JP2005270283A - Electric rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the design property of a lid body side, improve the strength of a hinge portion in the lid body and facilitate the assembling performance between the lid body and a hinge unit. <P>SOLUTION: The lid body 2 of the subject electric rice cooker is provided with an opening 46a for fitting a free end side of the hinge unit in one surface and formed with a cylindrical hole shaped recess part 46 closing a part excluding the opening 46a. In a state of assembling the lid body 2 with the hinge unit 21, the free end side of the hinge unit 21 is fittedly inserted in the recess part 46 to improve the design property, improve the strengths of the hinge portion of the lid body 2 and facilitate the assembling performance between the lid body 2 and the hinge unit 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric rice cooker, and more particularly to a structure of a hinge portion that supports a lid of an electric rice cooker so as to be opened and closed and detachable.

  In general, the lid of an electric rice cooker is openable and closable via a hinge unit provided at one end of the lip of the rice cooker body with a built-in rice cooker, and the lid cannot be detached from the rice cooker body. ing. In other words, by providing an electric heater on the underside of the lid, preventing the growth of the neva during rice cooking and preventing the neva from spilling outside the lid, between the lid and the rice cooker body Since the lead wire needs to be routed, the lid cannot be detached from the rice cooker body.

  By the way, an electric rice cooker has been developed that has an electric heater on the shoulder of the rice cooker body, and that can prevent the growth of neva during rice cooking by the heat transferred from the electric heater to the heat sink provided on the lower surface of the lid. In the case of an electric rice cooker with such a structure, even if the lid is detached from the rice cooker main body and can be washed, there is no need to wire the lead wire from the rice cooker main body to the lid. Absent.

  As described above, when the lid can be detached from the rice cooker main body, the lid and the hinge unit must be detachable.

  In the conventional electric rice cooker, a notch portion whose upper portion is opened is formed in a part of the lid, and the free end side of the hinge unit is engaged with the notch portion (Patent Document 1). reference).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-295977.

  However, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, when the hinge unit is engaged with a notch that is formed in a part of the lid and opened upward, the free end side of the hinge unit is the lid. Because it is exposed to the body side, the design becomes a problem, and by forming a notch in the lid, the strength of the lid (especially the hinge part) may be reduced, and the freedom of the hinge unit There is a problem that the operation of engaging the end side with the notch of the lid is not easy.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is intended to improve the design of the lid, improve the strength of the hinge portion of the lid, and improve the ease of assembling the lid and the hinge unit. The purpose is that.

  In the present invention, as a first means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the rice cooker body incorporating the rice cooker and the hinge unit provided at one end of the mouth of the rice cooker body can be opened and closed and detached. In the electric rice cooker provided with a lid, a cylindrical hole-shaped recess having an opening into which the free end side of the hinge unit is fitted on one side and a portion other than the opening being closed is formed in the lid. Forming.

  With the above-described configuration, when the lid and the hinge unit are assembled, the free end side of the hinge unit is inserted into the recess, and the upper side of the free end side of the hinge unit is the lid. Covered by the body, the free end side of the hinge unit is not exposed and the design is improved. Moreover, since the upper part of the free end side of the hinge unit is covered with the lid, the strength of the hinge part of the lid is improved. In addition, since the free end side of the hinge unit is inserted from the opening formed in one surface of the recess, the ease of assembling the lid and the hinge unit is improved.

  In the present invention, as a second means for solving the above-described problems, in the electric rice cooker provided with the first means, the hinge unit can be swung with respect to the lip of the rice cooker body. A hinge body pivotally supported on the hinge body, a hinge spring having one end inserted into the hinge body and biased in the lid opening direction, and a reinforcing plate within the hinge body to reinforce the rigidity of the hinge body. The engaging projection is formed on the lower surface of the hinge body and the lower surface of the concave portion of the lid body, and the engaging plate engages the engaging plate with the reinforcing plate. When the free end side of the hinge unit is fitted into the concave portion of the lid, the engaging convex portion of the reinforcing plate constituting the hinge unit and the hinge main body can be formed integrally. Underside and lid Degree of engagement between the engaging holes formed respectively in the recess bottom surface (i.e., a click feeling adjustment fitting sites) can be easily adjusted by the shape and height of the reinforcing plate.

  In the invention of the present application, as a third means for solving the above-described problems, in the electric rice cooker provided with the second means, an engaging portion with which one end of the hinge spring is engaged with the reinforcing plate. It can also be formed integrally, and in such a case, the reinforcing plate can also be used to prevent the hinge spring from hitting the inner surface of the hinge body.

  According to the first means of the present invention, there is provided a rice cooker body incorporating a rice cooker, and a lid body that can be opened and closed and detachable via a hinge unit provided at one end of the lip of the rice cooker body. In the electric rice cooker, the lid body has an opening into which the free end side of the hinge unit is inserted and has a cylindrical hole-shaped recess in which a portion other than the opening is closed. When the hinge unit and the hinge unit are assembled, the free end side of the hinge unit is inserted into the recess, so that the upper side of the free end side of the hinge unit is covered with a lid, and the free end side of the hinge unit is exposed. This has the effect of improving design. Moreover, since the upper part of the free end side of the hinge unit is covered with the lid, there is an effect that the strength of the hinge part of the lid is improved. Moreover, since the free end side of the hinge unit is to be inserted through the opening formed in one surface of the recess, there is an effect that the ease of assembling the lid and the hinge unit is improved.

  As in the second means of the present invention, in the electric rice cooker provided with the first means, the hinge unit is pivotally supported so as to be swingable with respect to the mouth edge of the rice cooker body; A hinge spring that is inserted into the hinge body and biased in the lid opening direction, and a reinforcing plate that is in the hinge body and reinforces the rigidity of the hinge body. Engaging holes communicating with the upper and lower sides are respectively formed on the lower surface and the lower surface of the concave portion of the lid, while engaging reinforcing portions that engage with both the engaging holes are integrally formed on the reinforcing plate. In this case, when the free end side of the hinge unit is fitted into the concave portion of the lid, the engaging convex portion of the reinforcing plate constituting the hinge unit, the lower surface of the hinge body, and the concave portion of the lid Each formed on the bottom The degree of engagement of the engaging hole (i.e., a click feeling adjustment fitting sites) can be easily adjusted by the shape and height of the reinforcing plate.

  As in the third means of the present invention, in the electric rice cooker provided with the second means, the reinforcing plate can be integrally formed with an engaging portion with which one end of the hinge spring is engaged, In such a configuration, the reinforcing plate can also be used to prevent the hinge spring from hitting the inner surface of the hinge body.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 5 show an electric rice cooker according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  This electric rice cooker is configured to accommodate a rice cooker 3 for cooking rice and has a double structure rice cooker body 1 having a space 4, and opens and closes and opens and closes the upper opening of the rice cooker body 1. And a lid 2 that freely covers the lid.

  The rice cooker body 1 includes a sheet metal outer case 5 constituting an outer wall, a synthetic resin bottom member 6 constituting a bottom wall, a synthetic resin shoulder member 7 constituting a shoulder portion, and an inner peripheral wall. And a bottomed cylindrical protective frame 8 made of synthetic resin, and the space 4 is formed surrounded by the outer case 5, the bottom member 6, the shoulder member 7 and the protective frame 8. . In addition, in the said protective frame 7, the said rice cooker 3 is accommodated so that extraction is possible.

  A sensor hole 10 is formed at the center of the bottom surface of the protective frame 8 for allowing the center sensor 9 to act as a temperature detecting means for detecting the rice cooker temperature.

  An annular electromagnetic induction coil (hereinafter referred to as an IH coil) 11 acting as a heating means during rice cooking so as to surround the sensor hole 10 is a curved portion between the bottom surface of the protective frame 8 and the peripheral surface. It is arranged corresponding to. The IH coil 11 generates an alternating magnetic field (in other words, an electromagnetic wave), generates an induced eddy current in the rice cooker 3 by electromagnetic induction of the alternating magnetic field, and uses the resistance heat of the induced eddy current. The rice cooker 3 is then heated. The rice cooker 3 is made of a material (for example, a magnetic material) that can generate an induced eddy current by the IH coil 11.

  The IH coil 11 is sandwiched between a coil die 12 fixed to the bottom surface of the protective frame 8 and the bottom surface of the protective frame 8. Reference numeral 13 denotes a ferrite core, and four wires are arranged radially below the IH coil 11 so as to shield the magnetism of the IH coil 11 from affecting the equipment existing below. Eggplant.

  A center sensor 9 is provided in the sensor hole 10 so as to be in contact with the bottom of the rice cooker 3. A heat retaining heater 14 is attached to the side peripheral surface of the protective frame 8 to act as a heating means during heat retaining. An IH coil may be employed in place of the heat retaining heater 14.

  A heat sink for cooling electronic components such as a power transistor and a rectifier diode bridge (not shown) for controlling energization of the IH coil 11 at the bottom of the rice cooker body 1 (ie, the inner bottom of the bottom member 6) An electronic component cooling fan 16 for pressure-feeding cooling air to 15 is disposed. Further, air inlets 17, 17... Are formed on the bottom wall (specifically, the bottom member 6) of the rice cooker body 1 so as to face the electronic component cooling fan 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a power supply board on which the electronic components are arranged.

  On the other hand, the lid 2 is composed of a synthetic resin upper plate 19 constituting the outer surface and a synthetic resin lower plate 20 constituting the inner surface. The lid 2 is connected to the shoulder member 7 (in other words, the rice cooker body 1) via a hinge unit 21 (described in detail later) pivotally supported on one side (ie, the back side). Is attached to the arc so as to be rotatable and detachable. Reference numeral 22 is a heat insulating material disposed in the lid 2, and 23 is a decorative stainless steel plate affixed to the upper surface of the lid 2.

  And the cylinder part 24 suspended from the said upper board 19 is formed in the center part of the said cover body 2, In this cylinder part 24, it discharges | emits the water vapor | steam generated at the time of rice cooking outside. A steam cap 25 having a steam discharge passage 26 is detachably attached. In the steam cap 25, a ball valve 27 that functions as a pressure regulating valve is disposed. Reference numeral 28 denotes a recess formed to accommodate the steam cap 25 at the mouth edge of the cylindrical portion 24.

  An inner lid 29 is attached to the lower end of the steam cap 25 to seal the opening of the rice cooker 3 when the lid 2 is closed. The inner lid 29 is made of a good thermal conductor such as an aluminum alloy. Reference numeral 30 is a seal packing that seals between the periphery of the inner lid 29 and the opening of the rice cooker 3, and 31 is a seal packing that seals between the inner lid 29 and the lid 2.

  The shoulder member 7 is provided with a shoulder heater 32. The outer peripheral edge of the inner lid 29 is pressed against the shoulder heater 32 when the lid body 2 is closed, and the inner lid 29 is heated by heat conduction from the shoulder heater 32. It has become. The shoulder heater 32 includes a heater ring 33 having an inverted U-shaped cross section and a heating element 34 disposed in the heater ring 33.

  If it does in this way, the inner lid 29 will be heated by the heat conduction from the shoulder heater 32, and during rice cooking, the rice cracker is prevented from growing by contact with the inner lid 29, and at the time of heat retention, By releasing heat from the inner lid 29, the surface temperature of the rice in the rice bowl 3 can be raised, and water droplets adhering to the inner lid 29 are evaporated.

  Various switches (for example, a rice cooking switch, a reservation switch, a heat retention switch, etc.) and a liquid crystal display unit are provided on the side opposite to the hinge of the shoulder member 7 (that is, the side where the lock mechanism 35 for locking the lid 2 is provided). The provided operation panel unit 36 and its operation board 36a are provided.

  Next, the structure of the hinge unit 21 and the structure of connecting the hinge unit 21 to the lid 2 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

  The hinge unit 21 is pivotally supported via a hinge pin 38 to a bearing body 37 provided at a portion of the shoulder member 7 located at the rear portion of the rice cooker body 1 so as to connect the lid body 2. It comprises an arm-shaped hinge body 39, a hinge spring 40 that is attached to the hinge pin 38 and biases the hinge body 39 in the opening direction of the lid 2, and a reinforcing plate 41 that reinforces the rigidity of the hinge body 39. ing.

  The hinge body 39 has a cross section of a substantially rectangular plate member for covering the upper cover 42 made of a synthetic resin obtained by bending a substantially rectangular plate member into a substantially inverted L-shaped cross section and the lower portion of the upper cover 42. It consists of a synthetic resin lower cover 43 that is curved in a substantially inverted L shape, and the upper and lower covers 42, 43 are integrated by high frequency welding. The bearing body 37 of the hinge body 39 is formed by integrating the bearing portions 42 a and 43 a formed at the rear portions of the upper and lower covers 42 and 43 by integrating the hinge body 39.

  Further, a free end portion 39a of the hinge main body 39 (specifically, a tip portion of the upper cover 42) is formed with a stepped portion 44 formed by being stepped downward. In the state where the upper and lower covers 42 and 43 are integrated, a fitting insertion portion to be fitted into the concave portion 46 on the lid body 2 side described in detail later is configured. And the said step part 44 is made into the downward slope toward the front-end | tip, and in the state which integrated the upper and lower covers 42 and 43, the insertion part of the hinge main body 39 is made into a taper shape. Reference numeral 45 denotes a nut screwed to the end of the hinge pin 38.

  One end 40a of the hinge spring 40 is inserted into the hinge main body 39, and the other end 40b is fixed to the shoulder member 7 on the rice cooker main body 1 side. Due to the biasing force of the hinge spring 40, the hinge body 39 is pivoted about the hinge pin 38, and the lid 2 connected to the hinge body 39 is pivoted in the opening direction.

  The reinforcing plate 41 is formed by bending a single metal plate material, and has flat plate-like fixing portions 41a sandwiched between the upper and lower covers 42, 43 on both sides thereof, The portion is formed with a substantially L-shaped support portion 41 b that is bent downward and is brought into contact with the upper surface of the lower cover 43. The fixing portion 41a is an engaging portion with which one end 40a of the hinge spring 40 is engaged, and the reinforcing plate 41 also serves to prevent the hinge spring 40 from hitting the inner surface of the hinge body 39. It has become. Further, the support 41b of the reinforcing plate 41 is integrally formed with an engagement projection 47 that engages with an engagement hole 47 on the hinge body 39 side and an engagement hole 48 on the lid side recess 46 described later. Yes.

  On the other hand, a recess 46 into which a step 44 formed on the free end 39a of the hinge main body 39 is fitted is formed in a rear portion of the lid body 2 (that is, the anti-lock mechanism side portion). The concave portion 46 has a rectangular tube hole shape having an opening 46a into which the free end 39a of the hinge unit 39 is inserted on one side and a portion excluding the opening 46a being closed.

  Further, on the lower surface of the lower cover 43 constituting the hinge main body 39 and the concave portion 46 of the lid body 2, engagement holes 47 and 48 communicating in the vertical direction are formed, respectively.

  With the configuration described above, in the state in which the lid 2 and the hinge unit 21 are assembled, the free end side of the hinge unit 21 (that is, the free end 39a of the hinge main body 39) is a recess on the lid 2 side. 46 so that the upper side of the free end side of the hinge unit 21 (that is, the free end portion 39a of the hinge main body 39) is covered with the lid 2, and the free end side of the hinge unit 21 is exposed. This has the effect of improving design. Moreover, since the upper part of the free end side of the hinge unit 21 is covered with the lid body 2, the strength of the hinge part of the lid body 2 is also improved. Further, since the free end side of the hinge unit 21 is inserted through the opening 46a formed on one surface of the recess 46, the ease of assembling the lid 2 and the hinge unit 21 is improved. Furthermore, since the free end side of the hinge unit 21 (that is, the free end portion 39a of the hinge main body 39) is tapered, the triangular cross section is formed above the free end portion 39a in a state of being inserted into the recess 46. A gap S is formed. The gap S communicates with the engagement holes 47 and 48 formed on the hinge body 39 side and the lid body 2 side in the recess 46, and functions as a discharge passage for the neva that has entered the recess 46. At the same time, it also functions as a passage for the internal drying air from the engagement holes 47 and 48.

  Further, when the free end side of the hinge unit 21 is fitted into the concave portion 46 of the lid body 2, the engaging convex portion 49 of the reinforcing plate 41 constituting the hinge unit 21, the lower surface of the hinge body 39, and the lid body 2. The degree of engagement with the engagement holes 47 and 48 formed on the lower surface of the recess 46 (that is, the click feeling adjustment of the fitting portion) can be easily adjusted by the shape and height of the reinforcing plate 41.

2nd Embodiment The principal part of the electric rice cooker concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown by FIG.

  In this case, one end 40 a of the hinge spring 40 is engaged with an engaging portion 50 formed integrally with the lower cover 43 constituting the hinge main body 39. Therefore, the reinforcing plate is omitted in the present embodiment. Further, in this case, the engagement edge 47 of the lower cover 43 constituting the hinge body 39 is engaged with the engagement hole 48 formed on the lower surface of the recess 46 of the lid 2 at the rim of the engagement hole 47. The joint convex part 49 is integrally formed. In this case, the stepped portion 44 is not formed on the free end portion 39a of the hinge body 39, and the upper wall 46b of the concave portion 46 has a thick shape. A cavity 51 is formed in the upper wall 46b by injection molding. The hollow portion 51 contributes to the improvement of the heat retaining effect.

  Other configurations and operational effects are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view showing the important section of the electric rice cooker concerning a 1st embodiment of the invention in this application. It is a perspective view of the hinge unit in the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the hinge unit in the electric rice cooker concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the principal part of the electric rice cooker concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 is a rice cooker body 2 is a lid 3 3 is a rice cooker 21 is a hinge unit 37 is a bearing body 38 is a hinge pin 39 is a hinge body 39a is a free end 40 is a hinge spring 40a is one end 40b is the other end 41 is a reinforcing plate 46 Recess 46a is opening 47 is engagement hole 48 is engagement hole 49 is engagement protrusion

Claims (3)

An electric rice cooker comprising: a rice cooker body having a built-in rice cooker; and a lid that is opened and closed and detachable via a hinge unit provided at one end of the mouth of the rice cooker body, wherein the lid An electric rice cooker characterized in that it has a cylindrical hole-shaped concave portion that has an opening into which a part of the free end side of the hinge unit is inserted on one side and a portion other than the opening is closed. . A hinge body pivotally supported by the hinge unit so as to be swingable with respect to a mouth of the rice cooker body, a hinge spring that is inserted into the hinge body and biased in the lid opening direction, In the hinge body, the reinforcing plate is configured to reinforce the rigidity of the hinge body, and the lower surface of the hinge body and the lower surface of the concave portion of the lid body are respectively formed with engagement holes communicating vertically. 2. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing plate is integrally formed with an engaging convex portion that engages with both the engaging holes. The electric rice cooker according to claim 2, wherein an engaging portion with which one end of the hinge spring engages is formed integrally with the reinforcing plate.

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