JPH0719485A - Operating device of cooking appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a cooking appliance having an operating device which can be operated rapidly and conveniently used when a desired item of cooking information is to be selected. CONSTITUTION:There is provided an operating means 2 heving a displaying means 4 for displaying cooking information at more than two rows, a cross-key 2a capable of freely selecting items displayed at the displaying means 4 in up, down, right and left directions, respectively, and a selection key 2b for use in determining the item selected by the cross-key, so that it is possible to perform a quick and positive selection of preference information from many information related to the cooking appliance and the like such as a method for using the cooking appliance as well as an automatic cooking menu which can be cooked at the cooking appliance and the like and so it is possible to realize the cooking appliance having a superior operating characteristics.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for cooking utensils such as microwave ovens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various devices such as a microwave oven, a gas table, and a rice cooker have been commercialized as devices used for cooking. In addition, as the functions of these devices have been enhanced, the number of select switches and the like has increased, and the operation of the device has become extremely complicated and the usability has become very poor. For example, with respect to microwave ovens, there are many menus that can be automatically cooked by mounting sensors, microcomputers, and the like, and are also equipped with a heater cooking function, a steam cooking function, and the like, and the number of operation system keys tends to increase.

Further, in recent years, a product has been developed in which the shape and gas amount of food are detected to recognize the type of food, the number of operation keys is reduced, and cooking is possible by one-key operation. However, in fact, when the user uses it, he / she should look at the cookbook such as the appendix of the microwave oven, and according to the type of food, the amount of food,
It is very inconvenient to use because you have to decide the type of oven plate and the position to set the oven plate in the oven. In addition, even though it can be operated with one key, microwave ovens that can be selected by tapping with one key from many automatic cooking menus have been commercialized. Although it looks like a one-key, in reality, one key is selected from a large number of items, so it takes a lot of time and the advantage of one-key operation is not substantially obtained.

[0004]

Although it is possible to perform automatic cooking by one-key operation by making full use of many sensors in the above-mentioned cooking utensil, in order to operate it automatically, food must be placed on the specified attachment. Restrictions and conditions are added such as placing it on the table, cooking only with the specified amount of food, or performing as specified with reference to the cookbook, which is an appendix of the cooking utensil. In addition, even if you can operate with one key, you can tap the favorite menu with that one key, or the key itself becomes a variable resistance and rotate it in a dial type to sequentially select the menu However, there is a problem that the key dial has to be rotated all the way to the desired menu position, which is not convenient and requires a considerable amount of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The first object of the present invention is to provide a cooking utensil equipped with an operating means which can be quickly operated when an item of desired cooking information is selected, and which is easy to use. There is.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a cooking utensil provided with an operating means for operating the cooking utensil even if the user is away from the cooking utensil main body.

[0007]

In order to achieve the first object of the present invention, the display means for displaying cooking information in two or more columns and the items displayed on the display means can be selected vertically and horizontally. And a select key for determining the item selected by the cross key.

Further, in order to achieve the second object, the operating means has a detachable structure.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the cooking information such as the cooking menu and the cooking category displayed on the display means is arbitrarily selected by the cross keys of the operation means which can be selected vertically and horizontally by the above-mentioned configuration, and the selected item is selected. It will be decided with the select key. Further, since the operating means is configured to be detachable from the cooking utensil, it is possible to operate the operating means in a desired form with a little distance from the cooking utensil in the hand.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The first and second embodiments will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of this embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the operation panel. In this embodiment, a microwave oven with a heater is used as the cooking utensil body 1, and the operating means of the present invention is applied to the cooking utensil body 1. The cooking utensil main body 1 includes an operation unit 2, a storage unit 3 that stores information regarding cooking and a heating sequence corresponding to a menu, a display unit 4 that displays cooking information such as a cooking menu and a cooking category, and an operation unit 2. Is read, the selected menu or the like is recognized, and the heating means 5 is controlled by the control means 6. The heating supply means 5 comprises a heater and a microwave supply means, but the description thereof is omitted. Further, the control means 6
A microcomputer is used for the
Use M. The operating means 2 comprises a cross key 2a, a select key 2b and a cooking start / stop key 2c. The select key only needs to be able to select a menu, and the number thereof may be plural. Further, the display means 4 is not limited to the liquid crystal display as long as it is a liquid crystal display of the present invention but can display a menu or the like.

Next, the specific operation of the present invention will be described. When power is turned on to the cooking utensil body 1, as shown in FIG. 3A, a selection screen of "automatic" or "manual" is displayed, and the cursor is blinking at the position of the automatic mode in FIG. 3 (a). By pressing the 2a-1 or 2a-2 portion of the cross key 2a, the cursor can be moved up and down, and the automatic mode or the manual mode is selected. The cursor blinks at the position of the selected mode. Then, the select key 2b is pressed to determine the mode. If the automatic mode is set, the display screen of FIG. 3B is displayed, and a list of menus for automatic cooking is displayed. Here, 2a-of the cross key 2a
The cursor can be moved left and right by pressing the parts 3 and 2a-4, and the cursor can be moved up and down by pressing the parts 2a-1 and 2a-2. Select the menu by moving to. The shape of this operation is not limited to the cross shape as long as the cursor can be moved vertically and horizontally. Move the cursor to the lowest position and then press 2 on the four-way controller 2a.
If you press a-2, the display screen will scroll up and you will see Fig. 3 (c).
Another menu is displayed as shown in. Then, the select key 2b is pressed to determine the menu. For example, if “cookie” is determined, a display for setting a square plate at the upper position in the refrigerator of the cooking appliance body 1 appears on the display, although not shown on the display screen. Then, food is set and cooking is started by pressing the cooking start key 2c.
Although a detailed description of the manual mode is omitted here,
For example, when the manual mode is selected, a radio wave heating mode or the like is displayed on the display. Next, when the radio wave heating mode is selected, the heating time setting mode is displayed on the display, and the heating time setting is also 2a-3 of the cross key 2a.
Is UP, and 2a-4 is DOWN, and the heating time is automatically lengthened or shortened by pressing the key. After that, if the cooking start key 2c is pressed, heating is started. The control means 6 recognizes which item among the items displayed on the display means 4 is selected by operating the operation means 2, and the information is read from the storage means 3 according to the operated item and the display means 4 is displayed. Display information will be updated to.
And finally the menu is decided and cooking start key 2c
When is pressed, the control means 6 reads the heating sequence of the corresponding menu from the storage means 3, and controls the heating control means 5 based on the sequence.

Although not described in the present embodiment, even if information relating to cooking utensils such as how to use the cooking utensils is stored in the storage means, that is, even if the information on the cooking utensils is greatly increased, If the operating means of the embodiment is used, it is possible to realize a cookware that is easy to use without deteriorating the operability.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the information about the menus and the cooking utensils that can be automatically cooked is considerably increased, the items can be quickly and easily selected and determined only by operating the cross key freely. It is possible, and the operability as a cooking utensil is greatly improved.

Next, the configuration of the second embodiment is shown in FIG. This embodiment has substantially the same structure as the first embodiment, but the cross key 2a and the select key 2b of the operation means 2 are detachable, and infrared rays are used for optical communication with the cookware main body 1. They differ in that they are connected to each other, and the operation means 2 is provided with a light emitting means 7 and the cookware body 1 is provided with a light receiving means 8 so that they are connected by wireless communication. However, the coupling means with the cooking utensil body 1 need not be limited to optical communication, and may be radio waves or wires.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the operating means 2 is constructed so as to be detachable from the cooking utensil body 1, so that it can be held and operated in a desired position and is easy to use. Will improve further.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above embodiments, the present invention has the following effects.

(1) If the number of menus that can be automatically cooked increases and the number of functions of cooking utensils increases, the conventional method will hinder usability. Therefore, it is technically necessary to reduce the number of keys as much as possible and improve the operability. According to the present invention, by freely operating only the cross key and the select key, desired information can be quickly and accurately selected from the large information group. It is possible to realize a cooking utensil with good operability at the same time.

(2) In addition, all operations are performed using the cross key and 1
Since it can be done with one select key, it is possible to provide cookware that is very easy to use even for newlywed housewives, children, and female students who are vulnerable to machine operation.

(3) Since the operating means has a detachable structure, it can be operated while being held at a desired position apart from the cooking utensil body, and the operability is further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a cookware according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Operation panel diagram of the cooking utensil

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing contents displayed on a display means of the cooking utensil.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a cookware according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cookware main body 2 operation means 2a cross key 2b select key 4 display means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A display means for displaying cooking information in two or more columns, a cross key for allowing the items displayed on the display means to be selected vertically and horizontally, and for determining the item selected by the cross key. Operation device for cooking utensils having a select key. 2. The cooking utensil operating device according to claim 1, wherein the cooking utensil operating device is detachable from the main body of the cooking utensil. 3. The cooking appliance operating device according to claim 2, wherein the cooking appliance main body and the operating means are connected by wireless communication.