Heating cooker

Abstract

To provide a heating cooker with excellent usability which allows both designability and convenience of a system kitchen.SOLUTION: A heating cooker comprises: a main body 1 which is dropped in a kitchen counter; a top plate 2 which is disposed above the main body 1; and a pot placing part 21 which is provided on the top plate 2, and on which a cooking pot is placed. The main body 1 comprises: a box-shaped first housing 1a which houses a heating coil 3 disposed below the pot placing part 21, and whose open upper side is covered with the top plate 2; and a box-shaped second housing 1b which houses a substrate 7 for supplying a high-frequency current to the heating coil 3, and which also houses a fan device 9 for blowing air at the substrate 7 and the heating coil 3. The second housing 1b is disposed further rear than a middle position in the front-to-rear direction of the first housing 1a, and it is connected so as to communicate with the first housing 1a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a grillless type cooking device that can be dropped into a kitchen counter. [Background technology]

[0002] While most induction cookers incorporated into system kitchens have a configuration in which the top and front of the main body are exposed from the kitchen surface and a grill compartment is installed in front of the main body, there is also a high demand for grill-less induction cookers that do not have a cooking compartment for users who do not use the grill frequently. Conventional technologies for this type of cooking device include those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses technology relating to a system kitchen incorporating a grill-less induction cooking device, which "has a housing (kitchen counter) having a first space in the upper part in which a cooking device is housed and a second space in the lower part through which air circulates between the first space, and the housing has an open vent in the lower part to allow air to circulate between the inside of the second space and the outside of the housing."

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses technology relating to a built-in type induction heating cooker, which is "a heating cooker whose top and front surfaces are exposed when installed in a kitchen, and which is provided with a storage compartment with an opening on the front surface of the main body, and which forms part of the air passage for the cooling fan." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-10453 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-166790 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described above, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the heating coil and circuit board that make up the cooking device are housed in a single housing and placed below the top plate, so there is insufficient storage space in the depth direction of the kitchen countertop side. The more storage space there is around the kitchen, the more users can freely create a cooking environment that is easy to use, and therefore there is a demand for more convenient kitchens.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to ensure an airflow path around the housing, the housing itself is designed to be compact, making it difficult to install a large fan inside the housing, and the configuration makes it difficult to supply a large amount of air to cool the components. If the components are not cooled sufficiently, there may be restrictions on the heating power during use, and there may be concerns about the temperature rising inside the kitchen.

[0008] Next, the technology described in Patent Document 2 uses the area where the grill chamber is conventionally placed as storage space, which is one solution to the problem of expanding storage space. However, when configuring a system kitchen, consistency in the design of the entire kitchen, such as color patterns, designs, and tones, is important, and there is a concern that the color scheme on the front side of the kitchen counter may not match the surrounding design. In addition, the storage space within the cooking appliance is designed to allow a large amount of air to flow through it to make it less susceptible to temperature effects depending on the operating conditions, but this makes it easy for external debris and dust to be drawn into the storage space, which could limit the items that can be stored in the storage space for hygiene reasons.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a cooking device that is easy to use and that combines the design and convenience of a system kitchen. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a cooking appliance comprising: a main body that is dropped onto a kitchen counter; a top plate arranged above the main body; and a pot mounting section on the top plate for placing a pot to be cooked on; the main body comprising a box-shaped first housing that houses a heating coil arranged below the pot mounting section and has an open upper side covered by the top plate; and a box-shaped second housing that houses a substrate that supplies high-frequency current to the heating coil and a blower means that blows air to the substrate and the heating coil; the second housing being positioned rearward of the center position of the first housing in the fore-and-aft direction and connected so as to communicate with the first housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooking device that is easy to use and that combines the design and convenience of a system kitchen. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an induction heating cooker according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view of an induction heating cooker according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a system kitchen incorporating the induction heating cooker of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the system kitchen of FIG. 3 taken along the front-rear direction. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an induction heating cooker according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a system kitchen incorporating the induction heating cooker of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional side view of the system kitchen of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of an induction heating cooker according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In principle, identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals in all drawings. Furthermore, descriptions of parts having identical functions will be omitted. Note that the configurations described below are merely examples, and it is not intended that the embodiments of the present invention be limited to the specific embodiments below.

[0014] An embodiment of the cooking device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that the following will be described using an induction cooking device as an example of the cooking device, and in particular, will be described as an IH cooking heater with a grillless three-burner stove that can be dropped into a kitchen counter. [Example]

[0015] First, the overall configuration of the induction cooking device Z will be outlined, and then the layout of the main body when dropped into a kitchen counter will be explained.

[0016] The induction cooking appliance Z of this embodiment is a cooking appliance equipped with an IH (Induction Heating) function that generates eddy currents in the bottom of a metal pot placed on the top surface and heats the metal pot itself with Joule heat due to the eddy currents. Note that, as shown in Fig. 1 etc., in the following, the front-back, up-down, and left-right directions are defined based on the line of sight of the user facing the induction cooking appliance Z.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an induction heating cooker according to Example 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the induction heating cooker according to Example 1 of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a system kitchen incorporating the induction heating cooker of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the system kitchen of Fig. 3 cut along the front-rear direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the induction heating cooker Z includes a main body 1 consisting of a first housing 1a and a second housing 1b, a top plate 2 arranged above the main body 1, and a heating coil 3 arranged below the top plate 2.

[0019] The first housing 1a is a housing having an outer shell corresponding to the space (predetermined left-right width, front-back width, and height) in which the induction cooking appliance Z will be installed, and is box-shaped (concave) with an open top. Inside this first housing 1a, an air duct cover 4 is disposed with a gap between it and the bottom of the housing, and a heating coil 3 and an operation board 23a are disposed on the air duct cover 4. A top plate 2 is disposed above the first housing 1a so as to cover the top opening of the first housing 1a. In this embodiment, the first housing 1a is made of metal to ensure strength.

[0020] The top plate 2 is comprised of a glass plate (not shown) on which a cooking pot is placed and a frame (not shown) that holds the four sides of the glass plate, and is installed on top of the first housing 1a. The top plate 2 has a three-burner pot placement area 21 corresponding to the installation positions of the three heating coils 3, an operation unit 23 for setting the heating level of a metal pot placed on the pot placement area 21, and an exhaust opening H2. The exhaust opening H2 is the outlet of the air path that originates from the intake opening H1 of the second housing 1b and is located at the rear (right or left side) of the top plate 2. The top plate 2 allows the user to select menus and heat levels using the operation unit 23, which may be, for example, a touch switch. The first housing 1a is flat in the vertical direction and primarily houses the heating coils 3 and an operation board 23a.

[0021] The second housing 1b is a box that houses a circuit board 7 and a fan unit 9 (air blowing means). The second housing 1b is disposed below the first housing 1a, and a connection means is formed by fitting together a vent 8a on the bottom surface of the first housing 1a and a vent 8b on the top surface of the second housing 1b. The space between the two housings is connected via the vent 8, allowing air from the second housing 1b to be supplied to the first housing 1a. Wiring is provided inside the vent 8 (vent 8a, vent 8b), electrically connecting the heating coil 3 and operation board 23a of the first housing 1a to the circuit board inside the second housing 1b. Note that the electrical wiring is routed via a detachable connector midway, allowing the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b to be separated, facilitating the transportation, assembly, and installation of the main unit into a kitchen. Furthermore, if the connection means is configured by sandwiching a bellows-shaped hose or rectangular pipe between the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b instead of directly connecting the ventilation holes 8a, 8b, the second housing 1b can be installed more freely and efficiently in the kitchen.

[0022] The second housing 1b is arranged to be flatter in the front-to-back direction than the first housing 1a, and the configuration in which the two are connected forms an inverted L shape in side view. The second housing 1b is formed so that its length in the up-down direction is longer than its length in the front-to-back direction in side view.

[0023] A storage section 102 for storing cooking utensils, seasonings, etc. is installed below the first housing 1a. The storage section 102 is configured as a drawer type in which it is guided and pulled out from a storage space 104 by rails (not shown), or as an opening and closing type in which a door is opened.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 4, when incorporated into the system kitchen 100 (dropped-in state), the second housing 1b is disposed behind the upper storage section 102. That is, when incorporated into the system kitchen 100 (dropped-in state), the second housing 1b is disposed rearward of the center position in the front-to-rear direction of the first housing 1a, and a storage space 104 for arranging the storage section 102 is formed in front of the second housing 1b. Therefore, in the system kitchen 100 shown in Fig. 3, a large storage space similar to that of the middle and lower storage sections 102 can be secured in the upper storage section 102, which is composed of three tiers up to the kitchen countertop 101. Furthermore, even if the volume of the flat second housing 1b is expanded vertically and horizontally, it does not restrict the storage space of each storage section 102, and the installation space for the board 7 and fan device 9 can be expanded, so that, for example, the impeller (not shown) of the fan device 9 can be enlarged to achieve a large airflow and low noise at low rotation speed, or the heat sink 7a can be enlarged to provide a configuration that facilitates cooling even with a low airflow, making it easier to provide a quiet and comfortable kitchen environment. In this embodiment, the flat surface of the board 7 is arranged so as to follow the vertical direction (up and down direction), and the rotation axis of the fan device 9 is arranged so as to be horizontal (front and back direction).

[0025] Furthermore, if the kitchen countertop 101 is made of a plate-like material with a thickness of, for example, about 40 mm, the first housing 1a will be arranged to have a thickness similar to that of the kitchen countertop 101 when viewed from the front, making it possible to arrange the storage section 102 across the entire front surface of the system kitchen 100, as in this embodiment.

[0026] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, outside air is introduced into the system kitchen through an opening 101a provided in the gap between the kitchen countertop 101 and the front side of the storage compartment 102. A fan unit 9 provided inside the second housing 1b draws air through the opening 101a, and the air is blown through the storage space 104 of the top storage compartment 102 to the board 7 through the intake opening H1. A plate may be provided above the storage compartment 102 to prevent air from entering the storage compartment 102 through the opening 101a. The air that has cooled the board 7 flows from the second housing 1b into the first housing 1a through the vent 8. The air path cover 4 is located below the heating coil 3, and the air that flows into the air path cover 4 of the first housing 1a through the vent 8 (vent 8a) is discharged toward the heating coil 3 from the outlet 4a of the air path cover 4 to cool the heating coil 3 and is then exhausted through the exhaust opening H2 of the top plate 2.

[0027] In Figure 4, the fan unit 9 is configured as a blower type, such as a centrifugal fan or multi-blade fan with high blowing pressure, but it may also be configured as an axial fan if the ventilation resistance can be sufficiently reduced by increasing the size of the heat sink 7a. The board 7 in the second housing 1b may be placed in a plastic case to form an air path from the fan unit 9, making it easier to cool. Here, the board 7 is equipped with many electronic components (not shown), such as integrated circuits, inverter circuits, capacitors, and resistors, which are used to supply high-frequency current to the heating coil 3 and drive the fan unit 9, and an air path layout design using a plastic case is also effective for cooling these components.

[0028] As described above, the configuration of this embodiment improves the cooling efficiency of the heating coil 3 and the substrate 7 of the induction heating cooker, and also efficiently expands the storage space in the system kitchen. Therefore, it is possible to provide a kitchen that is highly convenient and easy to use for the user. [Example]

[0029] Next, an induction heating cooker according to a second embodiment will be described. Components common to those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an induction heating cooker according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a system kitchen incorporating the induction heating cooker of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a side cross section of the system kitchen of Fig. 6. In the second embodiment, the flow path of the cooling air of the induction heating cooker and the air path configuration of the system kitchen 100 are different from those in the first embodiment.

[0030] That is, in this embodiment, the exhaust opening H2 provided in the top plate 2 is positioned on the front wall of the first housing 1a. Air drawn in through the intake opening H1 of the second housing 1b is guided through the vent 8 into the air passage cover 4 of the first housing 1a, where it cools the heating coil 3. After that, it flows between the air passage cover 4 and the top plate 2 and is discharged into the kitchen through the exhaust opening H2. A partition plate 103a is provided in the kitchen to separate the main body 1 from the storage space 104 of the storage unit 102, making it less likely that the intake and exhaust flow in the main body 1 will affect the storage unit 102, such as by changing its temperature. Furthermore, when viewed from the front of the system kitchen 100, the intake opening H1 and the exhaust opening H2 are positioned apart from each other, reducing short-circuiting caused by intake and exhaust.

[0031] This makes it possible to eliminate an opening from the top plate 2 where cooking work is performed, and to provide a system kitchen 100 that is easier to use. [Example]

[0032] Next, a description will be given of a cooking device according to Example 3. Note that the same components as those in Example 1 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0033] Fig. 8 is a simplified cross-sectional side view of an induction heating cooker according to Example 3 of the present invention. Example 3 differs from Example 1 in that a first housing 1a and a second housing 1b are connected by a hinge 1c. Figs. 8(a) to 8(c) show the movement of second housing 1b rotating around hinge 1c as a fulcrum.

[0034] The first housing 1a and the second housing 1b are connected by a rotatable hinge 1c. In the state shown in FIG. 8(a), the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b are arranged to face each other. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 8(a), the main body 1 of the induction heating cooker is folded. The induction heating cooker is then packed and transported in the folded state shown in FIG. 8(a). This allows the packed induction heating cooker to be made smaller, allowing an increase in the number of cookers that can be transported at one time, improving transportation efficiency. Furthermore, the amount of packaging material can be reduced, thereby contributing to resource conservation.

[0035] Furthermore, when installing the induction cooking appliance, it is dropped into the kitchen counter in the state shown in Fig. 8(a). When the induction cooking appliance is dropped into the kitchen counter, the second housing 1b faces the first housing 1a, so interference between the second housing 1b and the kitchen counter can be suppressed, improving the installation workability of the induction cooking appliance.

[0036] After the induction cooking appliance is dropped into the kitchen counter, the second housing 1b is rotated about the hinge 1c so as to move away from the first housing 1a as shown in Fig. 8(b). Then, as shown in Fig. 8(c), when the second housing 1b is rotated until it is perpendicular to the first housing 1a, the vent 8a of the first housing 1a and the vent 8b of the second housing 1b are connected, and the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b are in communication with each other via the vent 8a.

[0037] In this embodiment, by connecting the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b with a hinge 1c, the rotation shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(c) follows a fixed trajectory. This makes it easy to align the position of the vent 8, and also allows the main body 1 to be folded, providing a configuration that improves the workability of transporting, assembling, and installing the main body in a kitchen.

[0038] As described above, this embodiment can improve the cooling efficiency of the heating coil 3 and the substrate 7 of the induction heating cooker while also ensuring a large storage space within the system kitchen 100. Furthermore, this embodiment is very user-friendly and has a good design.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. The above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace other configurations with respect to the configuration of each embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1...Main body, 1a...First housing, 1b...Second housing, 1c...Hinge, 2...Top plate, 3...Heating coil, 4...Air duct cover, 7...Board, 8...Ventilation hole, 9...Fan device, 21...Pot holder, 23...Operation section, 23a...Operation board, 24...Control board, 25...Exhaust cover, 100...System kitchen, 101...Kitchen top plate, 101a...Opening, 102...Storage section, 102a...Handle section, 103...Kitchen frame, 104...Storage space

Claims

1. The cooking pot comprises a main body that is dropped into a kitchen counter, a top plate disposed above the main body, and a pot placement portion provided on the top plate for placing a cooking pot thereon; The main body is composed of a box-shaped first housing that houses a heating coil arranged below the pot mounting portion and has an open upper portion covered by the top plate, and a box-shaped second housing that houses a substrate that supplies high-frequency current to the heating coil and houses a blower that blows air to the substrate and the heating coil, The second housing is disposed rearward of a center position in the front-rear direction of the first housing, and is connected so as to communicate with the first housing.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1, The cooking device is characterized in that the first housing and the second housing are connected by a connecting means.

3. The cooking device according to claim 2, A cooking appliance characterized in that the connecting means is composed of an air vent in the first housing and an air vent in the second housing that connects to the air vent in the first housing.

4. The cooking device according to claim 3, A cooking device characterized in that wiring is provided inside the ventilation holes of the first housing and the second housing to electrically connect the heating coil and the substrate.

5. The cooking device according to claim 3 or 4, The first housing includes an air passage cover positioned below the heating coil, The cooking device is characterized in that the air passage cover has a discharge port that discharges air that has flowed in from the ventilation port of the second housing toward the heating coil.

6. The cooking device according to claim 1, A cooking appliance characterized in that, when the main body is dropped into the kitchen counter, a storage space for storing a storage section is formed in front of the second housing.

7. The cooking device according to claim 1, A cooking appliance characterized in that the second housing is formed so that its length in the up-down direction is longer than its length in the front-to-rear direction.

8. The cooking device according to claim 7, The cooking device is characterized in that the substrate is arranged so that a flat surface thereof is aligned vertically.

9. The cooking device according to claim 1, The cooking device is characterized in that the first housing is made of metal.

10. The cooking device according to claim 1, A cooking device characterized in that an exhaust opening is provided in a wall surface on the front side of the first housing.

11. The cooking device according to claim 1, A cooking appliance characterized in that the first housing and the second housing are connected by a rotatable hinge.

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