JP7821978B2 - heating cooker - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a cooking appliance.

Conventionally, cooking appliances that heat and cook food stored in a container have been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The cooking appliance in Patent Document 1 uses a temperature sensor to detect the temperature inside a container that holds ingredients, and controls the operation of a heater or other device based on the detected temperature to cook the ingredients. Depending on the cooking menu, some appliances are capable of cooking with the lid open or closed.

JP 2011-224107 A

However, the temperature inside the container and other parts of the cooking appliance can change significantly depending on whether the lid is open or closed. It is desirable to apply a more appropriate set temperature depending on whether the lid is open or closed and other conditions.

Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to solve the above problem by applying a more appropriate set temperature depending on the open/close state of the lid, etc.

To achieve the above object, the cooking device of the present disclosure comprises a container for storing ingredients, a main body for storing the container, an openable and closable lid disposed above the container, a heating unit for heating the container, a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, a lid opening/closing detection means for detecting the opening and closing of the lid, an operation unit for a user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control unit that controls the heating unit to a predetermined set temperature based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit in accordance with the cooking menu selected by the operation unit, wherein the cooking menus selectable by the operation unit include a manual cooking menu for which the user can set the heating intensity, and the control unit changes the set temperature based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means when the cooking menu selected by the operation unit is a specific manual cooking menu and the heating intensity of the manual cooking menu is set to a first heating intensity, unlike when the heating intensity is set to a second heating intensity lower than the first heating intensity.

This disclosure allows for a more appropriate set temperature to be applied depending on whether the lid is open or closed and the heating intensity.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with a lid closed); FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with a lid closed); FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with the lid open); FIG. 1 is a front view showing the inside of the lid of the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the inside of a main body of an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cooking device according to the embodiment (viewed along the arrows A-A in FIG. 1 ). Graph showing temperature changes during the heating and cooking process of a manual cooking menu Table showing heater drive power according to heating intensity (applies to each manual cooking menu) Table showing set temperatures according to heating intensity (applicable to manual cooking menu A) Table showing the set temperature according to "heating intensity" and "lid open/close status" (applicable to manual cooking menu B) Table showing the set temperatures according to "heating intensity" and "lid open/close status" (applicable to ingredient X of manual cooking menu C) Table showing the set temperatures according to "heating intensity" and "lid open/close status" (applied to ingredient Y of manual cooking menu C)

A first aspect of the present invention provides a cooking device comprising: a container for storing ingredients; a main body for storing the container; an openable and closable lid disposed above the container; a heating unit for heating the container; a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature; a lid opening/closing detection means for detecting the opening and closing of the lid; an operation unit for a user to select and operate a cooking menu; and a control unit for controlling the heating unit to a predetermined set temperature based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit in accordance with the cooking menu selected by the operation unit, wherein the cooking menus selectable by the operation unit include a manual cooking menu for which the user can set the heating intensity, and the control unit changes the set temperature based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means when the cooking menu selected by the operation unit is a specific manual cooking menu and the heating intensity of the manual cooking menu is set to a first heating intensity, unlike when the heating intensity is set to a second heating intensity lower than the first heating intensity.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to the first aspect, in which the control unit uses the same set temperature regardless of the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means when the heating intensity for the specific manual cooking menu is set to the second heating intensity.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device as described in the first or second aspect, wherein, when the heating intensity for the specific manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity, the control unit, when setting the set temperature relatively low based on the detection result of the lid open/close detection means, sets the set temperature to a temperature equal to or higher than the set temperature when the heating intensity for the specific manual cooking menu is set to the second heating intensity.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a cooking device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the drive power of the heating unit when set to the first heating intensity is higher than the drive power of the heating unit when set to the second heating intensity.

A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a cooking device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the specific manual cooking menu includes a first manual cooking menu, and when the heating intensity of the first manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity, the control unit changes the set temperature when the lid is closed to be lower than the set temperature when the lid is open, based on the detection result of the lid open/close detection means.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the first manual cooking menu includes at least one of a stir-fry cooking menu for stir-frying the ingredients and a simmering cooking menu for simmering the ingredients.

A seventh aspect of the present invention provides the cooking device described in the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the control unit sets the set temperature for the first manual cooking menu at 150 degrees or higher when the lid is open.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the specific manual cooking menu includes a second manual cooking menu, and when the heating intensity of the second manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity, the control unit applies, based on the detection result of the lid open/close detection means, a first setting that sets the set temperature when the lid is closed lower than the set temperature when the lid is open, or a second setting that sets the set temperature when the lid is open lower than the set temperature when the lid is closed.

A ninth aspect of the present invention provides the cooking device described in the eighth aspect, in which the control unit switches between the first setting and the second setting depending on the ingredients selected for the second manual cooking menu.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cooking device described in the ninth aspect, wherein the second manual cooking menu includes a simmering cooking menu for simmering the ingredients.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the first heating intensity is the highest heating intensity among a plurality of selectable heating intensities.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein, when a third manual cooking menu different from the specific manual cooking menu is selected, the control unit uses the same set temperature for each heating intensity set in the operation unit regardless of the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, wherein the temperature detection unit is provided in the main body and detects the temperature of the container.

A fourteenth aspect of the present invention provides a cooking device according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, wherein the set temperature when the heating intensity for the specific manual cooking menu is set to a first intensity is 100 degrees or higher.

Below, exemplary embodiments of a cooking device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations of the following embodiments, and configurations based on similar technical concepts are also included in the present disclosure.

(Embodiment)
First, a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG.

Figures 1 to 3 are each a perspective view of the cooking device 2 according to the embodiment, Figure 4A is a plan view showing the inside of the lid 10, Figure 4B is a plan view showing the inside of the main body 8, and Figure 5 is a view taken along the arrows A-A in Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 show the lid 10 in a closed state, and Figure 3 shows the lid 10 in an open state.

The cooking appliance 2 shown in Figures 1 to 5 is a cooking appliance for cooking food ingredients (not shown) as objects to be heated. The cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment can be used as an automatic cooking appliance with pre-programmed operating sequences for each cooking menu; such cooking appliances are also called "auto cookers," "multi cookers," or "slow cookers." Note that the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment can also be used for manual cooking without using pre-programmed operating sequences.

When a user uses the cooking appliance 2 as an automatic cooker, they place ingredients (not shown) in the cooking space S1 of the container 4 shown in Figure 3, and operate the operation unit 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 to select a cooking menu and decide to perform cooking. The cooking appliance 2 then executes a cooking process to heat and cook the food according to a predetermined program, depending on the dish from the selected cooking menu (stir-fried vegetables, curry, jam, etc.).

In the following, this embodiment will be described as using the cooking appliance 2 as an automatic cooking appliance.

The cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment has a "pressure cooking function" that cooks ingredients in a pressurized state in which the cooking space S1 is kept at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. The operation unit 6 shown in FIG. 2 allows selection of a pressure cooking menu for pressure cooking and a non-pressure cooking menu. The operation unit 6 functions as a cooking menu selection unit for selecting a cooking menu. In addition to the pressure cooking function, a "vacuum cooking function" that cooks ingredients in a reduced pressure state in which the cooking space S1 is kept at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure may also be selectable.

The cooking device 2 does not necessarily have to have a pressure cooking function, but may also not have a pressure cooking function.

The cooking device 2 shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a container 4 (Figures 3 and 5), a main body 8 that houses the container 4, and a lid 10.

Container 4 is a cylindrical container with a bottom and an open top. Container 4 forms cooking space S1, which is equipped with stirring blades 5. The stirring blades 5 are an example of an agitator for stirring ingredients stored in container 4.

The main body 8 is a cylindrical member with a bottom and an open top. Various components for operating the cooking appliance 2 are built into the main body 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, a magnet 152 is built into the top end of the main body 8 as a lid opening/closing detection means 150 for detecting whether the lid 10 is open or closed. As shown in FIG. 5, a heater 9 is built into the bottom side of the main body 8 as a heating unit for heating the container 4, and a temperature sensor 7 is built into the bottom side as a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the container 4. The temperature sensor 7 shown in FIG. 5 is located in the upper center of the main body 8 so as to detect the temperature of the bottom of the container 4. The temperature sensor 7 is illustrated in a simplified form in FIG. 5.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the main body 8 supports the lid 10 so that it can rotate (arrow R1) from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. This allows the lid 10 to rotate up and down and in the depth direction.

The lid 10 is a member for opening and closing the main body 8 and the container 4. The lid 10 houses various components for operating the cooking appliance 2, including a control unit 11, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows a simplified illustration of the control unit 11.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, the lid 10 is provided with a board 154 as a lid open/close detection means 150 for detecting the open/closed state of the lid 10. In this embodiment, the board 154 is a board mounted with a Hall element capable of detecting magnetic force, and is capable of detecting the magnetic force of the magnet 152 built into the main body 8 shown in Figure 4B. The board 154 transmits the magnetic force detection result by the Hall element to the control unit 11, and the control unit 11 determines the open/closed state of the lid 10.

The lid 10 comprises an outer lid 12 and an inner lid 14. The outer lid 12 is a lid for opening and closing the top opening of the main body 8, and the inner lid 14 is a lid for sealing the top opening of the container 4. The inner lid 14 is removably attached to the inside (bottom side) of the outer lid 12. Figure 3 shows the inner lid 14 detached from the outer lid 12, and Figure 4A shows the inner lid 14 attached to the outer lid 12.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer lid 12 has a vent 16 and a handle 201.

The vent 16 is an opening for venting the cooking space S1 of the container 4 to the outside. The vent 16 is switched between a connected state in which it is connected to the cooking space S1 and a disconnected state in which it is not connected, by a pressure reducing valve 26 (described below). In the connected state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 is atmospheric pressure. In the disconnected state, the cooking space S1 is sealed by the inner lid 14, and its pressure is independent of atmospheric pressure.

The handle 201 is a member that the user rotates to switch the lid 10 between a locked and unlocked state. The handle 201 is rotated around a rotation axis Ax that extends in the thickness direction of the lid 10 (arrow R2). The thickness direction of the lid 10 is roughly aligned with the vertical direction when the lid 10 is closed (Figures 1 and 2), and roughly aligned with the horizontal direction when the lid 10 is open (Figure 3).

As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, the inner lid 14 has an inner lid main body 20 and a gasket 22.

The inner lid main body 20 corresponds to the main body of the inner lid 14 and has a roughly circular disk shape. A gasket 22 is attached to the outer periphery of the inner lid main body 20. The gasket 22 is a roughly annular member attached to the outer periphery of the inner lid main body 20 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the lid 10 is closed, the gasket 22 abuts against the upper end 4A of the container 4, sealing the cooking space S1.

The inner lid main body 20 is provided with a safety valve 24 and a pressure reducing valve 26.

The safety valve 24 and pressure reducing valve 26 are both valves attached to the inner lid body 20 and positioned so that they are exposed to the cooking space S1. As shown in Figure 5, a ventilation space S2 that communicates with the ventilation port 16 is provided on the upper surface of the inner lid body 20. The safety valve 24 and pressure reducing valve 26 each operate to switch between a connected state and a disconnected state between the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2.

The safety valve 24 is a valve that operates automatically in response to an increase in pressure in the cooking space S1. The safety valve 24 is positioned to seal the cooking space S1, and moves from the sealed position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 increasing above a predetermined pressure. The safety valve 24 prevents the cooking space S1 from becoming overpressurized.

The pressure reducing valve 26 is a valve that operates mainly under the control of the control unit 11. The pressure reducing valve 26 is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, and its position is controlled by the control unit 11. A valve drive unit 40 is provided above the pressure reducing valve 26, and the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to control the position of the pressure reducing valve 26. The pressure reducing valve 26 may also be referred to as a "pressure release valve" or "pressure release valve."

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cooking appliance 2 is further provided with handles 50. The handles 50 are provided as a pair, one on each side, to allow the user to hold the cooking appliance 2. The handles 50 are shaped by protruding horizontally from the upper end of the main body 8 and the lower end of the lid 10.

The lid 10 of this embodiment is also provided with a pressure regulating valve for pressure cooking. Like the safety valve 24, the pressure regulating valve is positioned to seal the cooking space S1, and moves from the sealed position to the open position when the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises above a predetermined pressure (a pressure lower than the predetermined pressure of the safety valve 24). The pressure regulating valve is a valve that operates during normal use and functions to maintain the cooking space S1 in a pressurized state of 1 atm or higher. Pressure cooking using the pressure regulating valve allows the food to be heated to a high temperature of 100°C or higher, accelerating the cooking process and shortening the cooking time.

The cooking device 2 having the above configuration performs a predetermined cooking process according to the cooking menu set on the operation unit 6. When performing the cooking process, the cooking device 2 controls the operation of the heater 9 and other components based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 7, with the set temperature corresponding to each cooking menu as the target temperature.

An example of the cooking process performed by the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment will be described using Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a graph showing an example of temperature progression during the cooking process using the cooking device 2 of this embodiment. In Figure 6, the horizontal axis represents "time," and the vertical axis represents "temperature" and "heater drive power." The heater drive power is the power value applied to drive the heater 9. In Figure 6, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is shown by a solid line, the estimated temperature of the food material is shown by a dotted line, and the heater drive power is shown by a bar graph.

As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 11 sets a predetermined set temperature Ts in accordance with the selected cooking menu, and then executes a heating process in which power is continuously applied to the heater 9 so as to raise the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 7 toward the set temperature Ts. The heater drive power Ws is set to a predetermined power value in accordance with the selected cooking menu. During the heating process, the container 4 is heated strongly, and the food stored in the container 4 is also heated strongly by heat transfer from the container 4 and radiant heat from the heater 9. During the heating process, both the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 7 (solid line) and the temperature of the food (dotted line) rise.

When the detected temperature reaches the set temperature Ts, the control unit 11 executes a temperature adjustment process that controls the ON/OFF of the heater 9 so as to maintain the detected temperature at the set temperature Ts. The heater drive power Ws is set, for example, to the same power value as in the temperature rise process. After the temperature adjustment process starts, the temperature adjustment process ends when a predetermined set time is reached. This executes a cooking process that includes the temperature rise process and the temperature adjustment process.

The example shown in Figure 6 illustrates the case of a "manual cooking menu" in which the user can set various heating conditions. In the manual cooking menu, in addition to the "set time" which is the duration of the temperature adjustment process, the "heating intensity" (heating setting) which is an indicator of the intensity at which the ingredients are heated can be set. In this embodiment, three levels of heating intensity - "strong," "medium," and "weak" - can be selected on the operation unit 6.

When one cooking menu is selected from multiple available manual cooking menus and one heating intensity is selected from multiple heating intensities, the control unit 11 determines the heater drive power Ws and set temperature Ts to be used in the cooking process according to the selected cooking menu and heating intensity.

Figure 7 is a table showing the heater drive power Ws according to the heating intensity selected for the manual cooking menu.

In the example shown in Figure 7, when the heating intensity is "strong," the heater drive power Ws is set to W1; when the heating intensity is "medium," the heater drive power Ws is set to W2; and when the heating intensity is "weak," the heater drive power Ws is set to W3. Here, W1 > W2 > W3.

As shown in Figure 7, the heater drive power Ws is set to increase as the selected heating intensity increases. The table shown in Figure 7 is applicable to multiple manual cooking menus, and the specific power values may differ for each cooking menu. Note that this is not limited to W1 > W2 > W3, and W1 ≧ W2 ≧ W3 may also be true. Note that the heater drive power Ws is the average drive power per unit time.

Figure 8 is a table showing the set temperature Ts according to the heating intensity selected for the manual cooking menu. The table shown in Figure 8 applies to a specific manual cooking menu (hereinafter referred to as "manual cooking menu A") among the multiple types of manual cooking menus.

In the example shown in Figure 8, when the heating intensity is "high," the set temperature Ts is set to T1; when the heating intensity is "medium," the set temperature Ts is set to T2; and when the heating intensity is "low," the set temperature Ts is set to T3. Here, T1 > T2 > T3.

As shown in Figure 8, the higher the selected heating intensity, the higher the set temperature Ts. In this embodiment, manual cooking menu A includes, for example, "stewing cooking" for stewing ingredients and "normal heating cooking" for normal heating/extended heating of ingredients.

Stewing can only be performed when the lid 10 is closed (lid closed state). Normal cooking, on the other hand, can be performed both when the lid 10 is closed and when the lid 10 is open (lid open state).

Comparing cooking with the lid closed and cooking with the lid open, the internal temperature of the container 4 is more likely to be higher when cooking with the lid closed, and accordingly, the temperature of other parts of the cooker 2 (for example, the handle 50) is also more likely to be higher. Among the multiple manual cooking menus, for cooking menus with a particularly high set temperature Ts, the entire cooker 2 becomes hot when cooking with the lid closed, which can cause the handle 50, which the user is likely to touch, to become excessively hot. To prevent this, the cooker 2 of this embodiment uses the table of set temperatures Ts shown in Figure 9 instead of the table of set temperatures Ts shown in Figure 8 for manual cooking menus with a particularly high set temperature Ts (referred to as manual cooking menu B).

Figure 9 is a table showing the set temperature Ts for manual cooking menu B according to the heating intensity and the open/closed state of the lid 10.

In the example shown in Figure 9, when the heating intensity is set to the highest "high," a different set temperature Ts is applied depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed. Specifically, set temperature T4 is applied when the lid is open, and set temperature T5 is applied when the lid is closed. Here, T4 > T5. In other words, the set temperature Ts is changed so that set temperature T5 when the lid is closed is relatively lower than set temperature T4 when the lid is open.

By changing the set temperature Ts in this way, if the highest heating intensity is set for manual cooking menu B, which has a higher set temperature Ts than the other cooking menus, setting the set temperature Ts with the lid closed relatively low can prevent the temperature of areas that are likely to be touched by the user, such as the handle 50, from becoming excessively high. This improves safety.

When the heating intensity is "medium" or "weak," the same set temperatures T6 and T7 are applied, respectively, regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed. When the heating intensity is "medium" or "weak," the set temperatures T6 and T7 are low, so the handle 50 and other parts do not become excessively hot even when the lid is closed. For this reason, there is no need to change the set temperature Ts depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

In the example shown in Figure 9, T4 > T5 ≥ T6 > T7.

As can be seen from the relationship T5≧T6, the set temperature T5 with the lid closed when the heating intensity is "high" is set to a temperature equal to or higher than the set temperature T6 when the heating intensity is "medium." Even if the set temperature T5 with the lid closed when the heating intensity is "high" is set relatively lower than the set temperature T4 with the lid open, by setting it so that it does not fall below the set temperature T6 when the heating intensity is "medium," the set temperature reversal does not occur and heating can be performed at the heating intensity intended by the user.

Even if the set temperatures T5 and T6 are set to the same temperature, due to the difference in the heater drive power Ws shown in the table in Figure 7, the "high" heating intensity will heat the food more strongly than the "medium" heating intensity, ensuring a difference in heating intensity.

In this embodiment, manual cooking menu B includes "stir-frying" for stir-frying ingredients. For stir-frying, for example, set temperature T4 is 190°C, set temperature T5 is 170°C, set temperature T6 is 150°C, and set temperature T7 is 130°C. When the heating intensity is set to "high," the heater drive power Ws is, for example, 1280 W, regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

When stir-frying, the original set temperature Ts is high when the heating intensity is set to "high." Therefore, when cooking with the lid closed, the temperature inside the container 4 rises, and not only the ingredients in contact with the surface of the container 4 but also those not in contact with the container 4 are heated efficiently. Therefore, even if the set temperature Ts is relatively lower, the cooking results can be maintained at the same level as when cooking with the lid open. Cooking with the lid closed can be expected to save energy, and when stir-frying, oil splatter can be prevented. While the state inside the container 4 cannot be seen when cooking with the lid closed, the cooking is completed automatically after the cooking start command is given, allowing the user to perform other tasks after adding ingredients.

This is not limited to the case where the set temperature T4 is 190 degrees as in the example above, but can also occur when the set temperature is 150 degrees or higher, which can lead to the handle 50 becoming excessively hot when cooking with the lid closed. Therefore, if the set temperature T4 for the lid open state is set to 150 degrees or higher, the same effect can be achieved by changing the set temperature T5 for the lid closed state to a relatively lower value, as in the table in Figure 9.

Furthermore, for manual cooking menu C, which is different from manual cooking menu B described above, the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment determines the set temperature Ts using a table different from that shown in Figure 9.

Figures 10 and 11 are tables showing the set temperature Ts according to the heating intensity and the open/closed state of the lid 10, to be applied to manual cooking menu C.

Figure 10 shows a table that applies when the target ingredient of manual cooking menu C is ingredient X, and Figure 11 shows a table that applies when the target ingredient of manual cooking menu C is ingredient Y, which is different from ingredient X.

Manual cooking menu C in this embodiment is a simmering cooking menu for simmering ingredients. In the case of a simmering cooking menu, the set temperature Ts when the heating intensity is "high" is relatively high, and the target ingredient may be ingredient X (e.g., curry) that contains a lot of water and contains starch and oil, or ingredient Y (e.g., jam) that is highly viscous.

When cooking with food X, which has a high moisture content and low viscosity, with the lid closed and the set temperature Ts set to a high temperature, the moisture will boil and form a film on the surface, which will likely boil over onto the outside of the container 4. On the other hand, when cooking with food Y, which has a high viscosity, with the set temperature Ts set to a high temperature and the lid open, the food Y will likely splash out onto the outside.

Depending on the characteristics of ingredients X and Y, the control switches between the table shown in Figure 10 (first setting) and the table shown in Figure 11 (second setting). Ingredients X and Y can be selected when manual cooking menu C is selected on the operation unit 6.

In the table shown in Figure 10 for food ingredient X, when the heating intensity is "high," set temperature T8 is applied when the lid is open, and set temperature T9 is applied when the lid is closed. Here, T8 > T9, and set temperature Ts is changed so that set temperature T9 when the lid is closed is relatively lower than set temperature T8 when the lid is open.

By changing the set temperature Ts in this way, it is possible to prevent food X from boiling over during cooking with the lid closed when the heating intensity is set to "high."

When the heating intensity is "medium" or "low," the same set temperatures T10 and T11 are applied regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed. When the heating intensity is "medium" or "low," the set temperatures T10 and T11 are low, so the temperature inside the container 4 does not become excessively hot even when the lid is closed, and food ingredient X is less likely to boil over. In the example shown in Figure 10, T8 > T9 ≥ T10 > T11.

For simmering cooking, for example, the set temperature T8 is 110°C, the set temperature T9 is 105°C, the set temperature T10 is 100°C, and the set temperature T11 is 95°C. When the heating intensity is set to "high," the heater drive power Ws is, for example, 880 W regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

In the table shown in Figure 11 for food ingredient Y, when the heating intensity is "high," set temperature T12 is applied when the lid is open, and set temperature T13 is applied when the lid is closed. Here, T13 > T12, and unlike the table shown in Figure 10, set temperature Ts is changed so that set temperature T12 when the lid is open is relatively lower than set temperature T13 when the lid is closed.

By changing the set temperature Ts in this way, it is possible to prevent food Y from splashing when cooking with the lid open when the heating intensity is set to "high."

When the heating intensity is "medium" or "weak," the same set temperatures T14 and T15 are applied regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed, as in the table shown in Figure 10. In the example shown in Figure 11, T13 > T12 ≥ T14 > T15.

For simmering cooking, for example, the set temperature T12 is 105 degrees, the set temperature T13 is 110 degrees, the set temperature T14 is 100 degrees, and the set temperature T15 is 95 degrees. When the heating intensity is set to "high," the heater drive power Ws is, for example, 1000 W regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

As mentioned above, in the case of simmering cooking, when the heating intensity is set to "high," the set temperatures T8, T9, T12, and T13 are all 100°C or higher. When the set temperature is 100°C or higher, ingredient X is likely to boil over when cooking with the lid closed, and ingredient Y is likely to splash when cooking with the lid open. However, changing the set temperature Ts shown in Figures 10 and 11 can prevent these situations from occurring.

As described above, for the multiple manual cooking menus, the appropriate set temperature Ts can be applied by using the tables of set temperature Ts shown in Figures 8 to 11 depending on the specifications of each cooking menu and the ingredients to be cooked. In particular, for manual cooking menus B and C, which are compatible with both closed-lid and open-lid cooking, changing the set temperature Ts depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed when the highest heating intensity is set to "high" can prevent the handle 50 from becoming excessively hot and prevent ingredients X and Y from boiling over or splashing.

(Actions and Effects)
As described above, the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment includes a container 4 for storing ingredients, a main body 8 for storing the container 4, a lid 10 that is disposed above the container 4 and can be opened and closed, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the container 4, a temperature sensor 7 (temperature detection unit) for detecting temperature, a lid opening/closing detection means 150 that detects the opening and closing of the lid 10, an operation unit 6 that allows the user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control unit 11 that controls the heater 9 to target a predetermined set temperature Ts based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 7 in accordance with the cooking menu selected by the operation unit 6. The cooking menus selectable by the operation unit 6 include manual cooking menus for which the user can set the heating intensity. When the cooking menu selected by the operation unit 6 is a specific manual cooking menu B or C and the heating intensity of the manual cooking menu B or C is set to a first heating intensity (e.g., “high”), the control unit 11 changes the set temperature Ts based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means 150, unlike when the cooking menu selected by the operation unit 6 is set to a second heating intensity (e.g., “medium” or “low”) that is lower than the first heating intensity.

With this type of cooking appliance 2, a more appropriate set temperature Ts can be applied depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed and the heating intensity. For example, if certain parts of the cooking appliance 2 (such as the handle 50) become excessively hot during cooking with the lid closed, or if the temperature inside the container 4 becomes too high and food ingredient X is likely to boil over, the set temperature Ts when the lid is closed (e.g., T5, T9) may be changed to be lower than the set temperature Ts when the lid is open (e.g., T4, T8). Furthermore, if highly viscous food ingredient Y, such as jam, is prone to splattering during cooking with the lid open, the set temperature Ts when the lid is open (e.g., T12) may be changed to be lower than the set temperature Ts when the lid is closed (e.g., T13).

Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, when the heating intensity for specific manual cooking menus B and C is set to the second heating intensity (e.g., "medium" or "low"), the control unit 11 uses the same set temperature Ts (e.g., T6, T7, T10, T11, T14, T15) regardless of the detection result of the lid open/close detection means 150. With this cooker 2, when the heating intensity for manual cooking menus B and C is set to the second heating intensity, which is lower than the first heating intensity, the handle 50 of the cooker 2 is less likely to become excessively hot, and ingredients X and Y are less likely to boil over or splash. Therefore, by using the same set temperature Ts regardless of whether the lid 10 is open or closed, ingredients can be heated at the desired heating intensity intended by the user.

In addition, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, when the heating intensity for specific manual cooking menus B and C is set to the first heating intensity (e.g., "high"), the control unit 11 sets the set temperature Ts relatively low based on the open/close state of the lid 10 to a temperature (e.g., T5, T9, T12) that is equal to or higher than the set temperature Ts (e.g., T6, T10, T14) when the heating intensity is set to the second heating intensity (e.g., "medium" or "low"). With this cooker 2, even when the set temperature Ts for the first heating intensity is set relatively low, by setting it to equal to or higher than the set temperature Ts for the second heating intensity, heating processing can be performed according to the difference in heating intensity without causing a reversal of the set temperature Ts.

Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the drive power W1 of the heater 9 when set to the first heating intensity (e.g., "high") is higher than the drive power W2, W3 of the heater 9 when set to the second heating intensity (e.g., "medium" or "low"). With this cooking device 2, because there is a difference in the drive power Ws, even if the set temperature Ts is relatively low at the first heating intensity and brought closer to the set temperature Ts at the second heating intensity, heating processing can be performed while maintaining a difference between the first and second heating intensities.

Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the specific manual cooking menu includes a first manual cooking menu (e.g., manual cooking menus B and C), and when the heating intensity of the first manual cooking menu is set to a first heating intensity (e.g., "high"), the control unit 11 changes the set temperatures T5 and T9 when the lid is closed to be lower than the set temperatures T4 and T8 when the lid is open, based on the detection results of the lid open/close detection means 150. Such a cooker 2 can prevent parts such as the handle 50 of the cooker 2 from becoming excessively hot and prevent food X from boiling over when cooking with the lid closed.

In addition, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the first manual cooking menu includes a stir-fry menu (manual cooking menu B) for stir-frying ingredients and a simmering menu (manual cooking menu C) for simmering ingredients. With this cooker 2, for the stir-fry menu, the set temperature Ts is set higher (e.g., 190°C) than for other cooking menus, so parts of the cooker, such as the handle 50, are likely to become hot when cooking with the lid closed. Furthermore, for simmering, ingredients X, which contain a lot of moisture and contain starch and oil, are heated at high temperatures with the lid closed, making them prone to boiling over. For this reason, for the stir-fry and simmering menus, the set temperatures T5 and T9 when the lid is closed can be changed to be lower than the set temperatures T4 and T8 when the lid is open, allowing the set temperature Ts to be set appropriately depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

The first manual cooking menu does not necessarily have to include both a stir-fry cooking menu and a simmering cooking menu, but may include at least one of a stir-fry cooking menu and a simmering cooking menu. Furthermore, the first manual cooking menu may also include cooking menus other than the stir-fry cooking menu and the simmering cooking menu.

Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, the control unit 11 sets the set temperature T4 when the lid is open for the first manual cooking menu (e.g., manual cooking menu B) to 150°C or higher (e.g., 190°C). With this cooking appliance 2, when the set temperature Ts (e.g., set temperature T4) is high, such as for a stir-fry cooking menu, at 150°C or higher, the set temperature T5 when the lid is closed can be changed to be lower than the set temperature T4 when the lid is open, thereby preventing parts such as the handle 50 from becoming excessively hot.

Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the specific manual cooking menu includes a second manual cooking menu (e.g., manual cooking menu C), and when the heating intensity of the second manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity (e.g., "high"), the control unit 11 applies, based on the detection result of the lid open/close detection means 150, a first setting that sets the set temperature T9 when the lid is closed lower than the set temperature T8 when the lid is open, or a second setting that sets the set temperature T12 when the lid is open lower than the set temperature T13 when the lid is closed. With this cooker 2, it is possible to switch between the first and second settings depending on various conditions.

Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, the control unit 11 switches between the first setting and the second setting depending on the target ingredient of the second manual cooking menu (e.g., manual cooking menu C). With this cooking appliance 2, ingredient X, which contains a lot of moisture including starch and oil, is likely to boil over when cooked with the lid closed, whereas ingredient Y, which is highly viscous such as jam, is likely to splash when cooked with the lid open. By switching between the first setting and the second setting depending on the characteristics of ingredients X and Y, an appropriate set temperature Ts can be applied depending on the target ingredient.

Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the second manual cooking menu (e.g., manual cooking menu C) includes a simmering menu for simmering ingredients X and Y. With this cooking device 2, the target ingredients for simmering include curry, jam, etc., so by switching between the first setting and the second setting depending on the type of ingredient, an appropriate set temperature Ts can be applied for the target ingredient.

In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, the first heating intensity (e.g., "high") is the highest heating intensity among multiple selectable heating intensities (e.g., "high," "medium," and "low"). With such a cooking appliance 2, when the highest heating intensity is set, certain parts such as the handle 50 may become excessively hot, and ingredients may easily boil over or splash. In such a situation, a more appropriate setting temperature Ts can be applied by changing the setting temperature Ts depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, when a third manual cooking menu (e.g., manual cooking menu A) different from the specific manual cooking menus B and C is selected, the control unit 11 uses the same set temperatures T1, T2, and T3 for each heating intensity (e.g., "high," "medium," or "low") set in the operation unit 6, regardless of the detection result of the lid open/closed detection means 150. With this cooking device 2, control can be executed that does not change the set temperature Ts depending on the open/closed state of the lid 10, even for manual cooking menus that support both lid-closed cooking and lid-open cooking.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the temperature sensor 7 is provided in the main body 8 and detects the temperature of the container 4. With this cooking device 2, by detecting the temperature of the container 4, the temperature of the food ingredients stored in the container 4 can be accurately estimated.

Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, when the heating intensity for specific manual cooking menus B and C is set to the first intensity (e.g., "high"), the set temperatures T4, T5, T8, T9, T12, and T13 are 100°C or higher. With this cooking appliance 2, cooking is performed at high temperatures, which can lead to problems depending on the type of cooking menu and the ingredients being cooked (overflow, splashing, overheating of the handle 50, etc.). However, by changing the set temperature Ts depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed, these problems can be resolved.

The invention of the present disclosure has been described above using the above-mentioned embodiments, but the invention of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the heating intensity is described as having three levels: "strong," "medium," and "weak." However, this is not a limitation, and any level of two or more levels may be used.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the set temperature Ts is changed depending on the open/closed state of the lid 10 only when the heating intensity is "high," and the set temperature Ts is not changed when the heating intensity is "medium" or "low." However, this is not a limitation. For example, the set temperature Ts may be changed in the same way when the heating intensity is "medium" as well as when it is "high," or the set temperature Ts may be changed for multiple heating intensities.

In the above embodiment, the temperature sensor 7 measures the temperature at the bottom of the container 4, but this is not limiting and the temperature may be measured at any position on the container 4. For example, a temperature sensor attached to the lid 10 may be used as the temperature detection unit to measure the temperature at the top of the container 4.

In the above embodiment, the heater drive power Ws is not changed depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed, but this is not limited to the case. The heater drive power Ws may also be changed in accordance with a change in the set temperature Ts. In this case, the heater drive power Ws may also be changed to a relatively lower value in accordance with a relatively lower set temperature Ts.

While the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom. Furthermore, changes in the combination and order of elements in each embodiment may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Any of the various modifications of the above embodiment can be combined appropriately to achieve the effects of each.

This disclosure is applicable to any cooking appliance that heats and cooks food.

2 Cooking device 4 Container 6 Operation unit 7 Temperature sensor (temperature detection unit)
8 Main body 9 Heater (heating part)
10 Lid 11 Control unit 150 Lid open/close detection means Ts Set temperature Ws Heater driving power

Claims (13)

A container for storing ingredients;
a main body that houses the container;
a lid disposed above the container and capable of being opened and closed;
a heating unit that heats the container;
a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature;
a lid opening/closing detection means for detecting whether the lid is open or closed;
an operation unit for a user to select and operate a cooking menu;
a control unit that controls the heating unit to a predetermined set temperature based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit in accordance with the cooking menu selected by the operation unit,
The cooking menu selectable by the operation unit includes a manual cooking menu that allows a user to set a heating intensity,
When the cooking menu selected by the operation unit is a specific manual cooking menu and the heating intensity of the manual cooking menu is set to a first heating intensity, the control unit changes the set temperature based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means, unlike when the heating intensity is set to a second heating intensity lower than the first heating intensity , and when the heating intensity of the specific manual cooking menu is set to the second heating intensity, the control unit uses the same set temperature regardless of the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means . The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein when the heating intensity for the specific manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity, the control unit, when setting the set temperature relatively low based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means, sets the set temperature to a temperature equal to or higher than the set temperature when the heating intensity is set to the second heating intensity. The heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein the driving power of the heating unit when set to the first heating intensity is higher than the driving power of the heating unit when set to the second heating intensity. the specific manual cooking menu includes a first manual cooking menu,
2. The heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein, when the heating intensity of the first manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity, the control unit changes the set temperature when the lid is closed to be lower than the set temperature when the lid is open, based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means. The cooking device according to claim 4 , wherein the first manual cooking menu includes at least one of a stir-fry cooking menu for stir-frying the ingredients and a simmering cooking menu for simmering the ingredients. The cooking device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit sets the set temperature for the first manual cooking menu at the time of lid opening to 150° C. or higher. the specific manual cooking menu includes a second manual cooking menu,
2. The heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein, when the heating intensity of the second manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity, the control unit applies, based on the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means, a first setting that makes the set temperature when the lid is closed lower than the set temperature when the lid is open, or a second setting that makes the set temperature when the lid is open lower than the set temperature when the lid is closed. The cooking device according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit switches between the first setting and the second setting depending on the target ingredients of the second manual cooking menu. The cooking device according to claim 7 , wherein the second manual cooking menu includes a reducing cooking menu for reducing the ingredients. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein the first heating intensity is the highest heating intensity among multiple selectable heating intensities. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein when a third manual cooking menu different from the specific manual cooking menu is selected, the control unit uses the same set temperature for each heating intensity set in the operation unit regardless of the detection result of the lid opening/closing detection means. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection unit is provided in the main body and detects the temperature of the container. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the set temperature when the heating intensity for the specific manual cooking menu is set to the first heating intensity is 100 degrees or higher.