Cooking device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a heating cooker that is easy to use continuously.SOLUTION: A heating cooker according to the present disclosure includes a heating chamber that accommodates an object to be heated, a convection heater that heats air, a circulation fan that circulates air between the heating chamber and the convection heater, a water supply body that supplies steam to the air circulated by the circulation fan, and a notification unit that notifies that maintenance of the water supply body is necessary.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cooking device with a steam generating unit that is highly reliable and does not burden users or assembly workers. This cooking device includes a steam generating unit fixed to an insulating plate between an inner box and an outer box, and a steam ejection unit connected to the outlet of the steam generating unit via a steam connection pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-234940 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a cooking device that is easy to use continuously. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The heating cooker of the present disclosure comprises a heating chamber that accommodates an object to be heated, a convection heater that heats air, a circulation fan that circulates air between the heating chamber and the convection heater, a water supply body that supplies steam to the air circulated by the circulation fan, and an alarm unit that issues an alarm that maintenance of the water supply body is required. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The cooking device according to the present disclosure can prompt the user to perform maintenance on the water supplier, making it easier to maintain the amount of steam generated from the water supplier, and therefore facilitating continued use of the cooking device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a heating cooker according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hot air circulation frame according to the first embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a control system of a cooking device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] A chart showing time series data of temperature sensor measurements [Figure 10] Cooker Flowchart [Figure 11] A diagram showing the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal input to the circulation fan and the measurement value of the rotation detection unit [Figure 12] Cooker Flowchart [Figure 13] A diagram showing the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal input to the circulation fan and the measurement value of the current acquisition unit [Figure 14] Cooker Flowchart [Figure 15] Cooker Flowchart [Figure 16] Cooker Flowchart [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to a second embodiment; [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a hot air circulation frame according to a second embodiment. [Figure 19] Flowchart showing the operation of the cooking device according to the second embodiment [Figure 20] A chart showing an example of time series data of the temperature sensor measurement values ​​while the heated object is being heated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Findings that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors conceived the present disclosure, a technology for heating an object to be heated contained in a heating chamber using high-temperature steam was known in the technical field of cooking appliances. This type of cooking appliance was typically designed with a boiler for generating steam. Under these circumstances, the inventors were inspired by the fact that a configuration for generating steam using a boiler requires a dedicated heater for the boiler, which tends to increase power consumption, and came up with the idea of ​​generating steam by heating a water supplier with a heat source for heating the heating chamber. The inventors then discovered a problem in realizing this idea: if scale or the like precipitates on the water supplier that generates steam, the amount of steam generated tends to decrease. To solve this problem, the inventors came up with the subject matter of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides a cooking device that is easy to use continuously.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of well-known matters or redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. [1-1.Configuration] [1-1-1. Overall structure] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cooking appliance 1 in the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cooking appliance 1 with the door 4 open. In the figure, X indicates the left direction, Y indicates the front direction, i.e., the front side, and Z indicates the upward direction. In this embodiment, the left side refers to the direction to the left of a person standing in front of the cooking appliance 1 and facing the cooking appliance 1.

[0011] Cooking appliance 1 is a device that heats food stored inside. Cooking appliance 1 of this embodiment is a commercial cooking appliance capable of high-power heating, and is used, for example, in cafes, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, etc. Cooking appliance 1 selectively performs microwave heating, radiant heating, and hot air circulation heating, either individually, sequentially, or in parallel, depending on the cooking contents.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, cooking appliance 1 includes main body 2, machine chamber 3 provided below main body 2 to support main body 2, and door 4 provided on the front of main body 2 in an openable and closable manner. Main body 2 also has cover member 2a that forms the outer surface of cooking appliance 1. In detail, cover member 2a forms both the left and right side surfaces and the top surface of cooking appliance 1. Door 4 can be rotated around hinges provided on the lower portions of both sides of door 4 by operating handles 24.

[0013] 2, the main body 2 has a heating chamber 5 that is a chamber for accommodating an object to be heated. The heating chamber 5 is disposed inside the cover member 2a via a heat insulating material.

[0014] Cooking appliance 1 heats an object to be heated in heating chamber 5 using microwaves or the like when door 4 is closed (see FIG. 1). When door 4 is open (see FIG. 2), an object to be heated can be put in and taken out of heating chamber 5.

[0015] An operation display unit 6 is also provided on the front surface of the main body 2. The operation display unit 6 has a display unit 6a that displays various information. In this embodiment, the display unit 6a includes any display device such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel. The operation display unit 6 is also provided with an input unit 6b that detects input operations by the user. The input unit 6b includes any input device such as a switch, button, dial, or touch sensor, and detects the user's input operations on the input device. The operation display unit 6 may also include a touch panel that displays information and accepts input operations as the display unit 6a and the input unit 6b. The operation display unit 6 detects any input by the user by combining the display by the display unit 6a and the input operation detected by the input unit 6b. The display unit 6a corresponds to an example of a "notification unit" in this disclosure.

[0016] The heating chamber 5 of the main body 2 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped space that is open at the front, and is sealed when the front opening is closed by the door 4, and contains an object to be heated and cooked. The bottom surface of the heating chamber 5 is made of a material that easily transmits microwaves, such as glass or ceramics. The left and right side surfaces, rear surface, and top surface of the heating chamber 5 are made of a metal, such as stainless steel or iron.

[0017] The heating chamber 5 is configured to accommodate a mounting table 7 on which an object to be heated is placed, and a tray 8 disposed below the mounting table 7 to catch grease and other drippings from the object to be heated. The mounting table 7 is removable and is, for example, a ceramic base, and is composed of a plate-like member on which the object to be heated can be placed. The tray 8 is also made of ceramic and is fixed to the bottom surface of the heating chamber 5. The ceramic is specifically cordierite (a ceramic made of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, and silicon oxide). Cordierite has low thermal expansion and excellent thermal shock resistance. Therefore, even if radio waves are concentrated on the surface of the mounting table 7, the mounting table 7 is unlikely to be damaged.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment, showing a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, a grill heater 9 that performs radiant heating of the heated object is provided in the upper part of the interior of the heating chamber 5, i.e., on the top surface side. The grill heater 9, which is the heat source, is composed of a single sheathed heater and is arranged on the top surface side and has a curved shape (not shown). The grill heater 9 is driven and controlled in a grill mode (radiant heating operation) in which the heated object placed in the heating chamber 5 is cooked by radiant heat.

[0020] A microwave heating unit 21 is provided in the machine chamber 3 disposed below the heating chamber 5. The microwave heating unit 21 mainly includes a magnetron 15 serving as a microwave generator, an inverter 16 that drives the magnetron 15, and a cooling fan 17 that cools the components inside the machine chamber 3, all of which are controlled by a control unit 90 (described later). The microwave heating unit 21 also includes a waveguide 18 that guides the microwaves generated by the magnetron 15 toward the heating chamber 5, and a microwave supply unit 19 that radiates the microwaves guided by the waveguide 18 into the heating chamber 5. The microwave supply unit 19 is disposed at a position overlapping the center of the heating chamber 5 in a plan view, and is formed by an opening formed in the upper surface of the end of the waveguide 18. A stirrer 23 is provided above the microwave supply unit 19 to stir the microwaves radiated from the microwave supply unit 19. Stirrer 23 has blades that are rotationally driven by a stirrer drive unit (motor: not shown) provided in machine chamber 3 and stir the radiated microwaves. Therefore, in cooking device 1 of embodiment 1, microwaves stirred from below heating chamber 5 are radiated uniformly inside heating chamber 5.

[0021] [1-1-2. Configuration of hot air circulation mechanism] Cooking device 1 of embodiment 1 is provided with grill heater 9, which is a radiant heating unit as a cooking source, and microwave heating unit 21, as well as hot air generating mechanism 22. Hot air generating mechanism 22 flows high-temperature air into heating chamber 5 to heat the object to be heated.

[0022] The hot air generation mechanism 22 has a hot air circulation frame 28. The hot air circulation frame 28 is a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped member. The front of the hot air circulation frame 28 is open, and the edge of the opening is fixed to the heating chamber 5 in a state where it contacts the rear wall 5a, which forms the back surface of the heating chamber 5, from behind. This forms a hot air generation space 22a, which is an approximately rectangular parallelepiped space, between the hot air circulation frame 28 and the rear wall 5a. The outer sides in the vertical direction, the outer sides in the horizontal direction, and the rear side of the hot air circulation frame 28 are covered by a metal outer frame 29 with heat insulation interposed between them.

[0023] The hot air generating mechanism 22 has a convection heater 10. The convection heater 10 is configured by forming a single sheathed heater into a spiral shape. The convection heater 10 is disposed inside the hot air generating space 22a. In this embodiment, the convection heater 10 is provided along the rear wall 5a. Also in this embodiment, a plate-shaped catalyst 26 is provided along the rear surface of the convection heater 10. The catalyst 26 purifies the air that it comes into contact with.

[0024] The hot air generating mechanism 22 has a circulation fan 11. The circulation fan 11 is a blower that circulates air between the heating chamber 5 and the convection heater 10. The circulation fan 11 has a fan drive unit 12 that is configured with an electric motor or the like. The circulation fan 11 rotates and operates when driven by the fan drive unit 12. In this embodiment, the circulation fan 11 is a centrifugal fan. Note that a blower other than a centrifugal fan, such as an axial fan, may also be used as the circulation fan 11.

[0025] The circulation fan 11 is disposed inside the hot air generating space 22a. Specifically, the circulation fan 11 is provided behind the convection heater 10 and catalyst 26. In this embodiment, the circulation fan 11 is a centrifugal fan that draws in air through the convection heater 10 and catalyst 26 in front of it and blows the drawn-in air outward in the centrifugal direction, i.e., up, down, left, and right directions. Also, in this embodiment, a first opening collection section 25a is formed in the rear wall 5a. The first opening collection section 25a includes multiple circular holes that penetrate the rear wall 5a from front to rear, connecting the hot air generating space 22a and the heating chamber 5. The first opening collection section 25a is formed in a position that overlaps the convection heater 10 and the circulation fan 11 from front to rear. Therefore, when the circulation fan 11 is activated, the air in the heating chamber 5 passes through the first opening collection section 25a, backward through the rear wall 5a, and flows into the hot air generating space 22a, where it is heated by the convection heater 10, purified by the catalyst 26, and then sucked into the circulation fan 11.

[0026] The hot air generating mechanism 22 has an air guide frame 27. The air guide frame 27 is a member that guides the air drawn into the circulation fan 11 and the air blown out from the circulation fan 11. The air guide frame 27 has a first air guide 27a. The first air guide 27a is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the convection heater 10 from above, below, left, and right. In this embodiment, the front end of the first air guide 27a contacts the portion of the rear wall 5a that surrounds the first opening collection section 25a. The rear end of the first air guide 27a is connected to the front surface of the circulation fan 11, i.e., the intake side of the circulation fan 11. Therefore, when the circulation fan 11 is activated, air from the heating chamber 5 passes through the first opening collection section 25a, then passes through the inside of the first air guide 27a and is drawn into the circulation fan 11.

[0027] Furthermore, air blown out by the circulation fan 11 flows into the portion of the hot air generating space 22a that is outside the first air guide 27a. The air blown out through the circulation fan 11 into the hot air generating space 22a reaches the second opening collection part 25b formed in the rear wall 5a. The second opening collection part 25b includes multiple circular holes that penetrate the rear wall 5a from front to rear, and connects the hot air generating space 22a to the heating chamber 5. The second opening collection part 25b is formed above the first opening collection part 25a and outside the first air guide 27a.

[0028] The air blown out of the hot air generating space 22a by the circulation fan 11 and reaching the second opening collector 25b flows back into the heating chamber 5 via the second opening collector 25b. More specifically, the air passing through the second opening collector 25b flows into the flow path 13a of the heating chamber 5. The flow path 13a is a space partitioned by the flow path forming portion 13 in the upper part of the heating chamber 5. The flow path forming portion 13 is a member that partitions the upper space in the heating chamber 5 from below, both left and right, and the front. Furthermore, the flow path 13a is partitioned from above by the top surface of the heating chamber 5, and from the rear by the rear wall 5a of the area including the second opening collector 25b.

[0029] An opening 13d is formed in the flow path forming section 13. The opening 13d connects the inside and outside of the flow path 13a inside the heating chamber 5. Therefore, air drawn into the hot air generating space 22a from the heating chamber 5 by the operation of the circulation fan 11 is heated by the convection heater 10, then flows back into the heating chamber 5 via the flow path 13a, and circulates between the heating chamber 5 and the convection heater 10. More specifically, the opening 13d is a hole formed in the underside of the flow path forming section 13, and is located approximately in the center of the heating chamber 5 in a plan view. Therefore, the air that has flowed through the flow path 13a is blown downward through the opening 13d toward the center of the heating chamber 5. This configuration makes it easy for the air heated by the convection heater 10 to hit an object to be heated placed near the center of the heating chamber 5.

[0030] In this embodiment, a temperature sensor 50 is provided in the heating chamber 5. More specifically, the temperature sensor 50 is provided in the flow path 13a of the heating chamber 5. The temperature sensor 50 measures the temperature of the heating chamber 5. The temperature sensor 50 is, for example, a thermistor. In this embodiment, a pre-heating detection sensor 51 is provided in the flow path 13a. The pre-heating detection sensor 51 detects pre-heating, which is an operation of attempting to heat an object to be heated when the object is not placed in the heating chamber 5. The pre-heating detection sensor 51 is, for example, a temperature sensor such as a thermistor.

[0031] [1-1-3. Water supply unit configuration] 4 is a perspective view of the hot air circulation frame 28. The water supplier 40 supplies steam to the air circulating by the operation of the circulation fan 11. In this embodiment, the water supplier 40 is a member made of porous foam metal, and has minute voids therein that can hold water. Therefore, the water supplier 40 can hold fine water particles and easily supply fine water droplets.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4 , the water supplier 40 in this embodiment is disposed in the hot air generating space 22a. Specifically, the water supplier 40 is disposed in the lower left of the hot air generating space 22a and outside the first air guide 27a. That is, the water supplier 40 is disposed in a position where it is exposed to the flow of high-temperature air (i.e., hot air) circulated between the heating chamber 5 and the convection heater 10 by the circulation fan 11. Note that in this embodiment, the case where the water supplier 40 is disposed in the lower left of the hot air generating space 22a will be described. However, the arrangement of the water supplier 40 is not limited to the lower left of the hot air generating space 22a and may be disposed anywhere within the hot air generating space 22a. The water supplier 40 generates steam from the water held in the gap by the heat of the hot air impinging on the water supplier 40 or the heat of the water supplier 40 heated by the hot air or the like. The generated steam circulates between the heating chamber 5 and the convection heater 10 together with the air flowing due to the operation of the circulation fan 11.

[0033] In this embodiment, the water supplier 40 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The water supplier 40 is disposed with its thickness direction facing up and down. The thickness direction here refers to the direction in which the width of the plate-shaped structure is narrowest. In this embodiment, a heater 43 for heating the water supplier 40 is provided in the hot air generating space 22a. The heater 43 is provided adjacent to and below the water supplier 40. The heater 43 is any heating device, such as a sheath heater or an electric heater.

[0034] In this embodiment, a temperature sensor 42 is provided in the hot air generating space 22a. The temperature sensor 42 is provided near the water supplier 40 and measures the temperature near the water supplier 40. The temperature near the water supplier 40 may be the temperature at a position a short distance away from the water supplier 40, or may be the temperature of the water supplier 40. Note that a short distance means, for example, a distance close enough to the water supplier 40 that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 42 can be converted into the temperature of the water supplier 40. A short distance means, for example, a distance of 1 cm or less. The temperature sensor 42 is, for example, a thermistor.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cooking appliance 1, showing the left side of the cooking appliance 1 as seen from the rear. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the water supplier 40 is held by a frame 41. The frame 41 is configured so that it can be inserted into and removed from the cooking appliance 1 and the hot air generating space 22a from the left side of the cover member 2a. That is, the water supplier 40 is detachable from the cooking appliance 1. More specifically, openings 2b, 28a, and 29a through which the frame 41 can be inserted are formed on the left side of the cover member 2a, the left side of the hot air circulation frame 28, and the left side of the outer frame 29, respectively. The water supplier 40 is detachable from the cooking appliance 1 by inserting and removing the frame 41 from the openings 2b, 28a, and 29a to the left and right. This facilitates maintenance, such as cleaning, of the water supplier 40.

[0036] The left end of the frame 41 is provided with a grip 41a that protrudes leftward beyond the left side surface of the cover member 2a. By gripping the grip 41a, the frame 41 can be easily inserted and removed. In the present embodiment, the grip 41a has a shape that protrudes leftward beyond the left side surface of the cover member 2a, but the shape of the grip 41a is not limited to this. For example, the grip 41a may have a concave shape, and the frame 41 may be inserted and removed by hooking a finger into the concave portion of the grip 41a.

[0037] In this embodiment, water supplier 40 is detachable from frame 41. Specifically, water supplier 40 is attached to frame 41 by fitting into a recess formed in frame 41. Water supplier 40 fitted into the recess of frame 41 can be removed from frame 41 by pulling it upward. This facilitates maintenance such as cleaning of water supplier 40.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cooking device 1, showing the cooking device 1 from the left side with the cover member 2a removed. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a water tank 45 is provided above the heating chamber 5. The water tank 45 is a tank that stores water to be supplied to the water supplier 40. In this embodiment, the water tank 45 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with its longitudinal direction extending in the left-right direction. The water tank 45 is located above the water supplier 40.

[0039] The water tank 45 has a tank body 46 and a lid 49. The tank body 46 is a hollow, approximately rectangular parallelepiped part with an opening for pouring water on the top surface. The lid 49 is a flat, plate-shaped member that closes the opening of the tank body 46. The tank body 46 and the lid 49 are made of a metal such as stainless steel, for example.

[0040] Water tank 45 is configured to be detachable from cooker 1. More specifically, water tank 45 is configured to be able to be inserted into and removed from cooker 1 in the left-right direction through opening 2c formed on the left side of cover member 2a. Furthermore, a grip portion 46a is provided at the left end of tank body 46, which protrudes leftward beyond cover member 2a when water tank 45 is inserted into cooker 1. This makes it easy to insert water tank 45 into and remove it from cooker 1.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, tank body 46 has connection port 46b. Connection port 46b is a portion that is connected to water supply path 47 when water tank 45 is inserted into cooking appliance 1. Water supply path 47 is a structure that allows water stored in water tank 45 to flow to water supplier 40. In this embodiment, connection port 46b is provided at the right end of tank body 46, and the right portion of the bottom of tank body 46 is shaped to be one step lower than the left portion. In other words, the bottom of tank body 46 is recessed downward near where connection port 46b is provided. This allows water in tank body 46 to easily flow to water supply path 47 via connection port 46b.

[0042] Furthermore, when the water tank 45 is inserted into the cooking appliance 1, as shown in FIG. 6 , the lower surface of the tank body 46 comes into contact with the heat transfer member 48 from above. The heat transfer member 48 is a plate-shaped member fixed to the upper surface of the heating chamber 5. Therefore, heat from the heating chamber 5 is transferred to the water tank 45 via the heat transfer member 48, facilitating heating of the water in the water tank 45. In this embodiment, the heat transfer member 48 is made of aluminum and has a high thermal conductivity. The heat transfer member 48 may be made of metals other than aluminum, resin, ceramic, or the like. However, by using a material for the heat transfer member 48 with a higher thermal conductivity than the material constituting the upper surface of the heating chamber 5 and the water tank 45, the heat from the heating chamber 5 can be efficiently transferred to the water tank 45, facilitating heating of the water in the water tank 45. Furthermore, if the heat transfer member 48 is made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than air, the heat from the heating chamber 5 can be easily transferred to the water tank 45. Moreover, the heat transfer member may be attached to the water tank 45. Moreover, the water tank 45 may transfer the heat of the heating chamber 5 without the intervention of the heat transfer member .

[0043] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the water supply path 47 has a water supply pipe 47a through which water from the water tank 45 flows. The water supply pipe 47a extends from the water tank 45, which is provided on the upper surface of the heating chamber 5, to the water supplier 40, which is disposed inside the hot air generating space 22a. In detail, the water supply pipe 47a extends from the water tank 45 along the outer surface of the heating chamber 5 and is routed inside the hot air generating space 22a through a hole formed in the hot air circulation frame 28. In addition, the downstream end of the water supply pipe 47a is located above and near the center of the water supplier 40, so that the water flowing through the water supply pipe 47a can easily reach the water supplier 40.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 6, a solenoid valve 47b is provided midway along water supply pipe 47a. Solenoid valve 47b is a valve that can be opened and closed electronically, and opens and closes water supply path 47 by switching between an open state and a closed state. That is, solenoid valve 47b shuts off the supply of water from water tank 45 to water supplier 40 when in the closed state. Note that a pump that sends water from water tank 45 toward water supplier 40 may be provided instead of solenoid valve 47b. In this case, water tank 45 does not need to be located above water supplier 40 and may be located at any position.

[0045] [1-1-4. Control Unit Configuration] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the cooking appliance 1 has a control unit 90. The control unit 90 is a device that controls each part of the cooking appliance. The control unit 90 has a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), and a storage medium such as a hard disk, a flash memory, and an optical disk. The control unit 90 controls each part of the cooking appliance 1 by having the processor load a program from the storage medium and execute the program. The control unit 90 may also have wired logic such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) instead of a processor and a storage medium. The control unit 90 may also have a combination of a processor, a storage medium, and wired logic.

[0046] The control unit 90 also includes communication hardware that complies with wireless or wired communication standards, such as a connector, a communication circuit, etc. The control unit 90 communicates with each part of the cooking appliance 1 via this communication hardware.

[0047] The control unit 90 controls the on / off and heating intensity of each heating device, such as the grill heater 9, the convection heater 10, and the magnetron 15. The control unit 90 controls the opening and closing of the solenoid valve 47b. The control unit 90 controls the operation and display unit 6. Specifically, the control unit 90 controls the display unit 6a to display information on the display unit 6a. The control unit 90 also receives detection signals corresponding to input operations detected by the input unit 6b. The control unit 90 receives temperature data of the heating chamber 5 and the vicinity of the water supplier 40 measured by the empty-baking detection sensor 51 and the temperature sensors 50 and 42.

[0048] The control unit 90 controls the on / off and rotation speed of each air blower such as the circulation fan 11 and the cooling fan 17. In this embodiment, the fan drive unit 12 of the circulation fan 11 includes a DC motor and is controlled by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control.

[0049] The control unit 90 is also connected to the water volume sensor 45a. The water volume sensor 45a is a sensor that measures the amount of water in the water tank 45, i.e., the amount of water stored in the water tank 45. The control unit 90 receives data on the amount of water stored in the water tank 45 from the water volume sensor 45a. The water volume sensor 45a may be, for example, a float-type water level sensor or a capacitance-type water level sensor. Furthermore, since the water volume sensor 45a only needs to be able to measure the amount of water in the water tank 45, it may also be, for example, a weight sensor that measures the amount of water by weight rather than by water level.

[0050] Cooking appliance 1 also has rotation detector 11a. Rotation detector 11a detects the rotation speed of circulation fan 11. In this embodiment, rotation detector 11a is a Hall element. Any device, such as a rotary encoder, may be used as rotation detector 11a as long as it can detect the rotation speed of circulation fan 11. Control unit 90 is connected to rotation detector 11a and acquires data on the rotation speed of circulation fan 11 detected by rotation detector 11a.

[0051] The cooking appliance 1 is also provided with a current acquisition unit 11b. The current acquisition unit 11b detects the value of a current input to the fan drive unit 12 of the circulation fan 11. The current acquisition unit 11b is, for example, a current sensor. The control unit 90 is connected to the current acquisition unit 11b, and acquires data on the input current to the fan drive unit 12 detected by the current acquisition unit 11b. The control unit 90 may be configured to be able to acquire the current value of the input current to the fan drive unit 12 without going through the current acquisition unit 11b.

[0052] Furthermore, the cooking appliance 1 is provided with a steam sensor 40a. The steam sensor 40a detects the amount of steam generated from the water supplier 40. The control unit 90 is connected to the steam sensor 40a and acquires the amount of steam generated detected by the steam sensor 40a.

[0053] [1-2. Operation] The operation of the cooking device 1 configured as above will be described below.

[0054] [1-2-1. Operation during heating] Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment, showing the operation of the cooking device 1 to heat an object to be heated, including steam convection. The operation of Fig. 8 is started when the control unit 90 detects that the user has made an input to the input unit 6b to start setting for heating the object to be heated. In this embodiment, while the cooking device 1 is receiving power, the heating chamber 5 is always preheated by the grill heater 9 or the convection heater 10. Therefore, at the start of the operation of Fig. 8, the heating chamber 5 is preheated. The set temperature for preheating the heating chamber 5 is, for example, 180°C or higher and 280°C or lower.

[0055] In step SA1, the control unit 90 uses the operation and display unit 6 to accept an input operation for specifying the type of the object to be heated. For example, the control unit 90 displays information on candidate types of the object to be heated on the display unit 6a, and then accepts an input operation for specifying the type of the object to be heated from the candidates displayed on the display unit 6a via the input unit 6b. The type of the object to be heated may correspond to a specific dish, such as a croissant or a sandwich. Furthermore, the type of the object to be heated may include multiple dishes, such as bread, simmered food, baked food, and fried food. In step SA1, when an input operation for specifying an object to be heated is received (step SA1: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA2. In step SA1, when an input operation for specifying an object to be heated is not received (step SA1: NO), the control unit 90 continues to receive an input operation for specifying an object to be heated.

[0056] In step SA2, the control unit 90 identifies the setting of the heating method corresponding to the type of object to be heated in the input received in step SA1. Specifically, the control unit 90 reads out the setting of the heating method for each type of object to be heated stored in the storage medium, which corresponds to the type of object to be heated in the input received in step SA1. For example, the storage medium of the control unit 90 stores, as heating method settings, the set temperature of the heating chamber 5 during heating and the output value of the grill heater 9, the convection heater 10, or the magnetron 15 for each type of object. The storage medium of the control unit 90 also stores, as heating method settings, the time from when heating of the object starts to when heating ends, i.e., the heating time th. The storage medium of the control unit 90 also stores, as heating method settings, the time from when the solenoid valve 47b is opened to when the solenoid valve 47b is closed, i.e., the water supply time tw. These heating method settings for each type of object may be stored in the storage medium in advance, or may be stored in the storage medium by a user inputting information into the operation and display unit 6. Alternatively, the heating method settings for each type of object may be stored in a server, and the user may load the heating method settings for each type of object from the server by inputting information into the operation and display unit 6.

[0057] Next, in step SA3, the control unit 90 determines whether or not an input operation to instruct the start of heating has been received via the display control unit 6. The input operation to instruct the start of heating is, for example, an action of pressing a button on the input unit 6b that corresponds to the start of heating. In step SA3, when an input operation to instruct the start of heating is received (step SA3: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA4. In step SA3, when an input operation to instruct the start of heating is not received (step SA3: NO), the control unit 90 continues to receive an input operation to instruct the start of heating.

[0058] Next, in step SA4, the control unit 90 may determine whether the amount of water in the water tank 45 is equal to or greater than a minimum water amount. The minimum water amount is pre-stored in a storage medium of the control unit 90. The control unit 90 compares the measurement value of the water volume sensor 45a with the value of the minimum water amount read from the storage medium. The minimum water amount is set, for example, to an amount equal to or greater than the amount of water supplied from the water tank 45 to the water supplier 40 in one heating. Note that the minimum water amount may be a water level value when the water volume sensor 45a is a water level sensor, or a weight value when the water volume sensor 45a is a weight sensor. Furthermore, in step SA4, instead of comparing the water volume sensor 45 with the minimum water amount, the temperature may be detected by the temperature sensor 42 provided near the water supplier 40. If the control unit 90 determines in step SA4 that the amount of water in the water tank 45 is equal to or greater than the minimum amount (step SA4: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA5. If the control unit 90 determines that the amount of water in the water tank 45 is less than the minimum amount (step SA4: NO), the control unit 90 ends the operation of Fig. 8 without heating the object to be heated in the heating chamber 5. Note that if the amount of water in the water tank 45 is less than the minimum amount (step SA4: NO), the control unit 90 may cause the display unit 6a to display a message urging the user to refill the water tank 45 with water.

[0059] In step SA5, the control unit 90 determines whether the temperature T0 near the water supplier 40 is equal to or higher than the water supply start temperature Ts. The control unit 90 acquires the temperature T0 near the water supplier 40, for example, by referring to the measurement value of the temperature sensor 42. The control unit 90 also reads the water supply start temperature Ts stored in, for example, a storage medium of the control unit 90. The water supply start temperature Ts may be the same regardless of the type of object to be heated, or may be a different value for each type of object to be heated and included in the heating method settings. The water supply start temperature Ts is, for example, 100°C. The water supply start temperature Ts corresponds to an example of the "first temperature" and "second temperature" in the present disclosure. Note that the cooking appliance 1 may repeatedly open and close the solenoid valve 47b to supply steam multiple times during one cooking session of the object to be heated. In this case, the control unit 90 performs the determination of step SA5 each time the solenoid valve 47b is opened and closed for the first and subsequent times. When the control unit 90 determines that the temperature T0 near the water supplier 40 is equal to or higher than the water supply start temperature Ts, the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA6. When the control unit 90 determines that the temperature T0 near the water supplier 40 is lower than the water supply start temperature Ts, the control unit 90 repeats the operation of step SA5.

[0060] In step SA6, the control unit 90 starts heating the object placed in the heating chamber 5 according to the heating method set in step SA2. At this time, the control unit 90 activates one or more of the grill heater 9, the convection heater 10, and the magnetron 15. The control unit 90 also activates the heater 43 to heat the water supplier 40.

[0061] In step SA7, the control unit 90 opens the solenoid valve 47b. This places the water supply path 47 in a state of communication from the water tank 45 to the water supplier 40. In this embodiment, as described above, the water tank 45 is provided above the water supplier 40. Therefore, in step SA7, the control unit 90 simply opens the solenoid valve 47b to supply water from the water tank 45 to the water supplier 40. Note that, unlike this embodiment, if a pump is provided instead of the solenoid valve 47b, the control unit 90 starts driving the pump in step SA7.

[0062] In step SA8, the control unit 90 determines whether the elapsed time t1 since the solenoid valve 47b was opened in step SA7 is equal to or greater than the water supply time tw included in the heating method setting identified in step SA2. If the control unit 90 determines that the elapsed time t1 is equal to or greater than the water supply time tw (step SA8: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA9. If the control unit 90 determines that the elapsed time is not equal to or greater than the water supply time tw (step SA8: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination of step SA8.

[0063] In step SA9, the control unit 90 switches the solenoid valve 47b to the closed state. This stops the supply of water from the water tank 45 to the water supplier 40. As in steps SA8 and SA9, in this embodiment, by opening the solenoid valve 47b only during the water supply time tw, an appropriate amount of water can be supplied to the water supplier 40. Note that, unlike this embodiment, if a pump is provided instead of the solenoid valve 47b, the control unit 90 stops the pump in step SA9.

[0064] In step SA10, the control unit 90 determines whether the elapsed time t2 since the start of heating in step SA4 is equal to or greater than the heating time th included in the setting of the heating method identified in step SA2. If the control unit 90 determines that the elapsed time t2 is equal to or greater than the heating time th (step SA10: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA11. If the control unit 90 determines that the elapsed time t2 is not equal to or greater than the heating time th (step SA10: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination of step SA10.

[0065] In step SA11, the control unit 90 ends heating of the object to be heated, returns to the state of preheating the heating chamber 5, and ends the operation in Fig. 8. At this time, the control unit 90 may control any audio output device, such as a buzzer or speaker, provided in the cooking appliance 1 to notify the user that heating has ended.

[0066] [1-2-2. Maintenance notification operations] Next, the operation related to the notification of maintenance will be described. In this embodiment, the control unit 90 determines whether or not maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary using the following five methods, and notifies the user that maintenance is necessary. Note that the control unit 90 is not limited to performing all of the following five methods, and may determine whether or not maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary using one or more methods.

[0067] [1-2-2-1. Maintenance notification based on heating chamber temperature] 9 is a graph showing time-series data of the measurement values ​​of the temperature sensor 50, and shows the change in the measurement values ​​of the temperature sensor 50 when the temperature of the heating chamber 5 is controlled to a constant value using the convection heater 10 and the circulation fan 11. In FIG. 9, the solid line shows the change in the measurement values ​​of the temperature sensor 50 when no scale is attached to the water supplier 40, and the dashed line shows the change in the measurement values ​​of the temperature sensor 50 when a large amount of scale is attached to the water supplier 40. In the example of FIG. 9, the control unit 90 controls the temperature of the heating chamber 5 to be maintained at 180°C.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 9, the control unit 90 turns off the convection heater 10 when the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 exceeds the set temperature by a predetermined temperature (e.g., 2 K) in order to maintain the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 at the set temperature of 180°C. This causes the temperature of the air in the hot air generation space 22a to decrease. Furthermore, the air in the hot air generation space 22a with a decreased temperature is sent to the heating chamber 5 by the circulation fan 11, causing the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 to decrease. Conversely, the control unit 90 turns on the convection heater 10 when the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 is lower than the set temperature by a predetermined temperature (e.g., 2 K). This causes the temperature of the air in the hot air generation space 22a to increase. Furthermore, the air in the hot air generation space 22a with an increased temperature is sent to the heating chamber 5 by the circulation fan 11, causing the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 to increase.

[0069] In this way, the control unit 90 controls the temperature of the heating chamber 5 to be constant during preheating or heating of the object to be heated, by switching the convection heater 10 on and off.

[0070] Consider a case where, for example, scale forms on the water supplier 40, causing clogging of the gaps in the water supplier 40, resulting in increased pressure loss during air blowing by the circulation fan 11. In this case, even if the control unit 90 turns off the convection heater 10 when the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 exceeds the set temperature by a predetermined temperature, the pressure loss prevents air circulation by the circulation fan 11, making it difficult for the air in the hot air generating space 22a, whose temperature has dropped, to flow into the heating chamber 5. Therefore, the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 may be a value that exceeds the set temperature by a greater amount than when no scale is attached to the water supplier 40.

[0071] Furthermore, even if the control unit 90 turns on the convection heater 10 when the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 is lower than the set temperature by a predetermined temperature, the pressure loss prevents air circulation by the circulation fan 11, making it difficult for the air in the hot air generating space 22a, whose temperature has increased, to flow into the heating chamber 5. For this reason, the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 may be significantly lower than the set temperature compared to when no scale is attached to the water supplier 40.

[0072] In this way, when a large amount of scale is attached to the water supply body 40, the deviation between the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 and the set temperature becomes larger when the control unit 90 attempts to control the temperature of the heating chamber 5 to the set temperature, compared to when there is no scale attached.

[0073] In this embodiment, the control unit 90 utilizes this property to determine whether there is a large amount of scale adhering to the water supply body 40 and determines whether maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary. That is, when the control unit 90 controls the convection heater 10 to be turned on and off to maintain the temperature of the heating chamber 5 at the set temperature while the circulation fan 11 is driven, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 deviates from the set temperature by more than a predetermined value. When the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 deviates from the set temperature by more than the predetermined value, the control unit 90 determines that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary and issues an alert.

[0074] Fig. 10 is a flowchart of the cooking appliance 1, showing the operation of the control unit 90 when a maintenance notification is issued based on the temperature of the heating chamber 5. As described above, at the start of the operation in Fig. 10, the control unit 90 controls the temperature of the heating chamber 5 to be kept at a set temperature by switching the convection heater 10 on and off while driving the circulation fan 11.

[0075] First, in step SC1, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 exceeds the first reference value Q1 shown in FIG. 9 . At this time, the control unit 90 may use, as the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50, the maximum measurement value after control to maintain the temperature of the heating chamber 5 at the set temperature, rather than the current measurement value of the temperature sensor 50. The first reference value Q1 is a value corresponding to a temperature higher than the set temperature of the heating chamber 5. In this embodiment, the first reference value Q1 may be determined for each set temperature of the heating chamber 5 and stored in a storage medium of the control unit 90 or a server, for example. The first reference value Q1 is an example of a "reference value" in the present disclosure. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 exceeds the first reference value Q1 (step SC1: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SC2. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 does not exceed the first reference value Q1 (step SC1: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination of step SC1.

[0076] In step SC2, control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of water supplier 40 is required, and ends the operation of Fig. 10. Control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of water supplier 40 is required by displaying text or the like on display unit 6a. Cooking appliance 1 may have a notification unit such as a speaker, buzzer, LED lamp, or the like that notifies the user that maintenance is required by sound or light, and control unit 90 may notify the user by using such a notification unit in step SC2. Unlike the present embodiment, the control unit 90 may determine whether to issue a notification based on the time it takes for the temperature of the heating chamber 5 to drop by a predetermined temperature after the convection heater 10 is turned off. In this case, the notification is issued when the time it takes for the temperature of the heating chamber 5 to drop to the predetermined temperature exceeds a reference value. That is, in step SC1, the control unit 90 may be configured to determine that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary when the time it takes for the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 to drop to a predetermined temperature exceeds a predetermined time after the heating of the convection heater 10 is stopped. Furthermore, in step SC1, the control unit 90 may be configured to perform both or either of the determination of the time it takes for the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 to drop to the predetermined temperature and the determination of comparing the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 with the first reference value Q1. If both are performed, the control unit 90 may be configured to issue a notification when it is determined that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary in one or more of the determinations, or may be configured to issue a notification only when it is determined that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary in both of the determinations.

[0077] [1-2-2-2. Maintenance notification based on circulation fan rotation speed] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal input to circulation fan 11 and the measurement value of rotation detection unit 11a. In Fig. 11, the solid line indicates the measurement value of rotation detection unit 11a when no scale is attached to water supply body 40. Point P1 in the diagram indicates the measurement value of rotation detection unit 11a when the duty ratio of the PWM signal is 90% when a large amount of scale is attached to water supply body 40.

[0078] 11, in circulation fan 11, the duty ratio of the PWM signal and the measurement value of rotation detection unit 11a are roughly proportional. However, as shown by point P1, when a large amount of scale adheres to water supply body 40, the rotation speed of circulation fan 11 increases even when the input signal is the same, compared to when no scale adheres to water supply body 40. This is because when a large amount of scale adheres to water supply body 40, the pressure loss during air blowing by circulation fan 11 increases, making circulation fan 11 more likely to spin idly.

[0079] In this embodiment, the control unit 90 utilizes this property to determine whether there is a large amount of scale adhering to the water supply body 40, and determines whether maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary. That is, when the control unit 90 drives the circulation fan 11, it determines whether the rotation speed of the circulation fan 11 is equal to or greater than a second reference value Q2 shown in Fig. 11. When the control unit 90 determines that the rotation speed of the circulation fan 11 is equal to or greater than the second reference value Q2, it determines that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary and issues an alert.

[0080] Fig. 12 is a flowchart of the cooking appliance 1, showing the operation of the control unit 90 when a maintenance notification is issued based on the rotation speed of the circulation fan 11. As described above, at the start of the operation in Fig. 12, the control unit 90 is in a state in which the circulation fan 11 is driven.

[0081] First, in step SD1, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the rotation detection unit 11a is equal to or greater than a second reference value Q2. The second reference value Q2 in this embodiment may be determined for each duty ratio of the PWM signal of the circulation fan 11, and may be stored in a storage medium of the control unit 90 or a server. The second reference value Q2 is an example of a "reference value" in the present disclosure. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the rotation detection unit 11a is equal to or greater than the second reference value Q2 (step SD1: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SD2. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the rotation detection unit 11a is not equal to or greater than the second reference value Q2 (step SD1: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination of step SD1.

[0082] In step SD2, similarly to step SC2, the control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is required, and then ends the operation of FIG.

[0083] [1-2-2-3. Maintenance notification based on the input current of the circulation fan] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal input to circulation fan 11 and the measurement value of current obtaining unit 11b. In Fig. 13, the solid line indicates the measurement value of current obtaining unit 11b when no scale is attached to water supply body 40. Point P2 in the diagram indicates the measurement value of current obtaining unit 11b when the duty ratio of the PWM signal input to circulation fan 11 is 90% when a large amount of scale is attached to water supply body 40.

[0084] 13, in circulation fan 11, the duty ratio of the input PWM signal and the measurement value of current acquiring unit 11b are roughly proportional. However, when a large amount of scale adheres to water supply body 40, as at point P2, the input current to fan driving unit 12 becomes larger even if the input signal is the same, compared to when no scale adheres to water supply body 40. This is because when a large amount of scale adheres to water supply body 40, the pressure loss during air blowing by circulation fan 11 becomes larger, and the torque applied to fan driving unit 12 becomes larger.

[0085] In this embodiment, the control unit 90 utilizes this property to determine whether there is a large amount of scale adhering to the water supply body 40, and thereby determines whether maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary. That is, the control unit 90 determines whether the input current to the circulation fan 11 exceeds a third reference value Q3 shown in Fig. 13 when the circulation fan 11 is driven. When the control unit 90 determines that the input current to the circulation fan 11 exceeds the third reference value Q3, it determines that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary and issues an alert.

[0086] Fig. 14 is a flowchart of the cooking appliance 1, showing the operation of the control unit 90 when a maintenance notification is issued based on the input current of the circulation fan 11. As described above, at the start of the operation in Fig. 14, the control unit 90 is in a state in which the circulation fan 11 is driven.

[0087] First, in step SE1, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the current acquiring unit 11b exceeds a third reference value. The third reference value Q3 in this embodiment may be determined for each air volume as a control target of the circulation fan 11, and may be stored in a storage medium of the control unit 90 or a server. In detail, for example, the third reference value Q3 may be set for each duty ratio of the PWM signal input to the fan driving unit 12. The third reference value Q3 is an example of a "reference value" in the present disclosure. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the current obtaining unit 11b exceeds the third reference value Q3 (step SE1: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SE2. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the current obtaining unit 11b does not exceed the third reference value Q3 (step SE1: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination of step SE1.

[0088] In step SE2, similarly to steps SC2 and SD2, the control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required, and then ends the operation of FIG.

[0089] [1-2-2-4. Maintenance notification based on steam generation amount] Furthermore, the control unit 90 determines whether maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on the amount of steam generated by the water supplier 40. When a large amount of scale adheres to the water supplier 40, the voids in the water supplier 40 are filled with the scale, and the water retention capacity of the water supplier 40 decreases. Therefore, when a large amount of scale adheres to the water supplier 40, the amount of steam generated from the water supplier 40 when the same amount of water is supplied decreases compared to when no scale adheres to the water supplier 40. Conversely, when the amount of steam generated from the water supplier 40 decreases, it can be estimated that a large amount of scale adheres to the water supplier 40.

[0090] In this embodiment, the control unit 90 utilizes this property to determine whether there is a large amount of scale adhering to the water supply body 40, and determines whether maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required. That is, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the steam sensor 40a is less than the fourth reference value Q4 when the solenoid valve 47b is in the open state. When the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the steam sensor 40a is less than the fourth reference value Q4, the control unit 90 determines that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required and issues an alert.

[0091] Fig. 15 is a flowchart of cooking appliance 1, showing the operation of control unit 90 when a maintenance notification is issued based on the amount of steam generated from water supplier 40. In the present embodiment, with circulation fan 11 driven, control unit 90 starts the operation of Fig. 15 when solenoid valve 47b changes from the open state to the closed state and the supply of water to water supplier 40 is completed.

[0092] In step SF1, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the steam sensor 40a is less than a fourth reference value Q4. The fourth reference value Q4 in the present embodiment may be set, for example, for each set temperature of the heating chamber 5 or for each time period during which the solenoid valve 47b is in an open state, and may be stored in a storage medium of the control unit 90 or in a server. The fourth reference value Q4 is an example of a "reference value" in the present disclosure. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the steam sensor 40a is less than the fourth reference value Q4 (step SF1: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SF2. If the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the steam sensor 40a is not less than the fourth reference value Q4 (step SF1: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the operation of step SF1.

[0093] In step SF2, similarly to steps SC2, SD2, and SE2, the control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required, and then ends the operation of FIG.

[0094] [1-2-2-5. Maintenance notification based on heating time and number of heating times] Furthermore, the control unit 90 is configured to notify the user that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary when the heating time of the object to be heated exceeds a fifth reference value Q5 or the number of heating times exceeds a sixth reference value Q6. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary when the cumulative heating time of the object to be heated exceeds the fifth reference value Q5 or the cumulative number of heating times exceeds the sixth reference value Q6 since the last maintenance of the water supplier 40. The heating time refers to the length of time the cooker 1 heats the object to be heated that requires steam. Alternatively, the heating time may be the length of time the solenoid valve 47b is in an open state or the length of time a pump provided instead of the solenoid valve 47b is driven. The number of heating times refers to the number of times the cooker 1 heats the object to be heated that requires steam. Alternatively, the number of times the solenoid valve 47b is opened and closed or the number of times a pump provided instead of the solenoid valve 47b is driven may be used as the number of heating times. The control unit 90 may also detect, for example, by input to the input unit 6b, the timing when a user performs maintenance on the water supplier 40. The fifth reference value Q5 and the sixth reference value Q6 correspond to an example of a "reference value" in the present disclosure.

[0095] Fig. 16 is a flowchart of the cooking appliance 1, showing the operation of the control unit 90 when a maintenance notification is issued based on the heating time of the object to be heated or the number of times the object to be heated has been heated. In the present embodiment, the control unit 90 performs the operation of Fig. 16, for example, every time the operation of heating the object to be heated is completed.

[0096] First, in step SG1, the control unit 90 adds the heating time of the operation of heating the object to be heated that was performed immediately before starting step SG1 to the cumulative heating time. The cumulative heating time is reset to 0 every time maintenance is performed on the water supplier 40, and is a value to which the heating time at that time is added every time heating of the object to be heated is completed, and is stored in the storage medium of the control unit 90 or the server.

[0097] Next, in step SG2, the control unit 90 adds 1 to the cumulative number of heating times. The cumulative number of heating times is a value that is reset to 0 every time maintenance is performed on the water supplier 40, and is incremented by 1 every time heating of the object to be heated is completed, and is stored in the storage medium of the control unit 90 or the server.

[0098] Next, in step SG3, the control unit 90 determines whether the cumulative heating time exceeds a fifth reference value Q5. The fifth reference value Q5 is stored in, for example, the storage medium of the control unit 90 or the server. In step SG3, when the control unit 90 determines that the cumulative heating time exceeds the fifth reference value Q5 (step SG3: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SG5. When the control unit 90 determines that the cumulative heating time does not exceed the fifth reference value Q5 (step SG3: NO), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SG4.

[0099] In step SG4, the control unit 90 determines whether the cumulative number of heating operations exceeds a sixth reference value Q6. The sixth reference value Q6 is stored in, for example, the storage medium of the control unit 90 or the server. In step SG4, when the control unit 90 determines that the cumulative number of heatings exceeds the sixth reference value Q6 (step SG4: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SG5. When the control unit 90 determines that the cumulative number of heatings does not exceed the sixth reference value Q6 (step SG4: NO), the control unit 90 ends the operation of FIG.

[0100] In step SG5, the control unit 90 notifies the user that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is required, similar to steps SC2, SD2, SE2, and SF2, and ends the operation of FIG.

[0101] [1-2-3. Operation regarding change of reference value] In this embodiment, the first reference value Q1, the second reference value Q2, the third reference value Q3, the fourth reference value Q4, the fifth reference value Q5, and the sixth reference value Q6 are configured to be changeable by the user. Specifically, the control unit 90 is configured to be able to change each of the reference values ​​Q1 to Q6 in accordance with a combination of the content displayed on the display unit 6a and the content of the user's input operation detected by the input unit 6b. Each of the reference values ​​Q1 to Q6 may be configured to be changeable by selecting from a plurality of levels, or may be changed by inputting a specific numerical value, for example.

[0102] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 includes a heating chamber 5 that accommodates an object to be heated, a convection heater 10 that heats air, a circulation fan 11 that circulates air between the heating chamber 5 and the convection heater 10, a water supplier 40 that supplies steam to the air circulated by the circulation fan 11, and a display unit 6a that notifies the user that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is required. This makes it possible to prompt the user of the cooking appliance 1 to perform maintenance on the water supplier 40, and to easily maintain the amount of steam generated from the water supplier 40. This makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1.

[0103] As in the present embodiment, the cooking device 1 may have a water tank 45 that stores the water to be supplied to the water supplier 40. This allows water to be supplied from the water tank 45 to the water supplier 40. This makes it easier to improve the convenience of the cooking device 1.

[0104] As in this embodiment, the heating cooker 1 may be configured to have a control unit 90 that determines whether maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on at least one of the number of heating times or the heating time by the heating cooker 1, and issues a notification via the display unit 6a when it determines that maintenance is necessary. This makes it possible to prompt the user of the cooking appliance 1 to perform maintenance on the water supplier 40 at an appropriate time, and makes it easier to maintain the amount of steam generated from the water supplier 40. This makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1.

[0105] As in this embodiment, the heating cooker 1 may be configured to include a temperature sensor 50 that measures the temperature inside the heating chamber 5, and a control unit that determines whether or not maintenance is required for the water supplier 40 based on the value detected by the temperature sensor 50, and when it determines that maintenance is required, issues an alert via the display unit 6a. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on a change in temperature caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier 40, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing. This makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1.

[0106] As in this embodiment, the control unit 90 may be configured to determine that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary and to notify the same via the display unit 6a when the value detected by the temperature sensor 50 exceeds a first reference value Q1 that is greater than the set temperature of the heating chamber 5, or when the time it takes for the temperature to drop to a predetermined temperature after heating by the convection heater 10 has stopped exceeds a predetermined time. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on a change in temperature caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier 40, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing. This makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1.

[0107] As in this embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 may be configured to include a rotation detection unit 11a that detects the rotation speed of the circulation fan 11, and a control unit 90 that determines that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary when the value detected by the rotation detection unit 11a is equal to or greater than a second reference value Q2, and issues a notification via the display unit 6a. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on a change in the rotation speed of the circulation fan 11 caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier 40, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing. This makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1.

[0108] As in this embodiment, the cooking device 1 may be configured to include a control unit 90 that determines that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary when the input current of the circulation fan 11 exceeds the third reference value Q3 and issues a notification via the display unit 6a. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of water supplier 40 is necessary based on a change in input current to circulation fan 11 caused by a change in pressure loss in water supplier 40, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing. This makes it easier to continue using cooking appliance 1.

[0109] As in this embodiment, the cooking device 1 may be configured to include a control unit 90 that determines that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary when the amount of steam generated by the water supplier 40 is less than a fourth reference value Q4, and notifies the user via the display unit 6a. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on a change in the amount of steam generated due to the deposition of scale on the water supplier 40, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing. This makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1.

[0110] As in this embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 may have an input unit 6b that detects input operations, and the control unit 90 may be configured to accept changes to the first reference value Q1, the second reference value Q2, the third reference value Q3, the fourth reference value Q4, the fifth reference value Q5, and the sixth reference value Q6 via the input unit 6b. This makes it possible to change the reference values ​​Q1 to Q6 and adjust the intervals between maintenance notifications to suit the user's preferences, making it easier to continue using the cooking appliance 1 while making it more convenient for the user.

[0111] (Embodiment 2) Next, a cooking device 101 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, the same matters as those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0112] [2-1.Configuration] Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the cooking device 101 according to the second embodiment, as viewed from the rear side with the cover member 2a removed. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the hot air circulation frame 28 according to the second embodiment.

[0113] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, cooking appliance 101 has a connection part 145 instead of water tank 45. Connection part 145 is connected to an external water supply via a hose or the like (not shown). Connection part 145 is also connected to water supply path 47. That is, water from the external water supply can flow into water supply path 47 via connection part 145. In this embodiment, connection part 145 is provided on the rear side of main body 2.

[0114] 18, water supplier 40 in embodiment 2 is disposed with its thickness direction aligned with the front-rear direction, i.e., horizontally. Accordingly, frame 141 in embodiment 2 is formed with its thickness direction aligned with the front-rear direction, unlike in embodiment 1. Furthermore, heater 43 is not provided in embodiment 2, and water supplier 40 is heated by hot air circulating between heating chamber 5 and convection heater 10.

[0115] [2-2. Operation] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the operation of the cooking device 101 according to the second embodiment, and shows the operation of the cooking device 1 performing heating, including steam convection, on an object to be heated, similar to the operation of FIG. 8 in the first embodiment.

[0116] At the start of the operation of FIG. 19, the control unit 90 performs step SA1 similar to that of the first embodiment, and when an input operation for specifying the object to be heated is received (step SA1: YES), the control unit 90 proceeds to step SB2.

[0117] Next, in step SB2, the control unit 90 identifies the setting of the heating method corresponding to the type of object to be heated in the input operation received in step SA1. In the second embodiment, the control unit 90 stores the reference temperature Tc corresponding to the type of object to be heated as the setting of the heating method, instead of the water supply time tw corresponding to the type of object to be heated. Therefore, in step SB2, the control unit 90 identifies the setting of the heating method including the reference temperature Tc.

[0118] Next, the control unit 90 performs the same operations as steps SA3, SA5, SA6, and SA7 in the first embodiment, and omits the operation of step SA4. That is, after receiving an input operation instructing the start of heating (step SA3: YES), the control unit 90 determines that the temperature T0 near the water supplier 40 is equal to or higher than the water supply start temperature Ts (step SA5: YES), and then starts heating the object to be heated (step SA6). Thereafter, the control unit 90 opens the solenoid valve 47b (step SA7). In this embodiment, water supply path 47 is connected to an external waterworks via connection part 145. Therefore, when solenoid valve 47b is in the open state, water from the waterworks passes through water supply path 47 by the water pressure of the waterworks and reaches water supplier 40.

[0119] Next, in step SB8, the control unit 90 determines whether or not to close the solenoid valve 47b, depending on the temperature of the heating chamber 5 measured by the temperature sensor 50. In detail, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the temperature of the heating chamber 5 has become lower than the reference temperature Tc, and determines whether or not to close the solenoid valve 47b, depending on the determination result. If the control unit 90 determines in step SB8 that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 is less than the reference temperature Tc (step SB8: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA9. Then, the control unit 90 closes the solenoid valve 47b in step SA9. If the control unit 90 determines in step SB8 that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 is not less than the reference temperature Tc (step SB8: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination of step SB8.

[0120] FIG. 20 is a graph showing an example of time-series data of the measurement values ​​of temperature sensor 50 during heating of the object to be heated. In FIG. 20, time t3 is the time when solenoid valve 47b is opened, and time t4 is the time when solenoid valve 47b is closed. As shown in FIG. 20, after solenoid valve 47b is opened at time t3, the measurement value of temperature sensor 50, which indicates the temperature of heating chamber 5, decreases over time. This is because, when solenoid valve 47b is open, water from water tank 45 is supplied to water supplier 40 over time, and heat is continuously removed from the air circulating between heating chamber 5 and convection heater 10 and water supplier 40 due to heating and evaporation of the supplied water. Note that if a pump is provided instead of solenoid valve 47b, time t3 is the time when the pump starts to operate.

[0121] Conversely, the amount of water supplied from water tank 45 to water supplier 40 can be calculated from the amount of decrease in the temperature of air circulating between heating chamber 5 and convection heater 10 or the temperature near water supplier 40 after solenoid valve 47b is opened. In this embodiment, this is utilized, and after solenoid valve 47b is opened, when the temperature of heating chamber 5, i.e., the measurement value of temperature sensor 50, becomes less than reference temperature Tc in step SB8 (step SB8: YES), control unit 90 determines that a sufficient amount of water has been supplied to water supplier 40 and closes solenoid valve 47b (step SA9). Note that after time t4, the temperature of heating chamber 5 starts to rise again and returns to the temperature before solenoid valve 47b was opened.

[0122] The operations from step SA9 onwards are the same as those in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 8. That is, after the control unit 90 closes the solenoid valve 47b (step SA9), when the elapsed time t2 becomes equal to or greater than the heating time th (step SA10: YES), the control unit 90 ends the heating (step SA11).

[0123] [2-3. Effects, etc.] As in the present embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 may be configured to include a connection part 145 connected to an external water supply, and the water supplier 40 may be configured to receive the supply of water via the connection part 145. This allows water to be supplied from an external water supply to the water supplier 40. This makes it easier to improve the convenience of the cooking device.

[0124] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first and second embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first and second embodiments to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0125] In the first and second embodiments, the display unit 6a including a display device such as a liquid crystal panel has been described as an example of the notification unit. The notification unit may be any unit that notifies the user that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required. Therefore, the notification unit is not limited to the display unit 6a including a display device. For example, the notification unit may include a light-emitting device having an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like, and notify the user that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required by emitting light. The notification unit may also include a buzzer or speaker, and notify the user that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required by sound. However, using the display unit 6a including a display device as the notification unit has the effect of being able to clearly display the fact that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is required using text or the like.

[0126] In the first and second embodiments, the control unit 90 acquires the amount of steam generated by the water supplier 40 via the steam sensor 40a and determines whether maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on the acquired amount of steam generated, but this is just one example. The control unit 90 may also determine whether maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary based on the detection value of the temperature sensor 42 or the temperature sensor 50 after the solenoid valve 47b is opened and water is supplied to the water supplier 40.

[0127] When water is supplied to the water supplier 40, the supplied water is retained in the voids of the water supplier 40 and then absorbs heat from the surrounding area to become steam. That is, when the amount of steam generated in the water supplier 40 is large, the detected values ​​of the temperature sensors 42, 50 decrease significantly, and when the amount of steam generated is small, the decrease in the detected values ​​of the temperature sensors 42, 50 is small. Conversely, it is also possible to estimate the amount of steam generated in the water supplier 40 from the decrease in the detected values ​​of the temperature sensors 42, 50.

[0128] For example, the control unit 90 may be configured to compare the detection value of the temperature sensor 42 or the temperature sensor 50 when a predetermined time has elapsed after the solenoid valve 47b is opened with the fourth reference value, and determine that maintenance of the water supplier 40 is necessary when the detection value of the temperature sensor 42 or the temperature sensor 50 exceeds the fourth reference value. In this case, the fourth reference value may be stored for each set temperature of the heating chamber 5, for example, in a storage medium or a server of the control unit 90.

[0129] Alternatively, the control unit 90 may be configured to compare the detection value of the temperature sensor 42 or the temperature sensor 50 when the supply of water to the water supply body 40 is completed with the fourth reference value, and determine that maintenance of the water supply body 40 is necessary when the detection value of the temperature sensor 42 or the temperature sensor 50 exceeds the fourth reference value. In this case, the fourth reference value may be stored, for example, in a storage medium or a server of the control unit 90 for each time period during which the solenoid valve 47b is opened to supply water to the water supply body 40 and for each set temperature of the heating chamber 5.

[0130] In the second embodiment, it has been described that in step SB8, it is determined whether to close the solenoid valve 47b based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50 that indicates the temperature of the heating chamber 5. In step SB8, the determination may be made based on the temperature or the like that is affected by the amount of water supplied to the water supplier 40. Therefore, the determination in step SB8 is not limited to being based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50.

[0131] For example, in step SB8, the control unit 90 may determine whether to close the solenoid valve 47b based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor 42, which indicates the temperature near the water supplier 40, instead of the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50. In this case, in step SB8, the control unit 90 determines whether the measurement value of the temperature sensor 42 is less than the reference temperature Tc. When the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 42 is less than the reference temperature Tc (step SB8: YES), the operation of the control unit 90 proceeds to step SA9. When the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the temperature sensor 42 is not less than the reference temperature Tc (step SB8: NO), the control unit 90 repeats the determination in step SB8.

[0132] That is, the cooking device 101 may be configured to include a temperature sensor 42 that measures the temperature near the water supplier 40, and a control unit 90 that switches the solenoid valve 47b to a closed state after opening the solenoid valve 47b according to the detection value of the temperature sensor 42. This makes it easy to automatically supply an appropriate amount of steam to heating chamber 5. Therefore, the convenience of cooking device 101 can be easily improved with a simple configuration.

[0133] In the first and second embodiments, the water supplier 40 is described as being provided inside the hot air circulation frame 28, i.e., inside the hot air generating space 22a, but this is just one example. The water supplier 40 may be provided, for example, inside the flow path 13a or inside the heating chamber 5. In particular, when water is supplied to the water supplier 40 from the water tank 45 as in the first embodiment, even if the arrangement is different from that of the first embodiment, as long as the water tank 45 is located at a higher position than the water supplier 40, water can be easily supplied to the water supplier 40 without using a pump or the like.

[0134] In the above embodiment, the water supplier 40 has been described as being plate-shaped, but this is merely an example. The water supplier 40 does not have to be plate-shaped. Furthermore, the thickness direction of the water supplier 40 may be inclined relative to the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0135] In the above embodiment, the temperature sensors 42 and 50 are described as thermistors, but this is just an example. The temperature sensors 42 and 50 may be any temperature sensors other than thermistors, such as thermocouple temperature sensors.

[0136] The step units of the operations shown in Figures 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 19 are divided according to the main processing content to make the operations easier to understand, and the operation is not limited by the way the processing units are divided or the names of the processing units. The operations may be divided into more step units depending on the processing content. Furthermore, one step unit may be divided so that it includes more processing. Furthermore, the order of the steps may be changed as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0137] Furthermore, the air circulation path of the circulation fan 11 is not limited to the path shown in Fig. 3. For example, the air drawn into the hot air generating space 22a by driving the circulation fan 11 may be configured to return to the heating chamber 5 from an opening formed near the outer periphery of the back wall 5a, rather than through the flow path 13a at the top of the heating chamber 5. Alternatively, the circulation path can be designed as desired.

[0138] In the above embodiment, it has been described that water supplier 40 is detachable from frame 41, but this is merely an example. For example, water supplier 40 may be integrated with frame 41 and not detachable from frame 41.

[0139] The control unit 90 may also be configured to display the measurement value of the water volume sensor 45a using an indicator or the like provided on the operation display unit 6 or the like. In step SA4, when the control unit 90 determines that the measurement value of the water volume sensor 45a is less than the minimum water volume, the control unit 90 may also issue a notification that the amount of water stored in the water tank 45 is insufficient.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the control unit 90 adjusts the amount of water supplied to the water supplier 40 based on the time that the solenoid valve 47b is open or the measurement value of the temperature sensor 50, but this is just one example. For example, the control unit 90 may manage the amount of water supplied to the water supplier 40 based on the measurement value of the water volume sensor 45a. In this case, the control unit 90 may be configured to open and close the solenoid valve 47b so that the decrease in the measurement value of the water volume sensor 45a approaches the target value for the amount of water supplied.

[0141] In the second embodiment, cooking appliance 101 has been described as having connection part 145 provided on the rear side of main body 2, but this is just an example. The location of connection part 145 is not limited to the rear side of main body 2, and can be located at any position depending on the design.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the operation for heating the object to be heated has been described as supplying water from the water tank 45 or tap water to the water supplier 40 once, but this is just one example. In one heating of the object to be heated, the control unit 90 may open and close the solenoid valve 47b multiple times to supply water to the water supplier 40 in multiple batches. In this case, the control unit 90 may change the time for which the solenoid valve 47b is open each time water is supplied.

[0143] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0144] (Addendum) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques. (Technology 1) A heating cooker comprising: a heating chamber that accommodates an object to be heated; a convection heater that heats air; a circulation fan that circulates air between the heating chamber and the convection heater; a water supplier that supplies steam to the air circulated by the circulation fan; and an alarm unit that issues an alarm that maintenance of the water supplier is required. This makes it possible to encourage the user of the cooking appliance to perform maintenance on the water supplier, making it easier to maintain the amount of steam generated from the water supplier, and thus making it easier to continue using the cooking appliance.

[0145] (Technology 2) The cooking device according to Technology 1, further comprising a water tank for storing water to be supplied to the water supplier. This allows water to be supplied from the water tank to the water supplier, which makes it easier to improve the convenience of the cooking device.

[0146] (Technology 3) The cooking device according to Technology 1, further comprising a connection part connected to an external water supply, and the water supplier receives the supply of water via the connection part. This allows water to be supplied to the water supplier from an external water supply, which makes it easier to improve the convenience of the cooking appliance.

[0147] (Technology 4) A cooking device according to any one of technologies 1 to 3, having a control unit that determines whether maintenance of the water supply body is necessary based on at least one of the number of heating times or heating time by the cooking device, and when it determines that maintenance is necessary, issues an alert by the alert unit. This allows the user of the cooking appliance to be prompted to perform maintenance on the water supplier at an appropriate time, making it easier to maintain the amount of steam generated from the water supplier, and therefore making it easier to continue using the cooking appliance.

[0148] (Technology 5) A heating cooker according to any one of technologies 1 to 4, comprising a temperature sensor that measures the temperature inside the heating chamber, and a control unit that determines whether maintenance of the water supply body is necessary based on the value detected by the temperature sensor, and that issues an alert using the alert unit when it determines that maintenance is necessary. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on a change in temperature caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing, thereby facilitating the continued use of the cooking appliance.

[0149] (Technology 6) The heating cooker according to Technology 5, wherein the control unit determines that maintenance of the water supply body is necessary when the value detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a reference value that is greater than the set temperature of the heating chamber, or when the time it takes for the temperature to drop to a predetermined temperature after heating by the convection heater has stopped exceeds a predetermined time, and issues an alert via the alert unit. This makes it possible to determine whether or not maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on a change in temperature caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing, thereby facilitating the continued use of the cooking appliance.

[0150] (Technology 7) A heating cooker according to any one of technologies 1 to 6, comprising: a rotation detection unit that detects the rotation speed of the circulation fan; and a control unit that determines that maintenance of the water supply body is necessary when the value detected by the rotation detection unit exceeds a reference value, and issues an alert by the alert unit. This makes it possible to determine whether maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on a change in the rotation speed of the circulation fan caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing, thereby facilitating the continued use of the cooking appliance.

[0151] (Technology 8) A heating cooker according to any one of technologies 1 to 7, comprising a control unit that determines that maintenance of the water supplier is necessary when the input current of the circulation fan exceeds a reference value, and issues an alert using the alert unit. This makes it possible to determine whether maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on a change in the input current to the circulation fan caused by a change in pressure loss in the water supplier, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing, thereby facilitating continued use of the cooking appliance.

[0152] (Technology 9) A heating cooker according to any one of technologies 1 to 8, comprising a control unit that determines that maintenance of the water supply body is necessary when the amount of steam generated by the water supply body is less than a reference value, and issues an alert using the alert unit. This makes it possible to determine whether maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on a change in the amount of steam generated due to factors such as the deposition of scale on the water supplier, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing, thereby facilitating the continued use of the cooking appliance.

[0153] (Technology 10) The cooking device according to any one of Technologies 6 to 9, further comprising an input unit that detects an input operation, and the control unit accepts a change in the reference value via the input unit. This makes it possible to change the reference value and adjust the interval between maintenance notifications to suit the user's preferences, which makes it easier to continue using the cooking appliance while improving user convenience. [Industrial Applicability]

[0154] The present disclosure is applicable to cooking appliances, particularly convection ovens. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 1 Cooker 2 Main unit 2a Cover member 2b opening 2c aperture 3 Machine room 4 doors 5 Heating chamber 5a Back wall 6 Operation display section 6a Display unit (alert unit) 6b Input section 7 Mounting table 8 saucers 9 Grill heater 10 Convection heater 11 Circulation fan 11a Rotation detection unit 11b Current acquisition section 12 Fan drive unit 13 Flow path forming section 13a Flow path 13d opening 15 Magnetron 16 inverters 17 Cooling fan 18 Waveguide 19 Microwave supply unit 21 Microwave heating section 22 Hot air generation mechanism 22a Hot air generation space 23 Starla 24 Handle 25a 1st opening gathering part 25b 2nd opening gathering part 26 Catalyst 27 Air guide frame 27a No. 1 Air Guide 28 Hot air circulation frame 28a opening 29 Outer Frame 29a aperture 40 Water supply body 40a Steam Sensor 41 Frame 41a Gripping part 42 Temperature Sensor 43 Heater 45 Water Tank 45a Water level sensor 46 Tank body 46a Gripping part 46b Connection port 47 Water supply route 47a Water supply pipe 47b Solenoid valve 48 Heat transfer material 49 Lid 50 Temperature Sensor 51 Dry-burn detection sensor 90 Control Unit 101 Heating cooker 141 Frame 145 Connection

Claims

1. a heating chamber that accommodates an object to be heated; a convection heater that heats the air; a circulation fan that circulates air between the heating chamber and the convection heater; a water supplier that supplies steam to the air circulated by the circulation fan; and a notification unit that notifies the user that maintenance of the water supply body is required. A heating cooker characterized by:

2. A water tank for storing water to be supplied to the water supplier is provided. The cooking device according to claim 1 .

3. A connection for connection to an external water supply is provided, The water supplier receives water via the connection portion. The cooking device according to claim 1 .

4. a control unit that determines whether maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on at least one of the number of heating times or the heating time by the cooking device, and when it determines that maintenance is necessary, causes the notification unit to notify the user; The cooking device according to claim 1 .

5. a temperature sensor that measures the temperature inside the heating chamber; a control unit that determines whether or not maintenance of the water supplier is necessary based on the value detected by the temperature sensor, and when it determines that maintenance is necessary, causes the notification unit to notify the user. The cooking device according to claim 1 .

6. The control unit determines that maintenance of the water supplier is necessary when the detected value by the temperature sensor exceeds a reference value that is greater than the set temperature of the heating chamber, or when the time it takes for the temperature to drop to a predetermined temperature after heating by the convection heater has stopped exceeds a predetermined time, and issues a notification by the notification unit. The cooking device according to claim 5.

7. a rotation detection unit that detects the rotation speed of the circulation fan; a control unit that determines that maintenance of the water supply body is necessary when the detection value by the rotation detection unit exceeds a reference value, and issues a notification by the notification unit; The cooking device according to claim 1 .

8. a control unit that determines that maintenance of the water supplier is necessary when the input current of the circulation fan exceeds a reference value and issues a notification by the notification unit; The cooking device according to claim 1 .

9. a control unit that determines that maintenance of the water supply body is necessary when an amount of steam generated by the water supply body is less than a reference value, and causes the notification unit to notify the maintenance of the water supply body; The cooking device according to claim 1 .

10. an input unit that detects an input operation; the control unit accepts a change to the reference value via the input unit. The cooking device according to any one of claims 6 to 9.

Images