the stability of the camera 50's operation. Moreover, since the cooking device 10A cools the camera 50 with the cooling air that cools the operation board 28, there is no need to provide a mechanism for generating cooling air specifically for cooling the camera 50. Such a cooking device 10A can efficiently cool the camera 50 without increasing its size.

As described above, according to the cooking device 10A of the second embodiment, similarly to the cooking device 10 of the first embodiment, the occurrence of defects in the field of view of the camera 50 can be suppressed.
Furthermore, according to the heating cooker 10A of this embodiment 2, compared to the heating cooker 10 of embodiment 1, the camera 50 can be cooled more efficiently by the cooling air that cools the operation board 28, thereby improving the operational stability of the camera 50.

[Embodiment 3]
The cooking appliances 10 and 10A according to the first and second embodiments (see FIGS. 3 and 6) are provided with a camera 50 inside the door 20. In contrast, the third embodiment provides a cooking appliance 10B that is provided with a camera 50 inside the heating chamber 12.

The cooking device 10B according to the third embodiment is also intended to solve the problems of the first conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 and the second conventional technology described in Patent Document 2.

The configuration of the cooking device 10B according to the third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main parts of the cooking device 10B according to the third embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cooking device 10B according to this embodiment 3 differs from the cooking devices 10 and 10A according to the other embodiments (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 6) in that the camera 50 is disposed inside the heating chamber 12, not inside the door 20.

The cooking appliance 10B according to this embodiment uses transparent electromagnetic shielding glass with a higher aperture ratio than punched metal (approximately 50% or less) as the glass (inner door glass 31). The camera 50 is disposed on one or more of the top surface 16a, left surface 16b, right surface 16c, back surface 16d, and bottom surface 16e of the heating chamber 12. In this embodiment, the camera 50 is described as being disposed on the top surface 16a of the heating chamber 12 with the lens optical axis 51 tilted downward from the horizontal. In addition to the inside of the heating chamber 12, it is possible to capture the outside of the cooking appliance 10 through the glass (inner door glass 31).

The cooking device 10B has an arc-shaped observation window 54 and an arc-shaped shutter 55 around the camera 50. The camera 50 and the shutter 55 rotate around the same rotation center 53 by the rotation unit 52.

The cooking device 10B may be configured so that the camera 50 rotates (see arrow A52) so that the lens optical axis 51 switches between the interior direction of the heating chamber 12 and the exterior direction of the heating chamber 12.

In this configuration, when setting the white balance, the cooking device 10B acquires (takes) the ambient light (light of the outside world 99) with the camera 50 with the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50 facing the outside of the heating chamber 12. At this time, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10B calculates the white balance setting value based on the acquired (taken) ambient light (light of the outside world 99) and stores the calculated white balance setting value in a storage unit not shown. Next, the cooking device 10B takes an image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 with the camera 50 with the lens optical axis 51 of the camera 50 facing the inside of the heating chamber 12. At this time, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10B adjusts the white balance of the captured image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 based on the white balance setting value stored in the storage unit not shown.

In this configuration, when the camera 50 is rotated and positioned so that the optical axis of the camera 50 intersects with one of the inner walls of the heating chamber 12, the heating chamber 12 also functions as an ambient light shield. The camera 50 is also configured to capture an image including the area behind the door glass 30 through the door glass 30. As shown in FIG. 8B, the cooking device 10B can capture (capture) ambient light without opening the door 20, and can adjust the white balance of the captured image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 based on the captured ambient light.

As shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, the cooking device 10B may be configured to capture (photograph) ambient light (light of the outside world 99) or capture an image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 by opening and closing the door 20. Figs. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams of the photographing operation of the cooking device 10B. Fig. 8A shows the operation of the cooking device 10B when capturing (photographing) ambient light (light of the outside world 99), and Fig. 8B shows the operation of the cooking device 10B when photographing the inside of the heating chamber 12.

In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 8A, when setting the white balance, the cooking appliance 10B captures (photographs) the ambient light (light of the outside world 99) with the camera 50 with the door 20 open. At this time, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking appliance 10B calculates the white balance setting value based on the captured (photographed) ambient light (light of the outside world 99) and stores the calculated white balance setting value in a storage unit (not shown).

Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the cooking device 10B captures an image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 with the camera 50 while the door 20 is closed. At this time, the ambient light correction unit 29b of the cooking device 10B adjusts the white balance of the captured image of the inside of the heating chamber 12 based on the white balance setting value stored in a memory unit (not shown).

Even in this configuration, the heating chamber 12 also functions as an ambient light shield. The camera 50 is configured to capture an image including the area behind the door glass 30 through the door glass 30. Even if the opening ratio of the door 20 is low, such as punched metal, the cooking appliance 10B can directly capture (capture) ambient light by opening the door 20, and can adjust the white balance of the captured image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 based on the captured ambient light. Note that if the opening ratio of the door 20 is high, such as electromagnetic shielding glass, ambient light can be directly captured (captured) with the door 20 closed.

The cooking device 10B may accept a white balance setting value input by a user via an operation unit provided on the operation board 28, similar to the cooking device 10, 10A according to the first and second embodiments (see FIGS. 3 and 6). In this case, the cooking device 10B stores the accepted white balance setting value in a storage unit (not shown), similar to the cooking device 10, 10A according to the first and second embodiments (see FIGS. 3 and 6), and adjusts the white balance of the captured image of the interior of the heating chamber 12 based on the white balance setting value stored in the storage unit (not shown).

The cooking device 10B according to the third embodiment differs from the first and second conventional technologies described in the first embodiment in that the food (object to be heated) is directly photographed by a camera 50 disposed inside the heating chamber 12. Such a cooking device 10B does not lose the field of view of the camera 50, and can suppress the occurrence of loss of the field of view of the camera 50. Furthermore, the cooking device 10B can suppress the occurrence of a change in color tone of the captured image that hinders good photography of the food contained in the heating chamber.

Cooking appliance 10B can also use camera 50 to detect the insertion and removal of food ingredients (heated objects) in heating chamber 12. Cooking appliance 10B can also use camera 50 to improve security outside the chamber, monitor the outside, detect dirt on door glass 30, and the like when capturing (taking pictures of) ambient light outside the chamber (light from outside world 99). Note that "security outside the chamber" means, for example, monitoring people who enter the room in which cooking appliance 10B is installed, and monitoring items that handle flammable materials such as a gas stove. Also, "monitoring outside the chamber" means, for example, monitoring children, pets, and the like in the room in which cooking appliance 10B is installed.

As described above, according to the cooking device 10B of the present embodiment 3, like the cooking devices 10 and 10A of the other embodiments, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects in the field of view of the camera 50.
Furthermore, according to the heating cooker 10B of this embodiment 3, compared to the heating cookers 10 and 10A of the other embodiments, the camera 50 can also be used for purposes such as detecting the insertion and removal of ingredients (heated objects) in the heating chamber 12, improving security outside the chamber, monitoring the outside of the chamber, and detecting dirt on the door glass 30.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modified examples. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of the embodiment with another configuration, and it is also possible to add another configuration to the configuration of the embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of each configuration with another configuration.

10, 10A, 10B Heating cooker 11 Housing 12 Heating chamber 13 Heating source 14 Opening 15 Rotating support part 16a Top surface 16b Left surface 16c Right surface 16d Rear surface (back wall surface)
16e Bottom surface 20 Door 21 Door base 22 Shooting hole 23 Door frame 24 Frame 25 Handle 26 Cooling air passage 27a Air intake hole
27b Exhaust hole 28 Operation board 29 Control board 29a Control unit 29b Ambient light correction unit 30 Door glass 31 Inner door glass (glass)
31a Interior surface of the chamber 31b Exterior surface of the chamber 31c Camera protection section 32 Exterior door glass 32a Interior surface of the chamber 32b Exterior surface of the chamber 41 Reinforced glass 42 Metal mesh 43 Retaining glass 50 Camera 51 Lens optical axis 52 Rotation unit 53 Rotation center 54 Observation window 55 Shutter 60, 60a Ambient light shielding section 61, 61a Shielding plate 62 Gap 99 Outside world

Claims (7)

A heating chamber and
A door that can be opened and closed freely and has a transparent glass that allows outside light to pass through to the heating chamber;
a camera capable of photographing an area behind the glass through the glass ;
an operation board integrated with an operation unit that accepts user operations;
a cooling air passage provided inside the door and through which cooling air passes;
A rear surface of the camera faces the cooling air passage,
The cooling air passage communicates with a space in which the operation board is provided via an intake hole, and also communicates with an external space via an exhaust hole provided in the vicinity of the camera.
A heating cooker characterized by the above. The cooking device according to claim 1,
A heating source that generates electromagnetic waves is provided.
As the glass, a transparent electromagnetic wave shielding glass having a higher aperture ratio than a punched metal is used,
The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the camera is disposed inside the door, facing the heating chamber across the electromagnetic wave shielding glass. The cooking device according to claim 1 or 2,
The cooking appliance, wherein the camera is fixed to a frame at an upper edge of the door with a lens optical axis inclined downward from the horizontal. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the camera is surrounded by a shielding plate that blocks ambient light and the glass. The cooking device according to claim 4,
The shielding plate is disposed parallel to the lens optical axis of the camera or inclined downward from the lens optical axis of the camera,
A cooking device according to claim 1, wherein a gap is provided between the shielding plate and the glass. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The cooking device further comprises an environmental light correction unit that performs color correction on the image captured by the camera. The cooking device according to claim 6 ,
The heating cooker is characterized in that the ambient light correction unit adjusts the white balance of an image of the inside of the heating chamber captured by the camera with the door closed, based on the ambient light captured by the camera.

Images