JP2005176936A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rice cooker capable of facilitating the gelatinization of rice by feeding steam at the time of re-heating and deliciously boiling up the rice in a pot on the whole, and specifically a rice cooker capable of delicously boiling rice by feeding steam with atmospheric pressure or higher pressure into the pot. <P>SOLUTION: The rice cooker comprises a body whose top is open, the pot detachably stored inside the body, a lid to cover the body to be opened/closed, a heating means for heating the pot, a steam generating means for generating steam, and a steam pressure increasing means for increasing the pressure of the steam generated by the steam generating means to be fed into the pot. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a rice cooker.

  In a general household rice cooker, a pot heating means for heating rice and water in the pot arranged at the bottom of the pot is the main heating means. In order to cook rice deliciously, it is important to fully gelatinize the starch of rice. In particular, starch is gelatinized by heating rice at a high temperature during additional cooking, and the sweetness and aroma of rice are increased. However, since there was almost no water at the time of additional cooking, if the additional heating by the pot heating means was continued, the rice near the bottom of the pot would be burnt, so the heating had to be weakened.

The rice cooker of the conventional example disclosed by Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2003-144308 inject | pours high temperature steam in a pan from the upper part of a pan in addition to the heating by a pan heating means, and heats cooked rice and water. A conventional rice cooker will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional rice cooker. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 901 denotes a rice cooker body, 902 denotes a pan that is detachably mounted on the main body 901, and 903 denotes a lid that covers the top surface of the pan 902 so as to be opened and closed. Reference numeral 904 denotes a pan heating means for heating the pan. Reference numeral 938 denotes a steam generating means built in the book 901, which has a water tank 906 and a water tank heating means 907. Water in the water tank 906 is heated by the water tank heating means 907 to boil. Water vapor generated in the water tank 906 is supplied to the pan 902 from the steam hole 909 through the steam pipe 908. The rice cooker of the conventional example improves the taste of rice throughout the entire pan because the hot steam is cooked in the pan 902 and fed immediately after the cooking is finished without drying the upper layer rice. can do.
JP 2003-144308 A

An object of the present invention is to provide a rice cooker that steams rice to promote gelatinization during follow-up cooking and cooks the entire pan in a delicious manner.
In the conventional rice cooker, since steam at atmospheric pressure is put into the pan, steam does not spread over the entire rice, and uneven cooking may occur. An object of this invention is to provide the rice cooker which can throw in the steam | vapor more than atmospheric pressure in a pan, and can cook delicious rice.
The rice cooker in which the water tank and the water tank heating means are provided separately from the pan and the high-temperature steam generated in the water tank is put into the pan has a problem that the main body becomes large and power consumption increases. An object of the present invention is to provide a compact rice cooker with low power consumption that allows high-temperature steam to be poured into a pan.
An object of the present invention is to provide a pressure rice cooker that supplies steam at the time of additional cooking to promote gelatinization of the rice, and cooks the rice in the whole pan softly and deliciously.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration. According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a main body having an open top surface, a pan that is detachably accommodated in the main body, a lid that covers the main body so as to be opened and closed, a heating means that heats the pan, and steam. A rice cooker comprising: steam generating means to be generated; and steam pressure increasing means for increasing the pressure of the steam generated by the steam generating means and introducing the steam into the pan. In the rice cooker of the present invention, steam heated at an elevated pressure is introduced into the pan, so that gelatinization of rice can be promoted and delicious rice with increased sweetness can be cooked. Since steam having a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure is poured into the pan vigorously, the steam diffuses throughout the pan, preventing uneven cooking.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the steam generating means includes a water tank for containing water and a water tank heating means for heating the water tank, and the water tank is disposed outside the pan in the main body. 2. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the steam pressure increasing means increases steam pressure in a steam path that is a steam path between the water tank and the pan. By providing the steam pressure increasing means in the steam path, the steam can be boosted by a small steam pressure increasing means. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can realize a small rice cooker that diffuses steam vigorously throughout the pan and cooks delicious rice with increased sweetness without causing uneven cooking.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the lid is a pressure for adjusting the atmospheric pressure in the pan, the steam path for guiding the steam from the water tank to the pan in a state where the lid is closed. It is a rice cooker of Claim 2 which has an adjustment valve and can hold | maintain the inside of the said pan to high pressure from external pressure. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can realize a pressure rice cooker that diffuses steam vigorously throughout the pan and cooks delicious soft rice with increased sweetness without causing uneven cooking.

  The invention according to claim 4 is a heating plate / water tank in which the steam generating means is disposed in the lid so as to cover the opening of the pan and puts water, and a heating plate for heating the heating plate / water tank. A steam tank heating means, and the steam pressure increasing means seals the heating plate / water tank when the steam pressure in the heating plate / water tank is lower than a predetermined value. 2. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the steam pressure is a pressure regulating valve that introduces steam into the pan when the steam pressure is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Since the heating plate also serves as a water tank, the rice cooker can be reduced in size, and most parts can be shared with a general rice cooker that does not have a function of introducing high-temperature steam into the pan.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the steam pressure increasing means is capable of adjusting the pressure of the steam to be output. is there. The temperature of the steam can be controlled by adjusting the pressure of the steam. The rice cooker of this invention can change the temperature of steam according to the property of rice, and can perform optimal rice cooking. The method by which the vapor pressure increasing means adjusts the vapor pressure is arbitrary. For example, a path through which high-pressure steam enters the pan is conducted or blocked (Embodiment 1). Alternatively, the vapor pressure increasing means may be able to output vapors having different pressures.

The invention according to claim 6 heats the main body having an open upper surface, a pan detachably accommodated in the main body, a heating means for heating the pan, a water tank for containing water, and the water tank. A water tank heating means, a steam generating means for generating steam, and a cover capable of opening and closing the main body so as to be openable and closable, and capable of holding the inside of the pan and the water tank at a pressure higher than an external pressure, A rice cooker comprising: a steam path that connects the water tank and the pan in a closed state; and a pressure control valve that adjusts the pressure in the water tank and the pan. It is.
This invention implement | achieves the pressure rice cooker which inject | pours steam into a pan, promotes gelatinization of rice, and cooks the delicious rice which increased softness and sweetness. High-pressure steam permeates the rice in the entire pan and can cook rice without causing uneven cooking. Since the steam path is built into the lid, when the lid is opened, the steam path that interferes with the user's work (for example, setting a pot or cooking cooked rice) opens the lid. Is automatically removed from the top of the main body and pan. The present invention realizes an easy-to-use pressure rice cooker.

  The invention according to claim 7 includes a first packing and a second packing in which the lids respectively constitute a loop, and the pan and the water tank are positioned inside in a state where the lid is closed, The rice cooker according to claim 6, wherein the water tank and the pan communicate only through the steam path in a state where the lid is closed. With this configuration, a pressure rice cooker in which a steam path is incorporated in the lid can be realized.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the rice cooker according to claim 2 or 6, further comprising a steam path heating means for heating the steam path. As a result, hotter steam can be introduced into the pan, and a rice cooker that cooks delicious rice with increased sweetness can be realized.

  The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the water tank and the pan are integrally formed, and any one of claims 2, 3, 6, 7, or 8 is provided. The rice cooker according to claim. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of parts to be maintained by the user. Furthermore, since rice and water can be supplied to the water tank at the same time when the rice and water are put in the pan, the user's rice cooking preparation operation can be simplified. A method of integrally configuring the water tank and the pan is arbitrary. For example, a water tank and a pan are integrally formed by press-squeezing two places on one sheet metal.

The invention according to claim 10 is a main body having an open top surface, a pan that is detachably accommodated in the main body, a lid that covers the main body so as to be opened and closed, a heating means that heats the pan, and the pan It is a rice cooker characterized by having the steam generation means which has the water tank arrange | positioned inside the water tank, and the water tank heating means which heats the said water tank.
In the rice cooker of the present invention, steam heated at an elevated pressure is introduced into the pan, so that gelatinization of rice can be promoted and delicious rice with increased sweetness can be cooked. Since the rice cooker of the present invention is provided with a water tank inside the pot, the rice cooker can be downsized, and a general rice cooker that does not have the function of introducing high-temperature steam into the pot, and most of the parts. Can be shared.

  The invention according to claim 11 is the rice cooker according to claim 10, wherein the water tank has a flange on the outer periphery of the upper part, and is suspended from the pan or the upper part of the main body by the flange. is there. The water tank can be removed and placed in a regular shape pan easily and stably.

  The invention according to claim 12 is characterized in that the lid has a pressure regulating valve for adjusting the atmospheric pressure in the pan, and the inside of the pan can be held at a pressure higher than the external pressure. It is a rice cooker of Claim 10. This invention implement | achieves the pressure rice cooker which inject | pours steam into a pan, promotes gelatinization of rice, and cooks the delicious rice which increased softness and sweetness. High-pressure steam permeates the rice in the entire pan and can cook rice without causing uneven cooking.

  The invention according to claim 13 is the rice cooker according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein the water tank is detachable. The user can easily put water into the water tank or wash the water tank. The present invention realizes an easy-to-use rice cooker.

  The invention according to claim 14 is the rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising steam stirring means for stirring the steam in the pan. Steam hits the whole rice and prevents uneven cooking.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the advantageous effect that steam is supplied at the time of additional cooking, gelatinization of rice is accelerated | stimulated, and the rice cooker which cooks the rice of the whole pan deliciously is acquired.
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the advantageous effect that the steamer more than atmospheric pressure can be thrown in in a pan and the rice cooker which can cook delicious rice can be implement | achieved.
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the advantageous effect that a high-temperature steam can be thrown in in a pan and a compact rice cooker with small power consumption can be implement | achieved.
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the advantageous effect that steam is supplied at the time of additional cooking, gelatinization of rice is accelerated | stimulated, and the pressure rice cooker which cooks the rice of the whole pot softly and deliciously is acquired.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments that specifically show the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1
The rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The rice cooker of Embodiment 1 is a rice cooker that cooks rice at atmospheric pressure. In FIG. 1, 1 shows the main body of a rice cooker, and interiors a detachable pan 2. The main body 1 is provided with a lid 3 covering its upper surface so as to be freely opened and closed.
The main body 1 has a pot heating means 4 (which is an induction heating coil) for induction heating the pot 2, a pot temperature detection means 5 for detecting the temperature of the pot 2, a steam generation means 91 for generating steam, and a control means 50.

  The lid 3 includes a lid cover 32, a steam path 8 for supplying steam generated by the steam generating means 91 to the inside of the pan 2, a heating plate 13, a heating plate heating means 11, a heating plate temperature detecting means 12, and a steam cylinder 10. And a steam stirring means 85. The heating plate 13 is detachably attached to a lid cover 32 that constitutes the lower surface of the lid 3. When the lid 3 is closed, the gap between the pan 2 and the heating plate 13 is sealed with a loop packing 31 (first packing) attached to the heating plate 13. The heating plate heating means 11 is an induction heating coil that is attached to the lid cover 32 and induction-heats the heating plate 13. The heating plate temperature detection means 12 detects the temperature of the heating plate 13. The steam cylinder 10 discharges unnecessary steam in the pan 2.

The steam generation means 91 has a water tank 6 and a water tank heating means 7. The water tank heating means 7 is an induction heating coil for induction heating the water tank 6. A water tank temperature detecting means 9 for detecting the temperature of the water tank 6 is pressed against the outside of the water tank 6.
In a state where the lid 3 is closed, a steam path 8 for supplying the generated steam to the pan 2 is located above the water tank 6. The gap between the steam path 8 and the water tank 6 is sealed with a loop packing 81 (second packing) attached to the steam path 8. Inside the lid 3 in the middle of the steam path 8, a steam pressure adjusting means 82, a steam pressure increasing means 83, and a steam pressure adjusting means 84 are arranged in this order from the side close to the water tank 6. The vapor pressure adjusting means 82 opens when the water temperature detected by the water tank temperature detecting means 9 reaches a predetermined temperature (when the water in the water tank 6 boils). The steam pressure adjusting means 82 prevents low temperature steam from being supplied into the pan 2. The vapor pressure increasing means 83 increases the vapor pressure. Therefore, the temperature of the steam rises to 100 ° C. or higher. The steam pressure adjusting means 84 adjusts the pressure of the steam that has been raised and raised by the steam pressure generating means 83 in accordance with the type of rice or the preference of the user. The steam is put into the entire pan 2 while being stirred by the steam stirring means 85 attached to the outlet of the steam path 8 (provided in the pan). The steam agitating means 85 is a fan that automatically rotates when steam is supplied. When the lid is closed, the water tank 6 and the pan 2 communicate with each other only through the steam path 8. The steam generated in the water tank 6 is introduced into the pan 2 through the steam path 8, and excess steam is discharged to the outside through the steam cylinder 10. A heating means (for example, an induction heating coil) for heating the steam path 8 may be further provided.

  The control means 50 has a microcomputer mounted on a circuit board (not shown). The control means 50 (microcomputer) is input by software from an operation command input by a user via an operation panel (not shown), the pan temperature detection means 5, the water tank temperature detection means 9, and the heating plate temperature detection means 12. The heating control of the pan 2, the heating plate 13, and the water tank 6 is performed by a rice cooking program stored in the microcomputer in advance. The control means 50 controls the heating amount of the pot heating means 4, the water tank heating means 7, and the heating plate heating means 11 according to the energization rate and / or the energization amount of each heating means. The operations of the vapor pressure increasing means 83 and the vapor pressure adjusting means 82 and 84 are controlled by the control means 50.

  The operation | movement in the rice cooking process of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention comprised as mentioned above pays attention to operation | movement of the steam generation means 91, and is demonstrated. A user puts rice to be cooked and water corresponding to the amount of the rice into the pan 2 and decorates the main body 1. Further, a predetermined amount of water is put into the water tank 6 and is internally provided in the main body 1. When the user operates a rice cooking start switch (not shown), the rice cooking process is performed.

The rice cooking process is largely divided into pre-cooking, cooking, boiling maintenance, and steaming in order of time. In the pre-cooking process, the pot heating means 4 is controlled so that the temperature of the pot 2 becomes a temperature suitable for water absorption of rice (50 ° C.), and the rice and water in the pot are heated. Next, in the cooking step, the pan 2 is heated with a predetermined amount of heat by the pan heating means 4 until the temperature of the pan 2 reaches a predetermined value (100 ° C.). The amount of cooked rice is determined based on the temperature rise rate at this time. In the boiling maintaining step, the pot heating means 4 and the heating plate heating means 11 are energized to heat the rice and water until the water in the pot 2 runs out and the temperature of the pot 2 reaches a predetermined value exceeding 100 ° C. Finally, in the steaming step, the heating (cooking) by the pan heating means 4 and the heating plate heating means 11 according to the amount of cooked rice and the stop (pause) of heating are repeated a plurality of times during a fixed time. In the steaming step (at the time of additional cooking and at rest), high temperature steam is supplied from the steam generating means 91 into the pot 2.
In the pre-cooking process, compared with the cooking process and the boiling maintenance process, the energization amount to each heating means is small, and the power consumption of the whole rice cooker is small. The rice cooker of Embodiment 1 energizes the water tank heating means 7 in the pre-cooking process, and preheats the water in the water tank 6.

Operation | movement in the steaming process of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 is demonstrated.
After the boiling maintaining step, the heating by the pan heating means 4 and the heating plate heating means 11 is stopped, and the water tank heating means 7 is energized. Since the water in the water tank 6 is preheated, it boils quickly. When the temperature by the water tank temperature detecting means reaches 100 ° C., the control means 50 opens the vapor pressure adjusting means 82. The steam at 100 ° C. is pressurized and heated by the steam pressure increasing means 83. In the steam pressure adjusting means 84, the temperature of the steam is adjusted according to the type of rice or the user's preference, and is supplied into the pot 2 while being stirred by the steam stirring means 85. In the steaming step, the energization to the heating plate heating means 11 may be continued. Thereby, the heating plate heating means 11 can heat the heating plate 13 and make the temperature of the steam generated by the water tank 7 higher than 100 ° C.

  The user can operate the operation panel (not shown) of the rice cooker before starting the rice cooking to designate the brand of rice to be cooked in the control means 50. The control means 50 has a designated brand of soft rice (Uonuma Koshihikari, Miyagi Sasanishiki, etc.) or standard rice (general Koshihikari, Sasanishiki, summer Uonuma Koshihikari, new rice Kirara 397 Etc.) or hard-cooked rice (Kirara 397, Koshihikari in summer, Sasanishiki, etc.), and control the temperature and time of high-temperature steam in the steaming process. The charging time of the high temperature steam is controlled by opening / closing the steam pressure adjusting means 82. The temperature of the high-temperature steam is controlled by the pressure after the pressure increase by the steam pressure increasing means 83. In the steaming process, the control means 50 supplies 115 ° C. high temperature steam to the pan 2 for 3 minutes when the rice is softly cooked rice, and 120 ° C. high temperature steam for 5 minutes when the rice has standard properties. In the case of rice that can be cooked hard, high-temperature steam at 130 ° C. is supplied to the pan 2 for 8 minutes. The rice cooker of Embodiment 1 can perform optimal rice cooking according to the property of rice.

  In the steaming process, steam at a high temperature of 100 ° C. or higher becomes fine particles, passes through the gaps in the rice in the pot 2, reaches the bottom of the pot 2, and wraps each grain of rice. Accordingly, the temperature of the rice is maintained at a high temperature and gelatinization proceeds, and the sweetness and aroma of the rice increase. The taste of rice can be made completely throughout the pan. While the hot steam is supplied and the pot heating means 4 and the heating plate heating means 12 are additionally cooked and heated, drying and scorching of the rice can be suppressed.

  After the rice cooking process is completed, the process proceeds to a heat retaining process, and energization of the pot heating means 4 and the heating plate heating means 12 is controlled so that the temperature in the pot approaches 70 ° C. The vapor pressure adjusting means 82 is closed. When the user operates a reheating switch (not shown), the control means 50 drives the water tank heating means 7 to generate high temperature steam as in the steaming step. Then, high-temperature steam is supplied into the pan 2. After the rice cooking process, the rice is dried until the reheating switch is operated, but by performing reheating with high-temperature steam, the amount of water in the rice increases to the same level as at the end of the rice cooking process. Furthermore, unpleasant odor generated during the heat retention is reduced by heating with high-temperature steam.

Since the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 throws in high temperature steam more than atmospheric pressure in the atmospheric pressure pan, high temperature steam hits the whole rice and can prevent uneven cooking. Furthermore, rice can be heated with a small amount of steam as compared with a conventional rice cooker that puts steam at atmospheric pressure into the pan.
Although the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 supplied the high temperature steam into the pan 2 in the steaming step and the heat retaining step, the high temperature steam may be supplied into the pan 2 in another step. If high temperature steam is supplied in the pan 2 in the pre-cooking step and the cooking step, the temperature in the pan 2 can be raised in a short time. If high temperature steam is supplied into the pan 2 in the boiling maintenance process, the steam hits the rice bowl, so that spillage can be prevented.

  Since the steam in the pan is stirred by the steam stirring means 85, uneven cooking of rice can be prevented. Although the steam stirring means 85 may be attached to another place in the pan, the stirring effect can be maximized by attaching it to the outlet of the steam path.

  The water tank 6 may be formed integrally with the pan 2. When the water tank 6 is integrated with the pan 2, the number of parts to be maintained by the user can be reduced. Furthermore, since rice and water can be supplied to the water tank at the same time when the rice and water are put in the pan, the user's rice cooking preparation operation can be simplified.

<< Embodiment 2 >>
The rice cooker of Embodiment 2 of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rice cooker according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The rice cooker of the second embodiment is a pressure rice cooker in which the pressure adjustment valve 14 is provided in the steam cylinder 10 of the rice cooker of the first embodiment, and the vapor pressure adjusting means 82 and 84 and the vapor pressure increasing means 83 are removed. . Since the other structure is the same as the rice cooker of Embodiment 1, the same code | symbol is used for a common part and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

The pressure regulating valve 14 is a valve for controlling the pressure in the pan 2 to be equal to or lower than a predetermined pressure (about 1.3 atmospheric pressure) that is equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure. Unlike the rice cooker of Embodiment 1, the rice cooker of Embodiment 2 is a pressure rice cooker which cooks rice under high pressure.
The steam path 8 connects the water tank 6 and the pan 2 in communication. Therefore, the pressure in the steam path 8 is equal to the pressure in the pan 2. The rice cooker according to Embodiment 2 energizes the water tank heating means 7 in the boiling maintenance step to boil the water in the water tank 6 and supply high-temperature steam into the pan. In the boiling maintenance step, the pressure in the pan 2 and the steam path 8 has increased to about 1.3 atm, so the steam temperature is higher than 100 ° C. Steam is applied to the rice bowl, so it can prevent spilling and cook delicious rice.

Since the rice cooker of Embodiment 2 connects the pan 2 at atmospheric pressure or higher and the steam path 8, heating means or pressurizing means for heating the steam to 100 ° C. or higher is not necessary. A heating unit or a pressurizing unit may be provided in the steam path 8.
According to the rice cooker of the second embodiment, the “high temperature steam charging function” can be realized simply by attaching the steam generating means 91 communicating with the pan 2 to the pressure rice cooker.
The water tank 6 may be formed integrally with the pan 2. When the water tank 6 is integrated with the pan 2, the number of parts to be maintained by the user can be reduced. Furthermore, since rice and water can be simultaneously supplied to the water tank when the pot is put in the pot, the user's rice cooking preparation operation can be simplified.
Steam stirring means for stirring steam may be provided inside the pot 2. Uneven cooking of rice can be prevented by stirring the steam in the pan. Preferably, a steam stirring means is attached to the outlet of the steam path 8.
The pressure adjustment valve 14 may be provided in the steam cylinder 10 of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 to form a pressure rice cooker. In this case, the pot 2 has a predetermined pressure (about 1.3 atm), and the water tank 6 has an atmospheric pressure (about 1 atm).

<< Embodiment 3 >>
The rice cooker of Embodiment 3 of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rice cooker according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In the rice cooker of the third embodiment, the water tank 6 of the rice cooker of the first embodiment is replaced with a water tank 63 and a water tank heating means 73 is provided. Since the other structure is the same as the rice cooker of Embodiment 1, the same code | symbol is used for a common part and the description is abbreviate | omitted. The rice cooker of Embodiment 3 is a rice cooker that cooks rice at atmospheric pressure.

  The water tank 63 is detachably mounted on the inner side of the opening of the pan 2 with a flange 64. The water tank 63 is a ring-shaped tank having a predetermined width and a predetermined depth in which the upper part is open and the outer peripheral side is in contact with the upper inner periphery of the pan 2. The water tank 63 has a flange 64 on the outer periphery of the upper portion, and is suspended from the upper portion of the pan 2 (or the main body 1) by the flange 64. The water tank heating means 73 is an induction heating coil attached to the upper end outside of the pan 2. The water tank 63 is induction heated by the water tank heating means 73. The rice cooker of Embodiment 3 supplies high-temperature steam from the water tank 63 into the pot 2 in the steaming process (at the time of additional cooking and at rest). In the third embodiment, the water tank heating means 73 also serves as the heating means for the pot 2. In this case, the water tank heating means 73 is energized also in processes other than the steaming process.

The operation | movement in the steaming process of the rice cooker of Embodiment 3 is demonstrated.
After the boiling maintenance step, the control unit 50 stops heating by the pan heating unit 4 and the heating plate heating unit 11, energizes the water tank heating unit 73, and controls the temperature of the water tank 63 to 100 ° C. or higher. Water in the water tank 63 boils and steam is generated. In the steaming step, the energization to the heating plate heating means 11 may be continued. Thereby, the heating plate heating means 11 can heat the heating plate 13 and make the temperature of the steam generated by the water tank 63 higher than 100 ° C.

  In the steaming process, steam at a high temperature of 100 ° C. or higher becomes fine particles, passes through the gaps in the rice in the pot 2, reaches the bottom of the pot 2, and wraps each grain of rice. Accordingly, the temperature of the rice is maintained at a high temperature and gelatinization proceeds, and the sweetness and aroma of the rice increase. The taste of rice can be made completely throughout the pan. While the high temperature steam is supplied, the pot cooking means 4 and the heating plate heating means 12 perform additional cooking and heating, so that drying and scorching of rice can be suppressed, and sweetness and aroma can be increased.

According to the rice cooker of Embodiment 3, since the water tank 63 is provided inside the pot 2, the rice cooker can be miniaturized and does not have a function of introducing high-temperature steam into the pot. And most parts can be shared. The water tank heating unit 73 may also be used as a pan side heating unit that heats the side of the pan 2. In this case, it is not necessary to newly install a dedicated water tank heating means.
The water tank 63 may be formed integrally with the pan 2. When the water tank 63 is integrated with the pan 2, the number of parts to be maintained by the user can be reduced. Furthermore, since rice and water can be simultaneously supplied to the water tank when the pot is put in the pot, the user's rice cooking preparation operation can be simplified.
The pressure adjustment valve 14 of the second embodiment may be attached to the steam cylinder 10.
Steam stirring means for stirring steam may be provided inside the pot 2. Uneven cooking of rice can be prevented by stirring the steam in the pan.
In the rice cooker according to the third embodiment, the steam cylinder 10 may be provided with a pressure regulating valve 14. The rice cooker is a pressure rice cooker in which the inside of the pan 2 becomes a predetermined pressure (about 1.3 atm).

<< Embodiment 4 >>
The rice cooker of Embodiment 4 of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The rice cooker of Embodiment 4 is a rice cooker that cooks rice at atmospheric pressure. In the rice cooker of Embodiment 4, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is common in the rice cooker (FIG. 1) of Embodiment 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The main body 1 of the rice cooker is provided with a removable pan 2. The main body 1 is provided with a lid 3 covering its upper surface so as to be freely opened and closed. The main body 1 has a pot heating means 4 (which is an induction heating coil) for induction heating the pot 2, a pot temperature detection means 5 for detecting the temperature of the pot 2, and a control means 50.

The lid 3 includes a lid cover 32, a heating plate / water tank 20, a heating plate / water tank heating means 17, a heating plate / water tank temperature detection means 19, and a steam cylinder 10. The heating plate / water tank 20 and the heating plate / water tank heating means 17 constitute steam generation means. The steam cylinder 10 discharges unnecessary steam in the pan 2.
The heating plate / water tank 20 is detachably attached to a lid cover 32 constituting the lower surface of the lid 3. In a state where the lid 3 is closed, the gap between the pan 2 and the heating plate / water tank 20 is sealed with a loop packing 31 attached to the heating plate / water tank 20. A water tank 21 for containing water is attached to the surface of the heating plate / water tank 20 on the pan 2 side. A water tank lid 22 is screwed to the water tank 21. The water tank lid 22 has a pressure regulating valve 22a and a steam ejection hole 22b. The pressure regulating valve 22a is a valve that opens when water in the water tank 21 boils, steam is generated, and the vapor pressure rises to a predetermined pressure or higher. The pressure regulating valve 22a seals the heating plate / water tank when the vapor pressure in the water tank 21 is lower than a predetermined pressure. The steam is supplied into the pot 2 from the steam ejection hole 22b. Before starting rice cooking, the user removes the water tank lid 22 from the water tank 21, puts water into the water tank 21, attaches the water tank lid 22 again, and attaches the heating plate / water tank 20 to a predetermined position. The water tank lid 22 is arranged so that water does not accumulate in the lid 3 when the lid 3 is closed.
The heating plate / water tank heating means 17 is an induction heating coil that is attached to the lid cover 32 and induction-heats the heating plate / water tank 20. The heating plate / water tank temperature detecting means 19 detects the temperature of the heating plate / water tank 20.

  The control means 50 has a microcomputer mounted on a circuit board (not shown). The control means 50 (microcomputer) is operated by software based on an operation command input by a user via an operation panel (not shown), and a signal input from the pan temperature detection means 5 and the heating plate / water tank temperature detection means 19. The heating control of the pan 2 and the heating plate / water tank 20 is performed by a rice cooking program stored in advance in the microcomputer. The control means 50 controls the heating amount of the pan heating means 4 and the heating plate / water tank heating means 17 by the energization rate and / or energization amount of each heating means.

The operation | movement in the steaming process of the rice cooker of Embodiment 4 is demonstrated.
After the boiling maintenance step is completed, the control means 50 stops heating by the pan heating means 4, energizes the heating plate / water tank heating means 17, and controls the temperature of the heating plate / water tank 20 to 100 ° C. or higher. Water in the water tank 21 boils and steam is generated. When the pressure in the water tank 21 exceeds a predetermined pressure, the pressure regulating valve 22a is opened, and high-temperature steam is supplied into the pot 2 from the steam ejection hole 22b. Since the temperature of the heating plate / water tank 20 is controlled to 100 ° C. or higher, the steam temperature is higher than 100 doi.

  In the steaming process, steam at a high temperature of 100 ° C. or higher becomes fine particles, passes through the gaps in the rice in the pot 2, reaches the bottom of the pot 2, and wraps each grain of rice. Accordingly, the temperature of the rice is maintained at a high temperature and gelatinization proceeds, and the sweetness and aroma of the rice increase. The taste of rice can be made completely throughout the pan. While the hot steam is supplied and the pot is heated by the pot heating means, the drying and scorching of the rice can be suppressed, and the sweetness and aroma can be increased.

Since the rice cooker of Embodiment 4 inject | pours high temperature steam more than atmospheric pressure in the atmospheric pressure pan, high temperature steam hits the whole rice, and can prevent uneven cooking. Furthermore, rice can be heated with a small amount of steam as compared with a conventional rice cooker that puts steam at atmospheric pressure into the pan.
According to the rice cooker of Embodiment 4, since the water tank 21 is provided on the pan 2 side of the heating plate (heating plate / water tank 20), the rice cooker can be miniaturized and high-temperature steam is put into the pan. Most parts can be shared with a general rice cooker that does not have a function to input.
Although the rice cooker of Embodiment 4 supplied the high temperature steam into the pan 2 in the steaming step and the heat retaining step, the high temperature steam may be supplied into the pan 2 in another step. If high temperature steam is supplied in the pan 2 in the pre-cooking step and the cooking step, the temperature in the pan 2 can be raised in a short time. If high temperature steam is supplied into the pan 2 in the boiling maintenance process, the steam hits the rice bowl, so that spillage can be prevented.

Steam stirring means for stirring the steam in the pan may be provided in the steam ejection hole 22b. Thereby, cooking unevenness of rice can be prevented. Although the steam stirring means may be attached to other places in the pan, the stirring effect can be maximized by attaching it to the outlet of the steam.
The pressure regulating valve 22a may be replaced with a pressure regulating valve capable of adjusting the vapor pressure.
The water tank 21 may be detachable from the heating plate / water tank 20.
In the rice cooker of the fourth embodiment, the steam cylinder 10 may be provided with a pressure adjustment valve. The rice cooker is a pressure rice cooker in which the inside of the pan 2 becomes a predetermined pressure (about 1.3 atm).

  The rice cooker of the present invention is useful as a rice cooker for home use or business use.

Sectional drawing of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the rice cooker of Embodiment 2 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the rice cooker of Embodiment 3 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the rice cooker of Embodiment 4 of this invention. Cross-sectional view of a conventional rice cooker

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Pan 3 Lid 4 Pan heating means 5 Pan temperature detection means 6, 21, 63 Water tank 7, 73 Water tank heating means 8 Steam path 9 Water tank temperature detection means 10 Steam cylinder 11 Heating plate heating means 12 Heating plate temperature Detection means 13 Heating means 14 Pressure adjusting valve 17 Heating plate / water tank heating means 19 Heating plate / water tank temperature detecting means 20 Heating plate / water tank 21 Water tank lid 21a Pressure regulating valve 21b Steam ejection hole 31, 81 Packing 32 Cover cover 64 Flange 82, 84 Steam pressure adjusting means 83 Steam pressure increasing means 91 Steam generating means

Claims (14)

A main body with an open top;
A pan that is detachably stored in the main body;
A lid that covers the main body so as to be freely opened and closed;
Heating means for heating the pan;
Steam generating means for generating steam;
Raising the pressure of the steam generated by the steam generating means, and increasing the steam pressure to be put into the pan;
The rice cooker characterized by having. The steam generating means includes a water tank for containing water and a water tank heating means for heating the water tank, the water tank is disposed outside the pan in the main body, and the steam pressure increasing means is the The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the steam pressure is increased in a steam path which is a steam path between a water tank and the pan. The lid has the steam path for guiding steam from the water tank to the pan in a state where the lid is closed, the steam pressure increasing means, and a pressure adjusting valve for adjusting the atmospheric pressure in the pan, The rice cooker according to claim 2, wherein the inside of the pan can be held at a pressure higher than the external pressure. The steam generating means has a heating plate / water tank disposed in the lid so as to cover the opening of the pan and into which water is added, and a heating plate / water tank heating means for heating the heating plate / water tank. ,
The steam pressure increasing means seals the heating plate / water tank when the vapor pressure in the heating plate / water tank is lower than a predetermined value, and when the vapor pressure in the heating plate / water tank is equal to or higher than the predetermined value. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the rice cooker is a pressure regulating valve for introducing steam into the pan. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the steam pressure increasing means is capable of adjusting a pressure of steam to be output. A main body with an open top;
A pan that is detachably stored in the main body;
Heating means for heating the pan;
A water tank for containing water and a water tank heating means for heating the water tank, and steam generating means for generating steam;
A lid that covers the main body so as to be openable and closable, and is capable of holding the inside of the pan and the water tank at a pressure higher than an external pressure, and a steam path that connects the water tank and the pan in a closed state with the lid closed; A lid having a pressure regulating valve for regulating the pressure in the water tank and the pan,
The rice cooker characterized by having. Each of the lids constitutes a loop, and has a first packing and a second packing that respectively position the pan and the water tank inside when the lid is closed, and the water tank when the lid is closed The rice cooker according to claim 6, wherein the pan and the pan communicate with each other only through the steam path. The rice cooker according to claim 2 or 6, further comprising steam path heating means for heating the steam path. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8, wherein the water tank and the pan are integrally formed. A main body with an open top;
A pan that is detachably stored in the main body;
A lid that covers the main body so as to be freely opened and closed;
Heating means for heating the pan;
Steam generating means having a water tank disposed inside the pan and a water tank heating means for heating the water tank;
The rice cooker characterized by having. The rice cooker according to claim 10, wherein the water tank has a flange on the outer periphery of the upper portion, and is suspended from the upper portion of the pan or the main body by the flange. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 10, wherein the lid has a pressure adjusting valve that adjusts the atmospheric pressure in the pan, and the inside of the pan can be held at a pressure higher than the external atmospheric pressure. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein the water tank is detachable. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising steam stirring means for stirring the steam in the pan.

Images