Heating Regulator

Abstract

To provide a cooking appliance that can efficiently deodorize while suppressing obstruction of airflow. [Solution] The heating cooker comprises a first chamber, a second chamber, a partition wall, a heating section, a blower fan, and a deodorizing catalyst layer. The first chamber houses the object to be heated. The second chamber is provided adjacent to the first chamber and forms a circulating air passage that returns air drawn in from the first chamber back to the first chamber. The partition wall is provided between the first and second chambers and has an intake port for drawing in air from the first chamber and an outlet port for blowing air from the second chamber to the first chamber. The heating section is provided inside the second chamber and heats the air drawn in from the intake port. The blower fan is provided inside the second chamber and circulates air between the second chamber and the first chamber. The deodorizing catalyst layer is a thin film and is formed on at least a part of the inner wall surface of the second chamber, enabling deodorization of the air drawn in from the intake port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a cooking appliance.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in cooking appliances such as oven ranges, cooking appliances provided with a deodorizing catalyst for reducing or removing "odor" that may occur in a cooking chamber when heating and cooking an object to be heated (e.g., a cooking object such as food) are known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] "Odor" in a cooking appliance includes various types such as those generated from the object to be heated (such as food) itself, those caused by steam or smoke generated when the object to be heated is heated, and those caused by carbonization of the object to be heated or oil. Therefore, for comfortable use of the cooking appliance, efficient and smooth deodorization is desirable. For example, when using the oven function, which is one of the functions of a cooking appliance (oven range), hot air (high-temperature air) circulates inside the cooking appliance (cooking chamber or heating chamber). Therefore, it is desirable to arrange a deodorizing catalyst on the circulation path (air path) of the hot air for efficient deodorization. However, when arranging a deodorizing device or a block-shaped deodorizing catalyst on the circulation path (air path), it may interfere with the efficient circulation of hot air, and may cause a decrease in deodorization efficiency and heating (cooking) efficiency.

[0005] An example of the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cooking appliance capable of performing efficient deodorization while suppressing interference with the air flow.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A heating cooker according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first chamber, a second chamber, a partition wall, a heating section, a blower fan, and a deodorizing catalyst layer. The first chamber houses the object to be heated. The second chamber is provided adjacent to the first chamber and forms a circulating air passage that returns air drawn in from the first chamber to the first chamber. The partition wall is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber and has an intake port for drawing in the air from the first chamber and an outlet port for blowing the air from the second chamber to the first chamber. The heating section is provided inside the second chamber and heats the air drawn in from the intake port. The blower fan is provided inside the second chamber and circulates the air between the second chamber and the first chamber. The deodorizing catalyst layer is a thin film and is formed on at least a part of the inner wall surface of the second chamber, enabling deodorization of the air drawn in from the intake port. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the above-described cooking appliance, a thin-film deodorizing catalyst layer is formed on at least a portion of the inner wall surface of the second chamber. As a result, it becomes possible to provide a cooking appliance that can deodorize the airflow while suppressing obstruction of the airflow within the second chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of a cooking appliance according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an illustrative and schematic front view showing the interior of the first chamber of a cooking appliance according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an illustrative and schematic front view showing the state in which the rear partition wall of the first chamber of the heating cooker according to the embodiment has been removed, exposing the blower fan, heating section, deodorizing catalyst layer, etc. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing the state of air circulation in the second and first chambers of the heating cooker according to the embodiment, and the formation position of the deodorizing catalyst layer. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing details of the blower fan, heating section, and the formation location of the deodorizing catalyst layer in the second chamber of the cooking appliance according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an exemplary and schematic perspective view showing the details of the exhaust air passage section equipped with a deodorizing catalyst layer and its arrangement in a cooking appliance according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing the details of the exhaust air passage section equipped with a deodorizing catalyst layer and its arrangement in a cooking appliance according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an exemplary and schematic block diagram showing the configuration of inputs and outputs to the control unit of the heating cooker according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Several embodiments will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8. Note that in this specification, components and descriptions of such components may be expressed in multiple ways. The components and their descriptions are examples and are not limited by the expressions used herein. Components may also be identified by names different from those used herein. Furthermore, components may be described using expressions different from those used herein.

[0010] Figure 1 is an exemplary and schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of a cooking appliance 10 according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is an exemplary and schematic front view showing the interior of the cooking chamber 12, which serves as the first chamber of the cooking appliance 10. Figure 3 is an exemplary and schematic front view showing the state in which the back wall 14e, which serves as the rear partition 14S of the cooking chamber 12, which serves as the first chamber of the cooking appliance 10, has been removed, exposing the blower fan 16, the heating chamber heater 18 (heating section), and the deodorizing catalyst layer 20. Figure 4 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing the state of air circulation in the cooking chamber 12, which serves as the first chamber, and the heating chamber 22, which serves as the second chamber, of the cooking appliance 10, and the formation position of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20. Figure 5 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing details of the formation position (positional relationship) of the blower fan 16, the heating chamber heater 18, and the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 in the heating chamber 22, which serves as the second chamber of the cooking appliance 10.

[0011] As an example of the cooking appliance 10 of this embodiment, the configuration of an oven range equipped with a microwave function, heater heating function (oven function, grill function), steam heating function, etc. is shown. In this embodiment, the cooking appliance 10 has defined X, Y, and Z directions. The X direction is the width direction of the cooking appliance 10, the Y direction (first direction Y) is the depth direction of the cooking appliance 10, and the Z direction (second direction Z) is the height direction of the cooking appliance 10.

[0012] The main body 24 of the heating cooker 10 is configured in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and is equipped with a metal cabinet 26. The cabinet 26 is a component that covers the outer casing of the heating cooker 10. That is, as shown in Figure 2, the cabinet 26 covers the cooking chamber 12, which is the first chamber. A door 28 that can be opened and closed is provided on the front of the main body 24. In the case of Figure 1, the door 28 is a so-called vertically opening door that rotates from the closed state shown in the figure to the open state that is open towards the front, with the lower end of the figure as the pivot point. That is, the door 28 allows for the insertion and removal of food to be heated from the cooking chamber 12. Note that the configuration of the door 28 is just an example, and it may also be a so-called horizontally opening door that opens and closes in either the left or right direction.

[0013] Above the door 28, there is a handle 28a for opening and closing operations (see FIGS. 1 and 4) to be held when opening and closing the door 28. Further, on, for example, the side of the door 28, there is an operation panel unit 30 capable of realizing functions such as display, notification, and operation. The operation panel unit 30 includes, for example, a display unit 30a, an operation unit 30b, and the like.

[0014] The setting contents and progress status of cooking and the like are displayed on the display unit 30a. The operation unit 30b may be constituted by, for example, a touch panel formed on the surface of the display unit 30a. The operation unit 30b enables various operation inputs related to heat cooking. Note that the operation unit 30b may be arranged separately from the display unit 30a and may be constituted by, for example, buttons, dials, or the like. The configuration and arrangement of the operation panel unit 30 are an example and can be appropriately changed according to the configuration and functions of the heating cooker 10.

[0015] Although not shown in the drawings, inside the door 28 and on the rear side of the operation panel unit 30, an operation panel PC (printed circuit) board for controlling the display unit 30a, the operation unit 30b, and the like is arranged.

[0016] At the lower part of the main body 24, a water supply cassette 32 and a water receiver 34 that can be detached from the front surface of the main body 24 are provided. The water supply cassette 32 is a source of water vapor ejected from a water vapor supply device described later and is a bottomed container for containing liquid water. The water receiver 34 is a bottomed container for receiving food scraps, water droplets, steam, and the like from the main body 24.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, an opening 12M is formed in the front part of the cooking chamber 12, which is the first chamber, for taking in and out the object to be heated, and this opening 12M is configured to be opened and closed by the door 28. Further, an internal temperature sensor 36 such as a thermistor for detecting the internal temperature of the cabinet is arranged inside the cooking chamber 12, for example, in the vicinity of the door 28. Further, on the side surface of the cabinet 26, a fan intake port 38 (see FIG. 1) is provided at a location facing a cooling fan built in a sensor unit not shown in the drawings.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral wall 14 forming the inner surface of the cooking chamber 12 includes a ceiling wall 14a, a bottom wall 14b, a left side wall 14c, a right side wall 14d, and a rear wall 14e. The rear wall 14e of the cooking chamber 12 can function as a partition portion 14S that separates the heating chamber 22 (see FIG. 3), which is the second chamber, from the cooking chamber 12. And, for example, in the central region of the rear wall 14e (partition portion 14S), a suction port 40 for sucking the air in the cooking chamber 12 into the heating chamber 22 is provided. Further, around the suction port 40, a blowout port 42 for blowing out (supplying) the air heated in the heating chamber 22 into the cooking chamber 12 is provided. Note that the layout of the suction port 40 and the blowout port 42 is an example and can be changed as appropriate.

[0019] Here, a schematic configuration for realizing each heating cooking function by the heating cooker 10 will be described. The heating cooker 10 includes a plurality of heating portions that heat an object to be heated for each heating function.

[0020] First, the grill function as a heater heating function in the heating cooker 10 of the present embodiment will be described. The grill function is realized by an upper heater 44 for grill, which is an example of a heating portion (see FIG. 4). The upper heater 44 is provided, for example, above the main body 24 so as to face the dome-shaped ceiling wall 14a that is the upper wall surface of the cooking chamber 12, and radiatively heats the object to be heated from above the cooking chamber 12. Therefore, by the heat radiation accompanying the energization of the upper heater 44, the object to be heated accommodated in the cooking chamber 12 can be grill-heated from above.

[0021] Note that in the present embodiment, the ceiling wall 14a has a curved shape, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the ceiling wall 14a may be formed in a mountain shape having an inclined portion.

[0022] Next, the microwave function of the heating cooker 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 4, a stand 14P for placing food to be heated or containers is provided on the bottom wall 14b of the cooking chamber 12. The stand 14P is made of glass, ceramic, or the like that which transmits microwaves. Below the stand 14P, a microwave generator 46, which is an example of a heating unit, is arranged to radiate microwaves from below the stand 14P towards the internal space of the cooking chamber 12. The microwave generator 46 consists of, for example, a magnetron 46a, a magnetron drive unit 46b (see Figure 8), a waveguide 46c, a rotating antenna 46d, an antenna rotation motor 46e, and an antenna housing unit 46f. The magnetron 46a is located in the rear (back) space of the main body 24 (for example, below the heating chamber 22) and can supply microwaves, which are radio waves, into the cooking chamber 12. The magnetron drive unit 46b drives the magnetron 46a. The waveguide 46c is installed between the bottom wall 14b of the cooking chamber 12 and the base 14P. The rotating antenna 46d is installed below the base 14P, and the antenna rotation motor 46e rotates the rotating antenna 46d. The antenna housing 46f is made up of a part of the waveguide 46c and a metal plate, and is a concave housing component with an open top that houses the rotating antenna 46d. The base 14P covers the opening on the top surface of the antenna housing 46f, thereby forming the substantial bottom wall of the cooking chamber 12.

[0023] The rotating antenna 46d agitates the microwaves oscillated by the magnetron 46a and guided by the waveguide 46c directly beneath the rotating antenna 46d. As a result, microwaves are evenly irradiated onto the object to be heated placed on the stand 14P, or onto the object to be heated contained in a container placed on the stand 14P. The rotating antenna 46d is positioned opposite the stand 14P, so that its entire structure is parallel to the stand 14P. The main body 24 that constitutes the cooking chamber 12 is covered by a metal cabinet 26, and the cooking chamber 12 (sometimes called the oven chamber) itself is also made of metal. Therefore, the inner surface of the cooking chamber 12, excluding the stand 14P, is made of a material that microwaves cannot penetrate. The door 28 is also made of a material that microwaves cannot penetrate. The surrounding walls of the microwave generator 46, excluding the top surface, are also made of metal. Therefore, when microwave cooking is performed in the cooking chamber 12, the microwaves are not allowed to leak outside the cooking appliance 10.

[0024] In this way, by energizing the microwave generator 46, microwaves are radiated onto the object to be heated inside the cooking chamber 12, allowing the object to be microwaved.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, a pair of shelf supports 48 are provided on the left wall 14c and the right wall 14d of the cooking chamber 12, for example, in two tiers, upper and lower, to store and hold a metal rectangular plate (not shown) suspended inside the cooking chamber 12. With microwave heating using the microwave generator 46 described above, the food to be heated can be placed in a microwave-safe container (not shown) and heated inside the cooking chamber 12 without placing a rectangular plate or the like inside the cooking chamber 12.

[0026] Next, the steam heating function of the cooking appliance 10 will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the cooking appliance 10 is equipped with a steam supply device 50 as an example of a heating unit that sends steam into the cooking chamber 12. In addition to the water supply cassette 32 described above, the steam supply device 50 consists of a nozzle 50a that turns the supplied liquid water into a mist, a water supply pipe 50b that connects the water supply cassette 32 and the nozzle 50a, and a water supply pump 50c that moves (pressures) the water from the water supply cassette 32 to the nozzle 50a. Multiple steam ejection holes 50d are formed in the nozzle 50a.

[0027] As a result, while the steam supply device 50 is operating, water from the water supply cassette 32 is sent to the nozzle 50a by the water supply pump 50c, and the water supplied by the nozzle 50a is atomized and supplied (ejected) into the cooking chamber 12 from the steam ejection hole 50d. At this time, if the temperature inside the cooking chamber 12 is higher than 100°C at atmospheric pressure, this steam instantly vaporizes inside the cooking chamber 12 and becomes superheated steam. As a result, the food to be heated placed inside the cooking chamber 12 can be heated quickly and evenly with an appropriate amount of water molecules (superheated steam), enabling steam cooking.

[0028] Next, the oven function, which is one of the heater heating functions of the cooking appliance 10 of this embodiment, will be described. The oven function is a function that applies powerful hot air (high-temperature air), generated by the hot air unit 52 which functions as an example of a heating unit, to the object to be heated, heating and baking the object by enveloping it.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a heating chamber 22 (second chamber) for supplying high-temperature air to the cooking chamber 12 (first chamber) is provided adjacent to the cooking chamber 12. Specifically, the heating chamber 22 is provided on the back side of the rear wall 14e (partition 14S) of the peripheral wall 14 of the cooking chamber 12. Note that the heating chamber 22 only needs to be provided adjacent to the cooking chamber 12, and may be provided, for example, on the left wall 14c side or the right wall 14d side. Figure 3 shows the state in which the rear wall 14e (partition 14S) has been removed and the hot air unit 52 installed in the heating chamber 22 is exposed. The hot air unit 52 consists of a blower fan 16 and a heating chamber heater 18, etc. Furthermore, a deodorizing catalyst layer 20 capable of deodorizing the air drawn in from the intake port 40 is formed on at least a part of the inner wall surface of the heating chamber 22 (second chamber). The deodorizing catalyst layer 20 may also be formed on a part of the components included in the heating chamber 22, for example, on the surface of the blower fan 16. Details of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 will be described later.

[0030] The heating chamber 22 draws in air from inside the cooking chamber 12, heats it, and then returns it to the cooking chamber 12, forming a circulating air passage R. The heating chamber 22 is configured with the hot air unit 52 housed in the internal space formed by the casing 22K.

[0031] The casing 22K is a component, for example, a convex-shaped member, which is attached to the partition wall 14S, which also functions as the back wall 14e of the cooking chamber 12, and has an opening on the partition wall 14S side. By covering the opening of the casing 22K with the partition wall 14S, the internal space of the heating chamber 22, that is, the circulating air passage R, is formed.

[0032] As mentioned above, the partition wall 14S is a flat, plate-shaped component that can also serve as the back wall 14e of the peripheral wall 14 of the cooking chamber 12. As shown in Figure 2, for example, an intake port 40 is formed in the center of the partition wall 14S, and outlet ports 42 are formed around it. The partition wall 14S may be provided separately from the back wall 14e. In this case, the heating chamber 22 is configured as an individual unit by the casing 22K and the partition wall 14S, and is connected to the cooking chamber 12 surrounded by the peripheral wall 14. In other words, the intake port opening and the outlet port opening formed on the partition wall 14S side are connected to the intake port opening and the outlet port opening formed on the back wall 14e side, forming the intake port 40 and the outlet port 42.

[0033] The blower fan 16 constituting the hot air unit 52 generates an airflow to circulate air between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22. The blower fan 16 can be a so-called centrifugal fan, for example, which takes in air axially and expels it radially (towards the outer edge 16r) perpendicular to the axial direction due to centrifugal force during rotation. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the blower fan 16 consists of a blade section 16W, which has a plurality of individual blades 16b formed on a roughly disc-shaped, flat base section 16a, and a fan motor 16c. The individual blades 16b are portions that rise almost perpendicularly from the base section 16a by cutting and bending the base section 16a. The individual blades 16b are formed at equal intervals with an angle in the circumferential direction relative to the radial direction of the blade section 16W. The blade section 16W may also be formed by joining a plurality of individual blades 16b to the base section 16a by welding or the like.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the blower fan 16 is positioned approximately in the center of the heating chamber 22 and can efficiently and smoothly draw in air from around the object to be heated, for example, in the central area of ​​the stand 14P of the cooking chamber 12, via the intake port 40 (see Figure 2). Note that the blower fan 16 may be replaced with a blower mechanism of a different configuration, as long as it can circulate air between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22.

[0035] The heating chamber heater 18, which functions as a heating element, can be, for example, a sheathed heater, mica heater, quartz tube heater, halogen heater, etc. The type and configuration of the heating chamber heater 18 are not limited as long as it can heat the air passing through the circulating air passage R of the heating chamber 22, and can be selected as appropriate.

[0036] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the blower fan 16 and the heating chamber heater 18 are positioned in overlapping locations along a second direction Z, which is different from the first direction Y, in which the cooking chamber 12 (first chamber) and the heating chamber 22 (second chamber) are adjacent. For example, if the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22 are adjacent in the front-to-back direction (first direction Y), the blower fan 16 and the heating chamber heater 18 are positioned along the up-and-down direction (second direction Z). The blower fan 16, positioned in this manner, is driven to rotate clockwise, for example, as shown in Figure 3, by a fan motor 16c connected to the base portion 16a. As a result, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the blower fan 16 causes the air (arrow F0) drawn in from the cooking chamber 12 side through the intake port 40 in the axial direction of the fan motor 16c to flow radially (outer circumference). In this case, the air flows in the outer peripheral direction (towards the outer edge 16r) along the air extrusion surface 16s, which is the surface that pushes the air to generate airflow on the individual blades 16b of the blower fan 16, which are angled in the circumferential direction with respect to the radial direction. As a result, the blower fan 16 guides the air to the heating chamber heater 18 as indicated by arrow F1. During this guidance, the air is heated by the heating chamber heater 18 and blown out from the outlet 42 toward the cooking chamber 12 (see arrow F2 in Figure 4).

[0037] The intake port 40 is formed approximately in the center of the partition wall 14S (back wall 14e) on the rear side of the cooking chamber 12, and the outlet ports 42 are formed around it. As a result, within the cooking chamber 12, air flowing along the peripheral wall 14 of the cooking chamber 12 (arrow F2) flows to the central area of ​​the cooking chamber 12 (arrow F0), towards the intake port 40, and is drawn into the heating chamber 22. The air drawn into the heating chamber 22 is heated by the heating chamber heater 18 and then blown back into the cooking chamber 12 from the outlet ports 42 (arrow F1). In other words, the arrangement of the intake port 40, blower fan 16, heating chamber heater 18, and outlet ports 42 as described above efficiently heats the air and forms a circulating flow that smoothly supplies the heated air to the area around the food to be heated inside the cooking chamber 12. As a result, the cooking appliance 10 can achieve oven cooking by hot air convection heating.

[0038] As described above, by arranging the blower fan 16 and the heating chamber heater 18 along a second direction Z (for example, a direction perpendicular to the first direction Y), it becomes possible to form a thin heating chamber 22 with respect to the first direction Y (the depth direction of the cooking appliance 10). As a result, efficient heating of circulating air can be achieved in a space-saving manner. Furthermore, it contributes to miniaturization in the depth direction of the cooking appliance 10.

[0039] By the way, when cooking in the cooking chamber 12, odors may be generated as mentioned above. These odors can be generated in various ways, such as from the object being heated (e.g., food ingredients), from the heating of the object being heated, or from the carbonization of the object being heated or oil. Therefore, the heating chamber 22 of the cooking appliance 10 in this embodiment is equipped with a deodorizing catalyst layer 20 that deodorizes the air circulating between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22.

[0040] In this embodiment, a deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is formed on at least a portion of the inner wall surface of the heating chamber 22 (second chamber) (the heating chamber 22 side of the partition wall 14S and the inner surface of the casing 22K), and on at least a portion of the surface of the blower fan 16 (the surface of the individual blades 16b and the base portion 16a, etc.). The deodorizing catalyst layer 20 deodorizes the air from the cooking chamber 12 that is drawn in from the intake port 40. In other words, the air containing odor components is deodorized as it passes through the heating chamber 22, and the deodorized air is supplied to the cooking chamber 12 from the outlet port 42.

[0041] The deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is a thin film layer formed by applying (spraying) a mixture of fine powder of a deodorizing catalyst and a volatile liquid containing alcohol such as propanol or water to the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 formation area (for example, the heating chamber 22 side of the partition wall 14S), and then drying it. By applying (spraying) a liquid deodorizing catalyst, it is possible to easily form a deodorizing catalyst layer 20 of uniform thickness, making it easy to obtain an effective and stable deodorizing effect. The deodorizing catalyst used to form the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 can be, for example, metals such as platinum, gold, silver, copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, chromium, and zinc, or fine powder of a phosphoric acid catalyst. The method of forming the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is not limited to application or spraying; other thin film formation techniques such as application by immersion in the mixture may also be used.

[0042] The deodorizing catalyst layer 20 may be formed at any location within the heating chamber 22 that is accessible to the circulating air. As described above, the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is formed on the inner surface 22a of the partition wall 14S on the heating chamber 22 side, the upper inner surface 22b, the lower inner surface 22c, the back inner surface 22d, and the inner side surface 22e of the casing 22K of the heating chamber 22 (opposing inner side surfaces are not shown), etc. By forming the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 on the entire inner surface of the heating chamber 22, more effective deodorization can be achieved. In other embodiments, the formation position of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 within the heating chamber 22 may be appropriately selected according to the airflow distribution in the heating chamber 22.

[0043] Alternatively, a deodorizing catalyst layer 20 may be formed on the surface of the blower fan 16, which is the source of air circulation in the heating chamber 22 (such as the surface of the individual blades 16b or the base portion 16a). In this case, contact between the air and the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 can be reliably achieved, enabling efficient deodorization.

[0044] In this way, by forming a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20 on the inner wall of the heating chamber 22 and on the components present in the heating chamber 22, obstruction of the airflow circulating (passing through) the heating chamber 22 can be suppressed compared to when a deodorizing device or deodorizing catalyst block (solid catalyst) is placed inside the heating chamber 22. In other words, a smooth airflow (circulation) can be achieved, improving deodorization efficiency. Furthermore, the smooth airflow (circulation) can contribute to increased efficiency in heating and cooking (oven cooking, etc.) and reduced power consumption.

[0045] Since the heating chamber 22 becomes hot, the casing 22K, partition wall 14S, and individual fan blades 16b and base 16a that make up the heating chamber 22 are generally made of metal. When the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is directly formed on the surface of a metal material, it may cause metal corrosion (e.g., rust). Therefore, in this embodiment, a corrosion prevention layer 21 is formed as an underlayer on the surface of the metal material, and the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is formed on top of the corrosion prevention layer 21. The corrosion prevention layer 21 is, for example, a rust-preventive layer, and similar to the deodorizing catalyst layer 20, a liquid corrosion inhibitor is applied (sprayed), dried (fixed), and then the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is formed on top of the corrosion prevention layer 21. By forming the corrosion prevention layer 21 as an underlayer in this way, even if the heating appliance 10 is used for a long period of time, it is possible to suppress the detachment or deterioration of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 due to corrosion, and contribute to maintaining the deodorizing performance.

[0046] In addition, when using heating functions such as microwave, grill, or steam heating functions, which do not utilize the hot air generated in the heating chamber 22, the heating chamber heater 18 may be deactivated, and only the blower fan 16 may be driven to circulate air between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22 during cooking. In this case as well, it is possible to bring the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 located in the heating chamber 22 into contact with the air in the cooking chamber 12, allowing for air deodorization in the same way as when using the oven function.

[0047] Incidentally, in the case of the heating cooker 10, it may be equipped with an exhaust structure that discharges the air inside the cooking chamber 12 to the outside of the heating cooker 10. As mentioned above, when air circulates only between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22 during cooking, etc., deodorization is performed continuously, making it possible to obtain a sufficient deodorizing effect. On the other hand, when cooking is performed without passing through the heating chamber 22, the air inside the cooking chamber 12 may be discharged to the outside of the heating cooker 10 in order to prevent air containing odor components from accumulating inside the cooking chamber 12. In this way, when air is discharged from the cooking chamber 12 to the outside of the heating cooker 10 without passing through the heating chamber 22, there is a possibility that the air will be discharged without sufficient deodorization. Therefore, in the case of the heating cooker 10 of this embodiment, an exhaust air passage section 54 is provided that discharges the air inside the cooking chamber 12 (first chamber) that contains the food to be heated to the outside of the cooking chamber 12, and a deodorizing catalyst layer 20A is formed on at least a part of the inner wall surface of this exhaust air passage section 54.

[0048] Figure 6 is an exemplary and schematic perspective view showing the details and location of the exhaust air passage 54 equipped with the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A in the cooking appliance 10. Figure 7 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing the details and location of the exhaust air passage 54 equipped with the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A in the cooking appliance 10. In Figures 6 and 7, the cooking appliance 10 is shown with the top cover removed to make the location of the exhaust air passage 54 easier to understand.

[0049] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the cooking appliance 10 has an exhaust air passage 54 located at the top of the rear side, as an example. The placement of the exhaust air passage 54 can be appropriately selected as long as it allows for efficient exhaust of the internal air of the cooking chamber 12, and the exhaust does not degrade the usability or appearance of the cooking appliance 10, nor does it affect surrounding objects (such as the walls and surrounding equipment around where the cooking appliance 10 is installed).

[0050] The exhaust air passage 54 of the cooking appliance 10 in this embodiment is formed in a part of the peripheral wall 14 of the cooking chamber 12 and is positioned to cover the exhaust port 14H which communicates with the inside of the cooking chamber 12. The exhaust air passage 54 is composed of a combination of multiple members. For example, the exhaust air passage 54 consists of a first duct 54a, a second duct 54b, a third duct 54c, and an exhaust cover 54d. The first duct 54a, the second duct 54b, the third duct 54c, and the exhaust cover 54d can be made of metal or resin material. The first duct 54a, the second duct 54b, and the third duct 54c are each cylindrical or grooved members, and can be combined to form an exhaust air passage. In the structure shown in Figures 6 and 7, the exhaust path from the exhaust port 14H to the exhaust cover 54d is formed by combining three components: the first duct 54a, the second duct 54b, and the third duct 54c. However, the number of components combined and the shape of each duct can be changed as appropriate depending on the positional relationship between the exhaust port 14H and the exhaust cover 54d. For example, the exhaust path from the exhaust port 14H to the exhaust cover 54d may be formed with one component, or it may be formed with four or more components.

[0051] The exhaust cover 54d is assembled to form the final region of the exhaust airflow path formed by the first duct 54a, the second duct 54b, and the third duct 54c, and releases the air discharged from inside the cooking chamber 12 into the space surrounding the cooking appliance 10. The outlet of the exhaust cover 54d is, for example, elongated in the width direction of the cooking appliance 10. By making the outlet large (long), the sound and velocity (force) of the air discharge are mitigated, making it difficult for users to notice that air is being discharged from inside the cooking chamber 12. The exhaust cover 54d may also be connected to a cooling airflow path for cooling electronic components, etc., used to operate the cooking appliance 10. In this case, the cooling air can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance 10 along with the air from inside the cooking chamber 12. By combining different exhausts from one location, it is made difficult for users to notice the exhaust.

[0052] As described above, the exhaust air passage 54, which consists of the first duct 54a, the second duct 54b, the third duct 54c, and the exhaust cover 54d, may carry air from the cooking room 12 that has not been sufficiently deodorized. Therefore, a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20A capable of deodorizing the air flowing through the exhaust air passage 54 is formed on at least a portion of the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54.

[0053] The deodorizing catalyst layer 20A can be formed in the same way as the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 formed in the heating chamber 22. That is, the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A is a thin film layer formed by applying (spraying) a mixture of fine powder of the deodorizing catalyst and a volatile liquid containing alcohol such as propanol or water to the part of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A that is to be formed (for example, the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage), and then drying it. By applying (spraying) the liquid deodorizing catalyst, it is possible to easily form a deodorizing catalyst layer 20A of uniform thickness, making it easy to obtain an effective and stable deodorizing effect. The deodorizing catalyst used to form the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A can be, for example, metals such as platinum, gold, silver, copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, chromium, and zinc, or fine powder of a phosphoric acid catalyst. The method of forming the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A is not limited to application or spraying; other thin film formation techniques such as application by immersion in the mixture may also be used.

[0054] By forming a deodorizing catalyst layer 20A on the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, it becomes possible to deodorize the air directly discharged from the cooking chamber 12, thereby suppressing the discharge of air containing odor components to the outside of the cooking appliance 10. Furthermore, by forming the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A, which is a thin film layer, on the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, obstruction of the airflow passing through the exhaust air passage 54 can be suppressed compared to cases where a deodorizing device or deodorizing catalyst block (solid catalyst) is placed inside the exhaust air passage 54. In other words, a smooth airflow (exhaust) can be achieved, improving deodorization efficiency. In addition, the smooth airflow (exhaust) can contribute to reducing power consumption. It is desirable to form the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A on the entire inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, but it may be formed on some of the components constituting the exhaust air passage 54, taking into consideration deodorization efficiency and formation costs.

[0055] Furthermore, similar to the heating chamber 22, if the exhaust air passage 54 is made of a metal material and the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A is directly formed on the surface of the metal material, it may cause metal corrosion (e.g., rust). Therefore, when forming the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A on the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, it is formed on top of a corrosion-preventive layer 21 formed as a base layer on the surface of the metal material, and the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is formed on top of the corrosion-preventive layer 21. The corrosion-preventive layer 21 is, for example, a rust-preventive layer, and similar to the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A, a liquid corrosion inhibitor is applied (sprayed), dried (fixed), and then the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A is formed on top of the corrosion-preventive layer 21. In this way, by forming the corrosion-preventive layer 21 as a base layer, even if the heating appliance 10 is used for a long period of time, it is possible to suppress the detachment or deterioration of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A due to corrosion, and contribute to maintaining the deodorizing performance.

[0056] The deodorizing catalyst layer 20A may also be formed on the exhaust port 14H or the outer surface of the peripheral wall 14 on which the exhaust port 14H is formed. The position of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20A may be appropriately selected and changed considering factors such as deodorizing efficiency and formation costs. In this case, the exhaust port 14H may be considered to be included in a part of the exhaust air passage 54.

[0057] The electrical configuration of the heating appliance 10 of this embodiment, as described above, will be explained with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is an exemplary and schematic block diagram showing the input and output configuration to the control unit 56 of the heating appliance 10.

[0058] The control unit 56 may be configured by a well-known microcomputer. The control unit 56 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 56A, a storage unit 56B, and input / output ports (not shown), etc. The storage unit 56B includes ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The CPU 56A reads a program installed and stored in the ROM, etc., and implements modules such as the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa, the display control unit 56Ab, and the timing unit 56Ac according to the program. Note that the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa, the display control unit 56Ab, the timing unit 56Ac, etc. may be partially or entirely configured as hardware.

[0059] In addition to the operation unit 30b and the internal temperature sensor 36 mentioned above, the input port of the control unit 56 is electrically connected to, for example, the door opening / closing detection unit 58, the fan motor rotation detection unit 60, the rotating antenna position detection unit 62, and the rotation speed indicator unit 64. Furthermore, in addition to the display unit 30a and the magnetron drive unit 46b mentioned above, the output port of the control unit 56 is electrically connected to, for example, the rotating antenna drive unit 66, the heater drive unit 68, the fan motor drive unit 70, and the notification unit 72.

[0060] The heating and cooking control unit 56Aa of the control unit 56 mainly controls the operation of each part related to heating and cooking the food to be heated. After receiving an operation signal corresponding to the operation of the operation unit 30b, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa starts control to perform various heating and cooking operations on the food to be heated when it determines that the door 28 is closed based on a detection signal from the door opening / closing detection unit 58. In response to the operation signal received from the operation unit 30b, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa sends control signals to the magnetron drive unit 46b, the rotating antenna drive unit 66, the heater drive unit 68, and the fan motor drive unit 70 to start control.

[0061] The display control unit 56Ab controls the content displayed on the display unit 30a. For example, the display control unit 56Ab controls the display of menus corresponding to each cooking method, detailed settings for each menu, operation procedures, and the progress of cooking. The display control unit 56Ab can also control the display of maintenance menus for the cooking appliance 10, maintenance operation procedures, and maintenance status.

[0062] The timing unit 56Ac starts timing when the cooking control unit 56Aa starts cooking control and provides data indicating the timing status to the cooking control unit 56Aa. The cooking control unit 56Aa controls the magnetron drive unit 46b, the rotating antenna drive unit 66, the heater drive unit 68, the fan motor drive unit 70, etc., at predetermined timings according to the timing, and adjusts the heating time, heating temperature, etc., of the cooking selected by the operation unit 30b.

[0063] The memory unit 56B stores in advance multiple types of cooking information (cooking information) as cooking menus, which include information on the ingredients and heating conditions of the food to be heated for performing various cooking methods. When the operation unit 30b issues an instruction to start cooking for one of the cooking menus stored in the memory unit 56B, the cooking control unit 56Aa executes the cooking of the food to be heated according to the procedure specified in the cooking information of the selected cooking menu.

[0064] The door opening / closing detection unit 58 detects the open / closed state of the door 28. Based on the detection result from the door opening / closing detection unit 58, the control unit 56 starts the heating operation for each cooking process of the cooking appliance 10 when it is confirmed that the door 28 has been completely closed. The fan motor rotation detection unit 60 detects the rotation speed of the fan motor 16c of the blower fan 16. The rotating antenna position detection unit 62 detects the origin position of the rotating antenna 46d that constitutes the microwave generator 46. The rotation speed instruction unit 64 instructs the rotation speed of the fan motor 16c according to each cooking process of the cooking appliance 10.

[0065] The rotating antenna drive unit 66 operates the antenna rotation motor 46e during microwave cooking. The heater drive unit 68 consists of electromagnetic relays and power transistors that individually power the heating chamber heater 18 for heating during oven cooking and the upper heater 44 for grill cooking. The fan motor drive unit 70 rotates the fan motor 16c that circulates hot air between the heating chamber 22 and the cooking chamber 12 during deodorization by the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 and during oven cooking. The notification unit 72 consists of a speaker that notifies (outputs) notification content by voice or buzzer sound when confirming operation during cooking, notifying of completion of cooking, or in the event of incorrect operation.

[0066] The control unit 56 executes the specified cooking process based on the operation of the operation unit 30b. For example, the cooking control unit 56Aa (control unit 56) obtains an instruction signal from the rotation speed instruction unit 64 indicating the rotation speed of the fan motor 16c corresponding to the specified cooking process, and also obtains a signal indicating the actual rotation speed of the fan motor 16c detected by the fan motor rotation detection unit 60. Then, the cooking control unit 56Aa outputs a control signal for driving to the fan motor drive unit 70 at a predetermined timing based on the timing from the timing unit 56Ac. This allows the fan motor drive unit 70 to control the rotation speed of the blower fan 16 and execute driving according to the content of the cooking process. The cooking control unit 56Aa (control unit 56) receives the operation signal from the operation unit 30b and detection signals from the internal temperature sensor 36, the door opening / closing detection unit 58, and the rotating antenna position detection unit 62, and outputs control signals for driving to the magnetron drive unit 46b, the rotating antenna drive unit 66, the heater drive unit 68, etc., at a predetermined timing based on the timing from the timing unit 56Ac. Furthermore, the display control unit 56Ab (control unit 56) outputs a control signal for display to the display unit 30a. Also, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa (control unit 56) outputs a control signal for notification to the notification unit 72. As a result, the control unit 56 can perform heating and cooking of the object to be heated.

[0067] When, for example, an automatic cooking menu for oven heating is selected via the operation unit 30b and an operation to start cooking is performed, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa controls the heating chamber heater 18 and the blower fan 16 in a procedure corresponding to the selected cooking menu. Specifically, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa controls the heater drive unit 68 and the fan motor drive unit 70 so that the air heated by the heating chamber heater 18 is supplied to the inside of the cooking chamber 12 by the blower fan 16. Thus, the heating chamber heater 18 and the blower fan 16 constitute an oven cooking device that heats the food to be heated in the oven.

[0068] Furthermore, when an automatic cooking menu for microwave heating is selected via the operation unit 30b and an operation to start cooking is performed, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa controls the magnetron 46a and the rotating antenna 46d in a procedure corresponding to the selected cooking menu. Specifically, the heating and cooking control unit 56Aa controls the magnetron drive unit 46b to generate microwaves from the magnetron 46a, and controls the rotating antenna drive unit 66 to stir these microwaves with the rotating antenna 46d so that the microwaves are uniformly irradiated onto the object to be heated. Thus, the magnetron 46a and the rotating antenna 46d constitute a microwave generator 46 for microwave heating of the object to be heated.

[0069] In addition, during microwave heating, the heating chamber heater 18 and the blower fan 16 are normally not operated. In other embodiments, the blower fan 16 may be operated by simultaneously energizing the fan motor 16c that operates the blower fan 16 at the same time as microwave heating. In this case, even during microwave heating, the air deodorized by the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 can be circulated within the cooking chamber 12, thereby increasing the deodorization efficiency within the cooking chamber 12.

[0070] In another embodiment, the control unit 56 may operate the blower fan 16 for a certain period of time after microwave heating is completed. In this case, deodorization of the cooking chamber 12 can be effectively performed when the cooking appliance 10 is not in use (when not cooking).

[0071] The power supply control to the heating chamber heater 18 and the upper heater 44 may be configured to be performed individually by the heater drive unit 68. For example, during grill cooking, power is usually supplied only to the upper heater 44, and the heating chamber heater 18 and the blower fan 16 are not operated. In another embodiment, the heating chamber heater 18 and the blower fan 16 may be operated simultaneously by supplying power to the fan motor 16c that operates the heating chamber heater 18 and the blower fan 16 at the same time as power is supplied to the upper heater 44. In this case, the air deodorized by the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 is circulated within the cooking chamber 12, and the deodorization efficiency within the cooking chamber 12 during grill cooking can be increased. In addition, the temperature of the cooking chamber 12 can be further increased by heating by the upper heater 44 and heating by the heating chamber heater 18, enabling cooking at higher temperatures.

[0072] Furthermore, when the heater drive unit 68 simultaneously energizes the heating chamber heater 18 and the upper heater 44 during grill cooking, the fan motor drive unit 70 may be configured to control the rotation speed of the blower fan 16 while driving it. For example, by driving the blower fan 16 at a low rotation speed, it may be possible to prevent effects such as temperature drops in the cooking chamber 12 during grill cooking, thereby achieving balanced cooking and deodorization. As described above, the rotation speed of the blower fan 16 is controlled when the control unit 56, which receives a rotation speed instruction signal from the rotation speed instruction unit 64, outputs a control signal for driving to the fan motor drive unit 70.

[0073] As described above, the heating cooker 10 of this embodiment can suppress obstruction of the airflow circulating (passing through) the heating chamber 22 compared to the case where a deodorizing device or deodorizing catalyst block (solid catalyst) is placed inside the heating chamber 22, by forming a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20 on the inner wall of the heating chamber 22 and on the components present in the heating chamber 22. Furthermore, the heating cooker 10 of this embodiment can suppress obstruction of the airflow in the exhaust air passage 54 compared to the case where a deodorizing device or deodorizing catalyst block (solid catalyst) is placed inside the exhaust air passage 54, by forming a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20A on the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54. In other words, it is possible to achieve smooth air circulation and flow and improve deodorization efficiency.

[0074] <Summary> The heating cooker 10 according to the embodiment described above comprises a cooking chamber 12 (first chamber) for accommodating food to be heated, a heating chamber 22 (second chamber) provided adjacent to the cooking chamber 12 and forming a circulating air passage that returns air drawn in from the cooking chamber 12 to the cooking chamber 12, a partition wall 14S provided between the cooking chamber 12 and the heating chamber 22 and having an intake port 40 for drawing in air from the cooking chamber 12 and an outlet port 42 for blowing air from the heating chamber 22 to the cooking chamber 12, a heating chamber heater 18 (heating section) provided inside the heating chamber 22 and heating the air drawn in from the intake port 40, a blower fan 16 provided inside the heating chamber 22 and circulating air between the heating chamber 22 and the cooking chamber 12, and a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20 formed on at least a part of the inner wall surface of the heating chamber 22 that can deodorize the air drawn in from the intake port 40.

[0075] In this way, by forming a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20 on the inner wall of the heating chamber 22 and on the components present in the heating chamber 22, obstruction of the airflow circulating (passing through) the heating chamber 22 can be suppressed compared to when a deodorizing device or deodorizing catalyst block (solid catalyst) is placed inside the heating chamber 22. In other words, a smooth airflow (circulation) can be achieved, improving deodorization efficiency. Furthermore, the smooth airflow (circulation) can contribute to increased efficiency in heating and cooking (oven cooking) and reduced power consumption.

[0076] Furthermore, the cooking appliance 10 according to this embodiment includes a cooking chamber 12 (first chamber) for housing the food to be heated, a heating unit for heating and cooking the food housed in the cooking chamber 12, an exhaust air passage 54 for discharging the air inside the cooking chamber 12 from the cooking chamber 12, and a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20A formed on at least a part of the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, which is capable of deodorizing the air flowing through the exhaust air passage 54.

[0077] In this way, by forming a deodorizing catalyst layer 20A on the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, it becomes possible to deodorize the air directly discharged from the cooking chamber 12, thereby suppressing the discharge of air containing odor components to the outside of the cooking appliance 10. Furthermore, by forming a thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer 20A on the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage 54, obstruction of the airflow passing through the exhaust air passage 54 can be suppressed compared to cases where a deodorizing device or deodorizing catalyst block (solid catalyst) is placed inside the exhaust air passage 54. As a result, a smooth airflow (exhaust) can be achieved, improving deodorization efficiency. In addition, the smooth airflow (exhaust) can contribute to reducing power consumption.

[0078] Furthermore, the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 (20A) of the cooking appliance 10 may be formed on top of, for example, a corrosion-preventive layer 21 formed as a base layer. With this configuration, for example, by forming the corrosion-preventive layer 21 as a base layer, even if the cooking appliance 10 is used for a long period of time, it is possible to suppress the shedding or deterioration of the deodorizing catalyst layer 20 (20A) due to corrosion, thereby contributing to the maintenance of deodorizing performance.

[0079] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 10... Cooking appliance, 12... Cooking chamber, 14... Peripheral wall, 14S... Partition wall section, 16... Blower fan, 18... Heating chamber heater (heating section), 20, 20A... Deodorizing catalyst layer, 21... Corrosion prevention layer, 22... Heating chamber, 40... Intake port, 42... Outlet port, 52... Hot air unit, 54... Exhaust air passage section, R... Circulation air passage.

Claims

1. The first chamber contains the object to be heated, A second chamber is provided adjacent to the first chamber and forms a circulating air passage that returns the air drawn in from the first chamber back to the first chamber, A partition wall is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber, having an intake port for drawing air from the first chamber and an outlet port for blowing air from the second chamber into the first chamber. A heating unit is provided inside the second chamber to heat the air drawn in from the intake port, A blower fan is provided inside the second chamber to circulate the air between the second chamber and the first chamber, A thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer is formed on at least a portion of the inner wall surface of the second chamber, which is capable of deodorizing the air drawn in from the intake port, Equipped with, Heating cooker.

2. The first chamber contains the object to be heated, A heating unit for heating and cooking the object to be heated, located in the first chamber, An exhaust air passage section for discharging the air inside the first chamber from the first chamber, A thin film-like deodorizing catalyst layer capable of deodorizing the air flowing through the exhaust air passage is formed on at least a portion of the inner wall surface of the exhaust air passage, Equipped with, Heating cooker.

3. The cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deodorizing catalyst layer is formed on top of a corrosion-preventive layer formed as a base layer.

Images