Rice cooker

Abstract

To provide a rice cooker capable of cooking rice so as to clearly distinguish characteristics of cooked texture of respective types of branded rice.SOLUTION: A rice cooker 1 according to the present invention can sequentially execute an immersing cooking step, a boil-heating step, a boil continuation step and a steaming step. Alternatively, the rice cooker 1 includes a heating coil 12 heating a pot 5 for storing rice and water as cooking objects, a "rice" key 69 for setting a brand of rice to be cooked, and rice-cooking control means 53 controlling the heating coil 12 by changing a combination of a temperature and a time of the immersing step and / or steaming step according to the brand of the rice set with the "rice" key 69 in at least one of the immersing step and the steaming step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice cooker that can change the rice cooking method depending on the characteristics of the rice brand. [Background technology]

[0002] As such techniques for changing the rice cooking method to the optimum one according to the characteristics of each brand of rice, the applicant has proposed a technique for selectively cooking rice under pressure or normal pressure, which can give rice stickiness, as in Reference 1, a technique for determining the water absorption characteristics of rice based on the weight of the rice when the weight inside the pot stabilizes after boiling during the cooking process, as in Reference 2, and a technique for cooking rice according to delicate conditions such as the type of white rice, as in Reference 3. In addition, techniques for cooking rice in a way suitable for a specific brand are also known, as in References 4 to 7, for example. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 03-146014 A [Patent Document 2] JP 03-236812 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 05-115359 [Patent Document 4] JP 2008-146196 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2008-161698 A [Patent Document 6] JP 2015-066065 A [Patent Document 7] JP 2018-143647 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] While the above-mentioned conventional technologies change the cooking method depending on the characteristics of the rice brand, they do not bring out the distinct cooked texture characteristics of each brand of rice more clearly, and instead impair the texture characteristics that differ between rice varieties and brands, making it impossible to create cooking patterns that meet user preferences.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a rice cooker capable of cooking rice in such a way that the characteristics of the cooked texture of each brand of rice are more clearly pronounced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The rice cooker of the present invention is capable of sequentially executing a soaking cooking process, a boiling heating process, a boiling continuing process, and a steaming process, and is provided with a heating means for heating a pot containing rice and water as food to be cooked, a rice brand setting means for setting the brand of the rice to be cooked, and a control means for controlling the heating means according to the set brand of rice during at least one of the soaking cooking process and the steaming process. The control means controls the heating means so that as the time of the soaking process is lengthened, the time of the steaming process is shortened, and as the time of the soaking process is shortened, the time of the steaming process is lengthened. It is characterized by the above. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the rice cooker of the present invention, the amount of heat for cooking can be adjusted so as to more clearly bring out the characteristics of the cooked texture of each brand of rice, and a cooking pattern can be set according to the user's preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ from brand to brand. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] Same as above, this is a table showing the temperature, time and pressure control for cooking each brand of rice at each stage of the rice cooking process. [Diagram 5] As above, this is a map in which the texture information of cooked brand rice is used to arrange the hardness and stickiness of each brand of rice A to G at the corresponding coordinates according to their texture. [Figure 6] As above, this is a map showing texture images of how the texture of each brand of rice A to G moves from the coordinates of the map shown in Figure 5 according to the texture of the rice cooked in the rice cooker of the present invention. [Figure 7] 11 is a graph showing the change over time in the pot temperature, the lid temperature, the amount of heat from the lid heater, and the amount of heat from the heating coil and the body heater during the rice cooking process and the warming process. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a top view of the operation panel in the initial off state. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a top view of the operation panel displaying a rice brand selection screen. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a top view of the operation panel in the state where the "Rice" key is pressed once on the rice brand selection screen of the same embodiment. [Figure 11] The table in Figure 4 is a map showing the texture image of how the hardness and stickiness of the food are affected when each control is selected. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a rice cooker according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that common parts are designated by common reference numerals throughout the drawings.

[0010] 1 to 11 show an embodiment of a rice cooker of the present invention. The overall structure of the rice cooker will be described with reference to Fig. 1. 1 is a rice cooker, which is generally rectangular with a front and rear, left and right sides facing each other when viewed from above, and is generally made up of a main body 2 of the rice cooker 1 with an open top, and a lid 3 that can be opened and closed to cover the top opening of the main body 2. The main body 2 has a pot housing section 4 that is open at the top, and when the lid 3 is opened, a bottomed pot 5 serving as a container for holding water or rice to be cooked is detachably housed in the pot housing section 4. The pot housing section 4 is constructed by combining a bowl-shaped resin inner frame 6 and the like, and the whole is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape.

[0011] Pot 5 has main material 8 made of aluminum, which has good thermal conductivity, and heating element 9 made of a magnetic metal plate such as ferritic stainless steel joined to the outer surface of main material 8 from the lower side to the bottom. In addition, heating coil 12 is provided on the outer surface of inner frame 6, which faces the lower side and bottom of pot 5, as heating means for electromagnetic induction heating of heating element 9 of pot 5.

[0012] Pot sensor 14, serving as pot temperature detection means, is disposed in the center of the bottom of inner frame 6 so as to make elastic contact with the outer bottom of pot 5. Pot sensor 14 of this embodiment is configured to detect the temperature of pot 5 and mainly control the heating temperature of the bottom of pot 5 by heating coil 12.

[0013] A lid-opening button 15 is provided in an exposed state on the front upper surface of the lid 3, and when this lid-opening button 15 is pressed, the engagement between the main body 2 and the lid 3 is released, and the lid 3 is automatically opened around a hinge shaft 16 by a hinge spring (not shown) provided at the upper rear of the main body 2. A steam vent unit 17, which exhausts steam generated from the food being cooked in the pot 5 to the outside of the rice cooker 1, is detachably attached to the rear upper surface of the lid 3.

[0014] On the top surface of the lid 3, in addition to the lid opening button 15 and the steam vent unit 17, an operation panel 20 serving as a display and operation unit for the rice cooker 1 is arranged. The operation panel 20 comprises a display section 18 that displays various information related to cooking, and an operation section 19 for starting rice cooking and selecting the time and cooking course, and below these is a control PC (Printed Circuit) board 47 equipped with a display and operation control means 46, which is the control means for the operation panel 20. The control PC board 47 has a patterned conductive circuit section, and by mounting a control IC related to operation and display on this control PC board 47, the display and operation control means 46 linked to the heating control means 40 described below is constituted.

[0015] An inner lid assembly 21 is disposed below the lid 3 as a lower member of the lid 3. The inner lid assembly 21 is made of a metal material having a disk shape with approximately the same diameter as the upper opening of the pot 5, and includes an inner lid 22 that covers the upper opening of the pot 5, a lid gasket 23 as an elastic member provided around the entire outer circumference of the inner lid 22 to seal between the inner lid 22 and the pot 5, and a pressure adjusting part 24 that adjusts the internal pressure of the pot 5. The annular lid gasket 23 abuts against the upper surface, which is the opening of the pot 5, when the lid 3 is closed as shown in Fig. 1, to close the gap between the pot 5 and the inner lid 22 and seal in steam generated from the pot 5.

[0016] Inside the lid 3, there are provided a lid heater 33 as a lid heating means for heating the inner lid 22, and a thermistor-type lid temperature sensor 34 for controlling the temperature of the inner lid 22 by the lid heater 33. In addition, a steam exhaust path 25 is formed that connects the steam port unit 17 and the pressure adjustment section 24 as a passage for releasing steam generated in the pot 5 to the outside. The pressure adjustment section 24 is provided with a pressure adjustment valve 26 that opens and closes the steam exhaust path 25 between the inside of the pot 5 and the steam port unit 17. The pressure adjustment valve 26 is ball-shaped and works in conjunction with a solenoid 27 provided inside the lid 3. The solenoid 27 rotates the pressure adjustment valve 26 so that the steam exhaust path 25 is opened when steam in the pot 5 is to be released to the outside, and the steam exhaust path 25 is closed when the inside of the pot 5 is to be pressurized or depressurized. During pressurization, the food in pot 5 is heated by high-frequency current flowing through heating coil 12, and when the internal pressure of pot 5 reaches a predetermined value, steam exhaust path 25 is opened against the weight of pressure regulating valve 26, thereby maintaining the pressure inside pot 5 at or above atmospheric pressure. A pressure sensor 35 (see FIG. 2) is provided inside lid 2 facing pressure regulating section 24 to detect the pressure inside pot 7.

[0017] Reference numeral 28 denotes a pressure reducing means for lowering the pressure inside the pot 5 below normal atmospheric pressure with the lid 3 closed on the main body 2. The pressure reducing means 28 accommodates the pot 5 in the pot container 4, closes the lid 3, and then energizes the solenoid 27 to reduce the internal pressure of the sealed pot 5 with the pressure regulating valve 26 blocking the steam exhaust path 25. When the pressure inside the pot 5 drops below atmospheric pressure by a certain value, the operation of the pressure reducing pump 29, which is the operating source of the pressure reducing means 28, is stopped to maintain the inside of the pot 5 in a reduced pressure state. Furthermore, when the pressure inside the pot 5 is to be returned from the reduced pressure state to the same pressure as the outside air, the operation of the pressure reducing pump 29 is stopped and a path (not shown) that communicates between the pressure reducing pump 29 and the inside of the pot 5 is opened. In other words, the pressure reducing means 28 also serves as a pressure return means for returning the inside of the pot 5 from the reduced pressure state to the same pressure as the outside air.

[0018] Additionally, a unitized heating board assembly 41 including heating control means 40 is disposed inside the main body 2. Heating control means 40 is configured to include a microcomputer equipped with a control IC 42 and memory means 51 (see FIG. 2) in order to electrically control each part of the rice cooker 1 in combination with a display / operation control means 46, and here, upon receiving each temperature detection signal from the pot sensor 14 and the lid temperature sensor 34 and an operation signal from the operation unit 19, it controls each of the heating coil 12 that heats the pot 5 during cooking and keeping warm and the lid heater 22 that heats the lid body 3, as well as controlling the operation of the solenoid 27 and the pressure reducing pump 29. In particular, heating control means 40 mainly controls heating coil 12 based on the detected temperature of pot sensor 14 to manage the temperature of the bottom of pot 5, and mainly controls lid heater 22 based on the detected temperature of lid temperature sensor 34 to manage the temperature of the inner lid 24 facing the food to be cooked.

[0019] Next, the control system of the heating control means 40 and the display / operation control means 46 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. In the figure, the heating control means 40 provided in the main body 2 includes a control IC 42 and a memory means 51 constituting a microcomputer, and receives temperature detection signals from the pot sensor 14 and the lid temperature sensor 34, a pressure detection signal from the pressure sensor 35, and a control signal from the display / operation control means 46 to control the heating coil 12 that heats the pot 5 during rice cooking and warming, and the lid heater 33 that heats the inner lid 24, as well as to control the operation of the solenoid 27 that operates the pressure adjusting valve 26 and the pressure reducing means 28. In particular, the heating control means 40 mainly controls the heating coil 12 based on the temperature detected by the pot sensor 14 to manage the temperature of the bottom of the pot 5, and mainly controls the lid heater 22 based on the temperature detected by the lid sensor 34 to manage the temperature of the inner lid 24. These heating coil 12, lid heater 22, and the above-mentioned body heater 11 correspond to heating means 52 that heats the food to be cooked placed in pot 5.

[0020] The heating control means 40 has rice cooking control means 53 and warming control means 54 in the control IC 42 as functions in the control sequence of the program read from the storage means 51. The rice cooking control means 53, upon receiving an instruction to start cooking rice from, for example, the rice cooking key of the operation unit 19, sequentially executes each of the following processes: a soaking cooking process to promote the absorption of water by the rice put into the pot 5, a boiling heating process to raise the temperature of the food to boiling in a short time, a boiling continuing process to keep the food boiling, and a steaming process to keep the rice at a high temperature but not so hot that it burns, thereby cooking and heating the food in the pot 5 at a desired pressure. The warming control means 54 controls the warming process to keep the rice in the pot 5 at a predetermined warming temperature.

[0021] On the other hand, the display / operation control means 46 includes a control IC 48 constituting a microcomputer, a storage means 57, a timer means (not shown), etc., and controls the display operation of the display unit 18 upon receiving an operation signal from the operation unit 19 or a control signal from the heating control means 40, and also transmits a control signal to the heating control means 40. The display / operation control means 46 includes, as functions of the control sequence of the program stored in the storage means 57, an operation unit control means 58 which generates various control signals based on an operation signal from the operation unit 19, a display operation control means 59 which controls the display operation of the display unit 18, and a condition setting means 60 which cooperates with the operation unit control means 58 and the display operation control means 59 to select and set conditions selectable by the operation unit 43, for example, to select and set a desired cooking course or rice cooking course from a plurality of cooking courses or rice cooking courses.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a top view of the operation panel 20 of the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment. The operation panel 20 is disposed on the top surface of the lid 3, and all display elements 72 are displayed on the LCD 71 of the display unit 18 of the operation panel 20, which will be described later. Referring to FIG. 3, the operation unit 19 is composed of a "keep warm" key 62, a "reserve" key 63, a "cook rice" key 64, and a "cooking method" key 65, which are arranged side by side on the right side of the operation panel 20, a forward key 66 marked with "△", a back key 67 marked with "▽", a "off" key 68, a "rice" key 69, and a touch sensor 70 arranged on the top surface of the LCD 71. Here, each of the keys 62 to 69 cannot be operated by the user's touch operation, but functions as a push-type operation means such as a tact switch that can be operated by pressing, and the touch sensor 70 functions as a non-push-type operation means such as a touch key that can be operated by the user's touch operation by being connected to the control PC board 47. Additionally, each of the keys 62 to 69 has the name of the corresponding key printed thereon.

[0023] The off key 68 is operated when stopping cooking or keeping rice warm. When the off key 68 is pressed, the operation unit control means 58 accepts an operation signal from the off key 68 and sends it to the heating control means 40, and the rice cooking control means 53 stops heating the food to be cooked in the main body 1 and switches the unit to the off state.

[0024] The rice cooking key 64 is operated to start cooking rice. When the rice cooking key 64 is pressed, the operation unit control means 58 accepts an operation signal from the rice cooking key 64 and sends it to the heating control means 40, and the rice cooking control means 53 controls the start of cooking the food inside the main body 1.

[0025] The reservation key 63 is operated when reserving rice cooking. When the reservation key 63 is pressed, the operation unit control means 58 receives an operation signal from the rice cooking key 64, and the display operation control means 59 controls the display lamp 75 described below to flash and display the reservation screen on the LCD 71. After the reservation time and rice cooking course are set, when the rice cooking key 64 is pressed, the operation unit control means 58 receives an operation signal from the rice cooking key 64, turns on the display lamp 74 described below, and sends an appropriate control signal to the heating control means 40 so that the food in the main body 1 is cooked at the previously set reservation time.

[0026] The forward key 66 and the back key 67 as the cooking time selection means are operated to adjust the reservation time, the current time, and the cooking time. For example, to adjust the current time, the forward key 66 is pressed and held for a predetermined time, for example, for more than 2 seconds. The operation unit control means 58 accepts the operation signal from the forward key 66, the display operation control means 59 blinks the current time displayed on the clock display element 72-1, and the operation unit control means 58 accepts the operation signal from the forward key 66 and the back key 67. If the forward key 66 is pressed, the current time advances by one minute, and if the back key 67 is pressed, the current time goes back by one minute. If the forward key 66 or the back key 67 is kept pressed, the current time can be adjusted in 10-minute increments. Finally, by touching the off key 63, the blinking of the current time on the clock display element 72-1 stops, and the adjustment of the current time is completed. In addition, to adjust the reservation time, the reservation key 64 is pressed, and then the forward key 66 or the back key 67 is pressed, whereby the reservation time displayed on the clock display element 72-1 can be variably set in 10-minute increments.

[0027] The keep warm key 62 is operated when keeping food warm. When the keep warm key 62 is pressed, the operation unit control means 78 receives an operation signal from the keep warm key 62 and transmits an appropriate control signal to the heating control means 40 so as to start keeping the food warm and reheating it in the main body 1.

[0028] In addition, the "cooking method" key 65 and the "rice" key 69 are operated to select the cooking method and type of rice, respectively, and by operating these keys to select a specific cooking method and type of rice and then pressing the rice cooking key 64, a rice cooking course that combines the selected type of rice and cooking method is set, and the food in the pot 5 is cooked and heated using the set cooking course, or the food in the pot 5 is cooked and heated using the set rice cooking course. In this embodiment, the rice cooking course is selected by selecting the type of rice and the cooking method, and the selected rice cooking course is set by pressing the rice cooking key 64.

[0029] The touch sensor 70 is configured such that a plurality of components are arranged as touch keys, each of which is formed by connecting a transparent electrode portion made of a conductive polymer to a contact portion connected to the control PC board 47 with pattern wiring. When a fingertip is touched with any of a plurality of display elements 72 displayed on the LCD 71 below the touch sensor 70, the touch key arranged above that display element 72, which corresponds to that display element, is touched and the display element 72 is selected.

[0030] The display unit 18 is composed of an LCD 71 located in the approximate center of the operation panel 20, and display lamps 73, 74, 75 located on the "keep warm" key 62, "reservation" key 63, and "cook" key 64, respectively. The LCD 71 mainly displays a clock display element 72-1 that displays the current time, the reserved time, the cooking time that is the estimated cooking time, and the remaining time that is the time until the actual completion of cooking, a rice brand display element 72-2 that displays the rice brand such as "white rice", "koshihikari", and "hitomebore", a cooking method display element 72-3 that displays the cooking method such as "eco cooking", "honkamado", and "aimed cooking", and a reserved cooking display element 72-4 that is displayed when reserved cooking is set and when reserved cooking is performed. The other display elements are not related to the present invention, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0031] In addition, indicator lamps 73, 74, and 75 indicate the actual state of the rice cooker, and in this embodiment, indicator lamp 73 lights up when the rice cooker is warming, indicator lamp 74 lights up when the rice cooker is programmed to cook, indicator lamp 75 flashes when the rice cooker is being set or programmed to cook, and indicator lamp 75 lights up when the rice cooker is cooking. The display forms of LCD 71 and indicator lamps 73, 74, and 75 may be changed as appropriate to suit the specifications of the rice cooker.

[0032] In the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, cooking courses corresponding to the cooked texture of each brand of rice are stored in the storage means 51, and the brand of rice in the stored cooking courses is displayed in the rice brand display element 72-2, making it possible to select the corresponding cooking course. Fig. 4 shows an example of brand rice in the cooking courses stored in the storage means 51, and shows a table of temperature, time, and pressure control for cooking brand rice A to G in each step of the cooking process.

[0033] First, the cooked texture of branded rice A to G will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is an example of an image of a map in which cooked texture information of branded rice is arranged at the corresponding coordinates according to the texture of each branded rice A to G. This cooked texture information of branded rice is created based on information published in magazines, the Web, rice stores, etc., and on the "Rice Information System" of the Japan Grain Inspection Association, such as physicochemical taste trends such as protein and amylose content, and texture data of each branded rice from taste test results. In this map, the texture of each branded rice A to G is mapped by hardness and stickiness. For example, branded rice A has a good balance of hardness and stickiness, branded rice D has a balance of firm hardness and stickiness (chewing ability), and branded rice F has a balance of soft, chewy and sticky texture.

[0034] In the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, by cooking rice using a cooking course that corresponds to the cooked texture of each brand of rice, as shown in the MAP image of Figure 6, the cooked texture of the brand rice is moved away from the center of the MAP, that is, the cooked texture characteristics of each brand of rice are cooked more clearly. For example, brand D can be made to have a cooked texture that is even firmer and stickier, and brand F can be made to have an even softer, chewier and stickier cooked texture.

[0035] Next, the operation of the rice cooker 1 configured as above in the rice cooking process will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 7 to 11. In this embodiment, in order to properly and easily select the cooking method for the cooked rice texture according to the rice variety brand, the cooking heat amount and pressure during cooking are adjusted by changing the combination of temperature, time and pressure in the rice cooking process, such as the water temperature and time for the rice to absorb water in the soaking cooking process, the steaming time in the steaming process, the heating amount and the pressure during the rice cooking process, and the configuration is such that a cooking pattern is provided according to the user's preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ for each variety brand.

[0036] FIG. 7 shows the pot temperature t 1 and the lid temperature t 2 and the heating amount P of the lid heater 33 L and the heating amount P of the heating coil 12 and the body heater 11. H The graphs show the time-dependent changes in and . In the figure, a is the pot temperature t 1 The boiling detection is based on the change in the temperature rise rate of the lid temperature t 2 The boiling detection is based on the change in the temperature rise rate of the pot temperature t 1 This shows the detection of the dry-up state by the change in the rate of temperature rise.

[0037] The operation of this embodiment during rice cooking will be described below. Rice and water are placed in the pot 5 as the food to be cooked, and the pot is then placed in the pot housing 4 of the main body 2, and the lid 3 is then closed. Around the same time, when the power plug of the rice cooker 1 is inserted into an outlet and power is applied, the rice cooker 1 goes into an initial off (standby) state in which neither cooking nor keeping rice warm is being performed, and the display operation control means 59 controls the LCD 71 to display the current time on the clock display element 72-1, and to display the current settings of the rice cooking method and type of rice stored in the storage means 57 on the rice brand display element 72-2 and the cooking method display element 72-3. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, the display operation control means 59 controls the LCD 71 to display "8:00" on the clock display element 72-1, "white rice" on the rice brand display element 72-2, and "eco cooking" on the cooking method display element 72-3.

[0038] Here, each time the "Rice" key 69, the "Cooking method" key 65, the forward key 66, the back key 67, or the touch sensor 70 of the operation unit 4 is operated, the operation signal is received by the operation unit control means 58, and the setting of the rice cooking course is changed by the condition setting means 60. The changed setting is displayed on the LCD 71 by the display operation control means 59 each time, and the user can visually confirm this.

[0039] For example, when the "Rice" key 69 is pressed once in the initial off state of Fig. 8, the operation signal is received by the operation unit control means 58, and the display operation control means 59 controls the LCD 71 to display a rice brand selection screen in which a list of selectable brand rice is displayed in the rice brand display element 72-2 as shown in Fig. 9. The display operation control means 59 also controls the LCD 71 to blink the display element of "white rice", display "real stove" in the cooking method display element 72-3, display "88 minutes", which is the estimated cooking time for the rice cooking course when "white rice" is selected, in the clock display element 72-1, and control the display lamp 75 to blink. Each time the "Rice" key 69 is pressed, the operation signal is received by the operation unit control means 58, and the display operation control means 59 controls the LCD 71 to blink the list of selectable brand rice in order. For example, when the "Rice" key 69 is pressed once in the state shown in Fig. 9, the operation signal is received by the operation unit control means 58, and the display operation control means 59 controls the LCD 71 to blink the display element "Koshihikari" of the rice brand display element 72-2 and to display "45 minutes", which is the estimated cooking time for the rice cooking course when "Koshihikari" is selected, on the clock display element 72-1, as shown in Fig. 10. Each time the "Rice" key 69 is pressed, the blinking display switches from "Hitomebore" to "Hinohikari" to "Akitakomachi" to "Nanatsuboshi" to "Yumepirika" to "Tsuyahime" to "Brown rice" to "Barley rice" to "Mixed grain rice" to "White rice", and each time it switches, the estimated cooking time for the rice cooking course when these rice brands are selected also switches and is displayed on the clock display element 72-1.

[0040] When "white rice" or "brown rice" is selected by flashing it on the rice brand selection screen, by pressing the "cooking method" key 65 once, the operation signal is received by the operation unit control means 58, and the display operation control means 59 controls the LCD 71 to display a cooking method selection screen in which a list of selectable cooking methods is displayed on the cooking method display element 72-3. For example, if "white rice" is selected on the rice brand selection screen, each time the "cooking method" key 65 is pressed, the flashing display will change as follows: "real stove, firm" → "real stove, crisp" → "real stove, recommended" → "real stove, soft" → "target cooking method, crisp" → "target cooking method, recommended" → "target cooking method, chewy" → "sweet cooking" → "quick cooking" → "small amount" → "lunch box" → "mixed rice" → "porridge" → "soft-boiled egg" → "tofu" → "care" → "eco cooking", and each time it changes, the estimated cooking time for the rice cooking course when these cooking methods are selected will also change and be displayed on the clock display element 72-1. Similarly, when "Brown rice" is selected on the rice brand selection screen, the list of selectable cooking methods flashes each time the "Cooking method" key 65 is pressed, and each time it flashes, the estimated cooking time for the rice cooking course when these cooking methods are selected also changes and is displayed on the clock display element 72-1. Note that when a rice brand selection screen other than "White rice" or "Brown rice" is selected by flashing, a rice cooking course is set with a dedicated cooking method, so even if the "Cooking method" key 65 is pressed, the display operation control means 59 does not display the cooking method selection screen on the LCD 71, but controls the LCD 71 to display the dedicated cooking method on the cooking method display element 72-3.

[0041] Then, when the rice cooking key 64 on the operation unit 19 is operated after setting "rice" and "cooking method", the operation signal is accepted by the operation unit control means 58, and the condition setting means 60 determines that the rice flashing in the rice brand display element 72-2 and the cooking method flashing in the cooking method display element 72-3 are the selected rice and cooking method, stores this in the memory means 57 as the setting for the current rice cooking course, and sends information on the heating pattern corresponding to the set rice cooking course to the heating control means 40. In response to this, the heating control means 40 performs each of the cooking operations of the soaking cooking process, boiling heating process, continued boiling process, and steaming process for the food in the pot 5 according to the heating pattern of the set rice cooking course, using the rice cooking control means 53 built into the control IC 42. The display operation control means 59 also controls the LCD 71 to display the set "Rice" and "Cooking method" settings on the rice brand display element 72-2 and cooking method display element 72-3 during each cooking operation of the rice cooking process, and controls to light the display lamp 75. Below, a case where the rice cooking process is performed using a rice cooking course in which one of brand rice A to G is selected on the rice brand selection screen will be described.

[0042] When the information sent from the display / operation control means 46 is received, the process proceeds to the soaking process, and the rice cooking control means 53 controls the operation of the solenoid 27 and the pressure reducing means 28 so that the pressure inside the pot 5 is reduced below atmospheric pressure during the soaking process. Specifically, when the soaking process starts, the rice cooking control means 53 switches the solenoid 27 from a non-energized state to an energized state, and closes the steam exhaust path 25 with the pressure adjusting valve 26. In this state, the rice cooking control means 53 opens the path of the pressure reducing means 28 based on pressure detection by the pressure sensor 35, and operates the pressure reducing pump 29 continuously to perform vacuum drawing by removing the air inside the sealed pot 5 with the pressure reducing pump 29. After that, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the pressure reducing pump 29 based on pressure detection by the pressure sensor 35 so that the pressure inside the pot 5 is maintained at a reduced pressure below a certain value. In this way, the inside of the pot 5 is kept in a reduced pressure state throughout the entire period of the soaking process.

[0043] The rice cooking control means 53 also controls the heating of pot 5 by turning on and off the heating coil 12 based on the temperature detected by pot sensor 14 at the bottom of pot 5 ("Soaking #1" in the table in (i) of Figure 4), promoting the water absorption of the rice and at the same time performing a first soaking process in which the amount of cooked rice for the food in pot 5 is calculated from the time it takes to reach a specified temperature and the amount of heat. This process is performed under the same control for all rice cooking courses for branded rice, including branded rice A to G. After that, once calculation of the amount of cooked rice for the food in pot 5 has been completed, the process moves to the second soaking process.

[0044] In the second soaking step of the soaking cooking process, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the temperature t set in the rice cooking course for brand rice A to G based on the temperature detection by the pot sensor 14. B Heat pot 5 until it reaches 100°C and set the time T B Only the set temperature t B The control is performed to maintain the temperature ("Soaking #2" in the table of Fig. 4(i)) and promote the rice's water absorption. B The set temperature t is preferably 40 to 60° C. Here, the rice cooking control means 53, based on the received information, sets the set temperature t B Low and set time T B The heating coil 12 is controlled to be turned on and off so as to shorten the cooking time t. On the other hand, the softer the cooked texture of the selected brand rice is, that is, the softer the cooked texture is in the MAP of FIG. 5, the shorter the set temperature t. B High and set time T B The heating coil 12 is controlled to be turned on and off so as to extend the set time T B After this time has elapsed, the second soaking process ends and the next boiling and heating process begins.

[0045] Figure 11 is a map showing the relationship between the temperature, time and pressure control of brand rice A to G in the rice cooking process shown in Figure 4, and the resulting cooked texture. In "Soaking #2", (1) is the hardest setting, and it can be seen that as the setting number increases, the setting becomes softer. For example, brand rice F, which has a balanced texture of soft, chewy and sticky, is controlled with setting number (5) in "Soaking #2", and the setting temperature t B (c) is the highest, and the set time T B T 3 The longest is the set temperature t B If the temperature is high, the rice will absorb water easily, and the set time T B If the time is long, the rice will take longer to absorb water, and the longer the time, the more the pressure will be reduced, so the rice will absorb more water. Therefore, setting No. (5) will allow the rice to absorb the most water, resulting in a softer texture after cooking. For example, brand-name rice D, which has a well-balanced texture of firmness and stickiness, is controlled with setting No. (1) in "Soaking #2," and the set temperature t B is the lowest at (a), and the set time T B T 1 Therefore, the effect is the opposite of that of setting No. (5) described above, and setting No. (1) results in the rice absorbing the least amount of water and making the cooked rice harder.

[0046] When the process moves to the boiling heating process, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the heating coil 12 to be continuously energized ("heating control" in the table in (i) of FIG. 4) until the food is detected as boiling, thereby heating the food in the pot 5 more strongly than in the soaking cooking process, and raising the temperature of the food to boiling in a short time. Here, the rice cooking control means 53 controls to close the path of the pressure reducing means 28 in order to maintain the inside of the pot 5 in a reduced pressure state lower than atmospheric pressure after the soaking cooking process. Therefore, even after the process moves from the soaking cooking process to the boiling heating process, the pressure inside the pot 5 gradually increases due to heating of the pot 5 and slow leakage, but the reduced pressure state can be maintained for a while without operating the pressure reducing pump 29. In this way, the food inside the pot 5 is kept in a reduced pressure state even in the heating process after the soaking process, so that the water boils at a temperature of 100°C or less during the heating process. Therefore, by boiling the food under reduced pressure at 60℃ to 100℃, which is the gelatinization temperature of rice, the bubbles created by the boiling process make the rice dance, eliminating uneven heating.At the same time, the reduced pressure on the food allows the rice to absorb water all the way to the core in a short period of time.

[0047] Next, the rice cooking control means 53 takes in the temperature detection signal from the pot sensor 14, and when the detected temperature at the bottom of the pot 5 reaches the predetermined temperature of 100°C, it determines that the food inside the pot 5 has boiled under reduced pressure, closes the path of the pressure reducing means 28, does not operate the pressure reducing pump 29, and temporarily de-energizes the solenoid 27 to retract the pressure adjusting valve 26. This causes the steam exhaust path 25 to be in an open state where the inside and outside of the pot 5 are not sealed but are connected, and the inside of the pot 5 immediately returns to normal pressure, the same as the outside air. After that, the rice cooking control means 53 switches the solenoid 27 to a conductive state in a short time and seals the inside of the pot 5 again, and the food inside the pot 5 continues to be strongly heated, so the inside of the pot 5 is pressurized. At this time, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the solenoid 27 so that the pressure inside the pot 5 is pressurized based on the pressure detection by the pressure sensor 35 until the pressure P set for the rice cooking course of the brand rice A to G is reached, and the solenoid 27 is controlled to pressurize the inside of the pot 5 with the pressure P according to the selected brand of rice, that is, the more viscous the cooked texture of the selected brand rice is, that is, the more "sticky" it is in the map of FIG. 5, the higher the set pressure P is set, and on the other hand, the more firm the cooked texture of the selected brand rice is, that is, the more "crisp" it is in the map of FIG. 5, the lower the set pressure P is controlled, and the cooked food is boiled in this pressurized state, so that a cooking pattern according to the user's preference can be set without impairing the texture characteristics of the rice, which differ depending on the brand. This set pressure P is preferably within 1.2 atmospheres.

[0048] Referring to the map in Figure 11, it can be seen that the "pressure" setting (1) is the crispest, and as the setting number increases, the setting becomes more sticky. For example, brand F rice, which has a balanced texture of softness, chewiness, and stickiness, is controlled with the "pressure" setting No. (3), and the set pressure P is P M1 For example, brand-name rice D, which has a well-balanced texture of firmness and stickiness, is controlled at setting No. (2) in "Pressure" and the set pressure P is P LThe pressure is set at a slightly lower level, which results in a crisper texture for the rice.

[0049] In this way, when rice cooking control means 53 determines that the food inside pot 5 has boiled under reduced pressure during the boiling heating process, it instantly switches the inside of pot 5 from a reduced pressure state to a pressurized state higher than atmospheric pressure, and in order to apply a pressure shock to the food, it controls the operation of solenoid 27 and, ultimately, pressure adjustment valve 26 constituting pressure adjustment section 24, and temporarily opens steam exhaust path 25. In this way, by boiling the food to be cooked at 105°C (at 1.2 atmospheres), which is the optimum gelatinization temperature for rice under pressure, a balance between the hardness and stickiness of the rice is ensured, and the rice can be gelatinized all the way to the core in one go.

[0050] After that, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the pot temperature t 1 The temperature of the pot is detected by a temperature detection signal from the pot sensor 14 when the pot temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, for example, 90° C., and the lid temperature t 2 When the temperature detection signal from lid temperature sensor 34 detects that the temperature has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example 90°C or higher, boiling detection control ("stable control #1" in the table in Fig. 4(i)) is started to detect boiling of the food being cooked under pressure. Rice cooking control means 53 then controls heating coil 12 and body heater 11 to continuously energize and strongly heat the food being cooked inside pot 7, while calculating the slope of the detected temperature, which indicates how much the detected temperature of pot sensor 14 and the detected temperature of lid temperature sensor 34 will rise in a specified time.

[0051] Specifically, the rice cooking control means 53 calculates the pot temperature t 1 When the temperature rise rate is calculated to be below a certain value, for example, 3°C in 120 seconds, the pot temperature t 1 The rice cooking control means 53 also detects the temperature of the inner lid 8, i.e., the lid temperature t 2 When the temperature rise rate is calculated to be below a certain value, for example, 1°C or less in 60 seconds, the lid temperature t 2The boiling is judged to have been detected due to the change in the temperature rise rate of the pot temperature t 1 and lid temperature t 2 The predetermined temperature increase rate may be adjusted and set according to the amount of cooked rice of the food measured in the first soaking step.

[0052] At this time, the rice cooking control means 53 continues from the boiling heating step by controlling the solenoid 27 so that the inside of the pot 5 is pressurized to the pressure P set in the rice cooking course for the brand rice A to G based on the pressure detection by the pressure sensor 35, and the boiling of the food to be cooked can be continued in this pressurized state. 1 Detect the boiling a due to the change in the temperature rise rate of the lid temperature t 2 When boiling b is detected due to a change in the rate of temperature rise, the process moves to the next boiling continuation step.

[0053] When the boiling process is started, the rice cooking control means 53 detects the pot temperature t 1 However, in order to maintain a predetermined temperature, for example, 98° C. or higher, the heating coil 12 and the body heater 11 are turned on and off, and the lid temperature t 2 However, in order to maintain a predetermined temperature, such as 98°C or higher, the lid heater 33 is continuously energized ("Stable control #2" in the table in (i) of FIG. 4) to continue boiling the food being cooked. When the process moves to the continuing boiling step, the rice cooking control means 53 periodically controls the energization of the solenoid 27 to periodically open and close the steam exhaust path 25 with the pressure regulating valve 26 in order to repeatedly change the pressure inside the pot 5 between normal pressure and a pressure P higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0054] When the water inside pot 5 runs out during the continuing boiling step and the rice cooking control means 53 calculates from the temperature detected by pot temperature sensor 15 that the temperature rise at the bottom of pot 7 has exceeded a predetermined temperature rise rate, such as 0.5°C or more in 10 seconds, it determines that it has detected a change in the temperature rise rate of pot temperature t1, as shown in Fig. 5c ("Cooking control" in the table in Fig. 4(i)). Here, when the temperature detected by pot sensor 14 reaches the predetermined dry-up temperature, it detects that the food inside pot 5 is cooked, the continuing boiling step ends, and the process moves to the next steaming step.

[0055] During the soaking process, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the temperature by turning on and off the lid heater 22 according to the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 34, and controls the temperature to prevent dew from forming on the inner lid 22. At the same time, the heating coil 12 is turned on and off ("Soaking" in the table of FIG. 4(i)) for a set time T S The boiling process is continued for only a certain period of time, and the temperature at the bottom of the pot 5 is controlled. At this time, the rice cooking control means 53 is configured to control the solenoid 27 so that, continuing from the boiling continuation process, the inside of the pot 5 is pressurized at the pressure P set in the rice cooking course for brand rice A to G based on the pressure detection by the pressure sensor 35. The rice cooking control means 53 also controls the OFF time of the pressure regulating valve 26 in the boiling continuation process, i.e., the time that the steam exhaust path 25 is open, to the set time T S , i.e., the process time T S If the time is shorter than the time required for the steam conditioning process (time for the steam conditioning process<the time for which the pressure regulating valve 26 is OFF), then when the steam conditioning process is started, the solenoid 27 is controlled so as to open the steam exhaust path 25 throughout the steam conditioning process.

[0056] Here, the rice cooking control means 53, based on the received information, sets the set time T S The heating coil 12 is controlled to be turned on and off so that the heating time is short and the heating amount of the heating coil 12 is increased to perform strong heating. On the other hand, the softer the cooked texture of the selected brand rice is, that is, the softer it is in the MAP of FIG. 5, the shorter the set time T SThe heating coil 12 is controlled to be turned on and off so that the heating time is long and the amount of heat of the heating coil 12 is reduced to provide weak heating. After the steaming step is completed, the temperature control means 54 starts a temperature keeping step.

[0057] Referring to the map in Figure 11, it can be seen that in the "soaked" mode, (1) is the hardest and crispest setting, and as the setting number increases, the setting becomes softer and chewier. For example, brand F rice, which has a balanced texture of softness, chewiness, and stickiness, is controlled in the "soaked" mode with setting number (3), which is a medium heating amount and a set time T S T 5 For example, brand-name rice D, which has a well-balanced texture of firmness and stickiness, is controlled with setting No. (1) in the "Soaking" mode, with a strong heating amount and a setting time of T S T 4 This is the longest setting, which results in a firmer, crisper texture when cooked.

[0058] In the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, the cooking time for the branded rice cooking course is configured so that the sum of the time for the soaking cooking process and the time for the steaming process is within a predetermined time range, regardless of the type of branded rice cooking course. Therefore, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the heating coil 12 so that the time for the steaming process is shortened as the time for the soaking cooking process is lengthened, and on the other hand, the time for the steaming process is lengthened as the time for the soaking cooking process is shortened. 4, the cooking times for the A to G brand rice cooking courses are 18 minutes for A brand rice, 20 minutes for B brand rice, 16 minutes for C brand rice, 13 minutes for D brand rice, 18 minutes for E brand rice, 20 minutes for F brand rice, and 13 minutes for G brand rice, excluding the common control time for the brand courses. The rice cooker 1 of this embodiment is configured so that the entire cooking time for the brand rice cooking course can be cooked within a predetermined time range of 40 to 50 minutes, preferably 45 minutes. Therefore, since the entire cooking time for the brand rice cooking course is approximately the same within a predetermined time range, there is no sense of unfairness, and it is possible to set a cooking pattern according to the user's preference without impairing the texture characteristics of rice that differ for each variety brand, and to easily predict how long the cooking time will take before cooking.

[0059] As described above, the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment can sequentially execute the soaking cooking process, the boiling heating process, the continued boiling process, and the steaming process. The rice cooker 1 of this embodiment is also configured to include a heating coil 12 as heating means for heating the pot 5 that contains rice and water as the food to be cooked, a "Rice" key 69 as rice brand setting means for setting the brand of rice to be cooked, and a rice cooking control means 53 as control means for controlling the heating coil 12 by changing the combination of temperature and time in the soaking cooking process and / or the steaming process according to the brand of rice set with the "Rice" key 69 in at least one of the soaking cooking process and the steaming process.

[0060] With this configuration, the amount of heat used for cooking can be adjusted to bring out the cooked texture characteristics of each brand of rice more clearly. For example, brand D rice can be made to have a firmer, more sticky texture when cooked, while brand F rice can be made to have a softer, chewier, and more sticky texture when cooked. In this way, cooking patterns can be created according to user preferences without compromising the different texture characteristics of each rice variety.

[0061] Furthermore, the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment further includes a pressure adjustment unit 24 and a pressure reduction means 28 as pressure control means capable of controlling the pressure inside the pot 5 in at least any one of the soaking cooking process, the boiling heating process, the continuing boiling process, and the steaming process, and the rice cooking control means 53 is configured to reduce or increase the pressure inside the pot 5 during the rice cooking process by further controlling the pressure adjustment unit 24 and the pressure reduction means 28 according to the set brand of rice. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the cooked texture characteristics of each brand of rice to be more distinct, and it is possible to provide a cooking pattern according to the user's preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ for each variety and brand.

[0062] Furthermore, in the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, the rice cooking control means 53 controls the pressure adjustment unit 24 to pressurize the inside of the pot 5 at pressure P according to the selected brand of rice in the boiling heating process, the continuing boiling process, and the steaming process. Therefore, the food to be cooked can be boiled at pressure P, which is a pressurized state, and a cooking pattern can be set according to the user's preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ depending on the variety and brand.

[0063] In the rice cooker 1 of the present embodiment, the time required to reach a predetermined temperature in the first soaking step of the soaking cooking process is approximately constant regardless of the rice brand and cooking course, while in the second soaking step of the soaking cooking process, the set time T BTherefore, by selecting the rice cooking course for the brand of rice, the rice cooking control means 53 determines the operation time of the pressure reducing means 28 for reducing the pressure inside the pot 5 throughout the entire period of the soaking process in accordance with the rice cooking course for the selected brand of rice. Therefore, for example, the harder the cooked texture of the selected brand of rice is, i.e., the more "hard" it is in the map of FIG. 5, the longer the set time T B This allows the cooking time to be shortened, and allows for a pattern of cooking methods to be created according to the user's preferences without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ depending on the variety and brand.

[0064] In the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, the soaking process includes a first soaking process in which the rice is heated by the heating coil 12 to promote water absorption by the rice and at the same time, the amount of rice cooked is measured based on the time and amount of heat required to reach a predetermined temperature, and a set time T B The set temperature t is a constant temperature B and a second soaking process in which the rice is heated by the heating coil 12 to maintain the rice's moisture content, thereby promoting water absorption by the rice, and the rice cooking control means 53 is configured to control the heating coil 12 according to the set brand in the second soaking process. This allows the user to set a cooking pattern according to their preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ depending on the variety of the rice.

[0065] In the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, the rice cooking control means 53 determines the rice cooking course according to the set brand in the second soaking process, and sets the set time T B and the set temperature t B Therefore, for example, the harder the cooked texture of the selected brand rice is, that is, the more “hard” the MAP in FIG. 5 is, the lower the set temperature t B Also, set the time T B The heating coil 12 can be controlled to be turned on and off so as to shorten the cooking time, and a cooking pattern can be set according to the user's preference without impairing the texture characteristics of rice, which differ depending on the variety and brand.

[0066] In the rice cooker 1 of the present embodiment, the rice cooking control means 53 sets the set time T S The heating coil 12 is controlled so that the heating amount is set to a predetermined value from strong to weak for a set time T S The heating amount is set to at least one of strong and weak. For example, the heating amount is set to strong for brand D rice, which has a well-balanced texture between firmness and stickiness, and the set time T S T 4 By setting it to the longest setting, the rice can be cooked to have a firmer, crisper texture, and the user can set a cooking pattern according to their preference without compromising the texture characteristics of each rice variety.

[0067] In the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, the rice cooking control means 53 sets the set time T B As the time T S The setting time T B As the setting time T S Therefore, the overall cooking time of the branded rice cooking course becomes approximately the same within a predetermined time range, eliminating a sense of unfairness, and it is possible to set a cooking pattern according to the user's preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ for each brand, while making it easy to predict how long the cooking time will be before cooking.

[0068] In the rice cooker 1 of the present embodiment, regardless of the brand of rice to be cooked, the set time T B Setting time T for the drying process S The heating coil 12 is controlled so that the sum of the above is within a predetermined time span. Therefore, the overall cooking time of the brand rice cooking course becomes approximately the same within a predetermined time span, eliminating any sense of unfairness, and it is possible to set a cooking pattern according to the user's preference without compromising the texture characteristics of rice, which differ for each brand variety, while making it easy to predict how long the cooking time will be before cooking the rice.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the numerical values ​​exemplified in the embodiment are merely examples, and may be modified as appropriate according to the specifications of the rice cooker. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1. Rice cooker 5. Pot 12 Heating coil (heating means) 24 Pressure adjustment section (pressure control means) 28 Pressure reducing means (pressure control means) 53 Rice cooking control means (control means) 69 "Rice" key 69 (Means for setting the brand of rice) T B Set time (fixed time) T S Set time (predetermined time) t B Set temperature (constant temperature)

Claims

1. A rice cooker capable of sequentially carrying out a soaking process, a boiling heating process, a boiling continuation process, and a steaming process, A heating means for heating a pot containing rice and water as food to be cooked; A rice brand setting means for setting the brand of the rice to be cooked; A control means for controlling the heating means in accordance with the set brand of rice in at least one of the soaking process and the steaming process; Equipped with The control means controls the heating means so that the time of the steaming process is shortened as the time of the soaking process is lengthened, and the time of the steaming process is lengthened as the time of the soaking process is shortened.

2. A rice cooker capable of sequentially carrying out a soaking process, a boiling heating process, a boiling continuation process, and a steaming process, A heating means for heating a pot containing rice and water as food to be cooked; A rice brand setting means for setting the brand of the rice to be cooked; A control means for controlling the heating means in accordance with the set brand of rice in at least one of the soaking process and the steaming process; Equipped with The control means controls the heating means so that the sum of the time for the soaking cooking process and the time for the steaming process is within a predetermined time range, regardless of the brand of rice being cooked.

3. The pot further includes a pressure control means capable of controlling the pressure inside the pot in at least one of the steps of the soaking step, the boiling heating step, the boiling continuing step, and the steaming step.

3. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the control means further controls the pressure control means in accordance with the set brand of rice.

4. 4. The rice cooker according to claim 3, wherein the control means controls the pressure control means so as to pressurize the inside of the pot according to the set brand of rice during the boiling heating process, the boiling continuing process and the steaming process.

5. 5. The rice cooker according to claim 3, wherein the control means is configured to determine an operation time of the pressure control means for reducing the pressure inside the pot in accordance with the set brand of rice during the soaking cooking process.

6. The soaking process includes a first soaking process in which the rice is heated by the heating means to promote water absorption by the rice, and the amount of rice cooked by the rice is measured based on the time and amount of heat required to reach a predetermined temperature, and a second soaking process in which the rice is heated by the heating means to maintain a constant temperature for a certain period of time to further promote water absorption by the rice. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means controls the heating means in the second soaking step according to the set brand.

7. 7. The rice cooker according to claim 6, wherein the control means is configured to determine at least one of the fixed time and the fixed temperature in accordance with the set brand in the second soaking step.

8. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control means controls the heating means to heat the rice with a predetermined amount of heat for a predetermined time during the steaming process, and is configured to determine at least one of the predetermined time and the predetermined amount of heat depending on the set brand.

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