JP2000296053A - rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a rice cooker with good heat retention performance by a heat retention program corresponding to the amount of rice to be kept warm and room temperature. SOLUTION: A main body, a pot removably housed in the main body, heating means provided in the main body for heating the pan, and a lid which covers an upper opening of the main body and is pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable. The lid is provided with a steam port for discharging steam during cooking of rice, a ventilation passage connected to the inside of the pan by a ventilation port above the pan, and a blower provided on the pot side of the ventilation passage to keep the rice warm. To obtain good heat retention performance by keeping the temperature in the warming program according to the amount of rice with the weight sensor 46 measuring the amount and keeping the temperature in the warming program according to the room temperature with the room temperature sensor 47 measuring the outside air temperature Can be.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rice cooker used for general household or business use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional rice cooker, when the rice is cooked and the temperature is maintained, the power supply to the heating means is turned off and the temperature is lowered to a predetermined temperature to keep the temperature.
In this state, excess water is evaporated and dew forms on the lid and the side of the pot, and the heating means is intermittently energized to prevent problems such as the dripping of the condensed water and sticky rice.

[0003]

However, in the rice cooker described above, since the excess water is prevented from sticking to the pot or the radiator plate by heating the heating means, the rice is heated more than necessary and the rice is deteriorated. As discoloration becomes remarkable,
Since the excess water in the pot cannot be forcibly discharged to the outside by heating, there is a problem in that dew condensation water easily adheres to a low temperature portion due to a temperature difference caused by unevenness in heating of the heating means.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a structure with good cleaning properties to reduce excess moisture of rice to prevent stickiness of rice and to quickly lower the temperature to a heat retaining temperature to reduce deterioration of rice. , Depending on the heat retention,
The purpose is to ensure good heat retention performance.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a main body, a pot removably housed in the main body, heating means provided in the main body for heating the pan, A lid that covers the upper opening and is pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable, a steam passage that communicates with the lid having a steam port through which steam during cooking is discharged, and a vent that is above the pan and that communicates with the inside of the pan. And a means for ventilating the steam in the pan in the middle of the ventilation passage, and a detector for measuring the amount of rice cooked and kept warm and a detector for measuring the room temperature in the main body.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 comprises a main body,
A pot removably housed in the main body, a heating means provided in the main body for heating the pan, a lid that covers the upper opening of the main body and is pivotally supported to open and close; A steam passage communicating with the inside of the pot having a steam outlet for discharging steam, a ventilation passage communicating with the inside of the pan by a ventilation port above the pan, and a means for ventilating steam in the pan in the middle of the ventilation passage. Installed, measure the amount of cooked rice or the amount of rice kept in the body provided in the main unit and measure the amount of rice during cooking, and adjust the amount of steam generated during the insulation until the rice reaches the insulation temperature. Performance can be improved.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that when the amount of cooked rice is large, the amount of ventilation in the pot is increased, and when the amount of cooked rice is small, the amount of ventilation in the pan is reduced, and steam generated during the heat retention is reduced. By adjusting the discharge amount, it is possible to prevent the drying, yellowing and dew of the rice, thereby improving the performance.

The invention according to claim 3 is provided with a detector capable of judging the amount of heat retention during the heat retention in the main body, and when the heat retention amount is large, until the rice reaches the heat retention temperature, the steam in the pot is reduced. When ventilation is high and heat insulation is low, reduce the ventilation of steam in the pot, adjust the amount of steam generated during heat insulation, prevent rice from drying, yellowing and dew, Degradation can be prevented.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, by providing a detector which can determine the room temperature in the main body, the ventilation volume of the steam in the pot is increased when the room temperature is high, and the inside of the pan is reduced when the room temperature is low. The amount of steam ventilation can be reduced, the dew generated until the rice reaches the warming temperature can be minimized, and the drying and yellowing of the rice can be prevented.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the main body 1 has an upper surface opened, and a protective frame 3 which is a storage portion of the pot 2 is disposed inside the main body 1 and a heating means is provided outside the protective frame 3. An induction coil 4 is provided.

A cover 5 covers an upper opening of the main body 1. The lid 5 is rotatably connected to a hinge member 7 integrally formed on an upper portion of an upper frame 6 constituting the upper portion of the main body 1 via a pin 8. Supported. Reference numeral 9 denotes an outer lid cover which is a lower surface member of the lid. The outer lid cover 9 is fixed inside the lid 5. A heat radiating plate 10 as a heating element and a heat radiating plate unit 12 having a pot packing 11 are detachably attached to the outer lid cover 9, and the upper part of the radiating plate 10 is supported by the outer lid cover 9. The lid induction coil 13 as the lid heating means is located. Due to the electromagnetic action of the lid induction coil 13, the heat sink 10
Generates heat.

When the lid 5 is closed, the pan packing 11 is pressed against the flange 14 of the pan 2 to hermetically close the pan 2.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a steam cylinder detachably provided on the lid 5. A float 16 having a magnetic property is provided below the steam cylinder 15 so as to be movable when cooking rice. SW at a position facing the float 16 inside
17 are arranged. When the rice reaches the float 16, the float 16 moves, and the reed SW 17 detects it and controls the output to the induction coil 4 as a heating means, thereby preventing the rice from leaking out. Further, it is configured to move when the lid 5 is opened and closed, and also serves as detection of opening and closing of the lid 5.

The steam cylinder 15 is provided with a steam valve 19 so as to close an internal steam port 18.
A core plate 21 provided with a first magnet 20 is provided on the outer peripheral flange portion so as to be vertically movable, and the steam valve 19 is raised when the core plate 21 is raised. On the other hand, a steam valve drive unit 22 is provided inside the lid 5, and the steam valve drive unit 22 has a first magnet 20 oriented at a position opposite to the first magnet 20 so as to have a different polarity from the first magnet 20. A rotatable rotor 24 provided with two magnets 23,
A steam valve drive motor 25 for rotating the rotor 24 is provided. When the rotor 24 is rotated by controlling the steam valve drive motor 25 and the second magnet 23 and the first magnet 20 are opposed to each other, the core plate 21 is repelled by the repulsive force of the second magnet 23 and the first magnet 20. The steam port 18 can be opened by raising the steam valve 19 and moving up.

Further, a blower 26 is provided on the lower surface of the outer lid cover 9.
Is formed by the outer lid cover 9. Further, a fan cover 28-a is detachably provided on the blower guide 28. The fan unit 27 of the blower 26 is rotatably supported by the fan cover 28-a. The motor unit 29 of the blower 26 is provided on the inside of the cover 5 of the outer cover 9. For this reason, since the intake air passing through the fan unit 27 does not pass through the motor unit 29, the motor unit 29 has a configuration in which steam or moist outside air does not directly pass.
Since the fan cover 28-a is detachable, if the inside of the blower guide 28 becomes dirty, the fan cover 28-a
Can be removed for cleaning. Further, the fan unit 27
Can be removed together with the fan cover 28-a, so that the fan section 27 can be removed and washed with water, and the inside of the air guide 28 can be more easily cleaned.

A detection magnet 46 is provided on the fan cover 28-a, and a detection lead switch 47 for detecting attachment / detachment of the fan cover 28-a is provided at a position of the outer lid cover 9 opposite to the detection magnet 46. , Fan cover 2
This constitutes 8-a detection means. Therefore, if the user forgets to attach the fan cover 28-a, the detection reed switch 4
The operation can be stopped by detecting that the user has forgotten to mount the camera on the vehicle. In this embodiment, the detecting means is constituted by the magnet and the reed switch. However, other means, for example, a microswitch is provided on the outer cover 9 and a lever for pressing the microswitch is provided on the fan cover 28-a. May constitute the detecting means. Further, an operation board 48 provided on the upper surface of the lid 5 and having a display unit for displaying the operation state of the rice cooker and an operation unit for operating the rice cooker is provided with an LED.
49 is provided, and the LED 49 that is detected by the detection means detects that the user has forgotten to attach the fan cover 28-a, thereby notifying the user of forgetting to attach the fan cover 28-a. Instead of the LED 49, a buzzer or an LCD may be used for notification.

Further, the motor magnet 29 is
0, by providing the fan magnet 31 in the fan unit 27, when the motor unit 29 is rotated, the fan unit 27 is rotated in a state where the motor unit 29 and the fan unit 27 are separated by the attraction of the motor magnet 30 and the fan magnet 31. Can be done. Therefore, the motor unit 29 and the fan unit 2
7 is completely separated by an outer lid cover 9 and the fan 2
Since there is no passage for steam or the like to enter the motor unit 29 from the position 7, safety is further improved.

The radiator plate unit 12 has an intake valve 32 with a spring 33 and an air outlet 34 of the radiator plate unit with the intake valve packing 3.
5 urges in the closing direction. A valve lever 36 is provided on the outer lid cover 9 above the intake valve 32 with a lever packing 37 to cover the lid 5.
It is installed to seal with the inside. Intake valve 3
The opening and closing of 2 is performed by pushing down a valve lever 36 with a cam 39 from a motor unit 29 of the blower 26 via a gear unit 38.

A gap 43 is provided between the main body 1 and the lid 5, and even if the lid 5 or the main body 1 is deformed or warped, the gap 43 is provided.
In order to ensure the above, a rib is provided in a portion where the main body 1 and the lid 5 face each other. Further, the heat sink unit 12 and the lid 5
A gap is provided between the outer cover 9 and the outer cover 9 constituting the lower part of the air passage to form the air passage 44.

The outside air is sucked into the blower 26 from the gap 43 between the lid 5 and the main body 1 through the blower passage 44, and the wind sent from the blower 26 flows from the blower port 34 of the heat sink unit 12 to the pan 2.
Sent inside. Thereby, outside air can be sent into the pot 2 without making a hole other than the steam port 18 on the outer surface of the lid 5.

The connection between the steam cylinder 15 and the heat radiating plate 10 is sealed by a steam plate packing 40 so that the exhaust gas in the pan 2 does not leak between the heat radiating plate unit 12 and the outer cover. The radiator plate 10 is provided with a connecting hole 41 that connects to the steam cylinder 15, and forms a steam passage 45. Further, between the heat radiating plate 10 and the fan case 28, an air outlet gasket 42 is provided.
The blast from 6 does not leak.

By arranging the blower port 34 and the blower 26 inside the cover induction coil 13, the space inside the cover 5 can be used effectively, and the heat insulation performance can be improved with a compact size.

Next, a weight sensor 46 for measuring the weight of the pot and determining the amount of cooked rice and the amount of heat retention is provided at the bottom of the protective frame 3 which is a storage portion of the pot 2. By installing the weight sensor 46, the amount of cooked rice and the amount of heat insulation can be detected, and the rice can be cooked and kept warm by the rice cooking and warming program appropriate for the amount of rice.

Further, inside the main body 1, a room temperature sensor 47 for detecting the room temperature of the outside air during cooking and keeping warm is installed, and the room temperature during cooking and keeping warm is detected. Can work.

When rice cooking is completed in the rice cooker configured as described above, the blower 26 is operated for a certain period of time to send outside air into the pot 2. When outside air is sent into the pan 2, excess water in the pan 2 is discharged to the outside from the exhaust hole 41 of the radiator plate 10 through the steam tube 15 so that excess water vapor in the pan 2 is discharged to the outside. To prevent condensation on the side surface of the pot 2 and the radiator plate unit 12 to prevent sticky rice. In other words, the same effect can be obtained by using rice put in a wooden wrap as rice that absorbs excess water from the rice and becomes non-sticky rice. In addition, by discharging the air inside the pot 2 and putting in the outside air, the smell of the rice generated due to deterioration due to heat retention can be discharged to the outside. Can be done. Further, the outside air lower than the temperature in the pan 2 flows into the pan 2, so that the temperature of the rice in the pan 2 can be quickly lowered to a predetermined temperature. The longer the holding time at high temperature is, the greater the deterioration and discoloration due to oxidation and the like, and the deterioration and discoloration can be reduced by rapidly lowering the temperature to a predetermined temperature.
Further, the weight sensor 46 detects the amount of the rice being kept warm, and changes the rotation time and the number of rotations of the blower 26 according to the amount of the rice. When the amount of rice is large, the amount of steam generated during the heat retention is large, so that the rotation time of the blower 26 is lengthened, the number of rotations is increased, and the heat retention temperature is quickly reached. When the heat retention amount is small, the rotation time of the blower 26 can be shortened and the number of rotations can be reduced to prevent the rice from drying. In other words, the amount of steam generated during the heat retention is discharged by an amount corresponding to the amount of rice, so that drying and yellowing of the rice can be prevented.

Next, by installing a room temperature sensor 47 in the main body, the room temperature during the heat insulation is detected. When the room temperature is high, the amount of steam generated during the heat insulation is large.
6, the rotation time can be extended, the number of rotations can be increased, and the heat retention program at the room temperature can be operated, so that the occurrence of dew occurring before the temperature drops to the heat retention temperature can be suppressed. Further, when the room temperature is low, the rotation time of the blower 26 can be shortened and the number of rotations can be reduced to prevent the rice from drying. That is, it is possible to prevent the rice from drying, yellowing, and the like by a heat retention program corresponding to the amount of steam that changes depending on the room temperature, and to obtain good heat retention performance.

[0028]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention provides
A main body, a pot removably housed in the main body, a heating means provided in the main body for heating the pan, a lid that covers an upper opening of the main body and is pivotally supported to open and close; Is a steam passage communicating with a pot having a steam outlet for discharging steam during cooking rice, a ventilation passage communicating with the inside of the pan by a ventilation port above the pan, and stimulating steam in the pan in the middle of the ventilation passage. It is possible to improve the heat insulation performance by determining the amount of rice cooked by having means to determine the amount of cooked rice or the amount of heat insulation by having means for determining the amount of rice cooked and the heat retention program based on the result of the determined amount. it can.

According to the invention of claim 2, when the amount of cooked rice is large in the heat retention program, the ventilation amount of steam in the pot is increased,
When the amount of cooked rice is small, reduce the ventilation of steam in the pot,
Drying, yellowing and dew of rice can be prevented.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 has means for measuring the amount of heat insulation during the heat insulation, so that the amount of rice for heat insulation is determined, and when the amount of heat insulation is large, the ventilation volume of steam in the pot is determined. When the amount of heat is small and the amount of heat retention is small, the amount of steam ventilation in the pot can be reduced to prevent drying, yellowing and dew of the rice for heat retention.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, by installing a room temperature sensor in the main body, when the room temperature is high, the ventilation volume of the steam in the pan is increased, and when the room temperature is low, the ventilation of the steam in the pan is increased. The ventilation volume can be reduced, and the occurrence of dew occurring when the temperature drops to the heat retention temperature can be suppressed, and the heat retention performance can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to one embodiment of the present invention in a front-rear direction.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the rice cooker in a transverse direction.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the essential part in the horizontal direction when air is blown into the pot of the rice cooker.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Pot 3 Protective frame 4 Induction heating coil 5 Lid 6 Upper frame 7 Hinge member 8 Pin 9 Outer lid 10 Heat sink 11 Pot packing 12 Heat sink unit 13 Lid induction coil 14 Flange 15 Steam cylinder 16 Float 17 Lead SW 18 Steam port 19 Steam valve 20 Magnet 21 Core plate 22 Steam valve drive unit 23 Magnet 24 Rotor 25 Steam valve drive unit 26 Blower 27 Fan part 28 Blow guide 29 Motor part 30 Motor magnet 31 Fine magnet 32 Intake valve 33 Spring 34 Blower 35 Intake Valve packing 36 Valve lever 37 Lever packing 38 Gear unit 39 Cam 40 Steam plate packing 41 Connecting hole 42 Blower port packing 43 Gap 44 Blower path 45 Steam path 46 Weight sensor 47 Room temperature sensor

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Toshihiro Fujita 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Koyama 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Kadoma City Osaka Pref. 72) Inventor Koichiro Yamashita 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 4B055 AA02 BA54 CA21 CA73 CB08 CD60 GA13 GB02 GB18 GB45 GC31 GC40

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A main body, a pot removably stored in the main body, a heating means provided in the main body for heating the pan, and a control unit for controlling supply of electric power to the heating element,
A lid that covers the upper opening of the main body and is pivotally supported so that it can be opened and closed,
A steam passage communicating with the inside of the pot having a steam outlet for discharging steam during cooking on the lid, an air passage connected to the inside of the pan by an air outlet above the pan, and A rice cooker provided with a means for ventilating the steam, and having a means for determining the amount of cooked rice or the amount of heat retention, and controlled by a warming program according to the determination result of the determination means. 2. In the above program, when the amount of cooked rice is large, the ventilation rate of steam in the pot is increased, and when the amount of cooked rice is small, control is performed by a warming program that reduces the ventilation rate of steam in the pan. The rice cooker according to claim 1. 3. It has means for measuring the amount of heat retention during the heat retention, and when the amount of heat retention is large, according to the result of the measuring means,
2. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein when the amount of steam in the pot is increased and the amount of heat retention is small, the rice cooker is controlled by a heat retention program for reducing the amount of steam ventilation in the pot. 4. A room temperature detecting means is provided in the main body, and when the room temperature is high, the ventilation volume in the pot is increased, and when the room temperature is low, the ventilation in the pan is A rice cooker controlled by a heat retention program that reduces the amount.