Abstract: In a heating cooker, an object to be heated is placed on a top plate and is heated by a heating unit located below the top plate. The top plate is translucent and a fluorescent display tube is located below the top plate. The top plate is configured to have spectral transmission characteristics in a visible light range such that the spectral transmission at a wavelength of approximately 500 nm corresponding to blue or green is substantially one third of a spectral transmission at a wavelength of approximately 700 nm corresponding to red such that the spectral transmission is gradually rendered larger as the wavelength is increased from approximately 500 nm to approximately 700 nm.

Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes an induction heating unit having an induction heating coil, a top plate made of a glass and mounted over the induction heating unit so that an object to be heated is placed on the top plate, and a light-emitting display section formed in the top plate for displaying an output state of the induction heating unit. The light-emitting display section includes a light-emitting element disposed below the top plate, and the top plate includes a portion corresponding at least to the induction heating coil and the light-emitting element. The portion is coated with a light transmissible thin film including a semiconductor, metal or metallic oxide and having such a light-transmittance characteristic that light emitted by the light-emitting element is viewed above the top plate.

Abstract: In a heating cooker, a heated object placed on a top plate (15) is heated by a heating unit (12, 13, 14) disposed below the top plate (15). The top plate (15) is translucent and a fluorescent display tube (23) is disposed below the top plate (15).

Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes an induction heating unit having an induction heating coil, a top plate made of a glass and mounted over the induction heating unit so that an object to be heated is placed on the top plate, and a light-emitting display section formed in the top plate for displaying an output state of the induction heating unit. The light-emitting display section includes a light-emitting element disposed below the top plate, and the top plate includes a portion corresponding at least to the induction heating coil and the light-emitting element. The portion is coated with a light transmissible thin film including a semiconductor, metal or metallic oxide and having such a light-transmittance characteristic that light emitted by the light-emitting element is viewed above the top plate.

Abstract: An abnormal vibration detecting device for detecting abnormal vibration of a rotational tub of a washing machine includes first and second abnormal vibration detectors. The first abnormal vibration detector includes a detecting lever rotatively moved where it collides with the rotational tub when it vibrates transversely, and a detection switch responsive to the rotative movement of the detecting lever. The second abnormal vibration detector includes a rotational speed detecting section detecting the rotational speed of a motor driving the rotational tub and a comparator section comparing a speed signal detected by the rotational speed detecting section with a reference speed signal determined based on the rise characteristic of rotation of the rotational tub appearing in the state that the rotational tub is in the condition of slight abnormal vibration.

Abstract: A washing machine installed with a brushless motor for driving an agitator and an inner tub includes a storage device storing a data table representative of a plurality of preselected rotational speed values and values of voltage applied to the brushless motor driven at each preselected speed with respect to every different load applied to the brushless motor, a load amount determining device, a control device determining the voltage applied to the motor based on the data table when one preselected speed is selected with an operating switch. An amount of load is determined when one preselected speed is selected. A suitable value of applied voltage is selected which value has a predetermined relation to the preselected speed selected in the condition of the determined amount of load. The amount of load is determined by collating the load amount and the number of revolution with the data table.

Abstract: A cleanser feeding mechanism has a cleanser housing portion, a cleanser feeding member for feeding a cleanser housed in the cleanser housing portion, and a synchronous motor for applying a drive force to the cleanser feeding member, and feeds an amount of cleanser corresponding to the number of revolutions of the synchronous motor. A cleanser feeding amount-setting unit sets an amount of cleanser to be fed from the cleanser feeding mechanism. A driving unit applies an AC source voltage of an AC power source to the synchronous motor. A counter counts the number of cycles of the AC source voltage from a timing at which the AC source voltage is applied to the synchronous motor. A reference cycle number-setting unit sets a total cycle number of the AC source voltage which corresponds to a cleanser amount set by the cleanser feeding amount-setting unit.

Abstract: A temperature controller compares a temperature detection signal outputted from a temperature sensor with a set temperature preliminary set in a temperature setting circuit. According to a result of the comparison and before a zero-cross point of an AC voltage applied from a commercial AC source to a heating member, a driving circuit of the temperature controller outputs a driving signal to a thyristor to turn ON the thyristor at the zero-cross point. Then the AC voltage is applied to the heating member via the thyristor. Since the determination of turning ON or OFF the thyristor is made before the zero-cross point of the AC voltage applied through the thyristor, the thyristor may surely be turned ON or OFF at the zero-cross point to prevent electromagnetic wave noises from occurring.

Abstract: A cleanser feeding mechanism has a cleanser housing portion, a cleanser feeding member for feeding a cleanser housed in the cleanser housing portion, and a synchronous motor for applying a drive force to the cleanser feeding member, and feeds and amount of cleanser corresponding to the number of revolutions of the synchronous motor. A cleanser feeding amount-setting unit sets an amount of cleanser to be fed from the cleanser feeding mechanism. A driving unit applies an AC source voltage of an AC power source to the synchronous motor. A counter counts the number of cycles of the AC source voltage from a timing at which the AC source voltage is applied to the synchronous motor. A reference cycle number-setting unit sets a total cycle number of the AC source voltage which corresponds to a cleanser amount set by the cleanser feeding amount-setting unit.

Abstract: A motor load detector detects an electrical value representing a rise characteristic of a motor, which varies in accordance with a load acting on the motor serving as a power source for a series of operations including a wash cycle and a spin-drying cycle executed by an electric washing machine for washing and spin-drying. A determining section receives a value detected by the motor load detector during the spin-drying cycle, and determines a weight of washings contained in the electric washing machine in accordance with a time which has elapsed until the detected value reaches a second reference value from a first reference value. The determined washings weight is used in a cycle subsequent to the spin-drying cycle.

Abstract: A load state detecting apparatus of an induction motor having two coils, the apparatus having a drive voltage supplying unit for supplying a drive voltage to the coils in the induction motor, a phase difference detecting unit for detecting a phase difference between the drive voltage supplied across the coils of the induction motor and a current flowing through one of the coils upon application of the drive voltage and for generating a phase difference signal, and a load state detecting unit for comparing the phase difference signal generated by the phase difference detecting unit with a predetermined reference value and generating a signal depending on a load state of the induction motor.

Abstract: An induction heated cooking apparatus for heating a removable cooking vessel having one of high resistance and a low resistance. The apparatus includes a power source for supplying a power source voltage, an induction heating device responsive to the power source for inducing an eddy current in the cooking vessel, including an induction coil device for exposing the vessel to a magnetic field for inducing the eddy current and a device for generating a high frequency current for inducing the magnetic field, an impedance state detection circuit for detecting the high frequency current, a frequency state detection circuit for detecting the frequency of the high frequency current and a control circuit for controlling the induction heating device in response to the impedance state detection circuit and the frequency state detection circuit.

Abstract: An electromagnetic induction cooking apparatus having a heating coil, an inverter for supplying an input power to the coil, and a load-identifying circuit. The coil comprises two coils elements. The first coil elements has a first number (N.sub.1) of turns, and the second coil element has a second number (N.sub.2) of turns. The load-identifying circuit identifies the material of a load (e.g., a pan) and selects the first coil element or the second coil element in accordance with the material of the load. When the circuit selects the first coil element, a first DC voltage is applied to the inverter, and the inverter generates and supplies a first high-frequency current of frequency f.sub.1 to the first coil element. When the circuit selects the second coil element, a second DC voltage is applied to the inverter, and the inverter generates and supplies a second high-frequency current of frequency f.sub.2 to the second coil element. The ratio of N.sub.2 to N.sub.1 (N.sub.2 /N.sub.

Abstract: According to this invention, a drying machine includes detection electrodes arranged to face the interior of a drum constituting a drying chamber and to be capable of contacting clothes in the drum, a volume (weight)-of-clothes detecting circuit for detecting the volume of clothes based on a contact interval of the clothes to the detection electrodes upon rotation of the drum, an operation time display circuit for calculating an operation time based on the weight of clothes detected by the volume-of-clothes detecting circuit and causing a display to display it as an estimated time, a degree-of-dryness detecting circuit for detecting a degree of dryness based on the resistance of the clothes contacting the detection electrodes, a volume-of-dryness setting circuit, operable by a user, for selectively setting a plurality of target degrees of dryness, a remaining operation time determination circuit for determining a remaining operation time based on the degree of dryness detected by the degree-of-dryness detecti

Abstract: An object to be heated, such as a cooking utensil or vessel, is placed on a top plate. An inventer has a resonating circuit comprising an induction heating coil arranged below the top plate and a resonating capacitor connected to the coil, and a circuit for supplying high-frequency power to the resonating circuit in order to generate a high-frequency magnetic field from the induction heating coil and to induce an eddy current in the object to be heated. An inverter power level control data generating unit outputs inverter power level control data according to the relationship between the high-frequency power from the inverter circuit and a repulsion force acting on the object to be heated, based on the high-frequency power. The inverter power level control data is data for controlling the level of the high-frequency power from the inverter circuit so as to prevent the object to be heated from floating over a placing surface of the top plate, due to the repulsion force.

Abstract: A temperature control apparatus has a first comparator circuit for comparing the voltage corresponding to thermal data provided by a thermal sensor with a first reference voltage generated in synchronism with the zero crossings of an AC power source. The first comparator circuit generates a pulsative output voltage which is synchronous with the zero crossings of the AC power source. This output voltage causes a second reference voltage to be applied to a second comparator circuit in the form of a pulsative voltage. The second comparator circuit compares the thermal data voltage with the second reference voltage and generates a pulse signal. This pulse signal drives a trigger circuit which triggers a thyristor connected to an electric heater.

Abstract: A temperature controller applied to flat heating equipment, such as an electric blanket, is disclosed wherein power supply control to a heater wire in the blanket is performed, using a predetermined temperature as a target temperature which is corrected to be higher than a desired temperature preset by a user, in an initial period after the electric blanket is started. Power supply to the heater wire is temporarily increased, thereby rapidly warming the blanket, which has a low heat conductivity, and shortening the time interval until the blanket is heated to the desired temperature.

Abstract: The output of a first bridge circuit including as one component element a thermistor for detecting the temperature of a pan is compared with a preset value in a first operational amplifier. The first operational amplifier provides a low level output when the detected temperature is below a predetermined temperature. When this low level output is supplied to a second operational amplifier, the output thereof goes to a high level to turn on a transistor so as to energize a relay for passing current to a cooking heater. When a cooking end temperature is reached, the internal resistance of the thermistor is reduced, and as a result the output of the first operational amplifier goes to a high level, causing the output of the second operational amplifier to go to a low level. Thus, a warming heater is energized while the cooking heater is de-energized.

Abstract: A water receiving tub of a washing machine is provided with a washing liquid transparency detector disposed in it at its bottom, and washing and rinsing operations are controlled according to the output signal from the detector. In the washing operation, the output signal of the detector is compared with a reference signal during pause periods of a pulsator, i.e., when air bubbles formed by a detergent float up, and in the rinsing operation the comparison is made during rotation periods of the pulsator, i.e., when air bubbles are brought to the bottom of the water receiving tub by the stream of the washing liquid.

Abstract: There is provided a memory circuit whose storage voltage changes with an instantaneous detection voltage indicating the drying rate of part of clothes successively brought in contact with a pair of electrodes. The voltage of the memory circuit is compared with a clothes drying rate setting signal, and thus a drying rate determination signal is obtained. When the determination signal reaches a given integration value, a heat source of a drying apparatus is automatically cut off.