JP2011056169A - Electric rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric rice cooker having a sound notification means with high performance, which allows a user to easily hear notification contents with high sound quality and sufficient volume. <P>SOLUTION: The electric rice cooker includes: a rice cooker body having an inner pot, an external case, and an internal case, and storing the inner pot to be put-in/taken-out; a lid body for openably covering the upper opening of the rice cooker body; a heating means for heating the inner pot; and a sound notification means for notifying the user of necessary information such as sound. Sound issuing holes are arranged in the outer wall of the lid body and the sound notification means is arranged on the inner side. By such configuration, the sound from the sound notification means such as a buzzer or a speaker is directly output straight in the state of sound to an external part via the sound issuing holes, so as to allow the user to hear the sound in a clear state without accompanying any kind of reflection sound. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  This invention relates to the electric rice cooker which provided the audio | voice alerting | reporting means in the cover part.

  Conventionally, an electric rice cooker is generally provided with an acoustic notification means that appeals to the hearing of a person such as a buzzer. For example, when an operation switch such as a rice cooker switch or a heat retention switch is operated, an operation sound is generated, or rice cooker is used. Completion notification, alarm information notification, and the like.

  Recently, as such a voice notification means, for example, the use of a voice speaker that speaks a word is also being considered, and an electric power for causing notification of more specific information contents such as setting contents of a setting method at the time of setting a rice cooking menu. The provision of rice cookers is also being prepared and studied.

  By the way, conventionally, such sound notification means such as a buzzer and a speaker are in the outer case of the rice cooker main body, have a space for installation, are hardly affected by heat, and emit sound to the outside. As a highly effective installation location, a location on the bottom member of the inner bottom of the outer case is generally selected, and sound is emitted from the bottom side of the rice cooker body through a sound emission opening (grill) (for example, Patent Document 1).

However, in the case of such a configuration, since the sound emitted from the speaker is once reflected on the lower placement surface and enters the user's ear, there is a problem that the sound quality is changed and the volume is lowered, which makes it difficult to hear. Moreover, since it is far from the microcomputer board provided corresponding to the operation panel of the rice cooker main body front side which is a control means, wiring becomes long and wiring work (manipulation) becomes complicated. As a result, the wiring material increases and the cost also increases.

  Furthermore, since the wiring extends from the microcomputer board to the voice notification means through the work coil and the heater under a considerably long time, it becomes easy to pick up various electromagnetic noises between them, and the clearness of the notification sound is reduced. To do.

  Therefore, in order to solve such problems, the present inventor and the applicant have arranged a voice notification means such as a voice speaker in the vicinity of the microcomputer board in the outer case on the front side of the electric rice cooker body, and shortened the wiring distance. Thus, an electric rice cooker has been proposed which facilitates wiring work, reduces the amount of necessary wiring, and avoids the effects of heat and surrounding electromagnetic noise as much as possible (see, for example, Patent Document 2). ).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-94924 (Specifications, pages 1-7, FIG. 1-3) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-254 (Specifications, pages 6-11, FIGS. 1, 2, 9, and 10)

  However, the configuration of the conventional example shown in Patent Document 2 also has the following problems.

  That is, in the case of the same configuration, since the speaker is installed in the outer case of the rice cooker body and facing the rear of the rice cooker body, the sound from the speaker is not smoothly emitted to the outside and is It becomes a sound. Therefore, it is very difficult to listen (see the configuration of FIGS. 1, 2 and 9).

  Of course, in Patent Document 2, in order to solve such a problem, the sound speaker mounting directions in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9 are reversed, and sound is emitted toward the front of the rice cooker body. In addition, a sound output port is formed on the front end side arc surface of the bottom member so as to output sound (see the configuration of FIG. 10).

  With such a configuration, since the sound is output forward, it is difficult for a booming sound to be generated, and the sound emission to the outside is improved due to the sound emission port.

  However, even in such a configuration, the sound speaker and the sound emission hole are greatly separated from each other upward and downward, and the sound speaker's diaphragm and sound emission hole are not concentrically opposed to each other. The sound is reflected several times in the outer case and becomes a reverberant sound and goes out downward, so it is never a clear and easy to hear sound.

  Further, since the sound emitting hole is also in the bottom member portion and is opened downward, the same problem as in the case of Patent Document 1 described above remains.

  As is clear from the above explanation, even if an audio speaker is brought to the front side of the rice cooker body, as long as the installation part is in the main body case of the rice cooker, Inevitably, especially in the case of an IH type rice cooker, in addition to the sound of the cooling fan, the oscillation sound of the work coil is further superimposed. It becomes difficult to listen.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and by providing a sound notification means through a sound emission hole inside the lid, a clear sound emission that is easy to hear with a straight is obtained. By connecting to the microcomputer board with the shortest distance, the wiring distance can be shortened to facilitate wiring work, and the influence of cooling fan drive sound and work coil oscillation sound, as well as ambient heat and electromagnetic noise It aims at providing the electric rice cooker which avoided the influence.

  In order to achieve the same object, the present invention is configured with the following problem solving means.

(1) Invention of Claim 1 The electric rice cooker of this invention consists of an inner pot, an outer case, and an inner case, the rice cooker main body which accommodates so that a inner pot can be taken out, and opens and closes the upper opening of this rice cooker main body. In an electric rice cooker comprising a lid for freely covering, a heating means for heating the inner pot, and a voice notification means for notifying information such as necessary voice, a sound emitting hole is provided in the outer wall of the lid. It is characterized in that the voice notification means is provided inside.

  According to such a configuration, for example, sound from a sound notification means such as a buzzer or a speaker is directly output to the outside through the sound emission hole in the form of a direct sound, and the user's sound is not accompanied without any reverberation sound. Delivered to the ear.

  In addition, since it is a lid, it is not affected by the cooling fan motor drive sound, wind noise, and work coil oscillation sound as in the case where it is installed inside the rice cooker body. I will not pick it up.

  Therefore, the sound quality is extremely clear and easy to hear.

  As a result, according to the configuration, it is possible to realize a high-quality voice notification system using a high-quality and comfortable timbre.

  Further, unlike the conventional case where sound is emitted toward the lower side, sound can be emitted directly toward the user's face.

  Therefore, the alerting power for the user is also increased.

  Furthermore, if the microcomputer board and the operation board including the voice circuit board are provided in the vicinity, and the corresponding operation panel is also provided on the lid, it will be possible to connect with the microcomputer on the microcomputer board at the shortest distance. Wiring distance is shortened, wiring work becomes easy, the amount of necessary wiring can be reduced, and the influence of heat and surrounding electromagnetic noise can be avoided as much as possible. .

(2) Invention of Claim 2 The electric rice cooker of this invention is characterized in that, in the configuration of the invention of Claim 1 above, a soundproof hole portion is provided with a hydrophobic film that allows air to pass but not water. .

  If such a hydrophobic membrane is employed, sound can be emitted but water cannot pass.

  Therefore, according to such a structure, even if the type that can wash the lid is an exception, even when steam or water has entered the sound emitting hole portion of the lid that is relatively susceptible to vapor or water. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent water from entering the voice notification means such as a buzzer and a speaker, and maintain a stable voice notification function.

(3) Invention of Claim 3 The electric rice cooker of this invention WHEREIN: In the structure of the said invention of Claim 1 or 2, the audio | voice alerting | reporting means was provided with respect to the sound emission hole through the waveguide. It is said.

    According to such a configuration, the sound notification means such as a buzzer and a speaker can be disposed at a location away from the sound emitting hole via the waveguide, avoiding the position immediately below the sound emitting hole, and the hydrophobic film can be disposed. If it is not provided, or even if it is provided, if the hydrophobic membrane is damaged and water enters the inside, it is possible to prevent the voice notification means from being directly exposed to water.

(4) Invention of Claim 4 The electric rice cooker of this invention provided the opening-and-closing detection means of the cover body in the structure of the said invention of Claim 1, 2, or 3, and it was detected that the cover body was opened. In some cases, the voice notification function of the voice notification means is disabled.

  As described above, even if the lid has sound notification means such as a buzzer and a speaker, and the necessary operation part, both are facing away from the front side when the lid is open, and it is difficult to operate and is notified. Therefore, the voice notification function is disabled when the lid is open.

  For example, when the lid is opened, the power failure state is determined based on a logical product condition of the zero cross signal of the AC power supply and the lid open detection signal, and at the time of the power failure, malfunction is not caused.

  As a result of the above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electric rice cooker equipped with a high-performance voice notification means that is easy to listen to the notification content with high sound quality and sufficient volume.

It is sectional drawing (AA of FIG. 3) which shows the whole structure of the electric rice cooker main body which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view of the electric rice cooker main body. It is a top view which shows the operation panel part of the electric rice cooker main body. It is sectional drawing (BB of FIG. 3) which shows the structure of the speaker installation part of the cover body which is the principal part of the electric rice cooker main body. It is sectional drawing (it respond | corresponds to BB of FIG. 3) which shows the structure of the principal part of the electric rice cooker main body which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1-4, the structure and effect | action of the electric rice cooker which concern on Embodiment 1 of this invention are demonstrated.

<Structure of the rice cooker body>
First, FIG. 1 shows the structure of a rice cooker body portion of an electric rice cooker that employs an electric heater (one example) as an inner pot heating means, for example.

  This electric rice cooker is configured, for example, as a so-called rice cooker type that combines rice cooking and heat retention. And it is provided with the container main body which consists of the bottomed cylindrical outer case 1 comprised so that the inner pot 3 can be set inside, and the cover unit 2 which covers the upper part of this outer case 1. .

  The outer case 1 is composed of, for example, a bottomed cylindrical cover member 4 made of a synthetic resin and a synthetic resin shoulder member 5 joined and integrated to the upper end of the cover member 4. Is provided with a bottomed cylindrical inner case 6 for detachably setting the inner pot 3.

The inner case 6 is made of, for example, a bottomed cylindrical metal plate, and an upper peripheral edge 6a is fitted to an inner peripheral edge 5a having a U-shaped cross section of the shoulder member 5, and a side wall 6b. A warming heater (sub-heater) H ₂ is provided at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction of the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral surface. A center sensor 7 is provided at the center of the bottom wall 6c of the inner case 6 so as to come into contact with the center of the lower surface of the bottom 3a of the inner pot 3.

  The center sensor 7 functions as a rice cooker temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the bottom 3a of the inner pot 3 (that is, the temperature of the rice), and a thermistor is employed as a temperature detecting element.

A heater plate 9 provided with a rice cooking heater (main heater) H _{1 serving} as a rice cooker heating means is provided above the bottom wall portion 6 c of the inner case 6 so as to surround the thermistor portion of the center sensor 7. It is arranged. The heater plate 9 is in close contact with the side surface from the lower surface of the bottom 3a of the inner pot 3 set in the inner case 6 so that the bottom 3a of the inner pot 3 and its side surface have good heat conductivity. It comes to heat.

Further, in the space between the inner case 6 and the outer case 1 on the rear side of the rice cooker body, the rice cooker heater H ₁ and the heat retaining heater H _{2 are provided} by a microcomputer control unit on the lid unit 2 side microcomputer board 24A described later. It is held in the form of control board 24C provided with the control circuit for energization control of the lid heater H ₃ each extend vertically. A necessary heat insulating material 13 is disposed between the inner case 6 and the outer case 1.

On the other hand, the lid unit 2 has an outer cover 10A made of synthetic resin constituting the outer peripheral surface thereof, an inner frame 10B inside the outer peripheral edge of the outer cover 10A, and a heat insulating material 13 on the lower surface side of the inner frame 10B. a lid heater H ₃ with the heat radiating plate 11 attached via has a hollow structure as shown by a cover 12 among which is provided detachably on the lower of the heat radiating plate 11. The lid unit 2 is attached to the rear end side of the shoulder member 5 via a hinge mechanism 14a covered by a hinge cover 14b so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. And a locking mechanism (lock / unlock mechanism) 15 that is engaged with a predetermined position on the front end side of the lid unit 2 and maintains the closed state of the lid unit 2.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a steam escape passage provided in the central portion of the lid unit 2, and 17 denotes a steam discharge pipe having a screw return function detachably provided in the lower portion of the steam escape passage 16.

  In addition, the outer cover 10A of the lid unit 2 is provided with an operation panel unit 21 that constitutes an operation unit and a display unit of the rice cooker. The operation panel unit 21 includes, for example, grouped first and second operation panels 21A and 21B. The first operation panel 21A includes, for example, a rice cooking reservation switch for timer rice cooking as shown in FIG. 22a, a rice cooking switch 22b, and a warming cancel switch 22c are provided, and the second operation panel 21B has a menu switch 22d for specifying a rice cooking menu (for example, white rice, quick cooking, rice cake, rice porridge, brown rice, etc.), a clock and a timer. In addition to the time setting switch 22e of the time and the time setting switch 22f of the clock and timer, a liquid crystal display 29 is provided at an intermediate portion thereof.

On the other hand, an operation board provided with a display drive unit of the liquid crystal display 29 and switch parts of the various switches 22a to 22f between the first and second operation panels 21A and 21B and the back side heat insulating material 13 (see FIG. Input / output control circuit and microcomputer control unit corresponding to the operation function and display function of the display board 24B and the operation panels 21A and 21B, and the energization control function to the rice cooker heater H ₁ , the heat insulation heater H ₂ , and the shoulder heater H _3. The microcomputer board (microcomputer board) 24A provided with is provided in a state along the back of the panel. An audio circuit (audio speaker drive circuit) is compressed and laid out on the microcomputer board 24A.

  Further, in the left corner portion of the front end side avoiding the opening edge 3b of the inner pot 3 of the lid unit 2 in FIG. 3 (for example, the right corner). 4), for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of inner and outer through holes 30, 30..., 32, 32. An audio speaker 33 that is located and has a high flat level (substantially flat) is installed.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the audio speaker 33 is an audio speaker having a very large horn portion enlargement angle, and the drive portion (voice coil portion) 33b is disposed on the lower side and the horn portion (cone portion) 33a is disposed on the lower side. It is attached toward the upper side sound emission holes 30, 30..., 32, 32.

  On the other hand, the upper surface side of the sound emitting holes 32, 32... Installation portion of the outer cover 10A is recessed in a circular shape by a predetermined depth to form a circular recessed groove portion. A hydrophobic film 31 having a predetermined thickness is embedded in the film. As a result, the sound emission holes 32, 32... On the outer cover 10A side are externally sealed from the outside.

  The hydrophobic membrane 31 is made of a material that has a particularly high water repellency with respect to water and allows air to pass smoothly but does not allow water or steam to pass therethrough, for example, a tetrafluoroethylene resin porous membrane.

This porous tetrafluoroethylene resin membrane has hundreds of millions of fine pores per 1 cm ² , for example, and exhibits waterproof, dustproof and breathability at the same time. Furthermore, it has water repellency, heat resistance, chemical resistance, It has excellent weather resistance and can be laminated and combined with various substrates.

  Further, a metal cover 2a made of stainless steel or the like is attached to the upper surface of the outer cover 10A of the lid unit 2 from the viewpoint of design, if necessary, and the hydrophobic film 31 is formed by the metal cover 2a. The top side is covered. And the sound emission which consists of a coaxial through-hole (relatively small diameter) in the part corresponding to each through-hole part of the said sound emission holes 32, 32 ... by the side of the said outer cover 10A of the cover 2a made of the same metal. Holes 30, 30... Are provided.

  Therefore, when the audio speaker 33 is driven, air vibrations, that is, sound (sound waves) due to a change in sound pressure output from the audio speaker 33 is emitted from the sound emission holes 32, 32. The sound is efficiently emitted toward the face (ear) of the user obliquely forward (upward) on the front side of the lid unit 2 through the hydrophobic film 31 and the sound emission holes 30, 30... Of the metal cover 2a.

  As described above, the electric rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an inner pot, an outer case, and an inner case, and a rice cooker body that accommodates the inner pot in a removable manner, and an upper opening of the rice cooker body. An electric rice cooker comprising: a lid unit that covers the lid in a freely openable / closable manner; heating means for heating the inner pot; and voice notification means for notifying information such as necessary voices. A sound hole is provided, and the above-described sound notification means is disposed inside thereof.

  According to such a configuration, for example, sound from a sound notification means such as a buzzer or a speaker is directly output to the outside through the sound emission hole in the form of a direct sound, and the user's sound is not accompanied without any reverberation sound. Delivered to the ear.

  Moreover, since the lid unit is installed, it is of course not affected by the cooling fan motor drive noise, wind noise, and work coil oscillation noise as in the case of the rice cooker body. We do not pick up electromagnetic noise in the department.

  Therefore, the sound quality is extremely clear and easy to hear.

  As a result, according to the configuration, it is possible to realize a high-quality voice notification system using a high-quality and comfortable timbre.

  Further, unlike the conventional case where sound is emitted toward the lower side (floor surface or the like), sound can be emitted directly toward the user's face.

  Therefore, the alerting power for the user is also increased.

  Furthermore, since the microcomputer board and operation board including the voice circuit board are provided in the vicinity and the corresponding operation panel is also provided in the lid unit, it can be connected to the voice circuit and microcomputer on the microcomputer board in the shortest distance. As a result, the wiring distance can be further shortened, the wiring work becomes easier, the amount of necessary wiring can be reduced, and the influence of heat and surrounding electromagnetic noise can be avoided as much as possible. Will be able to.

  In that case, the control board 24c on the main body side is further installed on the rear side close to the hinge mechanism 14a so that the length of the wire harness connected through the hinge portion can be made as short as possible.

  In these cases, the sound emitting hole is provided with a hydrophobic film that allows air to pass but not water.

  When such a hydrophobic membrane that allows air to pass but does not allow water to pass therethrough, sound that is vibration of air is emitted, but water can be prevented from passing.

  Therefore, even in the case of a lid unit that allows the lid itself to be washed, the buzzer can be used even when steam or water enters the sound emission hole of the lid, which is relatively susceptible to steam or water. Thus, it is possible to reliably avoid water from entering the voice notification means such as the speaker and maintain a stable voice notification function.

  As a result, it is possible to provide an electric rice cooker equipped with a high-performance voice notification means with high sound quality and sufficient sound volume and easy to listen to the notification contents.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, FIG. 5 has shown the structure of the audio | voice speaker installation part of the cover unit which is the principal part of the electric rice cooker which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

  In this embodiment, the sound speaker 33, which is a sound notification means, is provided to the sound emission holes 32, 32... Of the outer cover 10A described above via a waveguide 34 having a predetermined length. It is characterized by providing.

    According to such a configuration, the sound speaker 33 serving as a sound notification means avoids the sound holes 32, 32,... Directly below the sound holes 32, 32,.・ When the hydrophobic membrane 31 is not provided, or even if it is provided, the hydrophobic membrane 31 is broken for some reason and water enters the inside. Thus, it is possible to prevent the sound speaker 33 from being directly exposed to water.

(Embodiment 3)
In the electric rice cooker according to the third embodiment, in the configuration of each of the above embodiments, a lid opening / closing detection means for detecting opening / closing of the lid unit 2 is provided, and when it is detected that the lid unit 2 is opened, The voice notification function of the voice speaker 33 is invalidated.

  As described above, even when the lid unit 2 is provided with the voice notification means such as the voice speaker 33 and the operation panels 21A and 21B, when the lid unit 2 is opened, they are both facing backward from the front side. The operation cannot be performed, and the notified voice is difficult for the user to hear. Therefore, the voice notification function is invalid when the lid unit 2 is open.

  In this way, for example, in the power failure mode in which the power failure state is determined by the disappearance of the zero cross signal of the AC power supply and the operation panel or the like is prevented from malfunctioning at the time of the power failure, the audio speaker 33 is opened when the lid unit 2 is opened. The stop mode can be realized.

  This lid opening / closing detection means is formed by, for example, an ON / OFF switch (reed switch) provided between the lid unit 2 and the rice cooker body side shoulder 5.

(Other embodiments)
In has been described the case of adopting the heater H ₁ as a main heating means, which may be just as applicable to the case is of the electromagnetic induction heating type, such as for example work coil above embodiment .

1 is an outer case, 2 is a lid unit, 3 is an inner pot, 6 is an inner case, 9 is a heater plate, and H ₁ is a heater.

Claims (4)

  A rice cooker main body comprising an inner pot, an outer case, and an inner case, wherein the inner pot is removably accommodated, a lid that covers the upper opening of the rice cooker body so as to be openable and closable, and heating means for heating the inner pot In addition, in the electric rice cooker comprising a voice notification means for notifying information such as necessary voice, a sound emitting hole is provided in the outer wall of the lid body, and the voice notification means is provided inside thereof. Electric rice cooker.   The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein a hydrophobic film that allows air to pass but does not allow water to pass is provided in the sound emitting hole portion.   The electric rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a sound notification means is provided for the sound emitting hole through a waveguide.   4. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein an opening / closing detection unit for the lid is provided, and the voice notification function of the voice notification unit is disabled when it is detected that the lid is opened. rice cooker.

Images