JP2884662B2 - rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a rice cooker that cooks rice by heating rice and water with a heater.

(Prior Art) In general, a rice cooker of this type has a rice cooker removably accommodated in an inner case of a container body, a rice cooker provided at an inner bottom portion of the inner case, and a rice cooker provided at an outer bottom portion of the rice cooker. A temperature sensor is provided so as to be in contact with the device, and a lid is provided to open and close the upper opening of the main body. Then, at the time of cooking rice, first, a predetermined amount of rice and water are stored in the rice cooker, the rice cooker is stored in the inner case, the lid is closed, and the rice cooker is heated by energizing the rice cooker. In response to such heating, the water in the rice cooker is gradually and entirely heated, and as a result, the starch quality of the rice in the rice cooker gradually becomes β.
When the starch changes from α to starch and everything becomes α, it becomes edible rice.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above prior art, tap water is generally used as water for cooking rice. However, in order to ensure the safety of water quality, tap water is a chlorine-based purifying agent, so-called calcium. And the taste of water is reduced by this calcium component, and the rice cooked using tap water also causes a reduction in taste.

For this reason, tap water can be boiled once to remove the calcium component, and the cooled water can be used for cooking to obtain delicious rice.However, preparing water from which the calcium component has been removed for each cooked rice is complicated. And it was practically difficult.

On the other hand, it is common to enjoy tea etc. at the time of meal,
Since housewives boil water with cooking, the operation of the rice cooker and the operation of boiling water with an electric kettle or the like must be performed separately, which is troublesome.

In order to avoid such a problem, JP-A-1-91820 discloses a hopper supply pipe communicating from a water pipe via a pipe having a filter in the middle thereof in order to avoid using tap water as it is in a rice washing apparatus. A rice washing device with a water purifier provided facing a hopper is disclosed.

However, water purification using such a filter cannot sufficiently remove chlorine-based purifying agents, ie, calcium, contained in tap water. Raises a concern that it cannot be obtained.

Then, an object of the present invention is to provide a rice cooker which can easily prepare purified water from which khaki components have been sufficiently removed for cooking rice.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) A rice cooker according to the present invention includes a rice cooker, and a water purifier that purifies water used when cooking rice in the rice cooker. The water purification function unit removes calcium components by boiling water purification.

Further, the rice cooker of the present invention includes a water supply unit from the water purification function unit to the rice cooking function unit, and when the rice cooking function unit is cooking or keeping warm, the water supply unit supplies the rice to the rice cooking function unit. It is constructed so that water cannot be supplied.

Further, the rice cooker of the present invention is configured such that when the water temperature in the water purification function section is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, water cannot be supplied to the rice cooking function section by the water supply means.

(Operation) With the above configuration, the present invention can use purified water from which the calcium component has been sufficiently removed in the water purification function section when the rice cooking function section cooks rice.

Also, during cooking and keeping warm, water is not supplied to the rice-cooking function unit, so there is no risk of undesired water being supplied.

Further, when the water temperature in the water purification function section is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, water is not supplied to the rice cooking function section, so that there is no risk of shortening the time until boiling due to hot water cooking and also there is a danger of burns and the like. Is prevented.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 9 show an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in a schematic explanatory view of FIG. 2, a rice cooker 1 which can be inserted into and removed from a vessel main body (not shown) and fixed water A container 2 is arranged in parallel, and a rice cooker 3 is provided on the outer bottom of the rice cooker 1 and a warming heater 3A is provided on the outer side, and a rice cooker temperature sensor 4 can contact the bottom of the rice cooker 1. The weight sensor 6 is provided so that the weight of the rice cooker 1 can be added via the seat 5. A water heater 7 for boiling water is provided at the outer bottom of the water container 2 and a water temperature sensor 8 for detecting the temperature of the water container 2 is provided at the outer portion. The rice cooker 1
Lids 9 and 10 are provided at the upper opening of the water container 2 so as to be openable and closable, respectively. The lid 9 of the rice cooker 1 and the bottom of the water container 2 are connected to each other by a water supply pipe 11, and the water supply pipe 11 is provided with an electromagnetic pump 12, and the water supply means 11 is provided by the water supply pipe 11 and the electromagnetic pump 12. Make up. 14 is rice and 15 is water. That is, the rice cooker according to the present embodiment includes a rice cooking function unit 51 that cooks rice by heating rice 14 and water 15 in the rice cooking container 1 and water 15 that is used when cooking rice in the rice cooking function unit 51. Water purification function section 52 for purifying water in water container 2
The water supply means 13 includes a water purification function section 52.
It is configured to supply more water to the rice cooking function unit 51.

FIG. 3 shows an operation panel provided on a container main body or a lid for opening and closing the container main body. The operation panel includes a display section 16 composed of an LCD or LED and an operation means 17 composed of a plurality of switches. The display unit 16 is, for example, a 3-digit 7-segment LE.
D cooked rice display section 1 consisting of D and displaying cooked rice amount in cup units
8 and a mode display unit 19, 20 consisting of two LEDs for displaying the execution contents, and a character 21 of "cup" is written on the side of the rice cooked amount display unit 18, and the mode display unit 19, In the lower part of 20, a character 22 of "cooked rice" and a character 23 of "heat retention" are written, respectively. The operation means 17 is a rice cooker switch 24 for storing a desired rice cooker quantity, a water supply switch 25 for starting water supply, a rice cooker switch 26 as a start operation means for starting rice cooking and water heating, and in a cancel state. Switch 27 for turning off the power.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 are block diagrams showing the electrical configuration. Reference numeral 28 denotes the rice cooking temperature detecting means with the rice cooking temperature sensor 4.
This is an A / D converter that constitutes the water temperature detecting means 30 together with the water temperature sensor 8 and the water temperature sensor 8. Reference numeral 31 denotes a frequency converter which forms the weighing means 32 with the weight sensor 6.
33 is a control means comprising a microcomputer, which has a CPU 34, a timer circuit 35, a memory 36, an input circuit 37, an output circuit 38, etc., as is well known, and the memory 36 has a rice cooking program, a water heater program, It stores weighing programs, weighing values, comparison constant values, and the like. Control means
Reference numeral 33 denotes a control function for cooking and boiling water, a calculation function for a weight detection signal from the weight sensor 6, and a display unit.
An electric pump 12 is provided so that a display control function for the rice 16 and an appropriate amount of water for the measured amount of rice are injected into the rice cooker 1.
The control means 33 has a function of controlling the rice cooker through a drive circuit 39 based on signals from the operation unit 17, the rice cooker temperature detector 29 and the water temperature detector 30 according to a program held by the controller. 3. Controlling the inputs of the warming heater 3A and the water heater 7, controlling the display unit 16 via the drive circuit 40, and further controlling the electric power via the drive circuit 41 based on the signals from the operation unit 17 and the weight sensor 6. The pump 12 is controlled.

Next, the operation of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

First, as described in the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, the user sets the weight of the rice cooker for the initial setting of the weight sensor 6 and the tare treatment in advance, as well known, and boiled water in the water container 2 once. When the lid 9 is opened and the desired amount of rice 14 is stored in the rice cooker 1,
When the seat 5 is lowered according to the weight of the rice 14, the amount of displacement is detected by the weight sensor 6, and the detection signal is frequency-converted via the frequency converter 31 and provided to the control means 33. Next, when the cooker amount switch 24 is pressed, the control means
33 is the detected rice weight x the rice weight per cup
The amount of cooked rice is converted into the amount of cooked rice in cups using the value of x / 150 with reference to 150 g, displayed on the cooked rice display 18 and stored in the memory 36. This display is fixed until the rice cooker switch 24 is pressed again. Next, the rice 14 in the rice cooker 1 is washed and stored again, and the lid 9 is closed. Then, when the water supply switch 25 is pressed, the electric pump 12 is activated and the water 15 in the water container 2 is supplied through the water supply pipe 11 to the rice cooker Water is supplied within 1. The seat 5 is further lowered in accordance with the weight of the water 15, so that the weight is controlled by the control means 33.
The control means 33 outputs a signal when the measured value reaches an appropriate rice + water weight value for the set rice cooking amount based on the characteristic line shown in the graph of FIG.
Stop 12. Thus, an appropriate amount of water 15 from which the calcium component has been removed is added to the rice 14 in the rice cooker 1. Next, when tap water is stored in the water container 2 and the rice cooker switch 26, which is a start operation means, is pressed, rice cooking and water heating are started.

As shown in the flow chart of FIG. 7, when the rice cooker switch 26 is pressed, the rice cooker 3 is energized by a signal from the control means 33, and the rice cooker 3 is turned on based on the temperature detected by the rice cooker temperature detecting means 29. The input is controlled, and the usual one-sided cooking process and rice cooking process are performed. When the detected temperature reaches 115 ° C. or higher, the cooking is detected, the rice cooker 3 is turned off, and the process shifts to the warming process by the warming heater 3A. I do. When the off switch 27 is pressed, the heat retention is stopped and the state is cancelled. On the other hand, the water heater is executed as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 together with the rice cooked in the flowchart of FIG. This means that the rice cooker 3 and the water heater 7 are also energized by pressing the rice cooker switch 26, and the control means 33 controls the input of the water heater 7 based on the temperature detected by the water temperature detection means 30. When the detected temperature satisfies the condition that the temperature rise value for a predetermined temperature rise rate of, for example, 200 seconds is 5 ° C. or less, boiling is detected and the water heater 7 is turned off. In this case, the control means
33 has a function of detecting that the inside of the water container 2 is empty when the detected temperature rises rapidly when the water heater 7 is energized, and turning off the water heater 7. Further, the control means 33 has a function of determining a water supply condition. When the water supply switch 25 is pressed as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, the control means 33 sequentially determines whether or not the rice is being cooked or kept warm and whether or not the detected temperature of the water container 2 is lower than 40 ° C. However, the operation of the electric pump 12 is prohibited when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature of 40 ° C. during cooking or keeping the temperature or other than this.

Thus, in the above embodiment, the rice cooking function unit 51,
A water purification function section 52 for purifying water used when cooking rice in the rice cooking function section 51, and configured to remove calcium components by the water purification by the water purification function section 52. Purified water from which the calcium component was removed in part 52,
The rice cooking function unit 51 can be used for cooking rice. This makes it possible to easily prepare purified water from which the calcium component has been removed for cooking rice.

Also, a predetermined amount of rice 14 and water 15 are stored in the rice cooker 1 and the water 15 is stored in the water container 2 and the rice cooker 3 and the water heater 7 are simultaneously pressed by pressing the rice cooker switch 26 as a start operation means. Electricity is supplied, and the control of the input of the rice cooker 3 based on the rice temperature detection means 29 and the control of the input of the water heater 7 based on the water temperature detection means 30 are performed, so that the rice is cooked and the water is heated. This allows the water purification function to be completed when cooking is completed.
The tap water in the water container 2 constituting 52 is also boiled into water 15 from which the calcium component has been removed, and this water 15 is cooled in the water container 2 by the next rice cooking to remove the calcium component. It is prepared for cooking as delicious water. Thus, it is not necessary to separately prepare water once boiled for each cooked rice, and it is possible to easily cook rice using delicious water.
In addition, it is possible to enjoy tea or the like using hot water in the water container 2 at the time of a meal, so that there is no need to separately operate the rice cooker and the electric pot as in the related art, thereby improving usability.

Further, in the present embodiment, by pressing the water supply switch 25 before the start of rice cooking, the water 15 in the water container 2 once boiled and cooled during the previous rice cooking is put into the rice cooking container 1 by an appropriate amount for the rice amount. Since the electric pump 12 is automatically controlled so as to be supplied, it is not necessary to supply an appropriate amount of water by manual operation, and it is possible to easily cook delicious rice using the water 15 from which the calcium component has been removed. In the present embodiment, when the water temperature in the water purification function unit 52 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature,
The water supply means 13 is configured not to supply water to the rice cooking function unit 51, and the electric pump 12 is controlled so that high-temperature water is not added to the rice 14 when the water supply switch 25 is operated. There is no fear that the time until boiling is shortened by cooking, and also the danger such as burns is prevented. Further, when rice is cooked or kept warm in the rice cooking function section 51, the rice cooking function section 51 by the water supply means 13 is used.
It is configured so that water can not be supplied to the water, and it is controlled so that water is not supplied even during cooking rice or keeping warm, so there is no worry that unintentional water supply will be performed even if the water supply switch 25 is operated accidentally Absent.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, the rice cooker and the water heater are described to be energized when the start operation unit is operated. However, the known rice cooker function is provided, and the energization of the rice cooker and the water heater is started based on the timer set time. The switch for cooking rice and the switch for boiling water may be separately provided. The setting of the appropriate amount of water for the amount of rice can be arbitrarily performed. For example, a desired amount of cooked rice may be written and stored by operating the amount of rice switch, and a rice + water amount value based on the amount of cooked rice may be set. Various modifications are possible.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention includes a rice cooking function unit, and a water purification function unit that purifies water used when cooking rice in the rice cooking function unit, wherein the water purification function unit removes a calcium component by boiling water. The rice cooker is characterized in that it is removed, and it is possible to provide a rice cooker which can easily prepare purified water from which khaki components have been sufficiently removed for cooking rice.

Further, the present invention includes a water supply unit from the water purification function unit to the rice cooking function unit, and when the rice cooking function unit is cooking or keeping warm, water cannot be supplied to the rice cooking function unit by the water supply unit. With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the fear of inadvertent water supply during cooking and keeping warm.

Furthermore, the present invention is configured such that when the water temperature in the water purification function section is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, water cannot be supplied to the rice cooking function section by the water supply means, and the time from boiling to boiling with hot water There is no danger of shortening and the danger of burns can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 9 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view of a rice cooker, FIG. 3 is a front view of an operation panel, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of cooked rice and the weight of rice and water, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing control of water supply and start of cooking and boiling water, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing water heater control,
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the water supply determination control. 13 Water supply means 51 Rice cooking function 52 Water purification function

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rice cooking function unit, and a water purification function unit for purifying water used when cooking rice in the rice cooking function unit, wherein the water purification function unit removes calcium components by boiling water. Characterized rice cooker. 2. A water supply means from the water purification function section to the rice cooking function section, wherein when the rice cooking function section cooks or keeps heat, water cannot be supplied to the rice cooking function section by the water supply means. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the rice cooker is configured as follows. 3. The rice cooker according to claim 2, wherein when the water temperature in said water purification function section is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, water cannot be supplied to said rice cooking function section by said water supply means.