rice cooker

Abstract

To provide a rice cooker capable of executing rice cooking control according to the feature of rice boiled with seasonal ingredients, and displaying information matched to rice cooking characteristics.SOLUTION: A rice cooker is capable of cooking rice boiled with seasonal ingredients, and includes: a menu selection screen G2 for rice boiled with seasonal ingredients and operation means 19 for selecting one menu item of rice boiled with seasonal ingredients from a plurality of menu items of rice boiled with seasonal ingredients; and display means 18 for displaying a recipe display screen G3 for rice boiled with seasonal ingredients of the one menu item of the rice boiled with seasonal ingredients selected by the menu selection screen G2 for rice boiled with seasonal ingredients and the operation means 19.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice cooker capable of cooking cooked rice as an object to be cooked.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of rice cooker, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a rice cooking classification method that automatically determines whether the object to be cooked in the inner pot is plain rice or cooked rice by comparing a detected temperature detected after a certain period of time has elapsed since a predetermined start reference temperature was detected by a temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the inner pot with a preset determination reference temperature, and controls the power of a heater that heats the inner pot according to the type of rice.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Japan, each prefecture has a large number of cooked rice menus as, for example, local gourmet food and local dishes, and each cooked rice has different characteristics. However, in the rice cooker of Patent Document 1, rice cooking control is uniformly performed under a menu such as "cooked rice", and rice cooking control according to the characteristics of each cooked rice has not been performed. In addition, some cooked rice recipes do not match the rice cooking characteristics of the rice cooker in their original form, while users do not have information on whether the recipe matches the rice cooking characteristics, so there was a risk of cooking failures such as undercooked rice, excessive burning, and undercooked ingredients, for example.

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rice cooker that is capable of performing rice cooking control according to the characteristics of cooked rice and can display information matching the rice cooking characteristics.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The rice cooker of the present invention is capable of cooking mixed rice as the food to be cooked, and includes a selection means for selecting one mixed rice menu from a plurality of mixed rice menus, and a display means for displaying the mixed rice information of the one mixed rice menu selected by the selection means. , control means for controlling the cooking of the mixed rice, heating means for heating the pot containing the cooked rice, temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pot, and timing means for timing various periods of time. , equipped The control means controls the cooking of the mixed rice according to the menu of the 1 selected by the selection means, and when the control means determines that the food to be cooked has boiled based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection means, it controls the heating means to hold the food to be cooked at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature at the time of boiling determination for a predetermined time, and when the control means determines that the rate of temperature rise of the food to be cooked is equal to or higher than a predetermined value based on the detected temperature during the holding period, it controls the heating means to reduce the output, and when it determines that the predetermined time has elapsed based on the timing means, it determines that the cooking of the mixed rice is complete. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the rice cooker of the present invention, it is possible to control the cooking process according to the selected mixed rice menu. Furthermore, since information suitable for the cooking characteristics of the rice cooker can be displayed on the display means, the risk of cooking failure can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] The same as above, this is a vertical cross-section of the rice cooker. [Figure 3] The same as above, a block diagram showing the electrical configuration. [Figure 4] The same as above, this is a top view of the LCD displaying the top screen. [Figure 5] The same as above, this is a top view of the LCD displaying the menu selection screen for "rice cooked with various ingredients". [Figure 6] The same as above, (A) is a top view of the LCD displaying the "Local" mixed rice menu selection screen, (B) is a top view of the LCD displaying the "Seafood" mixed rice menu selection screen, (C) is a top view of the LCD displaying the "Vegetables and Fruits" mixed rice menu selection screen, and (D) is a top view of the LCD displaying the "Healthy" mixed rice menu selection screen. [Figure 7] The same as above, this is a top view of the LCD displaying the mixed rice recipe screen. [Figure 8] The same diagram above shows a schematic representation of the relationship between the pressure inside the pot and gas molecules. [Figure 9] The graph above shows the changes in the temperature detected by the pot sensor, the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor, the output of the lid heater, the output of the heating coil, and the output of the pressure reducing pump during the rice cooking process. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a rice cooker in a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] The above is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of the rice cooker system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes various embodiments of the rice cooker according to the present invention with reference to the attached drawings. Common reference numerals are used to indicate parts common to all of these drawings. [Examples]

[0010] Figures 1 to 9 show a first embodiment of the rice cooker according to the present invention. First, the overall structure of the rice cooker will be explained based on Figures 1 and 2. 1 is the main body, which has a roughly rectangular shape with the front and rear, left and right sides facing each other when viewed from above, and the top surface is open. 2 is a lid that can be opened and closed to cover the top opening of the main body 1. Similar to the main body 1, it has a roughly rectangular shape with the front and rear, left and right sides facing each other when viewed from above, and the top surface is roughly flat. The main body 1 has a pot storage section 3 with an open top surface, and when the lid 2 is opened, a bottomed pot 4, which serves as a container for holding water, rice, or ingredients for seasoned rice, is detachably housed in the pot storage section 3. The pot storage section 3 is constructed by combining a bowl-shaped resin inner frame 5 and the like, and the whole is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape.

[0011] The pot 4 is mainly made of aluminum with good thermal conductivity as the main material 7, and a heating element 8 made of a magnetic metal plate such as ferritic stainless steel is bonded from the lower side part to the bottom on the outer surface of the main material 7. Further, as a heating means for electromagnetic induction heating of the heating element 8 of the pot 4, a heating coil 11 is provided on the outer surface of the inner frame 5 facing from the lower side part to the bottom surface of the pot 4. When a high-frequency current is supplied to the heating coil 11, the heating element 8 of the pot 4 generates heat by an alternating magnetic field generated from the heating coil 11, so that the object to be cooked in the pot 4 is heated during rice cooking and heat retention. A pot sensor 12 serving as pot temperature detection means is disposed at the center of the bottom of the inner frame 5 so as to elastically contact the outer bottom of the pot 4.

[0012] A hinge 13 serving as a connecting portion with the main body 1 is provided at a rear portion of the lid body 2. A lid operating body 14 is disposed in an exposed state on the front upper surface of the lid body 2. When the lid operating body 14 is pressed, the engagement between the main body 1 and the lid body 2 is released, and the lid body 2 is configured to open around the hinge shaft of the hinge 13 as a rotation center by a hinge spring (not shown) provided at the upper rear of the main body 1.

[0013] A steam outlet 15 for discharging steam generated from the object to be cooked in the pot 4 to the outside of the rice cooker is disposed on the rear upper surface of the lid body 2. In addition to the steam outlet 15 and the lid operating body 14, display means 18 including an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 16 as a screen display unit and an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display unit 17 as a status display unit for displaying various information related to rice cooking is disposed on the upper surface of the lid body 2. Operation means 19 configured by a touch sensor, disposed above the LCD 16, and used for starting rice cooking and selecting time, rice cooking courses and the like is also disposed respectively. A control PC (Printed Circuit) board 21 provided with display and operation control means 46 (refer to Fig. 3) for performing control related to operation and display is disposed on the lower surface of the display means 18 and the operation means 19.

[0014] The LED display unit 17 is configured to display the actual state of the rice cooker. In the present embodiment, when a reservation setting is made, the "reservation" LED display unit is lit; when the rice cooker enters a heat-retention state, the "heat retention" process LED display unit is lit; when the interior of the pot 4 is brought into a depressurized state lower than atmospheric pressure by a depressurization means 38 described later, the "vacuum" process LED display unit is lit; and when the interior of the pot 4 is pressurized from the time pressure starts to be applied to the interior of the pot 4 during rice cooking until the rice to be cooked is done, the "pressure" process LED display unit is lit. Therefore, even in a dimmed state where the backlight of the LCD 16 is dimmed, the user can understand the current state of the rice cooker at a glance by checking the LED display unit 17. Here, the light colors of the respective LED display portions of the LED display unit 17 may be made different from each other, so that the user can understand what current state the rice cooker is in at a glance. In the present embodiment, the LED display unit 17 is arranged immediately in front of the LCD 16, but it may be arranged at a position away from the LCD 16. Alternatively, the configuration may exclude the LED display unit 17, and the display content of the LED display unit 17 may be configured to be displayed on the LCD 16. The LCD 16 will be described in detail later.

[0015] The operation means 19 configured by a touch sensor has a plurality of components, as touch keys, each component being formed by connecting a transparent electrode part made of a conductive polymer and a contact part connected to a control PC board 21 with a patterned wiring. When a touch operation is performed on any one of a plurality of button display parts displayed on the LCD 16, the touch key arranged on the button display part and corresponding to the button display part is touch-operated, so that the button display part is selected. As the operation means 19, for example, physical keys such as a rice cooking key and an off key, or physical buttons may be arranged around a display means 18 such as the LCD 16.

[0016] In this way, considering user operability and safety, the lid operating element 14 is positioned on the upper front side of the rice cooker, which is closer to the user, and the steam vent 15 is positioned on the upper rear side of the rice cooker, which is further away from the user. This allows for ample space on the upper surface of the lid 2 between the lid operating element 14 and the steam vent 15 to accommodate the display means 18, and allows for a larger display means 18 and the operating means 19 positioned above it, thereby improving the visibility of the display means 18 and the operability of the operating means 19. Furthermore, if the operating means 19 consists only of touch sensors, there are no physical keys or buttons on the upper surface of the lid 2 other than the operating means 19 above the LCD 16, as is the case with conventional rice cookers. This eliminates the need to search for buttons during operation, thus improving operability. In addition, it allows for a very sleek appearance, and the space occupied by precision components such as the display means 18 and operating means 19 can be made compact. Furthermore, by excluding physical keys and buttons, the top surface of the lid 2 can be made almost flat, making it easier to wipe clean and improving ease of maintenance.

[0017] An inner lid assembly 23, which serves as the lower component of the lid 2, is provided on the underside of the lid 2. The inner lid assembly 23 is made of a metal material and has a disc shape with approximately the same diameter as the upper opening of the pot 4. It comprises an inner lid 24 that covers the upper opening of the pot 4, a lid packing 25 which is an elastic member provided around the entire outer circumference of the inner lid 24 to seal the space between the inner lid 24 and the pot 4, and a pressure regulating unit 26 that adjusts the internal pressure of the pot 4. The annularly formed lid packing 25, as shown in Figure 2, contacts the upper surface of the pot 4, which is the opening, when the lid 2 is closed, sealing the gap between the pot 4 and the inner lid 24 and sealing in the steam generated from the pot 4.

[0018] Inside the lid 2, a lid opening / closing detection means 27 is provided near the hinge 13 to detect the opening and closing of the lid 2. The lid opening / closing detection means 27 can be of any detection type, such as optical, mechanical, or magnetic, as long as it can output a detection signal corresponding to the opening and closing of the lid 2. Inside the lid 2, a lid heater 31 is provided as a lid heating means for heating the inner lid 24, and a thermistor-type lid temperature sensor 32 is provided for controlling the temperature of the inner lid 24 using the lid heater 31. Inside the lid 2, a steam discharge path 33 is formed, connecting the steam vent 15 and the pressure regulating unit 26, as a passage for releasing steam generated in the pot 4 to the outside.

[0019] The pressure regulating unit 26 is equipped with a pressure regulating valve 34 that opens and closes the steam discharge path 33 between the inside of the pot 4 and the steam vent 15. The pressure regulating valve 34 is ball-shaped and works in conjunction with a solenoid 35 installed inside the lid 2. The solenoid 35 rotates the pressure regulating valve 34 so as to open the steam discharge path 33 when releasing steam from inside the pot 4 to the outside, and close the steam discharge path 33 when pressurizing or depressurizing the inside of the pot 4. When pressurizing, the food being cooked inside the pot 4 is heated by high-frequency current applied to the heating coil 11, causing the food to boil and generate steam. When this steam fills the inside of the pot 4 and the internal pressure of the pot 4 reaches a predetermined value, the pressure regulating valve 34 opens the steam discharge path 33 against its own weight, thereby maintaining the pressure inside the pot 4 at or above atmospheric pressure. A pressure sensor 36 (see Figure 3) is also installed inside the lid 2, facing the pressure regulating unit 26, to detect the pressure inside the pot 4.

[0020] 38 is a pressure reducing means for lowering the pressure inside the pot 4 to below normal atmospheric pressure when the lid 2 is closed on the main body 1. The pressure reducing means 38 reduces the internal pressure of the sealed pot 4 by energizing the solenoid 35 after the pot 4 is placed in the pot housing 3 and the lid 2 is closed, causing the pressure regulating valve 34 to block the steam discharge path 33. Furthermore, when the pressure inside the pot 4 falls below a certain value below atmospheric pressure, the operation of the pressure reducing pump 39, which is the operating source of the pressure reducing means 38, is stopped, and the inside of the pot 4 is kept in a reduced pressure state. In addition, when returning the inside of the pot 4 from a reduced pressure state to the same pressure as the outside air, the operation of the pressure reducing pump 39 is stopped, and a path (not shown) connecting the pressure reducing pump 39 and the inside of the pot 4 is opened. In other words, the pressure reducing means 38 also serves as a pressure return means for returning the inside of the pot 4 from a reduced pressure state to the same pressure as the outside air.

[0021] In addition, a unitized heating circuit board assembly 42, including a heating control means 41, is arranged inside the main body 1. The heating control means 41 is configured to electrically control each part of the rice cooker in combination with the display and operation control means 46, and includes a microcomputer (MPC) equipped with a control IC 43 and memory means 48 (see Figure 3). It receives temperature detection signals from the pot sensor 12 and lid temperature sensor 32, as well as signals from the display and operation control means 46 which has received operation signals from the operation means 19, and controls the heating coil 11 that heats the pot 4 during cooking and warming, and the lid heater 31 that heats the inner lid 24, respectively, as well as controlling the operation of the solenoid 35 and the pressure reducing pump 39, respectively. In particular, the heating control means 41 is configured to mainly control the heating coil 11 based on the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12 to manage the temperature of the bottom of the pot 4, and to mainly control the lid heater 31 based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 32 to manage the temperature of the inner lid 24 facing the cooked food.

[0022] Next, the main control system of the rice cooker described above will be explained with reference to Figure 3. In the same figure, the heating control means 41 equipped in the main body 2 includes a control IC 43 that constitutes a microcomputer, a storage means 44 such as a memory that can read and write various information and data, and a timing means (not shown), and receives temperature detection signals from the pot sensor 12 and lid temperature sensor 32, a pressure detection signal from the pressure sensor 36, a detection signal from the lid opening / closing detection means 27, and a control signal from the display / operation control means 46 which will be described later, to control the heating coil 11 that heats the pot 4 during cooking and warming, and the lid heater 31 that heats the inner lid 24, respectively, and also controls the operation of the solenoid 35 that moves the pressure regulating valve 34 and the pressure reducing pump 39 of the pressure reducing means 38, respectively.

[0023] The heating control means 41 includes a rice cooking control means 51 and a heat retention control means 52 on the control IC 43 as functions of the control sequence of the program read from the storage means 48. The rice cooking control means 51, upon receiving an instruction to start rice cooking from the operation means 19, sequentially executes the following steps to control the rice inside the pot 4 by cooking it at a desired pressure: a soaking step to promote water absorption of the rice placed in the pot 4, a boiling heating step to raise the temperature of the rice to be cooked to a boil in a short time, a boiling continuation step to maintain the boiling state of the rice to be cooked, and a high temperature maintenance step to maintain a high temperature that does not burn the rice. The heat retention control means 52 controls the rice inside the pot 4 to maintain a predetermined heat retention temperature.

[0024] On the other hand, the display and operation control means 46 includes a control IC 47 and storage means 48 that constitute a microcomputer, as well as a timing means (not shown), and receives operation signals from the operation means 19 and control signals from the heating control means 41 to control the display operation of the display means 18 and transmit control signals to the heating control means 41. This display and operation control means 46 includes a display control means 49 and a condition setting means 50 on the control IC 47 as functions of the control sequence of the program stored in the storage means 57. The display control means 49 generates various control signals based on operation signals from the operation means 19 and controls the display operation of the display means 18. The condition setting means 50 works in conjunction with the display control means 49 to enable the selection and setting of conditions that can be selected by the operation means 19, for example, the selection and setting of a desired rice cooking course from among several rice cooking courses with multiple mixed rice menu settings.

[0025] In this rice cooker, cooking courses corresponding to each mixed rice menu setting are stored in the storage means 48, and the mixed rice menus of the stored cooking courses are displayed on the display means 18 for selection. By making these settings, the user selects and sets the cooking course. When the setting of this cooking course is transmitted from the display / operation control means 46 to the heating control means 41, the cooking control means 51 of the heating control means 41 controls the heating of the heating coil 11 and the lid heater 31, as well as the solenoid 35 and the pressure reducing pump 39, i.e., controls the cooking process for each cooking course setting, and especially for each mixed rice menu setting. As a result, it is possible to cook rice appropriately according to the set mixed rice, and the deliciousness of the cooked mixed rice can be further enhanced.

[0026] Figures 4 to 11 show top views of the LCD 16. In each drawing, the top side is referred to as "top," the bottom side as "bottom," the left side as "left," and the right side as "right." Also, the front side of each drawing is referred to as "front," and the back side as "back." Figure 4 shows the top screen G1. When the user plugs the power plug, which is pre-installed on the main unit 1, into a household outlet, the necessary power is supplied to each part of the rice cooker. At this time, the display control means 49 causes the LCD 16 to display the arrangement of the top screen G1 shown in Figure 4 as the initial screen for normal use, after a predetermined time has elapsed or when displaying a predetermined startup display screen.

[0027] Referring to Figure 4, the top screen G1 is described as follows: on its left side, there is a text display unit D1 labeled "Rice Cooking Menu" and a rice cooking menu key display area A1 with four button display units B2 to B5 arranged vertically. Here, the button display unit B2 for "White Rice" includes the text display unit D2 labeled "White Rice". The button display unit B3 for "Mixed Rice" includes the text display unit D3 labeled "Mixed Rice". The button display unit B4 for "Brown Rice" includes the text display unit D4 labeled "Brown Rice". The button display unit B5 for "Porridge" includes the text display unit D5 labeled "Porridge".

[0028] Furthermore, to the right of the rice cooking menu key display area A1, above the top screen G1, there is a clock setting display area A2 which displays a clock display B6 with the text "Clock" D6 that suggests the numbers displayed on the clock display D7 are the current time, a left key display area B7 that includes a text display D7 that resembles a left-pointing triangle, and a right key display area B8 that includes a text display D8 that resembles a right-pointing triangle, side by side. The current time display area A2 is also formed, which displays a clock display D9 that shows the current time, and in Figure 4, it shows "12:00", side by side.

[0029] Below the current time display area A2, a reservation time display area A3 is formed, which displays a reservation setting display unit B11 with the text "Reservation" displayed on the reservation time display unit D14 (which suggests that the number displayed on the reservation time display unit D14 is the completion time of the reserved rice cooking), a left key display unit B12 including a text display unit D12 that resembles a left-pointing triangle, and a right key display unit B13 including a text display unit D13 that resembles a right-pointing triangle, side by side. The reservation time display unit D14, which displays the completion time of the reserved rice cooking, and in Figure 4, displays "17:00", is displayed side by side.

[0030] Additionally, below the reservation time display area A3, a button display section B15 containing the text display element D15 labeled "Off" and another button display section B16 containing the text display element D16 labeled "Cook Rice" are displayed side by side.

[0031] The "Off" button display unit B15 is operated when stopping rice cooking or keeping warm. When the "Off" button display unit B15 is touched, the display control unit 49 receives an operation signal from the operation means 19 located above the "Off" button display unit B15 and transmits it to the heating control unit 41. The rice cooking control unit 51 then controls the unit to stop heating the rice being cooked in the pot 4 and to stop the scheduled cooking, and the display control unit 49 controls the LCD 16 to display the top screen G1 with the setting from the most recent cooking, that is, the setting stored in the memory means 48.

[0032] The "Cook Rice" button display unit B16 is operated when cooking rice. When the "Cook Rice" button display unit B16 is touched, the condition setting means 50 stores the currently set mixed rice settings as the settings for the current cooking course in the storage means 48, and the cooking control means 51 controls the start of cooking for the food to be cooked in the main unit 1 using the settings for the current cooking course stored in the storage means 48.

[0033] The button display sections B2 to B5 within the rice cooking menu key display area A1 are operated to select the type of rice cooking menu, which is the method of cooking the food to be cooked. When any of the button display sections B2 to B5, for example, the "mixed rice" button display section B3, is touched, the display control means 49 controls the LCD 16 to display the selection screen for the selected rice cooking menu, for example, the mixed rice menu selection screen G2 shown in Figure 5. Then, as shown in Figure 4, when the user returns to the top screen G1 after selecting a rice cooking menu, the display control means 49 controls the LCD 16 to display the button display sections B2 to B5, for example, the "mixed rice" button display section B3, as a cursor.

[0034] The left key display section B12 and the right key display section B13 within the reservation time display area A3 are operated when performing reserved cooking. When the reservation setting display unit B11, which includes the left key display unit B12 and the right key display unit B13, is touched, the display control means 49 controls the LCD 16 to display the reservation setting display unit B11 as a cursor, and the display on the reservation setting display unit B11 is changed using the left key display unit B12 and the right key display unit B13 to set the reservation completion time, thereby setting the reservation. In this state, when the "Cook" button display unit B16 is touched to start reserved cooking, the cooking control means 51 starts cooking so that the food S to be cooked in the main unit 1 is cooked by the set reservation completion time, and the warming control means 52 also starts warming.

[0035] Next, we will explain in detail the operational features of the rice cooker with the above configuration, particularly those related to the mixed rice menu selection screen G2. For the sake of explanation, from here on, we will only discuss the selection of the mixed rice cooking menu.

[0036] Figure 5 shows the mixed rice menu selection screen G2, which is accessed when the "mixed rice" button display area B3 is touched on the top screen G1. Referring to the same figure, the mixed rice menu selection screen G2 is described as having a mixed rice classification display area A4 at its top, where six button display areas B21 to B26 are arranged side by side. Here, the item selected by these button display areas B21 to B26 is displayed as a cursor on the cursor display area C, and the screen corresponding to that button display area B21 to B26 is displayed on the LCD16. Currently, the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1 is displayed.

[0037] Here, the button display section B21 for "Takikomi Gohan" includes a text display element D21 that reads "Takikomi Gohan," similarly, the button display section B22 for "Local Cuisine" includes a text display element D22 that reads "Local Cuisine," the button display section B23 for "Seafood" includes a text display element D23 that reads "Seafood," the button display section B24 for "Vegetables and Fruits" includes a text display element D24 that reads "Vegetables and Fruits," the button display section B25 for "Health" includes a text display element D25 that reads "Health," and the button display section B26 for "Favorites" includes a text display element D50 that reads "Favorites."

[0038] Behind the mixed rice classification display area A4, a mixed rice selection display area A5 is formed, displaying 10 button display units B31 to B40 arranged front to back and left to right. In this embodiment, the display control means 23 classifies the mixed rice menus stored in the storage means 48 into predetermined categories and controls the LCD 16 to display them in predetermined numbers, in this embodiment, for each of the 10 button display units B31 to B40. For the sake of explanation, the mixed rice menu selection screens G2 displayed for each of these 10 button display units B31 to B40 will be referred to as the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1, the "local" mixed rice selection screen G2-2, the "seafood" mixed rice selection screen G2-3, the "vegetable / fruit" mixed rice selection screen G2-4, the "healthy" mixed rice selection screen G2-5, and the "favorite" mixed rice selection screen G2-6, in the order they are displayed in the mixed rice classification display area A4. This configuration is just one example, and the number of categorized mixed rice dishes may be more than 10, or less than 10, as will be described later in Figure 6(C). Alternatively, the display control means 23 may classify the mixed rice dishes stored in the storage means 48 in alphabetical order. Alternatively, the display control means 23 may form a list of mixed rice dishes stored in the storage means 18 arranged in alphabetical order, and this list may be displayed in predetermined numbers in alphabetical order in the mixed rice dish selection display area A5.

[0039] On the mixed rice menu selection screen G2, the mixed rice menus categorized by the category indicated by the cursor in the button display areas B31 to B40 of the mixed rice selection display area A5 are displayed in the text display units D31 to D40, which are the displays for the first button display area B31 to the tenth button display area B40. For example, the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1 shown in Figure 5 includes, in order, text displays D31 for "bamboo shoot mixed rice," D32 for "burdock root mixed rice," D33 for "carrot mixed rice," D34 for "mushroom mixed rice," D35 for "hijiki seaweed mixed rice," D36 for "chicken and burdock root mixed rice," D37 for "salmon and perilla leaf mixed rice," D38 for "chicken and shimeji mushroom mixed rice," D39 for "saury mixed rice," and D40 for "tuna mixed rice." In this embodiment, the system is configured to select a mixed rice dish menu displayed on 10 button display units B31 to B40. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the mixed rice dish menus may be displayed in a list format on the LCD 16, and the system may be configured to allow the user to scroll the screen to find and select a mixed rice dish menu. Furthermore, if there are more than 10 mixed rice dish menus, the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1 may be configured to scroll up and down or left and right. In addition, for example, a second "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1 may be displayed on a separate screen.

[0040] The button display sections B21 to B26 within the mixed rice classification display area A4 are operated to change the mixed rice menu selection screens G2-1 to G2-6. When any of the button display sections B21 to B26, for example, the "Local" button display section B22, is touched, the display control means 23 controls the LCD 16 to display the mixed rice menu selection screen for the selected classification, for example, the "Local" mixed rice selection screen G2-2 as shown in Figure 6(A). The button display sections B21 to B26 also indicate which classification of mixed rice menu selection screen G2 currently displayed on the LCD 16 belongs to. For example, as shown in Figure 5, on the "Mixed Rice" selection screen G2-1, the "Mixed Rice" button display section B21 is colored and displays a cursor, suggesting to the user that the "Mixed Rice" selection screen G2-1 displays a representative mixed rice menu. Therefore, users can directly select a mixed rice dish menu by touching the button display areas B21 to B26 within the mixed rice dish classification display area A4.

[0041] Therefore, in the mixed rice classification display area A4 of this embodiment, selectable mixed rice menus are categorized into predetermined classifications of mixed rice types, and these categorized classifications are displayed on the LCD 16 as button display units B21 to B26. The mixed rice classification display area A4 also functions as a selection means, allowing the user to select a desired mixed rice menu categorized into the selected classification by selecting from the button display units B21 to B26, and then displaying the corresponding mixed rice menu selection screens G2-1 to G2-6 based on these classification selections, thereby enabling the user to select the first button display unit B31 to the tenth button display unit 40.

[0042] Furthermore, in the mixed rice classification display area A4 of this embodiment, for example, a colored cursor is displayed on the button display section B21 of "Mixed Rice," which is the classification of mixed rice that corresponds to the mixed rice menus displayed in the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 of the "Mixed Rice" selection screen G2-1. The cursored "Mixed Rice" button display section B21 and the mixed rice menus included in this "Mixed Rice" are simultaneously displayed on the display means 6 on the "Mixed Rice" selection screen G2-1. This allows users to see the mixed rice menus of the selected mixed rice classification and use this as a guide for searching, making it easier to search for mixed rice menus by mixed rice classification.

[0043] Furthermore, in the mixed rice menu selection screen G2, for example, a back button display area such as "<" may be provided on the left side of the mixed rice selection display area A5, and a forward button display area such as ">" may be provided on the right side of the mixed rice selection display area A5. In this case, the display control means 23 may control the LCD 16 so that, for example, each time the back button display area is touched, the mixed rice menu selection screen switches from G2-1 → G2-6 → ... → G2-2, and each time the forward button display area is touched, the mixed rice menu selection screen switches from G2-1 → G2-2 → ... → G2-6 → G2-1. By configuring it in this way, the user can sequentially select mixed rice menus, and all confirmations and selections of mixed rice menus can be quickly and comprehensively performed with fewer operations, thereby improving the selectability of the mixed rice menu.

[0044] The first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 within the mixed rice selection display area A5 are operated to select a mixed rice menu. For example, when the user touches one of the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40, for example, the first button display section B31 which displays "bamboo shoot mixed rice," on the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1 shown in Figure 5, the display control means 23 controls the LCD 16 to display the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 corresponding to the selected mixed rice menu, for example, the "bamboo shoot mixed rice" recipe display screen G3 shown in Figure 7. Subsequently, the display control means 23 controls the LCD 16 to display the first button display section B31 as a cursor when returning to the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1 as shown in Figure 5, and controls the LCD 16 to display the "mixed rice" button display section B3 as a cursor when returning to the top screen G1 as shown in Figure 4.

[0045] Figures 6(A) to 6(D) show the mixed rice menu selection screen G2 that appears when you touch the mixed rice menu selection screens G2-2 to G2-6 on the mixed rice menu selection screen G2. Figure 6(A) shows the G2-2 selection screen for "local" mixed rice dishes, and the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section B40 each contain, in order, text displays D31 for "Kayakumeshi (Kansai)", D32 for "Chushichi Meshi (Saitama Prefecture)", D33 for "Sayori Meshi (Gifu Prefecture)", D34 for "Uzume Meshi (Shimane Prefecture)", D35 for "Fukagawa Meshi (Tokyo)", D36 for "Wappa Meshi (Niigata Prefecture)", D37 for "Ki Meshi (Oita Prefecture)", D38 for "Sakura Gohan (Shizuoka Prefecture)", D39 for "Kei Meshi (Kagoshima Prefecture)", and D40 for "Juicy (Okinawa Prefecture)".

[0046] Figure 6(B) shows the selection screen G2-3 for seafood rice dishes, and the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section B40 each contain, in order, text displays D31 for "squid rice (Hokkaido)", D32 for "octopus rice (Hyogo Prefecture)", D33 for "octopus rice (Hiroshima Prefecture)", D34 for "fish rice (Mie Prefecture)", D35 for "bonito rice (Kochi Prefecture)", D36 for "bonito rice (Chiba Prefecture)", D37 for "sweetfish porridge (Gifu Prefecture)", D38 for "sea urchin and abalone (Iwate Prefecture)", D39 for "clam rice (Shiga Prefecture)", and D40 for "salmon roe rice (Miyagi Prefecture)".

[0047] Figure 6(C) shows the selection screen G2-4 for "Vegetable and Fruit" mixed rice dishes, and the first button display section B31 to the fifth button display section B35 each contain, in order, text displays D31 for "Strawberry Rice (Tochigi Prefecture)", D32 for "Mandarin Orange Rice (Ehime Prefecture)", D33 for "Edamame Rice (Yamagata Prefecture)", D34 for "Nara Tea Porridge (Nara Prefecture)", and D35 for "Tofu Rice (Tottori Prefecture)".

[0048] Figure 6(D) shows the selection screen G2-4 for "Healthy" mixed rice dishes, and the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section B40 each contain, in order, text displays D31 for "EPA Rice (Canned Mackerel Juice)", D32 for "EPA Rice (Canned Sardines)", D33 for "EPA Rice (Saury)", D34 for "Catechin Rice (Tea)", D35 for "Catechin Rice (Apple)", D36 for "Lycopene Rice (Tomato)", D37 for "Lycopene Rice (Kintoki Carrot)", D38 for "Polyphenol Rice (Adzuki Beans)", D39 for "Polyphenol Rice (Ginger)", and D40 for "Diet Rice (Tofu)".

[0049] In this embodiment, the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 are substantially the same size, and are formed to a size that allows them to be arranged in, for example, five columns and two rows within the mixed rice selection display area A5. Furthermore, since the first button display section B55 to the sixth button display section 60 are operated by the user's finger, and in order to make the mixed rice menu displayed within the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 easier to read, the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 are formed to be as wide as possible.

[0050] Figure 7 shows the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 that is accessed when any of the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 is touched on the mixed rice menu selection screen G2. Figure 7(A) shows the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 that is accessed when the first button display section B31, which displays "bamboo shoot mixed rice," is touched on the "mixed rice" selection screen G2-1. Figure 7(B) shows the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 that is accessed when the sixth button display section B36, which displays "lycopene rice (tomato)," is touched on the "healthy" mixed rice selection screen G2-5.

[0051] Referring to Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 is shown above, with a text display element D43 showing the name of the mixed rice menu selected on the mixed rice menu selection screen G2. In Figure 7(A), it displays "Bamboo Shoot Mixed Rice," and in Figure 7(B), it displays "Lycopene Rice (Tomato)." Below the text display element D43, a recipe display area A5 is formed, which contains information such as the main ingredients used in the selected mixed rice menu and how to prepare the dish. To the left of the recipe display area A5, a post-cooking image display element P1, which shows a photo of the rice after it has been cooked using the recipe in the recipe display area A5, and a pre-cooking image display element P2, which shows a photo of the rice before it has been cooked using the recipe in the recipe display area A5, are displayed side by side.

[0052] In this embodiment, when a mixed rice menu is selected on the mixed rice menu selection screen G2, the user moves to the mixed rice recipe display screen G3, where the recipe for that mixed rice is displayed. Additionally, examples of the food to be cooked S in the pot 4 before and after cooking are displayed as photographs by the post-cooking image display unit P1 and the pre-cooking image display unit P2. This makes it easy to confirm the recipe for the mixed rice to be cooked, to check the food to be cooked S in the pot 4 before cooking, and to visualize the cooked rice in the pot 4 after cooking. This reduces the risk of mistaking ingredients or seasoning liquids for those of other mixed rice dishes. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main ingredients used in the mixed rice and recipe information such as how to cook the dish are arranged to suit the cooking characteristics of the rice cooker and displayed in the recipe display area A5. This reduces the risk of cooking failures such as undercooked rice, excessive burning, or undercooked ingredients.

[0053] Furthermore, the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 may be provided with a button display section, such as "History." When the "History" button display section is touched, the display control means 23 controls the system to store the selected mixed rice menu in the storage means 48. In addition, the "Favorites" mixed rice selection screen G2-6 may be configured to add the selected mixed rice menu to the previously used mixed rice menus and display them. This configuration allows users to select the mixed rice menu for the rice they are cooking this time from the mixed rice menus they have cooked in the past, eliminating the need for the user to remember each previous mixed rice menu, thus improving convenience.

[0054] Next, with reference to Figures 8 and 9, the operation of the rice cooker with the above configuration during the rice cooking process will be explained. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the pressure inside the pot 4 and gas molecules, and Figure 9 shows the temperature t1 detected by the pot sensor 12 as the temperature of the container pot 4, the temperature ts detected by the lid temperature sensor 32 as the temperature inside the pot 4, and the output W of the lid heater 31 during the rice cooking process of the rice cooker of this embodiment. L And the output W of the heating coil 11 C And the output W of the pressure reducing pump 39 P This graph shows the trend over time.

[0055] Referring to Figure 8, the relationship between the pressure inside pot 4 and gas molecules will be explained. Henry's Law, which states that "the amount of each gas dissolved in a liquid is proportional to the pressure on the gas side," is a well-known law regarding pressure and gas molecules. In other words, as shown in Figure 8(A), when the water in the cooked food S as a liquid and the air A present above the cooked food S as a gas are in contact, lowering the pressure on the gas side will also decrease the amount of gas dissolved in the liquid. In extreme cases, if the pressure on the gas side is reduced to 0, the amount of gas dissolved in the liquid will also become 0.

[0056] In this rice cooker, this principle is applied, and as shown in Figure 8(B), the space inside the pot surrounded by the pot 4 and the inner lid 24 is depressurized to promote the degassing of oxygen and volatile odor components dissolved in the water of the food to be cooked S from the water to the air A above the food to be cooked S. By degassing the water, which reduces the amount of gas dissolved in the liquid, the permeability of the water to the rice is promoted. Furthermore, because the pressure of the air on the water surface is reduced by the depressurization, the boiling point of the water is lowered, and water molecules below the boiling point also become more active, resulting in increased water movement in the water of the food to be cooked S and improved water absorption. In addition, by heating this water to about 40-60°C, for example 56°C, the molecular motion of water molecules is activated, and the oxygen dissolved in the water is more effectively reduced, making the water degassed.

[0057] It is well known that degassed liquids have increased osmotic pressure, which activates the penetration of rice and other ingredients, and that the reduced amount of gas that inhibits heat conduction reduces uneven heating. In this embodiment, in particular, by providing a reduced-pressure degassing step during the soaking stage before boiling, the seasoning liquid is degassed and converted into water. This allows the seasoning liquid to penetrate the rice and other ingredients sufficiently before the boiling step, and also suppresses uneven heating of the seasoning liquid and ingredients in the pot 4 during the initial stages of the boiling step and the continuous boiling step. This improves the water absorption of the rice and other ingredients, preventing undercooked rice and rice that is undercooked in the center.

[0058] To describe the operation of this embodiment during rice cooking, when the power plug of the rice cooker 1 is plugged into an outlet and power is supplied, the rice cooker 1 enters an initial off (standby) state in which no cooking or warming is performed, and the display control means 49 controls the LCD 16 to display the top screen G1.

[0059] Here, the user selects a mixed rice dish menu. For example, by touching the "Mixed Rice" button display area B3 on the top screen G1, the user moves to the mixed rice dish menu selection screen G2. Then, on the "Mixed Rice" selection screen G2-1 of the mixed rice dish menu selection screen G2, the user touches the first button display area B31 which displays "Bamboo Shoot Mixed Rice" to select the "Bamboo Shoot Mixed Rice" menu. The display control means 49 then moves to the mixed rice dish recipe display screen G3 and controls the LCD 16 to display the recipe for "Bamboo Shoot Mixed Rice," for example, as shown in Figure 7(A). The user refers to the display in the recipe display area A5 of this mixed rice dish recipe display screen G3, places the rice, ingredients, and seasoning liquid as the food to be cooked S into the pot 4, sets it in the pot storage area 3 of the main body 1, and then closes the lid 2. If you already know the recipe for the mixed rice dish, you can place the ingredients to be cooked S into the pot 4, set it in the pot storage compartment 3, close the lid 2, and then plug the rice cooker's power cord into the outlet to turn it on.

[0060] After that, when the user returns to the top screen G1 and touches the "Cook Rice" button display unit B16, the condition setting means 50 stores in the storage means 48 the setting currently displayed by the cursor, for example, in this case the "Mixed Rice" button display unit B21 on the top screen G1, and the first button display unit B31 displaying "Bamboo Shoot Mixed Rice" on the mixed rice menu selection screen G2, as the selected cooking menu and cooking course setting for this time, and sends information of the heating pattern corresponding to the set cooking course to the heating control means 41. In response, the heating control means 41, in accordance with the heating pattern of the set cooking course, performs the operations of the cooking process, which include a reduced pressure degassing process (soaking process), a boiling heating process, a boiling continuation process, and a high temperature maintenance process (steaming process), for the food S to be cooked in the pot 4, using the cooking control means 51 incorporated in the control IC 43.

[0061] To explain the operation of the rice cooking process, upon receiving information from the display / operation control means 46, the system transitions to the depressurization process. During the depressurization process, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the operation of the solenoid 35 and the depressurization means 38, respectively, so that the pressure inside the pot 4 is lower than atmospheric pressure. Specifically, when the depressurization process begins, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the solenoid 35 to switch from an unenergized state to an energized state, and the pressure regulating valve 34 closes the steam discharge path 33. In this state, the rice cooking control means 51 opens the path of the depressurization means 38 and operates the depressurization pump 39 continuously to perform vacuuming, removing the air from inside the sealed pot 4 with the depressurization pump 39. The rice cooker of the present invention may also be equipped with a pressure sensor, and the system may be configured to adjust the pressure inside the pot 4 based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor. Subsequently, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the pressure pump 39 so that the pressure inside the pot 4 is maintained at a reduced pressure state, specifically a pressure at which the water inside the pot 4 does not boil at the soaking temperature described later, for example, between 0.7 atmospheres at a boiling point of water of 91°C and 0.3 atmospheres at a boiling point of water of 72°C. In this way, the inside of the pot 4 is kept in a reduced pressure state for the entire duration of the reduced pressure degassing process.

[0062] When the reduced pressure degassing process begins, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the heating coil 24 to maintain a predetermined soaking temperature based on temperature detection by the pot sensor 12, thereby promoting water absorption by the rice. The soaking temperature at this time is preferably set arbitrarily within the range of 40°C, which is the temperature at which water absorption by the rice is promoted, to 60°C, which is the gelatinization temperature of the rice, and in this embodiment, 56°C is used. The duration of the reduced pressure degassing process, which is the soaking period, is preferably set arbitrarily between 10 and 30 minutes, taking into consideration the water absorption of the rice, and in this embodiment, 30 minutes is used. Note that these soaking temperature and the duration of the reduced pressure degassing process are examples, and the present invention is not limited to these. When the rice cooking control means 51 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that the period of the reduced pressure degassing process has elapsed, the reduced pressure degassing process ends, and the process moves to the next boiling heating process.

[0063] When the process moves to the boiling heating step, the cooking control means 51 controls the heating coil 11 to continuously energize it at an output of, for example, 1000W, until the boiling of the food to be cooked S is detected. This heats the food to be cooked S in the pot 4 more strongly than in the degassing step, raising the temperature of the food to be cooked S to boiling point in a short time, for example, about 5 minutes. The cooking control means 51 also controls the path of the degassing means 38 to be blocked and the degassing pump 39 to be stopped, and temporarily de-energizes the solenoid 35 to retract the pressure regulating valve 34. As a result, the steam discharge path 33 becomes open, with the inside and outside of the pot 4 not sealed but in communication, and the inside of the pot 4 immediately returns to the same atmospheric pressure as the outside air.

[0064] Subsequently, the rice cooking control means 51 receives a temperature detection signal from the pot sensor 12 indicating that the pot temperature t1 has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example, 90°C or higher. In addition, when it receives a temperature detection signal from the lid temperature sensor 32 indicating that the lid temperature ts has reached a predetermined temperature or higher, for example, 90°C or higher, it starts boiling detection control to detect boiling of the rice being cooked. The rice cooking control means 51 continues to control the heating coil 11 to continuously energize the rice being cooked S inside the pot 4, while calculating the slope of the detected temperature, which indicates how much the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12 and the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 32 will rise in a predetermined time.

[0065] Specifically, the rice cooking control means 51 calculates from the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 32 that the rise in the lid temperature ts, which is the temperature of the inner lid 24, has fallen below a predetermined temperature rise rate, for example, 1°C or less in 60 seconds, and determines that boiling has been detected due to a change in the temperature rise rate of the lid temperature ts. The rice cooking control means 51 then stores the temperature t1 detected by the pot sensor 12 at the time of boiling detection as the boiling reference temperature ST in the storage means 44, and also causes the timing means to start measuring the time since boiling detection. It should be noted that the system may be configured to detect boiling from the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12, and the predetermined temperature rise rate of the lid temperature ts may be adjusted and set according to the menu of the cooked rice dish S, the amount of rice to be cooked, and the amount of ingredients. In addition, while the rice cooking control means 51 usually detects boiling at a predetermined time, such as approximately 5 minutes, after starting the boiling heating process, it may be configured to stop cooking if it does not detect boiling even after a predetermined elapsed time, such as 10 minutes or more, determines that it is not possible to detect boiling. When the rice cooking control means 51 determines that boiling has occurred, the boiling heating process ends and the process moves on to the next boiling continuation process.

[0066] When the process transitions to the boiling continuation stage, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the heating coil 11 to maintain a predetermined temperature, such as 98°C or higher, based on the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12, by switching the power on and off at 50-80% of the output compared to the boiling heating stage, for example, 500-800W. At the same time, it controls the lid heater 31 to maintain a predetermined temperature, such as 98°C or higher, based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 32, by continuously supplying power to the lid heater 31, thereby continuing the boiling state of the rice being cooked for a predetermined time, such as up to 10 minutes.

[0067] Subsequently, the rice cooking control means 51 determines that it has detected a change in the rate of temperature rise of the pot temperature t1, as shown in the overheating detection in Figure 9, when it calculates from the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12 that the water inside the pot 4 has been used up during the boiling continuation process and the rise in the pot temperature t1 has exceeded a predetermined rate of temperature rise, for example, 3°C or more in 30 seconds. Alternatively, the rice cooking control means 51 determines that it has detected the pot temperature t1 reaching a predetermined temperature, for example, the boiling reference temperature ST + 6°C, when it determines from the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12 that the pot temperature t1 has reached a predetermined temperature. While the rice cooking control means 51 can usually make the aforementioned determination after a predetermined time, such as approximately 10 minutes, from the start of the boiling continuation process, if it fails to detect a change in the rate of temperature rise of the pot temperature t1, or if it fails to detect that the pot temperature t1 has reached a predetermined temperature, for example, after a predetermined elapsed time of 15 minutes or more, the control means 51 may be configured to determine that some malfunction has occurred, such as the pot sensor 12 misdetecting the pot temperature t1, and to forcibly stop the boiling continuation process and rice cooking in order to ensure safety. When the rice cooking control means 51 determines that it has detected a change in the rate of temperature rise of the pot temperature t1, or that the pot temperature t1 has reached a predetermined temperature, the boiling continuation process ends and the system moves on to the next high-temperature maintenance process.

[0068] During the high-temperature maintenance process, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the power supply to the lid heater 31 based on the temperature detected by the lid temperature sensor 32 to prevent condensation on the inner lid 24. At the same time, based on the temperature detected by the pot sensor 12, it controls the power supply to the heating coil 24 at a predetermined output, such as 300-500W, which is further reduced than that used in the continuous boiling process, using the boiling reference temperature ST at which boiling was detected for the pot temperature t1 stored in the memory means 44 as a reference. For example, it controls the heating coil 24 so that when it detects that the pot temperature t1 is below the boiling reference temperature ST, it heats the pot 4, and when it detects that the pot temperature t1 is at or above the boiling reference temperature ST, it stops heating the pot 4, thereby managing the temperature of the bottom of the pot 4 so that a high temperature is maintained so that the cooked rice inside the pot 4 does not burn.

[0069] In the high-temperature maintenance process, the output of the heating coil 24 is configured to be less than in the boiling heating process and the boiling continuation process. Therefore, it is conceivable that the correlation between the pot temperature t1, which is the temperature of the pot 4 detected by the pot sensor 12, and the lid temperature ts, which is the temperature inside the pot 4 detected by the lid temperature sensor 32, may change. In this case, the rice cooking control means 51 may, for example, control the heating coil 24 to heat the pot 4 when it detects that the pot temperature t1 is less than the boiling reference temperature ST-1 or less than 99°C, and to stop heating the pot 4 when it detects that the pot temperature t1 is at or above the boiling reference temperature ST+1 or 100°C, thereby managing the temperature of the bottom of the pot 4 so that the temperature inside the pot 4 is maintained near the boiling temperature.

[0070] Here, the rice cooking control means 51 controls the temperature of the inner lid 24 by controlling the power supply to the lid heater 31. During the high-temperature maintenance process, the water in the pot 4 evaporates and the amount of evaporated water decreases, so the amount of condensation on the inner lid 24 decreases, and therefore the lid temperature t2 of the inner lid 24 rises due to heating by the lid heater 44. When the rice cooking control means 51 detects that the lid temperature ts has reached a predetermined overheating detection temperature using the lid temperature sensor 32, it controls the lid heater 44 to reduce the output and decrease the amount of heating, and also controls the heating coil 24 to further reduce the current output, thereby preventing the rice and ingredients in the pot 4 from overheating and burning.

[0071] Subsequently, when the rice cooking control means 51 receives a signal from the timing means indicating that a predetermined time has elapsed since detecting boiling, the high-temperature maintenance process ends and the rice cooking process is completed. This predetermined time is preferably set arbitrarily between 20 and 30 minutes, and in this embodiment, 25 minutes is used.

[0072] In mixed rice dishes, a seasoning liquid is used instead of water for cooking. Since salt, sugar, and broth, which are factors that alter heat transfer in a liquid, are mixed with the water, the heat transfer in the seasoning liquid in pot 4 changes irregularly. Furthermore, because the volume of the ingredients in mixed rice dishes is larger than that of rice, these ingredients act as a barrier, hindering the heat convection of the water compared to when the cooked food S consists only of rice. The degree of this hindering varies depending on the size of the ingredients and their moisture retention and release properties. Therefore, when cooking mixed rice dishes using a method that detects dry-up by sensing the temperature of pot 4, there is a risk of temperature variations and false detections. For example, if the dry-up state is mistakenly detected while there is still water remaining in pot 4, the boiling continuation process and the steaming process to maintain a high temperature that prevents the rice from burning may be shortened, potentially resulting in undercooked rice with insufficient gelatinization and undercooked ingredients. Conversely, if the dry-up state is not detected when all the water in pot 4 has evaporated and there is no water left, heating to pot 4 may continue, potentially leading to overcooking such as excessive burning or smoking of the rice near the bottom of pot 4.

[0073] Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature and time for gelatinizing the rice in the cooked food S in the pot 4, and the temperature and time for preventing the ingredients in the cooked food S from being undercooked, are configured to maintain the pot temperature t1 at or near the boiling reference temperature ST for the entire duration of the boiling continuation step and the high-temperature maintenance step, which are steps from the detection of boiling until the end of the cooking process. Furthermore, the time of the boiling continuation step + the time of the high-temperature maintenance step is set to, for example, 20 to 30 minutes. As a result, the temperature inside the pot 4 is raised to the boiling reference temperature ST, and the seasoning liquid of the cooked food S is boiling completely, allowing the rice in the cooked food S to be gelatinized and the ingredients to be cooked, thereby reliably preventing insufficient gelatinization of the rice and undercooking of the ingredients.

[0074] As described above, the rice cooker of this embodiment is capable of cooking mixed rice as the food to be cooked S, and is configured to include a mixed rice menu selection screen G2 and an operating means 19 as selection means for selecting one mixed rice menu, for example, the "bamboo shoot mixed rice" menu from a plurality of mixed rice menus, and an LCD 16 of a display means 18 that displays a mixed rice recipe display screen G3 as mixed rice information for the one mixed rice menu selected on the mixed rice menu selection screen G2 and the operating means 19.

[0075] By configuring it in this way, it is possible to provide a rice cooker that performs cooking control according to the selected mixed rice menu, for example, the "bamboo shoot mixed rice" menu. Furthermore, since information suitable for the cooking characteristics of the rice cooker can be displayed on the LCD16 on the mixed rice recipe display screen G3, cooking can be performed by referring to the mixed rice recipe display screen G3, reducing the risk of making mistakes in the amount of ingredients or seasoning liquid, and thus reducing the risk of cooking failure.

[0076] Furthermore, the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 of this embodiment is configured to show the recipe for the mixed rice dish in question, reducing the effort required to search for information on the desired mixed rice dish from among a wide variety of mixed rice menus, and allowing users to quickly access information on the selected mixed rice dish.

[0077] Furthermore, the rice cooker of this embodiment is further equipped with a rice cooking control means 51 as a control means for controlling the cooking of mixed rice dishes. The rice cooking control means 51 is configured to control the cooking according to the mixed rice dish menu selected on the mixed rice dish menu selection screen G2 and the operation means 19. By having the rice cooking control means 51 perform cooking control according to the desired mixed rice dish from among a wide variety of mixed rice dish menus, the risk of cooking failure can be reduced.

[0078] Furthermore, since the LCD 16 of this embodiment can display a mixed rice classification display area A4 that categorizes multiple mixed rice menus, it is possible to consolidate and display the menus that meet the desired requirements from among a wide variety of mixed rice menus, making it easy to search for and select the desired mixed rice dish.

[0079] Furthermore, the rice cooker of this embodiment further includes a heating coil 11 as a heating means for heating a pot 4 containing the food to be cooked S, a pot sensor 12 as a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pot 4, and a timing means for measuring various times. The rice cooking control means 51 determines that the water in the food to be cooked S is boiling based on the temperature t1 detected by the pot sensor 12, and controls the heating coil 11 to maintain the food to be cooked S at a boiling reference temperature ST or higher, which is the temperature at the time of boiling determination, for a predetermined period of time consisting of a boiling continuation process and a high-temperature maintenance process. If the temperature rise rate of the food to be cooked S is determined to be above a predetermined value based on the temperature t1 detected by the pot sensor 12 during this holding period, the heating coil 11 is controlled to transition from the boiling continuation process to the high-temperature maintenance process and reduce the output. If the duration of the boiling continuation process and the high-temperature maintenance process has elapsed based on the timing by the timing means, the cooking process is completed and the cooking of the mixed rice is finished.

[0080] By configuring it in this way, the temperature inside the pot 4 is raised to the boiling point temperature ST, and the seasoning liquid for the food to be cooked S is brought to a complete boil, allowing the rice to gelatinize and the other ingredients to cook, thus reliably preventing insufficient gelatinization of the rice and undercooking of the ingredients.

[0081] Furthermore, the rice cooker of this embodiment is further equipped with a depressurization means 38, which is a depressurization means for reducing the pressure inside the pot 4 to below atmospheric pressure and degassing it. The rice cooking control means 51 is configured to control the depressurization means 38 to reduce the pressure inside the pot 4 in a depressurization step before heating the pot 4 to boil the water for the food to be cooked S in the boiling heating step. As a result, the seasoning liquid can be sufficiently permeated into the rice and ingredients of the food to be cooked S before the boiling heating step, and uneven heating of the seasoning liquid and ingredients inside the pot 4 can be suppressed in the boiling heating step and the initial stages of the boiling continuation step, improving the water absorption of the rice and ingredients and preventing undercooked rice or rice with a hard core due to insufficient heating. [Examples]

[0082] Figures 10 and 11 show a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a rice cooker. In this embodiment, the system is further configured to include a communication means 63 that can communicate with an information terminal 61 capable of displaying a mixed rice menu selection screen G2 and a mixed rice recipe display screen G3.

[0083] Figure 10 shows the electrical configuration of the rice cooker 101 of this embodiment. Referring to the figure, the rice cooker 101 of this embodiment is further equipped with a communication means 63. The communication means 63 is wirelessly connected to a wireless LAN router (not shown) and connects to the internet network N via the wireless LAN router, enabling communication with an information terminal 61 and a server 62 on the cloud, which will be described later, via the internet network N. Therefore, the communication means 63 functions as a means of accessing the network N. Alternatively, the communication means 63 may be electrically connected to the heating control means 41 so that the heating control means 41 directly receives information from the information terminal.

[0084] In the rice cooker 101 of this embodiment, the heating pattern, which is the pattern for controlling the heating coil 11, lid heater 31, solenoid 35, and pressure reducing means 38 during the rice cooking process, is fixed to the same configuration for the mixed rice menu. Therefore, even if the settings for the mixed rice menu and the rice cooking course are different, the same heating pattern is used to control the rice cooking. In this embodiment, the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 for each mixed rice menu stored in the storage means 48 may be configured to display recipes and methods that allow the mixed rice to be cooked using the heating pattern. By referring to these mixed rice recipe display screens G3 when cooking, the risk of cooking failure can be reduced even when the same heating pattern is used.

[0085] Figure 11 schematically shows the overall configuration of the rice cooker system 100 in this embodiment. In the figure, N is the internet network, and the communication means 63 of the rice cooker 101 is configured to be accessible via a wireless LAN router (not shown). 61 is an external device, such as a smartphone or tablet, which has display and communication functions, and is configured to exchange various information and data with the communication means 63 and a server 62 on the cloud connected to network N via an access point (not shown).

[0086] Server 62 stores recipe information for all menus that can be cooked using rice cooker 101. The menu recipe information stored in server 62 includes all the information necessary for a user to prepare that menu using rice cooker 1.

[0087] In this embodiment, by using the information terminal 61 to install a dedicated application from the server 62 on the internet N, the information terminal 61 is configured to display, for example, a mixed rice menu selection screen G2 as shown in Figures 5 and 6, and a mixed rice recipe display screen G3 as shown in Figure 7. The information terminal 61 is configured to transmit the rice cooking course stored in the server 62 to the communication means 52 of the rice cooker 1 via the internet, according to one of the mixed rice menus, from the first button display section B31 to the tenth button display section 40 of the mixed rice menu selection screen G2. When the display / operation control means 46 receives information from the information terminal 61 via the communication means 52, the condition setting means 50 stores the setting of that information in the storage means 48 as the setting for the current rice cooking course. Here, it is also possible to configure the system to add new mixed rice menu settings or mixed rice recipe display screen G3 stored in the storage means 48 based on this information, or to update the rice menu settings or mixed rice recipe display screen G3. The condition setting means 50 then sends information about the heating pattern corresponding to the set rice cooking course to the heating control means 41. In response, the rice cooking control means 51 performs the rice cooking process operations for the food S to be cooked in the pot 4 according to the heating pattern of the set rice cooking course.

[0088] In this embodiment, since the heating pattern is fixed and the same configuration is used for the mixed rice menu, there is no need to change the heating pattern for each mixed rice menu setting as in the first embodiment, and there is no need to exchange information about the heating pattern between the information terminal 61 and the rice cooker 101, thus reducing the amount of information exchanged between the information terminal 61 and the rice cooker 101 and enabling quick information exchange. For example, the information terminal 61 and the communication means 52 may be configured to communicate directly using a communication method such as Bluetooth.

[0089] As described above, the rice cooker 101 of this embodiment is further equipped with a communication means 63 that can communicate with an information terminal 61 as an external terminal, and the rice cooking control means 51 is configured to control the rice cooking according to the mixed rice menu 1 received from the information terminal 61. Therefore, even if the user is in a location away from the rice cooker 101, they can view the mixed rice recipe display screen G3 on the information terminal 61 in their hand.

[0090] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the configurations of the first and second embodiments may be combined. In this embodiment, the cooked rice information displays a recipe for cooked rice, but in addition to the recipe, other information such as the characteristics of the taste and its popularity may also be displayed. Furthermore, the "Cook Rice" button display section B16, which is provided on the top screen G1, may be provided on the cooked rice menu selection screen G2 and the cooked rice recipe display screen G3 so that cooking can be started without returning to the top screen G1. Finally, the numerical values ​​and other examples given in the embodiments are merely examples and may be changed as appropriate according to the specifications of the rice cooker. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 4 Pot 11. Heating coil (heating means) 12. Pot sensor (temperature detection means) 18 Display means 19. Operating means (selection means) 38. Depressurization means (degassing means) 51 Rice cooking control means (control means) 61 Information terminals 101 Rice cooker G2 Mixed Rice Menu Selection Screen (Selection Method) G3 Mixed Rice Recipe Display Screen (Mixed Rice Information, Mixed Rice Recipe) Temperature detected by t1 pot sensor (detected temperature)

Claims

1. A rice cooker capable of cooking mixed rice as the food to be cooked, A selection method for choosing one mixed rice dish menu from multiple mixed rice dishes menus, A display means for displaying the cooked rice information of the cooked rice menu selected by the selection means, Control means for controlling the cooking of the aforementioned mixed rice, A heating means for heating the pot containing the food to be cooked, A temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the aforementioned pot, Equipped with a timing means for measuring various times, The control means controls the cooking of the rice according to the menu of the mixed rice dish selected by the selection means. The control means, upon determining that the food to be cooked has boiled based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection means, controls the heating means to maintain the food to be cooked at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature at the time of boiling for a predetermined period of time; when determining that the rate of temperature rise of the food to be cooked is equal to or higher than a predetermined value based on the detected temperature during the holding period, controls the heating means to reduce the output; and when determining that the predetermined period of time has elapsed based on the timing means, determines that the cooking of the mixed rice is complete.

2. The rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned mixed rice information is a recipe for the mixed rice.

3. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the display means is capable of classifying and displaying the multiple mixed rice menus.

4. The aforementioned pot is further equipped with a vacuum degassing means for reducing the pressure inside the pot to below atmospheric pressure, The rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the vacuum degassing means to degass the inside of the pot under reduced pressure before heating the pot to bring it to a boil.

5. It also includes a means of communication that allows communication with external terminals, The rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the cooking of rice according to the mixed rice menu of claim 1 received from the external terminal.

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