JP2006296908A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that since a labor is required to supply water in a water tank, rice is cooked with no water and is non-steamed by forgetting to put water in a busy time and the like, it is difficult to constantly provide the good-taste boiled rice. <P>SOLUTION: A lid body 4 is provided with a heating plate 6 having a steam port 5 which covers an opening part of an inner pot 2 and exhausts steam generated in the inner pot 2, and a heating plate heating means 7 heating the heating plate 6; and a pot packing 8 disposed in the heating plate 6 and composed of a rubber material for tightly closing a clearance between a pot flange 2a of the inner port 2 and the heating plate 6. The pot packing 8 is provided with a steam recovery part 9 communicated with the inner pot 2, and a steam recovery part heating means 11 in its approximately lower part for heating water in the steam recovery part 9 which recovers the steam generated from the inner port 2 during the rice cooking. This constitution can solve the problem of forgetting to put the water therein or save the labor for supplying water so as to constantly steam the rice and provide the good-taste boiled rice. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rice cooker.

  FIG. 9 shows a conventional general rice cooker. In FIG. 9, 19 shows the rice cooker main body and is equipped with the inner pot 20 so that attachment or detachment is possible. Further, a lid 21 that covers the upper surface opening of the inner pot 20 is installed so as to be freely opened and closed. Further, an inner pot heating means 22 for heating the inner pot 20 and an inner pot temperature detecting means 23 for detecting the temperature of the inner pot 20 are arranged inside the rice cooker body 19. A water tank 24 is housed inside the rice cooker body 19, and the water tank 24 has a water tank heating means 25, and the water tank 24 and the water tank heating means 25 constitute a steam generation means 26.

  Further, the steam generation means 26 and a part of the upper surface of the inner pot 20 are connected by the steam pipe 27. The opening on the upper surface of the inner pot 20 is a steam hole 28. A steam cylinder 29 is provided through which steam is discharged from the inner pot 20 to the outside of the rice cooker body 19.

  In said structure, the rice which cooks rice and the water corresponding to the amount of the rice are put into the inner pot 20, and the rice cooker main body 19 is equipped in a predetermined state. Further, when a predetermined amount of water is put into a water tank 24 provided in the rice cooker body 19 and a user operates a rice cooking start switch (not shown), a rice cooking process is performed. The rice cooking process is largely divided into each process of soaking, cooking, and steaming. In each step, the temperature of the water and rice in the inner pot 20 is maintained at a set temperature and a predetermined time. Therefore, the inner pot heating means 22 and the water tank heating means 25 are driven while detecting the output of the inner pot temperature detecting means 23.

  When the water tank heating means 25 is driven, the water in the water tank 24 is heated to generate steam. The steam moves through the steam pipe 27 and is released into the inner pot 20 from a part of the upper surface of the inner pot 20. The water and rice inside the inner pot 20 are heated from the bottom of the inner pot 20 by the inner pot heating means 22, and further heated by steam released to the inner pot 20. By using steam as a heating source from the upper surface, in the water immersion process, the temperature rises uniformly and in a short time to a temperature at which the gelatinization of rice does not start compared to the heating of the conventional inner pot heating means 22. By uniformly maintaining the entire rice in the inner pot 20 at a target temperature, the water absorption conditions of the rice are uniform, and the amount of water necessary for cooking is absorbed in a short time. Also in the cooking process, the boiling point is reached uniformly and in a short time.

  Furthermore, while the boiling state of the cooking process is maintained, a phenomenon in which the liquid (rice cake) from which the starch has eluted from the rice is released from the inner pot 20 in a state of volume expansion including bubbles will appear. And As a countermeasure for preventing this spill, the foam contained in the pot is destroyed by applying steam to the pot that expands above the inner pot 20 to suppress volume expansion.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent spilling without stopping the boiling state during the boiling maintenance. The ability to prevent spilling while maintaining the boiling state, the rice is heated while absorbing water and the progress of the gelatinization phenomenon that changes to cooked rice is not suppressed, and the cooked rice that has finished the rice cooking process has a higher degree of gelatinization It becomes.

  Moreover, in the unevenness process, although the water put into the pan at the start of rice cooking is absorbed and evaporated by the rice, it almost disappears, but moisture tends to remain at the bottom of the inner pan 20. In order to remove the excess moisture and promote gelatinization of the rice, the pan 2 is also heated in the steaming process. However, since there is little moisture, when it heats from the bottom of the inner pot 20, the rice near the surface heated of the inner pot 20 will burn.

In addition, the rice on the upper surface of the inner pot 20 is easily dried because moisture is actively evaporated. Therefore, by heating with steam from the upper surface also in the steaming step, it is possible to prevent a local temperature increase in the heating of the entire inner pot and drying of the rice in the upper surface and the vicinity thereof.
Japanese Patent No. 3546881

  However, in the conventional configuration, it takes time and effort to throw water into the water tank, and when it is busy or forgetting to add water, rice is cooked in the absence of water and steam rice cannot be cooked. I couldn't cook.

  This invention solves the said conventional agenda, and it aims at providing the rice cooker which can always cook good-tasting rice.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a steam recovery unit in the pot packing to condense the steam generated from the rice cooker during rice cooking, provide a space for recovering the steam, and generate steam by the steam recovery unit heating means. It is made to generate | occur | produce and it is set as the structure which heats rice and water uniformly from the upper direction of a pan.

  As a result, the steam recovery unit heating means heats the water formed by dew condensation on the pot packing covering the upper part of the pan to generate steam, and the steam is heated by the inner lid. By evenly spraying the rice in the inner pot, it is possible to provide a better-tasting rice without uneven cooking in the pot portion.

  The rice cooker of the present invention condenses the steam generated in the rice cooker to the pan packing and heats the water formed by the condensation into steam to save the labor of replenishing water every time rice is cooked. Can do.

  1st invention is the rice cooker main body, the inner pot detachably accommodated in the said rice cooker main body, the inner pot heating means which heats the said inner pot, and the cover body which covers the opening part of the said inner pot. A pot packing that is disposed in the lid and seals a gap between the pot flange of the inner pot and the lid, and is disposed in the pot packing and communicates with the inner pot and is generated in the inner pot. The steam recovery unit recovers the steam generated during cooking by using a rice cooker having a steam recovery unit for recovering the steam and a steam recovery unit heating means for heating the water in the steam recovery unit, Steam with better taste can be provided by heating the steam with the steam recovery unit heating means and putting it in the inner pot.

  In the second invention, the steam recovery unit is a rice cooker disposed on the entire circumference of the pot packing, so that the steam generated in the steam recovery unit uniformly hits the rice in the inner pot, and the rice is not uneven. We can provide rice with good taste.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating plate having a steam port which is disposed on the lid and covers the opening of the inner pan and which discharges steam generated in the inner pan, and a heating plate heating means for heating the heating plate. The steam generated in the steam recovery section is further heated by the heating plate by using a rice cooker that is brought into the inner pot after the steam generated from the steam recovery section is in contact with the heating plate. Higher temperature steam can be added to the rice, and rice with better taste can be provided.

  4th invention makes a steam recovery part heating means the rice cooker provided in the substantially downward direction of the pan flange, warms the inner pan flange which is easy to be cooled in contact with outside air, and makes the temperature of the inner pan more uniform. Can provide better-tasting rice.

  In the fifth aspect of the invention, the steam recovery unit heating means can efficiently heat the steam recovery part by using a rice cooker as an induction heating means.

  The sixth invention is the steam generated from the inner pot during the cooking process by closing the steam opening during the cooking process and opening the steam opening during the steaming process. However, it becomes difficult to be discharged to the outside from the steam port, and a large amount of steam can be recovered by the steam recovery unit.

  7th invention has the pressure measurement means which measures the pressure in a rice cooker main body, and the on-off valve provided in the steam-port periphery, and if the said pressure measurement means detects the pressure more than predetermined, the said on-off valve By controlling to open, it can prevent that the pressure in a rice cooker main body becomes high with the vapor | steam generate | occur | produced during rice cooking, and a rice cooker main body breaks.

  In the eighth aspect of the invention, when the steam recovery unit is a rice cooker having a heat exchanger, the steam generated during the rice cooking can be easily recovered by converting the steam generated into the rice to water.

  The ninth invention is a rice cooker controlled to heat the water in the steam recovery part during the steaming process, so that the water put in the pan at the start of rice cooking is absorbed into the rice and evaporated and almost disappeared. Also in the steaming process which becomes, it can heat in order to suppress drying and to promote gelatinization of rice by heating with steam from the upper surface of the pan.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1: shows the sectional side view of the rice cooker in the 1st Embodiment of this invention, FIG.2, FIG.3 shows the enlarged view of a pot packing part, respectively.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a rice cooker body, which has an inner pot 2 detachably mounted therein, an inner pot heating means 3 for heating the inner pot 2, and an inner pot temperature detecting means 15 for detecting the temperature of the inner pot 2. Is placed inside the rice cooker body 1. Further, a lid 4 covering the upper surface opening of the inner pot 2 is installed so as to be openable and closable. The lid 4 covers the opening of the inner pot 2 and has a steam port 5 for discharging steam generated in the inner pot 2. The heating plate heating means 7 for heating the plate 6 and the heating plate 6 is provided, and the heating plate 6 is provided with a pot packing 8 made of a rubber material that seals a gap between the pot flange 2a and the heating plate 6 around the inner pot 2. Have. The pot packing 8 has a steam recovery section 9 communicating with the inner pot 2, and the height of the steam recovery section rib 10 at the steam outlet of the steam recovery section 9 is higher than the lower surface of the heating plate 6. Under the pot flange 2a substantially below the packing 8, steam recovery section heating means 11 is provided for heating the water recovered by dropping and recovering steam in the steam recovery section 9.

  About the rice cooker comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the rice which cooks rice and the water corresponding to the amount of the rice are put in the inner pot 2, and the rice cooker body 1 is decorated in a predetermined state. 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 submerged, cooked, and steamed processes. In each process, the water and rice state in the inner pot 2 is maintained at a temperature set as an appropriate value for a predetermined time, and the inner pot temperature detecting means. 15. While detecting the output of the lid temperature detection means 14, the inner pot heating means 3, the heating plate heating means 7 and the steam recovery part heating means 11 are driven.

  After the water required for the cooking process is absorbed by the rice in the water immersion process, the water entering the cooking process is boiled, and the water introduced into the inner pot 2 is boiled. The air is discharged to the outside, and part of the air enters through the gap between the rice cooker body 1 and the lid body 4 and is directly applied to the pot packing 8, so that the steam recovery unit 9 is easily cooled. Condensation forms water and is stored in the steam recovery unit 9.

  If it transfers to a steaming process, the steam recovery part heating means 11 will warm the pot flange 2a of the inner pot 2, and the steam recovery part provided in the pot packing 8 arrange | positioned in the inner pot 2 perimeter via the pot flange 2a. 9 is controlled to heat the inside, and the water recovered in the steam recovery unit 9 is heated to generate steam. This steam passes through the upper surface portion 8a of the pot packing 8 and the steam recovery portion rib 10, and since the steam recovery portion rib 10 is higher than the lower surface portion 6a of the heating plate 6, the steam is heated to 100 ° C. or more by the heating plate heating means 7. The heated plate 6 is touched and heated to 100 ° C. or higher. The steam heated to 100 ° C. or more is discharged from the upper surface of the entire circumference of the inner pot 2 into the inner pot 2, and the rice inside the inner pot 2 is heated from the bottom of the inner pot 2 by the inner pot heating means 3, and further the upper surface The part is heated by the steam released into the inner pot 2. By heating the inner pot 2 which is easy to dry and the steam is heated from the upper surface with steam, the local temperature rise of the heating of the entire inner pot 2 and the drying of the rice in the upper surface and the vicinity thereof are prevented. Can do.

  2 and 3 show enlarged views of the pot packing portion. In this embodiment, the heating plate 6 and the pot packing 8 are attached with an adhesive or the like as shown in FIG. In this manner, the heating plate support 30 may be provided, and the pot packing 8 may be sandwiched between the heating plate 6 and the heating plate support 30 and caulked.

  In this embodiment, the steam recovery unit heating means 11 employs an induction heating method and uses a method of heating the steam recovery unit 9 via the pan flange portion 2a. However, instead of the induction heating method, an electric heater is used. The same effect can be obtained by using a heating method, a halogen heater heating method, a microwave heating method, a gas heating method, or the like.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the vapor | steam collection | recovery part heating means (IH coil) 11 is provided in the vapor | steam collection | recovery part 9, and the structure which vapor-deposited or stuck the magnetic body 31 inside the vapor | steam collection | recovery part 9. Since the magnetic body 31 in the steam recovery unit 9 is directly heated by the steam recovery unit heating means 11, the water in the steam recovery unit can be efficiently warmed to generate steam.

(Embodiment 2)
5 and 6 show side sectional views of the rice cooker according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows the cooking process, and FIG. 6 shows the state of the on-off valve in the steaming process. In FIG. 6, the on-off valve 12 is controlled by the on-off valve control means 16 so as to close the steam port 5 during the boiling process and open the steam port 5 during the steaming process. In addition, the lid 4 is provided with a pressure gauge 17 and receives a signal from the pressure gauge 17 so that the on-off valve control means 16 controls the steam port 5 to open. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  About the rice cooker comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the rice which cooks rice and the water corresponding to the amount of the rice are put in the inner pot 2, and the rice cooker body 1 is decorated in a predetermined state. 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 submerged, cooked, and steamed processes. In each process, the water and rice state in the inner pot 2 is maintained at a temperature set as an appropriate value for a predetermined time, and the inner pot temperature detecting means. 15. While detecting the output of the lid temperature detection means 14, the inner pot heating means 3, the heating plate heating means 7 and the steam recovery part heating means 11 are driven.

  After the water required for the cooking process is absorbed by the rice in the inundation process, the water entering the cooking process is boiled, and the water put into the inner pot 2 is boiled and becomes steam and passes through the steam port 5 to the outside. However, since the on-off valve 12 provided around the steam port 5 is controlled to close the steam port 5 (FIG. 5), the steam is not released to the outside, and the rice cooker body 1 and the lid More steam is condensed and stored in the steam recovery unit 9 that is configured to be easily cooled by outside air entering through the gaps between the bodies 4. However, as the steam generated from the inner pot 2 increases, the pressure inside the rice cooker body 1 rises, the lid body 4 is pushed upward to open, and the lid body 4 and the rice cooker body 1 are engaged. The value of the pressure gauge 17 provided in the lid 4 is sufficiently larger than the pressure value at which the hook lever is destroyed (half) because the hook lever (not shown) is destroyed. When the following is desirable, the on-off valve 12 is controlled to open the steam port 5.

  If it transfers to a steaming process, the steam recovery part heating means 11 will warm the pot flange 2a of the inner pot 2, and the steam recovery part provided in the pot packing 8 arrange | positioned in the inner pot 2 perimeter via the pot flange 2a. 9 is controlled to heat the inside, and the water recovered in the steam recovery unit 9 is heated to generate steam. This steam passes through the upper surface portion 8a of the pot packing 8 and the steam recovery portion rib 10, and since the steam recovery portion rib 10 is higher than the lower surface portion 6a of the heating plate 6, the steam is heated to 100 ° C. or more by the heating plate heating means 7. The heated plate 6 is touched and heated to 100 ° C. or higher. The steam heated to 100 ° C. or more is discharged from the upper surface of the entire circumference of the inner pot 2 into the inner pot 2, and the rice inside the inner pot 2 is heated from the bottom of the inner pot 2 by the inner pot heating means 3, and further the upper surface The part is heated by the steam released into the inner pot 2. In addition, the on-off valve 12 provided around the steam port 5 of the heating plate 6 is controlled to open vertically to the inner pot 2 so as to open the steam port in the steaming process, but the on-off valve 12 ( As shown in FIG. 6, the steam is not immediately discharged from the steam port to the outside but continues to be heated up to the steam port 5 through the heating plate 6, and reaches the center of the rice that is most easily cooled by contact with the outside air by the on-off valve 12. Is heated to steam having a temperature higher than that of the steam for heating the outer peripheral portion, and can be heated uniformly. By heating the inner pot 2 which is easy to dry and the steam is heated from the upper surface with steam, the local temperature rise of the heating of the entire inner pot 2 and the drying of the rice in the upper surface and the vicinity thereof are prevented. Can do.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a strain gauge 32 is attached to a hook lever (not shown), and when the pressure in the rice cooker body rises, the outer lid is lifted upward and the hook lever is engaged with the lid. Since it is pulled and stretched, by measuring the stretch, the valve is opened when a sufficient margin is obtained from the stretch that the hook lever breaks (less than half is desirable), and the steam is controlled to flow to the outside. The pressure in the rice cooker body may be controlled to be lowered.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 8: has shown the sectional side view of the rice cooker in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

  In FIG. 8, the steam recovery unit 9 is provided with a heat exchanger 13 (cooling fan). When the lid temperature detection means 14 detects the boiling state in the inner pot 2 by the heat exchanger control means 18, the steam recovery is performed. It operates so as to cool the part 9, and when the boiling is completed and the process proceeds to the steaming process, the operation of the heat exchanger 13 is controlled to stop. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  About the rice cooker comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the rice which cooks rice and the water corresponding to the amount of the rice are put in the inner pot 2, and the rice cooker body 1 is decorated in a predetermined state. 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 submerged, cooked, and steamed processes. In each process, the water and rice state in the inner pot 2 is maintained at a temperature set as an appropriate value for a predetermined time, and the inner pot temperature detecting means. 15. While detecting the output of the lid temperature detection means 14, the inner pot heating means 3, the heating plate heating means 7 and the steam recovery part heating means 11 are driven.

  After the water required for the cooking process is absorbed by the rice in the inundation process, the water entering the cooking process is boiled, and the water put into the inner pot 2 is boiled and becomes steam and passes through the steam port 5 to the outside. However, since the on-off valve 12 provided around the steam port 5 is controlled so as to close the steam port 5, the steam is not released to the outside. Further, the heat exchanger control means 18 causes the heat exchanger 13 (cooling fan) to cool the steam recovery section 9 to a temperature of less than 100 ° C., and the steam is condensed and stored in the steam recovery section 9.

  When the steaming process is started, the heat exchanging unit 13 stops and the steam recovery unit heating means 11 warms the pan flange 2a of the inner pot 2 so that the temperature of the steam recovery unit 9 becomes 100 ° C. or higher. The steam collecting unit 9 provided in the pot packing 8 disposed on the entire circumference of the inner pot 2 is controlled to heat, and the water collected in the steam collecting unit 9 is heated to generate steam. To do. This steam passes through the upper surface portion 8a of the pot packing 8 and the steam recovery portion rib 10, and since the steam recovery portion rib 10 is higher than the lower surface portion 6a of the heating plate 6, the steam is heated to 100 ° C. or more by the heating plate heating means 7. The heated plate 6 is touched and heated to 100 ° C. or higher. The steam heated to 100 ° C. or more is discharged from the upper surface of the entire circumference of the inner pot 2 into the inner pot 2, and the rice inside the inner pot 2 is heated from the bottom of the inner pot 2 by the inner pot heating means 3, and further the upper surface The part is heated by the steam released into the inner pot 2. In addition, the on-off valve 12 provided around the steam port 5 of the heating plate 6 is controlled to open vertically to the inner pot 2 so as to open the steam port in the steaming process, but the on-off valve 12 ( As shown in FIG. 6, the steam is not immediately discharged from the steam port to the outside but continues to be heated to the steam port 5 through the heating plate 6, and reaches the center of the rice that is most easily cooled by contact with the outside air by the on-off valve 12. Is heated to steam having a temperature higher than that of the steam for heating the outer peripheral portion, and can be heated uniformly. By heating the inner pot 2 which is easy to dry and the steam is heated from the upper surface with steam, the local temperature rise of the heating of the entire inner pot 2 and the drying of the rice in the upper surface and the vicinity thereof are prevented. Can do.

  In this embodiment, a cooling fan is used for the heat exchanger and an air cooling method is used. However, a water cooling method in which a water tank filled with water is touched to cool the steam recovery unit or a heat sink is touched to the steam recovery unit. The same effect can be obtained by the cooling method.

  The rice cooker of this invention is useful for the rice cooker which cooks rice using steam.

Side sectional view of the rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Enlarged view of the pot packing in the first embodiment Enlarged view of the pot packing in the first embodiment Side sectional view of the rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Side sectional view of the rice cooker during the cooking process in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Side sectional view of the rice cooker during the steaming step in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Side sectional view of the rice cooker in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Side sectional view of the rice cooker in Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Side sectional view of a conventional rice cooker

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rice cooker body 2 Inner pan 2a Pan flange 3 Inner pan heating means 4 Lid 5 Steam port 6 Heating plate 7 Heating plate heating means 8 Pan packing 9 Steam recovery part 10 Steam recovery part rib 11 Steam recovery part heating means 12 Opening and closing valve 13 Heat exchanger

Claims (9)

A rice cooker body, an inner pot that is detachably stored in the rice cooker body, an inner pot heating means that heats the inner pot, a lid that covers the opening of the inner pot, and a lid that is disposed in the lid. A pot packing that seals a gap between the pot flange of the inner pot and the lid, and a steam that is disposed in the pot packing and communicates with the inner pot and collects steam generated in the inner pot. A rice cooker having a recovery part and a steam recovery part heating means for heating water in the steam recovery part. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the steam recovery unit is disposed around the entire circumference of the pot packing. A steam recovery unit is provided with a heating plate disposed on the lid to cover the opening of the inner pan and having a steam port for discharging steam generated in the inner pan, and a heating plate heating means for heating the heating plate. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the steam generated from is brought into contact with the heating plate and then charged into the inner pot. The steam cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the steam recovery unit heating means is provided substantially below the pan flange. The steam cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the steam recovery unit heating means is induction heating means. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 3 to 5, which is controlled so as to close the steam port during the cooking step and to open the steam port during the steaming step. It has pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure inside the rice cooker body, and an on-off valve provided around the steam port, and when the pressure measuring means detects a pressure higher than a predetermined level, the on-off valve is controlled to open. The rice cooker according to claim 6. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the steam recovery unit has a heat exchanger. The rice cooker of any one of Claims 1-8 controlled to heat the water in a steam collection part during a steaming process.

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