JPH0334328B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a timer device for a cooking appliance such as a rice cooker.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY A conventional timer device for this type of cooker has a fourth
It is a block diagram as shown in the figure, and its operation will be explained based on this block diagram.

When the timer increase switch 1 for increasing the timer setting time is pressed for the first time, the first time determination means 3 determines that it has been pressed for the first time, and sets the timer increase switch 1 to a predetermined timer setting time (e.g. 1) stored in the storage means 4.
time) is set in the timer setting means 5, and this set time is displayed on the display means 6.

Next, by pressing the timer increase switch 1 or the timer decrease switch 2 an arbitrary number of times, the set time is adjusted to the user's desired setting time, for example, 10 hours and 30 minutes. That is, timer increment switch 1
The set time can be increased by pressing , and if the time has increased too much, the timer can be set to an arbitrary value by pressing the timer decrease switch 2 to decrease the time. When setting the timer, assuming that the timer increments in 10 minute increments, you must press the switch 6×9+3=57 times.

Next, when the start switch 7 is pressed, the timer subtraction means 8 starts operating and subtracts the set time of the timer setting means 5 according to the elapsed time. When the subtracted timer setting time reaches 0 minutes after a predetermined setting time, for example 10 hours and 30 minutes, the heating means 9 starts operating and performs a predetermined heating operation.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional timer device, when setting the timer time for a long time, for example, 10 hours and 30 minutes, a large number of timer increase switches (at least 57 (times) had a problem in that it had to be pressed continuously.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and provides a timer device that can set the timer time with a relatively small number of operations regardless of the length of the set time. Means for Solving the Problems Aimed to Solve the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides means for storing the maximum and minimum values of the timer setting time, and the maximum value storage means and the minimum value When the timer increase switch is pressed for the first time based on the output of the storage means and the output of the first time determination means, the minimum set time is initialized, and when the timer decrease switch is pressed, the maximum set time is initially set by the first time determination means. This is what I did.

Effects According to the above configuration, when setting the timer time, even when the timer setting time is equal to or greater than the intermediate value, the desired setting time can be set extremely quickly.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a timer device for a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, and its operation will be explained based on this block diagram. When the timer increase switch 11, which increases the timer setting time, or the timer decrease switch 12, which decreases the timer setting time, is pressed for the first time, the first time determination means 13 determines which switch is pressed for the first time, and determines the maximum timer setting time. The timer setting means 1 sets a predetermined value in the maximum value storage means 14 and the minimum value storage means 15 that store a value (for example, 13 hours) and a minimum value (for example, 1 hour).
Initialize to 6. That is, when the timer increase switch 11 is pressed, the minimum value (1 hour) is
When the timer decrease switch 12 is pressed, the maximum value (13 hours) is set. Next, by setting the timer increase switch 11 and timer decrease switch 12 an arbitrary number of times, the desired timer time is set. The set time of the timer at this time is displayed on the display means 17. for example
To set the time to 10 hours and 30 minutes, press the timer decrease switch 12 first to increase or decrease the time in 10 minute increments, and the time can be set 2×6+3=15 times.

Next, when the start switch 18 is pressed, the timer subtraction means 19 starts operating, which subtracts the time set in the timer setting means 16 according to the elapsed time since the start switch 18 was pressed. When the subtracted timer setting time reaches a predetermined time (for example, 0 hours), the heating means 20
starts operation, performs a predetermined heating operation, and ends the timer operation. That is, when the timer increase switch 11 is pressed, it is the same as in the conventional example, but when pressed as in the above example, the timer can be set 42 times less.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a timer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing its operation.

In FIG. 2, numeral 30 is a so-called one-chip microcomputer, which is composed of an input terminal, an output terminal, and ROM, RAM, and CPU.
31 is a transistor, 32 is a relay, 33 is a heater, and 34 is a heated object such as a pot.

In FIG. 3, when the timer increase switch 11 or the timer decrease switch 12 is pressed, it is determined in step 1 whether it is pressed for the first time, and if it is pressed for the first time, the timer increase switch 11 is pressed in step 2.
It is determined whether the button has been pressed, and if it has been pressed, the minimum value of the timer setting time is set in step 3. Conversely, when the timer decrease switch 12 is pressed, the maximum value is set in steps 4 and 5, and the resulting set time is displayed on the display means 17 (e.g. LCD) in step 6.
to be displayed. Next, the timer time desired by the user is set by arbitrarily pressing the timer increase switch 11 and timer decrease switch 12 as shown in steps 7 to 11.

Next, when the start switch 18 is pressed, a determination is made in step 12, a timer setting time is subtracted in accordance with the elapsed time in step 13, and the result is displayed on the display means 17 in step 14.

Next, when a predetermined time has elapsed in step 15, the heating operation is started in step 16, and the timer operation ends.

That is, when a predetermined time has elapsed, the transistor 31 is driven to operate the relay 32, and the heater 33 is energized to heat the object to be heated 34 (for example, a pot). Thereafter, in the case of a rice cooker or the like, heating of the heater 33 is stopped by a center thermostat, but this is not shown here.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a means for storing the maximum value and minimum value of the timer setting time is provided, and the output of the maximum value storage means and the minimum value storage means and the output of the initial determination means are used to determine whether the timer is When the increase switch is pressed, the minimum set time is initialized, and when the timer decrease switch is pressed, the maximum set time is initially set by the initial determination means. Therefore, when setting the timer time, the set time Regardless of whether the timer is long or short, the timer time can be set with a relatively small number of operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a timer device for a cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the timer device, FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the timer device, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the timer device. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional timer device. 11...Timer increase switch, 12...Timer decrease switch, 13...Initial determination means, 14
...Maximum value storage means, 15...Minimum value storage means,
16... Timer setting means, 17... Display means,
18...Start switch, 19...Timer subtraction means, 20...Heating means, 30...Microcomputer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A timer increase switch that increases the set time of the timer operation, a timer decrease switch that decreases the set time of the timer operation, an initial determination means that determines that the timer increase switch or the timer decrease switch is pressed for the first time, and a timer. The timer increment switch is activated only by the maximum value storage means and minimum value storage means that store the maximum and minimum values of the set time, the outputs of the maximum value storage means and minimum value storage means, and the output of the first determination means. A timer setting means for setting the minimum value of the timer setting time when pressed and the maximum value of the timer setting time when the timer reduction switch is pressed for the first time, and displaying the time set by the timer setting means. a display means;
a start switch for starting the timer operation; a timer subtraction means for subtracting the set time of the timer setting means according to elapsed time when the start switch is pressed; and the timer setting means subtracted by the timer subtraction means. A timer device for a cooker, comprising a heating means that starts a heating operation when the value of 1 reaches a predetermined time.