Heating cooker

Abstract

To provide a heating cooker capable of automatically and highly accurately determining whether or not food materials are in a frozen state.SOLUTION: A heating cooker includes a container, a stirring body, a body part, a lid, a heating part, a temperature detection part, an operation part, and a control part. The control part executes: a refrigeration determination step for determining a food material state on the basis of whether or not a detection temperature by the temperature detection part is below a threshold value temperature while operating at least one of the heating part and the stirring body; and a heating step for operating the heating part to heat the food material after the refrigeration determination step. In the heating step, the operation of at least one of the heating part and the stirring body is made different according to a determination result in the refrigeration determination step.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 appliance of Patent Document 1 is a rice cooker that executes a miscellaneous cooking process, and the miscellaneous cooking process is divided into a temperature detection process for determining the temperature state of the object to be cooked, a heating process for heating the determined object to be cooked, and a boiling maintenance process for maintaining the object to be cooked in a boiling state. The control means detects the temperature of the object to be cooked in the temperature detection process, divides the temperature state of the object to be cooked into a plurality according to the detected temperature, and controls the processes after the temperature detection process based on the divided temperature states.

[0004] The cooking appliance of Patent Document 2 is an electric cooking appliance using an induction heating method or a heater heating method, and is provided with a thawing function for adjusting the heating amount by the heating means so that the surface temperature of the frozen object to be heated thaws between 5°C and 45°C.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the cooking appliances of Patent Documents 1 and 2, there is room for improvement in accurately and automatically determining whether the food ingredients are in a frozen state.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to enable accurate automatic determination of whether or not food ingredients are in a frozen state.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] To achieve the above object, the cooking heater of the present disclosure includes 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 the temperature of the container, 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 includes a freezing determination step of determining the state of the food ingredients based on whether or not the detected temperature of the temperature detection portion is lower than a threshold temperature while operating at least one of the heating portion and the stirring body, and after the freezing determination step, a heating step of operating the heating portion to heat the food ingredients, and in the heating step, the operation of at least one of the heating portion and the stirring body is made different according to the determination result in the freezing determination step.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to accurately and automatically determine whether or not food ingredients are in a frozen state.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] According to a 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 unit that heats the container; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the container; an operation unit for a user to select and operate a cooking menu; and 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. The control unit includes: a freezing determination step of determining the state of the food ingredients based on whether the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit is lower than a threshold temperature while operating at least one of the heating unit and the stirring body; and a heating step of operating the heating unit to heat the food ingredients after the freezing determination step, and in the heating step, operating at least one of the heating unit and the stirring body differently according to the determination result in the freezing determination step.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the cooking appliance according to the first aspect, wherein the control unit operates the stirring body in the freezing determination step.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the cooking appliance according to the second aspect, wherein the control unit intermittently operates the stirring body in the freezing determination step.

[0014] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the cooking appliance according to the third aspect, wherein when the control unit intermittently operates the stirring body in the freezing determination step, the rotation amount per rotation of the stirring body is less than 360 degrees.

[0015] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the cooking appliance according to the fourth aspect, wherein the rotation amount per rotation of the stirring body is 30 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less.

[0016] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the threshold temperature is a first temperature determined in advance or a second temperature calculated based on a reference temperature corresponding to the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit at a certain point in time.

[0017] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to the sixth aspect, wherein the first temperature is -20 degrees or more and +5 degrees or less.

[0018] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to the sixth or seventh aspect, wherein the second temperature is the same temperature as the reference temperature or a temperature lower than the reference temperature by a predetermined temperature.

[0019] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the control unit operates the heating unit in the freezing determination step.

[0020] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to the ninth aspect, wherein when the control unit operates the heating unit in the freezing determination step, the set temperature of the heating unit is set to 20 degrees or more and less than 85 degrees.

[0021] According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit relatively lowers the set temperature of the heating unit in the heating step compared to the case where it does not.

[0022] According to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking heater according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit relatively raises the set temperature of the heating unit in the heating step and sets it to a temperature exceeding 100 degrees compared to the case where it does not.

[0023] According to a 13th aspect of the present disclosure, when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit makes the operation time of the heating unit in the heating step relatively longer than when it does not. A cooking heater according to any one of the 1st to 12th aspects is provided.

[0024] According to a 14th aspect of the present disclosure, when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit makes the rotation speed of the agitating body in the heating step relatively faster than when it does not. A cooking heater according to any one of the 1st to 13th aspects is provided.

[0025] According to a 15th aspect of the present disclosure, the control unit executes a standby step of stopping the heating unit and the agitating body before the freezing determination step. A cooking heater according to any one of the 1st to 14th aspects is provided.

[0026] According to a 16th aspect of the present disclosure, when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit shifts to the heating step. A cooking heater according to any one of the 1st to 15th aspects is provided.

[0027] According to a 17th aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature detection unit detects the temperature at the bottom of the container. A cooking heater according to any one of the 1st to 16th aspects is provided.

[0028] According to an 18th aspect of the present disclosure, the agitating body is provided along the inner bottom surface of the container. A cooking heater according to any one of the 1st to 17th aspects is provided.

[0029] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the cooking heater 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.

[0030] (Embodiment) First, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0031] FIGS. 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 showing the agitating body 5. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional 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.

[0032] The cooking appliance 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is a cooking utensil for cooking food (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", 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.

[0033] When the user uses the cooking appliance 2 as an automatic cooking appliance, the user places the food in the cooking space S1 of the container 4 shown in FIG. 3, operates the display operation unit 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to select a cooking menu, and determines the execution of cooking. The cooking appliance 2 executes a cooking process of heating the food according to a predetermined program according to the selected cooking menu (such as frozen teriyaki chicken or frozen meat sauce).

[0034] Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the case where the cooking appliance 2 is used as an automatic cooking appliance will be described.

[0035] The cooking heater 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. On 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.

[0036] The cooking heater 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] The main body 8 is a cylindrical member having a bottom with an open top. Various components for operating the cooking heater 2 are built into the main body 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, on the bottom side of the main body 8, 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 temperature of the container 4 are built in. The temperature sensor 7 shown in FIG. 5 is provided at the upper part 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.

[0039] 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 detect the temperature of the container 4, such as detecting the temperature of the side wall portion of the container 4.

[0040] In addition to the temperature sensor 7 that detects the temperature of the container 4, other types of temperature detection units may be further provided, such as a temperature sensor provided on the lid 10 or a temperature sensor (pressure sensor) that indirectly detects the internal temperature of the container 4 by measuring the internal pressure of the container 4.

[0041] 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 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.

[0042] The control unit 11 of the present embodiment has a weight determination function for determining the weight of the food. 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. The weight determination function may be realized by any method without being limited to these methods.

[0043] 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.

[0044] The lid 10 is a member for opening and closing the main body 8 and the container 4. Various components for operating the cooking appliance 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 regarding the cooking appliance 2 to the user and the function of an "operation unit" for the user to operate the cooking appliance 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 appliance 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 appliance 2.

[0045] 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.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer lid 12 includes a ventilation port 16 and a handle 201.

[0047] 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.

[0048] The handle 201 is a member for the user to perform a rotational operation to switch between the locked state / unlocked state of the lid 10. The handle 201 is rotationally operated (arrow R2) about a rotation axis Ax1 extending in the thickness direction of the lid 10. 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).

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the inner lid 14 has an inner lid main body portion 20 and a packing 22.

[0050] 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-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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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 arranged at a position sealing 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 or more. The safety valve 24 prevents the cooking space S1 from becoming over-pressurized and does not operate during normal use.

[0054] 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".

[0055] The pressure regulating valve 28 is a valve for performing pressure cooking, and is arranged at a position that seals the cooking space S1, similar to the safety valve 24. The spring constant of the second spring 82 is set such that the pressure regulating valve 28 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.

[0056] 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 while repeating sealing and opening, it has a function of maintaining a predetermined pressure (the pressure of 1 atm or more). By performing pressure cooking using the pressure regulating valve 28, the food ingredients can be heated at a high temperature of 100 degrees or more, which promotes the finish of the food ingredients and leads to a shortening of the heating time.

[0057] 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 has operated and moved from the sealing position to the open position (the pressure regulating valve 28 remains in the sealing position).

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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 to a predetermined pressure or more.

[0061] The pressure reducing valve 26 and the pressure regulating valve 28 are not limited to the integrated structure as shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, and each may be provided at a different location and operate independently.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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-like member for rotating the stirring 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 stirring body 5 including the rotation center portion 52 is integrally rotationally driven.

[0065] As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the stirring 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".

[0066] The tip portion 54 is an end portion of the stirring 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 stirring body 5 starting from an imaginary line connecting the rotation shaft 53 and the tip portion 54.

[0067] In the vicinity of the stirring body 5, a cover member 62 is further provided. The cover member 62 is a member for covering and protecting the drive part such as the rotation shaft 53 in the stirring body 5, and is erected on the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4.

[0068] 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, the food ingredients arranged in the cooking space S1 are stirred from below, so that compared with the configuration of stirring the food ingredients from above, it becomes easier to stir the entire food ingredients, and the stirring of the food ingredients can be promoted.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, the inner lid main body portion 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 portion 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.

[0070] 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).

[0071] 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 in the opposite direction to the advancing direction of the stirring body 5 by coming into contact with the food ingredients stirred by the rotation of the stirring body 5, and have an effect of promoting the convection and stirring of the food ingredients.

[0072] 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.

[0073] With the pressure reducing valve 26 closed, the heater 9 is energized to heat the container 4 to a temperature equal to or higher than room temperature, so that the internal pressure of the container 4 becomes a pressurized state of 1 atm or more. Thereby, "pressure cooking" can be executed in which the food is pressure-cooked 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.

[0074] In particular, the cooking appliance 2 having the above configuration has a cooking menu that automatically determines whether the food put into the container 4 is in a frozen state / non-frozen state and controls the cooking method of the food according to the determination result. Specifically, before the heating process of heating the food by setting the set temperature of the heater 9 to a high temperature (for example, 100 degrees or more), a "freezing determination process" is executed to determine whether the food is in a frozen state or a non-frozen state according to whether the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is below the threshold temperature. According to the determination result in the freezing determination process, the control patterns of the heater 9 and the stirring body 5 in the subsequent heating process are changed.

[0075] The control unit 11 of the present embodiment intermittently operates the stirring body 5 while executing the freezing determination process. This makes it easier to move and stop the food directly above the temperature sensor 7, enables the temperature sensor 7 to accurately detect the temperature of the food, and leads to an improvement in the accuracy of freezing determination.

[0076] An example of the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0077] FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of the temperature transition and stirring speed in the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu executed by the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment.

[0078] 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 / dotted line. The solid line indicates the temperature transition when the state of the food material is determined to be the frozen state, and the dotted line indicates the temperature transition when the state of the food material is determined to be the non-frozen state. "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.

[0079] The cooking process shown in FIG. 6 is executed when a cooking menu that does not specify whether the state of the food material is frozen or non-frozen is selected on the display operation unit 6.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 11 executes a "standby process" in response to the start of the cooking menu, then executes a "freezing determination process", and then executes a heating process 1 (when freezing is determined) or a heating process 2 (when non-freezing is determined) according to the determination result in the freezing determination process.

[0081] In the standby process, the control unit 11 stops the stirring body 5 and the heater 9 for a predetermined time. Immediately after the food material is put into the container 4, there is a deviation between the actual temperature of the food material, the temperature of the container 4, and the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7. Therefore, by providing a standby time of a predetermined time, the temperature of the container 4 and the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 can be made closer to the actual temperature of the food material, and the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 can be stabilized. In the standby process, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 gradually decreases.

[0082] The duration (t1) of the standby process may be a predetermined fixed time (for example, 30 seconds), or may be set to a variable time according to the selected cooking menu, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7, etc., and may be set by any method.

[0083] When the standby process is completed, the process proceeds to the freezing determination process.

[0084] In the refrigeration determination step, the control unit 11 determines the state of the food based on whether the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is lower than the threshold temperature Tx. If it is lower than the threshold temperature Tx, it is determined that the food is in a frozen state; if it is not lower than the threshold temperature Tx, it is determined that the food is in a non-frozen state.

[0085] The threshold temperature Tx is set to a temperature at which it is possible to distinguish whether the food is in a frozen state or a non-frozen state. For example, it is set within the range of -20 degrees or more and +5 degrees or less (for example, 0 degrees).

[0086] In the refrigeration determination step of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 operates the agitator 5. The movement of the food when the agitator 5 is operated in the refrigeration determination step will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0087] FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views schematically showing the container 4 in a state of containing the food F.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 7, on the inner bottom surface 4B of the substantially circular container 4 in plan view, the temperature sensor 7 is disposed at a position deviated from the center 4D of the inner bottom surface 4B. In the state shown in FIG. 7, the food F is at a position deviated from directly above the temperature sensor 7, and it is difficult for the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 to reflect the temperature of the food F.

[0089] Therefore, when the agitator 5 is rotated to forcibly move the food F, as shown in FIG. 8, the food F can be moved directly above the temperature sensor 7. The temperature of the food F is more likely to be transmitted to the temperature sensor 7 through the container 4, and the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 approaches the actual temperature of the food F.

[0090] In particular, in the present embodiment, the agitator 5 is intermittently operated to rotate the agitator 5 and the food F in small increments. As a result, the probability that the food F moves and stops directly above the temperature sensor 7 increases, and the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 can be made closer to the actual temperature of the food F.

[0091] The agitator 5 of this embodiment is provided along the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4 and agitates the food material F from below. When agitating the frozen food material F from above, there are cases where the food material F gets in the way and the blades of the agitator 5 cannot be lowered to the bottom of the pot for agitation, and the food material F may not be movable. However, since the blades of the agitator 5 of this embodiment are at the bottom of the pot, it is easy to move the frozen food material F. Therefore, compared with the case of agitating the food material from above, it is easy to move the food material F to the location where the temperature sensor 7 detects the temperature (the bottom of the container 4).

[0092] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the operation of rotating the agitator 5 forward in the second rotation direction V2 and the operation of stopping the agitator 5 are repeatedly executed for a predetermined time each. For example, the rotation speed of the agitator 5 is set to 10 rpm, and forward rotation and stop are repeated for 3 seconds and 5 seconds, respectively. In this case, the amount of rotation per one forward rotation is 180 degrees.

[0093] The amount of rotation per one forward rotation when the agitator 5 is rotated forward is set to less than 360 degrees. Preferably, it is 30 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less.

[0094] In the freezing determination step, the control unit 11 of this embodiment operates the heater 9 in addition to the agitator 5. Specifically, "heater temperature control" is executed by operating the heater 9 with a predetermined set temperature T1 as the target temperature. The set temperature may also be referred to as the "set temperature".

[0095] The set temperature T1 in the freezing determination step is set to a temperature lower than the set temperature in the subsequent heating steps 1 and 2. The set temperature T1 is set, for example, to 20 degrees or more and less than 85 degrees (for example, 30 degrees).

[0096] By operating the heater 9 in the freezing determination step, the temperature of the food material F changes. When the food material F is non-frozen, the temperature of the food material F rises above 0 degrees, whereas when the food material F is frozen, since the surface of the food material F melts but the inside of the food material F remains frozen, it is difficult to rise above 0 degrees. Thus, since a temperature difference is likely to occur according to the state of the food material F, whether or not it falls below the threshold temperature Tx changes significantly according to the state of the food material, leading to an improvement in the accuracy of freezing determination.

[0097] In the refrigeration determination step, the control unit 11 determines that the food is in a frozen state if the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 drops below the threshold temperature Tx even once, and determines that it is in a non-frozen state if it does not drop below the threshold temperature even once. If it is determined that the food is in a frozen state, the process proceeds to the heating step 1 for thawing and cooking the frozen food. If it is determined that the food is in a non-frozen state, the process proceeds to the heating step 2 for heating and cooking the non-frozen food.

[0098] In the example shown in FIG. 6, regardless of the determination result in the refrigeration determination step, the refrigeration determination step is executed for a predetermined period of time (t2 - t1). The duration (t2 - t1) of the refrigeration determination step may be a predetermined fixed time (for example, 60 seconds), or may be set to a variable time according to the selected cooking menu, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7, etc., and may be set by any method.

[0099] In the heating steps 1 and 2, the control unit 11 performs heater temperature control by operating the heater 9 with a predetermined set temperature as the target temperature. The set temperature in the heating step is set to a high temperature (for example, 100 degrees or more) for finishing the cooking of the food.

[0100] In the example shown in FIG. 6, in the heating step 1 at the time of refrigeration determination, once the set temperature is set to a set temperature T2 higher than the set temperature T1 to perform "thawing loosening" (time t2 to t3), and then the set temperature is set to a set temperature T3 higher than the set temperature T2 to perform "finishing heating" (time t3 to t4). In the example shown in FIG. 6, the heating step 1 ends at time t4, and the heating and cooking step including the heating step 1 is completed.

[0101] Regarding the set temperature of the heating step 1, the set temperature T2 is set to less than 100 degrees (for example, 60 degrees), and the set temperature T3 is set to 100 degrees or more (for example, 140 degrees). By providing a temperature control time for the set temperature T2 less than 100 degrees, the frozen food is gradually melted from the surface to promote the thawing of the food. Then, by providing a temperature control time for the set temperature T3 of 100 degrees or more, while completing the thawing of the food, the food is strongly heated to finish the heating and cooking.

[0102] In the heating step 2 during non - freezing determination, cooking is carried out with the set temperature T4. The set temperature T4 is set to 100 degrees or more. In particular, the set temperature T4 in the heating step 2 is set to a temperature higher than the set temperature T3 in the heating step 1 (for example, about 150 degrees) to strongly heat the food ingredients. Since the food ingredients in the non - frozen state do not require thawing and heating, the heater temperature control at a set temperature T2 below 100 degrees as in the heating step 1 is omitted, and continuous heating is carried out at a high set temperature of 100 degrees or more.

[0103] In the example shown in FIG. 6, at time t5 before the time t4 when the heating step 1 ends, the heating step 2 ends, and the cooking step including the heating step 2 is completed.

[0104] The control unit 11 of the present embodiment makes the operation patterns of the agitator 5 in the heating steps 1 and 2 different. In the example shown in FIG. 6, in the heating step 1 during freezing determination, when thawing and loosening, the agitator 5 is continuously rotated forward, and when finish - heating, the agitator 5 is intermittently rotated forward. By continuously rotating the agitator 5, the separation of the stuck parts in the frozen food ingredients can be promoted, and then by intermittently rotating the agitator 5, the separation of the stuck parts and the concentrated heating of the food ingredients can be advanced in a well - balanced manner.

[0105] In the heating step 2 during non - freezing determination, the agitator 5 is intermittently rotated forward. Since the food ingredients in the non - frozen state have few stuck parts, by heating while occasionally mixing the food ingredients, the whole food ingredients can be heated uniformly.

[0106] Regarding the rotation speed of the agitator 5, in the heating step 2 during non - freezing determination, it is set to the rotation speed R1 (for example, 10 rpm), and in the heating step 1 during freezing determination, it is set to a rotation speed R2 (for example, 20 rpm) faster than the rotation speed R1. When the food ingredients are in the frozen state, by relatively increasing the rotation speed of the agitator 5, the separation of the stuck parts of the food ingredients can be promoted.

[0107] The cooking menu of the cooking process shown in Fig. 6 can be applied to, for example, grilled chicken. In the case of grilled chicken, if the ingredients such as chicken are frozen, they are heated to the desired state while promoting thawing. If they are not frozen, the desired finish can be achieved by strongly heating the ingredients.

[0108] As described above, the set temperatures T2 and T3 in the heating step 1 at the time of freezing determination are set relatively lower than the set temperature T4 in the heating step 2 at the time of non - freezing determination. In this way, by suppressing the heating amount per unit time in the heating step 1 at the time of freezing determination, it is possible to prevent excessive outflow of moisture from ingredients such as grilled chicken.

[0109] Also, the operating time of the heater 9 (time t4 - t2) in the heating step 1 at the time of freezing determination is set relatively longer than the operating time of the heater 9 (time t5 - t2) in the heating step 2 at the time of non - freezing determination. In this way, by lengthening the operating time of the heater 9 at the time of freezing determination, there is an effect of softening ingredients such as frozen vegetables as well as grilled chicken.

[0110] Also, the rotation speed R2 of the agitator 5 in the heating step 1 at the time of freezing determination is set relatively faster than the rotation speed R1 of the agitator 5 in the heating step 2 at the time of non - freezing determination. In this way, by increasing the rotation speed of the agitator 5 at the time of freezing determination, it is possible to promote the loosening of solids such as meat.

[0111] Regarding the threshold temperature Tx, it may be a temperature (the "first temperature") predetermined for each cooking menu, or a temperature (the "second temperature") calculated based on the detection temperature (reference temperature) of the temperature sensor 7 at a certain point in time such as the start of the freezing determination process. Thereby, an appropriate threshold temperature Tx can be set according to the type, state, and temperature of the ingredients, leading to an improvement in the accuracy of freezing determination.

[0112] The first temperature may be set, for example, at - 20 degrees or more and +5 degrees or less.

[0113] The second temperature may be set to, for example, the same temperature as the detected temperature (reference temperature) of the temperature sensor 7 at the start of the freezing determination process, or a temperature lower than the reference temperature by a predetermined temperature (for example, 5 degrees).

[0114] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the case where both the agitator 5 and the heater 9 are operated in the freezing determination process has been described, but it is not limited to such a case. The freezing determination process may be executed while at least one of the agitator 5 and the heater 9 is operated.

[0115] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the case where it is determined that the refrigeration state is reached when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is 1 degree lower than the threshold temperature Tx in the freezing determination process has been described, but it is not limited to such a case. It may be determined that the refrigeration state is reached only when it has been lower than the threshold temperature a plurality of times.

[0116] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the case where the operation pattern of the heater 9 is made different by varying the set temperature of the heater 9 in the heating steps 1 and 2, and the operation pattern of the agitator 5 is made different by varying the rotation speed and rotation timing of the agitator 5 has been described, but it is not limited to such a case. At least one of the operation pattern of the heater 9 and the operation pattern of the agitator 5 may be made different.

[0117] (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) for heating the container 4, a temperature sensor 7 for detecting the temperature of the container 4, a display operation unit 6 for a user to select and operate a cooking menu, and a control unit 11 for controlling the heater 9 and the stirring body 5 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 determines the state of the food based on whether the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is lower than a threshold temperature Tx while operating at least one of the heater 9 and the stirring body 5. After the freezing determination step, a heating step of operating the heater 9 to heat the food is executed, and in the heating step, the operation of at least one of the heater 9 and the stirring body 5 is made different according to the determination result in the freezing determination step.

[0118] According to such a cooking heater 2, it is possible to automatically and accurately determine whether the food is in a frozen state by the freezing determination step.

[0119] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 operates the stirring body 5 in the freezing determination step. According to such a cooking heater 2, it becomes easier to move the food to the location detected by the temperature sensor 7 in the freezing determination step, and the determination accuracy of whether it is in a frozen state can be improved.

[0120] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 intermittently operates the stirring body 5 in the freezing determination step. According to such a cooking heater 2, it becomes easier to move and stop the food at the location detected by the temperature sensor 7 in the freezing determination step, and the determination accuracy of whether it is in a frozen state can be improved.

[0121] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the control unit 11 intermittently operates the stirring body 5 in the freezing determination step, the rotation amount per rotation of the stirring body 5 is less than 360 degrees. According to such a cooking heater 2, the probability that the food moves and stops at the location detected by the temperature sensor 7 increases, and the determination accuracy of whether it is in a frozen state can be improved.

[0122] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the amount of rotation per one rotation of the stirring body 5 is 30 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less. According to such a cooking heater 2, the probability that the food moves and stops at the location detected by the temperature sensor 7 further increases, and the determination accuracy of whether it is in the frozen state or not can be improved.

[0123] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the threshold temperature Tx is a second temperature calculated based on a predetermined first temperature or a reference temperature corresponding to the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 at a certain point in time. According to such a cooking heater 2, an appropriate threshold temperature Tx can be set according to the type of food, leading to an improvement in the determination accuracy of whether it is in the frozen state or not.

[0124] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the first temperature is -20 degrees or more and +5 degrees or less. According to such a cooking heater 2, an appropriate threshold temperature Tx can be set according to the type of food, leading to an improvement in the determination accuracy of whether it is in the frozen state or not.

[0125] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the second temperature is the same temperature as the reference temperature or a temperature lower than the reference temperature by a predetermined temperature. According to such a cooking heater 2, an appropriate threshold temperature Tx can be set according to the type of food and the like, leading to an improvement in the determination accuracy of whether it is in the frozen state or not.

[0126] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 operates the heater 9 (heating unit) in the freezing determination step. According to such a cooking heater 2, heating the food in the freezing determination step leads to a shortening of the cooking time, and since the degree of temperature increase changes according to the state of the food, it leads to an improvement in the accuracy of the freezing determination based on the threshold temperature Tx.

[0127] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the control unit 11 operates the heater 9 (heating unit) in the freezing determination step, the set temperature of the heater 9 is set to 20 degrees or more and less than 85 degrees. According to such a cooking heater 2, by setting the range of the set temperature in the freezing determination step, it is possible to prevent excessive heating of the food while shortening the cooking time.

[0128] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 falls below the threshold temperature Tx once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit 11 sets the heater 9 (heating unit) in the heating step to a relatively lower temperature compared to the case where it does not. According to such a cooking heater 2, when it can be determined that the food is in a frozen state, by suppressing the heating amount in the heating step, it is possible to prevent excessive outflow of moisture from foods such as grilled chicken and improve the taste.

[0129] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 falls below the threshold temperature Tx once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit 11 makes the operating time of the heater 9 (heating unit) in the heating step relatively longer compared to the case where it does not. According to such a cooking heater 2, when it can be determined that the food is in a frozen state, by lengthening the heating time in the heating step, it is possible to soften foods such as frozen vegetables and improve the taste.

[0130] In addition, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 falls below the threshold temperature Tx once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit 11 makes the rotation speed of the stirrer 5 in the heating step relatively faster compared to the case where it does not. According to such a cooking heater 2, when it can be determined that the food is in a frozen state, by increasing the stirring speed in the heating step, it is possible to promote the loosening of solids such as meat and improve the taste.

[0131] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 executes a standby process of stopping the heater 9 (heating unit) and the agitator 5 before the freezing determination process. According to such a cooking appliance 2, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 can be stabilized before executing the freezing determination process.

[0132] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the temperature sensor 7 detects the temperature at the bottom of the container 4. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by detecting the temperature at the bottom of the container 4, which is the portion in contact with the food, it is possible to accurately determine whether the state of the food is frozen. Also, an expensive sensor such as an infrared sensor is not required, and the freezing determination process can be executed with an inexpensive temperature sensor.

[0133] In addition, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the agitator 5 is provided along the inner bottom surface 4B of the container 4. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by agitating the food from below, it becomes easier to move the food to the location detected by the temperature sensor 7.

[0134] (Modification of Embodiment 1) Instead of the cooking process shown in FIG. 6, the cooking appliance 2 may execute the cooking process shown in FIG. 9.

[0135] FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of temperature transition and stirring speed in the cooking process according to the modification.

[0136] The cooking process shown in FIG. 9 is different from the cooking process shown in FIG. 6 in that when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 falls below the threshold temperature Tx and it is determined that the food is in a frozen state, the freezing determination process ends (time t10) and the heating process 1 is entered.

[0137] According to the cooking process shown in FIG. 9, the overall cooking time at the time of freezing determination can be shortened. In particular, when the time required for the heating process 1 at the time of freezing determination is longer than the time required for the heating process 2 at the time of non-freezing determination, it leads to equalizing the overall cooking time regardless of the determination result of the freezing determination process.

[0138] (Operation and Effect of Modification Example of Embodiment 1) In the cooking heater 2 of this embodiment, in the freezing determination step, when the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 (temperature detection unit) falls below the threshold temperature Tx once or a plurality of times, the process proceeds to the heating step. According to such a cooking heater 2, compared with the case where the freezing determination step is always performed for a fixed time, it leads to shortening and equalizing the overall cooking time.

[0139] (Embodiment 2) With reference to FIG. 10, the cooking heater 2 of Embodiment 2 will be described. Descriptions overlapping with Embodiment 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0140] FIG. 10 is a graph showing an example of temperature transition and stirring speed in the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu executed by the cooking heater 2 of Embodiment 2.

[0141] In Embodiment 2, in the freezing determination step, the size of the food is determined based on the current value of the motor which is the drive source of the stirring body 5, and the operation pattern of the stirring body 5 in the heating step is varied according to the determination result, which is different from Embodiment 1.

[0142] As shown in FIG. 10, in the freezing determination step, the control unit 11 performs a freezing determination based on the threshold temperature Tx, monitors the current value of the motor which is the drive source of the stirring body 5, and determines whether it reaches a predetermined threshold Ax or more. When the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 falls below the threshold temperature Tx and the current value reaches the threshold Ax or more, it is determined that the frozen food is large in size (large size determination), and the process proceeds to the heating step 1-1. When the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 falls below the threshold temperature Tx and the current value does not reach the threshold Ax or more, it is determined that the frozen food is small in size (small size determination), and the process proceeds to the heating step 1-2.

[0143] In FIG. 10, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 7 is shown by a solid line / dashed line. The solid line indicates the temperature transition at the time of small size determination, and the dashed line indicates the temperature transition at the time of large size determination.

[0144] As shown in Fig. 10, in both heating steps 1-1 and 1-2, the set temperature is set to T5 (for example, about 60 degrees) to perform "thawing and loosening", and then the set temperature is set to T6 (for example, about 140 degrees), which is higher than T5, to perform "finishing heating".

[0145] In heating step 1-1 and heating step 1-2, the respective durations of thawing and loosening and finishing heating are different. Specifically, the heating time in heating step 1-1 at the time of large size determination is longer than that in heating step 1-2 at the time of small size determination.

[0146] In heating step 1-1, thawing and loosening is performed from time t10 to t6, and finishing heating is performed from time t6 to t7. In heating step 1-2, thawing and loosening is performed from time t10 to t8, and finishing heating is performed from time t8 to t9.

[0147] In heating step 1-1 and heating step 1-2, the operation patterns of the agitator 5 are different. Specifically, in heating step 1-1 at the time of large size determination, the rotation speed of the agitator 5 is slower than that in heating step 1-2 at the time of small size determination.

[0148] In heating step 1-1 at the time of large size determination, the agitator 5 is intermittently rotated forward at the rotation speed R3. In heating step 1-2 at the time of small size determination, the agitator 5 is rotated forward at a rotation speed R4 that is faster than the rotation speed R3, and is continuously operated during thawing and loosening and intermittently operated during finishing heating.

[0149] In heating step 1-1 at the time of large size determination, by relatively reducing the rotation speed of the agitator 5, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the motor of the agitator 5. On the other hand, by relatively increasing the heating time, it is possible to sufficiently heat up to the center of the food ingredients.

[0150] In Embodiment 2, the case where the operation pattern of the agitator 5 in the heating process is varied based on the current value when it is determined that the food material is in a frozen state has been described, but it is not limited to such a case. For example, similarly, when it is determined that the food material is in a non-frozen state, the operation pattern of the agitator 5 in the heating process may be varied based on the current value.

[0151] (Embodiment 3) With reference to FIG. 11, the cooking heater 2 of Embodiment 3 will be described. Descriptions overlapping with those of Embodiments 1 and 2 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0152] FIG. 11 is a graph showing an example of the temperature transition and stirring speed in the cooking process corresponding to the cooking menu executed by the cooking heater 2 of Embodiment 3.

[0153] In Embodiment 3, it is different from Embodiment 1 in that minced meat sauce is used as the target food material instead of grilled chicken, and the agitator 5 rotates forward and reverses. Minced meat sauce pasta mainly contains minced meat and vegetables. The cooking process shown in FIG. 11 is particularly suitable when the minced meat is in a frozen lump and the vegetables are at room temperature.

[0154] As shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 11 of Embodiment 3 executes the forward and reverse rotations of the agitator 5 in the freezing determination process. In the example shown in FIG. 11, a cycle of executing the reverse rotation once and then the forward rotation twice is repeated. The speed of the agitator 5 is uniform and set to the rotation speed R5 (for example, 10 rpm).

[0155] By reversing the agitator 5 at a low speed of about 10 rpm and then rotating it forward, it becomes easier to stir up and down the food material, and even for a food material like minced meat sauce that contains ingredients with different temperature zones (frozen minced meat and room temperature vegetables) and spreads over the entire bottom of the container 4, it becomes easier to create a timing for a lump of frozen minced meat to ride directly above the temperature sensor 7. Thereby, the temperature unevenness up and down is eliminated, and it becomes easier to stir the entire food material uniformly.

[0156] In the heating processes 1 and 2 after the freezing determination process, the control unit 11 intermittently repeats the normal rotation and reverse rotation of the agitator 5. In the heating process 2 during non-freezing determination, the speed of the agitator 5 is set to a rotation speed R6 that is faster than the rotation speed R5, and in the heating process 1 during freezing determination, it is set to a rotation speed R7 that is faster than the rotation speed R6.

[0157] The heating process 1 during freezing determination includes a "thawing and loosening" process to loosen the frozen minced meat, and by stirring at a rotation speed higher than that of normal cooking at a set temperature T7 around 60°C at which the protein does not coagulate, the loosening of the food ingredients is improved. Then, the food ingredients are strongly heated at a set temperature T8 around 100°C to finish the cooking.

[0158] In the heating process 2 during non-freezing determination, the food ingredients are continuously and strongly heated at the same set temperature T8 as in the heating process 1 to finish the cooking.

[0159] (Modification of Embodiment 3) Instead of the heating cooking process shown in FIG. 11, the heating cooker 2 may execute the heating cooking process shown in FIG. 12.

[0160] FIG. 12 is a graph showing an example of the temperature transition and stirring speed in the heating cooking process according to the modification of Embodiment 3.

[0161] The heating cooking process shown in FIG. 12 is different from the heating cooking process shown in FIG. 11 in that even with the same meat sauce as in Embodiment 3, the target food ingredients are frozen minced meat, vegetables, etc.

[0162] As shown in FIG. 12, in the freezing determination process, the control unit 11 intermittently rotates the agitator 5 forward. The speed of the agitator 5 is the same rotation speed R5 as in Embodiment 3. By intermittently operating the agitator 5 at a low speed of about 10 rpm with a rotation amount of less than one revolution, the food ingredients whose temperature has risen due to heating can be scooped up from the bottom of the pot, and the frozen food ingredients can be placed directly above the temperature sensor 7.

[0163] In the heating steps 1 and 2 after the freezing determination step, the control unit 11 intermittently repeats the forward and reverse rotations of the agitator 5. In this modified example, the operation pattern of the agitator 5 at the time of freezing determination and non-freezing determination is reversed from that of the third embodiment. Specifically, in the heating step 1 at the time of freezing determination, the speed of the agitator 5 is set to a rotational speed R6 that is faster than the rotational speed R5, and in the heating step 2 at the time of non-freezing determination, it is set to a rotational speed R7 that is faster than the rotational speed R6.

[0164] The control unit 11 varies the set temperature of the heater 9 in the heating steps 1 and 2 after the freezing determination step. Specifically, in the heating step 2 determined to be in the non-freezing state, it is set to a set temperature T9 of around 100 degrees, and in the heating step 1 determined to be in the freezing state, it is set to a set temperature T10 higher than 100 degrees (for example, around 110 degrees), and pressure cooking is performed. After performing pressure cooking for a predetermined time, it is set to the same set temperature T9 as in the heating step 1, and finishing cooking is performed.

[0165] Since frozen vegetables are prone to losing moisture and becoming stringy due to the influence of ice crystals, performing pressure cooking at the time of freezing determination has the effect of reducing the stringiness of the vegetables.

[0166] (Actions and effects of the modified example of the third embodiment) In the heating cooker 2 according to this modified example, when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or a plurality of times in the freezing determination step, the control unit sets the set temperature of the heating unit in the heating step relatively higher to a temperature exceeding 100 degrees compared to the case where it does not.

[0167] When it can be determined that the food material is in a frozen state in the freezing determination step, by performing so-called pressure cooking in the heating step, the food material such as frozen vegetables can be softened and the taste can be improved.

[0168] Note that not limited to the case of increasing the pressure, the heating time may be relatively lengthened while maintaining the same set temperature T9 as in the heating step 2 at the time of non-freezing determination.

[0169] 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 may be appropriately changed according to the type and amount of food ingredients, etc.

[0170] The present disclosure has been fully described in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, but 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 depart from the scope of the invention 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.

[0171] Among the various modifications of the above-described embodiments, by appropriately combining any of the modifications, it is possible to achieve the respective effects.

Industrial Applicability

[0172] The present disclosure is applicable to any cooking appliance that heats and cooks food ingredients.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0173] 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 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 housing 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 the temperature of the container, 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, and The control unit includes: a freezing determination step of determining the state of the food ingredients based on whether the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit is lower than a threshold temperature while operating at least one of the heating unit and the stirring body; and after the freezing determination step, executing a heating step of operating the heating unit to heat the food ingredients, and in the heating step, varying the operation of at least one of the heating unit and the stirring body according to the determination result in the freezing determination step. A heating cooker.

2. The control unit operates the stirring body in the freezing determination step. The heating cooker according to claim 1.

3. The control unit intermittently operates the stirring body in the freezing determination step. The heating cooker according to claim 2.

4. When the control unit intermittently operates the stirring body in the freezing determination step, the rotation amount per rotation of the stirring body is less than 360 degrees. The heating cooker according to claim 3.

5. The rotation amount per rotation of the stirring body is 30 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less. The heating cooker according to claim 4.

6. The threshold temperature is a first temperature determined in advance or a second temperature calculated based on a reference temperature corresponding to the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit at a certain point in time. The heating cooker according to claim 1.

7. The first temperature is -20 degrees or more and +5 degrees or less. The heating cooker according to claim 6.

8. The second temperature is the same temperature as the reference temperature or a temperature lower than the reference temperature by a predetermined temperature. The heating cooker according to claim 6.

9. The control unit operates the heating unit in the freezing determination step. The heating cooker according to claim 1.

10. When the control unit operates the heating unit in the freezing determination step, the set temperature of the heating unit is 20 degrees or more and less than 85 degrees. The heating cooker according to claim 9.

11. The control unit described in claim 1 is configured such that when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or multiple times in the freezing determination step, the set temperature of the heating unit in the heating step is relatively lower than when this is not the case.

12. The control unit described in claim 1 is configured such that when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or multiple times in the freezing determination step, the set temperature of the heating unit in the heating step is relatively higher than when this is not the case and is set to a temperature exceeding 100 degrees.

13. The control unit described in claim 1 is configured such that when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or multiple times in the freezing determination step, the operating time of the heating unit in the heating step is relatively longer than when this is not the case.

14. The control unit described in claim 1 is configured such that when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or multiple times in the freezing determination step, the rotational speed of the agitator in the heating step is relatively faster than when this is not the case.

15. The control unit described in claim 1 executes a standby step of stopping the heating unit and the agitator before the freezing determination step.

16. The control unit described in claim 1 transitions to the heating step when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit falls below the threshold temperature once or multiple times in the freezing determination step.

17. The temperature detection unit described in claim 1 detects the temperature at the bottom of the container.

18. The agitator described in claim 1 is provided along the inner bottom surface of the container.

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