JPH0554964B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an electric rice cooker controlled by a microcomputer.

Conventional technology In conventional electric rice cookers of this type, only the timer time can be stored, so first the timer time is set, the set timer time is stored, and when the timer rice cooking is performed, the timer time is stored. After calling up the set timer time, he selected a new menu and pressed the rice cooking switch to start timer cooking according to the menu.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, such conventional electric rice cookers can only store the timer time, so when cooking rice with a timer, it is necessary to reselect from the menu each time, making it inconvenient to use. . It is also possible that the selected menu will be memorized, but in this case, if the rice or steamed rice contains ingredients and seasonings, if the rice is cooked on a timer, the ingredients will settle out before the rice. , it is expected that inconveniences such as not being able to cook properly may occur.

The present invention solves these conventional problems, and aims to provide an electric rice cooker that can memorize the timer time and menu, and that makes it difficult to cook rice using the timer when cooking rice. It is something.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above conventional problems, the electric rice cooker of the present invention includes a menu storage means that stores the menu only when the menu selected by the menu selection means is a predetermined menu, and a timer. This device is provided with a time storage means, a timer time stored in the menu storage means, and a calling means for calling up the menu.

Effect When performing timer rice cooking with the above configuration,
The calling means allows both the stored timer time and menu to be called up at the same time, making it easy to use. Furthermore, since menus that are inappropriate for timer cooking can be prevented from being stored, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of not being able to cook rice properly.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes clock means for indicating the current time. 2 is a timer time setting means for setting the timer time, and the timer time set by the timer time setting means 2 is stored in the timer time storage means 3.

4 is a menu selection means for selecting a rice cooking menu (for example, white rice, steamed rice, cooked rice, brown rice, etc.). Among the menus selected by the menu selection means 4, only in the case of a predetermined menu such as white rice or brown rice that does not cause any inconvenience even if the rice is cooked with a timer, that menu is stored in the menu storage means 5.
is memorized. 6 is a calling means, and this calling means 6 calls the timer time and menu stored in the timer time storage means 3 and the menu storage means 5. When the rice cooking switch 7 is pressed, the rice cooking means 8 cooks the rice on a timer basis so that the rice cooking operation is performed according to the timer time and menu.

Note that if the timer time and menu are not called up by the calling means 6, the rice cooking means 8 is configured to perform timer cooking or immediate cooking according to the timer time and menu set and selected by the timer time setting means 2, the menu selection means 4, or both. Cook the rice. In addition, in this embodiment, the clock means 1 is used, and the timer is not set to determine how many hours in advance the rice will be cooked, but to determine at what hour and minute the rice cooking will be completed. It is also possible to memorize the menu and use the timer method to cook rice on a timer basis.

Next, a specific circuit diagram of one embodiment of the present invention is shown in the second section.
This will be explained using figures.

Reference numeral 11 is an AC power source, and a bidirectional three-terminal thyristor (hereinafter abbreviated as thyristor) 12 and a rice cooking heater 13 are connected in series to both ends of the AC power source. Similarly, a capacitor 14, a resistor 15, and a diode 16 are connected in series. And this capacitor 14
A voltage regulator diode 17 and a resistor 18 are connected in series across both ends of the voltage regulator diode 17.
Both ends become the DC power source for the circuit.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a call switch, which is connected to a DC power supply in series with a resistor 20, and inputs to a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) 30. 21 is a timer time setting switch, 23 is a menu selection switch, and 25 is a rice cooking start switch, each of which is connected to resistors 22, 24, and 26 in the same way as the call switch 19, and is input to the microcomputer 30. and,
After pressing the call switch 19, the timer time setting switch 21 and menu selection switch 2 are pressed.
By setting the desired timer time and menu in step 3 and pressing the call switch 19 again, the timer time and menu (however, only the predetermined menu) are stored in the microcomputer 30. 27 is a thermistor, this thermistor 27 is connected in series with a resistor 28, and an A/D converter 29
The temperature is input to the microcomputer 30 via. 31 is a liquid crystal display board (hereinafter abbreviated as LCD), and this LCD
31 displays a menu, time, and rice cooking status based on the output of the microcomputer 30. Further, the output of the microcomputer 30 is connected to the thyristor 12 via a resistor 32 and a transistor 33, and controls the rice cooking heater 13 on and off. 35 is a clock means, which inputs the current time into the microcomputer 30 and displays it on the LCD 3.
Display as 1.

Next, the operation of the circuit will be explained using FIG. FIG. 3a shows the LCD 31 during rice cooking operation.
For example, if the user regularly eats brown rice, the user presses the menu selection switch 23 to set the menu to brown rice, and then presses the rice cooking start switch 25 to start cooking rice with brown rice. in this case,
Generally, if the menu selection switch 23 is not pressed, the rice cooking operation is performed using white rice. Figure 3b shows an example of a conventional electric rice cooker, and when the timer/menu call switch 19 of an embodiment of the present invention is pressed, the timer time is called up to the stored time (8:40 PM in this example). However, the menu will be white rice. For example, if the user regularly eats brown rice, then select brown rice with the menu selection switch 23, and then press the rice cooking start switch 25.
must be pressed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3c and d, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the call switch 19 is pressed, the timer time (6:10 PM in this example) and the menu (brown rice in this example) are called once. The user then presses the rice cooking start switch 2.
Just press 5 to cook brown rice on a timer. Furthermore, if the menu to be stored in the microcomputer 30 is other than a predetermined menu, for example, cooked rice, cooking with a timer will cause inconvenience, so even if you press the call switch 19 after selecting the timer time and menu and try to store it in the microcomputer 30. As shown in Figure 3 d, "Menu unsuitable"
It is displayed on the LCD 31 to warn the user, and even if the user tries to recall the stored contents by pressing the recall switch 19, only the timer time is recalled as shown in Figure 3b, and the menu displays "White rice". This makes it difficult to use timer cooking for menus that would cause inconvenience when using timer cooking.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the description of the embodiments above, the present invention has a menu storage means that stores the menu only when the menu selected by the menu selection means is a predetermined menu, a timer time storage means, and a menu storage means. Since a calling means for calling the timer time and menu is provided, the timer time and menu can be set at once when timer rice cooking is performed, and menus that cause inconvenience when timer rice cooking is performed are not stored.

As a result, there is no need to double call the timer time and then select the menu like in conventional electric rice cookers.Furthermore, there is no need to accidentally memorize or call up the menu, which can cause inconveniences when using timer rice cooking. Since this can be prevented, it is possible to provide an electric rice cooker that is extremely convenient and excellent in practice without causing any inconvenience during timer rice cooking.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an electric rice cooker showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a specific circuit diagram of the electric rice cooker, and Fig. 3 a, b, c, and d are a conventional example and the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display on an LCD in one embodiment. 1... Clock means, 2... Timer time setting means, 3... Timer time storage means, 4... Menu selection means, 5... Menu storage means, 6... Calling means, 7... Rice cooking switch, 8... ...Rice cooking means, 30...Microcomputer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A clock means for indicating the current time, a timer time setting means for setting the timer time, a timer time storage means for storing the set timer time, a menu selection means for selecting a rice cooking menu, A rice cooking switch for starting rice cooking and rice cooking using a timer, and a menu storage means for storing only when the menu selected by the menu selection means is a predetermined menu, the timer time storage means and the menu storage means Calling means for calling the stored timer time and menu is provided, and when the rice cooking switch is pressed, the timer time and the menu are selected or called by the timer time setting means and the menu selection means or the calling means. This electric rice cooker is provided with a rice cooking means that cooks rice on a timer according to a menu and, if not, immediately starts a rice cooking operation based on the menu selection means.