Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Yuko Nakajima

Noriko Ohashi

Mari Terada

Yuzi Ando

Rika Nozawa

Takashi Utsumi

Mao Yamada

Kiyoshi Yamaguchi

Noriko Kurihara

Keiko Fukuoka

Motoki Tanaka

Setsuko Kobashi

A steam generating apparatus includes: a steam generator including a housing capable of storing water therein, and a heating unit for heating the housing so as to generate steam; a water level measurement unit for measuring a water level in the housing; and a water supply unit for supplying water into the housing. A controller controls, when a time during which the measured water level does not exceed the threshold value continues for a first time, the water supply unit to start water supply into the housing, and controls, when the time during which the measured water level does not exceed the threshold value continues for a second time longer than the first time, the heating unit to stop heating of the housing.

Steam generating apparatus and heating cooker

A heating cooker includes a container for containing an object to be heated, a stirrer for stirring the object inside the container, and a stirring controller for controlling a stirring operation of the stirrer. In cooking the object under stirring by the stirrer, the stirring controller determines a state of the object from at least one of a cooking menu to be executed and a heating time, and controls at least one of a stirring speed, a stirring-operation timing and a stirring direction of the stirrer in accordance with the state of the object. Thus, the heating cooker can perform proper stirring suited to a mixed state and/or viscosity of ingredients during the cooking process.

Heating cooker

After a preheating operation is performed to raise an inner temperature of a heating chamber to a target preheating temperature (first specified temperature) by a first steam superheater of a steam temperature-raising device, a cooking operation is performed to raise, by the first steam superheater of the temperature-raising device, a temperature of steam obtained by heating of water in a steam generator by heatersA,B of the steam generator and then supply the steam to the heating chamber. In this process, when inner temperature of the heating chamber detected by an inner temperature sensorduring the preheating operation has come to or beyond a steam generation start temperature (second specified temperature) which is lower than a target preheating temperature, a control unitdecides that a steam generation start condition has been satisfied, and heats water in the steam generator by the heaters of the steam generator.

Steam cooker

A steam cookerhas: a steam generation heatergenerating steam; and a steam heating heaterheating the steam generated by the steam generation heaterto generate overheated steam and heating steam in a heating chamberthrough circulation, an-article-to-be-heated F being cooked by use of steam fed into the heating chamber. The steam cookerhas: a first cooking step in which the article-to-be-heated F is cooked with supply of electric power to the steam generation heaterbeing larger than that to the steam heating heater; and a second cooking step in which the article-to-be-heated F is cooked with supply of electric power to the steam generation heaterbeing smaller than that to the steam heating heater. When the temperature of the article-to-be-heated F exceeds the fat melting temperature zone but is less than or equal to 100&#xb0; C., the first cooking step is switched to the second cooking step.

Vapor cooker

A steam cooking apparatus having a steam generating device that generates steam to be fed to a heating chamber and a vapor heating heater that heats the steam generated by the steam generating device to provide superheated steam. The steam cooking apparatus includes a first heating mode using the superheated steam obtained from the vapor heating heater and a second heating mode using hot air or radiation heat obtained by using the vapor heating heater without use of the steam generating device so that the second heating mode produces heat without a supply of steam.

Steam cooking apparatus

Midway along an outer circulation passage provided outside a heating chamber, a steam generating device is arranged, and, through the outer circulation passage, steam is fed to the heating chamber. A control device controls a steam generating heater arranged inside the steam generating device and a vapor heating heater provided in a space through which an air stream flowing through the outer circulation passage is returned to the heating chamber, and forms a cooking sequence by using, singly or in combination, a first heating mode that uses superheated steam obtained as a result of the steam being heated with the vapor heating heater and a second heating mode that uses hot air or radiation heat obtained by making the vapor heating heater produce heat without supply of steam.

Growing community of inventors

Nara, Japan

Yuko Nakajima