Heating Regulator

Abstract

To provide a cooking device that can further improve the taste of the food being cooked. [Solution] The heating cooker of the present disclosure comprises a pot for containing food to be cooked, a heating unit for heating the pot, a control unit that controls the heating operation of the heating unit and performs a cooking process that includes a power-down process which reduces the heating force by the heating unit in order to prevent the food to be cooked from boiling over to the outside of the pot or to reduce the pressure inside the pot, and a selection unit that can select one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process, wherein the control unit performs the power-down process based on the power-down mode selected by the selection unit.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of cooking appliance, for example, a cooking appliance described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-70151) is known. Patent Document 1 describes a cooking appliance that suppresses the spillage of the food to be cooked outside the pot by performing a power-down process after the completion of the cooking process (also referred to as a temperature-rising process) for boiling the food to be cooked in the pot.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the cooking appliance of Patent Document 1, there is still room for improvement from the viewpoint of further improving the taste of the food to be cooked.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to solve the above problems and provide a cooking appliance that can further improve the taste of the food to be cooked.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present disclosure is configured as follows. According to the present disclosure, a pot for accommodating the food to be cooked, a heating unit for heating the pot, a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the pot, A control unit that controls the heating operation of the heating unit based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit, and performs a cooking process that includes a power-down step in which the heating force of the heating unit is reduced in order to prevent the food being cooked from boiling over to the outside of the pot or to reduce the pressure inside the pot, A selection unit that can select one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process, Equipped with, The control unit provides a cooking appliance that performs the power-down process based on the power-down mode selected by the selection unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The cooking appliance described herein can further improve the taste of the food being cooked. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, showing the lid in a closed state. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the rice cooker with the lid open. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the rice cooker along the line V1-V1. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the selection panel of the rice cooker. [Figure 5] Figure 1 shows an example of the rice cooking sequence in the rice cooker shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a pressure cooker according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, with the lid closed. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a pressure cooker with the lid open. [Figure 8] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a pressure cooker along the line V2-V2. [Figure 9] Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the pressure valve of the pressure cooker in the closed position. [Figure 10]It is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which the pressure valve included in the pressure cooker of FIG. 6 is in the open position. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of a cooking sequence in the pressure cooker of FIG. 6.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] (Findings on which the present disclosure is based) As a result of intensive studies to provide a cooking appliance that can further improve the taste of the food to be cooked, the present inventors have obtained the following findings.

[0010] For example, when the cooking appliance is a rice cooker, there is an optimal amount of heat for improving the taste. However, if the addition of that amount of heat continues, the food to be cooked in the pot may spill out of the pot. Therefore, in the cooking appliance of Patent Document 1, after the food to be cooked in the pot reaches the boiling temperature, a power-down process is performed to suppress the food to be cooked from spilling out of the pot.

[0011] In the case of a rice cooker, the ease of spilling varies depending on the water content of the rice, the brand, the harvest year, the amount of water contained in the pot, etc. It is quite difficult for the user to grasp all of these spilling factors. Therefore, in conventional cooking appliances, a power-down process that takes all of these spilling factors into consideration is preset. However, in this case, the amount of heat given to the rice may be reduced more than necessary, and the taste of the food to be cooked may deteriorate.

[0012] Also, when the cooking appliance is a pressure cooker, after performing a pressure maintenance process for maintaining the pressure in the pot at a predetermined pressure, a power-down process (also referred to as a decompression process) for reducing the heating force by the heating unit to reduce the pressure in the pot is performed. At this time, if the pressure in the pot is rapidly reduced, the food to be cooked may spill out of the pot. Therefore, in conventional pressure cookers, the time for reducing the pressure in the pot is made sufficiently long.

[0013] However, in such a conventional method, even for cooking contents where spillage is less likely to occur, such as when the amount of ingredients is small, a power-down process similar to that for cases where spillage is highly likely to occur is provided, resulting in an unnecessarily long cooking time. Furthermore, if the time for reducing the pressure inside the pot is increased, depending on the food being cooked, the heating time may become excessively long, and the food being cooked may become too soft. In this case, the taste of the food being cooked will deteriorate.

[0014] Therefore, as a result of intensive studies, the inventors of the present invention have found a configuration including a selection unit capable of selecting one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process. According to this configuration, for example, when no spillage occurs during the cooking process, the user can select the power-down process so that more heat is applied to the rice in the next cooking process or the power-down time (pressure reduction time) is shortened. This can further improve the taste of the food being cooked and also shorten the cooking time. This configuration is particularly useful for commercial rice cookers and pressure cookers that rarely change the food being cooked (such as rice variety, brand, etc.). Based on these new findings, the inventors of the present invention have arrived at the following invention.

[0015] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a pot for containing the food being cooked, a heating unit for heating the pot, a control unit that controls the pot heating operation of the heating unit and executes a cooking process including a power-down process for reducing the heating power of the heating unit to suppress the food being cooked from spilling outside the pot or to reduce the pressure inside the pot, a selection unit capable of selecting one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process, and the control unit performs the power-down process based on the power-down mode selected by the selection unit, providing a cooking appliance.

[0016] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, the cooking step includes a heating step of raising the temperature of the food to be cooked in the pot to just before the boiling point, and a boiling maintenance step of maintaining the food to be cooked in the pot in a boiling state, The control unit performs the power-down step between the heating step and the boiling maintenance step, providing a heating cooker according to the first embodiment.

[0017] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, the heating appliance according to the second aspect is provided, wherein the plurality of power-down modes are modes in which the duration of the power-down process differs.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, the control unit shortens the duration of a cooking process other than the power-down process when the duration of the power-down mode selected by the selection unit is longer than a predetermined time, thereby providing a heating cooker according to the third aspect.

[0019] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, the present invention provides a cooking appliance according to the second aspect, wherein the plurality of power-down modes are modes in which the heating force by the heating unit in the power-down process is different.

[0020] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, a lid that can be opened and closed to cover the upper opening of the pot, A pressure valve that can open and close the ventilation path provided in the cover, Furthermore, The aforementioned multiple power-down modes are modes in which the time it takes for the pressure inside the pot to decrease from a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure differs during the power-down process. The present invention provides a heating appliance as described in the first embodiment.

[0021] According to a seventh aspect of this disclosure, the cooking process includes a pressurization step of raising the pressure inside the pot to a predetermined pressure, and a pressure maintenance step of maintaining the pressure inside the pot at the predetermined pressure, The power-down process is performed after the pressure-maintaining process. The present invention provides a heating appliance as described in the sixth embodiment.

[0022] According to an eighth aspect of this disclosure, the control unit provides a heating cooker according to the sixth or seventh aspect, wherein when the time corresponding to the power-down mode selected by the selection unit is longer than a predetermined time, the control unit shortens the duration of a cooking process other than the power-down process.

[0023] According to a ninth aspect of this disclosure, the system includes a storage unit that stores the power-down mode selected by the selection unit, The control unit performs the power-down process based on the power-down mode stored in the memory unit, providing a heating cooker according to any one of the first to eight embodiments.

[0024] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

[0025] Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, terms such as "up" and "down" are used below to indicate direction, assuming the state of normal use. However, these terms are not intended to limit the usage conditions of the heating appliance described herein.

[0026] (First Embodiment) A rice cooker, which is an example of a heating appliance according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, will be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rice cooker according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, showing the lid closed. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker of Figure 1, showing the lid open.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2, the rice cooker according to this first embodiment comprises a substantially bottomed cylindrical housing 1 and a lid 2 that can be opened and closed to close the upper opening 1A of the housing 1.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the interior of the housing 1 is configured to accommodate a pot 3 in a removable manner. The pot 3 contains the food to be cooked, such as rice or water.

[0029] The side of the housing 1 is provided with a selection unit 4 that allows the user to set the cooking process for the food to be cooked in the pot 3. The selection unit 4 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display that displays various information such as the cooking course and cooking time, and multiple buttons that, in addition to selecting the cooking course, instruct the user to start, cancel, or reserve cooking. The user can refer to the various information displayed on the liquid crystal display and select a specific cooking course using the multiple buttons to instruct the start of cooking. The selection unit 4 may also include, for example, a touch panel.

[0030] The lid 2 is attached to the upper part of the housing 1 via a hinge portion 1B. The lid 2 is configured to open and close the upper opening 1A of the housing 1 by rotating around the hinge portion 1B. That is, the lid 2 is configured to rotate between a position that closes the upper opening 1A of the housing 1 (see Figure 1) and a position that opens the upper opening 1A of the housing 1 (see Figure 2).

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the lid 2 is provided with a steam outlet 2A that discharges steam generated in the pot 3 to the outside of the rice cooker. The steam outlet 2A is provided to be in fluid communication with the internal space of the pot 3. In this first embodiment, the user can confirm that the food being cooked in the pot 3 is boiling over to the outside of the pot 3 by visually observing the food boiling over from the steam outlet 2A.

[0032] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rice cooker shown in Figure 1 along the line V1-V1.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the rice cooker according to this first embodiment includes a heating unit 5 for heating the pot 3, a temperature detection unit 6 for detecting the temperature of the pot 3, and a control unit 7 for executing the cooking process.

[0034] The heating unit 5 is composed of, for example, induction heating coils that induction heat the pot 3. The heating unit 5 is positioned opposite the bottom of the pot 3. In this first embodiment, the heating unit 5 includes an annular bottom heating coil 5a positioned opposite the central part of the bottom of the pot 3, and an annular bottom heating coil 5b positioned opposite the corners of the bottom of the pot 3.

[0035] The temperature detection unit 6 is, for example, a pot temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the bottom of the pot 3. In this first embodiment, the temperature detection unit 6 is positioned so as to be able to contact the center of the bottom of the pot 3 housed in the housing 1. Since the temperature of the pot 3 is approximately the same as the temperature of the food being cooked inside the pot 3, the temperature detection unit 6 can detect the temperature of the pot 3 and estimate the temperature of the food being cooked inside the pot 3.

[0036] The control unit 7 controls the pot heating operation of the heating unit 5 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit 6, and executes the cooking process. In this first embodiment, the control unit 7 is located inside the housing 1, below the pot 3.

[0037] The cooking process includes a power-down step. In this first embodiment, the power-down step is a step of reducing the heating power of the heating unit 5 in order to prevent the food being cooked from boiling over to the outside of the pot 3.

[0038] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the selection unit 4 of the rice cooker shown in Figure 1.

[0039] The selection unit 4 is configured to allow selection of one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process. In this first embodiment, the plurality of power-down modes are modes in which the heating force by the heating unit 5 in the power-down process is different. In this first embodiment, the plurality of power-down modes include three power-down modes: "strong (or large reduction in heating force)", "normal", and "weak (or small reduction in heating force)". The power-down mode "strong (or large reduction in heating force)" is a mode in which the heating force by the heating unit 5 is lower than that of the power-down mode "normal". The power-down mode "weak (small reduction in heating force)" is a mode in which the heating force by the heating unit 5 is higher than that of the power-down mode "normal". In this first embodiment, the three power-down modes, "strong (or large reduction in heating force)", "normal", and "weak (or small reduction in heating force)", can be switched each time the selection unit 4 is pressed.

[0040] The control unit 7 is equipped with a memory unit that stores multiple rice cooking sequences. Here, a "rice cooking sequence" refers to a rice cooking procedure in which the energizing time, heating temperature, heating time, heating output, etc., are predetermined for each of the five main steps: preheating, heating, power reduction, boiling maintenance, and steaming. Each rice cooking sequence corresponds to one of several rice cooking courses. The control unit 7 controls the heating unit 5 based on the rice cooking course selected by the selection unit 4 and the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 6, and executes the cooking process (also called the rice cooking process). The control unit 7 also performs the power reduction process based on the power reduction mode selected by the selection unit 4.

[0041] Figure 5 shows an example of the rice cooking sequence in the rice cooker shown in Figure 1.

[0042] When the selection unit 4 selects various cooking information, including the power-down mode, and the control unit 7 receives an instruction to start cooking, it executes a preheating process.

[0043] The preheating process involves immersing the rice in water at a temperature lower than the gelatinization start temperature of rice (approximately 60 degrees Celsius) to allow the rice to absorb water in advance. During the preheating process, the control unit 7 heats the pot 3 to a temperature lower than the gelatinization start temperature of rice (for example, 50 degrees Celsius) and controls the heating unit 5 (intermittent drive) to allow the rice in the pot 3 to absorb water. After a predetermined time (for example, 20 minutes) has elapsed since the start of the preheating process, the process moves to the heating process.

[0044] The heating process is the process of raising the temperature of the food to be cooked in the pot 3 to just before the boiling point. In the heating process, the control unit 7 controls the heating unit 5 to heat the pot 3 to just before the boiling point. After the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 6 rises to a predetermined temperature (for example, 98°C), the process moves to the power-down process.

[0045] The power-down (also called PD) process is a process in which the heating force of the heating unit 5 is reduced in order to prevent the food being cooked from boiling over to the outside of the pot 3. In this first embodiment, the control unit 7 stops heating by the heating unit 5 during the power-down process. When the power-down mode "strong (or large reduction in heating force)" is selected in the selection unit 4, the control unit 7 reduces the heating force of the heating unit 5 by making the duration of the power-down process longer (for example, 3 minutes) than when the power-down mode "normal" is selected. When the power-down mode "weak (or small reduction in heating force)" is selected in the selection unit 4, the control unit 7 increases the heating force of the heating unit 5 by making the duration of the power-down process shorter (for example, 0 minutes) than when the power-down mode "normal" is selected. After the power-down process is completed, the process moves to the boiling maintenance process.

[0046] The boiling maintenance process maintains the boiling state of the food being cooked in the pot 3, gelatinizing the starch in the rice and raising the degree of gelatinization to, for example, 50% to 80%. During the boiling maintenance process, the control unit 7 controls the heating unit 5 to heat the pot 3 at a lower heating rate than in the heating step (intermittent heating). When the water in the pot 3 is gone and the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 6 is above the boiling point of water (for example, 130°C), the process moves to the steaming step.

[0047] The steaming process uses preheating to evaporate excess moisture and raise the gelatinization of the rice to nearly 100%. During the steaming process, the control unit 7 controls the heating unit 5 to intermittently heat the pot 3. After a predetermined time (for example, 20 minutes) has elapsed from the start of the steaming process, the cooking process is terminated.

[0048] According to the first embodiment of this disclosure, the device includes a selection unit 4 that allows the user to select one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process. With this configuration, if boil-over does not occur during the cooking process, the user can select a power-down process that will increase the amount of heat supplied to the rice in the next cooking process. This further improves the taste of the cooked food. In addition, when cooking rice under conditions that make it prone to boil-over, or when boil-over is absolutely undesirable, the user can further suppress boil-over by selecting the "stronger (or greater reduction in heating power)" power-down mode in the selection unit 4. Examples of cooking conditions that make it prone to boil-over include cooking large quantities of rice, cooking with increased water volume, cooking rice with high moisture content such as new rice, cooking rice with insufficient water absorption (low-polished white rice, pre-washed rice, brown rice), cooking without a preheating process, and quick cooking. Furthermore, when cooking rice under conditions where boil-over is less likely, or when prioritizing taste over preventing boil-overs, selecting the power-down mode "weak (or small reduction in heating power)" in selection section 4 can further improve the taste of the cooked food. Examples of cooking rice under conditions where boil-over is less likely include cooking small amounts of rice, cooking with reduced water, cooking rice with low moisture content such as old rice / dried rice, and cooking rice that has absorbed water sufficiently (highly polished white rice, soaked rice).

[0049] This disclosure is not limited to the first embodiment described above, and can be implemented in various other forms. For example, if the duration of the power-down mode selected by the selection unit 4 is longer than a predetermined time, the control unit 7 may shorten the duration of a cooking process other than the power-down process (e.g., the steaming process). This makes it possible to keep the time required for the entire cooking process constant, and makes it easier for the user to accurately predict the end time of the cooking process.

[0050] Furthermore, the control unit 7 may include a memory unit (not shown) that stores the power-down mode selected in the selection unit 4, and the control unit 7 may perform the power-down process based on the power-down mode stored in the memory unit (for example, the power-down mode selected during the previous cooking process). The memory unit may be mounted on the circuit board on which the control unit 7 is mounted.

[0051] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the multiple power-down modes were defined as modes with different durations of the power-down process, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the multiple power-down modes may be modes with different energization ratios or power supplied to the heating unit 5 during the power-down process. That is, when the "strong (large reduction in heating power)" power-down mode is selected, the control unit 7 may reduce the heating power supplied by the heating unit 5 by lowering the energization ratio or power supplied to the heating unit 5 (for example, to zero) compared to when the "normal" power-down mode is selected. Also, when the "weak (small reduction in heating power)" power-down mode is selected, the control unit 7 may increase the heating power supplied by the heating unit 5 by increasing the energization ratio or power supplied to the heating unit 5 (for example, to the same as the boiling maintenance process) compared to when the "normal" power-down mode is selected.

[0052] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the temperature sensing unit 6 is positioned to be in contact with the center of the bottom of the pot 3, and the power-down process is initiated after the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit 6 rises to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 98°C). However, the disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the temperature sensing unit 6 may be positioned on the lid 2 to detect the temperature of the steam generated in the pot 3, and the power-down process may be initiated after the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit 6 rises to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 70°C).

[0053] (Second Embodiment) A pressure cooker, which is an example of a heating cooker according to the second embodiment of this disclosure, will be described. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the pressure cooker according to the second embodiment of this disclosure, showing the lid closed. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pressure cooker of Figure 6, showing the lid open.

[0054] The pressure cooker according to the second embodiment of this disclosure is a cooking appliance capable of cooking food by pressurizing it to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and is also referred to as an "auto cooker," "multi cooker," or "slow cooker." The pressure cooker according to the second embodiment of this disclosure may also be a cooking appliance capable of cooking food by reducing the pressure to a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

[0055] As shown in Figure 6 or Figure 7, the pressure cooker according to this second embodiment comprises a substantially bottomed cylindrical housing 11 and a lid 12 that can be opened and closed to close the upper opening 11A of the housing 11.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, the interior of the housing 11 is configured to accommodate the pot 13 in a removable manner. The pot 13 contains the food to be cooked. A stirring blade 13A is rotatably provided in the internal space S1 of the pot 13 to stir the food to be cooked inside the pot 13.

[0057] The top surface of the lid 12 is provided with a selection unit 14 that allows the user to set the cooking process for the food to be cooked in the pot 13. The selection unit 14 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display that displays various information such as the cooking course and cooking time, and multiple buttons that, in addition to selecting a cooking course, instruct the user to start cooking, cancel, or reserve cooking. The user can refer to the various information displayed on the liquid crystal display and select a specific cooking course using the multiple buttons to instruct the start of cooking. The selection unit 14 may also include, for example, a touch panel.

[0058] The lid 12 is attached to the upper part of the housing 11 via a hinge portion 11B. The lid 12 is configured to open and close the upper opening 11A of the housing 11 by rotating around the hinge portion 11B. That is, the lid 12 is configured to rotate between a position that closes the upper opening 11A of the housing 11 (see Figure 6) and a position that opens the upper opening 11A of the housing 11 (see Figure 7) (arrow R1).

[0059] The lid 12 comprises an outer lid 121 and an inner lid 122. The outer lid 121 is a lid for opening and closing the upper opening 11A of the housing 11. The inner lid 122 is a lid for opening and closing the upper opening of the pot 13 housed inside the housing 11. The inner lid 122 is detachably attached to the inside (bottom side) of the outer lid 121.

[0060] The outer lid 121 is provided with a vent 123 and a handle 124. The vent 123 is an opening that fluidly communicates with the internal space S1 of the pot 13. The vent 123 can be switched between a state of fluid communication with the internal space S1 and a state of non-communication with the internal space S1 by a pressure valve 128, which will be described later. In this second embodiment, the user can confirm that the food being cooked in the pot 13 will boil over to the outside of the pot 13 by visually observing the food being cooked boiling over from the vent 123. The handle 124 is a component that the user rotates to switch between the locked and unlocked states of the lid 12. The handle 124 is rotated around a rotation axis Ax that extends in the thickness direction of the lid 12 (arrow R2).

[0061] As shown in Figure 7, the inner lid 122 comprises an inner lid body 126 and a packing 127. The inner lid body 126 is the part corresponding to the main body of the inner lid 122 and has a roughly disc-like shape. The packing 127 is attached to the outer circumference of the inner lid body 126. The packing 127 is a roughly annular member attached to the outer circumference of the inner lid body 126 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the lid 12 is closed, the packing 127 comes into contact with the upper end of the pot 13, closing the internal space S1 of the pot 13. The inner lid body 126 is provided so as to expose the internal space S1.

[0062] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure cooker shown in Figure 6, taken along the line V2-V2.

[0063] As shown in Figure 8, the pressure cooker according to this second embodiment includes a heating unit 15 for heating the pot 13, a temperature detection unit (not shown) for detecting the temperature of the pot 13, and a control unit 17 for executing the cooking process.

[0064] The heating unit 15 is composed of, for example, a heater for heating the pot 13. The heating unit 15 is positioned opposite the bottom of the pot 13.

[0065] The temperature detection unit has the same configuration as the temperature detection unit 6 shown in Figure 4. That is, the temperature detection unit is a pot temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the bottom of the pot 13. In this second embodiment, the temperature detection unit is positioned so as to be able to contact the center of the bottom of the pot 13 housed in the housing 11. Since the temperature of the pot 13 is approximately the same as the temperature of the food being cooked inside the pot 13, the temperature detection unit can estimate the temperature of the food being cooked inside the pot 13 by detecting the temperature of the pot 13.

[0066] The control unit 17 controls the pot heating operation of the heating unit 15 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit and executes the cooking process. In this second embodiment, the control unit 17 is located inside the outer lid 121.

[0067] The cooking process includes a power-down step. In this second embodiment, the power-down step is a step of reducing the heating force of the heating unit 15 in order to reduce the pressure inside the pot 13.

[0068] The selection unit 14 has the same configuration as the selection unit 4 shown in Figure 4. That is, the selection unit 14 is configured to select one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process. In this second embodiment, the plurality of power-down modes are modes in which the time it takes for the pressure inside the pot 13 to decrease from a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure differs in the power-down process. In this second embodiment, the plurality of power-down modes include three power-down modes: "strong (or shorter atmospheric pressure decrease time)", "normal", and "weak (or longer atmospheric pressure decrease time)". The power-down mode "strong (or shorter atmospheric pressure decrease time)" is a mode in which the time it takes for the pressure inside the pot 13 to decrease from a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure is shorter than that of the power-down mode "normal". The power-down mode "weak (or longer atmospheric pressure decrease time)" is a mode in which the time it takes for the pressure inside the pot 13 to decrease from a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure is longer than that of the power-down mode "normal". In this second embodiment, each time the selection button 14 is pressed, it is possible to switch between three power-down modes: "strong (or shorter atmospheric pressure reduction time)", "normal", and "weak (or longer atmospheric pressure reduction time)".

[0069] The control unit 17 is equipped with a memory unit that stores multiple cooking sequences for cooking the food to be cooked. Here, a "cooking sequence" refers to a cooking procedure in which the amount of heat, the degree of pressure valve opening, etc., are predetermined for each of the three main processes of pressurization, pressure maintenance, and power reduction (also called PD) that are performed in sequence. Each cooking sequence corresponds to one of several cooking courses. The control unit 17 controls the heating unit 15 based on the cooking course selected by the selection unit 14 and the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit, and executes the cooking process. The control unit 17 also performs the power reduction process based on the power reduction mode selected by the selection unit 14.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, a ventilation space S2 communicating with the ventilation opening 123 is provided on the upper side of the inner lid body portion 126. A pressure valve 128 is provided between the internal space S1 of the pot 13 and the ventilation space S2.

[0071] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the pressure valve 128 in the closed position. Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the pressure valve 128 in the open position.

[0072] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pressure valve 128 is a valve that can open and close the ventilation path S3, which provides fluid communication between the internal space S1 and the ventilation space S2 of the pot 13. A valve drive unit 129 is provided above the pressure valve 128. The control unit 17 drives the valve drive unit 129 to control the position of the pressure valve 128.

[0073] The pressure valve 128 comprises a valve body 128A, a packing 128B, a spring 128C, and a valve receiving portion 128D.

[0074] The valve body 128A is a rod-shaped member that extends in the vertical direction. The valve body 128A is inserted into the interior of a roughly cylindrical valve receiving portion 128D which is erected on the inner lid body portion 126. The interior of the valve receiving portion 128D becomes the ventilation path S3.

[0075] The central part of the valve body 128A is provided with an enlarged diameter portion 128E that is positioned in the ventilation path S3. A packing 128B is attached to the enlarged diameter portion 128E. The packing 128B contacts the peripheral part of the upper opening of the valve receiving portion 128D from below, thereby closing the ventilation path S3. This seals the internal space S1 of the pot 13. The spring 128C is a biasing member that biases the valve body 128A toward the closed position (see Figure 9) in order to maintain the closed state of the ventilation path S3.

[0076] The valve drive unit 129 is provided above the valve body 128A. The valve drive unit 129 comprises a valve retaining member 129A, a support member 129B, and a valve drive lever 129C.

[0077] The valve retaining member 129A is positioned above the valve body 128A and engages to selectively press against the valve body 128A. The valve retaining member 129A is elastically supported by the support member 129B. The valve drive lever 129C is positioned above the valve retaining member 129A. The valve drive lever 129C has an inclined surface 129Ca, and the height position of the valve retaining member 129A is changed by driving the upper end of the valve retaining member 129A to slide on the inclined surface 129Ca.

[0078] As shown in Figure 10, when the valve drive lever 129C presses the valve retaining member 129A downward, the valve body 128A moves downward against the biasing force of the spring 128C. This releases contact between the packing 128B and the valve receiving portion 128D, and the ventilation path S3 is opened.

[0079] Figure 11 shows an example of a cooking sequence in the pressure cooker shown in Figure 6.

[0080] When the selection unit 14 selects various cooking information, including a power-down mode, and an instruction to start cooking is given, the control unit 17 executes a pressure boosting process.

[0081] The pressurization process is a process of raising the pressure inside the pot 13 to a predetermined pressure. In the pressurization process, the control unit 17 moves the pressure valve 128 to the closed position (see Figure 9) and controls the heating unit 5 until the pressure inside the pot 13 reaches a predetermined pressure P, which is higher than atmospheric pressure (1 atmosphere). In the pressurization process, the temperature inside the pot 13 reaches θ°C, which is higher than 100°C. For example, when P is 2 atmospheres, θ°C is approximately 120°C. When P is 1.5 atmospheres, θ°C is approximately 112°C. When the temperature inside the pot 13 reaches θ°C or the pressure inside the pot 13 reaches P, the process moves to the pressure maintenance process.

[0082] The pressure maintenance process is the process of maintaining the pressure inside the pot 13 at P atmospheric pressure. During the pressure maintenance process, the control unit 17 controls the heating unit 5 (intermittent drive) so that the pressure valve 128 is in the closed position (see Figure 9), the pressure inside the pot 13 is at P atmospheric pressure, and the temperature inside the pot 13 is at θ°C. After time T1 has elapsed from the start of the pressure maintenance process, the process transitions to the power down (PD) process. Time T1 is any time depending on the food being cooked.

[0083] The power-down process is a process of reducing the heating force of the heating unit 15 in order to lower the pressure inside the pot 13. In this second embodiment, the control unit 17 stops heating by the heating unit 15 during the power-down process and gradually moves the pressure valve 128 to the open position (see Figure 10). When the power-down mode "strong (or shorter atmospheric pressure drop time)" is selected, the control unit 17 controls the pressure valve 128 to shorten the time T2 (for example, 10 minutes) it takes for the pressure inside the pot 13 to drop from a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure, compared to when the power-down mode "normal" is selected. When the power-down mode "weak (or longer atmospheric pressure drop time)" is selected, the control unit 17 controls the pressure valve 128 to lengthen the time T2 (for example, 40 minutes) compared to when the power-down mode "normal" is selected. When the pressure inside the pot 13 drops to atmospheric pressure, the temperature inside the pot 13 becomes less than 100°C (for example, 98°C). After time T2 has elapsed from the start of the power-down process, the cooking process is terminated.

[0084] According to a second embodiment of this disclosure, the device includes a selection unit 14 that allows the user to select one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process. With this configuration, if boil-over does not occur during the cooking process, the user can select a power-down process that shortens the heating time in the next cooking process. For example, when cooking a small amount, if it is determined that the possibility of boil-over is low, the cooking time can be shortened by selecting the "stronger (or shorter atmospheric pressure reduction time)" power-down mode in the selection unit 14. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a high possibility of boil-over, the possibility of boil-over can be reduced by selecting the "weaker (or longer atmospheric pressure reduction time)" power-down mode in the selection unit 14. Furthermore, by selecting the power-down process according to the characteristics of the food being cooked, for example, by selecting the "stronger (or shorter atmospheric pressure reduction time)" power-down mode in the selection unit 14 when cooking easily heated food, and the "weaker (or longer atmospheric pressure reduction time)" power-down mode when you want to make the food softer, the taste of the food being cooked can be further improved.

[0085] This disclosure is not limited to the second embodiment described above, and can be implemented in various other forms. For example, if the time T2 corresponding to the power-down mode selected by the selection unit 14 is longer than a predetermined time, the control unit 17 may shorten the duration of a cooking process other than the power-down process (e.g., the pressure maintenance process). This makes it possible to keep the time required for the entire cooking process constant, and makes it easier for the user to accurately predict the end time of the cooking process.

[0086] Furthermore, the control unit 17 may include a memory unit (not shown) that stores the power-down mode selected by the selection unit 14, and perform the power-down process based on the power-down mode stored in the memory unit (for example, the power-down mode selected during the previous cooking process). The memory unit may be mounted on the circuit board on which the control unit 17 is mounted.

[0087] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the control unit 17 controls the heating unit 15 based on the cooking course selected by the selection unit 14 and the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit to execute the cooking process, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. Instead of the temperature detection unit, a pressure detection unit that detects the pressure inside the pot 13 may be provided. In this case, the control unit 17 controls the heating unit 15 based on the cooking course selected by the selection unit 14 and the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit to execute the cooking process.

[0088] Furthermore, by appropriately combining any of the various embodiments described above, the effects of each embodiment can be achieved. [Industrial applicability]

[0089] The heating appliance described herein can further improve the taste of the food being cooked, and is therefore particularly useful as a commercial rice cooker or pressure cooker. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 1 cabinet 1A Top opening 1B Hinge section 2 Lid 2A Steam outlet 3 Pot 4. Selection Section 5 Heating section 5a Bottom heating coil 5b Bottom external heating coil 6. Temperature detection unit 7 Control Unit 11 cabinets 11A Top opening 11B Hinge section 12 Lid 121 Outer lid 122 Inner lid 123 Ventilation opening 124 Handle 126 Inner lid body 127 Packing 128 Pressure valve 128A Valve body 128B Packing 128C Spring 128D Valve receiving section 128E Expanded section 129 Valve drive unit 129A Valve retaining member 129B Support Member 129C Valve drive lever 129Ca Slope 13 Pot 13A Stirring blade 14 Selection Section 15 Heating section 17 Control Unit S1 interior space S2 Ventilated Space S3 Ventilation path

Claims

1. A pot for holding the food to be cooked, A heating unit for heating the aforementioned pot, A control unit that controls the heating operation of the heating unit and performs a cooking process that includes a power-down step to reduce the heating force of the heating unit in order to prevent the food being cooked from boiling over to the outside of the pot or to reduce the pressure inside the pot, A selection unit that can select one power-down mode from a plurality of power-down modes associated with the power-down process, Equipped with, The control unit performs the power-down process based on the power-down mode selected by the selection unit, in a heating cooker.

2. The cooking process includes a heating step of raising the temperature of the food to be cooked in the pot to just before the boiling point, and a boiling maintenance step of maintaining the food to be cooked in the pot in a boiling state. The heating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the power-down step between the heating step and the boiling maintenance step.

3. The heating appliance according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of power-down modes are modes in which the duration of the power-down process differs for each mode.

4. The heating appliance according to claim 3, wherein the control unit shortens the duration of a cooking process other than the power-down process when the duration corresponding to the power-down mode selected by the selection unit is longer than a predetermined time.

5. The heating appliance according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of power-down modes are modes in which the heating force by the heating unit in the power-down process is different.

6. A lid that can be opened and closed to cover the upper opening of the aforementioned pot, A pressure valve that can open and close the ventilation path provided in the cover, Furthermore, The aforementioned multiple power-down modes are modes in which, during the power-down process, the time it takes for the pressure inside the pot to decrease from a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure by opening and closing the pressure valve differs for each mode. A heating appliance according to claim 1.

7. The cooking process includes a pressure-boosting step of increasing the pressure inside the pot to a predetermined pressure, and a pressure-maintaining step of maintaining the pressure inside the pot at the predetermined pressure. The power-down process is performed after the pressure-maintaining process. A cooking appliance according to claim 6.

8. The heating appliance according to claim 7, wherein the control unit shortens the duration of a cooking process other than the power-down process when the time corresponding to the power-down mode selected by the selection unit is longer than a predetermined time.

9. The system includes a storage unit that stores the power-down mode selected in the selection unit, The heating appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control unit performs the power-down process based on the power-down mode stored in the storage unit.

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