Cooking device

• US 8,338,757 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Isoda, Keiko, Kobayashi, Hideaki, Ishio, Yoshiaki, Suzuki, Hidekazu, Oguri, Taihei
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTHEWS, COLLEEN ANN
• Application Number:
  US12/669,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 219/450.1, 219/492
• US Class Current: 219/450.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/062 for cooking plates or the like

Abstract

A cooking device includes a control mode switch selecting a control mode for controlling a heating operation; a setting switch for selecting a set value in each control mode; a heating control unit for controlling a heating unit based on the control mode and the set value inputted through the control mode switch and the setting switch; and a selection switch for selecting the operation mode. The operation modes include a first operation mode in which all of the plurality of control modes are set to be selectable and a second operation mode in which only part of the control modes are set to be selectable. The heating control unit disables at least one control mode switch when the second operation mode is selected by the selection switch.

Claims

1. A cooking device comprising:

a main body serving as shell;

a top plate provided on an upper surface of the main body;

a heating unit operable to heat an object to be heated placed on the upper surface of the main body;

at least one control mode switch operable to select one of a plurality of control modes for controlling a heating operation of the heating unit;

at least one setting switch operable to select a set value in each control mode;

a heating control unit operable to control the heating unit based on the control mode and the set value inputted through the control mode switch and the setting switch; and

a selection switch operable to select one operation mode from a plurality of operation modes;

wherein

the operation modes include a first operation mode in which all of the plurality of control modes are set to be selectable and a second operation mode in which only part of the plurality of control modes are set to be selectable; and

the heating control unit sets only the control mode switch and the setting switch which are necessary for the control modes which are set to be selectable in the operation mode selected by the selection switch to be enabled.

2. A cooking device comprising:

a main body;

a top plate provided on an upper surface of the main body;

a heating unit operable to heat an object placed on the top plate;

a plurality of control mode switches operable to select one of a plurality of control modes for controlling a heating operation of the heating unit;

a setting switch operable to select a set value in each control mode;

a heating control unit operable to control the heating unit based on the control mode inputted through the control mode switches and the set value inputted through the setting switch; and

a selection switch operable to select one operation mode from a plurality of operation modes, the operation modes including a first operation mode in which all of the plurality of control modes are set to be selectable and a second operation mode in which only part of the plurality of control modes are set to be selectable; and

wherein the heating control unit disables at least one of the control mode switches when the second operation mode is selected by the selection switch.

3. The cooking device of claim 2, further comprising a first notifying unit operable to indicate which of the control mode switches are enabled.

4. The cooking device of claim 2, wherein at least two of the control mode switches are enabled when the second operation mode is selected by the selection switch, and

wherein said at least two enabled control mode switches arranged are side by side.

5. The cooking device of claim 4, wherein the setting switch is enabled when the second operation mode is selected by the selection switch, and the setting switch is side by side with said at least two enabled control mode switches.

6. The cooking device of claim 2, further comprising:

a first notifying unit operable to indicate which of the control mode switches are enabled; and

a second notifying unit operable to indicate whether the cooking device is operating in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode,

wherein, when the disabled control mode switch is operated, at least one of the first notifying unit or the second notifying unit indicates that the operated control mode switch is disabled.

7. The cooking device of claim 2, wherein the setting switch is a first setting switch and the cooking device further comprises a second setting switch,

wherein the heating control unit disables at least one of the setting switches when the second operation mode is selected by the selection switch.

8. The cooking device of claim 7, further comprising:

a first notifying unit operable to indicate which of the control mode switches are enabled; and

a second notifying unit operable to indicate whether the cooking device is operating in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode,

wherein, when the disabled control mode switch or the disabled setting switch is operated, at least one of the first notifying unit or the second notifying unit indicates that the operated control mode switch or the operated setting switch is disabled.

9. The cooking device of claim 2, wherein an operation of the selection switch is more difficult than operations of the control mode switches and the setting switch.

10. The cooking device of claim 2, wherein the selection switch is a switch which has an electrical contact and is operable to open or close, and

wherein the control mode switch and the setting switch are touch switches of electrostatic capacity type.

11. The cooking device of claim 2, further comprising:

a power switch operable to disable all operations in an OFF state of the power switch and to enable at least one switch to be operated in an ON state of the power switch; and

a non-volatile memory operable to store the operation mode selected by the selection switch when the power switch is in the ON state,

wherein the cooking device operates in the stored operation mode when the power switch is turned on.