Heating Regulator

Abstract

To provide a cooker that enables a user do work his / herself to finish the cooking.SOLUTION: A cooker 1 includes: a grill burner 8 and cooking stove burners 10a-10c for heating an object; a controller 30 for controlling these burners; temperature sensors 9, 11a-11c for detecting the temperature of the heating object; a liquid crystal display 16 for displaying cooking-related information; and a memory 32 for storing temperature fluctuation information t on the heating object associated with a specific menu as sample data. When a specific menu is designated in the cooker 1, the liquid crystal display 16 displays a graph of the temperature fluctuation information t and a graph of the actual temperatures T detected with the temperature sensors 9, 11a-11c during the actual cooking.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking appliance such as a gas stove. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there is known a cooking device that stores cooking information corresponding to a menu and allows cooking to be carried out in accordance with the information, thereby enabling efficient cooking regardless of an individual's skill level.

[0003] For example, in the cooking menu creation device of Patent Document 1 below, when an IC card is inserted into the display, a recipe chart is displayed in which the ingredients and seasonings per serving according to the menu are quantified.The timing of adding seasonings, the heating temperature, and the control process of the stirring temperature are also displayed, and it is possible to check how far the cooking has progressed (see Figure 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 02-130320 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, there is an increasing demand for users to be able to cook and complete dishes themselves without relying on automatic cooking functions. However, it is difficult for users who are not accustomed to cooking to do all the work by themselves. When using the device of Patent Document 1, it is difficult to say that the user has done the work themselves, and they do not get a sense of satisfaction from cooking.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and has an object to provide a cooking device that allows a user to perform the cooking operation and complete the cooking themselves. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides A cooking device comprising a heating unit that heats an object to be cooked, a heat power adjusting unit that adjusts the heat power of the heating unit, a temperature detecting unit that detects the temperature of the object to be cooked, a display unit that displays information related to cooking, and a memory unit that stores temperature transition information of the object to be heated associated with cooking of a specific menu as sample data, When the specific menu is specified, the display unit displays a graph of the temperature transition information and a graph of the temperature change detected by the temperature detection unit during actual cooking.

[0008] The cooking device of the present invention stores temperature transition information for a specific menu as sample data in the storage unit. When the specific menu is specified, the user can refer to the sample data. The temperature transition information is displayed in graph form on the display unit as a sample of temperature transitions that affect the cooking results.

[0009] Furthermore, the temperature change actually detected by the temperature detection unit is displayed as a graph on the display unit, and the user can adjust the heat by operating the heat adjustment unit to match the cooking temperature with the temperature change information. This allows the user to cook the food themselves and complete the dish easily and efficiently. This cooking appliance also has the advantage of allowing the user to always know where they are in the cooking process, which can help improve their cooking skills.

[0010] In addition, in the cooking device of the present invention, The temperature transition information of the sample data is preferably created from temperature transition information during past cooking.

[0011] The memory unit stores temperature transition information from when a specific menu item was cooked in the past. This temperature transition information includes cases where the user cooked the food themselves as well as cases where other people cooked the food. The temperature transition information displayed on the display unit is created from past cases (temperature transition information), so the user can recreate cooking recipes based on various samples.

[0012] In addition, in the cooking device of the present invention, a determination unit that determines whether or not a user has performed a predetermined cooking task; the display unit displays the content of the work to be performed by the user and the timing of the work; When the determining unit determines that the work has been performed, it is preferable that the display mode of the work content be changed.

[0013] According to this configuration, the display unit displays the details of the tasks the user will perform while cooking (adding seasonings, putting a lid on the pot, etc.) and the timing of the tasks. The determination unit also determines whether the user has performed the task, and if it determines that the task has been performed, changes the display mode to notify the user. This allows the cooking appliance to guide the user to successful cooking while allowing the user to confirm the details of the task and whether it has been performed.

[0014] In addition, in the cooking device of the present invention, An icon indicating the content of the work is displayed on the display unit at the timing of the work, It is preferable that when the determining unit determines that the task has been performed, or when the determining unit determines that the task has not been performed, the display mode of the icon is changed.

[0015] For example, an icon indicating the task the user is to perform while cooking is displayed near the temperature transition information on the display unit. Then, when it is determined that the user has performed the predetermined task, the display mode of the icon is changed to notify the user. When it is determined that the user has not performed the predetermined task, the display mode of the icon may also be changed. In this way, the cooking appliance allows the user to visually recognize the task that should be performed and whether or not it has been performed.

[0016] In addition, in the cooking device of the present invention, The storage unit stores heating power transition information of the object to be heated associated with the cooking as the sample data, When the specific menu is designated, the heating power transition information is preferably displayed in the form of a graph on the display unit.

[0017] The storage unit also stores information about the heating power transition of the heated object as sample data. The display unit then displays the heating power transition information in graph form in addition to the temperature transition information. By referring to both pieces of information, the user can cook more faithfully to the sample data, thereby improving the reproducibility of the cooking.

[0018] In addition, in the cooking device of the present invention, a reproducibility determination unit that determines a reproducibility by comparing the temperature transition information with the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit during actual cooking, It is preferable that an evaluation according to the degree of reproduction is displayed on the display unit.

[0019] The reproducibility determination unit compares the temperature transition information with the actual cooking temperature to determine whether they match, i.e., the reproducibility. Then, an evaluation such as a rank or score is performed based on the reproducibility, and displayed on the display unit. Therefore, the cooking appliance can increase the user's motivation to cook.

[0020] In addition, in the cooking device of the present invention, It is preferable that, in response to the temperature trend information, if the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit during actual cooking remains above or below a predetermined value for a predetermined time, the display unit will notify this.

[0021] If the temperature of the object to be heated during actual cooking remains below the sample temperature transition information for a predetermined period of time, the display will notify the user and prompt them to take action. This allows the user to notice the situation at an early stage and take action, preventing the food from being undercooked. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration and internal structure of the cooking device. [Figure 3] 10 is an example of the display on the liquid crystal display unit (before cooking begins). [Figure 4] This is an example of the display on the LCD display (cooking in progress). [Figure 5] 10 is an example of the display on the LCD display (heat power transition information). [Figure 6] 10 is a display example of the liquid crystal display unit (when cooking is complete). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] First, a cooking device 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. When a user cooks with cooking device 1, information such as temperature and heat level that assists cooking is displayed on a liquid crystal display unit 16 (described later). Therefore, cooking device 1 can be said to have a function that leads to successful cooking.

[0025] A grill door 2 is provided in the center of the front side of the cooking appliance 1. The grill door 2 opens and closes the front opening of the grill chamber (not shown) when placing or removing an object to be heated in or from the grill chamber (not shown) provided inside the cooking appliance 1. A grill burner 8 is provided inside the grill door 2, and a temperature sensor 9 (not shown) is provided to detect the temperature of the object to be heated.

[0026] The cooking appliance 1 is a built-in type that is incorporated into the countertop W of a system kitchen, and is equipped with a box-shaped stove body 3 with an open top. A top surface 4 is provided on top of the stove body 3, and a left stove burner 10a, a right stove burner 10b, and a rear stove burner 10c (the "heating section" of the present invention) supported by the stove body 3 are exposed upward from the top surface 4.

[0027] Each stove burner 10a, 10b, 10c is provided with a temperature sensor 11a, 11b, 11c (the "temperature detection unit" of the present invention) that detects the temperature of the heated object placed on it (such as a cooking container containing the food to be cooked). The temperature detected by the temperature sensor 11a, 11b, 11c is considered to be the temperature of the cooking container during cooking (the "temperature" of the present invention).

[0028] On both sides of the grill door 2 on the front side of the cooking appliance 1, there are provided an operation button 13a for the grill burner 8 inside the grill chamber, operation buttons 13b to 13d for each stove burner 10a, 10b, 10c (the "heat adjustment unit" of the present invention), and a power switch 13e.

[0029] Each operation button 13a to 13d is a push-type button, and when it is pushed in from the extinguishing position shown in Figure 1 where it is recessed into the front panel and then released, it protrudes to the burning position in front of the front panel, and in this state it can be rotated to adjust the flame intensity.

[0030] Signals from the operation detection switches of the grill burner 8, the operation buttons 13a-13d of the stove burners 10a-10c, and the power switch 13e, along with signals from the flame detection elements of each stove burner 10a-10c, are input to a control device 30 (control unit 31) consisting of a microcomputer, which will be described later.Then, the control unit 31 controls the igniter, the main valve, and each gas valve device.

[0031] Furthermore, a push-open grill operation unit 21 and a stove operation unit 22 are provided on the front of the cooking appliance 1. When a user presses the grill operation unit 21, it opens to reveal a grill operation panel 21a. Similarly, when a user presses the stove operation unit 22, it opens to reveal a stove operation panel 22a.

[0032] For example, the stove operation panel 22a is configured to allow the user to perform operations related to the operation of each stove burner 10a, 10b, 10c (setting a specific menu, recording a cooking log, etc.), and is also configured to display various information related to the operation of each stove burner 10a, 10b, 10c.

[0033] Furthermore, a liquid crystal display 16 (the "display" of the present invention) is provided between the stove burners 10a and 10b on the top surface 4 of the cooking appliance 1. As will be described in detail later, the liquid crystal display 16 displays graphs of temperature transition information and heat power transition information that the user refers to when cooking. The user can cook while adjusting the heat power using the operation buttons 13a to 13d so that the temperature of the cooking vessel (including a metal pot, earthenware pot, frying pan, etc.) matches the temperature transition information graph. The liquid crystal display 16 may also be provided in the stove operation panel 22a.

[0034] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration and internal structure of the cooking device 1. The cooking device 1 is made up of a grill burner 8, stove burners 10a to 10c, temperature sensors 9, 11a to 11c, operation buttons 13a to 13d, a power switch 13e, a liquid crystal display unit 16, and operation panels 21a and 21b.

[0035] The control device 30 is a device that controls the overall operation of the heating cooker 1, and is composed of an electronic circuit unit including a control unit 31, a judgment unit 33, a reproducibility judgment unit 34 (all of which are CPUs), a memory unit 32 (memory such as RAM and ROM), an interface circuit, etc.

[0036] The control device 30 receives detection signals from the temperature sensors 9, 11a to 11c, operation signals from the operation buttons 13a to 13d, operation signals from the power switch 13e, and operation signals from the operation panels 21a and 22a.

[0037] The control device 30 is configured to be able to control the operation (ignition / extinguishing control, etc.) of the grill burner 8, left burner 10a, right burner 10b and rear burner 10c by functions realized by executing an implemented program or functions realized by a hardware configuration.

[0038] The storage unit 32 of the control device 30 stores temperature data, heating power data, etc. when a specific menu is cooked in the cooking appliance 1. These data can be used as sample data when the user later reproduces the cooking of the specific menu.

[0039] The temperature transition information and heating power transition information stored as sample data in the storage unit 32 are created based on information (log data) from when the user or the user's family previously cooked the specific menu under the same conditions (same cooking vessel, same amount). The temperature transition information and heating power transition information may also be created from information from when a professional chef cooked the specific menu under the same conditions.

[0040] The determination unit 33 of the control device 30 determines whether or not the user has performed an action such as adding a predetermined seasoning, putting a lid on a pot, etc. when cooking a specific menu. If it is determined that the predetermined action has been performed, the liquid crystal display unit 16 notifies the user of this.

[0041] The reproducibility determination unit 34 of the control device 30 determines the reproducibility by comparing the temperature transition information of the sample data with the difference between the actual temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 9, 11a to 11c during actual cooking. The reproducibility is expressed by a rank, score, symbol, mark, etc., and is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 16.

[0042] When the user specifies cooking of a specific menu, the LCD display unit 16 displays, as sample data, temperature transition information (time-series waveform) associated with cooking of the specific menu in a graph. The temperature transition information is preferably displayed so that the entire cooking process or the latter half of the cooking process can be seen. In addition, by displaying the actual temperature changes so that the user can understand the current situation, the user can enjoy cooking while obtaining information for successful cooking.

[0043] Furthermore, icons indicating the tasks that the user should perform at predetermined times during cooking may be displayed. These tasks include "adding ingredients," "adding seasonings and water," "putting a lid on the pot," "opening the lid," "stirring," "flipping," etc., and icons corresponding to these tasks are determined in advance. The user can set whether or not to display the icons.

[0044] Next, examples of display on the liquid crystal display unit 16 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. In the following, it is assumed that a specific dish menu (for example, gyoza) is cooked using the left stove burner 10a.

[0045] 3 shows the state before cooking begins when a graph of temperature transition information t is displayed on liquid crystal display unit 16. Since cooking appliance 1 is designed for all cooking to be done manually, the user proceeds with the cooking process while referring to temperature transition information t.

[0046] As shown in window 16a of liquid crystal display unit 16, temperature transition information t is one type of sample data, and is a time series graph of the temperature of the cooking container from the start (S) to the end (E) of cooking. There are multiple types of temperature transition information t for the same menu, and these are stored in memory unit 32. The temperature transition information t may be stored in a storage device on the server. Also, the user may be able to use temperature transition information under similar conditions on the server (for example, cooking by a professional chef).

[0047] The temperature transition information t is mainly created from temperature data from previous cooking sessions by the user and temperature data from cooking sessions by the user's family members. The temperature transition information t is preferably information from cooking using the same cooking vessels in quantities that take into account the number of family members in the user's family, etc. Note that the original temperature data does not have a smooth curve like the temperature transition information t shown in the figure, so the actual waveform is smoothed and processed into a curve.

[0048] Additionally, icons a to c are displayed at predetermined times on the graph of temperature transition information t. Icon a suggests that it is time to "add seasonings and water" at this time. Icon b suggests that it is time to "put the lid on the pot," and icon c suggests that it is time to "open the lid." The display of the icons has the effect of visually making the user aware of the execution of a predetermined task and encouraging them to perform it.

[0049] The display of the details and timing of the tasks performed by the user during cooking is not limited to icons, but may be displayed using text, messages, etc. For example, a message box (speech bubble) may be displayed at the timing of the tasks on the graph of the temperature transition information t, and the details of the tasks (such as "add seasonings") may be written in the message box.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows the display on the liquid crystal display unit 16 when a predetermined time has elapsed since cooking began.

[0051] When the user starts cooking, the temperature sensor 11a for the left stove burner 10a detects the actual temperature of the cooking vessel. Therefore, the change in the actual temperature T (thick line in the figure) is displayed superimposed on the graph of the temperature transition information t. By displaying the actual temperature T, the user can easily grasp the current position in the entire process, the progress of the cooking, etc.

[0052] Furthermore, if the actual temperature T changes along the graph of the temperature transition information t, the two will overlap exactly. Since the user cooks while referring to the LCD display 16, the user can also see whether the temperature is being adjusted according to the sample data during cooking.

[0053] In FIG. 4, the timing for icon a in FIG. 3 has passed, so icon a has changed to a lightly displayed icon a'. This means that the task suggested by icon a, "adding seasonings and water," has actually been performed without any problems. When the task has been performed, the color of icon a may be changed or icon a may be removed from the screen. Conversely, when the user has not performed the task, the appearance of icon a may be changed. For example, icon a may be changed to a conspicuous color such as red or may be made to blink to notify the user. When the content of the task is displayed in text, the display appearance may be changed, such as by changing the color of the text or by removing the message box from the screen. This type of display control allows the user to immediately notice that the task has been forgotten and take action.

[0054] Whether or not the work has actually been performed is determined by the determination unit 33 of the control device 30 based on the temperature change detected by the temperature sensor 11a, the level of heat, etc. Note that, in order to reliably determine whether the work has been performed, each of the stove burners 10a to 10c may further include a weight sensor that measures the weight of the object to be heated (cooking vessel).

[0055] As described above, the user adjusts the cooking temperature according to the graph of temperature transition information t and follows the suggestions of the icons. This allows the user to enjoy cooking while recreating past successful cooking recipes or learning the techniques of family members or professional chefs.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows the display (modified form) on the liquid crystal display unit 16 when a predetermined time has elapsed since cooking started.

[0057] 5, in addition to the graph of temperature transition information t, a graph of heating power transition information p is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 16. The heating power transition information p is also one of the sample data, and is a time series graph of the heating power of the cooking container from the start (S) to the end (E) of cooking. The memory unit 32 of the control device 30 stores multiple pieces of heating power transition information p corresponding to the temperature transition information t.

[0058] Because users adjust the heat level at multiple stages when cooking, the graph of heat level transition information p is displayed on the same timeline as the graph of temperature level transition information t. By simultaneously displaying both the graph of temperature level transition information t and the graph of heat level transition information p, users can more easily recreate successful cooking results in the past. In addition, the actual changes in heat level P are displayed superimposed on the graph of heat level transition information p, and if the heat level P changes in line with the graph of heat level transition information p, they will overlap perfectly.

[0059] The user can set whether or not to display the graph of thermal power transition information p. This is because the type of gas and gas pressure of thermal power differ depending on the region, and if thermal power is estimated from the valve opening degree, etc., a discrepancy will occur.

[0060] Finally, FIG. 6 shows the display on the liquid crystal display unit 16 when cooking is complete.

[0061] In Figure 6, the change in actual temperature T (thick line in the figure) is superimposed on the graph of temperature transition information t and is displayed up to completion (E). Also, icons a to c (see Figure 3) have changed to icons a' to c' with a lighter display, respectively. This means that each task indicated by icons a to c was actually completed without any problems.

[0062] Furthermore, since all cooking steps have been completed, a judgment and evaluation is displayed in the window 16b of the LCD display unit 16. This judgment and evaluation is performed by the reproducibility judgment unit 34 of the control device 30. This time, the actual temperature T obtained when the user cooked the specific menu almost coincides with the temperature transition information t, so the reproducibility of the temperature transition information t is very high. The display of the judgment and evaluation can increase the user's motivation to cook. In this embodiment, the heat power can be adjusted relatively easily in accordance with the heat power transition information p, so it is not subject to the judgment and evaluation.

[0063] Window 16b in Fig. 6 displays a Rank "A" according to the final reproducibility and an expression mark "smiling face." There are four ranks, for example, "A (reproducibility of 90% or more)," "B (reproducibility of 70-89%)," "C (reproducibility of 50-69%)," and "D (reproducibility of 49% or less)," with corresponding expression marks "smiling face," "normal expression," "troubled expression," and "crying face." Of course, a score may be assigned instead of a Rank.

[0064] Furthermore, the reproducibility determining unit 34 can make a determination according to the difference between the temperature transition information t and the actual temperature T during cooking.

[0065] For example, if the actual temperature T remains below the temperature transition information t by a predetermined temperature (for example, 20°C) for one minute (or more), the food may be undercooked. In this case, a warning or message is output to the liquid crystal display unit 16 to notify the user. This allows the user to notice the situation at an early stage and take appropriate action, increasing the chances of successful cooking. If the cooking appliance 1 has a speaker, the warning may be given by voice or buzzer.

[0066] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and modifications, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the above embodiment, cooking is mainly performed using the stove burners 10a to 10c, but the technical concept of the graphical display of temperature transition information is the same when cooking using the grill burner 8.

[0067] The liquid crystal display unit 16 is configured to display at least a graph of the temperature transition information, and it is possible to select to display either or both of the graph of the heating power transition information and the icon.

[0068] The temperature transition information and heating power transition information are mainly created from temperature data and heating power data of past successful cases, but may also be based on temperature data and heating power data of past unsuccessful cases. Simple notes may also be stored to distinguish between good and bad temperature data and heating power data. For example, if the temperature transition information displays time periods where cooking has failed with a dashed line, the temperature transition information can be used to enable cooking to be done carefully so as not to repeat the same failure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1 Cooker 2 Grill door 3. Stove body 4 Top 8 Grill Burner 9 Temperature sensor (for grill burner) 10a Left stove burner 10b Right stove burner 10c Rear stove burner 11a~11c Temperature sensor (for stove burner) 13a~13d Operation buttons 13e Power switch 16 LCD display section 16a, 16b Window 21 Grill control panel 21a Grill control panel 22 Stovetop control unit 22a Stove control panel 30 Control device 31 Control Unit 32 Storage section 33 Judgment Department 34 Reproducibility judgment section

Claims

1. A heating unit that heats an object to be cooked; A heat adjustment unit that adjusts the heat of the heating unit; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the object to be heated; a display unit that displays cooking-related information; a storage unit that stores temperature transition information of the object to be heated associated with cooking of a specific menu as sample data; a control device; A cooking device comprising: The sample data of temperature transition indicates a temperature transition of the object to be heated from the start of cooking the specific menu to the completion thereof, which can be referred to by a cook; The control device is a heating cooker characterized in that, when the specific menu is specified, the display unit displays a graph of the temperature transition information and a graph of the change in temperature of the heated object detected by the temperature detection unit during actual cooking, superimposed on each other, thereby allowing the cook to confirm whether the actual cooking is proceeding according to the sample data.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1, A cooking device characterized in that the temperature transition information of the sample data is created from temperature transition information during past cooking.

3. The cooking device according to claim 1 or 2, The control device Determine whether the user has performed a predetermined cooking task; displaying on the display unit the content of the work to be performed by the user and the timing of the work; When it is determined that the task has been performed, the cooking device changes the display mode of the task content.

4. The cooking device according to claim 3, The control device An icon indicating the content of the work is displayed on the display unit at the timing of the work, The cooking device is characterized in that, when it is determined that the task has been performed or when it is determined that the task has not been performed, the display mode of the icon is changed.

5. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The storage unit stores heating power transition information of the object to be heated associated with the cooking as the sample data, The cooking device is characterized in that the control device displays the heating power transition information in a graph on the display unit when the specific menu is specified.

6. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The control device compares the temperature change information with the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit during actual cooking to determine the degree of reproducibility, and displays an evaluation based on the degree of reproducibility on the display unit.

7. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The control device is characterized in that when the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit during actual cooking remains above or below a predetermined value for a predetermined time, the control device notifies the user of this on the display unit.

Images