The present invention relates to a cooking device including a magnetron, the cooking device being to be provided with a radio communication device capable of establishing an external communication.
Recently, a network home appliance system including a home appliance that has a radio communication function, a so-called network home appliance has been in widespread use. The network home appliance system enables the network home appliance to communicate with communication terminals such as a tablet terminal and a smart phone via a communication network. With the communication terminals, a user can remotely control the network home appliance, and can find an operating state of the network home appliance.
One of such network home appliances is a cooking device including a magnetron. Cooking with a magnetron utilizes a so-called microwave oven function of generating a microwave. The cooking device including the magnetron has a side surface made of a metal housing so that a microwave is shielded. In a case where a radio communication device (radio communication adapter) is provided in a region covered with the metal housing, a communication radio wave is shielded. This causes a communication error such as reduction in communication distance. In order to secure communication of the radio communication device, for example, a housing is provided with a separate section, made of a resin, which is configured to store the radio communication device (see Patent Literature 1), or a communication antenna is provided in a leg part made of a resin (see Patent Literature 2).
Japanese Patent Application Publication
Tokukai No. 2005-260891 (Publication date: Sep. 22, 2005)
Specification of Japanese Patent No. 4469513 (Registration date: Mar. 5, 2010)
As described above, a conventional cooking device including a magnetron necessitates (i) being provided with a separate section, made of a resin, which is configured to store a radio communication device or (ii) changing its structure, in order to secure communication of the radio communication device. This leads to increase in the number of production processes, and rise in cost.
The present invention was made to address the problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cooking device capable of being provided with a radio communication device so that the radio communication device establishes a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the cooking device is provided with the radio communication device and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device.
In order to attain the object, a cooking device in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a magnetron; a heating chamber in which an object to be cooked is to be put; a door section, provided so that the heating chamber is opened and closed, which has a window section and a nonmetal frame section which surrounds the window section; and a display operation section configured to carry out display and accept an operation, a space for providing a radio communication device that establishes an external communication being secured in the nonmetal frame section or in a circuit storing section, made of a nonmetal, which is configured to store a driving circuit of the display operation section.
A cooking device in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a magnetron; a heating chamber in which an object to be cooked is to be put; a door section, provided so that the heating chamber is opened and closed, which has a window section and a nonmetal frame section which surrounds the window section; a display operation section configured to carry out display and accept an operation; a steam generator configured to generate steam; and a water reservoir, mainly made of a nonmetal, which is (i) a container configured to store water to be supplied to the steam generator and (ii) detachably provided from the cooking device, a space for providing a radio communication device that establishes an external communication being secured (i) in the nonmetal frame section, (ii) in a circuit storing section, made of a nonmetal, which is configured to store a driving circuit of the display operation section, or (iii) in contact with the water reservoir.
An aspect of the present invention brings about an effect of providing a cooking device capable of being provided with a radio communication device so that the radio communication device establishes a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the cooking device is provided with the radio communication device and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device.
(a) through (d) of
The following description will discuss Embodiment 1 of the present invention in detail with reference to
As illustrated in
The door 3 has (i) a window (window section) 3a provided so as to face the heating chamber 2a and (ii) a frame (frame section) 3b which surrounds the window 3a. A heat-resistant glass or a heat-resistant transparent resin is fitted in the window 3a so that the heating chamber 2a can be looked in through the window 3a.
The frame 3b is made of a nonmetal material, for example, a resin. The door 3 is rotatably provided substantially about its lower end side so that the heating chamber 2a is opened and closed. A handle 4 is provided on an upper side of the door 3 so as to help a user open and close the door 3. In Embodiment 1, the door 3 is rotatably provided substantially about the lower end side of the door 3 so as to be opened and closed. Embodiment 3 is, however, not limited as such. Alternatively, the door 3 can be rotatably provided about a left or right end side of the door 3 so as to be opened and closed.
There is formed a shielding member on a surface of the door 3 which surface faces the heating chamber 2a so that the shielding member covers an entrance of the heating chamber 2a.
The cooking device 1 further includes a display operation section 5 which is configured to (i) display various kinds of information concerning the cooking device 1 and (ii) accept an operation conducted to the cooking device 1. The display operation section 5 can be configured so as to function, for example, as a touch panel. The display operation section 5 can further include a dial and/or a button.
A driving circuit of the display operation section 5 is stored in a circuit storing section 50 made of a nonmetal. The circuit storing section 50 is provided with a cooling fan (not illustrated) so that an influence of heat generated due to cooking is reduced. The circuit storing section 50 is thus designed to lower generated temperature. The circuit storing section 50 is provided in the frame 3b of the door 3 (see
According to the cooking device 1, there is secured, in the frame 3b or in the circuit storing section 50, a space for providing a radio communication adapter (radio communication device) via which an external communication is established. Note that
The door 3 and the display operation section 5 are each made of a nonmetal material. According to a general cooking device including a magnetron, a door and a display operation section are each covered with a nonmetal material for the sake of suppressing rise in temperature. This is because a user directly touches the door and the display operation section of the cooking device. As such, according to a typical configuration of the cooking device, (i) a frame of the door is made of a nonmetal material or (ii) a circuit storing section configured to store a driving circuit of the display operation section is made of a nonmetal material. This allows the cooking device 1 to secure, in a region covered with a nonmetal member, the space for providing the radio communication adapter, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration to the typical configuration of the cooking device including the magnetron and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device 1.
In particular, the circuit storing section 50 is provided with the cooling fan. It is therefore possible for the radio communication adapter to be less affected by heat, by securing the space in the circuit storing section 50.
As is clear from the above, the cooking device 1 allows the radio communication adapter to establish a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the radio communication adapter is provided and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device 1. The radio communication adapter, in a case of being provided in the space, is not covered with any metal, and it is difficult for the radio communication adapter to be affected by heat. The radio communication adapter can therefore establish a satisfactory communication.
By providing the radio communication adapter in the space, the cooking device 1 functions as a so-called network home appliance that is connected to an external communication network. Note that a publicly-known radio communication adapter can be employed as the radio communication adapter. For example, a device, in which a radio communication circuit and an antenna are integrally provided, can be employed as the radio communication adapter.
The description has discussed the cooking device 1 including the magnetron. The configuration, in which the radio communication adapter is provided in the frame of the door or in the circuit storing section of the display operation section, is applicable to a cooking device, including no magnetron, such as an oven or a toaster oven.
The following description will discuss Embodiment 2 of the present invention with reference to
In Embodiment 1, the display operation section 5 and the door 3 are integrally provided, whereas, in Embodiment 2, a display operation section 5 and the door 3 are not integrally provided but the display operation section 5 is attached to a casing 2 (see
According to the cooking device 1a, there is secured, in a frame 3b or in a circuit storing section 50, a space for providing a radio communication adapter via which an external communication is established. Similar to the cooking device 1, the cooking device 1a allows the radio communication adapter to establish a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the radio communication adapter is provided and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device 1a.
The following description will discuss Embodiment 3 of the present invention with reference to
In addition to the configuration and function of the cooking device 1 described in Embodiment 1, the cooking device 10 of Embodiment 3 further includes a steam generator 8 (see (b) of
The steam generator 8 is a device which heats water supplied from a water tank (water reservoir) 6 to generate saturated steam, and then supplies the saturated steam to a heating chamber 2a. Note that a drip box 7 is attachably and detachably provided, at a lower part of a casing 2, respectively to and from the casing 2. The drip box 7 collects steam which has been used to cook. The steam generator 8 and an oven cooking method using steam generated by the steam generator 8 can be each realized by a publicly-known technique.
The water tank 6 is a container configured to store water to be supplied to the steam generator 8. The water tank 6 is detachably provided from the cooking device 10 so that water is filled in the water tank 6. In Embodiment 3, the water tank 6 is made of a resin. Alternatively, the water tank 6 can be partially made of a metal or the water tank 6 can be made of only nonmetal, provided that the water tank 6 is mainly made of a nonmetal. Note that, in a case where a radio adapter is provided so as to be in contact with the water tank 6 as described later, a metal part of the water tank 6 is preferably formed and provided so as not to inhibit the radio adapter from establishing a communication.
In the vicinity of the water tank 6, there is provided a cooling fan (not illustrated) which cools down the water tank 6. The cooling fan, provided in the vicinity of the water tank 6, is used to reduce heat generated in the vicinity of the water tank 6. This prevents the water tank 6 from being, for example, deformed, deteriorated, or broken by the heat generated during cooking.
According to the cooking device 10 of Embodiment 3, there is secured, (i) in a frame 3b, (ii) in a circuit storing section 50, or (iii) in contact with the water tank 6, a space for providing a radio communication adapter via which an external communication is established. Note that the simplified perspective view ((b) of
An effect, brought about by the cooking device 10 in which the space is secured in the frame 3b or in the circuit storing section 50, is similar to that brought about by the cooking device 1 of Embodiment 1.
As described above, the water tank 6 is (i) detachably provided from the cooking device 10 and (ii) mainly made of a nonmetal. In a case where the space is secured in contact with the water tank 6, the radio communication adapter provided in the space establishes an external communication via the water tank 6. Since water is supplied to the water tank 6, the temperature of the water tank 6 is low. In addition, a cooling fan or the like is usually provided around the water tank 6 so that the water tank 6 is less affected by heat generated during cooking. Namely, the water tank 6 is thus designed to lower the temperature. Accordingly, even in a case where the space is secured in contact with the water tank 6 mainly made of a nonmetal, it is possible for the radio communication adapter to be less affected by the metal and the heat.
Even in a case of a cooking device 10a including a steam generator 8 configured to generate steam, the radio communication adapter 20 can establish a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the radio communication adapter 20 is provided and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device 10.
Note that, in a case where a space for providing a radio communication adapter is secured at a lower part of the water tank 6, a water leakage from the water tank 6 could adversely affect the radio communication adapter. In contrast, since the space for providing the radio communication adapter is secured at an upper part of the water tank 6 (see (b) of
The following description will discuss specific examples in each of which the space for providing the radio communication adapter is secured in contact with the water tank 6. (a) through (d) of
In (b) of
By being provided with the radio communication adapter 20, the cooking device 1 functions as a so-called network home appliance that is connected to an external communication network.
The cooking device 10 can be configured to cook with the use of superheated steam. With the configuration, a heater (not illustrated), for use in generating superheated steam, heats steam generated by the steam generator 8, so that superheated steam is generated. The superheated steam fills the heating chamber 2a and heats an object to be cooked.
Similar to the cooking device 1a of Embodiment 2, the cooking device 10 of Embodiment 3 can be configured such that a display operation section 5 is provided separately from a door 3. The cooking device 10 of Embodiment 3 can also be configured such that the door 3 rotates about a left or right end side of the door 3 to be opened and closed.
Note that the above description has discussed the cooking device 10 including a magnetron and the steam generator, but the present invention is not limited as such. The configuration, in which the space for providing the radio adapter is secured in the frame of the door or in the circuit storing section of the display operation section, is applicable to a cooking device, such as an oven, which includes a steam generator but no magnetron.
The following description will discuss Embodiments 4 and 5 of the present invention with reference to
The cooking device 10a is different from the cooking device 10 of Embodiment 3, in where a water tank 6e is provided. Except for the difference, the configuration of the cooking device 10a is identical to that of the cooking device 10 of Embodiment 3. The water tank 6e is made of a resin. The water tank 6e is provided at a lateral part of a heating chamber 2a so as to be detachable from the cooking device 10a.
According to the cooking device 10b of Embodiment 5, a display operation section 5 is attached to a casing 2 but the display operation section 5 and the door 3 are not integrally provided. Except for this configuration, the configuration of the cooking device 10b of Embodiment 5 is identical to that of the cooking device 10a of Embodiment 4. Similar to the water tank 6e of the cooking device 10a, a water tank 6f of the cooking device 10b of Embodiment 5 is provided at a lateral part of a heating chamber 2a.
According to the cooking device 10a and the cooking device 10b, there is secured, (i) in a frame 3b, (ii) in a circuit storing section 50, or (iii) in contact with the water tank 6e (6f), a space for providing a radio communication adapter via which an external communication is established. Similar to the cooking device 10, the cooking devices 10a and 10b each allow the radio communication adapter to establish a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the radio communication adapter is provided and (ii) making any change in structures of the cooking devices 10a and 10b.
A cooking device (1) in accordance with Aspect 1 of the present invention is configured to include: a magnetron (M); a heating chamber (2a) in which an object to be cooked is to be put; a door section (door 3), provided so that the heating chamber is opened and closed, which has a window section (window 3a) and a nonmetal frame section (frame 3b) which surrounds the window section; and a display operation section (5) configured to carry out display and accept an operation, a space for providing a radio communication device that establishes an external communication being secured in the nonmetal frame section or in a circuit storing section, made of a nonmetal, which is configured to store a driving circuit of the display operation section.
According to the configuration, the space for providing the radio communication device is secured in the nonmetal frame section or in the circuit storing section, made of the nonmetal, which is configured to store the driving circuit of the display operation section. Here, in general, a door section and a display operation section are each covered with a nonmetal material for the sake of suppressing rise in temperature. This is because a user directly touches the door section and the display operation section. As such, according to a typical configuration of a cooking device including a magnetron, (i) a frame section of the door section is made of a nonmetal material or (ii) a driving circuit of the display operation section is made of a nonmetal material. In view of this, the configuration makes it possible to secure, in a region covered with a nonmetal member, a space for providing a radio communication device, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration to the typical configuration of the cooking device including the magnetron and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device.
In particular, the circuit storing section configured to store the driving circuit of the display operation section is provided with, for example, a cooling fan so that an influence of heat generated due to cooking is reduced. The circuit storing section is thus designed to lower the temperature. Accordingly, by securing the space in the circuit storing section, it is possible for the radio communication device to be less affected by the heat.
As is clear from the above, the configuration makes it possible to provide a cooking device capable of being provided with a radio communication device so that the radio communication device establishes a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the cooking device is provided with the radio communication device and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device. The radio communication device, in a case of being provided in the space, is not covered with any metal, and it is difficult for the radio communication device to be affected by heat. The radio communication device can therefore establish a satisfactory communication.
A cooking device (10, 10a, 10b) in accordance with Aspect 2 of the present invention is configured to include: a magnetron (M); a heating chamber (2s) in which an object to be cooked is to be put; a door section (door 3), provided so that the heating chamber is opened and closed, which has a window section (window 3a) and a nonmetal frame section (frame 3b) which surrounds the window section; a display operation section (5) configured to carry out display and accept an operation; a steam generator (8) configured to generate steam; and a water reservoir (water tank 6), mainly made of a nonmetal, which is (i) a container configured to store water to be supplied to the steam generator and (ii) detachably provided from the cooking device, a space for providing a radio communication device that establishes an external communication being secured (i) in the nonmetal frame section, (ii) in a circuit storing section, made of a nonmetal, which is configured to store a driving circuit of the display operation section, or (iii) in contact with the water reservoir.
According to the configuration, the space for providing the radio communication device is secured (i) in the nonmetal frame section, (ii) in the circuit storing section, made of the nonmetal, which is configured to store the driving circuit of the display operation section or (iii) in contact with the water reservoir mainly made of the nonmetal. An effect brought about by securing the space in the nonmetal frame section or in the circuit storing section is similar to that brought about by the cooking device in accordance with Aspect 1 of the present invention.
According to the configuration, the water reservoir is (i) detachably provided from the cooking device and (ii) mainly made of a nonmetal. In a case where the space for providing the radio communication device is secured in contact with the water reservoir, the radio communication device provided in the space establishes an external communication via the water reservoir mainly made of a nonmetal. Since water is supplied to the water reservoir, the temperature of the water reservoir is low. In addition, a cooling fan or the like is usually provided around the water reservoir mainly made of a nonmetal so that the water reservoir is less affected by heat generated due to cooking. Namely, the water reservoir is thus designed to lower the temperature. Accordingly, even in a case where the space is secured in contact with the water reservoir mainly made of a nonmetal, it is possible for the radio communication device to be less affected by the metal and the heat.
As is clear from the above, the configuration makes it possible to provide a cooking device that includes not only a magnetron but also a steam generator configured to generate steam so that a radio communication device can establish a satisfactory communication, instead of (i) further providing any special configuration in which the radio communication device is provided and (ii) making any change in structure of the cooking device.
In Aspect 3 of the present invention, a cooking device is configured such that, in the cooking device in accordance with Aspect 2 of the present invention, the water reservoir is provided at a lower part of the heating chamber, and the space contacts with the water reservoir at an upper part of the water reservoir and at the lower part of the heating chamber.
In a case where a space for providing a radio communication device is secured at a lower part of a water reservoir, a water leakage from the water reservoir could adversely affect the radio communication device. In contrast, since the space for providing the radio communication device is secured at an upper part of the water reservoir, such a water leakage will never adversely affect the radio communication device. Moreover, a lower part of the heating chamber is more unlikely to be affected by heat than the other parts. As such, the configuration makes it possible to provide the radio communication device in a space which is more unlikely to be affected by water and heat.
In Aspect 4 of the present invention, a cooking device is configured such that, in the cooking device in accordance with any one of Aspects 1 through 3 of the present invention, the circuit storing section and the door section are integrally provided.
The configuration makes it possible to apply the present invention to a cooking device in which a circuit housing section and a door section are integrally provided.
In Aspect 5 of the present invention, a cooking device is configured such that, in the cooking device in accordance with any one of Aspects 1 through 4 of the present invention, the radio communication device is a device in which a radio communication circuit and an antenna are integrally provided.
Since the radio communication circuit and the antenna are integrally provided according to the configuration, the space for providing the radio communication device can be narrowed compared to a case where the radio communication circuit and the antenna are separately provided, and no influence is exerted on providing other components of the cooking device.
In Aspect 6 of the present invention, a cooking device is configured such that, in the cooking device in accordance with any one of Aspects 1 through 5 of the present invention, the radio communication device (radio communication adapter 20) is provided in the space, and the cooking device is connected to an external communication network via the radio communication device.
The configuration makes it possible to provide a cooking device capable of establishing a satisfactory external communication with a radio communication device.
The present invention encompasses a network home appliance system including (i) the cooking device in accordance with Aspect 6 and (ii) a communication terminal communicable with the radio communication device provided in the cooking device in accordance with Aspect 6.
The present invention is not limited to the description of the above embodiments, and can therefore be modified by a skilled person in the art within the scope of the claims. Namely, an embodiment derived from a proper combination of technical means disclosed in different embodiments is encompassed in the technical scope of the present invention. Moreover, it is possible to obtain a new technical feature from a proper combination of technical means disclosed in different embodiments.
The present invention is applicable to, for example, a cooking device including a magnetron and being to be provided with a radio communication device to function as a network home appliance.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015-014806 | Jan 2015 | JP | national |
This application is a Continuation of copending application Ser. No. 15/533,732, filed on Jun. 7, 2017, which is the National Phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2016/050226, filed on Jan. 6, 2016, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Patent Application No. 2015-014806, filed in Japan on Jan. 28, 2015, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15533732 | Jun 2017 | US |
Child | 16776000 | US |