Heating cooker

Abstract

To provide a heating cooker capable of improving shortcomings of a cooking finished state.SOLUTION: A heating cooker includes: a container housing food materials; a body part housing the container; a lid which is disposed in an upper part of the container and openable / closable; a pressure regulator which is provided for the lid and opens / closes a cooking space of the container to maintain it under prescribed pressure; a heating part for heating the container; a temperature detection part detecting temperature; an operation part for the user to select a cooking menu and operate; and a control part for controlling the heating part on the basis of a detection temperature of the temperature detection part in accordance with the cooking menu selected by the operation part. The control part controls the heating part so as to vary pressures in the cooking chamber in accordance with whether the food material is frozen or non-frozen in a first cooking menu related to a specific food material.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 Document 1).

[0003] The cooking appliance of Patent Document 1 is an electric pressure cooker having a pressure cooking function.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the cooking appliance of Patent Document 1, no sequence is provided in consideration of whether the food ingredients are frozen or not. Depending on the combination of the state of the food ingredients and the sequence, the finished state of cooking may be inferior. Since the cells of frozen food ingredients are destroyed during freezing, after cooking, frozen vegetables have a poor texture due to the remaining fiber of the vegetables, and frozen meat is likely to drip and dehydrate easily, resulting in such a finished state.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to improve the problems in the finished state of cooking.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A cooking appliance according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a container for storing food, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of being opened and closed, a pressure regulating valve provided on the lid for opening and closing to maintain a predetermined pressure in the cooking space of the container, 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 based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space according to whether the food is frozen or not in a first cooking menu for a specific food.

[0008] A cooking appliance according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a container for storing food, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of hermetically closing the container in an openable and closable manner, 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 based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit to maintain the pressure in the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space according to whether the food is frozen or not in a first cooking menu for a specific food.

[0009] A cooking appliance according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a container for storing food, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of being opened and closed, a pressure regulating valve provided on the lid for opening and closing to maintain a predetermined pressure in the cooking space of the container, 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 based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so that, in a cooking menu for a specific food, when the food is in a frozen state, the maintenance time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space at a predetermined pressure is longer than that in the case of a non-frozen state.

[0010] A cooking appliance according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a container for storing food ingredients, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of sealing the container in an openable and closable manner, 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 so as to maintain the pressure in the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so as to increase the maintenance time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space at the predetermined pressure in the case where the food ingredient is frozen compared to the case where it is not frozen in a cooking menu for a specific food ingredient.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is to improve the defects in the finished state of cooking.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 4C

Figure 4D

Figure 4E

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater including a container for storing food, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of opening and closing, a pressure regulating valve provided on the lid for opening and closing to maintain a predetermined pressure in the cooking space of the container, 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 on-off valve based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space according to whether the food is frozen or not in a first cooking menu for a specific food.

[0014] According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater including a container for storing food, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of hermetically closing the container in an openable and closable manner, 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 to maintain the pressure in the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space according to whether the food is frozen or not in a first cooking menu for a specific food.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, when the specific food ingredient is the first food ingredient, the control unit controls the heating unit so that a first pressure when the state of the first food ingredient is frozen is higher than a second pressure when the state of the first food ingredient is non-frozen, and provides the cooking appliance according to the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the first food ingredient includes vegetables, and provides the cooking appliance according to the third aspect.

[0017] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the second pressure is 1.0 atm or more and 1.5 atm or less, and provides the cooking appliance according to the third aspect or the fourth aspect.

[0018] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less, and provides the cooking appliance according to the fifth aspect.

[0019] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, when the specific food ingredient is the second food ingredient, the control unit controls the heating unit so that a third pressure when the state of the second food ingredient is frozen is lower than a fourth pressure when the state of the second food ingredient is non-frozen, and provides the cooking appliance according to any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect.

[0020] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the second food ingredient includes meat, and provides the cooking appliance according to the seventh aspect.

[0021] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, the fourth pressure is greater than 1.0 atm, and provides the cooking appliance according to the seventh aspect or the eighth aspect.

[0022] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a pressure difference between the third pressure and the fourth pressure is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less, and provides the cooking appliance according to any one of the seventh aspect to the ninth aspect.

[0023] According to the 11th aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit provides the heating cooker according to any one of the 7th to 10th aspects, which controls the heating unit and the on-off valve so that the maintenance time of the third pressure is longer than the maintenance time of the fourth pressure.

[0024] According to the 12th aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit provides the heating cooker according to any one of the 1st to 11th aspects, which determines whether the state of the food ingredient is frozen or non-frozen according to the operation content when the first cooking menu is selected at the operation unit or based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

[0025] According to the 13th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heating cooker including a container for storing food ingredients, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of being opened and closed, a pressure regulating valve provided on the lid for opening and closing to maintain the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure, a heating unit for heating the container, a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, an operation unit for the user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control unit for controlling the heating unit according to the cooking menu selected at the operation unit based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so that in the cooking menu for a specific food ingredient, when the state of the food ingredient is frozen, the maintenance time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space at a predetermined pressure is longer than that in the case of non-frozen.

[0026] According to the 14th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heating cooker including a container for storing food ingredients, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of hermetically sealing the container in an openable and closable manner, a heating unit for heating the container, a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, an operation unit for the user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control unit for controlling the heating unit to maintain the pressure in the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure according to the cooking menu selected at the operation unit based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit. The control unit controls the heating unit so that in the cooking menu for a specific food ingredient, when the state of the food ingredient is frozen, the maintenance time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space at a predetermined pressure is longer than that in the case of non-frozen.

[0027] According to the 15th aspect of the present disclosure, the specific food ingredient provides the cooking appliance according to the 13th or 14th aspect, including vegetables.

[0028] 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 concept are included in the present disclosure.

[0029] (Embodiment 1) First, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0030] 1 to 3 are perspective views of a cooking appliance 2 according to an 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 showing the stirring body 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.

[0031] The cooking appliance 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is a cooking utensil for cooking a food ingredient (not shown) as an 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", "multicooker", or "slow cooker". Note that the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment can also perform manual cooking without using a pre-programmed operation sequence.

[0032] When the user uses the cooking appliance 2 as an automatic cooking appliance, the food ingredient is 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 cooking. The cooking appliance 2 executes a cooking process of heating the food ingredient according to a predetermined program according to the selected cooking menu dish (frozen vegetables, frozen meat, etc.).

[0033] Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the case where the cooking appliance 2 is used as an automatic cooking appliance will be described.

[0034] The cooking appliance 2 of this 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 atmospheric pressure. In the display operation unit 6 shown in FIG. 2, a pressure cooking menu and a non-pressure cooking menu for performing pressure cooking 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 atmospheric pressure may be selectable.

[0035] 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.

[0036] The container 4 is a cylindrical container having a bottom with an open top. The container 4 forms a cooking space S1 inside, and a stirring body 5 is provided in the cooking space S1. The stirring body 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 body 5 will be described later.

[0037] The main body 8 is a cylindrical member having a bottom with an open top. Various components for operating the cooking appliance 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 acquires 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 illustrated in a simplified manner.

[0038] Not limited to the temperature sensor 7 that detects the temperature at 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 acquire 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 the 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

[0039] The above-mentioned multiple types of temperature detection units may be provided in the cooking heater 2 alone or in any combination. Also, sensors of types different from (1) to (3) may be used.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5, the cooking heater 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 heater 2 and is electrically connected to each component. The control unit 11 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer having a circuit board. The control unit 11 of the present embodiment includes a first substrate 11A built into the lid 10 and a second substrate 11B built into the main body 8. The first substrate 11A is a substrate having a microcomputer, is electrically connected to the display operation unit 6, and interlocks 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.

[0041] The control unit 11 of the present embodiment has a weight determination function for determining the weight of the food material. The weight determination function may be realized, for example, by allowing the user to select the weight or the like on 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 weight determination function may be realized by any method.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the main body 8 pivotally supports the lid 10 so that it can rotate (arrow R1) from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. Thereby, the lid 10 can rotate in the vertical direction and the depth direction.

[0043] 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 or the like, and any configuration may be used as long as the user can operate the cooking device 2.

[0044] 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.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer lid 12 includes a ventilation port 16 and a handle 201.

[0046] The vent 16 is an opening for ventilating the cooking space S1 of the container 4 to the outside. The vent 16 can be switched between a communicating state in which it communicates with the cooking space S1 and a non-communicating state in which it does not communicate, by a pressure reducing valve 26 described later. In the communicating state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 becomes the atmospheric pressure. In the non-communicating state, the cooking space S1 is sealed by the inner lid 14 and has a pressure independent of the atmospheric pressure.

[0047] The handle 201 is a member for the user to rotate and operate so as 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 when the lid 10 is closed (Figs. 1 and 2), and generally coincides with the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper when the lid 10 is open (Fig. 3).

[0048] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4A, the inner lid 14 has an inner lid main body portion 20 and a packing 22.

[0049] 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 disk-shaped configuration. 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.

[0050] A safety valve (first valve) 24, a pressure reducing valve (second valve) 26, and a pressure regulating valve (third valve) 28 are provided on the inner lid main body portion 20.

[0051] 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 vent 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 of the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2.

[0052] The safety valve 24 is a valve that operates spontaneously in response to an increase in pressure in the cooking space S1. The safety valve 24 is disposed 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 entering an overpressure state and does not operate during normal use.

[0053] 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".

[0054] The pressure regulating valve 28 is a valve for performing pressure cooking. Similar to the safety valve 24, it is disposed at a position that seals the cooking space S1, and the spring constant of the second spring 82 is set so that it moves from the sealing position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 rising above a predetermined pressure (a pressure lower than the predetermined pressure of the safety valve 24).

[0055] The pressure regulating valve 28 is a valve that operates during normal use. When the cooking space S1 reaches a pressurized state of 1 atm or more (for example, 1.5 atm), the second spring 82 operates, and it has a function of maintaining a predetermined pressure (the pressure of 1 atm or more) while repeating sealing and opening. By performing pressure cooking using the pressure regulating valve 28, the food ingredients can be heated at a high temperature of 100 degrees Celsius or more, which promotes the finish of the food ingredients and leads to a reduction in the heating time.

[0056] The pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28 of this 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 closed position, and FIG. 4E shows a state where the pressure reducing valve 26 shown in FIG. 4D operates and moves from the closed position to the open position (the pressure regulating valve 28 remains in the closed position).

[0057] 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 from 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.

[0058] 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 of the first spring 76, the first spring 76 contracts while the pressure reducing valve 26 descends relatively 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 closed position to the open position under the control of the valve driving part 40 by the control part 11.

[0059] The pressure regulating valve 28 engages with the pressure reducing valve 26 and is covered from the outside by the second valve cover 80. The second valve cover 80 has a through hole 81 through which the upper end portion 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 portion 84 in close contact with a part of the second valve cover 80 to seal it. 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, creating a gap 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 closed position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 rising above a predetermined pressure.

[0060] The pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28 are not limited to the integral structure shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, and they may be provided at different locations and operate independently.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heating cooker 2 is further provided with handles 50. The handles 50 are parts for the user to hold the heating cooker 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 portion of the main body 8 and a part of the lower end portion of the lid 10 protrude horizontally.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 4C and 4B, the stirring 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.

[0063] The rotation center portion 52 is a portion located at the rotation center of the stirring 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 stirring body 5, is connected to the rotation drive portion 58 shown in FIG. 5, and is rotationally driven about the central axis Ax2. When the rotation shaft 53 is rotationally driven, the stirring body 5 including the rotation center portion 52 is integrally rotationally driven.

[0064] As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the stirring body 5 of the present embodiment is rotatable in both the first rotation direction V1 and the 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".

[0065] The tip portion 54 is an end portion of the stirring body 5 located at a position 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 stirring body 5 starting from an imaginary line connecting the rotation shaft 53 and the tip portion 54.

[0066] A cover member 62 is further provided in the vicinity of the stirring body 5. The cover member 62 is a member for covering and protecting the drive portion such as the rotation shaft 53 in the stirring body 5 and is erected on the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4.

[0067] The stirring body 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 a stirring body 5, since the food ingredients arranged in the cooking space S1 are stirred from below, compared with a configuration in which the food ingredients are stirred from above, it becomes easier to stir the entire food ingredients, and the stirring of the food ingredients can be promoted.

[0068] 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 surface 4C of the container 4 and exhibits a function of improving the sealing performance.

[0069] The protruding portion 22A is disposed at a position close to the inner surface 4C of the container 4. During cooking with the lid 10 closed, steam or the like is generated in the cooking space S1, 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).

[0070] As shown in FIG. 4B, the container 4 further has ribs 64. The ribs 64 are protrusions provided on the inner 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 the case where there are no ribs 64 may also be possible. The ribs 64 have a function of dropping the food material in the opposite direction to the advancing direction of the agitating body 5 by coming into contact with the food material agitated by the rotation of the agitating body 5, and have an effect of promoting the convection and agitation of the food material.

[0071] The cooking heater 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 heater 2 controls the driving of the heater 9, the agitating 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.

[0072] By closing the pressure reducing valve 26 and energizing the heater 9 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 material can be executed in a state where the pressure in the cooking space S1 is increased within a range below a predetermined pressure at which the pressure regulating valve 28 operates.

[0073] In particular, the cooking appliance 2 according to the first embodiment executes control to vary the pressure in the cooking space S1 according to whether the food is frozen or not in a cooking menu for a specific food. An example of the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0074] (Example 1) FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of temperature change (a) and pressure change (b) in the cooking process executed by the cooking appliance 2 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 6, the transition when the initial state of the food is non-frozen is indicated by a solid line, and the transition when the food is frozen is indicated by a dotted line.

[0075] In FIG. 6(a), the horizontal axis represents "time" and the vertical axis represents "temperature". Regarding "temperature", the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is schematically shown. In FIG. 6(b), the horizontal axis represents "time" and the vertical axis represents "pressure". Regarding "pressure", the pressure value calculated from the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is schematically shown.

[0076] The control unit 11 of the present embodiment determines whether the food is frozen or not according to the selection content on the display operation unit 6. Regarding whether the food is frozen or not, it is only necessary that the user can directly or indirectly recognize it on the display screen of the display operation unit 6. It is not limited to the case where it is selected by the display operation unit 6, and the control unit 11 may automatically determine whether it is frozen or not based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 during / while executing the cooking.

[0077] The control unit 11 executes a cooking process of controlling the energization of the heater 9 and the opening and closing of the pressure reducing valve 26 based on the selected cooking menu.

[0078] In the example shown in FIG. 6, when the food is non-frozen, non-pressure cooking is performed with the cooking space S1 released to atmospheric pressure, and when the food is frozen, pressure cooking is performed with the cooking space S1 sealed.

[0079] When the food ingredients are non-frozen, the control unit 11 opens the pressure reducing valve 26 to put the cooking space S1 in an open state, and then energizes the heater 9 as appropriate. As the container 4 and the food ingredients are heated, the temperature of the food ingredients rises. Since the cooking space S1 is in an open state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 is maintained at a predetermined pressure P1 = 1 atm (atmospheric pressure). Temperature control is performed to switch the ON / OFF of the power supply to the heater 9 so as to maintain the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at a predetermined temperature T1. In this case, the predetermined temperature T1 is set to an arbitrary temperature determined in advance according to the cooking menu (for example, 100 °C). Thereby, non-pressure cooking is performed. Then, the power supply to the heater 9 is stopped at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed, and the cooking process is terminated.

[0080] When the food ingredients are frozen, the control unit 11 closes the pressure reducing valve 26 to put the cooking space S1 in a sealed state, and then energizes the heater 9 as appropriate. Since the cooking space S1 is in a sealed state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises. When the pressure reaches a predetermined pressure P2 determined in advance according to the cooking menu, the second spring 82 of the pressure regulating valve 28 operates, and while repeating sealing and opening, it is maintained at the predetermined pressure P2 (> 1.0 atm).

[0081] Temperature control may be performed to switch the ON / OFF of the power supply to the heater 9 so as to maintain the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at a predetermined temperature T2, not limited to the case where the pressure regulating valve 28 opens. The predetermined temperature T2 is the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at which the pressure in the cooking space S1 becomes the predetermined pressure P2 determined according to the cooking menu, and is predetermined. In this case, the predetermined pressure P2 can be set to any pressure. Also, during cooking, the spring constant of the second spring 82 is adjusted so that the pressure regulating valve 28 does not open.

[0082] In this way, pressure cooking is performed. Then, the power supply to the heater 9 is stopped at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed, the valve drive unit 40 is driven, the pressure reducing valve 26 is opened to put the cooking space S1 in an open state to reduce the pressure, and the cooking process is terminated.

[0083] The control shown in FIG. 6 is executed, for example, when the food ingredient is a vegetable or includes vegetables. When freezing vegetables, the cells are destroyed during freezing, resulting in fibrous substances remaining after cooking and the texture being likely to deteriorate. As shown in FIG. 6, when cooking frozen vegetables, different from cooking non-frozen vegetables, by performing pressure cooking, the fibrous substances of the frozen vegetables can be softened, the fibrous feeling peculiar to frozen vegetables can be improved, and the texture can be enhanced.

[0084] In this embodiment, the predetermined pressure P2 when performing pressure cooking is set within the range of 1.2 atm or more and 1.5 atm or less. In other words, the difference between the predetermined pressure P1 (= 1.0 atm) and the predetermined pressure P2 is set to 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less. Thereby, the fibrous substances of the vegetables can be moderately softened and the texture can be improved.

[0085] (Function and Effect) As described above, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment includes a container 4 for storing food ingredients, a main body 8 for storing the container 4, a lid 10 disposed above the container 4 and capable of opening and closing, a pressure regulating valve 28 provided on the lid 10 for opening and closing to maintain the cooking space S1 of the container 4 at a predetermined pressure, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the container 4, a temperature sensor 7 (temperature detection unit) for detecting temperature, a display operation unit 6 (operation unit) for the user to select and operate cooking menus, and a control unit 11 for controlling the heater 9 based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 according to the cooking menu selected by the display operation unit 6. The control unit 11 controls the heater 9 so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space S1 according to whether the food ingredient is frozen or non-frozen in the first cooking menu for a specific food ingredient.

[0086] According to such a cooking device 2, by varying the pressure in the cooking space S1 of the container 4 according to whether the food ingredient is frozen or non-frozen, it is possible to apply an appropriate pressure for cooking according to the state of the food ingredient, and defects in the finished state of cooking such as improving the texture can be improved.

[0087] Further, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, when the specific food material is the first food material (for example, vegetables), the control unit 11 controls the heater 9 (heating unit) so that the first pressure (predetermined pressure P2) when the state of the first food material is frozen is higher than the second pressure (predetermined pressure P1) when the state of the first food material is not frozen. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by making the pressure in the frozen case higher than the pressure in the non-frozen case, there is an effect of improving the texture of specific types of food materials such as vegetables.

[0088] Further, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the first food material includes vegetables. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by relatively increasing the pressure in the case of frozen vegetables, the fibrous texture of the frozen vegetables can be softened and the texture can be improved.

[0089] Further, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the first pressure (predetermined pressure P2) is 1.2 atm or more and 1.5 atm or less. According to such a cooking appliance 2, food materials such as frozen vegetables can be cooked by heating at an appropriate pressure, and the texture can be improved.

[0090] Further, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the second pressure (predetermined pressure P1) is 1.0 atm. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by cooking food materials such as non-frozen vegetables under normal pressure, the texture can be improved when the food materials are not suitable for pressure cooking.

[0091] Further, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the pressure difference between the first pressure (predetermined pressure P2) and the second pressure (predetermined pressure P1) is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less. According to such a cooking appliance 2, it becomes possible to cook food materials such as vegetables under appropriate pressures respectively in the frozen case and the non-frozen case.

[0092] (Modification of Example 1) 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.

[0093] FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of temperature transition and pressure transition in a cooking process corresponding to a cooking menu executed by the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment.

[0094] The cooking process shown in FIG. 7 is different from the cooking process shown in FIG. 6 in that pressure cooking is performed both when the food is frozen and when it is not frozen.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 7, in both the case where the food is not frozen and the case where it is frozen, the control unit 11 closes the pressure reducing valve 26 to seal the cooking space S1, and then appropriately energizes the heater 9. Further, during cooking, the pressure regulating valve 28 is not opened, and the spring constant of the second spring 82 is adjusted. Since the cooking space S1 is in a sealed state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises to a pressure exceeding 1.0 atm.

[0096] In the case of non-frozen food, temperature control is performed to maintain the predetermined temperature T3 of the temperature sensor 7 at the predetermined pressure P3 determined in advance according to the cooking menu. In the case of frozen food, temperature control is performed to maintain the predetermined temperature T4 determined in advance corresponding to a predetermined pressure P4 (>P3) higher than the predetermined pressure P3. Then, at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed, the power supply to the heater 9 is stopped, the pressure reducing valve 26 is opened to release the cooking space S1, and the pressure is reduced to end the cooking process.

[0097] Note that, in the case of non-frozen food, temperature control may be performed to maintain the predetermined temperature T3, and in the case of frozen food, the heater 9 may be appropriately energized, and when the predetermined pressure P4 is reached, pressure control may be performed to maintain the pressure at the predetermined pressure P4 by opening and closing the pressure regulating valve 28. In this case, the spring constant of the second spring 82 is adjusted so that the pressure regulating valve 28 does not open and close at the predetermined pressure P3 and opens and closes at the predetermined pressure P4.

[0098] The control shown in FIG. 7 is executed, for example, when the food is vegetables or includes vegetables, in the same manner as the control shown in FIG. 6. By setting the predetermined pressure P4 for frozen vegetables higher than the predetermined pressure P3 for non-frozen vegetables, the fibrous texture of the vegetables is softened, the fibrous feeling peculiar to frozen vegetables is improved, and the texture is enhanced.

[0099] In this modified example, similar to Example 1, the difference between the predetermined pressure P3 and the predetermined pressure P4 is set to be 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less. Thereby, in the case of frozen vegetables, the fibrous texture of the vegetables can be softened appropriately, and the texture can be further improved.

[0100] Also, in the case of non-frozen vegetables, by increasing the predetermined pressure P3 to be greater than 1.0 atm and performing pressure cooking, the non-frozen vegetables can be made softer.

[0101] (Function and effect) In the cooking device 2 of this modified example, the pressure difference between the first pressure (predetermined pressure P4) and the second pressure (predetermined pressure P3) is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less. According to such a cooking device 2, it is possible to perform cooking of food materials such as vegetables under appropriate pressures in both the frozen case and the non-frozen case.

[0102] In the cooking device 2 of this modified example, the second pressure (predetermined pressure P3) is greater than 1.0 atm. According to such a cooking device 2, by performing pressure cooking on food materials such as non-frozen vegetables, the food materials can be made softer.

[0103] (Example 2) The cooking device 2 of Embodiment 2 can execute the cooking process shown in FIG. 8 separately from the cooking process shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0104] FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of temperature transition and pressure transition in the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu executed by the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment.

[0105] The cooking process shown in FIG. 8 is different from the cooking process shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in that the pressure when the food material is frozen is made lower than the pressure when the food material is non-frozen.

[0106] In the example shown in FIG. 8, pressure cooking is performed in both the case where the food material is frozen and the case where the food material is non-frozen.

[0107] As shown in Fig. 8, in both the case where the food ingredient is non-frozen and the case where it is frozen, the pressure regulating valve 28 is closed, and the control unit 11 closes the pressure reducing valve 26 to seal the cooking space S1, and then energizes the heater 9 appropriately. Further, during cooking, the spring constant of the second spring 82 is adjusted so that the pressure regulating valve 28 is not opened. Since the cooking space S1 is in a sealed state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises to a pressure exceeding 1.0 atm.

[0108] In the case of non-frozen food, temperature control is performed to maintain the predetermined temperature T5 of the temperature sensor 7 at the predetermined pressure P5 determined in advance according to the cooking menu. In the case of frozen food, temperature control is performed to maintain the predetermined temperature T6 determined in advance corresponding to a predetermined pressure P6 (>P5) lower than the predetermined pressure P5. Then, at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed, the energization of the heater 9 is stopped, the valve drive unit 40 is driven, the pressure reducing valve 26 is opened to release the cooking space S1 to reduce the pressure, and the cooking process is terminated.

[0109] Note that in the case of frozen food, temperature control may be performed to maintain the predetermined temperature T6, and in the case of non-frozen food, the heater 9 may be energized appropriately, and when the predetermined pressure P5 is reached, pressure control may be performed to maintain the predetermined pressure P5 by opening and closing the pressure regulating valve 28. In this case, the spring constant of the second spring 82 is adjusted so that the pressure regulating valve 28 does not open and close at the predetermined pressure P6 and opens and closes at the predetermined pressure P5.

[0110] The control unit 11 further makes the time t2 for maintaining the predetermined pressure P6 in the case of frozen food ingredients longer than the time t1 for maintaining the predetermined pressure P5 in the case of non-frozen food ingredients.

[0111] The control shown in Fig. 8 is executed when the food ingredient is meat or includes meat, which is different from the control shown in Figs. 6 and 7, for example. In the case of meat, unlike vegetables, there is no cell wall, so when frozen, water flows out from the cells destroyed by the formation of ice crystals, making it easy to dehydrate, and the resulting texture is likely to be soggy. As shown in Fig. 8, by setting the predetermined pressure P6 when cooking frozen meat to be lower than the predetermined pressure P5 when cooking non-frozen vegetables, it is possible to reduce the sogginess of the meat due to excessive dehydration and improve the texture.

[0112] In the case of frozen meat, in addition to lowering the pressure, the time t2 for maintaining the pressure at the predetermined pressure P6 is made relatively longer than the time t1 for maintaining the pressure at the predetermined pressure P5 in the case of non-frozen meat. This can promote the thawing of frozen meat while suppressing excessive dehydration and make the texture softer.

[0113] In Example 2, the predetermined pressures P5 and P6 are both higher than 1 atm, and the difference between the predetermined pressure P5 and the predetermined pressure P6 is set to be 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less. This makes it possible to moderately suppress the sogginess due to excessive dehydration in frozen meat.

[0114] (Function and Effect) In the cooking heater 2 of Example 2, when the specific food ingredient is the second food ingredient (for example, meat), the control unit 11 controls the heater 9 (heating unit) so that the third pressure (predetermined pressure P6) when the state of the second food ingredient is frozen is lower than the fourth pressure (predetermined pressure P5) when the state of the second food ingredient is non-frozen. According to such a cooking heater 2, by making the pressure in the frozen case lower than the pressure in the non-frozen case, there is an effect of improving the texture of specific types of food ingredients such as meat.

[0115] Also, in the cooking heater 2 of Example 2, the second food ingredient includes meat. According to such a cooking heater 2, by relatively lowering the pressure in the case of frozen meat, it is possible to suppress the excessive outflow of water from the meat and improve the texture.

[0116] In addition, in the cooker 2 of Example 2, the fourth pressure (predetermined pressure P5) is greater than 1.0 atm. According to such a cooker 2, by subjecting non-frozen food ingredients such as meat to pressure cooking, the food ingredients can be softened and the texture can be improved.

[0117] Also, in the cooker 2 of Example 2, the pressure difference between the third pressure (predetermined pressure P6) and the fourth pressure (predetermined pressure P5) is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less. According to such a cooker 2, it is possible to perform heat cooking on food ingredients such as meat under appropriate pressures in both the frozen and non-frozen cases.

[0118] In addition, in the cooker 2 of Example 2, the control unit 11 controls the heater 9 (heating unit) so that the maintenance time t2 of the third pressure (predetermined pressure P6) is longer than the maintenance time t1 of the fourth pressure (predetermined pressure P5). According to such a cooker 2, for food ingredients such as meat, in the case of frozen food, by increasing the pressure maintenance time while reducing the pressure compared to the non-frozen case, it is possible to suppress excessive water outflow and soften the food ingredients to improve the texture.

[0119] (Embodiment 2) With reference to FIG. 9, the cooker 2 of Embodiment 2 will be described. Descriptions overlapping with those of Embodiment 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0120] In Embodiment 1, the case where a pressure difference is provided according to whether the food ingredient is frozen or non-frozen was described. In Embodiment 2, without providing a pressure difference, control is executed to vary the time for maintaining the predetermined pressure according to whether the food ingredient is frozen or non-frozen.

[0121] FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of the temperature transition and pressure transition in the heat cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu executed by the cooker 2 of Embodiment 2.

[0122] In the example shown in FIG. 9, pressure cooking is performed in both the case where the food ingredient is frozen and the case where it is non-frozen.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 9, in both the case where the food ingredient is non-frozen and the case where it is frozen, the pressure regulating valve 28 is closed, and the control unit 11 closes the pressure reducing valve 26 to seal the cooking space S1, and then energizes the heater 9 as appropriate. Further, during cooking, the spring constant of the second spring 82 is adjusted so that the pressure regulating valve 28 does not open. Since the cooking space S1 is in a sealed state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises to a pressure exceeding 1.0 atm.

[0124] In both the non-frozen case and the frozen case, temperature control is performed to maintain a predetermined temperature T7 corresponding to a predetermined pressure P7 determined in advance according to the cooking menu.

[0125] Alternatively, the pressure regulating valve 28 is closed, the control unit 11 closes the pressure reducing valve 26 to seal the cooking space S1, and then energizes the heater 9 as appropriate. When the predetermined pressure P7 is reached, the pressure regulating valve 28 opens, and the pressure regulating valve 28 opens and closes to perform pressure adjustment control so that the pressure in the cooking space S1 is maintained at the predetermined pressure P7.

[0126] Thereafter, the energization of the heater 9 is stopped at the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed, the valve driving unit 40 is driven to open the pressure reducing valve 26 to open the cooking space S1 to reduce the pressure, and the cooking process is terminated.

[0127] The control unit 11 of the second embodiment makes the time t4 for maintaining the predetermined pressure P7 in the case of frozen food ingredients longer than the time t3 for maintaining the predetermined pressure P7 in the case of non-frozen food ingredients.

[0128] The control shown in FIG. 9 is executed, for example, in the case where the food ingredient is a vegetable / includes a vegetable, in the same manner as the control shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. By making the time t4 for maintaining the predetermined pressure P7 in the case of frozen vegetables longer than the time t3 for maintaining the predetermined pressure P7 in the case of non-frozen vegetables, even when there is no pressure difference, when thawing frozen vegetables, it has the effect of softening the fiber of the vegetables and improving the texture.

[0129] (Function and Effect) As described above, the cooking appliance 2 of Embodiment 2 includes a container 4 for storing food, a main body 8 for storing the container 4, an openable and closable lid 10 disposed above the container 4, a pressure regulating valve 28 provided on the lid 10 for opening and closing to maintain the cooking space S1 of the container 4 at a predetermined pressure, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the container 4, a temperature sensor 7 (temperature detecting unit) for detecting temperature, a display operation unit 6 (operation unit) for the user to select and operate cooking menus, and a control unit 11 for controlling the heater 9 based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 according to the cooking menu selected by the display operation unit 6. The control unit 11 controls the heater 9 so that, in a cooking menu for a specific food, when the state of the food is frozen, the time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space S1 at the predetermined pressure P7 is longer than that in the case where the food is not frozen.

[0130] According to such a cooking appliance 2, by varying the pressure maintenance time according to whether the food is frozen or not, it is possible to apply pressure for an appropriate time according to each state and perform cooking, and it is possible to improve the finish state of cooking, such as improving the texture.

[0131] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of Embodiment 2, the specific food includes vegetables. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by relatively lengthening the time for maintaining the pressure at a predetermined pressure in the case of frozen vegetables compared to the case of non-frozen vegetables, the fibrous texture of the frozen vegetables can be softened and the texture can be improved.

[0132] The invention of the present disclosure has been described above 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 to 9 may be appropriately changed according to the amount of food, etc.

[0133] In addition, in the cooking process shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the case of performing pressure cooking or non-pressure cooking has been described. However, not limited to such a case, as long as an appropriate difference can be set in the pressure value and the pressure maintenance time, a case of performing vacuum cooking or the like may also be possible.

[0134] Although the present disclosure is fully described in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and variations are to be understood as being included therein as long as they do not depart from the scope of the invention as defined by 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.

[0135] Among various modifications of the above embodiments, by appropriately combining any of the modifications, it is possible to achieve the respective effects.

Industrial Applicability

[0136] The present disclosure is applicable to any cooking appliance that heats and cooks food ingredients.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0137] 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 26 Pressure reducing valve (opening / closing valve) 28 Pressure regulating valve S1 Cooking space

Claims

1. A container for storing food ingredients, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of opening and closing, a pressure regulating valve provided on the lid for opening and closing to maintain the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure, 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 based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space according to whether the food ingredient is frozen or not in a first cooking menu for a specific food ingredient, and it is a heating cooker.

2. A container for storing food ingredients, a main body for storing the container, a lid disposed above the container and capable of hermetically closing the container in an openable and closable manner, 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 to maintain the pressure in the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit according to the cooking menu selected by the operation unit, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit so as to vary the pressure in the cooking space according to whether the food ingredient is frozen or not in a first cooking menu for a specific food ingredient, and it is a heating cooker.

3. The heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the specific food ingredient is a first food ingredient, the control unit controls the heating unit such that a first pressure when the first food ingredient is in a frozen state is higher than a second pressure when the first food ingredient is in a non-frozen state.

4. The heating cooker according to claim 3, wherein the first food ingredient includes vegetables.

5. The heating cooker according to claim 3, wherein the second pressure is 1.0 atm or more and 1.5 atm or less.

6. The heating cooker according to claim 5, wherein a pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less.

7. The heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the specific food ingredient is a second food ingredient, the control unit controls the heating unit such that a third pressure when the second food ingredient is in a frozen state is lower than a fourth pressure when the second food ingredient is in a non-frozen state.

8. The heating cooker according to claim 7, wherein the second food ingredient includes meat.

9. The heating cooker according to claim 7, wherein the fourth pressure is greater than 1.0 atm.

10. The heating cooker according to claim 7, wherein the pressure difference between the third pressure and the fourth pressure is 0.2 atm or more and 0.5 atm or less.

11. The heating cooker according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit and the on-off valve so that the maintenance time of the third pressure is longer than the maintenance time of the fourth pressure.

12. The heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines whether the state of the food material is frozen or non-frozen according to the operation content when the first cooking menu is selected at the operation unit or based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

13. A container for storing food materials, A main body for storing the container, A lid disposed above the container and capable of opening and closing, A pressure regulating valve provided on the lid for opening and closing to maintain the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure, A heating unit for heating the container, A temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, An operation unit for the user to select and operate a cooking menu, A control unit for controlling the heating unit according to the cooking menu selected at the operation unit and based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit, The heating cooker, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit so that in a cooking menu for a specific food material, when the state of the food material is frozen, the maintenance time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space at a predetermined pressure is longer than that in the case of non-frozen.

14. A container for storing food materials, A main body for storing the container, A lid disposed above the container and capable of hermetically closing the container in an openable and closable manner, A heating unit for heating the container, A temperature detection unit for detecting temperature, An operation unit for the user to select and operate a cooking menu, A control unit for controlling the heating unit to maintain the pressure in the cooking space of the container at a predetermined pressure according to the cooking menu selected at the operation unit and based on the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit, The heating cooker, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit so that in a cooking menu for a specific food material, when the state of the food material is frozen, the maintenance time for maintaining the pressure in the cooking space at a predetermined pressure is longer than that in the case of non-frozen.

15. The heating cooker according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the specific food material includes vegetables.

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