Heating regulator

Abstract

The imaging unit becomes dirty with flying particles such as steam and oil, reducing imaging accuracy. [Solution] The cooking appliance 1 includes a heating chamber 110 in which an object to be heated is stored, a wall opening 112 which is an opening provided in the wall of the heating chamber 110, a support frame 151 provided on the outside of the heating chamber 110 so as to cover the wall opening 112, a camera 154 provided on the support frame 151 so that its imaging surface faces into the heating chamber 110 through the wall opening 112, a shutter 155 which can be opened and closed to block or open the imaging surface of the camera 154 and is provided between the wall opening 112 and the camera 154, and a blower fan 160 which blows air toward the camera 154 and the shutter 155. The support frame 151 forms an air passage 200 which takes in the air blown from the blower fan 160, guides it to the surface of the imaging surface of the camera 154, and then exhausts it toward the heating chamber 110 through the wall opening 112.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking device for heating food. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are cooking appliances that have a photographing unit that photographs the interior of the cooking appliance. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cooking appliance that has a photographing unit on the ceiling of the cooking appliance. The cooking appliance is equipped with a shutter to protect the photographing unit from splashes of steam, oil, and the like that are generated from the heated object. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-180876 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, external light entering through the glass window of the door can be directly or indirectly reflected at high brightness in the image captured by the camera, reducing the accuracy of the image capture.

[0005] Therefore, a cooking device is provided that can suppress the influence of external light entering through the glass window of the door on photography. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The cooking device according to the present disclosure includes a housing, a heating chamber that is disposed within the housing and stores an object to be heated, a door that covers a front opening that is the front of the housing and has a translucent glass window, a wall opening that is an opening provided in the upper wall of the heating chamber, and a photographing surface that is visible through the wall opening. a camera provided above the upper wall so as to face the interior of the heating chamber, the wall opening being provided forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction of the heating chamber, and the camera being provided so that the photographing direction perpendicular to the photographing surface of the camera is inclined toward the rear side of the vertical direction of the heating chamber. A lighting unit that illuminates the inside of the heating chamber is provided behind the center in the front-rear direction of the heating chamber. are. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present disclosure can provide a cooking appliance that can suppress the influence of external light entering through the glass window of the door on photography. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device with a door open according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 3] 1 is a front view of a cooking device with a door removed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view from below of a cooking device with a door removed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device with a portion of a housing removed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 6] 1 is a top view of a cooking device with a part of a housing removed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1 is a top view of a main component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 11] 1 is a perspective view of a main component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an imaging unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an imaging unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from below; [Figure 14]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an imaging unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from below; [Figure 15] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a main component and its surroundings according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of a main component and its periphery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an air passage according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an air passage according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an air passage according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cooking appliance includes a heating chamber in which an object to be heated is stored, a wall opening in the wall of the heating chamber, a support frame provided outside the heating chamber to cover the wall opening, a camera mounted on the support frame so that its imaging surface faces the interior of the heating chamber through the wall opening, a shutter that can be opened and closed to cover or expose the camera's imaging surface and is provided between the wall opening and the camera, and a blower fan that blows air toward the camera and the shutter. The support frame forms an air path that draws in air blown by the blower fan, directs it toward the surface of the camera's imaging surface, and then exhausts it toward the heating chamber through the wall opening. This protects the camera and shutter from splashes of steam, oil, and other particles generated by the object to be heated.

[0010] The wall of the heating chamber may be the upper wall of the heating chamber, which allows for highly accurate photography of the interior of the heating chamber while protecting the camera and shutter from splashes of steam, oil, and other matter generated by the heated object.

[0011] The wall opening may be provided forward of the center of the heating chamber in the front-to-rear direction, and the imaging surface may be provided on the support frame so that the imaging direction perpendicular to the imaging surface is tilted rearward relative to the vertical direction of the heating chamber. This reduces the influence of external light entering from the front side of the heating chamber, allowing for highly accurate imaging.

[0012] The blower fan may blow air from the left and right toward the support frame, and the support frame may form an air path that takes in the airflow from the blower fan, guides it to the surface of the camera's shooting surface, and then exhausts it through a wall opening toward the heating chamber below. This allows the camera and blower fan to be placed in a narrow space, avoiding being located near the center when viewed from above.

[0013] The open position of the shutter may be located downstream of the blocking position in the direction of the airflow in the air passage, thereby enabling the shutter to be opened stably even when an airflow is occurring.

[0014] The rotation axis of the shutter may be located above the camera, which allows the shutter to rotate with less energy and higher reliability.

[0015] The motor for driving the shutter to open and close may be mounted on the upper outer surface of the support frame. This prevents heat generated by the motor from affecting the camera, and also allows the motor to be placed in a small space.

[0016] Furthermore, the blower fan may blow air toward the upper outer surface of the support frame in addition to blowing air into the air passage, thereby cooling the camera, camera circuit board, and motor and improving the reliability of photography.

[0017] In addition, a wall recess is provided from the periphery of the wall opening toward the camera side, and the bottom of the wall recess on the camera side is parallel to the imaging surface of the camera, and A concave bottom opening that is smaller in cross-sectional area than the opening surface may be provided, which prevents microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber and allows the interior of the heating chamber to be photographed at a wider angle.

[0018] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a cooking device according to one aspect of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] [Overall configuration] 1 to 19 show a cooking device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the heating cooker 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has a housing 100, a heating chamber 110 arranged within the housing 100, and a door 120 that can be opened and closed to cover a front opening 102 located on a front frame 101 that forms the front of the housing 100.

[0021] In the description of the present disclosure, the side of the front opening 102 of the cooking appliance 1 is referred to as the front side, and the opposite rear side is referred to as the rear side. When viewed from the front, i.e., from the front, the top side of the cooking appliance 1 is referred to as the upper side, and the bottom side is referred to as the lower side. When viewed from the front, the right side of the cooking appliance 1 is referred to as the right side, and the left side is referred to as the left side.

[0022] In addition, when viewed from the front of the cooking appliance 1, the right direction is the X direction and the left direction is the -X direction. The rear direction of the cooking appliance 1 is the Y direction and the front direction is the -Y direction. The upward direction of the cooking appliance 1 is the Z direction and the downward direction is the -Z direction.

[0023] The heating chamber 110 has an upper wall 111a located at the top, a left wall 111b and a right wall 111c located on both sides, a back wall 111d located at the rear, and a bottom wall 111e located at the bottom, forming a space inside.

[0024] Door 120 is attached to housing 100 on the left side of front opening 102, with a vertical rotation center, so as to be able to open and close. Door 120 has handle 121 at the right end of the front side. When a user pulls handle 121, door 120 is rotated and front opening 102 is opened. When a user pushes handle 121, front opening 102 is closed. Door 120 is provided with a glass window 122 so that the user can check the situation inside heating chamber 110.

[0025] An operation unit 130 having a horizontally elongated shape in a front view is provided at the top of the front surface of the housing 100 and above the door 120. The operation unit 130 has a plurality of operation switches 131 that allow the user to set cooking contents, and a plurality of display units 132 that display the operation status to the user. Each operation switch 131 is a button for selecting various information, a start button for starting cooking, or the like. The display unit 132 displays the operating status of the cooking appliance 1 and the operation status of the operation switch 131. Each operation switch 131 and display unit are controlled by the control unit 105. The control unit 105 may be configured, for example, by a CPU, a microcomputer, or hardware logic.

[0026] Cooking appliance 1 supplies at least one of microwaves (high frequency waves), radiant heat, hot air, and steam to heat an object to be heated placed on the bottom of heating chamber 110. To this end, cooking appliance 1 has, as a heating unit serving as heating means, at least one of a high frequency generating unit having magnetron 106 that generates microwaves, an upper heater unit (not shown) that heats the object to be heated with radiant heat, a convection heater unit (not shown) that circulates hot air within heating chamber 110, and a steam generating unit (not shown) that generates steam within heating chamber 110. In the present disclosure, as will be described later, two magnetrons 106 are provided as heating units.

[0027] 4, a wall opening 112 is provided as an opening in the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. A wall recess 113 is provided that is recessed upward from the periphery of the wall opening 112. As will be described later, the wall recess 113 is formed in a recessed shape that narrows obliquely upward from the periphery of the wall opening 112 provided in the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110.

[0028] A concave bottom opening 114, which is an opening for photography, is provided at the concave bottom, i.e., the upper side, of wall surface concave portion 113. The side wall of wall surface concave portion 113 is tapered, narrowing from the heating chamber 110 side toward wall surface opening 112 side.

[0029] Below the upper wall 111a, a generally flat top plate portion 140 is provided so as to be parallel to the upper wall 111a and provide a gap between the top plate portion 140 and the upper wall 111a. A top plate opening 141 is provided on the front side of the top plate portion 140 as an opening.

[0030] The arrangement of the photographing unit 150, the blowing unit 160, and the lighting unit 170 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cooking appliance 1 with the top and side surfaces of the housing 100 removed, and FIG. 6 is a top view of the cooking appliance 1 with the top and side surfaces of the housing 100 removed.

[0032] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C1-C1 in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C2-C2 in FIG. 6, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C3-C3.

[0033] FIG. 10 is an enlarged top view of the periphery of the main components, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of the main components.

[0034] 5 to 9, two magnetrons 106 are provided, one above the other, at the rear of the cooking appliance 1. Each magnetron 106 is connected to a respective waveguide 107 that transmits microwaves. Each waveguide 107 is connected to a respective radiation opening 108 that is disposed approximately in the center of the heating chamber 110 when viewed from above.

[0035] The microwaves generated by the magnetron 106 are radiated into the heating chamber 110 from above and below via each of the waveguides 107 and the radiation openings 108. By radiating the microwaves from above and below, the object to be heated can be heated uniformly.

[0036] Furthermore, since the radiation opening 108 is disposed approximately in the center of the heating chamber 110 when viewed from above, microwaves can be radiated uniformly within the heating chamber 110.

[0037] Furthermore, a stirrer 109 is provided near the radiation opening 108 as an antenna for stirring the microwaves radiated from the radiation opening 108 and for heating the object to be heated more uniformly.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 11, above the heating chamber 110, a photographing section 150 and a blower section 160 are provided.

[0039] Above and to the sides of heating chamber 110, lighting units 170 (lighting units 170a and 170b) are provided to illuminate the interior of the chamber.

[0040] The photographing unit 150 has a support frame 151, a camera board 153, a camera 154, a shutter 155, and a drive motor 156. The configuration will be described in detail later. .

[0041] The photographing unit 150 is provided so as to cover the wall surface recess 113 on the top surface of the heating chamber 110 with a support frame 151. The photographing unit 150 is attached to the front side of the top wall 111a of the heating chamber 110 so as to face the inside of the heating chamber 110.

[0042] Since the photographing unit 150 is provided on the upper wall of the heating chamber 110, i.e., on the ceiling side, the photographing unit 150 can photograph an image at an angle and position looking down on the heating chamber 110. This allows the state of the upper side of the object to be heated to be photographed with higher accuracy, i.e., with high resolution and little trapezoidal distortion.

[0043] This configuration of taking pictures from the top wall of the heating chamber 110 is particularly effective in applications such as recognizing letters and symbols written on the top surface of the heated object with high accuracy, recognizing the type of food ingredient in the heated object, recognizing the shape and size of the heated object, and recognizing the heating state of the heated object.

[0044] The cooking device 1 of the present disclosure can improve user convenience in commercial use such as in convenience stores and in home use.

[0045] However, in a configuration in which the imaging unit 150 is provided on the upper wall, steam and flying particles from the object to be heated can contaminate the imaging unit 150, which can lead to a problem of reduced imaging accuracy. Countermeasures for this will be described in detail later.

[0046] The photographing unit 150 is provided on the front side of the top wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. Furthermore, the photographing surface of the camera 154 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so that the photographing direction is directed toward approximately the center of the bottom wall 111e of the heating chamber 110. This allows the photographing unit 150 to be placed in a narrow space, avoiding the vicinity of the center in a top view where the radiation opening 108 that radiates microwaves, which is an example of a heating unit, is located. Furthermore, the entire interior of the heating chamber 110 can be photographed with high accuracy while avoiding the vicinity of the center.

[0047] Furthermore, since the imaging unit 150 is provided with the imaging direction tilted rearward from the vertical direction, it is possible to suppress the influence of external light entering through the glass window 122 of the door 120 on imaging. That is, it is possible to prevent external light entering through the glass window 122 from being directly or indirectly captured at high brightness in an image captured by the camera 154, thereby preventing a decrease in imaging accuracy.

[0048] The blower 160 has a fan case 161, a fan 162, and an exhaust port 163. Details will be described later.

[0049] A fan 162 is provided inside the fan case 161. The fan case has an exhaust port 163 for blowing air. The fan 162 is driven by a DC motor (not shown) and generates an air current for blowing air. The fan 162 is driven based on instructions from the control unit 105.

[0050] The air blowing unit 160 is provided in front of the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110 and at a position on the left-right side of the imaging unit 150. Furthermore, as will be described later, the exhaust port 163 of the air blowing unit 160 and the intake port 151e of the imaging unit 150 are provided opposite each other in the left-right direction. That is, air is blown from the air blowing unit 160 to the imaging unit 150 substantially along the left-right direction. This allows the air blowing unit 160 to be placed in a narrow space, avoiding the vicinity of the center in top view where the radiation opening 108 that radiates microwaves, which is an example of a heating unit, is located.

[0051] Furthermore, because the exhaust port 163 of the blower 160 and the intake port 151e of the imaging unit 150 are provided opposite each other, air can be blown more linearly from the blower 160 to the imaging unit 150. This prevents pressure loss due to bending of the air path, and allows strong air to be blown to the imaging unit 150.

[0052] Fan 162 is provided in fan case 161 so that its rotation axis is in the vertical direction. This allows the main surface of fan case 161 to be arranged horizontally along the top wall of heating chamber 110. Therefore, blower 160 can be arranged in a space-saving manner in the vertical direction as well.

[0053] The illumination unit 170 has an LED as a light emitting element.

[0054] Illumination unit 170 is arranged so that the light emission direction faces the inside of heating chamber 110 so as to illuminate the object to be heated inside heating chamber 110. Illumination unit 170 has its light emission controlled based on instructions from control unit 105.

[0055] In a top view, the lighting unit 170 is disposed rearward of approximately the center of the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. In a top view, the lighting unit 170 and the imaging unit 150 are disposed at positions sandwiching the waveguide 107, which is disposed at an angle with respect to the front-to-rear direction. In a top view, the lighting unit 170 and the imaging unit 150 are disposed at positions sandwiching the radiation opening 108. This allows the lighting unit 170 to be disposed in a narrow space, avoiding the area near the center in a top view where various components are disposed.

[0056] [Main part configuration] The photographing unit 150, the blower unit 160 and their surroundings will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0057] Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the photographing unit 150. Figs. 13 and 14 are perspective views of the photographing unit 150 from below. As will be described later, Fig. 13 shows a state in which the shutter 155 is in the open position, and Fig. 14 shows a state in which the shutter 155 is in the closed position. Fig. 15 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the photographing unit 150 in Fig. 7. Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the photographing unit 150 in Fig. 9.

[0058] The photographing unit 150 includes a support frame 151 , a camera board 153 , a camera 154 , a shutter 155 , and a drive motor 156 .

[0059] Support frame 151 constituting the frame of imaging unit 150 is made of resin. Therefore, when supporting camera board 153, camera board 153 can be sufficiently insulated and camera 154 can be installed with high accuracy in the imaging direction.

[0060] Support frame 151 supports camera board 153, shutter 155, and drive motor 156, and also forms first air passage 200, which is an air passage for blowing air from blower 160. Details of first air passage 200 will be described later.

[0061] The support frame 151 has an upper wall 151a, a front wall 151b, a rear wall 151c, and a left side wall 151d.

[0062] The upper wall 151a has a substantially rectangular plate-like main portion, and forms the upper wall of the support frame 151. A photographing opening 152, which is an opening for photographing, is formed in the substantially central portion of the upper wall 151a.

[0063] The front wall 151b and the rear wall 151c are disposed opposite each other and form the front and rear side walls of the support frame 151. In the present disclosure, the height of the front wall 151b is formed to be lower than the height of the rear wall 151c.

[0064] As a result, the upper wall 151a of the support frame 151 is disposed at an incline with respect to the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110.

[0065] The left side wall 151d forms the left side wall of the support frame 151. The side opposite the left side wall 151d is open, and forms an air intake port 151e, as will be described later.

[0066] The support frame 151 has a front wall 151b, a rear wall 151c, and a left wall 151d, each of whose lower end portions is fixed to the upper surface of the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110 in contact therewith.

[0067] An air intake port 151e is formed as an opening on the side of the support frame 151 opposite the left side wall 151d by the top wall 151a, front wall 151b, and rear wall 151c of the support frame 151 and the top wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. The air intake port 151e is an intake port for drawing air into the support frame 151. The air intake port 151e of the support frame 151 is positioned to face the exhaust port 163 of the fan 162.

[0068] The camera board 153 has a generally rectangular flat plate shape, and a camera 154 is attached to the general center of the surface that will be on the lower side when the support frame 151 is installed on the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110.

[0069] The imaging surface of camera 154 is formed in a substantially circular shape. For example, a CCD, a CMOS, or the like is used as the imaging element (not shown) of camera 154. A condenser lens (not shown) is provided on the imaging direction side of the imaging element. Camera 154 takes images of the inside of heating chamber 110 based on instructions from control unit 105.

[0070] The camera board 153 is attached to the support frame 151 so that the photographing direction of the camera 154 faces the inside of the heating chamber 110. The camera board 153 is attached to the support frame 151 so that the camera 154 fits into the photographing opening 152 of the support frame 151.

[0071] The camera board 153 is attached to the support frame 151 so that the photographing opening 152, the recessed bottom opening 114, and the wall opening 112 are aligned in the photographing direction of the camera 154, that is, in the optical axis direction.

[0072] This allows the camera 154 to view the inside of the heating chamber 110 and take an image of the inside of the heating chamber 110.

[0073] A shutter 155 and a drive motor 156 are provided on the upper wall 151 a of the support frame 151 .

[0074] Shutter 155 is a member that can open and close to block or open the imaging surface of camera 154. Shutter 155 is rotatably attached to the lower surface of upper wall 151a of support frame 151. Shutter 155 is also provided in the imaging direction of camera 154, on the heating chamber 110 side, so as to be able to cover camera 154.

[0075] The shutter 155 is a substantially rectangular flat plate, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are formed in an arc shape. The shutter 155 rotates around a rotation axis located on the upper side in the longitudinal direction. The shutter 155 rotates between an open position and a closed position along the surface of the upper wall 151a of the frame 151. The shutter 155 is made of resin.

[0076] Here, the open position is a position in which the shutter 155 does not cover the photographing opening 152 of the support frame 151, as shown in FIG.

[0077] The shielding position is a position where the shutter 155 covers the photographing opening 152 of the support frame 151, as shown in FIG.

[0078] In the present disclosure, the open position is a position closer to left side wall 151d of support frame 151 than camera 154. That is, it is downstream of camera 154 in first air passage 200. This allows shutter 155 to be stably opened even when airflow is occurring in first air passage 200. That is, shutter 155 can protect camera 154 by shielding photography opening 152 in the shielding position. Furthermore, shutter 155 can open photography opening 152 in the open position, allowing camera 154 to capture an image of the inside of heating chamber 110.

[0079] Furthermore, shutter 155 is disposed on a plane that is substantially in close contact with camera 154 in the shooting direction of camera 154. That is, shutter 155 can more reliably protect camera 154 from flying objects such as steam and oil when in the shielding position.

[0080] The rotation axis of the shutter 155 is disposed on the upper wall 151a of the support frame 151 above the camera 154. This allows the shutter 155 to rotate with little energy and high reliability.

[0081] The drive motor 156 is attached to the upper surface of the upper wall 151 a of the support frame 151 .

[0082] The rotation shaft of the drive motor 156 is connected to the rotation shaft of the shutter 155. This allows the shutter 155 to rotate by operating the drive motor 156. The drive motor 156 rotates to open and close the shutter 155 based on instructions from the control unit 105.

[0083] The drive motor 156 uses its internal magnetic force to hold the closed position and the open / closed position. This reduces noise compared to holding methods that use an electric spring or the like, which requires an electric current while holding the motor. This prevents noise from appearing in the captured image and reduces degradation of shooting accuracy.

[0084] The drive motor 156 is a heat generating element for driving the motor. The drive motor 156 and the camera 154 are arranged facing upside down with respect to the upper wall 151a of the support frame 151. Therefore, the heat generated by the drive motor 156 can be prevented from affecting the camera 154.

[0085] Furthermore, since the drive motor 156 is attached to the upper surface of the upper wall 151a of the support frame 151, the support frame 151 can be placed in a space with a small periphery when viewed from above.

[0086] Furthermore, drive motor 156 is attached to upper wall 151a that is inclined in the front-to-rear direction, that is, the rotation shaft of drive motor 156 is attached at an angle with respect to the up-down direction of cooker 1. This allows drive motor 156 to be placed in a narrow space also in the up-down direction.

[0087] Furthermore, drive motor 156 is disposed on upper wall 151a where camera 154 is disposed. That is, drive motor 156 is disposed so that its rotation axis is perpendicular to camera 154. This allows the imaging surface of camera 154 and shutter 155 connected to drive motor 156 to be disposed approximately parallel with high precision.

[0088] 15 and 16, a wall opening 112 is provided as an opening in the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. Furthermore, a wall recess 113 is provided so as to cover the wall opening 112. A recessed bottom opening 114, which is an opening for photography, is provided in the recessed bottom of the wall recess 113, i.e., on the upper side.

[0089] The side wall of wall recess 113 is tapered, narrowing from the heating chamber 110 side toward recessed bottom opening 114. Recessed bottom opening 114 is disposed so as to face the vicinity of camera 154. The cross-sectional area of ​​the opening surface of recessed bottom opening 114 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening surface of wall opening 112. By making the opening smaller in this way, leakage of microwaves from inside heating chamber 110 can be further suppressed.

[0090] In addition, a ring-shaped protrusion is formed upward on the periphery of the recessed bottom opening 114. This makes it possible to further prevent microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber 110.

[0091] The recessed bottom opening 114 is disposed near the camera 154, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening surface of the wall opening 112 is larger than that of the recessed bottom opening 114, so that the interior of the heating chamber 110 can be photographed at a wider angle.

[0092] [Effect] Hereinafter, the operation of the cooking device 1 of the present disclosure will be described mainly with reference to FIGS.

[0093] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating the photographing unit 150 and the blower unit 160 as viewed from above.

[0094] FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional front view illustrating first air passage 200 and second air passage 201. As shown in FIG.

[0095] FIG. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional side view illustrating first air passage 200 and second air passage 201. As shown in FIG.

[0096] First air passage 200 and second air passage 201 will be described below.

[0097] Support frame 151, upper wall 111a of heating chamber 110, and wall surface recess 113 form first air passage 200 as an air flow path.

[0098] First air passage 200 is an air passage that has air intake port 151e of support frame 151 as an intake port, passes through a space formed by the inside of support frame 151 and upper wall 111a of heating chamber 110, further passes through the space in wall recess 113 via recessed bottom opening 114, and has wall opening 112 as an exhaust port. In other words, first air passage 200 is an air passage that exhausts air taken in from air intake port 151e through the vicinity of camera 154 and from wall opening 112 toward the inside of heating chamber 110. In this way, first air passage 200 bends airflow from the left and right directions of heating chamber 110 downward of heating chamber 110.

[0099] The second air passage 201 is located outside the first air passage 200 and is located on the upper wall 151a of the support frame 151. That is, second air passage 201 is an air passage that passes over the surface of camera board 153 on which camera 154 is not installed and near drive motor 156.

[0100] The cross-sectional area of ​​the opening surface of intake port 151e of imaging unit 150 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening surface of exhaust port 163 of blower unit 160. This allows one blower unit 160 to blow air to two air passages, first air passage 200 and second air passage 201.

[0101] Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening of exhaust port 163 of blower 160, the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening of intake port 151e of support frame 151, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening of recessed bottom opening 114 are formed in this order to decrease in cross-sectional area. That is, the above three openings along the flow direction of first air passage 200 are formed so that the cross-sectional areas decrease in this order toward the downstream side. This allows the airflow blown from blower 160 to be blown from the vicinity of photographing unit 150 toward the inside of heating chamber 110 at an increased flow rate. Therefore, photographing unit 150 can be better protected from steam and flying debris heading toward photographing unit 150.

[0102] The blower 160 rotates the fan 162 based on an instruction from the control unit 105. The rotation of the fan 162 generates an airflow from the exhaust port 163 of the blower 160.

[0103] A part of the airflow exhausted from exhaust port 163 flows into intake port 151e, which is an intake port of first air passage 200. The rest of the airflow flows to the outside of first air passage 200, toward second air passage 201.

[0104] The airflow that has flowed into the inside of the support frame 151 is guided by the top wall 151 a , front wall 151 b , and rear wall 151 c of the support frame 151 , and flows toward the camera 154 and shutter 155 .

[0105] When shutter 155 is in the open position, part of the incoming airflow flows along the surface of shutter 155 and the imaging surface of camera 154. When shutter 155 is in the closed position, part of the incoming airflow flows along the surface of shutter 155. This airflow can protect the imaging surface of camera 154 and the surface of the shutter from splashes of steam, oil, and the like generated by the heated object.

[0106] The airflow that has flowed into first air passage 200 flows downward near camera 154 and flows into wall surface recess 113 via recessed bottom opening 114. Furthermore, the airflow that has flowed into wall surface recess 113 is exhausted into heating chamber 110 via wall surface opening 112.

[0107] In this way, the airflow that flows into the support frame 151 from the air intake 151e of the first air duct 200 forms an airflow along the camera 154 and the shutter 155, then bends downward toward the heating chamber 110, i.e., toward the shooting direction of the camera 154, and flows into the heating chamber 110.

[0108] In this way, the airflow from the camera 154 side toward the heating chamber 110 side can prevent flying debris such as steam and oil from flying in the direction of the camera 154 and the shutter 155. Furthermore, the airflow along the surfaces of the camera 154 and the shutter 155 can protect and clean the surfaces of the camera 154 and the shutter 155. Furthermore, the airflow from the camera 154 side toward the heating chamber 110 side can dissipate flying debris such as steam in the shooting direction, making the field of view of the camera 154 clearer. In addition, the airflow along the imaging surface of the camera 154 can cool the camera 154. As a result, the imaging unit 150 can capture images of the inside of the heating chamber 110 with greater accuracy.

[0109] Furthermore, shutter 155 is located in first air passage 200 above top wall 111a of heating chamber 110, and air current in first air passage 200 flows on the heating chamber 110 side of shutter 155. That is, an air passage is formed between top wall 111a of heating chamber 110 and shutter 155. Therefore, not only camera 154 but also shutter 155 is protected from flying objects such as steam and oil. This prevents shutter 155, which is a movable member, from becoming soiled and reducing operational reliability.

[0110] The airflow toward second air passage 201 flows above upper wall 151a of support frame 151 toward the surface of camera board 153 on which camera 154 is not installed, and toward drive motor 156. This allows camera 154 and camera board 153, which are made of semiconductors that are susceptible to high temperatures, to be cooled. This allows for highly reliable imaging. Furthermore, because drive motor 156, which is a heating element having a motor coil, can be cooled, malfunction of the motor due to high temperatures can be suppressed. This further increases the reliability of opening and closing shutter 155.

[0111] The photographing operation in the photographing section 150 will be described below.

[0112] During shooting, blower 160 rotates fan 162 based on instructions from control unit 105. Note that control unit 105 may rotate fan 162 immediately before shooting, or may rotate fan 162 continuously even while shooting is not being performed.

[0113] Furthermore, based on instructions from control unit 105, photographing unit 150 rotates drive motor 156. As a result, shutter 155 is rotated to the open position, as shown in Figures 13 and 18. At this time, the photographing surface of camera 154 is exposed toward heating chamber 110. However, air blower 160 and first air duct 200 create an airflow from camera 154 toward heating chamber 110. This prevents camera 154 from becoming soiled by steam or flying debris from the heated object.

[0114] Furthermore, camera 154 photographs heating chamber 110 based on instructions from control unit 105. After photographing, drive motor 156 is rotated to rotate shutter 155 to the shielding position based on instructions from control unit 105. As a result, the photographing surface of camera 154 is shielded from the heating chamber 110. This more reliably prevents the photographing surface of camera 154 from being soiled by steam or flying debris from the heated object. Furthermore, even when fan 162 is stopped and no airflow is generated in first air duct 200, the photographing surface of camera 154 can be reliably prevented from being soiled.

[0115] The airflow in first air passage 200 passes over the imaging surface of camera 154, as well as the upper and lower peripheral surfaces and rotation axis of shutter 155. This makes it possible to prevent shutter 155, which is a movable member, from becoming dirty. This improves the reliability of the opening and closing operation of shutter 155, which is a movable member.

[0116] (Other embodiments) As described above, the above embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made as appropriate.

[0117] Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the air blowing unit 160 is disposed on the right side of the image capturing unit 150. However, the air blowing unit 160 may be disposed on the left side of the image capturing unit 150.

[0119] In the above embodiment, the height of the front wall 151b of the support frame 151 is formed to be lower than the height of the rear wall 151c. However, the height of the front wall 151b and the height of the rear wall 151c may be formed to be the same height. Also, the height of the front wall 151b may be formed to be higher than the height of the rear wall 151c.

[0120] Also disclosed is a configuration in which the support frame 151 has a front wall 151b, and the lower end of the front wall 151b is fixed in contact with the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. However, the support frame 151 may not have the front wall 151b, and one end of the upper wall 111a of the support frame 151 may be fixed in contact with the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110.

[0121] Also, a configuration has been disclosed in which the support frame 151 is fixed in contact with the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110. However, the support frame 151 may be attached to the upper wall 111a of the heating chamber 110 via a support member such as a base.

[0122] In the above embodiment, the shutter 155 is of a rotating type that rotates along the imaging surface. However, the shutter may be configured as a reciprocating type that moves along the imaging surface. Also, the shutter may be configured as a hinged door type in which the rotation axis is parallel to the imaging surface.

[0123] A rotary DC motor was used as drive motor 156 for opening and closing shutter 155. However, a linear motor or the like may also be used as long as it is a movable member that can open and close the shutter.

[0124] In the above embodiment, a configuration has been shown in which second air passage 201 is provided downstream of blower 160. However, a configuration may also be adopted in which exhaust port 163 of blower 160 and intake port 151e of support frame 151 are directly connected without providing a branch path of the air passage. In other words, a configuration may also be adopted in which second air passage 201 is not provided.

[0125] Also, a configuration is shown in which there is a gap between exhaust port 163 of blower 160 and intake port 151e of support frame 151. However, exhaust port 163 of blower 160 and intake port 151e of support frame 151 may be formed as an air passage that directly connects them.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the air is blown from the air blowing unit 160 toward the photographing unit 150 in a left-right direction when viewed from above. However, in a configuration in which the heating unit is not disposed near the approximate center of the upper wall 111a when viewed from above, the air may be blown from the air blowing unit 160 toward the photographing unit 150 in a direction other than the left-right direction when viewed from above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0127] The present disclosure is applicable to a cooking appliance that takes images of the interior of a cooking chamber using an imaging unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 1 Cooker 100 cabinets 101 Front frame 102 Front opening 105 Control Unit 106 Magnetron (heating unit) 107 Waveguide (heating section) 108 Radiation opening (heating section) 109 Starla 110 Heating storage 111a Upper wall 111b Left side wall 111c Right side wall 111d Back wall 111e Bottom wall 112 Wall opening 113 Wall recess 114 Concave bottom opening 120 Doors 121 Handle 122 Glass Window 130 Operation section 131 Operation switch 132 Display section 140 Top plate 141 Top panel opening 150 Photography Department 151 Support Frame 151a Upper wall 151b Front wall 151c rear wall 151d Left side wall 151e Air intake 152 Shooting Aperture 153 Camera board 154 Camera 155 Shutter 156 Drive motor (motor) 160 Blower (blower fan) 161 Fan Case 162 fans 163 Exhaust port 170,170a,170b Lighting section 200 1st wind path (wind path) 201 2nd wind path

Claims

1. The housing and A heating chamber that is disposed within the housing and that accommodates an object to be heated; a door covering a front opening that is the front surface of the housing and having a translucent glass window; A wall opening which is an opening provided in the upper wall of the heating chamber; a camera provided above the upper wall so that the photographing surface faces the inside of the heating chamber through the wall opening; The wall opening is provided forward of the center in the front-rear direction of the heating chamber, The camera is provided so that the photographing direction perpendicular to the photographing surface of the camera is inclined toward the rear side relative to the vertical direction of the heating chamber, A cooking device, wherein a lighting unit that illuminates the inside of the heating chamber is provided rearward of the center in the front-to-rear direction of the heating chamber.

2. a support frame provided on the outside of the heating chamber so as to cover the wall opening; The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is provided on the support frame.

3. a shutter that can be opened and closed to block or expose the photographing surface of the camera and is provided between the wall opening and the camera; The cooking device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a blower fan that blows air toward the camera and the shutter.

Images