Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Kazuyuki Takimoto

Hiroyuki Uehashi

Masaru Noda

Kazuo Taino

Yuichi Otsuki

Eiji Fukunaga

Kayo Tsuzaki

A cooking device includes an infrared ray sensor disposed to sense infrared radiation from food obliquely from the above. Infrared ray sensor includes a printed circuit board, a light receiving portion, a photointerrupter, and a chopper. The chopper includes a horizontal vane portion and a vertical vane portion. The chopper is disposed between the light receiving portion of infrared ray sensor and food such that the vertical vane portion passes between the light emitting device and light receiving device of photointerrupter and that horizontal vane portion passes between the light receiving portion of infrared ray sensor and food when chopper rotates. Thus, an improved microwave oven having a reduced occupied area which can be manufactured less costly can be provided.

Infrared temperature sensor for a cooking device

In the operation of a thoroughly heating course of a microwave oven, when an ordinary temperature food having a weight of less than 500 g is heated to a desired finishing temperature of 75.degree. C., heating is performed until the temperature of the food reaches 75.degree. C. by a normal output of 650 W (a first mode). After time t.sub.1 at which 75.degree. C. is reached, the food is heated and kept warm at 90.degree. C. higher than 75.degree. C. by a lower output of 350 W (a second mode). As a result, the food can be surely and thoroughly heated to the inside.

Cooking apparatus including infrared ray sensor

Growing community of inventors

Shiga, Japan

Kazuyuki Takimoto