Heating Regulator

Abstract

The present invention provides a cooking device that suppresses the adsorption of odors from the food being cooked onto the sealing member, and also suppresses overcooking of the food being cooked. [Solution] The cooking control means determines, based on a detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13, whether the temperature of the food being cooked falls below a first temperature rise rate, which is a temperature change near 100°C, and also determines, based on a detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17, whether the temperature of the food being cooked falls below a second temperature rise rate, which is a temperature change near 100°C. The inner lid 6 has a lid packing 19 made of a fluorine-based elastic material that seals the space between the inner lid 6 and the pot 5 when the inner lid 6 is closed. The cooking control means is configured to reduce the output of the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 when it determines that the temperature has fallen below the first temperature rise rate or below the second temperature rise rate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking device in which a sealing member is provided between a pot containing food to be cooked and a lid covering the pot, and which heats and cooks the food contained in the pot. [Background technology]

[0002] In this type of cooking appliance, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a ring-shaped packing (9) made of silicone rubber is attached to the periphery of the lower surface of the inner lid (8). When the lid (3) is closed, the packing (9) of the inner lid (8) comes into contact with the upper end of the pot (20), sealing the upper end (23) of the pot (20) with the packing (9), thereby sealing the inside of the pot (20), and the contents to be cooked inside the pot (20) are heated by a body heater (4) or induction heating coil (5). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-112097 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] While silicone rubber has excellent heat resistance, steam resistance, and food hygiene properties, and is relatively inexpensive, it also has the characteristic of being highly permeable to gases, which presents a challenge in that it easily absorbs odors when used continuously for many years.

[0005] In recent years, rice cookers capable of cooking things other than rice have become known. However, if, for example, the food being cooked is overheated when using a rice cooker for a purpose other than cooking rice, it may burn unexpectedly, generating smoke, and the smell of this smoke may adhere to the gasket.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a cooking device that suppresses the adsorption of odors from the food being cooked onto the sealing member and also suppresses overcooking of the food being cooked. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a cooking appliance comprising: a pot for containing food to be cooked; a lid covering the upper opening of the pot; a pot temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pot; a lid temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the lid; a pot heating means for heating the pot; a lid heating means for heating the lid; and a determination means for determining temperature changes. The determination means determines, based on a detection signal from the pot temperature detection means, whether there has been a first temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food to be cooked to near 100°C; and also determines, based on a detection signal from the lid temperature detection means, whether there has been a second temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food to be cooked to near 100°C. The lid has a sealing member made of a fluorine-based elastic material that seals the space between the lid and the pot when the lid is closed. The invention is characterized in that, when the determination means determines that at least one of the first or second temperature changes has occurred, the output of the pot heating means and the lid heating means decreases. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the adsorption of odors from the food being cooked onto the sealing member, and to suppress overcooking of the cooked food. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heating appliance according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] The same as above, this is a magnified view of the cross-section of the pot. [Figure 3] The same as above, a block diagram of the electrical configuration. [Figure 4] The same as above, this is a plan view of the operating means and display means. [Figure 5]The graphs above show the changes in the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor and the lid temperature sensor when rice and water are placed in the pot as the food to be cooked, with the cursor positioned over the "200" temperature display area and the "Oven" button display area selected, and the graphs showing the changes in the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor and the lid temperature sensor when food to be cooked for normal oven heating is placed in the pot. [Figure 6] The graphs above show the changes in the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor and the lid temperature sensor when the "Cook Rice" button is selected and onions for waterless cooking are placed in the pot as the food to be cooked, and the graphs also show the changes in the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor and the lid temperature sensor when rice and water for normal rice cooking are placed in the pot. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of a pot for a cooking appliance according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a plan view of the operating means and display means of a heating cooker according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the heating appliance according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Common reference numerals will be used for common parts throughout all of these drawings. [Examples]

[0011] Figs. 1 to 6 show a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a cooking heater 1. First, based on Fig. 1, the overall configuration of the cooking heater 1 in this embodiment will be described. 2 is a main body with an open upper surface, and 3 is an openable and closable lid that covers the open upper surface of the main body 2. The appearance of the cooking heater 1 is constituted by the main body 2 and the lid 3. The main body 2 has an inner frame 4 as a pan accommodating portion with an open upper surface. When the lid 3 is opened, a bottomed cylindrical pan 5 for accommodating the cooking object is detachably accommodated. When the pan 5 is placed in the main body 2 and the lid 3 is closed, an inner lid 6 detachably attached to the lower surface portion of the lid 3 is configured to close the open upper surface of the pan 5. Here, in this embodiment, in a state where the lid 3 is closed, for example, a gap 7 is formed between the main body 2 and the lid 3 on the front side where a lid operation body 15 (described later) of the cooking heater 1 is disposed, and the gap 7 is configured to communicate with the outside air.

[0012] Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the pan 5. Referring to the figure, the pan 5 has a heat-conductive aluminum as a base material 8, and on the inner surface side of the pan 5, a coating layer 9 of a fluororesin such as PFA (ethylene tetrafluoride·perfluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer resin) or PTFE (ethylene tetrafluoride resin) is provided to prevent the cooked rice from sticking to the pan 5 after cooking. Also, on the outer surface side of the pan 5, a coating layer 10 mainly composed of polyether ether ketone resin (Poly Ether Ether Ketone: PEEK) is provided as a coating layer. Further, a heating element (not shown) made of a magnetic metal plate such as ferritic stainless steel is joined and provided from the lower side surface to the bottom of the outer surface of the pan 5.

[0013] Compared with fluororesins, polyethersulfone-based resins, epoxy resins, silicone resins, or modified types of these resins, which are materials often used in the coating layer on the outer surface side of conventional pans 5, polyetheretherketone resins have substantially equivalent performance in terms of heat resistance, abrasion resistance, non-stickiness, and food safety, and can ensure the quality of the appearance. In addition, since polyetheretherketone resins have the characteristics of low gas permeability and excellent gas barrier properties compared with silicone resins, they have the effect of suppressing the adsorption of odors on the outer surface layer of the pan 5, and since they have the characteristics of harder surface hardness and better abrasion resistance compared with fluororesins, when the pan 5 is used, the outer surface of the pan 5 is less likely to be scratched and is also difficult to chip. Therefore, the pan 5 of the present embodiment has the same level of practicality as a conventional pan 5 while suppressing the adsorption of anaerobic odors on the outer surface layer of the pan 5.

[0014] The inner frame 4 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and is formed so as to have a space between it and the outer surface of the accommodated pan 5. On the outer surface of the inner frame 4 facing the bottom surface from the lower part of the side surface where the heating element of the pan 5 is provided, an IH (induction heating) type pan heater 12 is arranged as heating means for heating the pan 5 to cook the object to be cooked. Note that the pan heater 12 of the present embodiment employs a configuration in which the pan 5 is electromagnetically induction heated with an output of about 1000 to 1200 W, but this is an example, and the type and output of the pan heater 12 are not limited to this. Also, in the present embodiment, a configuration in which the upper part of the side surface of the pan 5 is not heated is adopted, but on the outer surface of the inner frame 4 facing the upper part of the side surface of the pan 5, as heating means, for example, a side heater using a cord heater may be provided.

[0015] An insertion hole 4a is provided in the center of the inner frame 4, and a thermistor-type pot temperature sensor 13 is installed in the main body 2, passing through this insertion hole 4a and contacting the inner center of the outer bottom surface, which is the outer surface of the bottom of the pot 5. The pot temperature sensor 13, which serves as the pot temperature detection means, detects the temperature of the bottom of the pot 5, and the control means 31 (see Figure 3), which will be described later, is configured to control the pot heater 12 mainly based on the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13. The pot temperature sensor 13 may be configured as a non-contact type sensor, such as an infrared sensor.

[0016] A steam vent 14 is provided on the upper surface of the lid 3 to discharge steam generated from the food being cooked in the pot 5 to the outside of the cooking appliance. A lid operating body 15, which serves as a lid opening mechanism, is exposed on the front upper surface of the lid 3. When this lid operating body 15 is pressed, the engagement between the main body 2 and the lid 3 is released, and the lid 3 opens around a hinge shaft 16 located at the rear lower part of the lid 3, which is pivoted by a hinge spring (not shown) located at the upper rear of the main body 2.

[0017] The lid 3, which opens and closes the upper opening of the main body 2, is equipped with a thermistor-type lid temperature sensor 17 for detecting the temperature of the inner lid 6, and a lid heater 18, such as a cord heater. In this embodiment, the lid heater 18 heats the inner lid 6 with an output of, for example, 100 to 200 W, raising the temperature of the inner lid 6 and the inside of the pot 5, and functions as a lid heating means. When the inner lid 6 is attached to the lid 3, the lid temperature sensor 17 contacts the upper surface of the inner lid 6, and the lid heater 18 is positioned opposite the upper surface of the inner lid 6. The control means 31 is configured to control the output of the lid heater 18 mainly based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17. Note that this configuration is just an example, and the type and output of the lid heater 18 are not limited to this.

[0018] The inner lid 6 is made of a metal material and has a disc shape with approximately the same diameter as the upper opening of the pot 5. To seal the space between the pot 5 and the inner lid 6, a lid packing 19 is provided around the entire outer circumference of the inner lid 6 as a sealing member. When the lid 3 is closed, this lid packing 19 abuts against the upper surface and inner side surface of the upper end, which is the opening of the pot 5, thereby sealing the gap between the pot 5 and the inner lid 6. In this embodiment, the lid packing 19 is made of fluororubber, which is a fluorine-based elastic material with lower gas permeability than silicone-based rubber.

[0019] To explain odor here, when odorous substances evaporate in the gas phase and become particulate or gaseous, that is, a gas, a person perceives the odor when these odorous substances reach the nasal cavity, the space from near the nostrils to near the pharynx. To explain gas permeability from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side using rubber as an example, gas molecules on the high-pressure side dissolve in the rubber and enter the rubber, then these gas molecules diffuse through the rubber and pass through, and finally, on the low-pressure side, these gas molecules diffuse out of the rubber to the outside environment and exit the rubber. Therefore, the reason why elastic materials such as silicone rubber and natural rubber have high gas permeability is that they have fine voids that do not allow water molecules to pass through but allow gas molecules to pass through. Furthermore, if the lid gasket 19 is made of silicone rubber with high gas permeability, when the moisture in the food being cooked in the pot 5 boils during cooking and the internal pressure of the pot 5 increases, the gas of odor components vaporized from the food being cooked seeps into the inside of the lid gasket 19 due to the internal pressure of the pot 5, and as mentioned above, odor substances can easily be adsorbed onto the lid gasket 19. However, in this embodiment, since the lid gasket 19 is made of fluororubber, compared to silicone rubber, the amount of odor component gas remaining inside the lid gasket 19 is reduced, and the adsorption of odor substances onto the lid gasket 19 is suppressed.

[0020] A steam vent 6a is provided approximately in the center of the inner lid 6, and a pressure regulating valve 21 is positioned above this steam vent 6a. Therefore, the pressure regulating valve 21 is positioned in the middle of the steam passage space 22 that connects the inside of the pot 5 with the outside of the lid 3, i.e., the outside of the cooking appliance 1 (outside the machine). When the pressure regulating valve 21 opens the steam vent 6a, and the steam vent 6a and the steam port 14 are connected, opening the steam passage space 22, the inside of the pot 5 can be maintained at atmospheric pressure regardless of heating of the pot 5. When pressurizing the inside of the pot 5, the steam passage space 22 is closed by closing the steam vent 6a with the pressure regulating valve 21, thereby sealing all openings of the pot 5. Then, when the pot 5 and the food being cooked are heated by the pot heater 12, lid heater 18, etc., steam is generated from the food being cooked, increasing the internal pressure of the pot 5 and thus pressurizing the inside of the pot 5. Furthermore, a hole 6b is provided in the inner lid 6, and a pressure sensor 23 is positioned above this hole 6b to detect the pressure inside the pot 5. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 23 has a diaphragm or the like in the pressure-receiving part, and a strain gauge is positioned on the surface of the diaphragm. Pressure detection is performed by detecting the strain caused by the deformation of the diaphragm under pressure using the strain gauge, but this is just one example, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 23 is positioned inside the steam passage space 22, but it may be configured to be positioned outside the steam passage space 22 as long as the pressure inside the pot 5 can be detected.

[0021] Figure 3 shows the electrical configuration of the heating cooker 1 in this embodiment. In the figure, 31 is a control means incorporated inside the main body 2 or lid 3. As is well known, this control means 31 includes a CPU as a calculation processing means, a storage means 32 such as memory as a storage medium, a timing means such as a timer for measuring various times such as the time and cooking time, and input / output devices. In addition to the aforementioned pot temperature sensor 13, lid temperature sensor 17, and pressure sensor 23, the operating means 33 is electrically connected to the input port of the control means 31. In addition to the aforementioned pot heater 12, lid heater 18, and pressure regulating valve 21, the display means 34 is electrically connected to the output port of the control means 31.

[0022] The display means 34 displays the settings and progress of the heating process for display, notification, and operation purposes, while the operation means 33 enables various operation inputs related to the heating process. Although not shown in the figure, an operation panel PC (printed circuit board) is located on the back of the operation means 33 and the display means 34 to control the display means 34 and the operation means 33.

[0023] The control means 31 receives operation signals from the operation means 33 and temperature detection signals from the pot temperature sensor 13 and lid temperature sensor 17, and outputs a display control signal to the display means 34 at a predetermined timing based on timing from the built-in timing means, and also outputs heating control signals to the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18, respectively, and outputs a drive control signal to the pressure regulating valve 21. The functions of the control means 31 are realized by the control means 31 reading a program that has been previously recorded in the storage means 32, but in this embodiment in particular, the control means 31 is equipped with a program that makes it function as a cooking control means 35 and a display / operation control means 36.

[0024] The cooking control means 35 receives an instruction from the operating means 33 to start cooking, performs the heating process of the food to be cooked placed in the pot 5, controls the heating process of the food to be cooked inside the pot 5 at a desired pressure, and, if the cooking course includes a warming process, automatically performs a warming process to keep the food to be cooked at a predetermined temperature after the heating process is completed. The cooking control means 35 also has a reservation control function that receives an instruction from the operating means 33 for reserved heating or reserved warming, and performs heating control so that the heating process is completed at a set time, or warming control so that the warming process, which heats the food to be cooked placed in the pot 5 to a predetermined temperature range, is completed at a set time. The display and operation control means 36 generates various control signals based on the operation signals from the operating means 33 and controls the display operation of the display means 34.

[0025] In the heating cooker 1 of this embodiment, cooking courses and reheating courses corresponding to each setting are stored in the storage means 32, and the settings of the stored cooking courses and reheating courses are displayed in a selectable manner on the display means 34, and the cooking course or reheating course is selected and set by making these settings. The settings of the selected or set cooking course or reheating course are then stored in the storage means 32, and the cooking control means 35 performs heating control of the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18, and driving control of the pressure regulating valve 21, i.e., heating cooking control and reheating control for each of the set cooking courses or reheating courses.

[0026] Figure 4 is a plan view of the operating means 33 and display means 34 of this embodiment. Referring to this figure, the display means 34 consists of an LCD 41 as a screen display unit and an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display unit 42 as a status display unit for displaying various information related to cooking. The LED display unit 42 displays the actual status of the heating cooker 1. In this embodiment, the display and operation control means 36 controls the LED display unit 42 so that the "Reservation" process LED display unit 42-1 lights up when the cooking control means 35 is performing reservation control, the "Keep Warm" process LED display unit 42-2 lights up when the keep-warm process is being performed, and the "Cooking" LED display unit 42-3 lights up when the heating cooking process is being performed. Note that these are just examples, and the present invention is not limited to these configurations. For example, an LED display unit for "Pressurized" that lights up when the inside of the pot 5 is under pressure may be added. Furthermore, the color of light emitted by each LED display unit 42 may be different when lit, allowing the user to understand the current status of the cooking appliance 1 at a glance.

[0027] In Figure 4, LCD 41 shows the top screen G1. When the user plugs the power plug, which is pre-installed on the main unit 2, into a household outlet, the necessary power is supplied to each part of the heating appliance 1. At this time, the display and operation control means 36 displays the layout of the top screen G1 on LCD 41 as the initial screen for normal use, which is displayed on LCD 41 after a predetermined time has elapsed or on a predetermined startup display screen.

[0028] Referring to Figure 4, the top screen G1 is described as follows: at its top, there is a temperature display area A1 with five temperature indicators D1 to D5 arranged vertically, a time display area A2 with five time indicators D6 to D10 arranged vertically, and a cooking course display area A3 with three button display sections B13 to B15 arranged vertically, all arranged horizontally. In the temperature display area A1, the cursor C1 is positioned over the temperature indicator D3 which reads "200," and it is lit up along with the text indicator D11 which reads "℃," while the other temperature indicators D1, D2, D4, and D5 are all grayed out. In the time display area A2, the cursor C2 is positioned over the time indicator D8 which reads "20," and it is lit up along with the text indicator D12 which reads "minutes," while the other temperature indicators D6, D7, D9, and D10 are all grayed out. In the cooking course display area A3, the "Rice Cooking" button display area B13 includes the text display element D13 that reads "Rice Cooking". Similarly, the "Simmered Dish" button display area B14 includes the text display element D14 that reads "Simmered Dish", and the "Oven" button display area B15 includes the text display element D15 that reads "Oven". Also, in the cooking course display area A3 of Figure 4, the cursor C3 is positioned over the "Oven" button display area B15 and it is illuminated, the text display element D15 that reads "Oven" is inverted, and the other button display areas B13 and B14 are all grayed out.

[0029] The temperature display area A1 and time display area A2 display the temperatures and times of cooking and reheating courses stored in the storage means 32. The temperature and time are selected by moving cursors C1 and C2 over the temperature and time displays. The placement of the "℃" text display D11 at the cursor C1 location suggests to the user that the current setting, for example, the setting in Figure 4, is "200℃". Similarly, the placement of the "minutes" text display D12 at the cursor C2 location suggests to the user that the current setting, for example, the setting in Figure 4, is "20 minutes". In this embodiment, the temperature display area A1 and time display area A2 employ a method of displaying the temperature and time displays in a drum-roll-like rotation. In the temperature display area A1, in addition to the five temperature displays D1 to D5, temperatures stored in the storage means 32 can also be displayed. In the time display area A2, in addition to the five time displays D6 to D10, times stored in the storage means 32 can also be displayed. Furthermore, the temperature display area A1 and the time display area A2 use a method where the temperature display and time display are moved up and down without moving cursors C1 and C2, making it easy to find the temperature and time. To explain the case where the cooking course is "rice cooking," when the "rice cooking" course is selected, the temperature and time for heating are automatically set, so the five temperature display elements D1-D5 in the temperature display area A1 and the five time display elements D6-D10 in the time display area A2 are all grayed out, and the temperature and time cannot be selected.

[0030] The cooking course display area A3 displays the names of the cooking courses in a list, and by moving the cursor C3 over the button display area B14 or B15, the cooking course for the temperature and time selected in the temperature display area A1 or time display area A2 is selected. The storage means 32 also stores the cooking courses for each time and temperature for each cooking course, and by moving the cursor C3 over the button display area B14 or B15, these cooking courses are selected for the temperature and time selected in the temperature display area A1 or time display area A2. As mentioned above, if the cursor C3 is moved over the "rice cooking" button display area B13 and the "rice cooking" menu is selected, the temperature and time for heating are automatically set.

[0031] Below the temperature display area A1, the time display area A2, and the cooking course display area A3, there is a time display area A4 which displays a time display unit D18, a "Reservation" button display unit B16 located to the left of the time display unit D18 and arranged vertically, which includes a text display unit D16 that says "Reservation" suggesting that the numbers displayed on the time display unit D18 indicate the set reservation time, a "Current" button display unit B17 that includes a text display unit D17 that says "Current" suggesting that the numbers displayed on the time display unit D18 indicate the current time, and a "Next" button display unit B19 located to the right of the time display unit D18 and arranged vertically, which includes a text display unit D19 that says "△", and a "Back" button display unit B20 that includes a text display unit D20 that says "▽". The system is configured so that the number displayed on the time display unit D18 is either the reservation time or the current time, depending on whether the cursor C4 is positioned over either the button display unit B16 or B17. For example, in the example in Figure 4, the cursor C4 is positioned over the "Current" button display unit B17, and the "Reservation" button display unit B16 is grayed out, indicating that the number displayed on the time display unit D18 is the current time. If the cursor C4 is positioned over the "Reservation" button display unit B16 and the number displayed on the time display unit D18 is the reservation time, the system is configured so that the number displayed on the time display unit D18 can be changed and the reservation time set by touching the "Forward" button display unit B19 or the "Back" button display unit B20.

[0032] Furthermore, when the cursor is moved to the "Reserve" button display section B16 and selected, the display and operation control means 36 controls the LCD 41 to display the reserved time stored in the storage means 32 on the time display unit D18. The value of this displayed time can be adjusted by operating the "Forward" button display section B19 or the text display unit D15.

[0033] The operating means 33 consists of a reservation key 44, a keep-warm key 45, a cooking key 46, and a turn-off key 47, which are arranged vertically on the right side of the LCD 41 in a position that does not overlap with the LCD 41, and a touch sensor 48 which is positioned to overlap with the display areas A1 to A4 of the LCD 41 as the display screen. Here, each of the keys 44 to 47 cannot be operated by user touch operation, but functions as a push-type operating means such as a tact switch that can be operated by pressing, while the touch sensor 48 is connected to the aforementioned operation panel PC board and functions as a non-push-type operating means such as a touch key that can be operated by user touch operation.

[0034] The reservation key 44 is operated when the cooking control means 35 starts reservation control. After setting the course in the course display area A1, cooking course display area A3, and time display area A4, pressing the reservation key 44 causes the cooking control means 35 to receive the operation signal from the reservation key 44 and perform heating and cooking control so that the heating and cooking process is completed at the reservation time set in the time display area A4. If the cooking course includes a keep-warm process, the system is configured to start the keep-warm process after the cooking is completed.

[0035] The warming key 45 is operated when the cooking control means 35 starts the warming process. When the warming key 45 is pressed, the cooking control means 35 is controlled to start the warming process.

[0036] The cooking key 46 is operated when the cooking control means 35 starts the heating cooking process. When the cooking key 46 is pressed, the cooking control means 35 is controlled to start the heating cooking process according to the conditions set in the temperature display area A1, the time display area A2, and the cooking course display area A3.

[0037] The off key 37 is operated when the heating or warming process is stopped. When the off key 47 is pressed, the cooking control means 35 stops the heating and warming control for the food being cooked in the main unit 2 and switches it to the off state.

[0038] The touch sensor 48 consists of multiple touch keys, each comprising a transparent electrode made of conductive polymer and a contact portion connected to the PC board of the operation panel, connected by pattern wiring. By touching one of the displays or display units shown on the LCD 41 below the touch sensor 48, the touch key corresponding to that display or display unit is touched, and the display or display unit is selected.

[0039] Next, with reference to Figures 5 and 6, the operation of the heating cooker 1 with the above configuration in the heating cooking process will be explained. Figure 5 shows, for example, a food to be cooked for "rice cooking" or a food to be cooked for "simmering," where rice and water are placed in the pot 5, and the detected temperature t of the pot temperature sensor 13 is when the cursor C1 is positioned on the temperature display unit D3 of "200" in the temperature display area A1 as shown in Figure 3, and the "oven" button display unit B15 is selected. P and the temperature t detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 L A graph showing the trend, and the detected temperature t of the pot temperature sensor 13 in the case of normal oven heating. UP1 and the temperature t detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 UL1 This graph shows the trend. Figure 6 shows, for example, the temperature t detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 when the "rice cooking" button display section B13 is selected, with the food being cooked being an onion for waterless cooking placed in pot 5 as the food being cooked in the "oven". P and the temperature t detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 L A graph showing the trend, and the detected temperature t of the pot temperature sensor 13 in the case of normal "rice cooking". UP2 and the temperature t detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 UL2 This graph shows the trend over time.

[0040] First, the lid 3 is opened and the pot 5 is removed. After placing the ingredients to be cooked into the pot 5, the pot 5 is placed back into the inner frame 4 and the lid 3 is closed. Here, we will explain the case where rice and water are placed in the pot 5 as ingredients. Around the same time, when the power plug of the heating appliance 1 is plugged into the outlet and power is turned on, the heating appliance 1 enters an initial off (standby) state where no heating is taking place, and the display / operation control means 36 controls the LCD 41 to display the top screen G1.

[0041] Then, select the cooking course on the main screen G1. Here, we will explain with reference to Figure 5 the case where the normal "Oven" cooking course is selected, for example, when the cursor C1 is moved to the temperature indicator D3 showing "200" in the temperature display area A1, the cursor C1 is moved to the time indicator D8 showing "20" in the time display area A2, and the cursor C3 is moved to the "Oven" button display area B15.

[0042] After setting on the main screen G1, pressing the cooking key 46 causes the cooking control means 35 to store the setting of the cooking course currently displayed on the main screen G1 as the setting for the current cooking course in the storage means 32. The cooking control means 35 also starts heating the food to be cooked in the pot 5 according to the heating pattern of the set cooking course, and the display / operation control means 36 controls the LED display unit 42 so that the "Cooking" LED display unit 42-3 lights up.

[0043] When the heating process begins, the system transitions to a heating process, and the cooking control means 35 controls the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 to supply power, heating the bottom of the pot 5 and the inner lid 6, thereby heating the food being cooked inside the pot 5. During the heating process until the food being cooked is detected to boil, the cooking control means 35 controls the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 to supply continuous power, thereby strongly heating the food being cooked inside the pot 5. Based on the temperature detection of the bottom of the pot 5 by the pot temperature sensor 13 and the temperature detection of the inner lid 6 by the lid temperature sensor 17, the food being cooked is quickly raised to a boiling point.

[0044] Specifically, when the temperature-rising process starts, the cooking control means 35 controls the continuous energization of the pot heater 12. Also, the cooking control means 35 controls the pressure regulating valve 21 so as to block the steam passage space 22. After that, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13 that the temperature of the pot 5 has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example, 90°C or higher, and in addition, when it detects from the temperature detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17 that the temperature of the inner lid 6 has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example, 90°C or higher, it calculates the temperature rising rate of the pot 5, which is the change in temperature near 100°C of the pot temperature sensor 13, that is, how much the detected temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13 rises in a predetermined time, and also calculates the temperature rising rate of the inner lid 6, which is the change in temperature near 100°C of the lid temperature sensor 17, that is, how much the detected temperature of the lid temperature sensor 17 rises in a predetermined time.

[0045] Here, when the food to be cooked contained in the pot 5 is an ingredient for oven-free cooking such as an onion, for example, the detected temperature t UP1 As shown in, the slope of the detected temperature near 100°C of the pot temperature sensor 13 is substantially equal to the slope of the detected temperature before the predetermined temperature of 90°C, and the detected temperature t of the lid temperature sensor 17 UL1As shown, the gradient of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 near 100°C is approximately the same as the gradient of the temperature detected before 90°C. At this time, the cooking control means 35 determines that the gradient of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 exceeds a predetermined first temperature rise rate, for example, 3°C or less in 120 seconds, and the gradient of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 exceeds a predetermined second temperature rise rate, for example, 1°C or less in 60 seconds, and continues to strongly heat the food being cooked in the pot 5 by continuing to power the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18. Subsequently, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13 that the temperature at the bottom of the pot 5 has reached a set temperature, for example, 200°C, it moves to a temperature maintenance step in which it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 to maintain the temperature at the set temperature based on the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13. Furthermore, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the lid temperature sensor 17 that the temperature of the inner lid 6 has reached a set temperature, for example 200°C, it controls the lid heater 18 to turn off power based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17, so that the temperature of the inner lid 6 is maintained at the aforementioned set temperature. When the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that a set time, for example 20 minutes, has elapsed since the start of cooking, the temperature maintenance process ends, and it controls the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 to stop power supply, thus ending the cooking process.

[0046] On the other hand, if the food to be cooked in pot 5 is rice and water, as in this case, a large amount of moisture is contained in pot 5, so the detection temperature t in frame F is P As shown, the slope of the detected temperature near 100°C of the pot temperature sensor 13 becomes gentler compared to the slope of the detected temperature before the predetermined temperature of 90°C, and the detected temperature t in frame F LAs shown, the slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 near 100°C becomes gentler compared to the slope of the temperature detected before 90°C. At this time, the cooking control means 35 determines that the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is not food for oven waterless cooking, but food for rice cooking or simmering. This determination is made when the slope of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 is below the first temperature rise rate, and the slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 is below the second temperature rise rate, and this state continues for a predetermined period of time C, such as 10 to 60 seconds. The cooking control means 35 then reduces the output of the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18, controlling the power supply to the pot heater 12 so that the temperature of the pot 5 is maintained at a predetermined temperature, such as 100°C or higher, based on the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13. At the same time, it controls the lid heater 18 to be continuously powered so that the temperature of the inner lid 6 is maintained at a predetermined temperature, such as 100°C or higher, based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17. From time C, the boiling state of the food being cooked is maintained for a predetermined time RT, such as 15 to 20 minutes. Therefore, the cooking control means 35 has the function of a determination means that determines whether a first temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food being cooked near 100°C, has been detected by the pot temperature sensor 13, and whether a second temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food being cooked near 100°C, has been detected by the lid temperature sensor 17. The cooking control means 35 may be configured to determine that the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is for rice cooking or for simmering when it determines that the slope of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 is less than or equal to a first temperature rise rate, or that the slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 is less than or equal to a second temperature rise rate, and that this condition continues for a predetermined period of time.

[0047] As shown in frame D, when the cooking control means 35 calculates from the temperature detected by the pot sensor 22 during a predetermined time RT that the temperature at the bottom of the pot 14 has risen to a predetermined rate of increase, such as 0.5°C or more in 10 seconds, the cooking control means 35 detects the change in the rate of increase of the temperature of the pot 5, determines that the water inside the pot 5 has evaporated, and determines that the food being cooked inside the pot 5 is food for cooking rice. Furthermore, when the temperature detected by the pot sensor 22 reaches a predetermined dry-up temperature, the cooking control means 35 determines that the food being cooked inside the pot 5 is finished cooking.

[0048] Subsequently, the cooking control means 35 controls the lid heater 18 to turn on and off based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 to manage the temperature and prevent condensation from forming on the inner lid 6. It also continues to control the pot heater 12 to turn on and off so that the temperature inside the pot 5 is maintained at a high enough level to prevent the rice from burning, thereby managing the temperature at the bottom of the pot 5. The cooking control means 35 also controls the pressure regulating valve 21 to open the steam passage space 22, returning the pressure inside the pot 5 to atmospheric pressure and releasing the steam inside the pot 5 to the outside of the cooking appliance 1.

[0049] When the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that a predetermined time RT has elapsed from time C, it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 to stop, and at time E, the heating and cooking process is completed, and the process moves to a warming step in which the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is maintained at a warming temperature, for example, 70°C to 76°C.

[0050] Thus, in the heating appliance 1 of this embodiment, even if the wrong cooking course, such as the "oven" course, is selected for the rice and water to be cooked in the pot 5, it is possible to suppress undercooking due to insufficient heating and excessive burning due to overheating.

[0051] Next, we will explain the case where onions are added to pot 5 as an ingredient. Then, referring to Figure 6, we will explain the case where the normal "rice cooking" course is selected, for example, when the cursor C3 is moved to the "rice cooking" button display area B13 on the main screen G1.

[0052] After setting on the main screen G1, pressing the cooking key 46 causes the cooking control means 35 to store the setting of the cooking course currently displayed on the main screen G1 as the setting for the current cooking course in the storage means 32. The cooking control means 35 also starts heating the food to be cooked in the pot 5 according to the heating pattern of the set cooking course, and the display / operation control means 36 controls the LED display unit 42 so that the "Cooking" LED display unit 42-3 lights up.

[0053] Once cooking begins, the process moves to the soaking stage. The cooking control means 35 controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 to raise and maintain the water temperature in the pot 5 to a predetermined temperature, for example, 40°C to a maximum of 60°C, preferably 45°C to 55°C, based on the temperature detection of the bottom of the pot 5 by the pot temperature sensor 13, for a predetermined time of, for example, 10 to 20 minutes, thereby promoting water absorption by the rice. When the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that the predetermined soaking stage has elapsed, it moves to the boiling stage.

[0054] When the process moves to the boiling heating stage, the cooking control means 35 controls the pot heater 12 to continuously supply power to the pot heater 12 so that the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is heated more strongly than in the soaking cooking stage, and continues heating until boiling of the food to be cooked is detected. The cooking control means 35 also controls the pressure regulating valve 21 to close the steam passage space 22. Subsequently, the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13 that the temperature of the pot 5 has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example, 90°C or higher, and in addition, detects from the temperature detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17 that the temperature of the inner lid 6 has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example, 90°C or higher, and calculates the temperature change of the pot temperature sensor 13 near 100°C, that is, the slope of the detected temperature, which is how much the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 rises in a predetermined time. The cooking control means 35 also calculates from the temperature change of the lid temperature sensor 17 near 100°C, that is, the slope of the detected temperature, which is how much the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 rises in a predetermined time.

[0055] If the contents to be cooked in the pot 5 are rice and water, then, as described above, the slope of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 near 100°C becomes gentler compared to the slope of the temperature detected before the predetermined temperature of 90°C, and the slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 near 100°C also becomes gentler compared to the slope of the temperature detected before 90°C. At this time, the cooking control means 35 determines that the temperature slope of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 is less than or equal to the first temperature rise rate, and the temperature slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 is less than or equal to the second temperature rise rate, and that this state continues for a predetermined period of time. At this point, the cooking control means 35 determines that the contents to be cooked in the pot 5 are ingredients for rice cooking or ingredients for simmering, and that boiling of the contents to be cooked has been detected, and proceeds to the next boiling continuation step. The cooking control means 35 may be configured to determine that the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is food for cooking rice or food for simmering, and that boiling of the food to be cooked has been detected, when the slope of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 is less than or equal to a first temperature rise rate, or the slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 is less than or equal to a second temperature rise rate, and this condition has continued for a predetermined period of time.

[0056] When the cooking process transitions to the boiling continuation stage, the cooking control means 35 controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 so that the temperature of the pot 5 reaches and maintains a predetermined temperature, such as 98°C or higher, based on the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13. At the same time, it controls the power supply to the lid heater 18 so that the temperature of the inner lid 6 maintains a predetermined temperature, such as 98°C or higher, based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17, thereby continuing the boiling state of the food being cooked. Furthermore, once the cooking process transitions to the boiling continuation stage, the cooking control means 35 controls the pressure regulating valve 21 to periodically open and close the steam discharge path 22 in order to repeatedly change the pressure inside the pot 5 between normal pressure and a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0057] Subsequently, when the cooking control means 35 calculates from the temperature detected by the pot sensor 22 that the temperature at the bottom of the pot 14 has risen to a predetermined rate of temperature rise or higher, as described above, the cooking control means 35 determines that it has detected a change in the rate of temperature rise of the pot 5. Furthermore, when the temperature detected by the pot sensor 22 reaches a predetermined dry-up temperature, the cooking control means 35 determines that it has detected that the food being cooked inside the pot 5 is finished cooking and proceeds to the steaming process.

[0058] When the steaming process begins, the cooking control means 35 controls the temperature by switching the lid heater 18 on and off based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17, as described above, to prevent condensation from forming on the inner lid 6. At the same time, it continues to control the pot heater 12 on and off to maintain a high temperature so that the rice inside the pot 5 does not burn, thereby managing the temperature at the bottom of the pot 5. The cooking control means 35 also controls the pressure regulating valve 21 to open the steam passage space 22, returning the pressure inside the pot 5 to atmospheric pressure and releasing the steam inside the pot 5 to the outside of the cooking appliance 1.

[0059] When the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that the steaming process has elapsed, it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 to stop, ending the heating process and moving on to the warming process.

[0060] Next, in the boiling heating process, if the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is an ingredient for oven waterless cooking such as onions, the cooking control means 35 calculates the slope of the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 and also calculates the slope of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17. At this time, the cooking control means 35 calculates the temperature t detected in the frame U P As shown, the slope of the detected temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13 near 100°C is calculated to be approximately the same as the slope of the detected temperature before the predetermined temperature of 90°C, and the slope of the detected temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13 exceeds the first temperature rise rate, and the detected temperature t of the lid temperature sensor 17 in the frame U LAs shown, the gradient of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 near 100°C is calculated to be approximately the same as the gradient of the temperature detected before 90°C. When it is determined that the gradient of the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 exceeds the second temperature rise rate, it is determined that the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is not food for rice cooking, but food for oven waterless cooking. The cooking control means 35 then continues to strongly heat the food to be cooked in the pot 5 by continuously controlling the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 to continuously supply power.

[0061] Subsequently, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13 that the temperature at the bottom of the pot 5 has reached the heating cooking temperature T, it moves to a temperature maintenance process in which it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 to maintain the temperature at the bottom of the pot 5 at the heating cooking temperature T for the heating cooking time OT, based on the temperature detected from the pot temperature sensor 13. In this embodiment, the settings for heating cooking performed so far are stored in the storage means 32, and the heating cooking temperature T and heating cooking time OT are set by calculating the average temperature and time from the usage history of the "oven" cooking courses performed so far. For example, if the usage history of the "oven" cooking courses stored in the storage means 32 is "150℃ / 15 minutes", "175℃ / 20 minutes", and "200℃ / 25 minutes", the heating cooking temperature T is set to "175℃" and the heating cooking time OT is set to "20 minutes". Furthermore, for situations where the "oven" cooking course is not used at all, the initial settings may be configured to use commonly used values, such as the heating temperature T being "175°C" and the heating time OT being "20 minutes".

[0062] Furthermore, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17 that the temperature of the inner lid 6 has reached the heating cooking temperature T, it controls the lid heater 18 to turn off power based on the temperature detected from the lid temperature sensor 17 so that the temperature of the inner lid 6 is maintained at the heating cooking temperature T.

[0063] Then, when the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that the heating time OT has elapsed since the start of the temperature maintenance process, the temperature maintenance process ends, and the power supply to the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 is stopped, thus ending the heating process.

[0064] Thus, in the heating cooker 1 of this embodiment, even if the wrong cooking course, such as "rice cooking," is selected for the onions to be cooked in the pot 5, it is possible to prevent the onions from not being cooked through due to insufficient heating, and to prevent excessive burning due to overheating.

[0065] As described above, the heating cooker 1 of this embodiment includes a pot 5 for containing the food to be cooked, an inner lid 6 as a lid covering the upper opening of the pot 5, a pot temperature sensor 13 as a pot temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pot 5, a lid temperature sensor 17 as a lid temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the inner lid 6, a pot heater 12 as a pot heating means for heating the pot 5, a lid heater 18 as a lid heating means for heating the inner lid 6, and a cooking control means 35 as a determination means for determining whether the temperature rise rate is below a first temperature rise rate and below a second temperature rise rate. The cooking control means 35 detects the temperature of the food to be cooked near 100°C based on the detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13. The system determines whether the temperature has fallen below a first temperature rise rate, which is a first temperature change, and also determines, based on the detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17, whether the temperature has fallen below a second temperature rise rate, which is a second temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food being cooked, near 100°C. The inner lid 6 has a lid packing 19, which is a sealing member made of a fluorine-based elastic material that seals the space between the inner lid 6 and the pot 5 when the inner lid 6 is closed. The system is configured such that the output of the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 decreases when the cooking control means 35 determines that the temperature has fallen below at least one of the first temperature rise rate or the second temperature rise rate.

[0066] With this configuration, the lid packing 19 is made of fluororubber, a fluororesin-based elastic material with lower gas permeability than silicone rubber, which suppresses the adsorption of odors from the food being cooked onto the lid packing 19. Furthermore, by determining whether the temperature rise rate of the pot 5 and inner lid 6 near 100°C falls below a first temperature rise rate or below a second temperature rise rate, it is possible to determine whether the food being cooked is for oven waterless cooking, rice cooking, or simmering. If the food being cooked is for rice cooking or simmering, the output of the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 is reduced, which prevents the heated rice cooking or simmering ingredients from being overcooked.

[0067] Furthermore, in the heating cooker 1 of this embodiment, the output of the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 is maintained when the cooking control means 35 determines that neither the first temperature rise rate nor the second temperature rise rate has been reached. When the food being cooked is an ingredient for oven waterless cooking, the output of the pot heater 12 and lid heater 18 is maintained to strongly continue heating the ingredient in the pot 5, thereby preventing the food from not being cooked through due to insufficient heating.

[0068] Furthermore, in the heating cooker 1 of this embodiment, the first temperature change is defined as the temperature gradient of the pot 5 becoming less than or equal to the first rate of temperature increase, and the second temperature change is defined as the temperature gradient of the inner lid 6 becoming less than or equal to the second rate of temperature increase. From the temperature gradient of the pot 5 and the temperature gradient of the inner lid 6 around 100°C, it is possible to determine whether the food to be cooked in the pot 5 is for oven waterless cooking, for rice cooking, or for simmering.

[0069] Furthermore, the pot 5 of this embodiment is configured to have a coating layer 10 on its outer surface that has lower gas permeability and higher abrasion resistance than silicone resin, and is harder than fluororesin, making it less likely for the outer surface of the pot 5 to be scratched or worn down during use.

[0070] Furthermore, the coating layer 10 of this embodiment is mainly composed of polyether ether ketone resin, which makes it less likely for the outer surface of the pot 5 to be scratched or worn down during use.

[0071] Figure 7 shows a modified version of the first embodiment. In this modified version, the bottom surface of the pot 5' is provided with irregularities, and a double layer of ceramics is provided on the outer surface of the pot 5'.

[0072] Kitchen work is often done on countertops and other surfaces. There are many materials that can be used for these countertops, such as stainless steel, artificial marble (acrylic resin or unsaturated polyester resin), natural stone, ceramics, melamine resin, tiles, and wood, but stainless steel and artificial / man-made marble are the most commonly used. These materials have different hardness levels. For example, if we use the pencil hardness scale, which is an index that expresses hardness based on the hardness of a pencil lead, the hardness of these materials can be expressed as follows: 2B is wood, 4H is stainless steel and artificial / man-made marble, 6H is melamine resin, and 9H is glass-based and natural stone-containing polyester.

[0073] When stainless steel is used as the material for the counter, it has excellent water resistance, heat resistance, and durability, and is easy to clean, but it is prone to fine scratches. Similarly, when stainless steel is used as the material for artificial marble, artificial marble is made of acrylic or polyester resin, so it has excellent water resistance and durability, but its heat resistance is only about 200°C, and like stainless steel, it is prone to scratches. As mentioned above, most stainless steel and artificial / engineered marble have a pencil hardness of about 4H. Therefore, if the coating on the outer bottom surface of the 5' pot is too soft compared to the hardness of the counter, when the outer bottom surface of the 5' pot comes into contact with the counter when washing rice or measuring water, the outer bottom surface of the 5' pot will rub against the counter, causing the coating on the outer bottom surface of the 5' pot to gradually wear away over time, potentially exposing the base material. On the other hand, if the coating on the outer bottom surface of the pot 5' is too hard compared to the hardness of the counter, the outer bottom surface of the pot 5' may rub against the counter when it comes into contact with it, potentially scratching the counter.

[0074] Therefore, in the modified pot 5', the outer coating layer 51 of the pot 5' is doubled, and the outer ceramic layer 51-2 uses a material that has low friction and a pencil hardness of 4H to 7H compared to the counter material. In particular, in this modified example, assuming that the counter material is stainless steel or artificial marble, which are the mainstream materials, for example, if the coefficient of friction of stainless steel is 0.2, the ceramic layer 51-2 uses a material with a coefficient of friction of 0.1 or less and a pencil hardness of 4H to 7H.

[0075] Referring to Figure 7, the first ceramic layer 51-1, which is the inner layer of the coating layer 51 in this modified example, mainly consists of 60% silicon dioxide (silica, SiO2), 30% aluminum oxide (alumina, Al2O3), and an inorganic pigment. Here, the particle size of silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide is 1000 nm or less, and the coating thickness, i.e., the thickness of the first ceramic layer 51-1, is set to 5 μm to 35 μm.

[0076] Furthermore, the second ceramic layer 51-2, which is the outer layer of the coating layer 51 in this modified example, has the same composition as the first ceramic layer 51-1 without the addition of inorganic pigments, namely silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide as its main components. Here, the particle size of silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide is 1000 nm or less, and the coating thickness, i.e., the thickness of the second ceramic layer 51-2, is set to 3 μm to 30 μm. In this way, the ceramic layer 51-2 uses a material with a friction coefficient of 0.1 or less and a pencil hardness of 4H to 7H, thereby suppressing the risk of the coating on the outer bottom surface of the pot 5' wearing off over time and the risk of scratching the counter, especially when using the pot 5' on stainless steel or artificial marble counters. Furthermore, the second ceramic layer 51-2, while being a ceramic layer, is composed of fine particles and has an extremely thin coating thickness, allowing it to be a transparent film that transmits visible light, and thus reflecting the color of the first ceramic layer 51-1 and the color of the printed layer 52 in its appearance. In this modified version, by forming a dense surface on which silicon dioxide or aluminum oxide with a particle size of 1000 nm or less is condensed, the adhesion of oily food ingredients and other stains is suppressed. In this modified version of the cooking appliance 1, which is a multi-functional cooking appliance that enables cooking with oil and cooking rice, oily stains are less likely to adhere to the second ceramic layer 51-2 on the outer surface of the pot 5', improving cleanability and eliminating problems such as difficulty in removing oily stains when washing in a dishwasher. Also, when cooking without adding oil, such as when cooking white rice, the odor of oil from previous cooking is suppressed from being adsorbed onto the rice being cooked, thus preventing a deterioration in the taste of the rice.

[0077] The printed layer 52 printed on the outer surface of the first ceramic layer 51-1 is mainly composed of silicon (Si) and is configured to be a different color from the inorganic pigment of the first ceramic layer 51-1. For example, if the first ceramic layer 51-1 is copper-colored, the printed layer 52 is configured to be black, and if the first ceramic layer is black, the printed layer 52 is configured to be white.

[0078] In this modified example, the pot 5' has a fluororesin coating layer 9 applied to its inner surface, and, similar to the inner surface of the pot 5', it is formed in a double layer consisting of an outer coating layer 9a and an inner coating layer 9b on the base material side. Fluorine-based non-stick coatings such as PTFE, PFA, and PEEK are used for coating layers 9a and 9b.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, in this modified pot 5', the inside of the bottom surface 5'a of the pot 5' is provided with irregularities, and when the bottom surface 5'a of the pot 5', including these irregularities, is heated, the area for heat exchange between the inner surface of the bottom surface 5'a of the pot 5' and the water is increased, thereby improving heating efficiency. On the other hand, in this modified pot 5', the outer surface of the bottom surface 5'a is also provided with irregularities, but as mentioned above, a coating layer 51 is applied to the outer surface of the bottom surface 5'a, thus suppressing the risk of the coating film on the outer bottom surface of the pot 5' wearing off over time and the risk of scratching the counter.

[0080] Here, the inventors of the present invention placed the maximum weight load of the pot 5' of a 1.8L (10 cups) rice cooker 1, such as 3.6 kg (the total weight of 0.15 kg of rice × 10 cups × 2.3 (the weight increase due to the water included) + 0.1 kg of water evaporated during cooking), into the pot 5', and then placed the pot 5' on a stainless steel counter and an artificial marble counter. They then performed a sliding test 5,000 times, performing actions equivalent to adjusting the water level, such as sliding and rotating the pot 5'. Here, for example, if rice is cooked twice a day for 7 years, this would amount to 5,110 cooking cycles, so the value of 5,000 was adopted. As a result, there was almost no wear on the second ceramic layer 51-2 on the outer surface of the bottom surface 5'a of the pot 5', and there was almost no scratching on either the stainless steel counter or the artificial marble counter. Therefore, the superiority of the modified pot 5' was confirmed.

[0081] Furthermore, the inventors of this invention conducted a sliding test in which they soaked a sponge scrubber made of a nylon nonwoven fabric base containing ceramic fine particles such as alumina minerals with water and applied a load of 2 kgf to scrub the outer surface of the pot 5' 5000 times. As a result, almost no wear occurred on the second ceramic layer 51-2 on the outer surface of the pot 5'. Therefore, wear over time is prevented from being prevented on the printed layer 52, which consists of letters and logo marks on the pot 5', and the superiority of this modified pot 5' was confirmed because the printed layer 52 does not disappear or get scratched. [Examples]

[0082] Figure 8 shows a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a heating cooker 1'. In this embodiment, the temperature inside the pot 5 is limited to a predetermined temperature below the degradation temperature of the fluororesin coating layer 9 on the inner surface of the pot 5, the plastic forming the inner frame 4, the plastic forming the outer shell of the lid 3, and the fluororubber forming the lid gasket 19.

[0083] When other cooking functions are added to a rice cooker, as in the heating appliance 1' of this embodiment, safety issues arising from the heat resistance of the plastic and resin parts that make up the main body 2, and parts made of fluororubber such as the lid gasket 19 that prevents steam leakage from the pot 5 and inner lid 6 when the food being cooked boils, such as thermal deformation and melting, tend to limit cooking menus to those involving boiling water, such as stews and braised dishes, or low-temperature cooking menus, such as those performed at low oven temperatures of 140°C to 160°C. This makes it difficult to perform cooking menus at medium oven temperatures of 170°C to 190°C or high oven temperatures of 200°C to 230°C, that is, cooking menus that utilize oven heating (radiant heat) that takes advantage of the Maillard reaction that occurs in a short time at temperatures above 155°C. Therefore, the heating appliance 1' of this embodiment enables cooking that promotes the Maillard reaction in the food being cooked in a short time by performing oven cooking at high temperatures of 155°C or higher while ensuring safety.

[0084] Figure 8 is a plan view of the operating means 33 and display means 34 of this embodiment. Referring to the same figure, the top screen G1' is described as follows: the operating means 33 consists only of a touch sensor 48, and the keep-warm key 45, cooking key 46, and off key 47 are located at the bottom of the top screen G1'. Therefore, each of the keys 45 to 47 in this embodiment functions as a non-pressable operating means such as a touch key that can be operated by the user's touch operation.

[0085] Furthermore, on the left side of the top screen G1', there is a cooking course display area A3' in which four button display areas B23, B24, B13, and B14 are arranged vertically. In this cooking course display area A3', the button display area B23 for "Low Temperature Oven" includes a text display area D23 that reads "Low Temperature Oven". Similarly, the button display area B24 for "High Temperature Oven" includes a text display area D14 that reads "High Temperature Oven". In the cooking course display area A3' of Figure 8, the button display areas B23 for "Low Temperature Oven" and B24 for "High Temperature Oven" are illuminated, while the other button display areas B13 and B14 are both grayed out.

[0086] To the right of the button display section B23 for "Low Temperature Oven," a low temperature oven temperature display area A6 is formed, which displays a temperature display unit D25 for displaying the temperature, and to the right of the temperature display unit D25, arranged vertically, a "Next" button display section B26 including a text display unit D26 labeled "△", and a "Back" button display section B27 including a text display unit D27 labeled "▽". To the right of the low temperature oven temperature display area A6, a low temperature oven time display area A7 is formed, which displays a time display unit D28 for displaying the time, and to the right of the time display unit D28, arranged vertically, a "Next" button display section B29 including a text display unit D29 labeled "△", and a "Back" button display section B30 including a text display unit D30 labeled "▽". Furthermore, the temperature display area A1' of this embodiment is formed to the right of the "High Temperature Oven" button display area B24 and displays a temperature display body D32 that displays the temperature, and a "Next" button display area B33 that includes a text display body D33 labeled "△" and a "Back" button display area B34 that includes a text display body D34 labeled "▽". The time display area A2' of this embodiment is formed to the right of the temperature display area A1' and displays a time display body D35 that displays the time, and a "Next" button display area B37 that includes a text display body D36 labeled "△" and a "Back" button display area B38 that includes a text display body D38 labeled "▽".

[0087] The temperature indicators D25 and D32 and the time indicators D28 and D35 display the temperature and time of the cooking or reheating course stored in the memory means 32. By touching the "forward" button display units B26, B29, B33, B36 and the "back" button display units B27, B30, B34, B37, the user can change the numbers displayed on the temperature indicators 25 and 32 and the time indicators 28 and 35 to set the temperature and time of the cooking or reheating course. In addition, the low-temperature oven temperature display area A6 and low-temperature oven time display area A7 are located to the right of the "low-temperature oven" button display unit B23, which helps the user associate the "low-temperature oven" setting of the cooking course, for example, the setting in Figure 8, with "75°C" and "45 minutes". Similarly, the placement of the temperature display area A1' and time display area A2' to the right of the "High Temperature Oven" button display area B24 helps the user associate the "High Temperature Oven" setting in the cooking course, for example, the setting in Figure 8, with "195°C" and "2 minutes". Furthermore, when a cooking menu other than oven cooking is selected, such as when a "Simmered Dish" menu is selected, the low-temperature oven temperature display area A6 and low-temperature oven time display area A7 may be grayed out, and the temperature display area A1' and time display area A2' may be illuminated, allowing only the temperature display area A1' and time display area A2' to be touch-operated.

[0088] Below the temperature display area A1' and the time display area A2', there is an automatic cooking course display area A6 which displays an automatic cooking course display unit D41 that displays the name of the automatic cooking course, and to the right of the automatic cooking course display unit D41, there is an automatic cooking course display area A6 which displays an automatic cooking course display unit D41 and is arranged vertically, a "Next" button display unit B42 that includes a text display unit D42 that says "△", and a "Back" button display unit B43 that includes a text display unit D43 that says "▽".

[0089] The automatic cooking course display area A6 displays the automatic cooking courses stored in the memory means 32. When an automatic cooking course is selected and cooking is started, it automatically sets the temperature and time to cook the food in the pot 5. The automatic cooking course display unit D41 displays the currently selected automatic cooking course. For example, in the settings shown in Figure 8, the "roast beef" automatic cooking menu is displayed. The automatic cooking course displayed on the automatic cooking course display unit D41 can be changed by touching the "forward" button display unit B42 or the "back" button display unit B43, thereby setting the automatic cooking course. Note that in Figure 8, the automatic cooking course display area A6 is grayed out, and the automatic cooking menu displayed in the automatic cooking course display area A6 is not selected.

[0090] Next, the operation of the heating cooker 1' with the above configuration during the cooking process will be explained. In this embodiment, the cooking control means 35 controls the temperature of the pot 5' so that the inner surface does not exceed 250°C by detecting the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13. In this embodiment, a space of 4 mm or more is provided between the pot 5' and the inner frame 4, so that the temperature rise of the inner frame 4 due to the radiant heat of the pot 5 is suppressed. The cooking control means 35 estimates the temperature of the inner frame 4 from the detected temperature of the pot 5, and sets the temperature limit of PFA and PTFE to approximately 250°C, and controls the inner frame 4 to be kept at 240°C or lower by detecting the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13, that is, it controls the maximum temperature of the pot 5' so that it is lower than 250°C.

[0091] Furthermore, the cooking control means 35 controls the temperature of the outer shell of the lid 3 to 170°C or lower by detecting the temperature of the lid temperature sensor 17. The cooking control means 35 estimates the temperature of the outer shell of the lid 3 from the temperature detected by the inner lid 6, and sets the temperature limit of polypropylene (PP polypropylene), which is the main material of the outer shell of the lid 3, to approximately 170°C. Based on the temperature detection by the lid temperature sensor 17, it controls the temperature of the outer shell of the lid 3 to be maintained at 170°C or lower.

[0092] The cooking control means 35 then controls the temperature of the lid packing 19 so that it does not exceed 200°C by detecting the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13 and the temperature of the lid temperature sensor 17. This utilizes the temperature difference between the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 and the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17. For example, if the temperature difference is 20°C, the cooking control means 35 controls the output of the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 to stop when the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 reaches 180°C.

[0093] To explain the case where roast beef is the food to be cooked, select the cooking course on the main screen G1'. Here, we will explain the case where, for example, as shown in Figure 8, the button display area B23 for "Low Temperature Oven" and the cursor C3 for the button display area B24 for "High Temperature Oven" are aligned, the temperature display unit D25 in the low temperature display area A6 is set to, for example, "75°C", the time display unit D28 in the low temperature display area A7 is set to, for example, "45 minutes", the temperature display unit D32 in the temperature display area A1' is set to, for example, "195°C", and the time display unit D35 in the time display area A2' is set to, for example, "2 minutes", when selecting the manual "Oven" cooking course.

[0094] After setting on the main screen G1', when the cooking key 46 is touched, the cooking control means 35 stores the setting of the cooking course currently displayed on the main screen G1' as the setting for the current cooking course in the storage means 32. The cooking control means 35 also starts heating the food to be cooked in the pot 5' according to the heating pattern of the set cooking course, and the display / operation control means 36 controls the LED display unit 42 so that the "Cooking" LED display unit 42-3 lights up.

[0095] When the heating and cooking process begins, the process moves to the first heating step, and the cooking control means 35 controls the pot heater 12 to continuously supply power. The cooking control means 35 also controls the pressure regulating valve 21 to close the steam passage space 22. Subsequently, the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13 that the temperature of the pot 5' has reached the temperature set by the temperature indicator D25 in the low-temperature oven temperature display area A6, for example, 75°C. In addition, if, for example, the temperature difference between the lid temperature sensor 17 and the pot temperature sensor 13 is 20°C, the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17 that the temperature of the inner lid 6 has reached the temperature set by the temperature indicator D25 in the low-temperature oven temperature display area A6, for example, 55°C. Then, based on the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13, the cooking control means 35 controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 to maintain the temperature of the pot 5' at the temperature set by the aforementioned temperature indicator D25, and also controls the power supply to the lid heater 18 to maintain the temperature of the inner lid 6 at a temperature obtained by subtracting the temperature difference from the temperature set by the aforementioned temperature indicator D25, based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17. This is followed by a first temperature maintenance step.

[0096] Then, after the cooking has started, when the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that a set time, for example 45 minutes, has elapsed in the time display unit D28 of the low-temperature oven time display area A7, it moves to a second heating step in which it controls the continuous energization of the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18. At this point, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the pot temperature sensor 13 that the temperature of the pot 5 has reached a temperature set in the temperature display unit D32 of the temperature display area A1', for example 195°C, it moves to a second temperature maintenance step in which it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 to maintain the temperature of the pot 5 at the temperature set in the aforementioned temperature display unit D32, thereby rapidly promoting the Maillard reaction on the surface of the food being cooked. Furthermore, when the cooking control means 35 detects from the temperature detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 17 that the temperature has reached 150°C, it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 to reduce their output. In this way, by detecting the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 13 and the temperature of the lid temperature sensor 17, the temperature of the pot 5' is set to, for example, 155°C to 240°C, and when the temperature of the inner lid 6 exceeds 150°C, the output of the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 is reduced or stopped. This ensures that cooking can be performed at temperatures below the deterioration temperature of the pot 5', lid, and lid gasket 19.

[0097] To explain in more detail, for example, if the output of the pot heater 12 is 1000W and the output of the lid heater 18 is 100W, the temperature of the pot 5' will rise from the vicinity of the bottom surface 5'a, which is heated by the pot heater 12, and then the temperature of the inner lid 6 will rise, along with the heating of the lid heater 18 and the adhesion of steam from the food being cooked. Therefore, even if the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 is 130℃, the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 will exceed 155℃, so that the food being cooked in the pot 5' can be heated by radiant heat from the inner surface of the pot 5', which is at a temperature of 155℃ or higher, before the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 reaches 150℃. The temperature difference between the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13 and the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 17 at this time is the temperature difference mentioned above, and this temperature difference information is stored in the storage means 32, for example, linked to the temperature detected by the pot temperature sensor 13.

[0098] Subsequently, when the cooking control means 35 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that a time set in the time display unit D35 of the time display area A2', for example 2 minutes, has elapsed since the start of heating, it controls the power supply to the pot heater 12 and the lid heater 18 to stop, and the heating cooking ends. In the second temperature maintenance step, the purpose is to promote the Maillard reaction of, for example, meat that was heated at a low temperature in the first temperature maintenance step, so the heating time is set to a short time, for example, 1 to 3 minutes.

[0099] Next, we will explain what happens when an automatic cooking course is selected in the automatic cooking course display area A6. When an automatic cooking course such as "roast beef" is selected and set in the automatic cooking course display area A6 on the main screen G1', and the cooking key 46 is touched, the cooking control means 35 stores the settings of the cooking course currently displayed on the main screen G1' as the settings for the current cooking course in the storage means 32, and the cooking control means 35 starts heating the food to be cooked in the pot 5' according to the heating pattern of the cooking course set in the storage means 32, for example, the settings of the temperature indicator D25, time indicator D28, temperature indicator D32, and time indicator D35 for "roast beef". For example, in the automatic cooking course for "roast beef," the temperature indicator D25 is set to "70°C to 80°C," the time indicator D28 is set to "20 to 40 minutes," which is the time it takes for the meat to cook, the temperature indicator D32 is set to "185°C to 205°C," and the time indicator D35 is set to "1 to 3 minutes." Similarly, in the automatic cooking course for "baked sweet potato," the temperature indicator D25 is set to "70°C to 80°C" so that the inside of the cooked food reaches approximately 50°C, the time indicator D28 is set to around "60 minutes," which is the time it takes to promote oxygen activity and concentrate the sweetness, and then the temperature indicator D32 is set to a high temperature of "155°C to 175°C," which is above 130°C, to prevent the cooked food from cooling down due to the heat of vaporization, and the time indicator D35 is set to "1 minute." In the automatic cooking course for "round bread," temperature indicator D25 is set to "35℃~40℃," temperature indicator D32 to "170℃~190℃," and time indicators D28 and D35 can be changed according to the recipe or preference. Note that these values ​​and settings are just examples, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0100] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the first and second embodiments and their variations may be combined. Furthermore, the pressure values, temperatures, and various times inside the pot 5 described above are illustrative examples and are not limited to those described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 1 Cooker 5 Pot 6. Inner lid (lid) 10 Coating layer 12. Pot heater (means of heating a pot) 13. Pot temperature sensor (pot temperature detection means) 17. Lid temperature sensor (lid temperature detection means) 18. Lid heater (lid heating means) 19. Lid gasket (sealing component) 35 Cooking control means (determination means)

Claims

1. A pot for holding the food to be cooked, A lid that covers the upper opening of the aforementioned pot, A pot temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pot, A lid temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the lid, A pot heating means for heating the aforementioned pot, A lid heating means for heating the lid, It comprises a determination means for determining temperature changes, The determination means determines, based on the detection signal from the pot temperature detection means, whether there has been a first temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food being cooked to around 100°C, and also determines, based on the detection signal from the lid temperature detection means, whether there has been a second temperature change, which is a temperature change of the food being cooked to around 100°C. The lid has a sealing member made of a fluorine-based elastic material that seals the space between the lid and the pot when the lid is closed. A cooking appliance characterized in that when the determination means determines that at least one of the first temperature change or the second temperature change has occurred, the output of the pot heating means and the lid heating means decreases.

2. The heating appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the output of the pot heating means and the lid heating means is maintained when the determination means determines that neither the first temperature change nor the second temperature change occurred.

3. The heating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first temperature change is that the temperature gradient of the pot becomes less than or equal to the first rate of temperature increase, and the second temperature change is that the temperature gradient of the lid becomes less than or equal to the second rate of temperature increase.

4. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the pot is provided with a coating layer on its outer surface that has lower gas permeability and higher abrasion resistance than silicone resin, and higher hardness than fluororesin.

5. The heating appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the coating layer mainly consists of a polyether ether ketone resin.

Images