Induction heating cooker and heating cooking system

Abstract

To provide an induction heating cooker and heating cooking system that can achieve a reduction in failure rate.SOLUTION: An induction heating cooker includes: a housing; a top plate provided on the upper portion of the housing for placing a workpiece to be heated; a heating part having a coil substrate stored inside the housing; a coil part formed as a metal pattern on the coil substrate for heating the workpiece to be heated; an inverter circuit part for supplying high-frequency power to the coil part; a control circuit part that controls the inverter circuit part; and a functional component provided on the coil substrate and performing input or output heat-cooking related information being information regarding heat-cooking.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present technology relates to an induction cooking device that performs induction cooking of an object to be heated, and a cooking system that has the induction cooking device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, induction heating cookers that are provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of an object to be heated are known (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-113732 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional induction cookers including the one described in Patent Document 1, adding electronic components such as a temperature sensor reduces the space inside the housing, making it difficult for the heat generated inside the housing to dissipate to the outside. As a result, the temperature of the electronic components rises excessively, increasing the failure rate of the induction cooker.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an induction heating cooker and a heating cooking system that can reduce the failure rate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The induction heating cooker according to the present disclosure comprises a housing, a top plate provided on top of the housing on which an object to be heated is placed, a heating unit having a coil substrate stored inside the housing, and a coil portion formed as a metal pattern on the coil substrate and heating the object to be heated, an inverter circuit portion that supplies high-frequency power to the coil portion, a control circuit portion that controls the inverter circuit portion, and functional components provided on the coil substrate that input or output cooking-related information, which is information about cooking. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the induction cooking device of the present disclosure, the coil portion and the functional components are provided on the coil substrate. This simplifies the structure required to attach the functional components, and reduces the decrease in ventilation inside the housing. Therefore, the induction cooking device can reduce the temperature rise of the internal electronic components, thereby reducing the failure rate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an induction heating cooker according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section 700 and a control circuit section according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective view of the heating unit according to the first embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heating unit according to the first embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a heating unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit of a conventional cooking device as viewed from above. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit of a conventional cooking device as viewed from below. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a heating section of a conventional cooking device. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a first modification of the first embodiment, as viewed from below. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a second modification of the first embodiment, as viewed from below. [Figure 11] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a heating unit according to a second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a third modification of the first embodiment, as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a fourth modification of the first embodiment, as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section and a control circuit section according to a second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a second embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit of a conventional cooking device as viewed from above. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a modified example of the second embodiment, as viewed from above. [Figure 18] 10 is a diagram showing a light guide plate holding part according to the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit of a conventional induction heating cooker as viewed from above. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a heating unit of a conventional induction heating cooker, as viewed from above. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a lighting unit holder of a conventional induction cooking device. [Figure 22] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a third embodiment, as viewed from above. [Figure 23] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a third embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 24] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a first modification of the third embodiment, as viewed from above. [Figure 25] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a first modification of the third embodiment, as viewed from below. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 3, as viewed from above. [Figure 27]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a second modification of the third embodiment, as viewed from below. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a fourth embodiment when viewed from above. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a fourth embodiment, as viewed from below. [Figure 30] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an inverter circuit section and a heating section of a conventional induction heating cooker. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section and a control circuit section according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 32] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining control of input heat power of an induction heating cooker according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 33] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a fifth embodiment when viewed from above. [Figure 34] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a coil temperature detection device and a detection circuit according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 35] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a connection pattern according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 36] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a heating and cooking system according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 37] FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section and a control circuit section according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 38] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a heating unit according to a sixth embodiment when viewed from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Embodiment 1 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an induction heating cooker 100 according to embodiment 1. The induction heating cooker 100 according to embodiment 1 is a cooking cooker that uses electromagnetic induction to heat a cooking container and food to be heated. In the following description, in the induction heating cooker 100, the direction from the surface on which the food to be heated is placed toward the bottom surface, or the direction from the bottom surface toward the surface on which the food to be heated is placed, is referred to as the up-down direction.

[0010] 1, the induction cooking device 100 includes a housing 1, a top plate 2, a first heating section 10a, a second heating section 10b, a third heating section 10c, and a grill chamber 20. The housing 1 is a case that houses the first heating section 10a, the second heating section 10b, the third heating section 10c, and the grill chamber 20. The housing 1 is hollow and has an open top.

[0011] The top plate 2 is a plate provided above the housing 1 and forms the upper part of the induction cooking appliance 100. An object to be heated is placed on the top plate 2. FIG. 1 shows an example in which a pot P, which is a cooking vessel, is placed as the object to be heated. The top plate 2 is made of a material that transmits infrared rays, such as heat-resistant tempered glass or crystallized glass. A rubber packing or sealant (not shown) is provided between the top plate 2 and the edge of the opening in the housing 1. This allows the top plate 2 to be fixed to the housing 1 with the gap between the top plate 2 and the housing 1 tightly sealed.

[0012] The top plate 2 is formed with first heating port 21a, second heating port 21b, and third heating port 21c as heating ports 21 for induction heating an object to be heated. First heating port 21a, second heating port 21b, and third heating port 21c are heating regions corresponding to first heating section 10a, second heating section 10b, and third heating section 10c, respectively. That is, first heating section 10a heats an object to be heated (in the present disclosure, pot P and the food to be cooked inside pot P) placed on first heating port 21a. Similarly, second heating section 10b heats an object to be heated placed on second heating port 21b, and third heating section 10c heats an object to be heated placed on third heating port 21c. The first heating outlet 21a, the second heating outlet 21b, and the third heating outlet 21c are shown as circular shapes painted or printed, etc. This shows the user the approximate placement position of the heated object. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the first heating outlet 21a, the second heating outlet 21b, and the third heating outlet 21c, they may be referred to as heating outlets 21.

[0013] In FIG. 1, the first heating port 21a and the second heating port 21b are arranged side by side on the front side of the induction cooking device 100, and the third heating section 10c is arranged approximately in the center on the back side of the induction cooking device 100. The arrangement of the heating ports 21 is not limited to this. For example, three heating ports 21 may be arranged horizontally in a straight line. Furthermore, the first heating section 10a and the second heating section 10b may be arranged so that their centers are positioned differently in the depth direction.

[0014] The top plate 2 is provided with a first operating unit 22a, a second operating unit 22b, and a third operating unit 22c. Hereinafter, when the first operating unit 22a, the second operating unit 22b, and the third operating unit 22c are not distinguished from each other, they may be referred to as operating unit 22. The operating unit 22 is, for example, a button covered with a flexible cover that is pressed by the user. The first operating unit 22a, the second operating unit 22b, and the third operating unit 22c function as input devices corresponding to the first heating unit 10a, the second heating unit 10b, and the third heating unit 10c, respectively. The operating units 22, 22, and 22 accept input of setting information such as the input heat (input power) when heating an object to be heated and a cooking menu (water boiling mode, deep frying mode, etc.).

[0015] The top plate 2 is provided with a first display unit 23a, a second display unit 23b, and a third display unit 23c. Hereinafter, when the first display unit 23a, the second display unit 23b, and the third display unit 23c are not distinguished from one another, they may be referred to as display units 23. The display units 23 are, for example, displays. The first display unit 23a, the second display unit 23b, and the third display unit 23c are display devices corresponding to the first heating unit 10a, the second heating unit 10b, and the third heating unit 10c, respectively. The first display unit 23a, the second display unit 23b, and the third display unit 23c display usage status information of the corresponding heating unit 10. Specifically, the usage status information of the heating unit 10 indicates the usage status of the heating unit 10, and the display unit 23 displays whether each heating unit 10 is heating or not, the input heat level, and the cooking menu. The display unit 23 also displays whether each heating unit 10 is operating normally. Furthermore, the display unit 23 displays whether the position of the object to be heated is normal or not. Furthermore, the display unit 23 may display information about the state of wireless communication with an external communication device.

[0016] In the above description, an operation unit 22 and a display unit 23 are provided for each heating port 21. However, an operation unit 22 and a display unit 23 may be provided for each heating port 21. Alternatively, a touch display that serves as both the operation unit 22 and the display unit 23 may be provided.

[0017] The first heating unit 10a, the second heating unit 10b, and the third heating unit 10c are housed below the top plate 2 and inside the housing 1. As described above, the first heating unit 10a, the second heating unit 10b, and the third heating unit 10c heat the objects placed on the corresponding heating ports 21. Hereinafter, when the first heating unit 10a, the second heating unit 10b, and the third heating unit 10c are not distinguished from each other, they may be referred to as heating units 10. As will be described in detail later, the heating units 10 inductively heat the load (the object) by supplying high-frequency power to a coil unit 11 formed as a metal thin film pattern on a coil substrate 14. Note that, for example, the third heating unit 10c may heat the load using a heater rather than induction heating. Although FIG. 1 shows a case where three heating units 10 are provided, the number of heating units 10 is not particularly limited.

[0018] The grill chamber 20 heats the object to be heated stored therein. The grill chamber 20 may heat the object to be heated by a heater, or may heat the object to be heated by induction. When the grill chamber 20 is used to heat the object to be heated by induction, a plate (not shown) into which a coil (not shown) is cast is provided inside the grill chamber 20. When a high-frequency current is supplied to the heating coil, the object to be heated placed on the plate is induction heated.

[0019] An inverter circuit section 40, a DC power supply circuit section 30, and a control circuit section 50 are provided inside the housing 1. The inverter circuit section 40 supplies high-frequency power to the coil section 11 of the heating section 10. The DC power supply circuit section 30 converts AC voltage input from an AC power supply 800 (see FIG. 2) into DC voltage. The control circuit section 50 controls the operation of the entire induction heating cooker 100.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section 700 and a control circuit section 50 according to the first embodiment. The induction heating cooker 100 includes the induction heating circuit section 700, the control circuit section 50, an input current sensor 61, an output current sensor 62, and a heated object temperature sensor 63. The induction heating circuit section 700 is connected to a commercial AC power supply 800, rectifies the power supplied from the AC power supply 800, and supplies the power to the coil section 11 of the heating section 10. The induction heating circuit section 700 includes a DC power supply circuit section 30, an inverter circuit section 40, and a resonant capacitor 60. Note that FIG. 2 shows, as an example, only one induction heating circuit section 700 corresponding to the coil section 11 of one heating section 10 (for example, the first heating section 10a). The induction heating circuit section 700 may be provided for each heating section 10, or may be shared by multiple heating sections 10.

[0021] The DC power supply circuit unit 30 converts AC power input from a commercial AC power supply 800 into DC power and outputs it to the inverter circuit unit 40. The DC power supply circuit unit 30 includes a diode bridge 31, a reactor 32, and a smoothing capacitor 33.

[0022] The inverter circuit unit 40 converts the DC power output from the DC power supply circuit unit 30 into AC power with a high frequency of about 20 kHz to 80 kHz and supplies it to a resonant circuit consisting of the coil unit 11 and the resonant capacitor 60. The inverter circuit unit 40 is a so-called half-bridge inverter in which a switching element 41 and a switching element 42 are connected in series to the output of the DC power supply circuit unit 30. A flywheel diode 43 and a flywheel diode 44 are connected in parallel with the switching element 41 and the switching element 42, respectively. The switching element 41 and the switching element 42 are, for example, IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors), which are silicon-based bipolar semiconductors.

[0023] The configuration of the inverter circuit unit 40 is not limited to the above. The inverter circuit unit 40 may also have a full-bridge configuration, for example, in which four IGBTs and diodes are combined. The switching elements 41 and 42 and the flywheel diodes 43 and 44 may be made of wide-bandgap semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide or gallium nitride materials. Unipolar semiconductors such as MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors) or HEMTs (high electron mobility transistors) may also be used.

[0024] By using wide bandgap semiconductors for the switching elements 41 and 42, it is possible to reduce the conduction loss of the switching elements 41 and 42. Furthermore, since the heat dissipation of the induction heating circuit unit 700 is good even when the switching frequency (drive frequency) is set to a high frequency (high speed), it is possible to make the heat dissipation fins (not shown) of the induction heating circuit unit 700 smaller. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the induction heating circuit unit 700.

[0025] The resonant capacitor 60 is connected in series to the coil section 11 to generate current resonance. The resonant circuit consisting of the coil section 11 and the resonant capacitor 60 has a resonant frequency that corresponds to the inductance of the coil section 11 and the capacitance of the resonant capacitor 60. When the coil section 11 is magnetically coupled to an object to be heated, which is a metal load for the coil section 11, the inductance of the coil section 11 changes according to the characteristics of the metal load. The resonant frequency of the resonant circuit changes according to the change in inductance of the coil section 11. Note that the resonant capacitor 60 and the coil section 11 may be connected in parallel to generate voltage resonance.

[0026] As described above, by configuring the induction heating circuit section 700, a high-frequency current of about several tens of amperes flows through the coil section 11. As a result, a high-frequency magnetic flux generated by the high-frequency current generates an eddy current in the object to be heated placed on the top plate 2 directly above the coil section 11, and the object to be heated is induction heated.

[0027] The input current sensor 61 detects, for example, a current input from a commercial AC power supply 800 to the DC power supply circuit unit 30, and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the input current value to the control circuit unit .

[0028] The output current sensor 62 is connected to a resonant circuit consisting of the coil section 11 and the resonant capacitor 60. The output current sensor 62 detects the current flowing through the coil section 11 using, for example, a current transformer, and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the value of the output current to the coil section 11 to the calculation section 51. As an alternative to the current transformer, a current sensor using a Hall element or a resistor for current measurement can also be used.

[0029] The object temperature sensor 63 is, for example, an infrared sensor that detects the temperature of the object and transmits a voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of the object to the control circuit unit 50. Here, the voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of the object corresponds to "cooking-related information," which is information about cooking in the present disclosure. Furthermore, since the object temperature sensor 63 inputs a voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of the object, which corresponds to "cooking-related information," to the control circuit unit, it corresponds to a "functional component" in the present disclosure. Note that information about cooking means information indicating physical quantities such as current values, voltage values, or temperatures detected in each part of the induction cooking device 100 or the object to be heated, setting information input by the user, or information about the usage status of the heating unit 10.

[0030] Connection terminals 12 and 13 are provided between the coil section 11 and the inverter circuit section 40. In the first embodiment, the coil section 11 and the inverter circuit section 40 are formed on different substrates and are therefore connected using lead wires (not shown). The connection terminals 12 and 13 are used to secure the lead wires connecting the coil section 11 and the inverter circuit section 40. The connection terminals 12 and 13 are, for example, tab terminals. The lead wires may be secured by screwing them to the terminal blocks of the connection terminals 12 and 13 or by soldering grommets. The connection terminals 12 and 13 in the first embodiment are provided on the substrate on which the inverter circuit section 40 is provided, and lead wires extending from both ends of the coil section 11 are secured thereto.

[0031] The control circuit unit 50 includes a calculation unit 51, an inverter control unit 52, and a display / operation unit 53. The calculation unit 51 determines the magnitude of power to be output to the load based on voltage signals input from the input current sensor 61, the output current sensor 62, and the heated object temperature sensor 63, as well as setting information input from the operation unit 22. The calculation unit 51 then instructs the inverter control unit 52 to generate a switching signal corresponding to the magnitude of power to be output to the load. The inverter control unit 52 generates switching signals to operate each switching element 41 based on the command from the calculation unit 51, and transmits the switching signals to the inverter circuit unit 40. The display / operation unit 53 controls the content to be displayed on the display unit 23. The display / operation unit 53 also transmits setting information input from the operation unit 22 to the calculation unit 51.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the first embodiment when viewed from above. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the first embodiment when viewed from below. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional schematic view showing the heating unit 10 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the heating unit 10 cut in the vertical direction, including the temperature sensor 63 for the heated object. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the heating unit 10 has a coil unit 11 and a coil substrate 14. In the following description, with the state in which the induction heating cooker 100 is installed as a reference, the surface of the coil substrate 14, which is a plate-shaped member, facing the upper side (top plate side) is referred to as a front surface 141, and the surface opposite to the front surface 141 is referred to as a back surface 142.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the coil portion 11 is formed by spirally winding a pattern of a thin metal film, such as copper. The coil portion 11 has a generally circular shape. The coil portion 11 is wound at equal intervals to form an appearance consisting of multiple concentric circles. The coil portion 11 may have a polygonal or flattened shape to match the shape of the heating port 21 or the object to be heated. The coil portion 11 is formed on the front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. The coil portion 11 may be formed on both sides of the coil substrate 14, with the pattern on the front surface 141 connected to the pattern on the back surface 142. In this case, the conductor area of the heating portion 10 is increased, which increases the cross-sectional area of the conductor and reduces copper loss. This reduces power loss generated by the winding of the coil portion 11.

[0034] The coil substrate 14 is a printed circuit board made of an insulating material. The base material of the coil substrate 14 is selected from glass epoxy resin, composite epoxy resin such as CEM3, paper epoxy, or paper phenol, etc. Although a method of depositing a metal film that will become the coil portion 11 on glass or a bakelite material can also be used, the former method requires less time to form the copper pattern. Furthermore, it is relatively easy to use widely used processing methods. The shape of the coil substrate 14 may be selected depending on the shape of the coil portion 11, etc. For example, the coil substrate 14 may be rectangular or circular.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, an object temperature sensor 63 is provided on the coil substrate 14 of the heating unit 10. In the first embodiment, the object temperature sensor 63 is formed on the coil substrate 14. The object temperature sensor 63 includes a sensor element 64, an element shield 65, and a load temperature detection circuit 66. The object temperature sensor 63 may include a connector for connecting an electric wire for transmitting and receiving signals input and output to and from the load temperature detection circuit 66, or for transmitting and receiving power for operating the load temperature detection circuit 66. The object temperature sensor 63 is provided inside the coil unit 11, that is, closer to the center of the coil unit 11 than the innermost periphery of the coil unit 11 wound on the mounting surface of the coil substrate 14. The object temperature sensor 63 may also be provided between the windings of the coil unit 11 or outside the outermost periphery of the coil unit 11. When the object temperature sensor 63 is provided between the windings of the coil unit 11, the coil unit 11 is wound so as to avoid the position where the object temperature sensor 63 is mounted. When the object temperature sensor 63 is provided between the windings of the coil unit 11, it is possible to detect that the object is out of the heating area. For this reason, when there is no object to be heated above the object temperature sensor 63, the control circuit unit 50 may notify the user by displaying a message to that effect on the display unit 23. Furthermore, multiple object temperature sensors 63 may be provided.

[0036] The sensor element 64 is mounted on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14 to detect the temperature of the object to be heated. The sensor element 64 detects the temperature by receiving infrared rays emitted by the object to be heated. A voltage signal including the temperature of the object to be heated detected by the sensor element 64 is sent to the load temperature detection circuit 66.

[0037] The element shield 65 is provided on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14 so as to surround the outer periphery of the sensor element 64. The element shield 65 is intended to protect the sensor element 64 so as to reduce the influence of magnetic flux generated by a high-frequency current flowing through the coil portion 11. The element shield 65 is made of, for example, a magnetic material with high magnetic permeability.

[0038] The load temperature detection circuit 66 is mounted on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14. The load temperature detection circuit 66 performs processes such as amplification, noise removal, and A / D conversion on the voltage signal output by the sensor element 64. The load temperature detection circuit transmits a voltage signal indicating the temperature of the heated object after processing to the calculation unit 51 of the control circuit unit 50. The load temperature detection circuit 66 has a resistor-based voltage divider circuit, an amplifier for signal amplification, a filter for noise removal, an A / D converter, etc. to process the voltage signal output by the sensor element 64.

[0039] The load temperature detection circuit 66 is provided with a wiring pattern 16 for inputting and outputting signals and power. One end of the wiring pattern 16 is connected to the load temperature detection circuit 66, and the other end 161 is connected to a lead wire (not shown) that connects to the control circuit unit 50. The wiring pattern 16 is drawn out to the outside of the coil unit 11. In other words, when the area on the front surface 141 where the coil unit 11 is formed is projected onto the back surface 142, the other end 161 of the wiring pattern 16 is located outside the projected area. Since the magnetic flux density generated in the coil unit 11 is lower on the outer periphery of the coil unit 11, having the other end 161 of the wiring pattern 16 outside the coil unit 11 can reduce unnecessary power consumption due to induction heating of the lead wire. This improves the heating efficiency of the induction heating cooker 100.

[0040] Furthermore, if the wiring pattern 16 is not drawn to the outside of the coil unit 11 but the lead wire is directly connected to the load temperature detection circuit 66, there is a concern that the temperature of electronic components arranged near the lead wire may rise excessively. However, this can be suppressed. Therefore, the failure rate of the induction heating cooker 100 can be reduced. Furthermore, if the wiring pattern 16 is not drawn to the outer periphery of the coil unit 11 but the lead wire is directly connected to the load temperature detection circuit 66, there is a concern that unnecessary noise may be superimposed on the signal flowing through the lead wire. However, this can be suppressed. Therefore, erroneous temperature detection is suppressed, which reduces temperature control errors and also suppresses unnecessary operation stoppages of the induction heating cooker 100. Therefore, the usability of the induction heating cooker 100 is improved.

[0041] The coil substrate 14 does not allow the coil section 11 to be formed in the location where the sensor element 64 and the load temperature detection circuit 66 are mounted. By mounting the sensor element 64 on the front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14 and the load temperature detection circuit 66 on the back surface 142 of the coil substrate 14, the object temperature sensor 63 can be housed inside the coil section 11. This eliminates the need to shape the coil section 11 formed on the front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14 so as to bypass the sensor element 64 or the load temperature detection circuit 66. In other words, the coil section 11 is uniformly formed on the front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. This prevents the coil substrate 14 from having areas with and without the coil section 11, which would result in different temperatures depending on the heating location of the object. This improves the usability of the induction heating cooker 100.

[0042] (Conventional induction cooker) Here, the effects obtained by the induction heating cooker 100 of the first embodiment will be described by comparing the induction heating cooker 100 of the first embodiment with a conventional induction heating cooker. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the heating unit 200 of the conventional heating cooker when viewed from above. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the heating unit 200 of the conventional heating cooker when viewed from below. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional schematic view showing the heating unit 200 of the conventional heating cooker. Fig. 8 shows a cross-section including the heated object temperature sensor 211, among cross-sections obtained by cutting the heating unit 200 in the vertical direction.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the heating unit 200 has a coil unit 201 and a coil base 202. The coil unit 201 is formed by winding a conductor such as copper or aluminum in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The coil unit 201 is attached to the coil base 202. A Litz wire made by twisting together thin wires is used as the conductor of the coil unit 201 to reduce copper loss generated in the coil unit 201 due to high-frequency current flowing for induction heating and to reduce eddy current loss in the winding due to magnetic flux generated by the coil unit 201. The conductors are bonded together by impregnation with varnish or with an adhesive such as epoxy. Alternatively, the coating of the conductor may be fused.

[0044] The coil base 202 has a circular frame portion 203 that forms the outer periphery and a rod-shaped rod portion 204 that extends radially inside the frame portion 203. The coil base 202 is formed using a non-magnetic metal such as PET resin or aluminum, or a magnetic material with high magnetic permeability. When a non-magnetic metal is used, electronic components arranged around the coil base 202 can be protected from the magnetic flux generated by the coil portion 201. When a non-magnetic material is used as the metal material rather than a ferromagnetic material such as iron, the coil base 202 can be induction-heated by the magnetic flux generated by the coil portion 201, thereby reducing power consumption. Furthermore, when a magnetic material with high magnetic permeability is used for the coil base 202, electronic components arranged around the coil base 202 can be protected from the magnetic flux generated by the coil portion 201 and the magnetic flux can be concentrated on the object to be heated. Therefore, the object to be heated can be effectively induction-heated while suppressing induction heating of the coil base 202.

[0045] In a conventional induction cooking appliance, object temperature sensor 211, which detects the temperature of an object to be heated, is attached to coil base 202. Object temperature sensor 211 has sensor element 212, element shield 213, load temperature detection circuit 214, sensor board 215, holding part 216, and fixing part 217. Object temperature sensor 211 may be provided with a connector for connecting electric wires for transmitting and receiving signals input and output to and from load temperature detection circuit 214, or for transmitting and receiving power for operating load temperature detection circuit 214. Sensor element 212 and load temperature detection circuit 214 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0046] The element shield 213 is provided to prevent the sensor element 212 from receiving heat information from sources other than the object to be heated. The element shield 213 is a cylindrical metal body that extends from the mounting position of the sensor element 212 to the top plate 2 or its vicinity in order to prevent unnecessary heat sources from entering the field of view of the sensor element 212. The element shield 213 is made of a non-magnetic metal such as aluminum or copper. Therefore, compared to magnetic metals such as iron, the element shield 213 is less likely to be inductively heated by the magnetic flux generated in the coil portion 201, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.

[0047] The sensor board 215 is an epoxy board and a paper phenol board. The sensor board 215 is provided below the coil base 202. On the sensor board 215, a sensor element 212, an element shield 213, and a load temperature detection circuit 214 are mounted.

[0048] The holding portion 216 determines the fixed position of the object temperature sensor 211 on the coil base 202. The holding portion 216 is molded into a convex shape on the coil base 202. The fixing portion 217 fixes the object temperature sensor 211 to the holding portion 216. The fixing portion 217 is, for example, a screw, and can fix the object temperature sensor 211 by clamping the object temperature sensor 211 between the holding portion 216 and the fixing portion 217 and tightening the screw. The fixing portion 217 may also be a supporter with a barb. When the fixing portion 217 is a screw, it is made of a non-magnetic metal such as aluminum, or an acrylic screw. This prevents the fixing portion 217 from being inductively heated by the magnetic flux generated by the coil portion 201, thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption.

[0049] The object temperature sensor 211 may be a thermistor or the like. In this case, the object temperature sensor 211 is placed in contact with the top plate 2 and detects heat transferred from the object to be heated via the top plate 2.

[0050] As described above, the heating unit 200 and the object temperature sensor 211 of the conventional cooking device are made up of multiple components, and the size is increased due to the structure of combining these components. Furthermore, combining multiple components makes it easier for the object temperature sensor 211 to be positioned relative to the object, which can result in errors in temperature detection. Furthermore, forming the coil base 202 requires many processes.

[0051] In contrast, according to the first embodiment, the load temperature detection circuit 66 is directly mounted on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14, thereby eliminating structural components such as the sensor substrate 215, the holding portion 216, and the fixing portion 217 that are used in conventional induction cookers. This ensures a large space inside the housing 1 of the induction cooker 100, suppressing pressure loss in the heat dissipation air passage inside the housing 1 and improving the heat dissipation of each component provided inside the housing 1. This prevents the temperature rise of electronic components and reduces the failure rate of the induction cooker 100. Alternatively, eliminating structural components such as the sensor substrate 215, the holding portion 216, and the fixing portion 217 allows the induction cooker 100 to be made smaller.

[0052] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the object temperature sensor 63 is directly attached to the coil substrate 14, which reduces dimensional variations during attachment compared to a conventional induction heating cooker in which multiple components are combined. This reduces temperature detection errors caused by variations in the positions of the sensor element 64 and the top plate 2, improving the ease of use of the induction heating cooker 100.

[0053] In addition, in the first embodiment, the sensor element 64 is mounted on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. The coil substrate 14 is thinner than the coil base. Therefore, in the cooking device of the first embodiment, the sensor element 64 can be placed closer to the top plate 2 than in cooking devices of the conventional type. This prevents unnecessary heating elements from entering the field of view of the sensor element 64, and also shortens the vertical length of the element shield 65. This reduces the amount of metal material required, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the element shield 65 from being inductively heated by the magnetic flux generated by the winding coil, thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption.

[0054] In the first embodiment, the object temperature sensor 63 may be formed as an HIC (hybrid IC) and mounted on the coil substrate 14. In this case, the same effects as those described above can also be obtained.

[0055] (First Modification of First Embodiment) Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 1, as viewed from below. As shown in Fig. 9, the heated object temperature sensor 63 includes a circuit shield 68. The circuit shield 68 is provided on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14, and surrounds the load temperature detection circuit 66. When the wiring pattern 16 is provided on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14, a hole may be formed in the circuit shield 68 to allow the wiring pattern 16 to pass through the circuit shield 68.

[0056] Because the coil unit 11 is disposed close to the load temperature detection circuit 66, magnetic flux can cause errors in the temperature detection results. By providing a circuit shield 68 around the load temperature detection circuit 66, even when magnetic flux is generated near the load temperature detection circuit 66, an induced current flows through the circuit shield 68, generating magnetic flux that cancels out the interlinked magnetic flux directed toward the load temperature detection circuit 66. This reduces the superposition of unnecessary noise on the temperature detection results. This suppresses erroneous temperature detection, reduces unnecessary shutdowns of the induction heating cooker 100, and reduces temperature control errors. This improves the usability of the induction heating cooker 100.

[0057] It is desirable to use a material that can shield magnetic flux while reducing loss due to induced current for the circuit shield 68. For this reason, a non-magnetic metal such as aluminum or copper, or a highly magnetic material such as ferrite, is used for the circuit shield 68. When the circuit shield 68 is made of a non-magnetic metal, punching and other processes are easy, and there is a high degree of freedom in the shape, so the shape can be made easy to mount on the coil substrate 14 by soldering or other methods, improving assembly ease.

[0058] Although the planar shape of the circuit shield 68 in FIG. 9 is a rectangle, it is not limited to this shape as long as it surrounds the load temperature detection circuit 66. In particular, as the wire length of the circuit shield 68 increases, the flow of induced current becomes more difficult, reducing the magnetic flux generated to cancel out the interlinkage magnetic field. Therefore, forming the circuit shield 68 with a shape with more than four corners and shortening the wiring length compared to a rectangle can enhance the effect of canceling out the interlinkage magnetic field. Furthermore, if the corners have right angles, current will concentrate, locally increasing the resistivity, thereby inhibiting the generation of induced current flowing through the circuit shield 68. Therefore, by forming a shape with R on the inside of the corners, the inhibition of the generation of induced current at the right angles can be suppressed and the reduction in the magnetic flux generated to cancel out the interlinkage magnetic field can be reduced, thereby enhancing the effect of canceling out the interlinkage magnetic field.

[0059] (Modification 2 of Embodiment 1) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 1, as viewed from below. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the heating unit 10 according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 1. FIG. 11 shows a cross-section of the heating unit 10 cut in the vertical direction, including the heated object temperature sensor 63. Note that the wiring pattern 16 is not shown in the following figures. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the heated object temperature sensor 63 includes a circuit shield 68A. The circuit shield 68A is provided on the back surface 142 of the coil substrate 14. The circuit shield 68A has a plate shape bent at two points and covers the bottom and two side portions of the load temperature detection circuit 66. The circuit shield 68A is made of a non-magnetic metal such as aluminum or copper, or a highly magnetic material such as ferrite.

[0060] Because the coil unit 11 is disposed close to the load temperature detection circuit 66, magnetic flux can cause errors in the temperature detection results. By providing the circuit shield 68A for the load temperature detection circuit 66, even if magnetic flux is generated nearby, the magnetic flux flows through the circuit shield 68A, shielding the interlinkage magnetic flux of the load temperature detection circuit 66. This prevents unnecessary noise from being superimposed on the temperature detection results. This prevents erroneous temperature detection, reduces unnecessary operation stoppages of the induction heating cooker 100, and reduces temperature control errors. This improves the usability of the induction heating cooker 100.

[0061] It is also possible to provide both the circuit shield 68 of the first modified example of the first embodiment and the circuit shield 68A described in the second modified example of the first embodiment. In this case, when the heating unit 10 is viewed in a plan view in the vertical direction, it is desirable that the area where the circuit shield 68 of the first modified example of the first embodiment is formed encompasses the area where the circuit shield 68A described in the second modified example of the first embodiment is formed. This allows the circuit shield 68A described in the second modified example of the first embodiment to cancel out the interlinkage magnetic flux, while the magnetic flux that could not be completely canceled can be shielded by the circuit shield 68 of the first modified example of the first embodiment.

[0062] (Third Modification of First Embodiment) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the third modification of the first embodiment, as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 12, the heated object temperature sensor 63 includes a circuit shield 68B. The circuit shield 68B is provided on the front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. The circuit shield 68B is formed on the front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14, opposite the area on the back surface 142 where the load temperature detection circuit 66 is provided. The circuit shield 68B is provided so that, when the heating unit 10 is viewed from above in the vertical direction, the area where the circuit shield 68B is formed overlaps with the area where the load temperature detection circuit 66 is provided. The circuit shield 68B is formed by a pattern of a thin metal film. The circuit shield 68B has a uniformly flat shape. In other words, the circuit shield 68B is formed by filling a predetermined area with a metal film without any gaps.

[0063] Because the coil unit 11 is disposed close to the load temperature detection circuit 66, magnetic flux can cause errors in the temperature detection results. By providing a circuit shield 68B opposite the load temperature detection circuit 66, even if magnetic flux is generated nearby, the magnetic flux flows through the circuit shield 68B, shielding the interlinked magnetic flux of the load temperature detection circuit 66. This reduces the superposition of unnecessary noise on the temperature detection results. This suppresses erroneous temperature detection, reduces unnecessary operation stoppages of the induction heating cooker 100, and reduces temperature control errors. This improves the usability of the induction heating cooker 100.

[0064] 12, the shape of the circuit shield 68B is rectangular, but the shape is not limited to this as long as the area where the circuit shield 68B is formed contains the area where the load temperature detection circuit 66 is provided when the heating unit 10 is viewed in a plan view in the vertical direction. Also, if the area of the circuit shield 68B is large, losses will occur due to induction heating, so by forming the circuit shield 68B in a shape with more than four corners and making the area smaller than that of a rectangle, it is possible to reduce losses due to induction heating while maintaining the effect of shielding interlinkage magnetic flux.

[0065] (Fourth Modification of First Embodiment) 13 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the fourth modification of the first embodiment, viewed from above. In the third modification of the first embodiment, the circuit shield 68B has a uniformly flat shape, but in the fourth modification of the first embodiment, the circuit shield 68C has a mesh pattern. In this case, the generation of induced current can be suppressed more effectively than when the circuit shield 68C has a uniformly flat shape. Therefore, by forming the circuit shield 68C in a mesh pattern, it is possible to reduce loss due to induced current while shielding magnetic flux.

[0066] Note that both the circuit shield 68 of the first modified example of the first embodiment or the circuit shield 68A of the second modified example of the first embodiment and the circuit shield 68B of the third modified example of the first embodiment or the circuit shield 68C of the fourth modified example of the first embodiment may be provided. In this case, when the heating unit 10 is viewed from above in the vertical direction, it is desirable that the area where the circuit shield 68B of the first modified example of the first embodiment is formed has a shape that encompasses the area where the circuit shield 68B of the third modified example of the first embodiment or the circuit shield 68C of the fourth modified example of the first embodiment is formed. This allows the circuit shield 68B of the third modified example of the first embodiment or the circuit shield 68C of the fourth modified example of the first embodiment to cancel out the interlinked magnetic flux, while the circuit shield 68 of the first modified example of the first embodiment can shield the magnetic flux that is not completely canceled. Therefore, it is possible to shield the magnetic flux interlinked with the load temperature detection circuit 66 while suppressing loss due to induced current generated in the circuit shield 68B of the third modified example of the first embodiment or the circuit shield 68C of the fourth modified example of the first embodiment.

[0067] Embodiment 2 Fig. 14 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section 700 and a control circuit section 50 according to embodiment 2. As shown in Fig. 14, an induction heating cooker 101 according to embodiment 2 differs from embodiment 1 in that it includes a lighting device 71 and a lighting circuit section 54. The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1, and components having the same functions will be given the same reference numerals, and the same description will be omitted.

[0068] The lighting device 71 is configured using, for example, a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The lighting device 71 notifies the user of information regarding the heating state, such as whether or not heating is being performed in the corresponding heating unit 10 of the induction cooking device 101 and the heating power during heating, by lighting or blinking the plurality of LEDs. As will be described in detail later, the lighting device 71 is provided near one of the heating units 10 and indicates the usage status of the heating unit 10 (whether or not heating is being performed and the heating power during heating). For example, when cooking is not being performed in the heating unit 10, all of the plurality of LEDs are turned off, and when cooking is being performed in the heating unit 10, some of the plurality of LEDs are turned on depending on the ratio of the currently set heating power to the maximum heating power. Generally, it is difficult to visually determine the heating power during cooking in the induction cooking device 101, but the lighting device 71 makes it possible to visually communicate the heating power of the heating unit 10 to the user. This improves the usability of the induction cooking device 101.

[0069] The control circuit unit 50 includes a lighting circuit unit 54. The lighting circuit unit 54 controls the lighting state of the lighting device 71 based on a command signal (on, blinking, or off) for the lighting device 71 sent from the calculation unit 51. The lighting circuit unit 54 also supplies power to the lighting device 71. If the lighting device 71 uses an LED, the lighting circuit unit 54 controls the magnitude of the current flowing through the LED to control the lighting state of the lighting device 71. The lighting circuit unit 54 is configured as a constant current circuit using a switching power supply. Alternatively, the lighting circuit unit 54 may be configured as a circuit using a series regulator. As a simpler method, the current value may be determined using a limiting resistor. Furthermore, when lighting multiple LEDs, rather than energizing all of the LEDs simultaneously, the LEDs may be blinked in sequence at a fast cycle that is generally imperceptible to the human eye. In this case, the power required to light the LEDs can be reduced.

[0070] Here, the lighting state of lighting device 71 corresponds to the usage state information of heating unit 10, and the usage state information of heating unit 10 corresponds to "cooking-related information," which is information about cooking in the present disclosure. For this reason, lighting device 71 outputs light corresponding to the usage state of heating unit 10, which corresponds to "cooking-related information," to the outside, and therefore corresponds to a "functional component" in the present disclosure.

[0071] 15 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to embodiment 2 as seen from above. The lighting device 71 is provided on the coil substrate 14 of the heating unit 10 together with the heated object temperature sensor 63. Here, the lighting device 71 is shown using a plurality of LEDs. The lighting device 71 is mounted on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14 to notify the user of the usage status of the heating unit 10 depending on the lighting status.

[0072] In the example of Fig. 15, the lighting device 71 is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the coil portion 11, but the configuration of the lighting device 71 is not limited to this. For example, the location of the lighting device 71 may be changed depending on the location of the coil portion 11. If the coil portion 11 is configured with separate windings consisting of two concentric circles, the lighting device 71 may be provided so as to surround each winding. If the coil portion 11 is configured with two windings, the winding to be energized can be switched depending on the size and shape of the object to be heated and the cooking mode. In this case, by lighting the lighting device 71 located at a position corresponding to the winding, the user can be notified of the energized winding, i.e., the heated location, thereby improving the convenience of the induction heating cooker 101.

[0073] The lighting device 71 and the lighting circuit unit 54 are connected using lead wires (not shown) to transmit signals for controlling the lighting state or to supply power. The lighting device 71 is disposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the coil unit 11. Therefore, when a high-frequency current flows through the coil unit 11, a magnetic flux is generated. The lead wires connect the lighting circuit unit 54 to the lighting device 71, which is disposed on the outer side of the coil unit 11 where the magnetic flux density is low. In other words, the lead wires do not reach the inner periphery of the coil unit 11 where the magnetic flux density generated in the coil unit 11 is high. This prevents the magnetic flux generated in the coil unit 11 from inductively heating the lead wires and resulting in unnecessary power consumption. This improves the heating efficiency of the induction heating cooker 101. Furthermore, if the lighting device 71 were disposed on the inner periphery of the coil unit 11, there would be a concern that the temperature of electronic components disposed near the lead wires might rise excessively. However, this configuration can prevent this from happening. This reduces the failure rate of the induction heating cooker 101. Furthermore, when the lighting device 71 is disposed on the inner periphery side of the coil portion 11, there is a concern that unnecessary noise may be superimposed on the signal flowing through the lead wire, but this can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress erroneous lighting of the lighting device 71 and to suppress erroneous notification of the usage state of the heating portion 10. This improves the usability of the induction heating cooker 101.

[0074] (Conventional induction cooker) Here, the effects obtained by the induction heating cooker 101 of the second embodiment will be described by comparing the induction heating cooker 101 of the second embodiment with a conventional induction heating cooker. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the heating section 200 of the conventional heating cooker when viewed from above. The heating section 200 of Fig. 16 is obtained by providing a lighting device 221 to the heating section 200 of the conventional induction heating cooker described in Figs. 6 to 8. As shown in Fig. 16, when the lighting device 221 is provided in the heating section 200 of the induction heating cooker 101, it is necessary to use a lighting board 222 on which an LED is mounted. Furthermore, the coil base 202 needs a structure (not shown) for supporting the lighting board 222.

[0075] In contrast, in the second embodiment, the lighting device 221 is mounted on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14, and therefore the lighting board 222 and the support member for fixing the lighting board 222, which are required in conventional induction cooking devices, are not required. As a result, a large space is secured inside the housing 1 of the induction cooking device 101, which reduces pressure loss in the heat dissipation air passage inside the housing 1 and improves the heat dissipation of each component provided inside the housing 1. This prevents the temperature rise of electronic components and reduces the failure rate of the induction cooking device 101. Alternatively, structural components such as the lighting board 222 and the support member for fixing the lighting board 222, which are required in conventional induction cooking devices, can be eliminated, allowing the induction cooking device 101 to be made smaller.

[0076] It is necessary to provide a slit in the top panel 2 to allow the display of the lighting device 71 to be transmitted. In the second embodiment, the lighting device 71 is directly attached to the coil substrate 14, which simplifies the attachment structure and reduces variations in the placement of the lighting device 71 when it is attached. This eliminates the need to set the size of the slit to be large in consideration of variations in the placement of the lighting device 71, and the design of the induction heating cooker 101 can be improved.

[0077] (Modification of the second embodiment) Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a heating unit 200 according to a modified example of the second embodiment, as viewed from above. Fig. 18 is a view showing a light guide plate holding unit 73 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 18 is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dashed line in Fig. 17. As shown in Fig. 17, the induction heating cooker 100 has a light guide plate 71 having one LED, a light guide plate 72, and a light guide plate holding unit 73, instead of the light guide plate 71 having a plurality of LEDs. The light guide plate 72 and the light guide plate holding unit 73 are provided on a surface 141 of the coil substrate 14.

[0078] The light guide plate 72 is provided along the outer periphery of the coil portion 201. The light guide plate 72 has an annular exterior and a hollow interior, and its inner surface is formed to reflect light. The orientation of the opening of the light guide plate 72 and the lighting device 71 is adjusted so that light emitted from the lighting device 71 enters the interior of the light guide plate 72. When the light emitted from the lighting device 71 passes through the interior of the light guide plate 72, the light is diffused inside the light guide plate 72, making the light guide plate 72 appear to emit light. In this way, the light guide plate 72 guides the light emitted from the lighting device 71. By controlling the intensity of the light emitted from the lighting device 71, it is possible to adjust the range of the light emitted from the opening of the light guide plate 72, where the light enters. As a result, the operating state of the heating unit 10 can be indicated by the range of light emitted by the light guide plate 72.

[0079] The light guide plate holding portion 73 is a member for attaching the light guide plate 72 to the coil substrate 14. The light guide plate holding portion 73 is a shaft-shaped component, and is caulked to the surface 141 of the planar coil substrate 14.

[0080] Generally, in a configuration using only LEDs as lighting device 71, the number of electronic components used to light a wide area increases, resulting in a proportionally higher failure rate. However, by using light guide plate 72, it is possible to light a wide area even if the number of LEDs used is reduced, thereby suppressing an increase in the failure rate.

[0081] Here, the effects obtained by the induction heating cooker 100 of the modified example of the second embodiment will be described by comparing the induction heating cooker 100 of the modified example of the second embodiment with a conventional induction heating cooker. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the heating unit 200 of the conventional induction heating cooker when viewed from above. Fig. 20 is an exploded view of the heating unit 200 of the conventional induction heating cooker when viewed from above. Fig. 21 is a view showing a lighting board holder 225 of the conventional induction heating cooker. Fig. 21 is an enlarged view of the part surrounded by the dashed line in Fig. 20. The heating unit 200 in Figs. 19 to 21 is configured by providing a lighting unit 221 having a single LED instead of the lighting unit 221 having multiple LEDs in the heating unit 200 of the conventional induction heating cooker described in Fig. 16. As shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, the induction cooking device 100 has a lighting device 221 having one LED, a lighting board 222, a light guide plate 223, a light guide plate holder 224, and a lighting board holder 225.

[0082] The lighting device 221 and the light guide plate 223 are the same as those described in the modified example of Embodiment 2. The lighting board 222 is a board on which the lighting device 221 is mounted.

[0083] Light guide plate holding portion 224 is attached to coil base 202. Since coil base 202 is not flat like coil substrate 14, light guide plate holding portion 224 has the same general shape as light guide plate 223 so as to be able to hold light guide plate 223.

[0084] The lighting board holding portion 225 holds the lighting board 222 on which the lighting device 221 is mounted so that the angle of incidence from the lighting device 221 with respect to the opening of the light guide plate 223 is an appropriate angle. When the coil base 202 and the lighting board 222 are integrally formed by injection molding, high processing accuracy is required, and it is not easy to increase productivity.

[0085] According to the modified example of the second embodiment, the lighting device 71 is mounted on the coil substrate 14, which reduces the error factor in the angle of incidence of light from the lighting device 71 to the light guide plate 72. This allows for relatively easy alignment using lead-formed bullet-shaped LEDs or the like. Therefore, the modified example of the second embodiment eliminates the need for the lighting board holder 225, which was previously required. Furthermore, the shape of the light guide plate holder 224 can be simplified. This ensures ample space inside the housing 1 of the induction cooking device 100, thereby reducing pressure loss in the heat dissipation airflow path inside the housing 1 and improving the heat dissipation of each component installed inside the housing 1. This reduces the temperature rise of electronic components, thereby reducing the failure rate of the induction cooking device 100. Furthermore, the reduction in the lighting board holder 225 and the simplification of the light guide plate holder 224 allow for the miniaturization of the induction cooking device 100.

[0086] Embodiment 3 Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the third embodiment when viewed from above. Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the third embodiment when viewed from below. As shown in Figs. 22 and 23, the induction heating cooker 100 according to the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the connection terminals 12 and 13 are provided on the coil substrate 14 of the heating unit 10. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used for components having the same functions, and the same description will be omitted. Note that Figs. 22 and 23 show an example in which the coil units 11 are provided on both sides of the coil substrate 14.

[0087] The connection terminals 12 and 13 are provided on the coil substrate 14 and are located at both ends of the coil portion 11. Lead wires (not shown) are connected to the connection terminals 12 and 13. The lead wires connect the coil portion 11 to the inverter circuit portion 40. As a result, high-frequency power is supplied to the coil portion 11 by the inverter circuit portion 40. The connection terminals 12 and 13 are, for example, terminal blocks. The lead wires may be fixed to the terminal blocks of the connection terminals 12 and 13 by screws, by using tab terminals, or by soldering grommets. The connection terminals 12 and 13 are provided on the back surface 142 of the coil substrate 14. The terminal blocks that form the connection terminals 12 and 13 are fixed to the coil substrate 14 by inserting terminals into through holes formed in the coil substrate 14.

[0088] Losses occur in the connection terminals 12 and 13 and the screws used to fasten the lead wires because they are induction heated by the magnetic flux generated in the coil portion 11. For this reason, it is preferable to use aluminum or copper, which are not easily induction heated, as the material for the connection terminals 12 and 13 and the screws.

[0089] In the third embodiment, the connection terminals 12 and 13 are provided on the rear surface 142 of the coil portion 11. Therefore, the connection terminals 12 and 13 are not disposed between the coil substrate 14 and the top plate 2. Therefore, by narrowing the gap between the coil substrate 14 and the top plate 2, the coil portion 11 can be brought closer to the object to be heated, and eddy currents can be efficiently generated in the object to be heated.

[0090] The connection terminals 12 and 13 may be provided on both the board on which the inverter circuit unit 40 is provided and the board on which the coil unit 11 is provided, and both ends of the lead wires may be fixed. Depending on the shape of the housing 1 of the induction heating cooker 100 and the position of the heating port 21, the length of the lead wire required to connect the board on which the inverter circuit unit 40 is provided and the board on which the coil unit 11 is provided may differ. By providing the connection terminals 12 and 13 on both the board on which the inverter circuit unit 40 is provided and the board on which the coil unit 11 is provided, it is possible to select a lead wire that matches the distance between the boards, and there is no need to make the lead wires longer.

[0091] Although not shown, the temperature sensor 63 for the object to be heated may be provided on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14 as described in the first embodiment.

[0092] (Modification 1 of Embodiment 3) Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 3 when viewed from above. Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 3 when viewed from below. Note that Figs. 24 and 25 show an example in which coil units 11 are provided on both sides of a coil substrate 14. As shown in Figs. 24 and 25, surface-mount type terminal blocks may be used as the connection terminals 12 and 13. A surface-mount type terminal block does not have terminals inserted into the coil substrate 14, but has its entire surface soldered to the coil substrate 14.

[0093] When using a terminal block shaped to insert terminals into a substrate, the terminal margins protrude from the through-holes onto the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. In this case, it becomes necessary to increase the clearance between the coil substrate 14 and the top plate 2. If the clearance between the coil substrate 14 and the top plate 2 is large, the electrical connection between the coil unit 11 and the heated object (i.e., the pan) is weakened, weakening the eddy currents generated in the pan. This reduces heating efficiency. In contrast, by using surface-mounted terminal blocks as the connection terminals 12 and 13, as in Variation 1 of Embodiment 3, no terminals protrude from the through-holes onto the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. This allows the clearance between the coil substrate 14 and the top plate 2 to be set with only consideration given to induction heating efficiency and heat dissipation. Therefore, since there are no restrictions imposed by the terminal blocks, a heating unit 10 with higher heating efficiency can be constructed.

[0094] (Modification 2 of Embodiment 3) Fig. 26 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 3, as viewed from above. Fig. 27 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 3, as viewed from below. Note that Figs. 26 and 27 illustrate an example in which coil units 11 are provided on both sides of a coil substrate 14. As shown in Figs. 26 and 27, of the connection terminals 12 and 13, the connection terminal 13 used on the inside of the coil unit 11, where the magnetic flux density generated in the coil unit 11 is particularly high, is located away from the innermost winding of the coil unit 11 and near the center of the coil unit 11. This positions the connection terminal 13 away from areas with high magnetic flux density, thereby suppressing loss due to induction heating.

[0095] Furthermore, magnetic material 15 is disposed between connection terminal 13 and the innermost winding of coil portion 11. Four magnetic materials 15 are disposed around connection terminal 13. This allows the magnetic flux generated in coil portion 11 to be efficiently guided to the object to be heated. Therefore, by increasing the eddy current in the object to be heated, it is possible to reduce the loss due to induction heating generated in connection terminal 13 and improve the heating efficiency. Furthermore, by reducing the loss due to induction heating, an iron-based material that is easily induction heated can be selected for the terminal block or screw in order to ensure the strength when fastening the lead wires to connection terminals 12 and 13.

[0096] Alternatively, the connection terminal 13 may be disposed on the outside of the coil portion 11 and connected to the end of the inner circumference of the coil portion 11 by pattern wiring. In this case as well, the loss due to induction heating of the connection terminals 12 and 13 can be reduced.

[0097] Embodiment 4 Fig. 28 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the fourth embodiment when viewed from above. Fig. 29 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the fourth embodiment when viewed from below. As shown in Figs. 28 and 29, the induction heating cooker 100 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the inverter circuit unit 40 is provided on the coil substrate 14 of the heating unit 10. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for components having the same functions, and the same description will be omitted.

[0098] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the coil section 11 is mounted on a front surface 141 of the coil substrate 14, and an inverter circuit section 40 and a heat sink 45 for cooling the inverter circuit section 40 are mounted on a back surface 142 of the coil substrate 14. Wiring patterns 17 and 18 are connected to the inverter circuit section 40. The wiring patterns 17 and 18 are made of thin metal films, and one end is connected to the inverter circuit section 40 and the other end is connected to an end of the coil section 11 via a through hole formed in the printed circuit board. This electrically connects the inverter circuit section 40 and the coil section 11. An output current sensor 62 that detects the current flowing through the wiring pattern 17 is provided on the back surface 142 of the coil substrate 14.

[0099] The output current sensor 62 inputs a voltage signal corresponding to the current value flowing through the wiring pattern 17 to the control circuit unit 50 as a detection result. The current value flowing through the wiring pattern 17 varies depending on the cooking conditions, such as the amount of power output to the object to be heated. The calculation unit 51 of the control circuit unit 50 determines the type of load (material, shape, etc.) by combining the detection result of the output current sensor 62 with the switching operation state (carrier frequency and duty ratio) of the inverter circuit unit 40. The calculation unit 51 of the control circuit unit 50 adjusts the amount of power output to the load depending on the type of load. Here, the voltage signal corresponding to the current value flowing through the wiring pattern 17 corresponds to "cooking-related information," which is information about cooking in the present disclosure. Furthermore, the object temperature sensor 63 inputs a voltage signal corresponding to the current value flowing through the wiring pattern 17, which corresponds to "cooking-related information," to the control circuit unit, and therefore corresponds to a "functional component" in the present disclosure.

[0100] The DC power supply circuit unit 30, the resonant capacitor 60, the input current sensor 61, or the control circuit unit 50 may also be mounted on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14, similar to the inverter circuit unit 40. Although not shown, the heated object temperature sensor 63 may be provided on the rear surface 142 of the coil substrate 14 as described in the first embodiment.

[0101] (Conventional induction cooker) Here, the effects obtained by the induction heating cooker 100 of the fourth embodiment will be described by comparing the induction heating cooker 100 of the fourth embodiment with a conventional induction heating cooker. FIG. 30 is a perspective view showing the inverter circuit unit 40 and the heating unit 200 of the conventional induction heating cooker. The heating unit 200 of the induction heating cooker of FIG. 30 is similar to the heating unit 200 of the conventional induction heating cooker described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. As shown in FIG. 30, the inverter circuit unit 40 is mounted on a substrate separate from the heating unit 200. The inverter circuit unit 40 and the coil unit 201 of the heating unit 200 are connected via lead wires 205 and 206. The coil unit 201 is connected to the lead wires 205 and 206 by connection terminals 207 and 208. Similarly, the inverter circuit unit 40 is connected to the lead wires 205 and 206 by connection terminals 209 and 210.

[0102] As described above, in conventional induction cooking appliances, the inverter circuit unit 40 and the heating unit 200 are connected via the lead wires 205 and 206. This raises concerns that the lead wires 205 and 206 may be inductively heated, resulting in increased power consumption and superimposition of unnecessary noise on signals flowing through the lead wires 205 and 206. Furthermore, the temperature of electronic components near the lead wires 205 and 206 may rise. For example, in conventional induction cooking appliances, the connection terminals 207 and 208 are located close to the coil unit 201. Therefore, the magnetic flux generated by the coil unit 201 inductively heats the connection terminals 207 and 208 and the screws used to secure the lead wires 205 and 206 to them, resulting in increased power consumption. Furthermore, the components required to route the lead wires 205 and 206 within the housing 1 may limit the space available within the housing 1.

[0103] In contrast, according to the fourth embodiment, no lead wires are required to connect the inverter circuit unit 40 and the heating unit 10. This prevents the lead wires from being induction heated, resulting in unnecessary power consumption, and prevents unnecessary noise from being superimposed on the signals flowing through the lead wires. Furthermore, since the temperature rise of electronic components can be suppressed, the failure rate of the induction heating cooker 100 can be reduced.

[0104] Furthermore, no parts are required for routing lead wires inside the housing 1. This allows for a larger space inside the housing 1, suppressing pressure loss in the heat dissipation air passage inside the housing 1 and improving the heat dissipation of the internal components. This prevents excessive temperature rises in the electronic components, reducing the failure rate of the induction heating cooker 100. Alternatively, the induction heating cooker 100 can be made smaller.

[0105] In addition, by connecting the inverter circuit unit 40 and the heating unit 10 via the wiring patterns 17 and 18, the connection terminals 207 to 210 used in conventional induction heating cookers and the screws used to secure lead wires to these terminals are not required. In this way, the magnetic flux generated in the coil unit 11 does not require any components to be induction heated, so power consumption can be reduced. Therefore, the heating efficiency of the induction heating cooker 100 can be improved.

[0106] Embodiment 5. Fig. 31 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit section 700 and a control circuit section 50 according to embodiment 5. As shown in Fig. 31, an induction heating cooker 102 according to embodiment 5 differs from embodiment 1 in that it has a coil temperature sensor 80. The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1, and components having the same functions will be given the same reference numerals, and the same description will be omitted.

[0107] Coil temperature sensor 80 detects the temperature of coil section 11 and transmits a voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of coil section 11 to control circuit section 50. Here, the voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of coil section 11 corresponds to "cooking-related information," which is information about cooking in the present disclosure. Furthermore, object temperature sensor 63 inputs a voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of coil section 11, which corresponds to "cooking-related information," to the control circuit section, and therefore corresponds to a "functional component" in the present disclosure.

[0108] The calculation unit 51 of the control circuit unit 50 determines the magnitude of the power to be output to the load based on signals sent from the input current sensor 61, the output current sensor 62, the heated object temperature sensor 63, and the coil temperature sensor 80, as well as setting information input by the user from the operation display device, and then instructs the inverter control unit 52 to generate a switching signal according to the magnitude of the power to be output to the load.

[0109] FIG. 32 is a diagram for explaining the control of the input heating power of the induction heating cooker 102 according to the fifth embodiment. In FIG. 32, the solid lines indicate the temperature of the coil unit 11 after the start of the heating operation in a conventional induction heating cooker and the change over time in the input heating power. The dashed lines indicate the temperature of the coil unit 11 after the start of the heating operation in the fifth embodiment and the change over time in the input heating power. In conventional induction heating cookers, the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit, which is the upper limit temperature at which the winding coil can be used, is determined depending on the coating material used for the winding coil of the heating unit 10. The induction heating cooker 102 needs to keep the temperature of the coil unit 11 of the heating unit 10 in operation below the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit, taking into account usage conditions such as the ambient temperature and the intake and exhaust state.

[0110] Specifically, in a conventional induction cooking device, when a time T1 has elapsed since the start of heating at the set heating power P1, the input heating power is reduced from the set heating power P1 to the limit heating power P2 so that the temperature of the coil unit 11 is below the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit under the assumed use environment with the most severe temperature rise. The set heating power P1 is an arbitrary heating power set by the user. The time T1 is set through a prior simulation or the like, and is the time verified to ensure that the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit is not reached when heating is performed at the set heating power P1 for the time T1 under the assumed use environment with the most severe temperature rise. The limit heating power P2 is a temperature lower than the set heating power P1. Because the time T1 for the set heating power P1 is set based on the assumed use environment with the most severe temperature rise, under actual use conditions, the temperature of the coil unit 11 of the heating unit 10 may only rise to T1, which is lower than the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit. In this case, it can be said that the temperature T1 of the coil unit 11 of the heating unit 10 has a temperature margin Tmargin with respect to the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit.

[0111] In the fifth embodiment, the cooker will be described assuming that a heat-resistant temperature Tlimit equivalent to that of a conventional induction cooking device is provided. The control circuit unit 50 in the fifth embodiment controls the heating power based on the temperature of the coil unit 11. Specifically, after starting a heating operation at the set heating power P1, the calculation unit 51 monitors the temperature of the coil unit 11 based on a signal transmitted from the coil temperature sensor 80. When the calculation unit 51 determines that the temperature of the coil unit 11 has reached the heat-resistant temperature Tlimit, the inverter circuit unit 40 reduces the heating power from the set heating power P1 to the limited heating power P2. This reduces the temperature likelihood Tmargin, which occurs due to the difference between the worst-case conditions and the actual operating conditions, in the fifth embodiment. Furthermore, since cooking can be continued at the set heating power P1 until time T2, when the temperature of the coil unit 11 rises, the cooking time at the heating power intended by the user is extended, thereby improving heating performance.

[0112] FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the fifth embodiment as seen from above. FIG. 34 is a perspective view showing a coil temperature detection device and a coil temperature detection circuit 82 according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a connection pattern 83 according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 34 corresponds to an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 33, and FIG. 35 corresponds to an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 34. As shown in FIGS. 33 to 35, the coil temperature sensor 80 includes a thermistor 81, a coil temperature detection circuit 82, and a connection pattern 83.

[0113] The thermistor 81 is provided on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14, outside the coil portion 11. The thermistor 81 is mounted in a position close to the coil portion 11 and detects the temperature in the vicinity of the coil portion 11. The temperature in the vicinity of the coil portion 11 can be considered to be substantially the temperature of the coil portion 11. A voltage signal including the temperature of the object to be heated detected by the thermistor 81 is sent to a coil temperature detection circuit 82.

[0114] The coil temperature detection circuit 82 is mounted on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14. The coil temperature detection circuit 82 performs processing such as amplification, noise removal, and A / D conversion on the voltage signal output by the thermistor 81. The load temperature detection circuit transmits a processed voltage signal indicating the temperature of the coil section 11 to the calculation section 51 of the control circuit section 50. The coil temperature detection circuit 82 has a resistor-based voltage divider circuit, an amplifier for signal amplification, a filter for noise removal, an A / D converter, etc. to process the voltage signal output by the thermistor 81.

[0115] The connection pattern 83 is made of a thin metal film formed on the coil substrate 14 and connects the thermistor 81 and the coil temperature detection circuit 82. In order to suppress noise superposition due to the influence of magnetic flux generated near the coil portion 11, the connection pattern 83 is drawn from the thermistor 81 so as to be perpendicular to the coil portion 11 (along the radial direction of the coil portion 11). In addition, if the coil substrate 14 of the heating unit 10 is a double-sided substrate, the connection pattern 83 drawn from the thermistor 81 may be a twisted pair. If the connection pattern 83 is a twisted pair, a pair of wires connecting the thermistor 81 and the coil temperature detection circuit 82 cross each other by wrapping around from the front surface 141 to the back surface 142 of the coil substrate 14 via the through hole 831 and then returning to the front surface 141. The pair of wires connecting the thermistor 81 and the coil temperature detection circuit 82 alternately wrap around to the back surface 142 and repeatedly cross each other. By forming the connection pattern 83 as a twisted pair, the influence of noise from the coil portion 11 on the voltage signal transmitted by the thermistor 81 can be suppressed.

[0116] The temperature of the coil portion 11 tends to be high in the middle portion in the planar direction where heat tends to build up, and in the inner portion where the magnetic flux density is high. Figures 33 to 35 show an example in which thermistor 81 is mounted near the outermost periphery of the coil portion 11. However, by providing thermistor 81 inside the middle portion of the coil portion 11 and using a structure in which connection pattern 83 is extended to the outside of the coil portion 11, the temperature of the hottest point of the coil portion 11 can be directly detected.

[0117] Additionally, an operation unit main body 25 covered by the flexible cover of the operation unit 22 is mounted on the coil substrate 14. When the user presses the operation unit main body 25 via the flexible cover, setting information is sent to the display operation unit 53 of the control circuit unit 50. Here, the setting information input by the user corresponds to the "cooking-related information" that is information about cooking in the present disclosure. Furthermore, since the operation unit main body 25 inputs setting information corresponding to the "cooking-related information" into the control circuit unit, it corresponds to the "functional component" in the present disclosure.

[0118] Furthermore, a display unit 23 that displays the usage status of the heating unit 10 is mounted on the coil substrate 14. Here, the usage status of the heating unit 10 corresponds to "cooking-related information," which is information about cooking in the present disclosure. Moreover, since the display unit 23 displays (outputs) the usage status of the heating unit 10, which corresponds to "cooking-related information," it corresponds to a "functional component" in the present disclosure.

[0119] Generally, when measuring the temperature of the heating unit 10 in a configuration in which the coil unit 11 is provided on a coil base, it is necessary to attach a thermistor 81 and connect it to the coil temperature detection circuit 82 using lead wires. In addition, additional structural components are required for the attachment. This increases the size and cost of the product, so in the past, no means for measuring the temperature of the heating unit 10 was used in a configuration in which the coil unit 11 is provided on a coil base. Therefore, the heating power was limited with a margin of error to ensure that the temperature was sufficiently below the heat-resistant temperature, taking into account variations in conditions such as the temperature of the usage environment, the intake and exhaust conditions, and the usage conditions (hot start) of the induction heating cooker 102 immediately before the start of the cooking.

[0120] In contrast, in the fifth embodiment, the coil section 11 is mounted on the coil substrate 14, and the coil temperature sensor 80 is also mounted thereon, thereby connecting the thermistor 81 and the coil temperature detection circuit 82 without using lead wires. This eliminates the need for structural components for attaching lead wires. Therefore, according to the fifth embodiment, it is possible to prevent the product from becoming larger and the cost from increasing. Furthermore, by providing the coil temperature sensor 80, redundant heat power limitations are suppressed, and the time that cooking can be continued at the heat power intended by the user is extended, thereby improving heating performance.

[0121] Furthermore, by providing the operation unit main body 25 and the display unit 23 on the coil substrate 14, part of the wiring for transmitting signals to the display operation unit 53 of the control circuit unit 50 can be formed by a connection pattern 83 made of metal foil formed on the substrate, rather than by lead wires. This ensures a large space inside the housing 1 of the induction heating cooker 102, suppressing pressure loss in the heat dissipation air passage inside the housing 1 and improving the heat dissipation of each component provided inside the housing 1. This suppresses temperature increases in electronic components, thereby reducing the failure rate of the induction heating cooker 102. Alternatively, the induction heating cooker 102 can be made smaller.

[0122] Embodiment 6 FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram showing a cooking system 1000 according to the sixth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 36, the induction cooking device 103 according to the sixth embodiment differs from that according to the first embodiment in that it is capable of wireless communication with a communication device 900. The cooking system 1000 is made up of the induction cooking device 103 and the communication device 900. The communication device 900 is, for example, a terminal device such as a PC, smartphone, tablet, or smart speaker, or a server device. The induction cooking device 103 functions as an IoT device that communicates wirelessly with the communication device 900. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and components having the same functions will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the same descriptions will be omitted.

[0123] Fig. 37 is a circuit diagram showing an induction heating circuit unit and a control circuit unit according to embodiment 6. As shown in Fig. 37, an induction heating cooker 103 has a communication device 90. The communication device 90 includes a communication antenna 91 that transmits and receives signals, and a communication circuit 92 that controls the communication antenna 91. The communication circuit 92 transmits a signal to a communication device 900 via the communication antenna 91 based on an instruction from the calculation unit 51 of the control circuit unit 50. The communication device 90 and the communication device 900 communicate with each other using a communication method such as Wifi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), LAN, or the Internet.

[0124] Specifically, the cooking system 1000 of the sixth embodiment realizes applications such as lifestyle monitoring by sampling the usage status of the induction cooking appliance 103, or watching over the user of the induction cooking appliance 103. For this purpose, the communication device 90 of the induction cooking appliance 103 transmits setting information, the time when the setting information was input, etc. to the communication device 900 based on an instruction from the calculation unit 51. The communication device 90 of the induction cooking appliance 103 may also transmit usage status information of the heating unit 10 to the communication device 900 based on an instruction from the calculation unit 51. The terminal device that communicates with the induction cooking appliance 103 may also function as a voice-operated UI (User Interface) by accepting voice input of setting information for operating the induction cooking appliance 103 from the terminal device.

[0125] Here, the usage status information, setting information, and the time when the setting information was input of the heating unit 10 correspond to "cooking-related information," which is information about cooking in the present disclosure. Furthermore, the communication device 90 outputs the usage status information, setting information, and the time when the setting information was input of the heating unit 10, which correspond to the "cooking-related information," to the communication device 90, and therefore corresponds to a "functional component" in the present disclosure.

[0126] 38 is a perspective view of the heating unit 10 according to the sixth embodiment as seen from above. The communication device 90 is provided on the surface 141 of the coil substrate 14, outside the coil unit 11. The communication antenna 91 and the communication circuit 92 of the communication device 90 are connected by a connection pattern 93 made of a metal thin film formed on the coil substrate 14. Since the coil substrate 14 is provided close to the top plate 2, the communication antenna 91 is formed on the same substrate as the coil substrate 14, so that the communication antenna 91 is disposed in a location close to the outside of the housing 1.

[0127] Generally, if the communication antenna 91 is installed inside the housing 1, there is a concern that communication quality may be degraded due to interference from the metal plate of the housing 1 and noise caused by magnetic flux generated by the coil unit 11. In particular, the induction cooking appliance 103 has a function for switching the main power supply on and off to eliminate standby power consumption. Information about the operating status of the heating unit 10, the setting information, and the time the setting information was input are communicated while the main power supply is on. Therefore, communication without erroneous information is required while the main power supply is on. Increasing the communication strength of the communication device 90 can ensure communication quality, but this increases power consumption. According to the sixth embodiment, the communication antenna 91 is formed on the same substrate as the coil substrate 14, and thus the communication antenna 91 is located close to the exterior of the housing 1. This prevents an increase in power consumption due to increased communication strength while ensuring communication quality.

[0128] Furthermore, as described above, the communication quality is ensured between the induction heating cooker 103 and the communication device 900. Therefore, the cooking system 1000 of the sixth embodiment can realize applications such as lifestyle monitoring by sampling the usage status of the induction heating cooker 103 or watching over the user of the induction heating cooker 103 with high accuracy.

[0129] The above is a description of the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above embodiments and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept. For example, embodiments 1 to 6 and their modifications may be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, as long as components corresponding to the "functional components" of the present disclosure are mounted on the coil substrate 14 together with the coil section 11, other components may be omitted as appropriate. For example, in embodiment 2, if the lighting device 71 is provided on the coil substrate 14, the heated object temperature sensor 63 may be omitted. Conversely, as long as there is sufficient space above the coil substrate 14 and problems such as noise interference do not arise, multiple "functional components" and other components may be mounted on the coil substrate 14.

[0130] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0131] (Appendix 1) The housing and A top plate provided on the upper part of the housing and on which an object to be heated is placed; a heating unit including a coil substrate housed inside the housing and a coil portion formed as a metal pattern on the coil substrate and configured to heat the object to be heated; an inverter circuit unit that supplies high-frequency power to the coil unit; a control circuit unit that controls the inverter circuit unit; a functional component that is provided on the coil substrate and that inputs or outputs cooking-related information, which is information about cooking; Induction heating cooker. (Appendix 2) The functional component includes a temperature sensor for the object to be heated, which inputs a signal corresponding to the temperature of the object to be heated, which is one of the pieces of cooking-related information, to the control circuit unit. 10. An induction cooker according to claim 1. (Appendix 3) the object temperature sensor is provided inside the coil portion and has a wiring pattern connected to the control circuit portion, The wiring pattern is drawn out to the outside of the coil portion. 1. An induction cooker according to claim 2. (Appendix 4) The heated object temperature sensor is A sensor element; a load temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of the object to be heated from a voltage signal output by the sensor element; a circuit shield provided on the coil substrate to cancel out magnetic flux directed toward the load temperature detection circuit; 4. An induction heating cooker according to claim 2 or 3. (Appendix 5) The circuit shield is provided on the same surface of the coil substrate as the load temperature detection circuit and has a shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the load temperature detection circuit. 5. An induction cooker according to claim 4. (Appendix 6) the circuit shield and the load temperature detection circuit are provided on a rear surface of the coil substrate, The circuit shield is shaped to cover a bottom portion and at least a part of a side portion of the load temperature detection circuit. 6. An induction heating cooker according to claim 4 or 5. (Appendix 7) The circuit shield is provided on a surface of the coil substrate different from the surface on which the load temperature detection circuit is provided, and is formed as a uniformly flat metal pattern. 7. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 4 to 6. (Appendix 8) The circuit shield is provided on a surface of the coil substrate different from the surface on which the load temperature detection circuit is provided, and is formed as a mesh-shaped metal pattern. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 4 to 7. (Appendix 9) The functional component includes a lighting device that lights up in response to information on the use state of the heating unit, which is one of the cooking-related information. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 8. (Appendix 10) A light guide plate is provided on the coil substrate and guides the light emitted from the lighting device. 10. The induction cooker according to claim 9. (Appendix 11) The coil substrate includes connection terminals provided at both ends of the coil portion. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 10. (Appendix 12) The inverter circuit unit is provided on the coil substrate. 12. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 11. (Appendix 13) The functional component includes a coil temperature sensor that inputs a signal corresponding to the temperature of the coil, which is one of the cooking-related information, to the control circuit. 13. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 12. (Appendix 14) The functional components include an operation unit main body that receives user input of setting information, which is one of the cooking-related information, and inputs the setting information to the control circuit unit. 14. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 13. (Appendix 15) The functional component includes a display unit that outputs information about the use state of the heating unit, which is one of the cooking-related information. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 14. (Appendix 16) a wiring pattern formed on the coil substrate and connecting the inverter circuit unit and the coil unit; The functional component includes an output current sensor that inputs a signal corresponding to a current value flowing through the wiring pattern, which is one of the cooking-related information, to the control circuit unit. 16. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 15. (Appendix 17) The functional component includes a communication device that outputs setting information, which is one of the cooking-related information, to a communication device outside the induction cooking appliance. 17. An induction heating cooker according to any one of appendices 1 to 16. (Appendix 18) An induction heating cooker according to Supplementary Note 17; and a communication device that communicates with the induction heating cooker. Heating and cooking system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Housing, 2 Top plate, 10 Heating section, 10a First heating section, 10b Second heating section, 10c Third heating section, 11 Coil section, 12 Connection terminal, 13 Connection terminal, 14 Coil substrate, 15 Magnetic material, 16 Wiring pattern, 17 Wiring pattern, 18 Wiring pattern, 20 Grill chamber, 21 Heating port, 21a First heating port, 21b Second heating port, 21c Third heating port, 22 Operation section, 22a First operation section, 22b Second operation section, 22c Third operation section, 23 Display section, 23a First display section, 23b Second display section, 23c Third display section, 25 Operation section main body, 30 DC power supply circuit section, 31 Diode bridge, 32 Reactor, 33 Smoothing capacitor, 40 Inverter circuit section, 41 Switching element, 42 Switching element, 43 Flywheel diode, 44 Flywheel diode, 45 Heat sink, 50 Control circuit section, 51 Calculation section, 52 Inverter control section, 53 Display operation section, 54 Lighting circuit section, 60 Resonant capacitor, 61 Input current sensor, 62 Output current sensor, 63 Heated object temperature sensor, 64 Sensor element, 65 Element shield, 66 Load temperature detection circuit, 68 Circuit shield, 68A Circuit shield, 68B Circuit shield, 68C Circuit shield, 71 Lighting device, 72 Light guide plate, 73 Light guide plate holder, 80 Coil temperature sensor, 81 Thermistor, 82 Coil temperature detection circuit, 83 Connection pattern, 90 Communication device, 91 Communication antenna, 92 Communication circuit, 93 Connection pattern, 100 Induction heating cooker, 101 Induction heating cooker, 102 Induction heating cooker, 103 Induction heating cooker, 141 Surface, 142 Back side, 161 other end, 200 heating portion, 201 coil portion, 202 coil base, 203 frame portion, 204 rod portion, 205 lead wire, 206 lead wire, 207 connection terminal, 208 connection terminal, 209 connection terminal, 210 connection terminal, 211 heated object temperature sensor, 212 sensor element, 213 element shield, 214 load temperature detection circuit, 215 sensor board, 216 holding portion, 217 fixing portion, 221 lighting device, 222 lighting board, 223 light guide plate, 224 light guide plate holding portion, 225 lighting board holding portion, 700 induction heating circuit portion, 800 AC power supply, 831 through hole, 900 communication equipment, 1000 heating and cooking system.

Claims

1. The housing and A top plate provided on the upper part of the housing and on which an object to be heated is placed; a heating unit including a coil substrate housed inside the housing and a coil portion formed as a metal pattern on the coil substrate and configured to heat the object to be heated; an inverter circuit unit that supplies high-frequency power to the coil unit; a control circuit unit that controls the inverter circuit unit; a functional component that is provided on the coil substrate and that inputs or outputs cooking-related information, which is information about cooking; Induction heating cooker.

2. The functional component includes a temperature sensor for the object to be heated that inputs a signal corresponding to the temperature of the object to be heated, which is one of the pieces of cooking-related information, to the control circuit unit. The induction heating cooker according to claim 1 .

3. the object temperature sensor is provided inside the coil portion and has a wiring pattern connected to the control circuit portion, The wiring pattern is drawn out to the outside of the coil portion.

3. The induction heating cooker according to claim 2.

4. The heated object temperature sensor is A sensor element; a load temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of the object to be heated from a voltage signal output by the sensor element; a circuit shield provided on the coil substrate to cancel out magnetic flux directed toward the load temperature detection circuit; 4. The induction heating cooker according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The circuit shield is provided on the same surface of the coil substrate as the load temperature detection circuit and has a shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the load temperature detection circuit.

5. The induction heating cooker according to claim 4.

6. the circuit shield and the load temperature detection circuit are provided on a rear surface of the coil substrate, The circuit shield is shaped to cover a bottom portion and at least a part of a side portion of the load temperature detection circuit.

5. The induction heating cooker according to claim 4.

7. The circuit shield is provided on a surface of the coil substrate different from the surface on which the load temperature detection circuit is provided, and is formed as a uniformly flat metal pattern.

5. The induction heating cooker according to claim 4.

8. The circuit shield is provided on a surface of the coil substrate different from the surface on which the load temperature detection circuit is provided, and is formed as a mesh-shaped metal pattern.

5. The induction heating cooker according to claim 4.

9. The functional component includes a lighting device that lights up in response to information on the use state of the heating unit, which is one of the cooking-related information. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

10. A light guide plate is provided on the coil substrate and guides the light emitted from the lighting device. The induction heating cooker according to claim 9.

11. The coil substrate includes connection terminals provided at both ends of the coil portion. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

12. The inverter circuit unit is provided on the coil substrate. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

13. The functional component includes a coil temperature sensor that inputs a signal corresponding to the temperature of the coil, which is one of the cooking-related information, to the control circuit. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

14. The functional components include an operation unit main body that receives user input of setting information, which is one of the cooking-related information, and inputs the setting information into the control circuit unit. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

15. The functional component includes a display unit that outputs information about the use state of the heating unit, which is one of the cooking-related information. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

16. a wiring pattern formed on the coil substrate and connecting the inverter circuit unit and the coil unit; The functional component includes an output current sensor that inputs a signal corresponding to a current value flowing through the wiring pattern, which is one of the cooking-related information, to the control circuit unit. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

17. The functional component includes a communication device that outputs setting information, which is one of the cooking-related information, to a communication device external to the induction cooking appliance. The induction heating cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

18. The induction heating cooker according to claim 17; and a communication device that communicates with the induction heating cooker. Heating and cooking system.

Images