Food processor

Abstract

Food processor including: main body case, inside can be inserted installation dry barrel; Cover, one side rotatably connected to the main body case; Discharge path, installed in the main body case or cover, communicate dry barrel and external space; Power supply part, installed in the main body case; Heater, installed in the main body case, according to the first control signal heating action; Discharge fan, installed in the discharge path, according to the second control signal forced fluid flow; Stirring motor, installed in the main body case, according to the third control signal rotates the stirring blade of the stirring part installed in the dry barrel; Control unit, installed in the main body case, activated by the power supply of the power supply part, respectively control heater, discharge fan and stirring motor to execute food processing process, execute food quantity judgment process when executing food processing process, calculate the cumulative value of each reference time of the power applied to the heater, judge the amount of food contained in the dry barrel based on the cumulative value of each reference time of the calculated power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to food processors, and more particularly to food processors that perform food processing procedures including drying and pulverizing processes, and can determine the amount of food to be processed by using the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, a food processor is a device that processes food by drying, mixing, and pulverizing it, and may include a pulverizing device for mixing and pulverizing food. Furthermore, a food processor includes a heating element with a heater that applies heat to the pulverizing device to dry the food inside the pulverizing device.

[0003] Existing food processors suffer from several problems. While performing drying and grinding processes, they often fail to accurately determine the end times for each step, leading to prolonged execution times and high power consumption. The end times for each process are related to the point where the food weight reduction rate reaches its maximum. For example, assuming a food weight of 1 kg and a moisture content of 80%, a reduction of 0.8 kg represents an 80% weight reduction. At this 80% reduction rate, most of the moisture has evaporated, making further drying or grinding insufficient for further moisture evaporation. Because existing food processors cannot accurately determine the appropriate end times, they continue heating to further reduce moisture even when the weight reduction rate is at its maximum, thus extending the execution time of each process and increasing power consumption.

[0004] Furthermore, to determine the weight loss rate of this food, existing food processors can use weight sensors, moisture sensors that directly contact the food to measure moisture content, or humidity sensors that measure the humidity in the air to determine the weight loss rate. However, applying these methods to food processors presents challenges. For example, weight sensors are greatly affected by external impacts, vibrations or shaking caused by the rotation of the mixing motor, resulting in very low accuracy. Moisture sensors face difficulties in their structure, such as the difficulty in connecting the electrodes inside the drying chamber, and the difficulty in achieving insulation between the heater and the moisture sensor due to the heater-food-moisture sensor contact sequence. This also leads to the problem of the strong force exerted on the moisture sensor by the food being pulverized, making it prone to damage. Finally, humidity sensors are significantly affected by atmospheric humidity and the temperature inside the drying chamber, resulting in low accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Technical problems to be solved

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a food processor that performs a food processing process including a drying process and a pulverizing process, and determines the amount of food to be processed by using the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time, and performs the drying process, the pulverizing process and the cooling process sequentially by using the determined amount of food.

[0007] means of solving technical problems

[0008] The food processor of the present invention includes: a main body shell with an opening at the top for inserting and mounting a drying barrel; a lid rotatably connected to the main body shell on one side for opening and closing the upper side of the drying barrel; and a discharge path installed on the main body shell or the lid, connecting the drying barrel to an external space. The food processor further includes: a power supply unit installed on the main body shell; a heater installed on the main body shell, which performs heating operations according to a first control signal from a control unit; a discharge fan installed on the discharge path, which forces fluid flow according to a second control signal from the control unit; and a stirring motor. Installed inside the main body housing, the stirring blades of the stirring unit installed in the drying barrel are rotated according to the third control signal from the control unit; and the control unit, which is installed in the main body housing, is activated by the power supplied from the power unit and controls the heater, exhaust fan and stirring motor to perform the food processing process, and performs a food quantity determination process during the food processing process. During the food quantity determination process, the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time is calculated, and the amount of food contained in the drying barrel is determined based on the cumulative value of the power per reference time calculated above.

[0009] Invention Effects

[0010] According to the present invention, a food processing process including a drying step and a pulverizing step is performed, and the amount of food to be processed is determined by using the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time. After determining the end time point of the drying step by using the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time, the pulverizing step is performed. The end time point of the pulverizing step, which reflects the determined amount of food and the cumulative value of the power per reference time, is accurately determined. This has the effect of achieving the target reduction rate with less energy, and of selectively performing a fast mode that processes food faster than the standard mode and a standard mode that achieves a larger target reduction rate than the fast mode. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a simplified vertical cross-sectional view of the food processor according to the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 yes Figure 1Diagram of the control structure of a food processor.

[0013] Figure 3 It is a graph showing the relationship between the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time and the heating action time for each different amount of food.

[0014] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0015] 10: Main body shell 20: Cover Detailed Implementation

[0016] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a simplified vertical cross-sectional view of the food processor according to the present invention. The food processor is configured to include: a drying chamber shell 12, which is open at the top and into which a drying chamber 50 can be inserted and installed; a main body shell 10, on which the drying chamber shell 12 is installed, having a first discharge path P1 communicating with the interior of the drying chamber shell 12 and the drying chamber 50, and a second discharge path P2 communicating with the first discharge path P1 and the external space; and a cover 20, one side of which is rotatably connected to the main body shell 10 via a hinge 22, for opening and closing the upper side of the drying chamber shell 12 or the drying chamber 50 of the main body shell 10.

[0018] The main body shell 10 has a cover support portion 14 extending downward from the top on the upper side, and a through hole 14a is formed between the cover support portion 14 and the drying barrel shell 12. In addition, the main body shell 10 has a fixing frame 16 on the lower side of the cover support portion 14 so that the opening portion is accommodated inside the main body shell 10.

[0019] The lid 20 is rotated around the hinge 22 by external force, thereby opening or closing the upper side of the opening of the drying barrel outer shell 12 or the drying barrel 50. The lid 20 has a lid connecting part 24 and a lid inner part 26. The lid connecting part 24 is supported by the lid support part 14 on one side of the lid 20 when the lid is closed, and a hook-shaped structure formed at one end contacts or is located above the lid support part 14 in front of the through hole 14a when the lid is closed. The lid inner part 26 faces the drying barrel 50 and is at least partially in contact with it on the lower side of the lid 20 when the lid 20 is closed. Even when the lid 20 is moved in the closed state and attached to the main body shell 10, the drying barrel shell 12 is still in a fluid (or air) movable manner connected to the external space and the first discharge path P1 respectively. It is not sealed to the upper side of the opening of the drying barrel 50 by the inner side 26 of the lid. The receiving space S1 of the drying barrel 50 is in a fluid (or air) movable manner connected to the external space and the first discharge path P1 respectively. The first discharge path P1 is connected to the external space through a second discharge path P2 connected to the external space. As another embodiment, the food processor may also have a discharge path formed in the lid 20 for connecting the receiving space S1 of the drying barrel 50 and the external space.

[0020] The food processor has a lid opening part inside the main body shell 10. When the lid 20 is in the closed state, it is locked in the lid engagement part 24, thereby keeping the lid 20 in the closed state. By releasing the lock in the lid engagement part 24, the lid 20 becomes open.

[0021] The opening portion can be configured to include a clamp 32 and an elastic member 34. The clamp 32 has an opening button 30 exposed to the outside through a through hole 10a in the main body housing 10 and is located between the main body housing 10 and the fixing frame 16. The elastic member 34 is located between the clamp 32 and the fixing frame 16 and elastically supports the clamp 32. The upper side of the clamp 32 has a locking portion 32a that can be engaged with the cover joint portion 24 through the through hole 14a. In the absence of external force, the clamp 32 is subjected to an outward force by the elastic force of the elastic member 34 to expose the opening button 30 to the outside.

[0022] Furthermore, during the process of changing the cover 20 from the open state to the closed state, the cover joint 24 presses downward against the locking part 32a, causing the cover joint 24 to move along the inclined surface of the locking part 32a. At the same time, the clamp 32 compresses the elastic member 34 towards the center of the main body shell 10. When the cover joint 24 is supported by or approaches the cover support part 14 after passing the inclined surface of the locking part 32a, the elastic member 34 expands. As a result, the clamp 32 is pushed outward by the elastic force of the elastic member 34, thereby causing the locking part 32a to move towards the outer side of the main body shell 10, and the locking part 32a is locked against the cover joint 24, thus the cover 20 becomes closed.

[0023] Conversely, when the cover 20 is closed, pressing the cover opening button 30 towards the center of the main body shell 10 with external force releases the locking part 32a from the cover joint 24, thereby opening the cover 20 and turning it into an open state.

[0024] The food processor has a locking device 40 within the main housing 10, between the opening portion and the fixed frame 16, to restrict the movement of the opening portion, so that the opening button 30 can be pressed by external force when the lid 20 is closed. The locking device 40 is configured to include a blocking portion 42 that can enter the space between the clamp 32 and the fixed frame 16 and can disengage from that space, as well as a control portion (…). Figure 2 The drive unit (e.g., a solenoid) controls the movement of the blocking part 42, which moves the blocking part 32 into the space between the clamp 32 and the fixed frame 16, or moves the blocking part 42 out of the space between the clamp 32 and the fixed frame 16. When the blocking part 42 is in the space between the clamp 32 and the fixed frame 16, even if an external force is applied to the cover opening button 30 in the center direction of the main body housing 10, the clamp 32 will not be pushed towards the center direction of the main body housing 10, that is, the action of the cover opening part is restricted, thereby maintaining the locking part 32a locked to the cover engagement part 24 (cover locked state). Conversely, when the blocking part 42 is out of the space between the clamp 32 and the fixed frame 16, the cover is unlocked by external force, which can release the locking part 32a from the cover engagement part 24.

[0025] The food processor has a drying container 50, which is detachably housed in the drying container shell 12 for holding the food to be processed.

[0026] The drying container 50 includes a receiving space S1 with an upper opening for containing food, a rotatable stirring blade 52 disposed on the bottom surface within the receiving space S1, and a cutting bracket 54 fixedly mounted on the inner side of the receiving space S1. The stirring blade 52 is configured to include at least one blade 52a formed at the center of the bottom surface of the drying container 50 and rotating thereon, extending from the center of the bottom surface of the drying container 50 toward the inner side of the receiving space S1. When the stirring blade 52 rotates, the blade 52a moves above or below the cutting bracket 54, thereby stirring and pulverizing the food. In this invention, the stirring blade 52 and the cutting bracket 54 are referred to as the stirring part mounted on the drying container 50.

[0027] The food processor is configured to include a connecting part 60 and a stirring motor 62. The connecting part 60 is installed inside the main housing 10 and is a power transmission component. It is separated from or connected to a drying tank connector 51 formed on the bottom surface of the stirring blade 52, penetrating the bottom surface of the drying tank housing 12. This allows the rotational force of the stirring motor 62 to be transmitted to the stirring blade 52. The stirring motor 62 is controlled by a control unit (…). Figure 2 The 200) control causes the connecting part 60 to rotate forward, reverse, or stop. That is, the stirring motor 62 causes the stirring blades 52 of the stirring part to rotate forward, reverse, or stop via the connecting part 60, thereby performing stirring and pulverizing operations.

[0028] The food processor is configured to include a heater 70 and a first temperature sensing unit 72, wherein the heater 70 is mounted on the drying drum housing 12 and controlled by a control unit ( Figure 2 Under the control of the 200), the heating operation is performed. After the first temperature sensing unit 72 senses the temperature of the heater 70, it applies the first sensed temperature T1 to the control unit ( Figure 2 (200). The heater 70 is installed in contact with the lower side of the drying barrel shell 12, and the heat energy generated by the heating action of the heater 70 is transferred to the drying barrel 50.

[0029] Furthermore, the food processor is configured to include an exhaust fan 80 installed in a space S2 within the first exhaust path P1 to forcibly generate fluid flow, and a control unit that applies a second sensed temperature T2 to the space S2 within the first exhaust path P1 after sensing its temperature. Figure 2 The second temperature sensing unit 82 of the 200).

[0030] Furthermore, the food processor is configured to include a deodorizing filter 90 and an outlet 92. The deodorizing filter 90 is installed in the space S3 within the second discharge path P2, and performs a deodorizing function on the fluid flowing into the second discharge path P2 before discharging it. The outlet 92 is installed on the main housing 10 and is formed at the end of the second discharge path P2. The first discharge path P1 extends from top to bottom, and the second discharge path P2 extends from bottom to top, and the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2 are connected to each other.

[0031] Furthermore, the food processor is configured to include a water receiving section 100, which is located below the space connecting the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2, and is detachable from the main body housing 10. The water receiving section 100 is used to store water generated from the condensation of steam in the fluids discharged through the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2.

[0032] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Diagram of the control structure of a food processor.

[0033] The food processor comprises a lid locking device 40, a stirring motor 62, a heater 70, an exhaust fan 80, a first temperature sensing unit 72 and a second temperature sensing unit 82, each controlled by a control unit 200, which apply a first sensing temperature T1 and a second sensing temperature T2 to the control unit 200 respectively; an input unit 110 that receives user input (e.g., start processing, end processing, cancel processing, add food, etc.) and applies it to the control unit 200; a display unit 112 that displays information about the food processing process applied from the control unit 200 in a visual or audible manner; a power supply unit 114 that supplies power to the control unit 200, etc.; and a main body housing 10 or lid 20 that senses when the lid 20 is opened. The system comprises an open / close sensing unit 116 that applies an open / close sensing signal to the control unit 200 after the device is in an open / closed state, and a control device consisting of the control unit 200, etc. The control unit 200 is activated by power supplied from the power supply unit 114, and controls each of the aforementioned components to perform a food processing process (including a drying process, a pulverizing process, and a cooling process, etc.). It determines the end time of the drying process and the amount of food to be processed (food quantity) using the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater 70 per reference time, and determines the end time of the pulverizing process, reflecting the determined amount of food and the cumulative value of the power per reference time, thereby sequentially executing the drying process, the pulverizing process, and the cooling process. The control device is mounted on the main body housing 10 or the cover 20. It should be noted that the input unit 110, display unit 112, power supply unit 114, and open / close sensing unit 116 are technologies known to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and therefore their detailed description is omitted.

[0034] In this embodiment, it should be understood that the food is also being pulverized during the drying process, and the food is also being dried during the pulverization process.

[0035] The control unit 200 stores at least one target temperature included in the food processing process. By applying a first control signal to the heater 70 or cutting off the application of the first control signal, the first sensed temperature T1 reaches and maintains the stored target temperature or each target temperature, thereby performing the food processing process.

[0036] In this invention, the first control signal applied to the heater 70 is a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal that includes a HIGH (ON) interval and a LOW (OFF) interval within a preset period. The control unit 200 changes the duty cycle of the first control signal, thereby adjusting the output power of the heater 70.

[0037] Furthermore, during food processing, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 or prevents the application of the second control signal, thereby controlling the rotation and stopping of the exhaust fan 80. In this invention, the second control signal applied to the exhaust fan 80 is a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal that includes a HIGH (on) interval and a LOW (off) interval within a preset period. By changing the duty cycle of the second control signal, the control unit 200 can adjust the speed (or rotation speed) of the exhaust fan 80.

[0038] Furthermore, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal to the stirring motor 62 or prevents the application of the third control signal during food processing, thereby controlling the stirring action of the stirring motor 62. In this embodiment, the stirring action is a sequence of forward rotation, stop, reverse rotation, and stop. The control unit 200 can variably adjust the execution time of each of the forward rotation, stop, reverse rotation, and stop actions using the third control signal.

[0039] Furthermore, when performing the food processing process, the control unit 200 uses the cumulative value F_Wh of the electricity applied to the heater 70 per reference time period to determine the amount of food to be processed and the end time of the food processing process (especially the drying and pulverizing processes). During food processing, as the heating action of the heater 70 reduces the moisture content of the food, the electricity required to maintain the preset target temperature varies depending on the amount of food. Therefore, the control unit 200 can determine the amount of food reflecting the electricity applied to the heater 70. Furthermore, during food processing, as the heating action of the heater 70 reduces the moisture content of the food, the moisture content of the food in the drying chamber also decreases, and the electricity required to maintain the preset target temperature also decreases. Therefore, the control unit 200 can determine the end time of the food processing process reflecting the electricity applied to the heater 70. In particular, when both the determined amount of food and the electricity applied to the heater 70 are reflected, the control unit 200 can more accurately determine the end time of the food processing process. The control unit 200 utilizes this cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time period, which reflects the characteristics of the electricity.

[0040] First, the process of calculating the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time will be explained. The first control signal applied by the control unit 200 to the heater 70 is a PWM signal. Using the on-time of the first control signal during the reference time (e.g., 10 minutes) and the output power of the heater 70, the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is calculated according to the following mathematical formula 1.

[0041] [Mathematical Expression 1]

[0042]

[0043] In Formula 1, the unit of output power of heater 70 is watts (W), and the unit of time for the on-time interval is hours (h). For example, if the output power of heater 70 is 630W and the on-time interval during a reference time (e.g., 10 minutes) is 377 seconds, the on-time interval is (377 ÷ 3600). Therefore, using Formula 1, control unit 200 can calculate the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, as 66Wh. In this way, control unit 200 calculates and stores the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, for each reference time. In this invention, 10 minutes is used as the reference time, but other times can be selected or changed as the reference time.

[0044] First, the process by which the control unit 200 determines the amount of food to be processed using the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity over each reference time will be explained. (Refer to...) Figure 3 Explain in detail the process of determining the amount of food.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a graph showing the relationship between the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time and the heating action time for each different food quantity. Figure 3 The X-axis represents the heating action time (in minutes), and the Y-axis represents the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh (in Wh). In this invention, the heating action time is the execution time of the drying process accompanied by the heating action performed by the heater 70, or the execution time of the drying process and the pulverizing process.

[0046] This graph illustrates a process where the control unit 200 applies a first control signal to the heater 70 after the drying process is performed, reaching and maintaining a target temperature (e.g., 140°C). The heater 70 has an output power of 630W, and the food being processed is standard food waste (compliant with Table 4 of the Environmental Labelling Standard EL767). The moisture content of standard food is typically 80%. The first graph in the first embodiment shows a food quantity (or weight) of 100g, the second graph in the second embodiment shows a food quantity of 500g, and the third graph in the third embodiment shows a food quantity of 1000g.

[0047] As the heating time increases, the moisture contained in the food is released as steam, thereby reducing the moisture content of the food. Furthermore, as can be seen from the graphs of each of the first to third embodiments, with the same heating time, the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, varies depending on the amount of food. Figure 3 As shown, with the same heating time, the smaller the amount of food, the smaller the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh; conversely, with the same cumulative value of electricity per reference time, the larger the amount of food, the larger the amount of food, the larger the heating time. Reflecting this characteristic between the amount of food, the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, and the heating time, the control unit 200 determines the amount of food by using the relationship between the amount of food and the heating time until the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, reaches the reference cumulative value R_Wh used to determine the amount of food, as shown in Table 1.

[0048] [Table 1]

[0049]

[0050] like Figure 3As shown, the heating action time required for the cumulative power F_Wh per reference time to reach the reference cumulative value R_Wh varies depending on the amount of food, and this difference is included in the relationships in Table 1. Here, the reference cumulative value R_Wh is the cumulative power required to transition from a food with high moisture content (e.g., porridge) to a less moist state (e.g., dough), and is a value where there is a significant difference in heating action time depending on the amount of food, for example, 28Wh.

[0051] In addition, Figure 3 In the graph, for the same amount of food, the cumulative power consumption F_Wh per reference time decreases as the heating time increases. This is because the specific heat of water is greater than that of other food components, so the power output required to the food decreases as the water evaporates. Therefore, the control unit 200 can use the cumulative power consumption F_Wh per reference time to determine whether the food weight reduction rate has reached an appropriate reduction rate, i.e., a target reduction rate (e.g., 80%, 75%). Utilizing the relationship between the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, and the food weight reduction rate, the control unit 200 determines the end score proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value of electricity per reference time when the cumulative value of electricity per reference time, F_Wh, falls below the maximum value F_Wh_max used to calculate the end score. The control unit then calculates the sum of the determined end scores. If the sum of the end scores is above the reference end score, it can be determined that the target weight reduction rate has been achieved, thus determining the end time of the food processing process. Furthermore, the control unit 200 uses different maximum values ​​F_Wh_max depending on the amount of food, thereby optimizing the end time of the food processing process based on the amount of food. This avoids situations where the weight reduction rate fails to reach the target rate due to insufficient heating time or excessive heating time leads to excessive energy consumption and delayed end of the food processing process, even with varying food quantities. In short, the control unit 200 can achieve the target weight reduction rate while reducing energy consumption, allowing the food processing process to end at an appropriate time. The process of determining the end point of the food processing procedure is described in further detail below.

[0052] The process of determining the amount of food needs to be performed before the process of determining the end time of the heating action in the food processing process (i.e., the end time of the crushing step 2). Therefore, the baseline cumulative value R_Wh used to determine the amount of food is set to be greater than the highest value F_Wh_max used to determine the end score.

[0053] In this invention, the control unit 200 applies a first control signal to the heater 70 to start the heating operation, and repeatedly calculates and stores the cumulative value F_Wh of the power per reference time during the heating operation.

[0054] In this invention, during the food processing, the control unit 200 may execute only a standard mode targeting a first target weight reduction rate (e.g., 80% or more), or it may execute either a standard mode or a rapid mode, wherein the rapid mode targets a second target weight reduction rate (a target weight reduction rate less than the first target weight reduction rate, e.g., 75%). The control unit 200 stores a first target temperature TT1_1 for the drying process, a second target temperature TT1_2 for the pulverizing process, and a third target temperature TT1_3 for the cooling process in the standard mode, and stores a first target temperature TT2_1 for the drying process, a second target temperature TT2_2 for the pulverizing process, and a third target temperature TT2_3 for the cooling process in the rapid mode.

[0055] The control unit 200 obtains the user's mode selection input, choosing between standard mode and quick mode, through the input unit 110, and selectively executes either standard mode or quick mode. Each of standard mode and quick mode is described in detail below.

[0056] First, the standard mode of the food processing procedure executed by the control unit 200 will be explained. The standard mode includes the procedures shown in Table 2. The food processing procedure begins when the user puts the food to be processed into the drying container 50, opens the lid 20, inserts the drying container 50 into the drying container outer shell 12, and then closes the lid 20. The power supply unit 114 supplies power to the control unit 200 and the like, and the lid lock implemented by the lid locking device 40 is released (hereinafter referred to as the "initial state").

[0057] The standard pattern of food processing includes preservation, drying, grinding, and cooling processes.

[0058] During the preservation process, the control unit 200 receives the start processing input (or start heating action input) from the input unit 110, and then sequentially executes the drying process, the pulverizing process, and the cooling process. It should be noted that the preservation process and the cooling process can be executed selectively, respectively.

[0059] [Table 2]

[0060]

[0061] First, the control unit 200 executes the preservation process. During the preservation process, it prevents the application of a first control signal to the heater 70, stops the heating action, and maintains the lid-locked state achieved by the unlocked lid device 40, allowing the user to add more food to be processed. A third control signal for the first stirring action is applied to the stirring motor 62, causing it to repeatedly perform the first stirring action during the preservation process. In this embodiment, the first direction is clockwise, the second direction is counterclockwise, and the first stirring action is a sequence of rotation in the first direction (50 seconds), stop (10 seconds), rotation in the second direction (50 seconds), and stop (7090 seconds). The operating rate of the stirring motor 62 (rotation time ÷ cycle of the first stirring action × 100) is 1.4%, and the first stirring action of the stirring motor 62 prevents the food from hardening.

[0062] Furthermore, during the preservation process, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a low speed (e.g., 1400 rpm) to maintain the rotation speed at a low speed, thereby discharging the odor-containing fluid discharged from the food in the drying barrel 50 through the first exhaust path P1 and the second exhaust path P2 while simultaneously deodorizing.

[0063] Secondly, during the preservation process, the control unit 200 receives a start processing input (or start heating action input) from the input unit 110 and then begins the drying process. In the drying process, the control unit 200 executes a drying process that sequentially includes a drying process 1 (or the first half of the drying process) and a drying process 2 (or the second half of the drying process). In the drying process 1, a first control signal is applied to the heater 70 to bring the first sensed temperature T1 to the first target temperature TT1_1 of the drying process (e.g., 140°C). In the drying process 2, after the first sensed temperature T1 reaches the first target temperature TT1_1, the first control signal is continuously applied to the heater 70 to maintain the first sensed temperature T1 at the first target temperature TT1_1 of the drying process. In this embodiment, the execution time of the drying process 1 is a fixed time, i.e., 30 minutes, and the execution time of the drying process 2 is a maximum of 100 minutes. During the execution of drying step 2, when the first termination condition is met or the execution time reaches 100 minutes, the control unit 200 terminates drying step 2 and begins the pulverization step; otherwise, drying step 2 continues, while simultaneously determining whether the first termination condition is met. The first termination condition is described in detail below.

[0064] When the drying process begins, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the cap locking device 40 to lock the cap.

[0065] Furthermore, in the drying step 1, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the second stirring action to the stirring motor 62, causing the stirring motor 62 to repeatedly perform the second stirring action during the drying step 1. In this embodiment, the second stirring action is an action of rotating in the first direction (40 seconds), stopping (28 seconds), rotating in the second direction (40 seconds), and stopping (28 seconds) in sequence, and the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 (rotation time ÷ cycle of the second stirring action × 100) is 58.8%. The focus of the drying step 1 is on the drying effect, so the control unit 200 controls the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 to be relatively low.

[0066] Furthermore, in the drying step 1, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a medium speed (e.g., 2600 rpm) to maintain the rotation speed at a medium speed, thereby deodorizing the fluid discharged from the food inside the drying drum 50 as it is discharged through the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2. In the drying step 1, the drying drum 50 is heated, generating a large amount of fluid including steam, so the control unit 200 controls the exhaust fan 80 to maintain a higher speed than the exhaust fan 80 in the preservation step.

[0067] Furthermore, after the drying step 1 is completed for 30 minutes, the control unit 200 executes the drying step 2. In the drying step 2, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal to the stirring motor 62 for a third stirring action, causing the stirring motor 62 to repeatedly perform a third stirring action during the drying step 2. In this embodiment, the third stirring action is a sequence of rotation in the first direction (50 seconds), stop (5 seconds), rotation in the second direction (50 seconds), and stop (5 seconds), with the stirring motor 62 operating at a rate (rotation time ÷ cycle of the third stirring action × 100) of 90.9%. As the amount of fluid generated in the drying step 2 increases, the control unit 200 controls the stirring motor 62 in the drying step to operate at a higher rate than the stirring motor 62 in the drying step 1, thereby heating the food more evenly.

[0068] Furthermore, in the drying step 2, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a medium speed (e.g., 2600 rpm) to maintain the rotation speed at a medium speed, thereby deodorizing the fluid discharged from the food inside the drying drum 50 as it is discharged through the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2. In the drying step 2, the drying drum 50 is heated, generating a large amount of fluid including steam, so the control unit 200 controls the exhaust fan 80 to maintain a higher speed than the exhaust fan 80 in the preservation step.

[0069] Furthermore, the first termination condition used to determine the end time of the drying step 2 corresponds to the condition used to determine the food state (e.g., the food is crispy) where the moisture content in the food has significantly decreased, allowing the pulverization step to be performed. The food state is, for example, a reduction rate of 60%. As described above, the control unit 200 can utilize the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time. The control unit 200 stores a reference termination value R_F_Wh corresponding to a reduction rate of 60%. If the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is less than or equal to the reference termination value R_F_Wh, the control unit 200 determines that the first termination condition has been met and begins the pulverization process; otherwise, the drying step 2 is performed, while simultaneously determining whether the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is less than or equal to the reference termination value R_F_Wh. In this embodiment, the reference termination value R_F_Wh is, for example, 28Wh.

[0070] Next, the control unit 200 finishes the drying process and then begins the pulverizing process. The pulverizing process includes pulverizing process 1 (or the first half of the pulverizing process) and pulverizing process 2 (the second half of the pulverizing process), in which the operating rate is controlled to be higher than that of the stirring motor 62 in pulverizing process 1.

[0071] In each of the crushing processes, crushing step 1 and crushing step 2, the control unit 200 applies a first control signal to the heater 70 to maintain the first sensed temperature T1 at the second target temperature TT1_2 of the crushing process. In this embodiment, the second target temperature TT1_2 of the crushing process is 140°C.

[0072] In this embodiment, the execution time of the crushing process 1 is a fixed time, i.e., 20 minutes, and the execution time of the crushing process 2 is a maximum of 570 minutes. During the execution of the crushing process 2, when the second termination condition is met or the execution time reaches 570 minutes, the control unit 200 terminates the crushing process 2 and begins the cooling process; otherwise, the crushing process 2 continues to be executed, while simultaneously determining whether the second termination condition is met. The second termination condition will be described in detail later.

[0073] During the crushing process, the control unit 200 controls the lid locking device 40 to maintain the lid locked.

[0074] In the pulverizing step 1, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the fourth stirring action to the stirring motor 62, causing the stirring motor 62 to repeatedly perform the fourth stirring action during the pulverizing step 1. In this embodiment, the fourth stirring action is an action of rotating in the first direction (85 seconds), stopping (5 seconds), rotating in the second direction (85 seconds), and stopping (5 seconds) in sequence, and the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 (rotation time ÷ cycle of the fourth stirring action × 100) is 94.4%. By controlling the stirring motor 62 to operate at a higher rate than the stirring motor 62 operating rate in the drying step, the stirring function of the stirring motor 62 is further activated.

[0075] Furthermore, in the pulverizing process 1, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a medium speed (e.g., 2600 rpm) to maintain the rotation speed at a medium speed, thereby deodorizing the fluid discharged from the food in the drying drum 50 as it is discharged through the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2.

[0076] After the first crushing process has been executed for 20 minutes, the control unit 200 will proceed to the second crushing process.

[0077] In the pulverizing step 2, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the fifth stirring action to the stirring motor 62, causing the stirring motor 62 to repeatedly perform the fifth stirring action during the pulverizing step 2. In this embodiment, the fifth stirring action is an action of rotating in the first direction (70 seconds), stopping (2 seconds), rotating in the second direction (70 seconds), and stopping (2 seconds) in sequence, and the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 (rotation time ÷ cycle of the fifth stirring action × 100) is 97.2%. In order to further improve the degree of pulverization compared to the pulverizing step 1, the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 in the pulverizing step is controlled to be greater. In addition, the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 in the pulverizing step is controlled to be greater than the operating rate of the stirring motor 62 in the drying step.

[0078] Furthermore, in the pulverizing step 2, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a low speed (e.g., 1400 rpm) to maintain the rotational speed at a low speed. Since the reduction in volume is approximately 60% or more in the pulverizing step 2, the amount of moisture evaporation is relatively small. Therefore, controlling the exhaust fan 80 at a low speed minimizes energy consumption due to heat dissipation.

[0079] Furthermore, the second termination condition used to determine the end time of the pulverizing process 2 is a condition used to determine whether the food weight reduction rate has reached the target weight reduction rate. As described above, when the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is below the maximum value F_Wh_max used to calculate the termination score, the control unit 200 determines the termination score in a manner proportional to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time. The determined termination scores are summed to calculate the total termination score. When the total calculated termination score is above the reference termination score, the second termination condition is determined to be met. Table 3 below shows an example of termination score data used by the control unit 200 to determine the termination score.

[0080] [Table 3]

[0081]

[0082] As shown in Table 3, when the food is in large quantities, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 24Wh. The end score is only assigned when the maximum value F_Wh_max is below. The end score gradually increases proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per base time. When the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per base time is below 20Wh, the same end score is set.

[0083] Furthermore, when the food quantity is moderate, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 22Wh. An ending score is only assigned when the maximum value F_Wh_max is below. The ending score gradually increases proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time. When the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is below 18Wh, the same ending score is set.

[0084] Furthermore, when the amount of food is small, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 20Wh, and an end score is assigned only when the maximum value F_Wh_max is below it. The end score gradually increases proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per base time. When the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per base time is below 16Wh, the same end score is set.

[0085] As shown in Table 3, for the end score data, a higher maximum value F_Wh_max is used proportionally to the amount of food, thereby optimizing the end time of the food processing process based on the amount of food.

[0086] Furthermore, the baseline end score is preset, for example, 10 in standard mode. Table 4 below shows an example of how the control unit 200 determines the end score, sums up the determined end scores to calculate the total end score, and then judges whether the second end condition is met.

[0087] [Table 4]

[0088]

[0089] Table 4 shows the results of performing the standard mode with a small food quantity of 100g and a heater output power of 630W. The cumulative power per reference time F_Wh for a heating action time of 10 minutes represents the cumulative power per reference time from 0 minutes to 10 minutes. The cumulative power per reference time F_Wh for a heating action time of 40 minutes represents the cumulative power per reference time from 30 minutes to 40 minutes. With a small food quantity, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 20Wh, so the end score is 0 at 40 minutes. However, when the heating action time is 50 minutes, the cumulative power per reference time F_Wh is 20Wh, so according to Table 3, the end score is determined to be 1, and the sum of the end scores is also 1. When the heating action time is 60 minutes, the cumulative power per reference time F_Wh is 18Wh, so according to Table 3, the end score is determined to be 2, and the sum of the end scores is 3. When the heating time is 70 minutes, the cumulative power consumption per base time, F_Wh, is 17Wh. Therefore, according to Table 3, the end score is determined to be 2, and the total end score is 5. When the heating time is 80 minutes, the cumulative power consumption per base time, F_Wh, is 15Wh. Therefore, according to Table 3, the end score is determined to be 3, and the total end score is 8. When the heating time is 90 minutes, the cumulative power consumption per base time, F_Wh, is 14Wh. Therefore, according to Table 3, the end score is determined to be 3, and the total end score is 11.

[0090] When calculating the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time, the control unit 200 determines the end score according to Table 3, calculates the sum of the end scores, and confirms whether the sum of the calculated end scores is above the reference end score to determine whether the second end condition is met. In Table 4, when the heating operation time is 90 minutes, the calculated sum of the end scores 11 is above the reference end score 10, so the control unit 200 determines that the second end condition is met, thereby ending the crushing 2 process and executing the cooling process.

[0091] After the crushing process is completed, the control unit 200 continuously performs the cooling process. The cooling process is to cool the drying drum 50 to reduce the risk of burns when the user handles the drying drum 50.

[0092] The control unit 200 starts the cooling process while controlling the cover locking device 40 to unlock the cover, and displays the cooling process being performed on the display unit 112.

[0093] During the cooling process, the control unit 200 prevents the application of a first control signal to the heater 70, stopping the heating operation. It also applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for high speed (e.g., 3000 rpm), changing the speed of the exhaust fan 80 to a high speed to maximize the rapid cooling of the drying drum 50. Furthermore, a third control signal is applied to the stirring motor 62 for a sixth stirring action, causing the stirring motor 62 to repeatedly perform the sixth stirring action to reduce the temperature inside the drying drum 50 and the temperature of the processed food. In this embodiment, the sixth stirring action is a sequence of forward rotation (50 seconds), stop (10 seconds), reverse rotation (50 seconds), and stop (10 seconds).

[0094] In this embodiment, the cooling process takes 120 minutes to complete. During the cooling process, if the third termination condition is met or the execution time reaches 120 minutes, the control unit 200 terminates the cooling process; otherwise, the cooling process continues, and the control unit simultaneously determines whether the third termination condition is met.

[0095] The third termination condition is used to determine whether the drying drum 50 has been sufficiently cooled, thus minimizing the risk of burns even if a user touches it. When the first sensed temperature T1 is below the third target temperature TT1_3 (e.g., 50°C) of the cooling process, the control unit 200 determines that the third termination condition has been met. The control unit 200 can also execute a storage mode after the cooling process has ended.

[0096] Furthermore, during the cooling process, when the control unit 200 receives an opening / closing sensing signal from the lid opening sensing unit 116 and determines that the lid 20 has been opened, it uses the display unit 112 to provide a visual or audible burn warning (e.g., "Please note that the drying drum is very hot!").

[0097] Next, the rapid mode of the food processing procedure executed by the control unit 200 will be explained. The rapid mode includes the procedures shown in Table 5. The food processing procedure begins from the initial state described above.

[0098] The rapid processing mode for food includes preservation, drying, pulverizing, and cooling steps. It should be noted that preservation and cooling steps can also be performed selectively.

[0099] [Table 5]

[0100]

[0101] First, the control unit 200 performs the saving process. The saving process in fast mode is the same as the saving process in standard mode.

[0102] Furthermore, during the preservation process, the control unit 200 ends the preservation process and executes the drying process after receiving the start processing input from the input unit 110. The control unit 200 executes a drying process that sequentially includes a drying process 1 and a drying process 2. In the drying process 1, a first control signal is applied to the heater 70 to make the first sensed temperature T1 reach the first target temperature TT2_1 of the drying process (e.g., 150°C). In the drying process 2, after the first sensed temperature T1 reaches the first target temperature TT2_1, the first control signal is continuously applied to the heater 70 to maintain the first sensed temperature T1 at the first target temperature TT2_1 of the drying process. In this embodiment, the execution time of the drying process 1 is a fixed time, i.e., 30 minutes, and the execution time of the drying process 2 is a maximum of 100 minutes. During the execution of the drying process 2, when the fourth termination condition is met or its execution time reaches 100 minutes, the control unit 200 ends the drying process 2 and starts the pulverization process; otherwise, the drying process 2 continues to be executed, while simultaneously determining whether the fourth termination condition is met. The fourth termination condition is described in detail below.

[0103] When the drying process begins, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the cap locking device 40 to lock the cap.

[0104] First, in the drying step 1, the control unit 200 applies a first control signal to the heater 70 to make the first sensed temperature T1 reach the first target temperature TT2_1 of the drying step. As another embodiment, during the initial reference time (e.g., 5 minutes) of the drying step 1, in order to minimize overshoot, the control unit 200 may also apply the first control signal to the heater 70 to make the first sensed temperature T1 reach a target temperature (e.g., 143°C) lower than the first target temperature TT2_1.

[0105] In the drying step 1, similar to the drying step 1 in the standard mode, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the second stirring action to the stirring motor 62, so that the stirring motor 62 repeatedly performs the second stirring action during the execution of the drying step 1.

[0106] Furthermore, in the drying process 1, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a high speed (e.g., 3000 rpm) to maintain the high rotation speed, thereby deodorizing the fluid discharged from the food in the drying drum 50 as it is discharged through the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2.

[0107] Furthermore, after the drying step 1 is executed for 30 minutes, the control unit 200 ends and then executes the drying step 2. In the drying step 2, the control unit 200 applies a first control signal to the heater 70 to maintain the first sensing temperature T1 at the first target temperature TT2_1 of the drying step.

[0108] In the drying step 2, similar to the drying step 2 in the standard mode, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the third stirring action to the stirring motor 62, so that the stirring motor 62 repeatedly performs the third stirring action during the execution of the drying step 2.

[0109] Furthermore, in the drying process 2, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a high speed (e.g., 3000 rpm) to maintain the high rotation speed, thereby deodorizing the fluid discharged from the food in the drying drum 50 as it is discharged through the first discharge path P1 and the second discharge path P2.

[0110] In order to make the drying performance of drying steps 1 and 2 in the fast mode higher than that in the standard mode, the first target temperature TT2_1 of drying steps 1 and 2 in the fast mode is set to be higher than the first target temperature TT1_1 of drying steps 1 and 2 in the standard mode, and the speed of the exhaust fan 80 of drying steps 1 and 2 in the fast mode is also set to be higher than that of the exhaust fan 80 of drying steps 1 and 2 in the standard mode.

[0111] The fourth termination condition is equivalent to the condition used to determine the food state (e.g., the food is crunchy) when the moisture content of the food has decreased significantly enough to allow for the pulverization process, and is the same as the first termination condition described above.

[0112] Next, the control unit 200 finishes the drying process and then begins the pulverizing process. The pulverizing process includes a pulverizing step 1 and a pulverizing step 2 in which the operating rate is controlled to be higher than that of the stirring motor 62 in the pulverizing step 1.

[0113] In each of the grinding steps 1 and 2, the control unit 200 applies a first control signal to the heater 70 to maintain the first sensed temperature T1 at the second target temperature TT2_2 of the grinding step. In the drying steps 1 and 2, even if the first target temperature TT2_1 is high, the temperature inside the drying chamber 50 will not rise significantly due to the high moisture content of the food. However, when the second target temperature TT2_2 in the grinding step is the same as the first target temperature TT2_1, the lower moisture content of the food poses a risk of the temperature inside the drying chamber 50 rising to a relatively high level. For this reason, in this embodiment, even if the second target temperature TT2_2 in the grinding step is 143°C lower than the first target temperature TT2_1, the temperature inside the drying chamber 50 is still sufficiently high, thus offering advantages in energy saving and the ability to cool more quickly to the third target temperature TT3_2 in the cooling step. As another embodiment, the second target temperature TT1_2 in the grinding step can also be 150°C, provided that the component heat resistance margin of the food processor allows.

[0114] In this embodiment, the execution time of the crushing process 1 is a fixed time, i.e., 20 minutes, and the execution time of the crushing process 2 is a maximum of 570 minutes. It should be noted that during the execution of the crushing process 2, when the fifth termination condition is met, the control unit 200 terminates the crushing process 2 and begins the cooling process; otherwise, the crushing process 2 continues to be executed, while simultaneously determining whether the fifth termination condition is met. The fifth termination condition is described in detail below.

[0115] During the crushing process, the control unit 200 controls the locking device 40 to maintain the lid locked.

[0116] In the pulverizing step 1, similar to the standard pulverizing step 1, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the fourth stirring action to the stirring motor 62, so that the stirring motor 62 repeatedly performs the fourth stirring action during the pulverizing step 1.

[0117] Furthermore, in the crushing step 1, similar to the crushing step 1 in the standard mode, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a medium speed (e.g., 2600 rpm) to maintain the rotation speed at a medium speed.

[0118] After the control unit 200 finishes the crushing process 1 after 20 minutes, it will then proceed with the crushing process 2.

[0119] In the pulverizing step 2, similar to the standard pulverizing step 2, the control unit 200 applies a third control signal for the fifth stirring action to the stirring motor 62, so that the stirring motor 62 repeatedly performs the fifth stirring action during the pulverizing step 2.

[0120] Furthermore, in the crushing step 2, similar to the crushing step 2 in the standard mode, the control unit 200 applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan 80 for a low speed (e.g., 1400 rpm) to reduce the rotational speed.

[0121] The fifth termination condition used to determine the end time of the pulverizing process 2 is a condition used to determine whether the food weight reduction rate has reached the target weight reduction rate. As described above, when the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is below the maximum value F_Wh_max used to calculate the termination score, the control unit 200 determines the termination score in a manner proportional to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time. The determined termination scores are summed to calculate the total termination score. When the total calculated termination score is above the reference termination score, the fifth termination condition is determined to be met. Table 6 below shows an example of termination score data used by the control unit 200 to determine the termination score.

[0122] [Table 6]

[0123]

[0124] As shown in Table 6, when the food is in large quantities, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 26Wh. The end score is only assigned when the maximum value F_Wh_max is below. The end score gradually increases proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per base time. When the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per base time is below 20Wh, the same end score is set.

[0125] Furthermore, when the food quantity is moderate, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 25Wh. An ending score is only assigned when the maximum value F_Wh_max is below. The ending score gradually increases proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time. When the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is below 19Wh, the same ending score is set.

[0126] Furthermore, when the amount of food is small, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 24Wh. An end score is only assigned when the maximum value F_Wh_max is below. The end score gradually increases proportionally to the difference between the maximum value F_Wh_max and the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time. When the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time is below 18Wh, the same end score is set.

[0127] The second target reduction rate in the fast mode is lower than the first target reduction rate in the standard mode. Therefore, as can be seen from Tables 3 and 6, under the same food quantity, the maximum value F_Wh_max in the fast mode is set to be greater than the maximum value F_Wh_max in the standard mode, and the baseline end score in the fast mode is set to be less than the baseline end score in the standard mode.

[0128] As shown in Table 6, for the end score data, a higher maximum value F_Wh_max is used proportionally to the amount of food, thereby optimizing the end time of the food processing based on the amount of food.

[0129] Furthermore, the baseline end score is preset, for example, 5 in fast mode. Table 7 below shows an example of how the control unit 200 determines the end score, sums up the determined end scores to calculate the total end score, and then judges whether the fifth end condition is met.

[0130] [Table 7]

[0131]

[0132] Table 7 shows the results of performing the fast mode with a small food quantity of 100g and an output power of 630W for heater 70. The cumulative power consumption per reference time (F_Wh) for a heating action time of 10 minutes represents the cumulative power consumption per reference time from 0 minutes to 10 minutes. The cumulative power consumption per reference time (F_Wh) for a heating action time of 40 minutes represents the cumulative power consumption per reference time from 30 minutes to 40 minutes. When the food quantity is small, the maximum value F_Wh_max is 24Wh, so the score ends at 0 when the heating time is 30 minutes. However, when the heating time is 40 minutes, the cumulative value of electricity per base time F_Wh is 23Wh, so according to Table 6, the score ends at 1, and the total score ends at 1. When the heating time is 50 minutes, the cumulative value of electricity per base time F_Wh is 20Wh, so according to Table 6, the score ends at 3, and the total score ends at 4. When the heating time is 60 minutes, the cumulative value of electricity per base time F_Wh is 18Wh, so according to Table 6, the score ends at 4, and the total score ends at 8.

[0133] When calculating the cumulative value F_Wh of electricity per reference time, the control unit 200 determines the end score according to Table 6, calculates the sum of the end scores, and confirms whether the sum of the calculated end scores is above the reference end score to determine whether the fifth end condition is met. In Table 7, when the heating operation time is 60 minutes, the sum of the calculated end scores 8 is above the reference end score 5, so the control unit 200 determines that the fifth end condition is met, thereby ending the crushing 2 process and executing the cooling process.

[0134] The cooling process in fast mode is performed in the same way as the cooling process in standard mode, and the sixth termination condition is the same as the third termination condition, so its description is omitted.

[0135] When executing the standard mode or the fast mode, the control unit 200 performs a separate process for determining the amount of food, and uses the same baseline cumulative value R_Wh for both modes. The first target temperature TT1_1 in the standard mode is higher than the first target temperature TT2_1 in the fast mode. Even with the same baseline cumulative value R_Wh, the heating time varies significantly depending on the amount of food, thus the control unit 200 can still accurately determine the amount of food. For this reason, the control unit 200 uses the same baseline cumulative value R_Wh for both the standard mode and the fast mode.

[0136] Furthermore, the quick mode finishes much faster than the standard mode, saving time and energy. Food processed in quick mode also achieves a weight reduction rate of over 75%, allowing it to be discarded in a crisp state. While the standard mode achieves an 80% weight reduction rate, preventing further moisture evaporation during the cooling process, the quick mode's 75% weight reduction allows for further drying using the latent heat of the drying chamber 50 during the cooling process.

[0137] As described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the claims, and such modifications are included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A food processor, comprising: The main outer shell has an opening at the top, through which a drying drum can be inserted and installed. The lid, one side of which is rotatably connected to the main body shell, is used to open and close the upper side of the drying barrel. The food processor is characterized by including: a discharge path, which is installed on the main body casing or cover, connecting the drying chamber and the external space; and a discharge path. The power supply unit is mounted on the aforementioned main body casing; The heater is installed in the main housing and performs heating action according to the first control signal from the control unit; An exhaust fan, installed in the aforementioned exhaust path, forces fluid flow according to a second control signal from the aforementioned control unit; A stirring motor, installed inside the main housing, rotates the stirring blades of the stirring section mounted on the drying drum according to a third control signal from the control unit; and The control unit, which is installed in the main body housing, is activated by the power supplied from the power unit and controls the heater, exhaust fan and stirring motor to perform the food processing process. During the food processing process, it performs a food quantity determination process. During the food quantity determination process, it calculates the cumulative value of the power applied to the heater per reference time and determines the amount of food contained in the drying barrel based on the calculated cumulative value of the power per reference time.

2. The food processor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned first control signal is a pulse width modulation signal that includes an on interval and an off interval. The control unit calculates the cumulative value of the power for each reference time using the output power of the heater and the time of the switching interval.

3. The food processor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit determines the amount of food by using the relationship between the amount of food and the heating action time when the cumulative value of the electricity per reference time reaches the reference cumulative value.

4. The food processor according to claim 3, characterized in that, The food processing procedure described above includes a drying process and a pulverizing process that accompany the heating action of the heater described above.

5. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heating time mentioned above includes the execution time of the drying process or the execution time of the drying process and the pulverizing process.

6. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control unit uses the cumulative value of the power consumption over each reference time to determine the end time of the drying process.

7. The food processor according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the cumulative value of the above-mentioned power per reference time is below the reference end value, the above-mentioned control unit ends the above-mentioned drying process and starts the above-mentioned pulverizing process.

8. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control unit will execute the drying process for a preset time, and then start the pulverizing process.

9. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control unit uses the cumulative value of the power over each reference time to determine the end time of the crushing process.

10. The food processor according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the cumulative value of the power per reference time is within the range below the maximum value (F_Wh_max) used to calculate the end score, the control unit determines the end score in a manner proportional to the difference between the maximum value (F_Wh_max) and the cumulative value of the power per reference time. After summing the determined end scores, the control unit calculates the sum of the end scores. When the sum of the end scores is above the reference end score, the crushing process ends.

11. The food processor according to claim 10, characterized in that, The control unit sets different maximum values ​​(F_Wh_max) based on the amount of food.

12. The food processor according to claim 11, characterized in that, The maximum value (F_Wh_max) increases proportionally with the amount of food.

13. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, have: The food processor includes a first temperature sensing unit for sensing the temperature of the heater and applying the first sensed temperature (T1) to the control unit. The drying process includes a drying process 1 and a drying process 2. In the drying process 1, the control unit applies the first control signal to the heater so that the first sensed temperature (T1) reaches the first target temperature of the drying process. In the drying process 2, after the first sensed temperature (T1) reaches the first target temperature, the first control signal is continuously applied to the heater so that the first sensed temperature (T1) is maintained at the first target temperature.

14. The food processor according to claim 13, characterized in that, After the drying process is completed, the control unit performs the pulverization process by applying the first control signal to the heater to maintain the first sensing temperature (T1) at the second target temperature of the pulverization process and to perform pulverization.

15. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, During the execution of the drying process and the pulverizing process, the control unit applies the second control signal to the exhaust fan, and the speed of the exhaust fan in the drying process is higher than or equal to the speed of the exhaust fan in the pulverizing process.

16. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, During the execution of the drying and pulverizing processes, the control unit applies a third control signal for stirring to the stirring motor, and makes the operating rate of the stirring motor in the pulverizing process greater than that in the drying process.

17. The food processor according to claim 16, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit ensures that the operating rate of the stirring motor in the latter half of the drying process is greater than that in the first half of the drying process.

18. The food processor according to claim 16, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit ensures that the operating rate of the stirring motor in the latter half of the aforementioned pulverizing process is greater than the operating rate of the stirring motor in the first half of the aforementioned pulverizing process.

19. The food processor according to claim 16, characterized in that, The above stirring action consists of sequentially rotating forward, stopping, reversing, and stopping.

20. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, Before performing the drying process, the control unit performs a preservation process, during which the heater is turned off, the third control signal is applied to the stirring motor, and the second control signal is applied to the exhaust fan.

21. The food processor according to claim 20, characterized in that, This food processor has an input section. During the preservation process described above, the control unit starts the drying process after receiving the start processing input from the input unit.

22. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, After the above-mentioned crushing process is completed, the control unit performs a cooling process to prevent the application of the first control signal to the heater.

23. The food processor according to claim 22, characterized in that, In the cooling process, the control unit applies a second control signal for high speed to the exhaust fan and a third control signal to the stirring motor.

24. The food processor according to claim 22, characterized in that, The food processor includes a first temperature sensing unit for sensing the temperature of the heater and applying the first sensed temperature (T1) to the control unit. When the first sensed temperature (T1) is below the third target temperature of the cooling process, the control unit terminates the cooling process.

25. The food processor according to claim 22, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit will execute the aforementioned cooling process only for a preset time.

26. The food processor according to claim 22, characterized in that, After the cooling process is completed, the control unit performs a preservation process. In the preservation process, the heater is turned off, the third control signal is applied to the stirring motor, and the second control signal is applied to the exhaust fan.

27. The food processor according to claim 24, characterized in that, The food processor includes a lid-opening sensor, which is mounted on the main body housing or the lid, for sensing the open and closed states of the lid, and applying an opening / closing sensing signal to the control unit. During the cooling process described above, when the opening / closing sensing signal applied from the opening / closing sensing unit indicates the open state of the lid, the control unit provides a burn warning guidance notification via the display unit in a visual or audible manner.

28. The food processor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The food processor described above has an opening part and a locking device inside the main body shell. When the lid is in the closed state, the opening part is locked in the lid engagement part formed on the lid to keep the lid in the closed state. When the locking part is released by external force, the lid is opened. The locking device is controlled by the control unit to restrict the movement of the opening part even when external force is applied to the opening part to maintain the locking relative to the lid engagement part, thereby maintaining the lid locked state.

29. The food processor according to claim 28, characterized in that, During the execution of the drying and pulverizing processes, the control unit controls the locking device to maintain the lid in a locked state.

30. The food processor according to any one of claims 4 to 9 or 13 to 29, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit executes either the standard mode or the rapid mode of the aforementioned food processing procedure. The aforementioned control unit ensures that the first target temperature in the drying process of the rapid mode is higher than the first target temperature in the drying process of the standard mode. This results in the second target temperature in the pulverizing process of the above-mentioned rapid mode being higher than the second target temperature in the pulverizing process of the above-mentioned standard mode.

31. The food processor according to claim 30, characterized in that, During the high-speed drying process, the control unit applies a second control signal for high speed to the exhaust fan and a third control signal to the stirring motor. During the drying process of the standard mode, the control unit applies a second control signal to the exhaust fan at a speed lower than the high speed and applies a third control signal to the stirring motor.

32. The food processor according to claim 30, characterized in that, When the control unit performs the drying process in the fast mode, it applies the first control signal to the heater during the reference time period at the beginning of the drying process to a target temperature lower than the first target temperature of the fast mode.

33. The food processor according to claim 30, characterized in that, This ensures that the first target temperature in the drying process of the aforementioned rapid mode is higher than or equal to the second target temperature in the pulverizing process of the aforementioned rapid mode.

34. The food processor according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The aforementioned control unit executes either the standard mode or the rapid mode of the aforementioned food processing procedure. The aforementioned control unit ensures that the first target temperature of the drying process in the rapid mode is higher than the first target temperature of the drying process in the standard mode. This results in the first target temperature of the pulverizing process in the rapid mode being higher than the second target temperature of the pulverizing process in the standard mode. This makes the highest value (F_Wh_max) in the fast mode greater than the highest value (F_Wh_max) in the standard mode.

35. The food processor according to claim 34, characterized in that, The baseline end score in the above-mentioned fast mode is lower than the baseline end score in the above-mentioned standard mode.

Images