JP2011020041A - Rice washer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform rice washing operation even on condition of less rice remaining in a rice storage tank and to use the rice in the rice storage as effectively as possible. <P>SOLUTION: The rice washer is equipped with the rice storage tank 7, wherein stored rice is measured by a measuring device 12 and charged in a rice washing tank 5 for washing rice, and a controller 6 which controls operation of the rice storage 7 and the rice washing tank 5. The rice storage tank 7 includes a detecting means 15 for detecting that the rice reaches the quantity less than a predetermined residual quantity. The controller 6 obtains a washable quantity of rice on the basis of the measurement value of rice by the measuring device 12 after the detection by the detecting means 15, for controlling the washable quantity of rice as the upper limit of the rice washing quantity in the rice washing tank. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

   The present invention relates to, for example, a rice washing apparatus provided with a rice storage box for weighing rice stored in a weighing machine and putting it in a rice washing tank for washing the rice.

  Conventionally, a rice cooker for business use has been provided with a rice storage box that measures the stored rice with a measuring instrument, and a rice washing tank in which rice from the rice storage box is introduced to wash the rice. A rice washing apparatus is provided (for example, Patent Document 1). In the rice washing apparatus of a rice cooker as shown in Patent Document 1, the stored rice is weighed with a measuring instrument, and the weighed rice is put into a rice washing tank to wash the rice.

JP 2008-36524 A

In the rice washing apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1, when the rice in the rice storage is low, the sensor detects that the rice is insufficient, and when the rice shortage is detected, the rice is replenished to the rice storage. Until then, the rice in the storage could not be put into the washing tank. As a result, the rice washing operation sometimes had to be stopped even though the rice remained in the storage. In particular, even if more rice than the amount to be washed in the rice washing tank remains in the storage rice warehouse, the rice washing operation cannot be performed unless the rice storage warehouse is replenished with rice.
Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a rice washing apparatus that can perform the rice washing operation even in a situation where the amount of rice remaining in the rice storage is small, and can effectively use the rice in the rice storage as much as possible. The purpose is to provide.

The technical means of the present invention for solving this technical problem includes a rice storage box for weighing rice stored in a weighing machine and putting it in a rice washing tank for washing the rice, and the rice storage box and In the rice washing apparatus comprising a control unit for controlling the operation of the rice washing tank, the rice storage has a detection means for detecting that the rice has become less than a preset remaining amount, and the control unit includes: The possible washing amount of rice that can be washed is obtained based on the measured value of rice by a measuring instrument after detection by the detection means, and the possible washing amount is controlled as the upper limit of the washing amount in the rice washing tank.
It is preferable to provide a display device that displays a prompt for replenishing rice when the detection means is activated. It is preferable that the display device is configured to display the possible rice washing amount.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while the rice remaining in a rice storage can be carried out under the condition where there is little rice, the rice in a rice storage can be used effectively as much as possible.

It is a general view of the rice cooker which comprised the rice washing apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the measurement state of rice. It is a block diagram of the input / output in a control part. It is explanatory drawing of the operation part of a display apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen of a display part. It is explanatory drawing explaining the display of remaining rice. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement from the start of the measurement by a measuring device to a rice washing process. It is an internal view which shows the inside of the rice storage tank in a modification. It is explanatory drawing which sets a full command. It is a figure which shows an example of a display of a prediction residual amount, Comprising: It is (a) kg display, (b) 、 display, (c) driving | operation number display.

Hereinafter, the rice-washing apparatus of this invention is demonstrated based on drawing.
FIG. 1 shows a rice cooker equipped with a rice washing device.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, this rice cooker 1 mainly includes a rice washing device 2, a rice cooker 3 that cooks rice washed with this rice washing device 2, and these rice cooker 3 and rice washing device 2. And a device frame 4 to be supported. The rice washing apparatus 2 includes a rice storage 7 that stores rice, a rice washing tank 5 that is provided below the rice storage 7 and into which a predetermined amount of rice measured in the rice storage 7 is introduced, A control unit 6 that includes a CPU and performs various controls is provided.

The rice storage box 7 includes a case 10 formed in a substantially box shape, a funnel-shaped rice storage tank 11 provided in the case 10, and a measuring instrument 12 for measuring rice. The upper part of the case 10 can be freely opened and closed by a lid 13, and rice can be supplied into the rice storage tank 11 by opening the lid 13. A display device 14 for performing various settings is provided on the front surface of the case 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the rice storage tank 11, detection means 15 is provided for detecting that the rice has become below a preset remaining amount. Specifically, the detection means 15 is a sensor (rice shortage detection sensor) that detects whether or not there is rice (presence / absence of rice) at a predetermined position. To be input. This rice shortage detection sensor 15 is provided in the rice storage tank 11 that becomes gradually narrower (funnel-shaped part), and the inside of the rice storage tank 11 when the detection sensor detects that there is no rice at this position. The remaining amount of rice in the rice washing tank 5 is the maximum amount that can be washed in one operation.

That is, the position of the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is set so as to operate when the amount of rice in the rice storage tank 11 becomes equal to or less than the maximum amount of rice washed in the rice washing tank 5 at one time. In this embodiment, when the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated, the remaining amount of rice in the rice storage tank 11 is approximately 10 kg.
The measuring device 12 is provided in the lower part of the rice storage tank 11 so as to be rotatable around the horizontal axis by the measuring drive device 8 and is provided with an input port 17 for introducing rice. The rice is weighed by rotating around. Specifically, as shown by arrows N1 and N2 in FIG. 2, by rotating the measuring instrument 12, rice stored in the rice storage tank 11 enters the measuring instrument 12 through the inlet 17, and the measuring instrument 12 The rice is filled in the measuring instrument 12 every time it is rotated and is put into the rice washing tank 5 (rice washing tank 20). In this embodiment, 0.75 kg of rice is weighed each time the measuring instrument 12 is rotated once. For example, when the measuring instrument 12 rotates five times, 3.75 kg of rice is measured.

The rice washing tank 5 includes a rice washing tank 20 into which rice is introduced and a stirring member 21 that stirs the rice in the rice washing tank 20. The rice washing tank 20 is provided at the lower end of the rice storage 7 (case 10), and has a structure in which the rice measured by the measuring device 12 provided in the rice storage 7 is introduced from the upper end. An opening 22 is formed at the lower end of the rice washing tank 20. The stirring member 21 rotates around the vertical axis to stir the rice, and is driven to rotate around the axis by a stirring drive device (not shown).
A drainage jacket 23 is provided at the lower part of the rice washing tank 5 so as to cover the opening 22, and a conical shape in which the rice drainage port 27 formed in the drainage jacket 23 is opened and closed by moving up and down. A rice drain valve 28 is provided. The drainage jacket 23 is connected to the drainage box 24 via a pipe (pipe).

Therefore, in a state where the rice discharge port 27 of the drainage jacket 23 is closed by the rice discharge valve 28, the wastewater from the rice washing tank 20 flows to the drainage jacket 23 and in the state where the rice discharge port 27 of the drainage jacket 23 is opened, Water or the like from the rice washing tank 20 can be put into the rice cooker 3.
A water supply nozzle 30 is provided on the upper side of the rice washing tank 20, and a water supply path (pipe) 32 for supplying a water supply source (water) is connected to the water supply nozzle 30. The water supply path 32 is provided with an open / close valve (electromagnetic open / close valve) 33 that opens and closes the water supply path 32 using an electrical signal, and a flow rate sensor 34.

Therefore, by opening the on-off valve 33 by a command signal from the control unit 6, water is supplied from the water supply nozzle 30 into the rice washing tank 20, and by closing the on-off valve 33 by a command signal from the control unit 6, The supply of water from the water supply nozzle 30 to the rice washing tank 20 can be stopped.
The rice cooker 3 includes an inner pot 40 with an upper end opening, an outer pot 41 in which the inner pot 40 is inserted and removed from above, and a lid that closes the upper end opening of the inner pot 40 so as to be opened and closed. 43 and a heating means such as a gas stove and an IH heater that are disposed below the inner pot 40 and heat the inner pot 40. The rice cooker 3 is mounted on a mounting table 42 provided in the apparatus frame 4 in a substantially horizontal direction, and can be pulled out via the mounting table 42.

Briefly explaining the operation of such a rice cooker 1, after starting operation, first, the measuring device 12 is operated and the amount of rice set by the display device 14 or the like is being metered into the rice washing tank 20. The rice is washed in the rice washing tank 20, and after the rice washing, the washed rice and hydrated water are put into the rice cooker 3 and cooked in the rice cooker 3.
According to the present invention, the rice remaining in the rice storage 7 can be used as effectively as possible under the control of the control unit 6 or the like in a situation where the rice in the rice storage 7 is decreasing. To be able to. The control unit 6 controls at least the operations of the rice storage 7 and the rice washing tank 5. The control unit 6 may control the rice cooker 3 or may control the entire rice cooker 1. The control unit 6 is mounted on the display device 14 and also controls the display device 14.

Hereinafter, the control unit 6 will be described in accordance with the description of the display device 14.
As shown in FIG. 4, the display device 14 includes a display unit 50, an operation unit 51 that performs various settings and selections of the rice cooker 1, and a control unit 6. In the display device 14, the setting item displayed on the display unit 50 is selected by the operation unit 51, or the setting content of the setting item is operated by the operation unit 51 to change the content. Various settings can be made.
The operation unit 51 of the display device 14 includes a setting key 52, a start key 53, a reservation key 54, a cancel key 55, an up key 56, a down key 57, a left key 58, a right key 59, and an auxiliary function key 60. It has. Each of these keys is provided on the front surface of the case 10 and is arranged around the display unit 50. The display unit 50 of the display device 14 is composed of a liquid crystal panel and is provided on the front surface of the case 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, the display unit 50 is mainly different from the initial screen A indicating the state of rice cooking, the menu set screen B for performing various settings, and the menu set screen B, and displays auxiliary functions. The auxiliary function screen C is displayed.
When the rice cooker 1 is turned on, the initial screen (running screen) A is displayed on the display unit 50. When the setting key 52 is pressed on the initial screen A, the menu set screen B is displayed. Switches. When the auxiliary function key 60 is pressed on the initial screen A, the screen is switched to the auxiliary function screen C. When the start key 53 is pressed on the menu set screen B, the operation of the rice cooker 1 is started.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the initial screen A, the rice cooking process is shown. In the weighing process A1 in which rice is being weighed by the weigher 12, the rice is washed in the rice washing tank 5 (rice washing tank 20). Rice washing process A2 during rice washing, rice washing tank 5 (rice washing tank 20), colander raising process A3 that raises rice after washing, and water washing in the washing tank 5 (rice washing tank 20) by calculating predetermined water Water adding / subtracting step A4 for supplying water, rice in washing rice tank 5 (washed rice tank 20) and rice draining step A5 for adding water to the rice cooker 3, soaking step A6 in which rice is soaked in the rice cooker 3; The rice cooking process A7, where rice is cooked in the rice cooker 3, the steaming process A8 in which the rice is steamed in the rice cooker 3, and the rice cooking A9 indicating the rice cooking are displayed. You can understand.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, in the menu set screen B, various items of rice cooking amount M1, water addition / reduction water M2, mode M3, colander raising M4, and unevenness M5 are displayed, and various items (rice cooking amount Setting, setting of amount of water added / decreased, automatic, preparation, setting of rice washing, setting of colander raising time, setting of uneven time). Various items displayed on the menu set screen B can be set by various keys such as an up key 56, a down key 57, a left key 58, and a right key 59.
When the control unit 6 detects that the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated and the remaining amount of rice is low, the controller 6 counts the number of rotations of the measuring instrument 12 after the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated, Based on the number, the possible washing amount of rice (possible operating amount) is obtained, and the washing operation in the washing tank 5 is controlled with the possible washing amount as an upper limit. In other words, the control unit 6 obtains the possible washing amount of rice based on the measured value of rice by the measuring instrument 12, and controls the rice washing tank 5 with the possible washing amount as the upper limit in the washing rice tank 5.

Specifically, first, when a signal indicating that the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated is input, the control unit 6 obtains a rice washable amount according to the equation (1).
Possible amount of washed rice = (remaining amount of rice in the storage tank when the rice shortage detection sensor is activated)-metered value per rotation x rotation number of the meter after the rice shortage detection sensor is activated
... (1)
For example, when the rice shortage detection sensor is activated, the remaining amount of rice in the storage tank (sometimes referred to as a set remaining amount) is 10 kg, and the metered value (set metered value) per revolution is 0. If the rotational speed of the weighing machine after the operation of 75 kg and the rice shortage detection sensor is 6 rotations, the possible amount of washed rice is 5.5 kg. In the control unit 6, the set remaining amount and the set metering are set in advance. As described above, when the remaining set amount is 10 kg and the set weighing is 0.75 kg, the possible washing amount is as shown in Table 1.

In addition, although the amount of possible rice washing is calculated | required here for convenience of explanation, this amount of possible rice washing is the same as the amount of possible rice cooking which can be drive | operated in the rice cooker 1, and the amount of rice washing which can drive | operate the amount of possible rice washing ( It can also be considered by replacing it with the possible amount of cooked rice).
As shown in FIG. 6, when the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated and the rice shortage occurs, the control unit 6 controls the display unit 50 to display the display “In the rice storage” which prompts the rice to be replenished on the initial screen A. "Supply rice," and after calculating the possible amount of washed rice, display the possible amount of washed rice on the initial screen A [remaining 4.0kg]. In the calculation of the possible washing amount, the calculation unit is “kg”, but as shown in FIG. 6 and Table 1, the calculation unit may be “升”. Moreover, when displaying the possible amount of washed rice, it is preferable to display the value of the possible amount of washed rice in the corresponding portion of the rice storage 7 in the initial screen A.

  In addition, when the controller 6 sets the amount of rice cooking on the menu set screen B with a key or the like under the situation where the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is operating, the amount of rice cooking on the menu set screen B is greater than the possible amount of washed rice. The amount of cooked rice on the menu set screen B is regulated so as not to become. Thereby, the possible amount of washing rice is made into the upper limit of the amount of washing rice in operation | movement of a rice washing tank. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the possible rice washing amount is 4.0 kg, the control unit 6 sets the rice cooking amount in the menu set screen B so that the set rice cooking amount exceeds 4.0 kg. Limit the settings for keys that cannot be set (rice limit).

FIG. 7 shows the operation by the control unit 6 from the start of the metering by the meter until the rice washing process.
First, it is determined whether the rice shortage detection sensor 15 in the rice storage tank 11 is operating (whether it is in a rice shortage state) (S1). When the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated and is in a rice shortage state, a display for prompting rice supply (rice supply display) is performed on the display unit 50 (S2). Further, a sound indicating that the rice is insufficient is sounded for a predetermined time by a speaker (notification unit 62) built in the display device 14 (S3).

When the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is not activated and the rice is not in a shortage state, the display unit 50 is not prompted to supply rice (S4, the rice supply display is turned off). The measuring instrument 12 for driving the measuring driving device 8 is operated (S5). The number of revolutions of the measuring instrument 12 is counted (S6). Here, when the rice is in a shortage state, the number of revolutions in the measuring instrument 12 since the rice shortage state is also counted. That is, the rotational speed of the measuring instrument 12 after the operation of the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is also stored.
The total of the measured values (all measured values in one operation) is calculated based on the number of revolutions of the measuring instrument 12 (S7). It is determined whether or not the total measured value by the measuring instrument 12 has reached a preset rice cooking amount (for example, the rice cooking amount set on the menu set screen B) (S8). When all the measured values by the measuring device 12 reach the preset amount of rice cooking, the driving of the measuring drive device 8 is stopped and the measuring by the measuring device 12 is finished (S9). When the total measured value by the measuring instrument 12 does not reach the preset amount of rice cooking, the measuring by the measuring instrument 12 is put into a standby state (S10).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the rice is short (S11). If the rice is short (S11, Yes), the rotational speed of the measuring instrument 12 after the operation of the rice shortage detection sensor 15 and the setting remaining are determined. Using the amount and the set weighing, the possible washing amount (possible rice cooking amount) is obtained (S12). Then, the possible washing amount is displayed on the display unit 50 (S13). In addition, in preparation for the next operation, the amount of rice to be set can be set in the setting of the amount of rice cooked on the menu set screen B so that the amount of washed rice cannot be washed more than the amount of rice washed (possible amount of rice cooked). The set value is limited so that it cannot be set beyond (S14). That is, the possible amount of washed rice is set as the upper limit of the amount of washed rice in the rice washing tank 5. In other words, under the control of the control unit 16, when the rice cooking amount is set while the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is operating, the rice cooking amount to be set does not exceed the possible rice cooking amount.

  According to the present invention, the rice storage 7 is provided with the detection means 15 for detecting that the rice is less than or equal to the preset remaining amount, and the control unit 6 measures the amount after the detection by the detection means 15. The amount of rice that can be washed is determined based on the measured value of rice by the vessel 12, and the amount of rice that can be washed is the upper limit of the amount of rice washed in the rice washing tank 5, so that even if the amount of rice remaining in the rice storage 7 is reduced The rice washing in the rice washing tank 5 is not immediately stopped, and the rice remaining in the rice storage 7 can be washed. That is, the rice remaining in the rice storage 7 can be used as effectively as possible, and even after the rice shortage state, all the rice remaining in the rice storage 7 can be washed.

Further, in the display device 14, when the detection means 15 is activated, a display for prompting the replenishment of rice and a possible amount of washed rice are displayed, so that the operator can easily recognize that the rice is insufficient. And since the quantity of the remaining rice can be easily grasped | ascertained from the possible quantity of washed rice even in a rice shortage state, the quantity of washed rice can be set easily. For example, if the possible amount of washed rice displayed on the display device 14 is set to the same value as the amount of cooked rice set on the menu set screen B, substantially all the rice remaining in the rice storage 7 can be used up.
8-10 shows the modification of the rice washing apparatus.

In this modification, the amount of rice when the rice is stored in the rice storage 7 (the rice storage tank 11) is set, and the rice stored in the rice washing tank 5 is stored every time the rice in the rice storage tank 11 is put into the rice washing tank 5. The remaining amount of rice in the tank 11 is calculated, and even when the rice is short, the rice in the storage tank 11 is used as much as possible.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, first, for example, a full line 63 indicating fullness of rice is provided on the inner side (inner surface) of the rice storage tank 11 so that the rice storage tank 11 can know that rice is full. To do. As shown in FIG. 9, on the other hand, under the control of the control unit 6, a menu for “reserve rice storage replenishment setting” is provided on the auxiliary function screen C, and “reserve rice storage replenishment setting” is selected on the auxiliary function screen C. As a result, a full command (reset of the predicted remaining amount) indicating that the storage tank 11 is full can be set in the control unit 6. When the full command is set, the remaining amount of rice stored in the control unit 6 becomes the full amount (for example, 60 kg) of the storage tank 11.

In this modification, when the operator replenishes the rice in the storage tank 11 and fills the rice in the storage tank 11 (fills the rice up to the full line 64), the auxiliary function screen C is displayed with a key or the like. Move to and select “Reserve rice bank replenishment setting” using the key.
Then, the predicted remaining amount of rice stored in the control unit 6 becomes the full amount of the storage tank 11, and the predicted remaining amount is displayed on the display unit 50 as shown in FIG. The unit of the predicted remaining amount displayed on the display unit 50 may be “kg” or “升” as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b). Further, instead of the predicted remaining amount, as shown in FIG. 10C, the remaining number of times (the remaining number of times of operation when the predetermined amount of rice cooking is constant) may be displayed based on the predetermined amount of rice cooking. . When weighing is started and the rice in the storage tank 11 gradually decreases, the estimated remaining amount of rice is recalculated based on the total measured value measured by the measuring instrument 12, and the recalculated estimated remaining amount is displayed. Displayed on the unit 50.

By doing in this way, the amount of rice in the storage tank 11 is grasped every time the rice is used from the rice storage 7 (the rice storage tank 11) from the predicted remaining amount displayed on the display unit 50. Can do. When the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated, the remaining amount of predicted rice in the control unit 6 is corrected. Specifically, when there is a difference between the predicted remaining amount when the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated and the set remaining amount when the rice shortage detection sensor 15 is activated, the predicted remaining amount matches the set remaining amount. The predicted remaining amount is displayed on the display unit 50.
Thus, even if it uses a modification, the remaining amount of rice in the storage tank 11 can be displayed, and when repeatedly washing rice, while always grasping the remaining amount of rice in the storage rice tank 11 You can drive.

The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.
In said embodiment, although the rice-washing apparatus 2 comprised by the rice cooker 1 is illustrated, the apparatus only of the rice-washing apparatus 2 may be sufficient also with respect to an apparatus with which the rice cooker 3 is not equipped. It is possible to apply.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rice cooker 2 Rice-washing apparatus 3 Rice cooker 5 Rice-washing tank 6 Control part 7 Rice storage 12 Measuring device 15 Detection means

Claims (3)

In a rice washing apparatus comprising a rice storage that measures rice stored in a weighing machine and puts it into a rice washing tank for washing the rice, and a controller that controls the operation of the rice storage and the rice washing tank,
The rice storage is provided with detection means for detecting that the amount of rice has become less than a preset remaining amount, and the control unit is configured to determine a measured value of rice by a measuring instrument after detection by the detection means. A rice washing apparatus characterized in that a possible amount of rice washing that can be washed is determined based on the amount, and the possible amount of washed rice is controlled as an upper limit of the amount of washed rice in a rice washing tank.   The rice washing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display device that displays a message prompting rice replenishment when the detection unit is activated.   3. The rice washing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to display the possible rice washing amount.