Oven range

Abstract

To provide an oven range capable of heating while meat juice of an object to be heated is sealed inside.SOLUTION: An oven range includes: a hot air unit for performing hot air convection heating on an object to be cooked; a steam supply device for performing steam heating on the object to be cooked; menu selection setting means 7a capable of selectively setting a specific menu from among a plurality of menus; and a heating cooking control part 52 for controlling each of the hot air unit and the steam supply device so as to perform heating cooking on the object to be cooked in predetermined steps according to the set specific menu. The specific menu includes a plurality of hybrid cooking menus, and when the hybrid cooking menu is set, heating cooking is performed continuously in a first step of performing hot air convection heating on the object to be cooked until predetermined time is elapsed without performing range heating by microwaves, and in a second step of performing steam heating on the object to be cooked until predetermined time is elapsed according to the selected hybrid cooking menu, in this order.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oven range equipped with oven heating means and steam heating means. [Background technology]

[0002] In this type of oven range, food is cooked using only the oven heating means or only the steam heating means. However, even after cooking is complete, the food may not be browned properly or the heat may not penetrate deep into the food.

[0003] On the other hand, for example, a cooking device equivalent to the oven range has been disclosed that can easily brown the surface of the food being cooked by heating using steam as a steam heating means and then heating using upper, middle, and lower heaters as oven heating means (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-96569 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The cooking device in Patent Document 1 uses a steam heating means to first remove the fat and oil from the food being cooked, so the food does not become watery, but there has been complaint that the juices in the food also leak out, making it difficult to keep the food juicy.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide an oven range that can heat food to the inside while keeping the meat juices of the food inside. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The oven range of the present invention comprises an oven heating means for hot air convection heating of food items, a steam heating means for steam heating the food items, a menu selection setting means for selectively setting a specific menu from among a plurality of menus, and a cooking control unit for controlling each heating means to cook the food items in a predetermined procedure according to the set specific menu, wherein the specific menu includes a plurality of hybrid cooking menus corresponding to a plurality of baked goods as the food items, and when the hybrid cooking menu is set by the menu selection setting means, the cooking control unit controls each heating means to cook the food items successively in the following order, without using microwave heating in the microwave: a first step of radiant heating the food items until a predetermined time corresponding to the selected hybrid cooking menu has elapsed, and a second step of hot air convection heating the food items until a predetermined time corresponding to the selected hybrid cooking menu has elapsed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, when a hybrid cooking menu is selected and set using the menu selection and setting means, an oven range can be provided that can brown the surface of the food to be cooked using hot air convection heating and then steam the food to the inside, thereby heating the food to the inside while keeping the meat juices inside and enhancing the flavor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of an oven range showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a view from the front when the door is open. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same as seen from the side. [Figure 4] This is a view from the front of the same appliance with the cabinet and oven back panel removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the main body of the same. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the steps and required time for cooking a hamburger steak using the "hybrid cooking" menu of this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram comparing the steps and required time for cooking a hamburger steak and the finished results of the cooked hamburger steak between the conventional method and the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram comparing the results of taste tests of the hamburger steaks in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram comparing the steps and time required for cooking chicken teriyaki with those of the conventional method and the present embodiment, as well as the finished results of the cooked chicken teriyaki. [Figure 11] This is a comparison of the results of the taste test of the chicken teriyaki in Figure 10. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram comparing the steps and required time for cooking salted salmon, and the finished results of the cooked salted salmon, between the conventional method and this embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a graph comparing the results of the taste test of the salted salmon in FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the microwave oven of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that common parts are designated by common reference numerals throughout the drawings.

[0011] Figures 1 to 7 show one embodiment of the microwave oven of the present invention. First, the overall structure of the microwave oven will be explained based on Figures 1 to 5. Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body formed in a substantially rectangular box shape, which is provided with a metal cabinet 2 as a member that covers the outer shell of the microwave oven that will be the product. Reference numeral 3 denotes a door that is provided on the front of main body 1 and can be opened and closed freely.

[0012] The top of the door 3 is provided with a handle 4 for opening and closing the vertically opening door 3, and the bottom of the door 3 is provided with an operation panel unit 5 for display, notification, and operation. The operation panel unit 5 is provided with a display means 6 that displays cooking settings and progress, as well as an operation means 7 that allows various operation inputs related to cooking. Although not shown, an operation panel PC (printed circuit) board is provided inside the door 3 behind the operation panel unit 5 for controlling the display means 6, operation means 7, etc.

[0013] A water supply cassette 8 and a water receiver 9 are disposed at the bottom of the main body 1 and can be attached and detached from the front of the main body 1. The water supply cassette 8 is a bottomed container that holds liquid water and serves as a supply source for steam generated from the steam supply device 33, which will be described later. The water receiver 9 is also a bottomed container that receives food debris, water droplets, steam, etc. from the main body 1.

[0014] Cabinet 2, which forms the left and right side surfaces and top of main body 1, is located between oven front plate 12, which forms the front of main body 1, and oven rear plate 13, which forms the rear of main body 1, so as to cover main body 1 and oven bottom plate 11, which forms the bottom of the oven range. Main body 1 is also provided with cooking chamber 14, which contains food S to be cooked, and thermistor 15, which is a temperature detection element that detects the temperature of cooking chamber 14. The front of cooking chamber 14 reaches oven front plate 12 and is open to allow food S to be placed in and taken out, and this opening is configured to be opened and closed by door 3. Thermistor 15 is located inside cooking chamber 14, near door 3.

[0015] The peripheral walls that form the inner surface of cooking chamber 14 are ceiling wall 14a, bottom wall 14b, left side wall 14c, right side wall 14d, and rear wall 14e. Rear wall 14e of cooking chamber 14 has air inlet 16 at its center, and multiple air outlets 17 around air inlet 16. An upper heater 18 for grilling, which radiates heat to food S from above cooking chamber 14, is provided on the upper part of main body 1, facing dome-shaped ceiling wall 14a, which forms the upper wall surface of cooking chamber 14. This allows the food S contained in cooking chamber 14 to be radiated from above by heat radiation generated by energizing upper heater 18, thereby heating the food S in the microwave. A lower heater (not shown) may also be provided at the bottom of main body 1, allowing radiant heating from below cooking chamber 14, thereby radiating heat to food S from the upper heater 18 and / or the lower heater.

[0016] The left and right walls 14c, 14d of the cooking chamber 14 are provided with a pair of shelf supports 22, one on each side, one on top of the other, for storing and holding square plates 21 suspended within the cooking chamber 14. Square plates 21 are preferably made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The square plates 21 used here are made of, for example, metal (such as aluminum, copper, or stainless steel). They comprise a storage section 21a, which is concave and open at the top and has no holes elsewhere, and a flange section 21b extending horizontally outward from the top of storage section 21a. For example, when square plates 21 are placed on the shelf supports 22 and subjected to radiant heating using the upper heater 18 or hot air convection heating using the hot air unit 24 (described later), not only is radiant heating or hot air convection heating performed directly on the food (S) from above or from the side, but the square plates 21 are also heated simultaneously, transferring heat to the underside of the food where they come into contact with the square plates 21, allowing the food to be browned and toasted throughout. Additionally, flange portion 21b is formed with ventilation holes 21c that allow hot air to circulate through square plate 21. Fig. 2 shows the state in which flange portion 21b of square plate 21 is placed on lower shelf support 22 inside cooking chamber 14, and food S is placed in storage portion 21a, but depending on the cooking method, square plate 21 may be placed only on upper shelf support 22, or two square plates 21 may be placed on each of the upper and lower shelf supports 22. As in the embodiment described below, a grill or the like may be stored and held on storage portion 21a of square plate 21.

[0017] Reference numeral 24 denotes a hot air unit for heating the oven, which is installed inside the main body 1 from the rear exterior of the cooking chamber 14 downward. This hot air unit 24 is generally composed of a convex casing 26 attached to the rear wall 14e, a hot air heater 27 for heating the air, a hot air fan 28 for sending heated air into the cooking chamber 14 and circulating it, an electric hot air motor 29 for rotating the hot air fan 28 in a predetermined direction, and a transmission mechanism 30 for transmitting driving force from the hot air motor 29 to the hot air fan 28. The hot air heater 27 and the hot air fan 28 are disposed in a heating chamber 31 formed outside the cooking chamber 14 and as an internal space between the rear wall 14e and the casing 26, while the hot air motor 29 is disposed in a lower space 32 formed inside the main body 1 between the cooking chamber 14 and the oven bottom plate 11. An oven rear panel 13 is disposed at the rear of the main body 1 so as to cover the entire hot air unit 24 from the rear outside.

[0018] In this embodiment, hot air fan 28 is a centrifugal fan that takes in air in the axial direction and expels it in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction by centrifugal force during rotation, and tubular hot air heater 27 is disposed surrounding hot air fan 28 in the radial direction. Hot air heater 27, which also serves as a heat generating unit, may be, for example, a sheath heater, mica heater, quartz tube heater, or halogen heater. Inlet 16 and outlet 17 described above function as ventilation sections that connect cooking chamber 14 and heating chamber 31.

[0019] When hot air motor 29 is energized and hot air fan 28 is driven to rotate, air drawn in from inside cooking chamber 14 through intake port 16 is blown out in the radial direction of hot air fan 28, heated by energized hot air heater 27, and supplied into cooking chamber 14 through outlet port 17. This creates a path for circulating hot air inside and outside cooking chamber 14, thereby heating food S to be cooked in cooking chamber 14 by hot air convection. Furthermore, by providing slit-shaped air vents 21c around the periphery of square plate 21, even when square plates 21 are placed on two upper and lower shelf supports 22 and hot air convection heating is performed using hot air unit 24, hot air circulates up and down within cooking chamber 14 through air vents 21c of each square plate 21, allowing food S to be cooked to be wrapped around and cooked from the front, back, left, and right.

[0020] A steam outlet 34 communicating with a steam supply device 33 is provided in the left side wall 14c of the cooking chamber 14. The steam supply device 33 provided inside the main body 1 includes a hollow metallic evaporation container 35, a water supply pipe 36 connecting the water absorption cassette 8 and the evaporation container 35, an evaporation heater 37 such as a sheath heater attached to the evaporation container 35, a water supply pump 38 that introduces water from the water supply cassette 8 into the evaporation container 35, and a container temperature detection means 39 that detects the temperature inside the evaporation container 35, and has a plurality of steam outlets 34 communicating with the inside of the evaporation container 35. As a result, when the water supply pump 38 is driven while water is contained in the water supply cassette 8, the water sent from the water supply cassette 8 is led into the inside of the evaporation container 35, which is heated to a predetermined temperature by the steam heater 37 being energized, and is vaporized, and saturated steam or superheated steam is supplied into the cooking chamber 14 from the steam outlet 33, thereby steam heating the food S to be cooked placed in the cooking chamber 14.

[0021] Figure 6 shows the main electrical configuration of the microwave oven of this embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 41 denotes control means constituted by a microcomputer, and as is well known, this control means 81 includes a CPU as a processing means, a memory as a storage means, a timer as a timekeeping means, an input / output device, etc.

[0022] In addition to the operating means 7 using the keys or touch panel mentioned above, the input port of the control means 41 is electrically connected to an internal temperature detection means 42 such as a thermistor 15 that detects the temperature inside the cooking chamber 14, a hot air motor rotation detection means 43 that detects the rotation speed of the hot air fan 28, a door opening / closing detection means 44 that detects the open / closed state of the door 3, and a container temperature detection means 39 such as a thermistor that detects the temperature inside the steam container mentioned above.

[0023] In addition to the display means 6 mentioned above, the output port of the control means 41 is electrically connected to an upper heater driving means 46 such as a relay that turns on and off the upper heater 18 for radiant heating, a hot air heater driving means 47 such as a relay that turns on and off the hot air heater 27 for hot air convection heating, an evaporation heater driving means 48 such as a relay that turns on and off the evaporation heater for steam heating, a hot air motor driving means 49 that drives the hot air motor 29 to rotate, and a pump driving means 50 that operates the water supply pump 38 of the steam supply device 33.

[0024] The control means 41 receives operation signals from the operation means 7 and detection signals from the inside temperature detection means 42, hot air motor rotation detection means 43, door open / close detection means 44, and container temperature detection means 39, and outputs drive control signals to the upper heater drive means 46, hot air heater drive means 47, evaporation heater drive means 48, hot air motor drive means 49, and pump drive means 50 at predetermined timing based on the timing from the timing means, and also outputs display control signals to the display means 6. These functions are realized by the control means 41 reading a program recorded in the memory serving as a storage medium, and in this embodiment in particular, the control means 41 is provided with a program that causes the control means 41 to function as a cooking control unit 52 and a display control unit 53.

[0025] Cooking control unit 52 mainly controls the operation of each unit involved in cooking food S. When it receives an operation signal associated with operation of operating unit 7, and determines that door 3 is closed based on a detection signal from door open / close detection unit 44, it sends control signals to upper heater driving unit 46, hot air heater driving unit 47, evaporation heater driving unit 48, hot air motor driving unit 49, and pump driving unit 50 in response to the operation signal, thereby controlling various cooking operations for food S. In this embodiment, a plurality of menus are stored in advance in the memory as cooking information including the ingredients and heating conditions of food S to be cooked, and when menu selection setting unit 7a incorporated in operating unit 7 is operated as appropriate, cooking control unit 52 sets one menu selected from the menus as the specific menu to be cooked, and automatically cooks food S in a predetermined procedure according to the specific menu.

[0026] In this automatic cooking configuration, in this embodiment, when a hybrid cooking menu for hybrid cooking of hot air convection heating and steam heating is selectively set from multiple menus in response to an operation signal from the menu selection and setting means 7a, the heating cooking control unit 95 has a hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 as one of its functions, which controls the operation of the hot air heater driving means 47, evaporation heater driving means 48, hot air motor driving means 49, and pump driving means 50 so that all steps of hybrid cooking of preheating, hot air convection heating, and steam heating are completed without setting heating conditions such as heating output, temperature, and time, and preheats the cooking chamber 14 to a predetermined temperature, then performs hot air convection heating of the food S to be cooked at the predetermined temperature, and then steam heats the food S to be cooked at the predetermined temperature. In addition, radiant heating may be further added to the hybrid cooking menu. In this case, it is preferable that the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 controls the operation of the upper heater driving means 46 so that radiant heating is performed after preheating, and then controls the cooking food S to be heated by hot air convection heating and steam heating at a predetermined temperature as described above.

[0027] The grilled products that are cooked by the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 are not limited to one type, such as hamburger steak, teriyaki chicken, salted salmon, stuffed peppers, etc. Therefore, the hybrid cooking menus that can be selected by the menu selection setting means 7a are also not limited to one type. It is preferable that a plurality of settings be stored in memory according to the type of baked product to be heated and cooked by the oven control unit 54.

[0028] When hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 drives hot air heater drive means 47 and hot air motor drive means 49 in a preheating process to preheat cooking chamber 14, and then drives hot air heater drive means 47 and hot air motor drive means 49 to switch to an oven process to perform hot air convection heating, it is necessary to temporarily open door 3 to put in or take out food S. On the other hand, when switching from the oven process to a superheated steam process to perform steam heating by driving evaporation heater drive means 48 and pump drive means 50, or when switching from a grill process to the oven process to perform radiant heating by driving upper heater drive means 46, it is not necessary to open door 3, and cooking can be performed automatically and continuously. Here, hot air unit 24 having hot air heater 27 corresponds to oven heating means that heats food S to be cooked with hot air heater 27 as a heat source, steam supply device 33 that steam-heats food S to be cooked with superheated steam corresponds to steam heating means, and upper heater 18 and upper heater drive means 46 that heat food S with upper heater 18 as a heat source correspond to grill heating means. Note that there are no particular limitations on the configuration and position of the oven heating means, steam heating means, and grill heating means to be provided in main body 1.

[0029] The display control unit 53 mainly controls the operation related to the display of the LCD display, which serves as the display means 6. The display means 6 controlled by the display control unit 53 is composed of a liquid crystal panel or an illumination lamp, but other displays may also be used. Furthermore, if the microwave oven of this embodiment is equipped with a notification means, the display control unit 53 may also be configured to control the operation related to the notification of the notification means.

[0030] Menu selection setting means 7a is specifically provided on the surface of display means 6 and is composed of touch keys that allow a specific menu to be selected from a plurality of menus displayed on display means 6, and a start key that, when pressed after a specific menu has been selected by operating the touch keys, causes the specific menu to be set and stored by cooking control unit 52 and starts cooking of food S in a predetermined procedure according to the specific menu. Note that this is just one example, and the configuration of menu selection setting means 7a is not particularly limited.

[0031] Next, the operation of the oven range configured as described above will be explained. With food S placed in the cooking chamber 14, the user closes the door 3 while holding the handle 4, selects a specific menu using the menu selection setting means 7a, and then issues a command to start cooking the food S. In accordance with the control program stored in the memory of the control means 41, a control signal generated in accordance with the selected cooking menu is output at a predetermined timing, and the food S is cooked.

[0032] For example, if the oven heating menu is selected, cooking control unit 54 receives detection signals from door open / close detection means 44 and internal temperature detection means 42, and sends control signals to hot air heater drive means 47 and hot air motor drive means 49, respectively, so that cooking chamber 14 is heated to the set temperature, thereby controlling the oven heating means by controlling the on / off of hot air heater 27 and hot air motor 29. As a result, the rotational force generated in hot air motor 29 is transmitted to hot air fan 28, causing hot air fan 28 to rotate inside heating chamber 31, the speed of which is captured by hot air motor rotation detection means 42 and cooking control unit 52. At the same time, air drawn into heating chamber 31 from cooking chamber 14 through intake port 16 is sent to the energized hot air heater 27 side, and the heated air is supplied to cooking chamber 14 through outlet port 17 as hot air, thereby heating food S in cooking chamber 14 by hot air convection heating.

[0033] Furthermore, when a menu for cooking using steam heating with superheated steam is selected, cooking control unit 54 receives detection signals from door open / close detection means 44, container temperature detection means 39, and internal temperature detection means 42, and sends control signals to evaporation heater drive means 48 and pump drive means 50 so that the temperature inside evaporation container 35 reaches the predetermined temperature and cooking chamber 14 is heated to the set temperature, thereby controlling the steam heating means by controlling the power on / off of evaporation heater 37 incorporated in steam supply device 33 and the operation of water supply pump 38. In this way, saturated steam or superheated steam is ejected from steam ejection holes 34 into cooking chamber 14, steam-heating and steaming the food S to be cooked in cooking chamber 14.

[0034] Furthermore, when a grill heating cooking menu is selected, the cooking control unit 54 receives a detection signal from the door open / close detection means 44 and sends a control signal to the upper heater drive means 47, and controls the grill heating means by controlling the on / off of the upper heater 18 so that the food to be cooked in the cooking chamber 14 is heated by radiation from above. Note that the cooking control unit 54 may also receive a detection signal from the inside temperature detection means 42 in addition to the detection signal from the door open / close detection means 44 and send a control signal to the upper heater drive means 47.

[0035] In addition to these various types of cooking, in this embodiment, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 incorporated in the cooking control unit 54 can perform hybrid cooking, which sequentially performs radiant heating, hot air convection heating, and steam heating on the food S. The series of steps for cooking using the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 will be described in detail below.

[0036] FIG. 7 shows the steps and the time required to heat-cook a hamburger steak as the food item S using the hybrid cooking menu of this embodiment. When a hybrid cooking menu with a hamburger steak constant as shown in FIG. 7 is selected, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 receives detection signals from the door open / close detection unit 44 and the internal temperature detection unit 42 and controls the oven heating unit to heat the cooking chamber 14 to a set temperature, e.g., 250°C, to perform a preheating process using hot air convection heating. When a detection signal indicating that the set temperature of 250°C has been reached is received from the internal temperature detection unit 42, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 stops the preheating process and notifies the user via a notification unit (not shown) that preheating is complete. The user then opens the door 3 while gripping the handle 4, places the square plate 21 with the hamburger steak placed in the storage section 21a on the shelf support 22, and closes the door 3 while gripping the handle 4. This transition from the preheating process to the first process, the grilling process, is then initiated.

[0037] During the grilling process, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 receives a detection signal from the door open / close detection unit 44 and controls the grilling unit, just as when the radiant heating cooking menu described above is selected. This allows the surface of the hamburger steak to be browned by radiant heating, and by simultaneously heating the square plate 21, heat is transferred to the underside of the hamburger steak that is in contact with the square plate 21, browning the underside of the hamburger steak. When the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 receives information from the timer of the control unit 41 that the predetermined time of five minutes has elapsed, it transitions to the second process, the oven process.

[0038] During the oven step, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 receives detection signals from the door open / close detection unit 44 and the internal temperature detection unit 42, and controls the oven heating unit to heat the oven at the set temperature of 250°C, just as when the oven heating cooking menu described above is selected. This allows the high output of the hot air convection heating to further brown the surface of the hamburger steak, and by continuing to heat the square tray 21, heat is continuously transferred to the underside of the hamburger steak, further browning the underside of the hamburger steak. When the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 receives information from the timer in the control unit 41 that the predetermined time of 10 minutes has elapsed, it transitions to the third step, the superheated steam step.

[0039] During the superheated steam process, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 controls the steam heating process. As in the case of selecting a cooking menu, upon receiving detection signals from the door open / close detection means 44 and the internal temperature detection means 42, the steam heating means is controlled to steam heat the hamburger at the set temperature of 250°C. This allows the hamburger to be steamed all the way through by heating it with saturated steam or superheated steam. When the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 receives information from the timer in the control means 41 that the predetermined time of five minutes has elapsed, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 stops the superheated steam process and notifies the user via a notification means (not shown) that the hybrid cooking menu has ended.

[0040] In this embodiment, the hamburger steak is first browned on the surface using radiant heating and hot air convection heating, and then steamed to the inside using steam heating. This recreates the method of cooking a hamburger steak using a frying pan, in which the steak is browned on both sides, then covered and steamed over low heat. This method combines the advantages of superheated steam cooking and hot air convection cooking, by cooking the steak to the inside while keeping the juices trapped inside. This prevents the juices from leaking out, allowing the steak to be cooked to a juicy consistency, enhancing its flavor. Furthermore, unlike microwave cooking, for example, radiant heating, hot air convection heating, and steam heating can use a metal square plate 21. This allows the hamburger steak placed in the cooking chamber 14 to be automatically and continuously cooked throughout the grilling, oven, and superheated steam cooking steps of the food item S, minimizing the effort required to move the steak and the loss of heat caused by opening and closing the door 3.

[0041] In this embodiment, the hamburger steak is cooked using the grilling process, oven process, and superheated steam process. However, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 may be configured to control each heating means so that cooking is performed using only the oven process and superheated steam process. In this case, the same effect as described above can be achieved by browning the surface of the food item S using hot air convection heating and then steaming it to the inside. Also, while Figure 7 illustrates the use of a hamburger steak as the food item S, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to this, and that other foods such as teriyaki chicken, salted salmon, and stuffed peppers can also be used as food items S in the hybrid cooking menu.

[0042] Next, the results of a taste test of recipes for the microwave oven of this embodiment and recipes for a conventional microwave oven will be described with reference to FIGS. [Example]

[0043] The inventors of the present application conducted a comparative taste test using 9 taste testers, using hamburger steaks as the food item S cooked using three recipes for the oven range of this embodiment, namely, a 2:1 ratio of oven heating to steam heating (hereinafter referred to as the "2:1" recipe), a 1:1 ratio of oven heating to steam heating (hereinafter referred to as the "1:1" recipe), and a 1:2 ratio of oven heating to steam heating (hereinafter referred to as the "1:2" recipe), and also using two conventional recipes, namely, a cooking menu using oven heating (hereinafter referred to as the "3:0" recipe) and a cooking menu using steam heating (hereinafter referred to as the "0:3" recipe).

[0044] Figure 8 compares the time required for the preheating process PH, oven process OH, and superheated steam process SH, as well as the finished results, for each of these recipes. It also compares the internal temperature T in cooking chamber 14, the detected temperature t1 on the top surface of the hamburger, the detected temperature t2 on the bottom surface, and a timing chart showing the transition of the voltage V input to the oven heating means and steam heating means. In common with these recipes, the preheating process involves hot air convection heating until the temperature inside cooking chamber 14 reaches 250 degrees, and hot air convection heating and steam heating are not set. The fixed temperature is 250 degrees, and the hamburger is cooked for a total of 14 minutes. These figures were adopted because the conventional recipes call for steam cooking at 300 degrees for 11 to 16 minutes with preheating, and oven cooking at 250 degrees for 11 to 16 minutes with preheating.

[0045] The comparison results in Figure 8 show that when the ratio of hot air convection heating is high, the hamburger surface, especially the bottom, is browned darker, and as the ratio of steam heating increases, the browning gradually becomes lighter.In addition, for all recipes except the "0:3" recipe, the temperature t1 of the top surface of the hamburger and the temperature t2 of the bottom surface are almost the same.

[0046] The taste test results in Figure 9 show a simple ranking of whether the hamburgers were tasty or preferred, and also show the average rankings of the nine taste testers. The rankings are rated on a five-point scale from 1st to 5th place. As a result, the hamburger steak cooked using the "1:1" recipe was found to be the most tasty and preferred. Furthermore, the hamburger steaks cooked using the hybrid cooking menus of the "1:2" and "2:1" recipes were also found to be more tasty and preferred than the hamburger steaks cooked using the conventional "3:0" and "0:3" recipes. This confirms that the hybrid cooking menu of the microwave oven of this embodiment is effective in cooking tasty hamburger steaks, even when compared to recipes used in conventional microwave ovens. [Example]

[0047] The inventors of the present application conducted a comparative taste test using three taste testers to compare the taste of teriyaki chicken as the food S cooked using three recipes in the oven range of this embodiment, the "2:1" recipe, the "1:1" recipe, and the "1:2" recipe, and two conventional recipes, the "3:0" recipe and the "0:3" recipe.

[0048] Figure 10 compares the time required for the preheating process PH, oven process OH, and superheated steam process SH, as well as the finished results, for each of these recipes. It also compares the internal temperature T of the cooking chamber 14, the detected temperatures t1 and t2 of the top and bottom surfaces of the chicken teriyaki, and timing charts showing the transitions in the voltage V input to the oven heating means and steam heating means. Common to these recipes, the preheating process involves hot air convection heating until the temperature inside the cooking chamber 14 reaches 200°C. The set temperatures for the hot air convection heating and steam heating are 200°C, and the chicken teriyaki is cooked for a total of 16 minutes. These values ​​were adopted because, in conventional recipes, steam heating takes 13 to 18 minutes with preheating at 200°C, and oven heating takes 14 to 19 minutes with preheating at 200°C. A grill was stored and held above the storage section 21a of the square plate 21, and the teriyaki chicken as the food S was placed on the grill and cooked.

[0049] As shown in Figure 10, the comparison results show that when the proportion of hot air convection heating is high, the top surface of the chicken teriyaki is darker in color, and as the proportion of steam heating increases, the color gradually becomes lighter.In addition, for all recipes, the temperature t1 of the top surface of the chicken teriyaki is slightly higher than the temperature t2 of the bottom surface.

[0050] The taste test results in Figure 11 show a simple ranking of whether the chicken was tasty or preferred, as well as the average ranking of the three taste testers. The rankings were rated on a five-point scale from 1st to 5th place. As a result, the chicken teriyaki cooked using the "2:1" recipe was the most tasty and preferred. The chicken teriyaki cooked using the "1:1" recipe was ranked as tasty and preferred at the same level as the chicken teriyaki cooked using the conventional "3:0" recipe, followed by the "1:2" recipe and finally the conventional "0:3" recipe. These results confirm that the hybrid cooking menu of the microwave oven of this embodiment can cook chicken teriyaki that is equally or more tasty than the recipes used in conventional microwave ovens. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the flavor of chicken teriyaki is enhanced when the ratio of hot air convection cooking is increased to a certain extent. [Example]

[0051] The inventors of the present application conducted a comparative taste test using seven taste testers, using salted salmon as the food item S cooked using three recipes in the oven range of this embodiment, the ``2:1'' recipe, the ``1:1'' recipe, and the ``1:2'' recipe, and salted salmon as the food item S cooked using two conventional recipes, the ``3:0'' recipe and the ``0:3'' recipe.

[0052] Figure 12 compares the required time for the preheating process PH, oven process OH, and superheated steam process SH, as well as the finished product, for each of these recipes. It also compares the internal temperature T of the cooking chamber 14, the detected temperatures t1 and t2 of the top and bottom surfaces of the salted salmon, and timing charts showing the voltage V input to the oven heating means and steam heating means. These recipes all have a commonality: no preheating process was performed; the hot air convection heating and steam heating were set to 250°C, and the salted salmon was cooked for a total of 14 minutes. These values ​​were adopted because conventional recipes, such as those for steam heating, require preheating for 11 to 16 minutes at 300°C, and those for oven heating, require preheating for 11 to 16 minutes at 250°C. A grill was stored and held in the storage section 21a of the square tray 21, and the salted salmon (S) was placed on the grill and cooked.

[0053] As a comparison result of Figure 12, the salted salmon had the same browning on the top and bottom in all recipes, and there was no particular difference in the browning of the surface of the salted salmon cooked using recipes other than the "0:3" recipe, and the salted salmon cooked using the "0:3" recipe had a slightly redder browning on the surface compared to the salted salmon cooked using the other recipes. In addition, the temperature t1 of the top surface of the salted salmon and the temperature t2 of the bottom surface were almost the same in all recipes.

[0054] The taste test results in Figure 13 show a simple ranking of whether the salmon was tasty or preferred, and also show the average ranking of the seven taste testers. The rankings are rated on a five-point scale from 1st to 5th place. As a result, the salted salmon cooked using the "1:1" recipe was found to be the most tasty and preferred. Furthermore, salted salmon cooked using the hybrid cooking menus of the "1:2" and "2:1" recipes was also found to be more tasty and preferred than salted salmon cooked using the conventional "3:0" and "0:3" recipes. This confirms that the hybrid cooking menu of the microwave oven of this embodiment is effective in cooking tasty salted salmon, even when compared to recipes used in conventional microwave ovens.

[0055] The results of these taste tests showed that the hybrid cooking menu of the microwave oven of the above embodiment was superior in taste to recipes for conventional microwave ovens.

[0056] As described above, the oven range of this embodiment comprises the hot air unit 24 as oven heating means for hot air convection heating the food S placed in the cooking chamber 14, the steam supply device 33 as steam heating means for steam heating the food S, the menu selection setting means 7a for manually selecting and setting a specific menu from a plurality of menus stored in advance in the memory of the control means 41, and the cooking control section 52 for controlling the hot air unit 24 and the steam supply device 33 so as to heat and cook the food S in a predetermined procedure according to the set specific menu. When a hybrid cooking menu is set as a fixed menu, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 incorporated in the heating cooking control unit 52 is configured to control the hot air unit 24 and the steam supply device 33 so that heating cooking is automatically performed consecutively in the order of hot air convection heating and steam heating.

[0057] In this case, by operating the menu selection and setting means 7a, a hybrid cooking menu can be selected from multiple menus and set. This allows the surface of the food item S to be browned using hot air convection heating, and then steamed to the inside. For example, if the food item S is a hamburger steak, the hamburger steak can be cooked to the inside while keeping the meat juices trapped inside. This makes it possible to combine the best of steam heating cooking using superheated steam and hot air convection heating cooking, and the hamburger steak can be cooked to a juicy consistency, improving its flavor.

[0058] The microwave oven of this embodiment also includes a metal square plate 21 on which the food S is placed. Therefore, by heating the square plate 21 by hot air convection heating or steam heating, heat is transferred to the underside of the food S that is in contact with the square plate 21, allowing the underside of the food S to be browned.

[0059] In addition, the oven range of this embodiment further includes an upper heater 18 and an upper heater driving means 46 as grill heating means for radiantly heating the food S to be cooked, and when a hybrid cooking menu is set as a specific menu using the menu selection setting means 7a, the hybrid cooking menu control unit 54 is configured to control the hot air unit 24, steam supply device 33, upper heater 18 and upper heater driving means 46 so that cooking is automatically and consecutively performed in the order of radiant heating, hot air convection heating and steam heating.

[0060] In this case, by operating the menu selection setting means 7a and selecting and setting a hybrid cooking menu from among a plurality of menus, the surface of the food item S can be browned more quickly and reliably using radiant heating and hot air convection heating, and more of the juices in the hamburger steak can be trapped inside, improving the taste.

[0061] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, a hamburger steak placed in cooking chamber 14 is automatically and continuously heated and cooked through the grilling process, oven process, and superheated steam process. However, after browning the top and bottom surfaces of the food S in a frying pan or the like, the food may be placed in cooking chamber 14 preheated to, for example, 200°C and then cooked by steam heating or hot air convection heating for a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes. Furthermore, the oven heating means, steam heating means, and grill heating means are not limited to those in this embodiment and can be modified as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 7a Menu selection setting means 14 Galley 18 Upper heater (grill heating means) 21 Square plate 24 Hot air unit (oven heating means) 33 Steam supply device (steam heating means) 46 Upper heater driving means (grill heating means) 52 Cooking control unit S To be cooked

Claims

1. A cooking chamber for accommodating food to be cooked therein; A metal square plate on which food to be cooked is placed in the cooking chamber; an oven heating means for heating food by hot air convection; Steam heating means for steam-heating the food to be cooked; a menu selection setting means for selectively setting a specific menu from among a plurality of menus; a cooking control unit that controls each heating means so that the food to be cooked is cooked in a predetermined procedure according to the set specific menu, The ceiling wall of the cooking chamber is dome-shaped, The back wall of the cooking chamber is provided with an air inlet for the oven heating means provided at the center thereof, and an outlet for the heated air provided around the inlet, The square plate has a holding portion, and the holding portion is placed on a support portion provided on the left and right side walls of the cooking chamber to hold the square plate in a suspended state, and a ventilation hole is formed in the holding portion, The specific menu includes a plurality of hybrid cooking menus corresponding to a plurality of baked goods as the food to be cooked, When the hybrid cooking menu is set by the menu selection setting means, a first step of convection-heating the food for a predetermined time corresponding to the selected hybrid cooking menu; a second step of steam-heating the food to be cooked until a predetermined time corresponding to the selected hybrid cooking menu has elapsed; The oven range is characterized by controlling each heating means so that cooking is performed continuously in the order of the above.

2. A grill heating means for radiantly heating the food to be cooked, When the hybrid cooking menu is set by the menu selection setting means, The oven range of claim 1, characterized in that before the first step, the food is cooked in a step of radiant heating until a predetermined time corresponding to the selected hybrid cooking menu has elapsed, and then the heating means are controlled so that the food is cooked in the first step and then the second step in succession.

3. The plurality of baked products includes at least a hamburger steak, The oven range according to claim 1, characterized in that when the menu selection setting means sets a hybrid cooking menu corresponding to the hamburger, the oven range controls each heating means so that the time for the first step and the time for the second step are approximately the same.

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