Cooker

Abstract

To provide a cooker capable of solving a problem in a finished state when a frozen food material is thawed and cooked.SOLUTION: A cooker includes a container, a stirrer, a body, a lid, a heating part, a temperature detection part, an operation part, and a control part. The control part performs a first heating process for operating the heating part and heating a food material in a first temperature zone in a cooking menu for thawing a frozen food material. The first heating process includes a first process for operating the heating part in a state that the stirrer is stopped or operated, and a second process for operating the heating part in a state that the stirrer is operated after the first process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a cooking appliance that stores food ingredients in a container and cooks them by heating has been known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] The cooking appliances of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are provided with a rotating unit for stirring food ingredients on a lid body, and by rotationally driving the rotating unit, the food ingredients are stirred from above.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the cooking appliances of Patent Documents 1 and 2, an appropriate cooking method for thawing frozen food ingredients is not set. When thawing and cooking frozen food ingredients, the food ingredients may adhere to each other and solidify into a lump due to protein coagulation, or uneven heating may occur, resulting in a poor cooking finish.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to improve the problems in the cooking finish when thawing and cooking frozen food ingredients.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the above object, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure includes a container for storing food ingredients, a stirring body that rotates to stir the food ingredients, a main body for storing the container, a lid that is disposed above the container and can be opened and closed, a heating unit for heating the container, a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, an operation unit for a user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control unit for controlling the heating unit and the stirring body based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit executes a first heating step of operating the heating unit to heat the food ingredients in a first temperature range in a cooking menu for thawing frozen food ingredients. The first heating step includes a first step of operating the heating unit with the stirring body stopped or operating, and a second step of operating the heating unit with the stirring body operating after the first step.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, there is an improvement in the problem points of the finished state of cooking when thawing and cooking frozen food ingredients.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 4C

Figure 4D

Figure 4E

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking appliance including a container for storing food ingredients, a stirring body that rotates to stir the food ingredients, a main body portion that houses the container, a lid that is disposed above the container and can be opened and closed, a heating portion that heats the container, a temperature detection portion that detects temperature, an operation portion for a user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control portion that controls the heating portion and the stirring body based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection portion according to the cooking menu selected by the operation portion. The control portion executes a first heating step of operating the heating portion to heat the food ingredients in a first temperature range in a cooking menu for thawing frozen food ingredients. The first heating step includes a first step of operating the heating portion with the stirring body stopped or operating, and a second step of operating the heating portion with the stirring body operating after the first step.

[0011] According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, the control portion executes a second heating step of operating the heating portion to heat the food ingredients in a second temperature range higher than the first temperature range after the first heating step, in the cooking appliance according to the first aspect.

[0012] According to the third aspect of the present disclosure, the first temperature range includes a first predetermined temperature of 65 degrees or less, and the control portion executes control to heat at the first predetermined temperature in the first heating step, in the cooking appliance according to the first or second aspect.

[0013] According to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the first predetermined temperature is 55 degrees or more and 65 degrees or less, in the cooking appliance according to the third aspect.

[0014] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the heating unit to heat at the first predetermined temperature in the first step and to heat at a second predetermined temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature in the second step, and provides the cooking heater according to the third aspect or the fourth aspect.

[0015] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the cooking heater according to the fifth aspect is provided, wherein the second predetermined temperature is 65 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less.

[0016] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the heating unit to heat at the first predetermined temperature in the first step and the second step, and provides the cooking heater according to the third aspect or the fourth aspect.

[0017] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the second temperature range includes a third predetermined temperature, and the control unit controls the heating unit to heat at the third predetermined temperature in the second heating step, and provides the cooking heater according to the second aspect.

[0018] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, the cooking heater according to the eighth aspect is provided, wherein the third predetermined temperature is 100 degrees or more.

[0019] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, when operating the agitator in the second step, the control unit alternately executes a first rotation operation of operating the agitator in a first rotation direction and a second rotation operation of operating the agitator in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and provides the cooking heater according to the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0020] According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit controls the agitator so that the rotation speed of the agitator in the second step is higher than the rotation speed of the agitator in the first step, and provides the cooking heater according to any one of the first aspect to the tenth aspect.

[0021] According to the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit provides the cooking appliance according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, which controls the agitator so that the rotation time of the agitator in the second step is longer than the rotation time of the agitator in the first step.

[0022] According to the thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit provides the cooking appliance according to the second aspect, which controls so as to operate both the heating unit and the agitator in the second heating step.

[0023] According to the fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit provides the cooking appliance according to the thirteenth aspect, which controls the agitator so that the rotation speed of the agitator in the second heating step is slower than the rotation speed of the agitator in the second step of the first heating step.

[0024] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations of the following embodiments, and configurations based on the same technical idea are included in the present disclosure.

[0025] (Embodiment) First, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0026] 1 to 3 are perspective views of the cooking appliance 2 according to the embodiment, FIG. 4A is a plan view showing the inside of the lid 10, FIG. 4B is a plan view showing the inside of the main body 8, and FIG. 4C is an enlarged perspective view of the agitator 5. FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the state where the lid 10 is closed, and FIG. 3 shows the state where the lid 10 is open.

[0027] The cooking appliance 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is a cooking appliance for cooking food ingredients (not shown) as the object to be heated. The cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment can be used as an automatic cooking appliance in which an operation sequence is programmed in advance for each cooking menu, and such a cooking appliance is also referred to as an "autocooker", a "multicooker", or a "slow cooker". Note that the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment can also perform manual cooking without using a pre-programmed operation sequence.

[0028] When the user uses the cooking appliance 2 as an automatic cooking appliance, the food ingredients are placed in the cooking space S1 of the container 4 shown in FIG. 3, and the display operation unit 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is operated to select a cooking menu and determine the execution of the cooking. The cooking appliance 2 executes a cooking process of heating and cooking the food ingredients according to a predetermined program according to the selected cooking menu (such as frozen vegetables, frozen meat, etc.).

[0029] Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the case where the cooking appliance 2 is used as an automatic cooking appliance will be described.

[0030] The cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment has a "pressure cooking function" for cooking food ingredients in a pressurized state where the cooking space S1 is at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. In the display operation unit 6 shown in FIG. 2, a pressure cooking menu for performing pressure cooking and a non-pressure cooking menu can be selected. The display operation unit 6 functions as a cooking menu selection unit for selecting a cooking menu. In addition to the pressure cooking function, a "vacuum cooking function" for cooking food ingredients in a depressurized state where the cooking space S1 is at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure may be selectable.

[0031] The cooking appliance 2 is not limited to having a pressure cooking function, and may not have a pressure cooking function.

[0032] The cooking appliance 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 includes a container 4 (FIGS. 3 and 5), a main body 8 that houses the container 4, and a lid 10.

[0033] The container 4 is a cylindrical container having an open top and a bottom. The container 4 forms a cooking space S1 inside, and a stirring member 5 is provided in the cooking space S1. The stirring member 5 is a member for stirring the food ingredients stored in the container 4, has a shape along the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4, and stirs the food ingredients from below. The detailed structure of the stirring member 5 will be described later.

[0034] The main body 8 is a cylindrical member having an open top and a bottom. Various components for operating the cooking device 2 are built into the main body 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a heater 9 as a heating unit for heating the container 4 and a temperature sensor 7 as a temperature detection unit for detecting the internal temperature of the container 4 are built into the bottom side of the main body 8. The temperature sensor 7 shown in FIG. 5 is provided at the upper center of the main body 8 so as to detect the temperature of the bottom of the container 4, and indirectly detects and obtains the internal temperature of the container 4 by detecting the temperature of the bottom of the container 4. In FIG. 5, the temperature sensor 7 is shown in a simplified manner.

[0035] Not limited to the temperature sensor 7 that detects the temperature of the bottom of the container 4, any configuration may be used as the temperature detection unit as long as it can directly or indirectly detect and obtain the internal temperature of the container 4. For example, the following sensors (1) to (3) may be used as the temperature detection unit. (1) A temperature sensor that indirectly detects the internal temperature of the container 4 by contacting a heating plate provided on the lid 10 and measuring the temperature of the heating plate (2) A temperature sensor that protrudes from the lid 10 into the internal space of the container 4 and directly measures the temperature inside the container 4 (3) A pressure sensor built into the lid 10 that indirectly detects the internal temperature of the container 4 by measuring the internal pressure of the container 4

[0036] The above-mentioned multiple types of temperature detection units may be provided in the cooking device 2 alone or in any combination. Also, sensors of types different from (1) to (3) may be used.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5, the cooking appliance 2 further incorporates a control unit 11. The control unit 11 is a member for controlling the operations of the respective components of the cooking appliance 2 and is electrically connected to each component. The control unit 11 is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer having a circuit board. The control unit 11 of the present embodiment includes a first substrate 11A incorporated in the lid 10 and a second substrate 11B incorporated in the main body 8. The first substrate 11A is a substrate having a microcomputer, is electrically connected to the display operation unit 6, and operates in conjunction with the display operation unit 6 (keys, touch panel, remote operation, etc.). The first substrate 11A receives input information from the display operation unit 6 and transmits heating control information based on the input information to the second substrate 11B. The second substrate 11B is a substrate for controlling the heater 9, is electrically connected to the heater 9, and controls the heater 9 based on the heating control information received from the first substrate 11A. The first substrate 11A and the second substrate 11B are wired-connected via a flat cable or the like. In FIG. 5, the first substrate 11A and the second substrate 11B constituting the control unit 11 are schematically illustrated.

[0038] The control unit 11 of the present embodiment has a quantity determination function for determining the quantity of food ingredients. The quantity determination function may be realized, for example, by enabling the user to select the quantity at the display operation unit 6, or may be realized by estimating from the temperature transition of the temperature sensor 7 in the cooking process described later. Without being limited to these methods, the quantity determination function may be realized by any method.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the main body 8 pivotally supports the lid 10 so as to be rotatable (arrow R1) from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. Thereby, the lid 10 is rotatable in the vertical direction and the depth direction.

[0040] The lid 10 is a member for opening and closing the main body 8 and the container 4. Various components for operating the cooking device 2 are built into the lid 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a display operation unit 6 is provided on the upper surface of the lid 10. The display operation unit 6 is a member that combines the function of a "display unit" for displaying various information related to the cooking device 2 to the user and the function of an "operation unit" for the user to operate the cooking device 2, and is composed of, for example, a touch panel, physical buttons, etc. The display operation unit 6 is not limited to a configuration that combines the functions of a display unit and an operation unit, and the display unit and the operation unit may be provided separately. Regarding the operation unit, it is not limited to the case where the user directly operates the cooking device 2, and it may be indirectly operated, such as remotely operating via the user's smartphone, etc., and any configuration may be used as long as the user can operate the cooking device 2.

[0041] The lid 10 includes an outer lid 12 and an inner lid 14. The outer lid 12 is a lid for opening and closing the upper surface opening of the main body 8, and the inner lid 14 is a lid for sealing the upper surface opening of the container 4. The inner lid 14 is detachably attached to the inside (lower surface side) of the outer lid 12. FIG. 3 shows a state where the inner lid 14 is detached from the outer lid 12, and FIG. 4A shows a state where the inner lid 14 is attached to the outer lid 12.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer lid 12 includes a ventilation port 16 and a handle 201.

[0043] The ventilation port 16 is an opening for ventilating the cooking space S1 of the container 4 to the outside. The ventilation port 16 can be switched between a communication state in which it communicates with the cooking space S1 and a non-communication state in which it does not communicate by a pressure reducing valve 26 described later. In the communication state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 becomes atmospheric pressure. In the non-communication state, the cooking space S1 is sealed by the inner lid 14 and becomes a pressure independent of atmospheric pressure.

[0044] The handle 201 is a member for the user to perform a rotation operation to switch between the locked state / unlocked state of the lid 10. The handle 201 is rotationally operated about a rotation axis Ax1 extending in the thickness direction of the lid 10 (arrow R2). The thickness direction of the lid 10 generally coincides with the vertical direction in the state where the lid 10 is closed (FIGS. 1 and 2), and generally coincides with the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in the state where the lid 10 is open (FIG. 3).

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the inner lid 14 has an inner lid main body portion 20 and a packing 22.

[0046] The inner lid main body portion 20 is a portion corresponding to the main body portion of the inner lid 14 and has a substantially disc shape. A packing 22 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the inner lid main body portion 20. The packing 22 is a substantially annular member attached to the outer peripheral portion of the inner lid main body portion 20 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the lid 10 is closed, the packing 22 abuts against the upper end portion 4A of the container 4 to seal the cooking space S1.

[0047] A safety valve (first valve) 24, a pressure reducing valve (second valve) 26, and a pressure regulating valve (third valve) 28 are provided in the inner lid main body portion 20.

[0048] The safety valve 24, the pressure reducing valve 26, and the pressure regulating valve 28 are all valves attached to the inner lid main body portion 20 and are arranged so as to be exposed to the cooking space S1. As shown in FIG. 5, a ventilation space S2 communicating with the ventilation port 16 is provided on the upper surface side of the inner lid main body portion 20. The safety valve 24, the pressure reducing valve 26, and the pressure regulating valve 28 each operate to switch between the communicating state / non-communicating state between the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2.

[0049] The safety valve 24 is a valve that operates spontaneously in response to an increase in the pressure in the cooking space S1. The safety valve 24 is arranged at a position that seals the cooking space S1, and moves from the sealing position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 rising above a predetermined pressure. The safety valve 24 prevents the cooking space S1 from becoming over-pressurized and does not operate during normal use.

[0050] The pressure reducing valve 26 is a valve that operates mainly under the control of the control unit 11. The pressure reducing valve 26 is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that opens to the atmospheric pressure, and its position is controlled by the control unit 11. By moving the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, the pressure in the cooking space S1 can be returned to the atmospheric pressure. A valve driving unit 40 is provided above the pressure reducing valve 26, and the control unit 11 controls the position of the pressure reducing valve 26 by driving the valve driving unit 40. The pressure reducing valve 26 may be referred to as an "on-off valve".

[0051] The pressure regulating valve 28 is a valve for performing pressure cooking. Similar to the safety valve 24, it is arranged at a position that seals the cooking space S1, and moves from the sealing position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 rising to a predetermined pressure (a pressure lower than the predetermined pressure of the safety valve 24) or higher. The pressure regulating valve 28 is a valve that operates during normal use and has a function of maintaining the cooking space S1 in a pressurized state of 1 atm or higher (for example, 1.5 atm). By performing pressure cooking using the pressure regulating valve 28, the food ingredients can be heated at a high temperature of 100 degrees or higher to promote the finish of the food ingredients, leading to a shortening of the heating time.

[0052] The pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28 of the present embodiment are provided integrally. FIGS. 4D and 4E are longitudinal sectional views showing an enlarged view of the peripheral portion of the pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28. FIG. 4D shows a state where both the pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28 are in the sealing position, and FIG. 4E shows a state where the pressure reducing valve 26 shown in FIG. 4D operates and moves from the sealing position to the open position (the pressure regulating valve 28 remains in the sealing position).

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, a first valve cover 70 is provided at a position facing the cooking space S1. The first valve cover 70 is a cover member that houses the pressure reducing valve 26 and the like inside, and is fixed to the inner lid main body 20. A plurality of through holes 72 are provided in the first valve cover 70. The pressure reducing valve 26 is a rod-shaped member inserted through an opening 74 provided in the inner lid main body 20, and receives an upward biasing force F1 by a first spring 76. The pressure reducing valve 26 receiving the biasing force F1 is inserted through an opening 78 provided in the pressure regulating valve 28, and abuts against the upper part of the pressure regulating valve 28 so as to close the opening 78 as shown in FIG. 4D.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4E, when a downward pressing force F2 from the valve driving part 40 acts on the upper end of the pressure reducing valve 26 and exceeds the biasing force F1 by the first spring 76, while the first spring 76 contracts, the pressure reducing valve 26 relatively descends with respect to the pressure regulating valve 28 and the like. As a result, the opening 78 of the pressure regulating valve 28 blocked by the pressure reducing valve 26 is opened, and the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2 communicate with each other. In this way, the pressure reducing valve 26 moves from the sealing position to the opening position by the control of the valve driving part 40 by the control part 11.

[0055] The pressure regulating valve 28 engages with the pressure reducing valve 26 and is covered from the outside by a second valve cover 80. The second valve cover 80 has a through hole 81 through which the upper end part of the pressure reducing valve 26 is slidably inserted, and a through hole 83 different from the through hole 81. A spring 82 is provided between the second valve cover 80 and the pressure regulating valve 28, and the pressure regulating valve 28 receives a downward biasing force F3 by the second spring 82. The pressure regulating valve 28 receiving the biasing force F3 has its lower end part 84 in close contact with a part of the second valve cover 80 to seal. As shown in FIG. 4D, when the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises, an upward pressing force F4 acts on the pressure reducing valve 26. When the upward pressing force F4 exceeds the downward biasing force F3, while the second spring 82 contracts, the pressure regulating valve 28 and the pressure reducing valve 26 rise integrally, so that a gap is generated between the pressure regulating valve 28 and the second valve cover 80, and the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2 communicate with each other. In this way, the pressure regulating valve 28 moves from the sealing position to the opening position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 rising above a predetermined pressure.

[0056] The pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28 are not limited to an integrated structure as shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, and each may be provided at a different location and operate independently.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooking heater 2 is further provided with handles 50. The handles 50 are parts for the user to hold the cooking heater 2, and a pair of them are provided on the left and right. The handles 50 have a shape in which a part of the upper end of the main body 8 and a part of the lower end of the lid 10 protrude horizontally.

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 4C and 4B, the agitating body 5 is configured to be rotatable about a central axis Ax2 extending vertically, and includes a rotation center portion 52, a rotation shaft 53, a tip portion 54, and a curved portion 56.

[0059] The rotation center portion 52 is a portion located at the rotation center of the agitating body 5 and is fitted to the upper end of the rotation shaft 53. The rotation shaft 53 is a shaft-shaped member for rotating the agitating body 5, is connected to the rotation driving portion 58 shown in FIG. 5, and is rotationally driven about the central axis Ax2. When the rotation shaft 53 is rotationally driven, the agitating body 5 including the rotation center portion 52 is integrally rotationally driven.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the agitating body 5 of the present embodiment is rotatable in both a first rotation direction V1 and a second rotation direction V2 opposite to the first rotation direction V1 about the central axis Ax2. Hereinafter, the rotation in the first rotation direction V1 is referred to as "reverse rotation", and the rotation in the second rotation direction V2 is referred to as "forward rotation".

[0061] The tip portion 54 is an end portion of the agitating body 5 located away from the rotation center portion 52 and is close to the inner surface 4C of the container 4. The curved portion 56 is a portion connecting the rotation center portion 52 and the tip portion 54, and has a gently curved outer shape when the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4 is viewed in plan. The curved portion 56 of the present embodiment has a curved shape in which the portion between the rotation center portion 52 and the tip portion 54 is recessed in the second rotation direction V2 which is the forward rotation direction. A recess 60 recessed in the second rotation direction V2 is formed at the center of the agitating body 5 starting from an imaginary line connecting the rotation shaft 53 and the tip portion 54.

[0062] Near the agitator 5, a cover member 62 is further provided. The cover member 62 is a member for covering and protecting drive parts such as the rotary shaft 53 in the agitator 5, and is erected on the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4.

[0063] The agitator 5 of the present embodiment has a shape along the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the cover member 62. By providing such an agitator 5, since the food ingredients arranged in the cooking space S1 are agitated from below, compared with a configuration in which the food ingredients are agitated from above, it becomes easier to agitate the entire food ingredients, and the agitation of the food ingredients can be promoted.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 5, the inner lid main body 20 has a protruding portion 22A at a position close to the upper end portion 4A of the container 4. The protruding portion 22A is a part of the packing 22 that constitutes the outer peripheral portion of the inner lid main body 20, and protrudes downward toward the cooking space S1 of the container 4. By providing the protruding portion 22A, the sealing performance between the inner lid 14 and the container 4 can be improved. In particular, when the pressure in the cooking space S1 is in a pressurized state higher than the atmospheric pressure, the protruding portion 22A comes into contact with the inner side surface 4C of the container 4 and exhibits a function of improving the sealing performance.

[0065] The protruding portion 22A is disposed at a position close to the inner side surface 4C of the container 4. During cooking with the lid 10 closed, steam or the like is generated in the cooking space S1 and water droplets adhere to the protruding portion 22A, and the water droplets adhering to the protruding portion 22A fall near the outer peripheral portion of the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4 (arrow B).

[0066] As shown in FIG. 4B, the container 4 further has ribs 64. The ribs 64 are protrusions provided on the inner side surface of the container 4, and are provided so as to extend in the vertical direction. The container 4 of the present embodiment has two ribs 64 provided at opposing positions, but the arrangement and number of the ribs 64 are not limited to this, and there may be no ribs 64. The ribs 64 have a function of dropping the food ingredients to the opposite side of the advancing direction of the agitator 5 by contacting the food ingredients agitated by the rotation of the agitator 5, and have an effect of promoting the convection and agitation of the food ingredients.

[0067] The cooking appliance 2 having the above configuration executes a predetermined cooking process according to the cooking menu set by the display operation unit 6. When executing the cooking process, the cooking appliance 2 controls the driving of the heater 9, the stirring body 5, etc., with the set temperature corresponding to each cooking menu as the target temperature based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7.

[0068] By energizing the heater 9 with the pressure reducing valve 26 closed to heat the container 4 to a temperature equal to or higher than room temperature, the internal pressure of the container 4 becomes a pressurized state of 1 atm or more. Thereby, "pressure cooking" for pressure-cooking the food ingredients can be executed in a state where the pressure in the cooking space S1 is increased within a range below the predetermined pressure at which the pressure regulating valve 28 operates.

[0069] The cooking appliance 2 having the above configuration particularly has a cooking menu dedicated to thawing for thawing frozen food ingredients. An example of the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0070] FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of the temperature transition and stirring speed in the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu dedicated to thawing executed by the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment.

[0071] In FIG. 6, the horizontal axis represents "time", and the vertical axis represents "temperature" and "stirring". Regarding "temperature", the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is shown by a solid line, and the estimated temperature of the food ingredients is shown by a dotted line. "Stirring" shows the rotational speed of the stirring body 5 by a bar graph, and distinguishes and represents "reverse rotation" in the first rotation direction V1 and "forward rotation" in the second rotation direction V2.

[0072] The control unit 11 executes a cooking process of setting a predetermined set temperature according to the selected cooking menu and then controlling the energization of the heater 9 so that the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 approaches the set temperature.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 11 executes the first heating process in response to the start of the cooking menu, and then subsequently executes the second heating process.

[0074] In the first heating process, the control unit 11 executes the first step and then continues to execute the second step. The first step is a step of thawing the frozen food from the surface. Since moisture (ice) intervenes in the frozen food, the individual foods that make up the frozen food are often stuck and frozen (for example, minced meat, etc.). At the end of the first step, the individual foods are in a thawed state while still stuck together. The second step is a step of separating and loosening the individual foods by stirring the frozen food that has been thawed while still stuck together.

[0075] In the first step, the control unit 11 sets the set temperature to the first predetermined temperature T1. The first predetermined temperature T1 is a temperature of 65 degrees or less. In this embodiment, in particular, it is set within the range of 55 degrees or more and 65 degrees or less (for example, 60 degrees).

[0076] The initial temperature of the frozen food is low (for example, 3 degrees). In the first step shown in FIG. 6, until the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 reaches the first predetermined temperature T1, the control unit 11 continuously energizes the heater 9. As a result, the frozen food is heated and thawed.

[0077] When the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 reaches the first predetermined temperature T1, the control unit 11 performs temperature control that repeats the ON / OFF of the heater 9 so as to maintain the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at the first predetermined temperature T1. As a result, the frozen food is heated and thawed. The control unit 11 ends the first step and shifts to the second step, for example, at the timing when the temperature control has continued for a predetermined time or at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the first step.

[0078] In the first step, the agitator 5 operates at a low rotational speed or stops according to the cooking menu. When the agitator 5 is stopped to thaw the frozen food, heat is efficiently transferred in a state where the frozen food is immersed in a liquid such as water or seasoning liquid. Therefore, in many cooking menus, the agitator 5 is stopped. However, for example, when the frozen food contacts the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4 and a food material in which fine particles such as frozen minced meat or fish mince are aggregated is used, the temperature of the portion where the food material and the container 4 are in close contact tends to rise, and protein coagulation tends to progress. Therefore, by operating the agitator 5 at a low rotational speed of 10 rpm or less, the position of the frozen food is moved to suppress local coagulation.

[0079] In the second step, the control unit 11 sets the set temperature to the second predetermined temperature T2. The second predetermined temperature T2 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 in the first step, and in this embodiment, it is particularly set within the range of 65 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less (for example, 70 degrees).

[0080] The control unit 11 further drives the agitator 5 at the start of the second step to heat and stir the food material. Since heat is dispersed by stirring the food material, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 disposed at the bottom of the container 4 temporarily decreases. On the other hand, by changing the set temperature to the second predetermined temperature T2 higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and increasing the energization amount to the heater 9, it is possible to suppress the heating of the food material from becoming insufficient due to the temporary temperature decrease.

[0081] In the second step, when the control unit 11 of this embodiment rotationally drives the agitator 5, it executes control to alternately repeat forward rotation and reverse rotation. In the example shown in FIG. 6, it starts from forward rotation, and alternately executes forward rotation and reverse rotation for the same continuous time (for example, 3 to 5 seconds) and at the same rotational speed R1 (for example, 20 to 30 rpm). Not limited to such a case, it may start from reverse rotation, and the respective continuous times and rotational speeds of forward rotation and reverse rotation may be set to arbitrary values.

[0082] When the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 reaches the second predetermined temperature T2, the control unit 11 executes temperature control that repeatedly turns the heater 9 on and off so as to maintain the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at the second predetermined temperature T2. For example, the control unit 11 ends the second process at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the second process, and shifts to the second heating process, at the timing when the temperature control has continued for a predetermined time.

[0083] In the second heating process, the control unit 11 sets the set temperature to the third predetermined temperature T3. The third predetermined temperature T3 is higher than the first predetermined temperatures T1 and T2 in the first heating process, and in this embodiment, it is particularly set to a temperature of 100 degrees or more (for example, 100 degrees).

[0084] The second heating process is a process that is also executed in the cooking of non-frozen room-temperature food ingredients, and is a cooking completion process that heats the food ingredients to about 100 degrees to transfer heat to the center of the food ingredients so that the food ingredients can be eaten.

[0085] Even in the second heating process, the control unit 11 continues the heating and stirring by the stirring body 5. The control unit 11 of this embodiment maintains the stirring pattern of the stirring body 5 in the second process of the first heating process as the stirring pattern of the stirring body 5 in the second heating process, and alternately executes forward rotation and reverse rotation. By this stirring, the retention of the food ingredients can be suppressed and heat can be uniformly transferred to the food ingredients.

[0086] After the control unit 11 executes forward rotation and reverse rotation a predetermined number of times each, it controls the stirring body 5 to rotate in one direction by lowering the stirring speed to a rotation speed R2 (for example, 10 rpm) lower than the rotation speed R1 (forward rotation in the example shown in FIG. 6). The rotation direction does not necessarily have to be forward rotation, but may be reverse rotation. Also, instead of one direction, it may be an alternating rotation direction of forward rotation and reverse rotation.

[0087] When the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 reaches the third predetermined temperature T3, the control unit 11 executes temperature control that repeatedly turns the heater 9 on and off so as to maintain the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at the third predetermined temperature T3. The control unit 11 ends the second heating step, for example, at the timing when the temperature control has continued for a predetermined time, or at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the second heating step.

[0088] In response to the end of the second heating step, the control unit 11 causes the display operation unit 6 to display that the cooking menu for thawing cooking has ended, and notifies the user.

[0089] According to the heating cooking process described above, as a process for thawing and cooking frozen food, in the first heating step, the food is heated and thawed in a first temperature range (low temperature range) from an initial temperature (for example, 3 degrees) to a second predetermined temperature T2 (for example, 70 degrees). In the second heating step of the cooking completion step, which is a process common to the cooking of the food at room temperature, the food is heated in a second temperature range (high temperature range) from the second predetermined temperature T2 (for example, 70 degrees) to the third predetermined temperature T3 (for example, 100 degrees).

[0090] In the first heating step, after executing the first step of operating the heater 9 without operating the agitator 5 or operating it at a low rotation speed, the second step of operating both the agitator 5 and the heater 9 is executed.

[0091] In the first step, the food is not stirred or stirred at a low rotation speed, and by heating, thawing is promoted from the surface of the food, and when the food is stirred in the subsequent second step, the fixed part of the food is easily loosened. If the food is in a state of being immersed in a liquid, heat can be efficiently transferred to the frozen food through the liquid. Note that it is not limited to the state where the food is initially immersed in a liquid, and heat can also be efficiently transferred by the liquid flowing out from the surface of the food and accumulating around the food as the food is heated in the heating step.

[0092] The set temperature of the first step is set to a first predetermined temperature T1 of 65 degrees or less. By heating the food material at a relatively low temperature in the first step, it is possible to proceed with the thawing of the food material in a state where protein thermal denaturation is unlikely to occur, leading to an improvement in the defects in the cooked state. In particular, by setting the first predetermined temperature T1 to be 55 degrees or more and 65 degrees or less, it is possible to promote the thawing of the food material while suppressing the thermal denaturation of the protein, and it becomes easier to separate the stuck parts of the food material by the stirring in the subsequent second step.

[0093] In the second step, by heating the food material while stirring, it is possible to separate the stuck parts of the food material generated during freezing while proceeding with the thawing of the food material. By heating the food material to a certain extent in the first step and then stirring the food material in the second step, the food material can be efficiently loosened. In particular, the stirring body 5 of the present embodiment has a shape along the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4, and since the food material is stirred from below, it is possible to easily and efficiently loosen the entire food material.

[0094] The set temperature of the second step is set to a second predetermined temperature T2 of 65 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less. By raising the set temperature in the second step, it becomes easier to ensure a sufficient heating amount even when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 temporarily decreases due to the stirring of the food material, leading to a shortening of the cooking time.

[0095] The stirring in the second step is executed by alternately performing forward rotation and reverse rotation, thereby suppressing the excessive increase in the resistance when the stirring body 5 comes into contact with the food material having many stuck parts as compared with the case of continuously rotating only in one direction. Thereby, the occurrence of failures and malfunctions of the cooking heater 2 can be suppressed.

[0096] In the second heating step after the first heating step, heating and stirring of the food material are executed following the second step. The second heating step is a step of finishing the cooking by passing fire to the center of the food material to a desired state. Since the set temperature of the second heating step is set to a third predetermined temperature T3 of 100 degrees or more, the food material can be strongly heated.

[0097] By relatively slowing down the stirring speed of the stirrer 5 during the second heating process, the collapse of the ingredients can be suppressed, and by continuously rotating in one direction, the control becomes easier.

[0098] The cooking process shown in FIG. 6 is executed when the cooking menu of "thawing" for thawing frozen ingredients is selected on the display operation unit 6. It suffices that it is a thawing cooking menu and can be directly or indirectly recognized by the user on the display screen of the display operation unit 6.

[0099] Not limited to the case of being selected by the display operation unit 6, when the control unit 11 determines whether it is frozen or non-frozen based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 during the execution / in the middle of the cooking process, and automatically determines that it is frozen food, the control shown in FIG. 6 may be executed.

[0100] The cooking menu of the cooking process shown in FIG. 6 can be applied to, for example, frozen grated daikon radish, frozen curry, frozen meat and potato stew, frozen beef bowl, etc. By applying the cooking process shown in FIG. 6 to these ingredients, it is possible to loosen the stuck parts of the ingredients while suppressing the thermal denaturation of proteins and efficiently heat and thaw the ingredients, leading to an improvement in the appearance.

[0101] According to the cooking process shown in FIG. 6, for example, when using ingredients that are frozen in a state where ingredients such as minced meat and thinly sliced meat are in close contact, the temperature is maintained at a temperature (first predetermined temperature T1) that does not reach the temperature at which the protein coagulates in the first step but promotes thawing, promoting thawing, in the second step, the ingredients thawed in the first step are loosened and separated by repeating forward and reverse rotations, and in the second heating step, by cooking and heating to 100 degrees or more, the ingredients can be finished with thawing and cooking in a loosened state without solidifying in the frozen shape.

[0102] Note that the cooking process shown in FIG. 6 may be executed not only for frozen ingredients but also for a combination of frozen ingredients and non-frozen ingredients.

[0103] (Function and effect) As described above, the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment includes a container 4 for storing food, a stirring body 5 that rotates to stir the food, a main body 8 that houses the container 4, a lid 10 that is disposed above the container 4 and can be opened and closed, a heater 9 (heating unit) that heats the container 4, a temperature sensor 7 (temperature detection unit) that detects temperature, a display operation unit 6 (operation unit) for the user to select and operate cooking menus, and a control unit 11 that controls the heater 9 and the stirring body 5 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 7 according to the cooking menu selected by the display operation unit 6. In a cooking menu for thawing frozen food, the control unit 11 executes a first heating step of operating the heater 9 to heat the food in a first temperature range. The first heating step includes a first step of operating the heater 9 with the stirring body 5 stopped or operating, and a second step of operating the heater 9 with the stirring body 5 operating after the first step.

[0104] According to such a cooking heater 2, in the first heating step, in the first step, heating is performed without stirring or while stirring at a low rotation speed, for example, so that the surface and inside of the frozen food are warmed to a certain extent. Then, in the second step, by heating while stirring, the stuck portions of the food generated during freezing can be separated and loosened. After that, for example, by heating the food at a higher temperature in the second heating step, it is possible to improve the problems in the finished cooking state, such as the food sticking together and forming a protein coagulated lump, or uneven heating and heat unevenness due to inability to heat uniformly.

[0105] Also, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 executes a second heating step of operating the heater 9 (heating unit) to heat the food in a second temperature range higher than the first temperature range after the first heating step. According to such a cooking heater 2, it is possible to improve the problems in the finished cooking state, such as the food sticking together and forming a protein coagulated lump, or uneven heating and heat unevenness due to inability to heat uniformly.

[0106] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the first temperature range includes a first predetermined temperature T1 of 65 degrees or less, and the control unit 11 executes control to heat at the first predetermined temperature T1 in the first heating step. According to such a cooking heater 2, by setting the first predetermined temperature T1 to 65 degrees or less, the food can be heated in a state where protein denaturation is less likely to occur, suppressing the deterioration of the texture of the food and improving the cooking result.

[0107] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the first predetermined temperature T1 is 55 degrees or more and 65 degrees or less. According to such a cooking heater 2, it is possible to promote the thawing of the food while suppressing the thermal denaturation of proteins.

[0108] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 controls the heater 9 (heating unit) so as to heat at the first predetermined temperature T1 in the first step and heat at a second predetermined temperature T2 higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 in the second step. According to such a cooking heater 2, by increasing the heating temperature in the second step of stirring, it becomes easier to ensure a sufficient heating amount even when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 temporarily drops due to the stirring of the food, leading to a shortening of the cooking time.

[0109] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the second predetermined temperature T2 is 65 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less. According to such a cooking heater 2, by setting the second predetermined temperature T2 to 65 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less, it becomes easier to ensure a sufficient heating amount while suppressing protein denaturation to some extent.

[0110] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the second temperature range includes a third predetermined temperature T3, and the control unit 11 controls the heater 9 (heating unit) to heat at the third predetermined temperature T3 in the second heating step. According to such a cooking heater 2, by setting the third predetermined temperature T3 to a desired temperature, it is possible to promote the thawing of the food.

[0111] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the third predetermined temperature T3 is 100 degrees or higher. According to such a cooking appliance 2, cooking can be completed in a state where the food is fully edible.

[0112] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, when the control unit 11 operates the stirring body 5 in the second step, the control unit 11 alternately executes a first rotation operation of operating the stirring body 5 in the first rotation direction V1 and a second rotation operation of operating the stirring body 5 in the second rotation direction V2 opposite to the first rotation direction V1. According to such a cooking appliance 2, even when there are fixed or hard parts remaining in the food, it is less likely that an excessive load is applied to the stirring body 5 when the stirring body 5 contacts the food.

[0113] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 controls the stirring body 5 so that the rotation speed of the stirring body 5 in the second step is higher than the rotation speed of the stirring body 5 in the first step. According to such a cooking appliance 2, in the second step, the individual foods constituting the frozen food are more easily separated from each other and loosened.

[0114] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 controls the stirring body 5 so that the rotation time of the stirring body 5 in the second step is longer than the rotation time of the stirring body 5 in the first step. According to such a cooking appliance 2, in the second step, the individual foods constituting the frozen food are more easily separated from each other and loosened.

[0115] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 controls to operate both the heater 9 (heating unit) and the stirring body 5 in the second heating step. According to such a cooking appliance 2, in the second heating step, cooking can be finished in a desired state by heating through to the center of the food.

[0116] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 controls the agitator 5 such that the rotation speed R2 of the agitator 5 in the second heating step is slower than the rotation speed R1 of the agitator 5 in the second step of the first heating step. According to such a cooking appliance 2, it is possible to suppress the disintegration of the food ingredients due to stirring.

[0117] (Modification example) Instead of the cooking process shown in FIG. 6, the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment may execute the cooking process shown in FIG. 7.

[0118] FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of the temperature transition and stirring speed in the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu dedicated to thawing cooking executed by the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment.

[0119] The cooking process shown in FIG. 7 is different from the cooking process shown in FIG. 6 in that the set temperatures in the first and second steps of the first heating step are the same first predetermined temperature T1.

[0120] According to the cooking process shown in FIG. 7, since the set temperature in the first heating step is maintained at the first predetermined temperature T1 of 65 degrees or less, the thermal denaturation of proteins can be more effectively suppressed.

[0121] Since the first predetermined temperature T1 in the second step is lower than that in the cooking process shown in FIG. 6, after the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 temporarily decreases along with the stirring of the food ingredients in the second step, the low temperature state continues for a long time. On the other hand, for example, by advancing the timing of shifting from the second step to the second heating step, lengthening the time of the second heating step, etc., it is possible to finish cooking to a desired state by thoroughly heating the center of the food ingredients.

[0122] (Function and effect) In the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 controls the heater 9 (heating unit) so as to heat at a first predetermined temperature T1 in the first step and the second step. According to such a cooking appliance 2, especially when the amount of food is small, by applying the same heating temperature in both the first step and the second step, thermal denaturation of proteins can be more effectively suppressed, and the control can be simplified.

[0123] As described above, the invention of the present disclosure has been described with reference to the above-described embodiments, but the invention of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the time and set temperature of each step shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be set to be appropriately changed according to the amount of food and the like. For example, regarding the second predetermined temperature T2 in the second step shown in FIG. 6, when the amount of food is small, it may be set to a relatively low temperature (for example, about 70 degrees), and when the amount of food is large, it may be set to a relatively high temperature (for example, about 85 degrees). Thereby, it becomes possible to give an appropriate heating amount according to the amount of food, leading to an improvement in the finished state of cooking frozen food.

[0124] Although the present disclosure is fully described in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications and corrections will be apparent to those skilled in the art of this technology. Such modifications and corrections should be understood to be included therein as long as they do not deviate from the scope of the invention according to the appended claims. Also, changes in the combination and order of elements in each embodiment can be realized without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0125] Among the various modification examples of the above-described embodiments, by appropriately combining any modification examples, it is possible to achieve the respective effects.

Industrial Applicability

[0126] The present disclosure is applicable to any cooking appliance that heats and cooks food.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0127] 2 Cooking appliance 4 Container 4B Inner bottom surface 5 Stirring body 6 Display operation unit (operation unit) 7 Temperature sensor (temperature detection unit) 8 Main body 9 Heater (heating unit) 10 Lid 11 Control unit S1 Cooking space T1 First predetermined temperature T2 Second predetermined temperature T3 Third predetermined temperature V1 First rotation direction V2 Second rotation direction

Claims

1. A container for storing food ingredients, A stirring body that rotates to stir the food ingredients, A main body for storing the container, A lid that is disposed above the container and can be opened and closed, A heating unit for heating the container, A temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, An operation unit for a user to select and operate a cooking menu, A control unit that controls the heating unit and the stirring body based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit, In a cooking menu for thawing frozen food ingredients, the control unit executes a first heating step of operating the heating unit to heat the food ingredients in a first temperature range, The first heating step includes a first step of operating the heating unit with the stirring body stopped or operating, and a second step of operating the heating unit with the stirring body operating after the first step. A cooking heater.

2. After the first heating step, the control unit executes a second heating step of operating the heating unit to heat the food ingredients in a second temperature range higher than the first temperature range. The cooking heater according to claim 1.

3. The first temperature range includes a first predetermined temperature of 65 degrees or less, The control unit executes control to heat at the first predetermined temperature in the first heating step. The cooking heater according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first predetermined temperature is 55 degrees or more and 65 degrees or less. The cooking heater according to claim 3.

5. The control unit controls the heating unit to heat at the first predetermined temperature in the first step and to heat at a second predetermined temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature in the second step. The cooking heater according to claim 3.

6. The second predetermined temperature is 65 degrees or more and 85 degrees or less. The cooking heater according to claim 5.

7. The control unit controls the heating unit to heat at the first predetermined temperature in the first step and the second step. The cooking heater according to claim 3.

8. The second temperature range includes a third predetermined temperature, The control unit controls the heating unit to heat at the third predetermined temperature in the second heating step. The cooking heater according to claim 2.

9. The third predetermined temperature is 100 degrees or more. The cooking heater according to claim 8.

10. When operating the agitator in the second step, the control unit alternately executes a first rotation operation for operating the agitator in a first rotation direction and a second rotation operation for operating the agitator in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. The cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The control unit controls the agitator so that the rotation speed of the agitator in the second step is higher than the rotation speed of the agitator in the first step. The cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2.

12. The control unit controls the agitator so that the rotation time of the agitator in the second step is longer than the rotation time of the agitator in the first step. The cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2.

13. In the second heating step, the control unit controls so as to operate both the heating unit and the agitator. The cooking appliance according to claim 2.

14. The control unit controls the agitator so that the rotation speed of the agitator in the second heating step is lower than the rotation speed of the agitator in the second step of the first heating step. The cooking appliance according to claim 13.

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