JP2010240375A - Rice cooker with warmer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a convenient rice cooker recovering steam generated during a temperature drop while insulating heat to prevent dew condensation on a lid and a pot side surface and performing the continuous operation and intermittent operation of a steam circulating means so as not to recover the steam excessively, thereby circulating only the excessive steam in the pot and preventing drying to make flavor extremely good and furthermore achieving compact steam warming. <P>SOLUTION: The rice cooker with a warmer has the steam circulating means for circulating, in the pot, steam generated in a warming step having at least two warming temperatures which are a high-temperature warming temperature and a low-temperature warming temperature, and an operation control means for controlling the operation of the steam circulating means. When the detected temperature of a pot temperature detecting means is detected to have dropped to a first predetermined temperature when shifting from the end of rice cooking to the low-temperature warming temperature and shifting from the high-temperature warming temperature to the low-temperature warming temperature, the steam circulating means is operated, and when the detected temperature of the pot temperature detecting means dropped to a second predetermined temperature or a predetermined time passed, the steam circulating means is stopped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a jar rice cooker used for general household or business use.

  Conventionally, the configuration of this type of equipment is as follows. According to Patent Document 1, a main body, a pan that is detachably accommodated in the main body, a heating means that is provided in the main body and heats the pan, and a shaft that covers the upper surface opening of the main body and can be freely opened and closed. And a lid that has a steam port for discharging steam during rice cooking, a ventilation path that communicates with the inside of the pan by a ventilation port above the pan, and the steam. By providing a blower in one of the passage and the blower passage, the motor part of the blower is placed in the lid, and the fan part is placed in the steam passage or the blower passage, so that the motor part has steam and wet outside air. It is a safe structure that does not pass directly, it can reduce the stickiness of the rice and reduce the deterioration of the rice, and it reduces the excess moisture of the rice with a safe and clean structure to suppress the stickiness of the rice Along with heat insulation quickly It is lowered until the time can be reduced rice of deterioration.

JP 2000-217702 A

  However, in the rice cooker as described above, excess moisture is blown off immediately after cooking, so there is a risk of yellowing or drying of the surface when kept warm for a long time.

  The present invention solves the above-described problem, and during a heat retention with at least two heat retention temperatures (for example, a high temperature heat retention temperature and a low temperature heat retention temperature), the heat retention temperature is generated during the temperature decrease from the high temperature heat retention temperature to the low temperature heat retention temperature. The steam is collected to prevent condensation on the lid and the side of the pan, and the steam circulation means is operated continuously or intermittently so as not to collect excessively, so that only excess steam in the pan is collected.

  The collected steam is temporarily condensed in the lid and stored, and is heated by the steam heating plate during temperature control or intermittent overheating to be returned to the pot as steam and to prevent drying. The rice cooker is very easy to use and realizes a small steam insulation and provides an easy-to-use rice cooker.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, a detachable pan, a main body having a bottomed cylindrical pan storage portion on the upper surface, and a pan temperature detecting means provided in the pan storage portion and detecting the temperature of the pan Steam that circulates in the pot steam generated in a heat-retaining step having at least two heat-retaining temperatures, ie, a high-temperature heat-retaining temperature and a low-temperature heat-retaining temperature, and heating means for heating the pot, a lid that covers the opening of the pot The pan temperature has a circulation means and an operation control means for controlling the operation of the steam circulation means, at the time of transition from the end of rice cooking to the low temperature insulation temperature and at the time of transition from the high temperature insulation temperature to the low temperature insulation temperature. When it is detected that the detection temperature of the detection means has dropped to the first predetermined temperature, the steam circulation means is operated, and the detection temperature of the pan temperature detection means falls to the second predetermined temperature or a predetermined time has elapsed. Is a rice cooker for stopping the steam circulation means when.

  This recovers the steam generated during the temperature drop from the high temperature temperature during the temperature maintenance to the low temperature temperature, prevents condensation on the lid and the side of the pan and prevents the steam circulation means from operating continuously or intermittently. Only excess steam in the pan is recovered by setting the operation.

  The collected steam is temporarily condensed in the lid and stored, and is heated by the steam heating plate during temperature control or intermittent overheating to return to steam into the pan and prevent drying. The rice cooker is very easy to use and realizes a small steam insulation and provides an easy-to-use rice cooker.

  The rice cooker of the present invention collects steam generated during the temperature drop from the high temperature holding temperature during the temperature holding to the low temperature holding temperature, prevents condensation on the lid and the side of the pan, and uses a steam circulation means so as not to collect excessively. Only excess steam in the pan is collected by continuous operation or intermittent operation.

  The recovered steam is temporarily condensed in the lid and stored, and when the temperature is adjusted or intermittently overheated, it is heated by the steam heating plate and returned to the pot as steam, and drying is prevented. The rice cooker is very easy to use and realizes a small steam insulation and provides an easy-to-use rice cooker.

Sectional drawing of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention. The lid part surface view of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional drawing of the principal part of the rice cooker of Embodiment 1 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the principal part of the rice cooker of Embodiment 2 of this invention. Graph of rice temperature and sirocco fan operation timing of Embodiment 1 of the present invention Graph of rice temperature and sirocco fan operation timing of Embodiment 1 of the present invention

  The first aspect of the present invention is a detachable pan, a main body having a bottomed cylindrical pan storage portion on the upper surface, a pan temperature detecting means provided in the pan storage portion and detecting the temperature of the pan, and the pan Heating means, a lid that covers the opening of the pan, steam circulation means for circulating steam generated in a heat-retaining step having at least two heat-retaining temperatures, ie, a high-temperature heat-retaining temperature and a low-temperature heat-retaining temperature, into the pan, An operation control means for controlling the operation of the steam circulation means, and the detection of the pan temperature detection means at the time of transition from the end of rice cooking to the low temperature insulation temperature and the transition from the high temperature insulation temperature to the low temperature insulation temperature When it is detected that the temperature has dropped to the first predetermined temperature, the steam circulating means is operated, and the steam is detected when the temperature detected by the pot temperature detecting means falls to the second predetermined temperature or when a predetermined time has elapsed. Circulation It is a rice cooker for stopping the unit.

  As a result, the steam generated during the temperature drop at the time of heat retention is recovered, and condensation on the side of the lid or pan is prevented, and the steam circulation means is operated continuously or intermittently so as not to collect excessively. Only excess steam is collected. The recovered steam is temporarily condensed in the lid and stored, and when the temperature is adjusted or intermittently overheated, it is heated by the steam heating plate and returned to the pot as steam, and drying is prevented. The rice cooker is very easy to use and realizes a small steam insulation and provides an easy-to-use rice cooker.

  In a second aspect of the invention, particularly in the first aspect of the invention, the steam circulation means has steam superheating means for heating the steam to superheated steam. Thereby, the steam generated in the pan is generated into superheated steam by the steam superheating means, and the rice cooker capable of suppressing power consumption by keeping the atmosphere in the pan constant is provided.

  In a third aspect of the invention, particularly in the first aspect of the invention, the steam circulation means has an airtight pump. This recovers the steam generated during the temperature drop from the high temperature temperature during the temperature maintenance to the low temperature temperature, prevents condensation on the lid and the side of the pan and prevents the steam circulation means from operating continuously or intermittently. Only excess steam in the pan is recovered by setting the operation. And the collected steam is steamed at the time of temperature control or intermittent overheating and is put into the pan, and the taste is greatly improved by preventing drying, and further, a small steam insulation is realized, Provide an easy-to-use rice cooker.

  The fourth invention has a heating control means for operating the heating means in the third invention, and further has a cooling fan for cooling the heat generated by the heating control means, when the steam circulation means is in operation. Is formed by reducing or stopping the rotational speed of the cooling fan. Thereby, it is possible to suppress an increase in noise and allowable electric energy due to simultaneous operation of the cooling fan and the steam circulation means.

(Embodiment 1)
The rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of this invention is demonstrated using FIGS. 1-3.
In FIG. 1, the rice cooker main body 1 has an outer frame composed of an upper frame 3 constituting the upper surface and a body 4 constituting the side and bottom surfaces. The upper frame 3 has a cylindrical hole portion 3a, and forms a bottomed cylindrical pot storage portion 1a with a cylindrical or metal protective frame body 5 and a dish-shaped protective frame 6 that are continuous from the hole portion. Then, the pan 2 is stored detachably. The bottom induction coil 7 provided at the bottom of the protective frame 6 serves as a pot heating means, and the pot 2 is induction-heated to perform rice cooking and heat insulation. Here, a plurality of bottom ferrites 8 made of a magnetic material are provided on the opposite side of the pan 2 in an arrangement facing the bottom induction coil 7 and orthogonal to the bottom induction coil 7.

  Reference numeral 9 denotes a bottom sensor which contacts the bottom surface of the pan 2 to detect the temperature of the pan 2 and sends a signal to the microcomputer 10. The microcomputer 10 changes the energization amount of the bottom induction coil 7 from the signal of the bottom sensor 9 and changes the high-frequency current supplied to the bottom induction coil 7 from the heating power sending unit 12 of the pot 2 to change the temperature of the pot 2 Control to an appropriate temperature when keeping warm.

  The heating power delivery unit 12 includes a heat sink 13 made of aluminum, aluminum die cast, or the like, and a bottom fan motor 54 that blows outside air is attached to the heat sink 13. A reflection frame 32 is provided in an annular shape on the outer periphery of the bottom induction coil 7.

  A hinge portion 14 is provided on the upper surface of the upper frame 3 at the rear of the main body, and a lid 15 is pivotally supported by a hinge shaft 16 attached to the hinge portion 14 and covers the upper surface of the main body so as to be freely opened and closed. A hinge spring 17 is attached to the hinge portion 14 so as to engage with both the lid body 15 and the main body 1, and has a biasing force in a direction to open the lid body 15. A hinge cover 45 covers the outline of the rear portion of the hinge portion 14 so that the hinge shaft 16 and the hinge spring 17 cannot be seen from the outside.

  The hook lever 18 in front of the main body is fitted with a hook fitting portion 15a provided at the tip of the lid body 15 so that the lid does not open against the force of the hinge spring 17, and the lid lever 18 is kept closed. When the hook lever 18 is pushed, the hook fitting portion 15 a and the hook lever 18 are disengaged, and the lid is opened by the force of the hinge spring 17. A hinge brake plate 19 is provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion 14 of the lid 15. Further, the hinge portion 14 is provided with a hinge cap 20, and the hinge brake plate 19 and the hinge cap 20 constitute a brake mechanism when the lid is opened. A main body rear leg 1b is disposed on the rear side of the main body which is usually slightly lifted from the floor. A side heater 20 as a side heating means is wound around the outer periphery of the protective frame body 5. A cylindrical side heat insulating material 21 is disposed on the outer periphery of the side heater 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lid 15 has a surface constituted by an outer lid 22, and the pan 2 side is constituted by an outer lid cover 23. The outer lid cover 23 has a cylindrical hole, and a steam heating plate 24 made of a non-magnetic metal and a thin plate having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less is attached to the hole. Here, representative examples of nonmagnetic metals include austenitic stainless steel. An annular lid induction coil 26 placed on the lid coil support 25 is provided on the upper portion of the steam heating plate 24. A lid temperature fuse 27 is installed so as to be sandwiched between the lid coil support 25 and the lid coil 26. A lid reflector 34 is provided above the lid induction coil 26 to prevent the high-frequency magnetic field from the lid induction coil from leaking outside.

  On the pan side of the outer lid cover 23, there is a heating plate 29 made of magnetic metal that is held integrally with the heating plate support 28 by caulking and is detachable from the lid 15 in an integrated state with the heating plate support 28. Typical examples of the magnetic metal include an iron plate and ferritic stainless steel. Between the heating plate 29 and the flange portion 2a of the pan 2, a pot packing 31 integrally joined to the heating plate 29 by a heating plate support 28 seals the heating plate 29 and the flange portion 2a of the pan 2 in a watertight manner. Further, a steam heating plate packing 47 is provided between the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29 on the outer peripheral portion thereof, and the space between the heating plate 29 and the steam heating plate 24 is sealed in a watertight manner. Reference numeral 30 denotes a lid sensor, which is brought into contact with the heating plate 29 by the pressing force of the lid sensor spring 33 and detects the temperature of the heating plate. A lid sensor packing 46 is provided between the lid sensor 30 and the steam heating plate 24.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the heating plate 29 has a steam suction port 29a, and a steam suction path packing 48 is provided at a position facing the steam suction port 29a. The steam suction path packing 48 and the sirocco fan 50 are connected by a steam suction path 49 so that the pot 2 and the sirocco fan 50 can be ventilated. The steam heating plate 24 has a steam inlet hole 24a, and a steam exhaust path packing 51 is provided at a position facing the steam inlet hole 24a. The steam exhaust path packing 51 and the sirocco fan 50 are connected to the steam exhaust path 52 so that the steam heating space 53 between the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29 and the sirocco fan 50 can be ventilated. Both the steam suction path packing 48 and the steam exhaust path packing 51 are provided with valve portions 48a and 51a. This valve opens and closes due to the pressure difference between the steam intake passage 49 and the steam exhaust passage 52 due to the operation of the sirocco fan 50 and the internal pressure of the steam intake passage 49 and the steam exhaust passage 52 falling or rising. A steam circulation means for re-introducing steam as high-temperature steam into the pan as shown by an arrow in FIG. 3 from the steam suction path 49 through the sirocco fan 50 and the steam heating space 53 is configured.

  Inside the outer lid 22, an operation substrate 35 constituting the operation unit 15 b and the display unit 15 c is installed so as to be covered with a substrate cover 36. A liquid crystal 39 on the operation board 35 displays a setting state and an operation state of the rice cooker. A part of the outer lid 22 is made of a transparent resin, and the surface thereof is integrally covered with a film 22b. And it has the embossed part 22a which consists of a part only of a film partially. The embossed portion 22a bends up and down, and the embossed portion 22a, the key top 37 provided on the operation board 35, and the tact switch 38 constitute an operation switch, and the operation portion 15b is constituted by a plurality of operation switches.

The substrate cover packing 40 is sandwiched between the outer periphery of the substrate cover 36 and the substrate cover seal rib 22c provided on the outer lid 22, and seals between the substrate cover 36 and the outer lid 22 in a watertight manner. The substrate 35 is prevented from condensing even if the liquid enters. A steam passage portion 36 a is provided in the central portion of the substrate cover 36. The steam passage part 36a has a cylindrical shape that penetrates the outer lid and faces the outside, and holds the steam cylinder 41 in a detachable manner. A space between the outer periphery of the steam passage portion 36a and the outer lid 22 is sealed with a steam passage packing 42 in a watertight manner. The operation substrate 35 disposed inside the lid 15 by the seal by the substrate cover packing 40 and the steam passage packing 42 is configured so that water and steam from the outside are not directly applied. The steam plate packing 45 seals the steam passage 36a, the steam heating plate 24, and the heating plate 29 in a watertight manner. The steam cylinder 41 has a magnet 43 that operates in a direction approximately orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft 16, and a spillage detection means and lid open / close detection during cooking with a lead SW 44 provided in a portion facing the magnet 43 and the steam cylinder 41. Configure the means.

  Next, in the above configuration, the operation during heat insulation will be described with reference to FIGS.

  After the completion of cooking, the temperature first enters a temperature lowering process to keep the rice temperature at the low temperature temperature (approximate with the pot temperature detected by the pot detection temperature), and the time elapses. When the microcomputer (operation control means) 10 detects that the rice temperature (pot temperature) has reached the first predetermined temperature (for example, about 70 to 90 ° C.) by the bottom sensor 9, the process proceeds to the next steam circulation process. To do.

  In the steam circulation process, the sirocco fan 50 is controlled by the microcomputer 10, and the steam in the pan is fed into the steam heating space 53 by continuous operation or intermittent operation. At this time, the lid induction coil 26 is not energized, and the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29 are not heated, so that condensation occurs between the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29. Thereby, excess steam in the pan 2 is recovered. Then, the sirocco fan 50 is stopped at the second predetermined temperature (for example, about 50 to 60 ° C.) (in the case of FIG. 6A) or when a predetermined set time has elapsed (in the case of FIG. 6B). The process proceeds to the process temperature maintenance process.

  In addition, since the microcomputer 10 and the sirocco fan 50 are in the lid, the length of the lead wire to be connected can be minimized, so that an extra cost increase is eliminated and the rice cooker supplies power from the operation board 35. It is no longer necessary to wire the main body 1 with lead wires, and assembly efficiency does not deteriorate.

  In the temperature maintaining process, the microcomputer 10 detects the rice temperature by the bottom sensor 9 and maintains a constant temperature. At this time, when the lid induction coil 26 is energized and the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29 are heated, the dew that has condensed forms steam and returns to the pan 2.

  Here, the steam sent from the sirocco fan 50 by the lid sensor packing 46 and the steam heating plate packing 47 does not leak to the outside or the inside of the lid, and does not leak to the steam passage portion 36 a by the steam plate packing 45. It is heated to high temperature steam and sent into the pan 2. In the temperature maintaining step, the bottom sensor 9 detects the temperature of the rice and keeps the entire pan 2 at a constant temperature at a predetermined temperature. When the lid induction coil 26 is energized and the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29 are heated, the dew condensed between the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29 becomes steam, thereby generating steam from the water. Even if it does not do, it can suppress power consumption by generating steam and returning it in the pot 2. Further, by circulating the steam, the steam discharged to the outside can be reduced, and the drying of the rice can be prevented. Moreover, since not only the heating of the heating plate 29 but also the heat of the steam is used, the power consumption can be suppressed by heating evenly.

  Moreover, the temperature of the rice in the pan 2 can be raised and the moisturizing effect can be enhanced by supplying hot steam of 100 ° C. or higher to the rice while preventing the rice from drying. Furthermore, by heating so that the steam is sandwiched between the two heating plates of the steam heating plate 24 and the heating plate 29, the temperature of the steam can be instantaneously and efficiently changed to high temperature steam, so that Can be warmed.

  Further, since the heating plate 29 has a high temperature of 100 ° C. or higher, the heating plate 29 is not dewed after being overheated. Further, although the sirocco fan 50 operates, the bottom fan motor 54 can reduce or stop its rotation speed, so that the noise of the fan does not increase and the power consumption due to the operation of the fan does not increase. .

(Embodiment 2)
The rice cooker in Embodiment 2 is demonstrated using FIG. In FIG. 4, an airtight pump 60 is attached instead of the sirocco fan 50. The airtight pump 60 is an air pump or a water pump configured by a motor 60a and a circulation unit 60b. Further, the steam suction path packing 49 and the steam exhaust path packing 51 have no valve portion. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  In the rice cooker having the above-described configuration, the steam suction path when the pump is stopped is a passage to the closed space, and therefore, the steam suction path is not contaminated without providing a valve portion or the like. Since only steam is generated during heat insulation and reheating, there is no need for maintenance because it does not become dirty, and not only is it easy to use, but there is no valve part, so the configuration of the components is simple and can be configured at low cost. become.

  The present invention provides a rice cooker that can efficiently heat cooked rice by stirring the steam in the pan with a steam circulation device, and that is easy to use without influx of rice balls into the steam circulation device. Therefore, it can be applied not only for home use but also for business rice cookers.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rice cooker main body 1a Pot storage part 2 Pot 7 Bottom induction coil (heating means)
9 Bottom sensor (Rice temperature detection means)
15 Lid 24 Steam heating plate 24a Steam inlet 26 Lid induction coil 29 Heating plate 29a Steam inlet 29b Steam inlet 37 Reheating button 48 Steam suction path packing 49 Steam suction path 49a Valve unit 50 Sirocco fan 51 Steam exhaust path packing 51a Valve part 52 Steam discharge path 53 Steam heating space 54 Bottom fan motor 60 Airtight pump

Claims (4)

A detachable pan, a main body having a bottomed cylindrical pan storage portion on the upper surface, a pan temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pan while being provided in the pan storage portion, and a heating means for heating the pan A lid that covers the opening of the pan, steam circulation means that circulates steam generated in a heat insulation process having at least two heat retention temperatures, ie, a high temperature insulation temperature and a low temperature insulation temperature, in the pan, and the operation of the steam circulation means An operation control means for controlling the cooking temperature, and the temperature detected by the pan temperature detection means is a first predetermined value when the transition from the end of rice cooking to the low temperature insulation temperature and at the time of transition from the high temperature insulation temperature to the low temperature insulation temperature. When it is detected that the temperature has fallen, the steam circulating means is operated, and the steam circulating means is stopped when the temperature detected by the pan temperature detecting means falls to a second predetermined temperature or when a predetermined time has elapsed. Rice cookers that. The jar rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the steam circulating means has steam superheating means for heating the steam to superheated steam. The jar rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the steam circulation means has an airtight pump. 4. A heating control means for operating the heating means, a cooling fan for cooling the heat generated from the heating control means, and a rotation speed of the cooling fan being reduced or stopped when the steam circulation means is operated. The described jar rice cooker.

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