Patent ID: 8674267
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: F22B,F24C,G01F

Abstract:
1. A steam cooker comprising: a heating chamber that stores an item to be cooked; a removable water tank; a steam generating device that includes a housing to which water is supplied from the water tank and that heats, with a steam generating heater, the water within the housing and supplies steam to the heating chamber; a sensor that includes a plurality of electrodes which are immersed in water within the water tank or a water storage portion coupled to the water tank and that detects a hardness of the water within the water tank by a resistance between the electrodes; a storage portion that stores values based on the hardness of the water within the water tank and a record of use of the steam generating device; and a notification portion that provides a notification that a total of the values exceeds a predetermined value, wherein each of the electrodes has a different depth of immersion, and the sensor detects a water level of the water tank by continuity between the electrodes.