Patent ID: 8164030

Claim:
A heating cooker comprising: a top plate placed on an upper surface of the heating cooker; electrostatic touch keys provided on a lower surface of the top plate and directing functions allocated thereto to be performed, the electrostatic touch keys each including an electrode made of a conductive film having predetermined light-blocking property and being provided on a lower surface of the top plate, the conductive film of each electrostatic touch key being partially removed in a shape representing a graphical image or a character image; an operation sensor detecting changes of capacitances between the electrostatic touch keys and a ground, the changes of the capacitances being produced by touches of the top plate at locations facing the electrodes of the electrostatic touch keys while an alternating-current signal is applied to the electrodes, respectively; operation-unit illuminators which emit light toward the electrodes of the electrostatic touch keys from a direction opposite to the top plate, respectively; and an illumination controller controlling illumination of the operation-unit illuminators, wherein the illumination controller controls the operation-unit illuminators to emit light, which goes through the electrostatic touch keys to project to the top plate the graphical images or the character images formed by the conductive films so that the graphical images or the character images are visible through the top plate.