JP7169764B2 - rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a rice cooker equipped with a detachably attached steam vent assembly.

Many rice cookers of this type have been reported. For example, in Patent Document 1, a steam port unit is detachably attached to the outlet of an exhaust passage for exhausting steam generated in a rice cooker. a saucer-shaped lower case provided with a connection for flowing in the It is rotatable around the shaft of the lower case, and a locking portion provided on the opposite side of the shaft in the lower case engages a lock receiving portion provided on the upper case, so that the upper case and A rice cooker that is assembled with a lower case is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-320489

When cleaning a steam port assembly such as a steam port unit, the steam port assembly is disassembled and assembled. If the state of engagement with the portion is strong, there is a problem that it is difficult to disassemble the steam port assembly.

Referring to FIG. 23, the steam recovery unit 17 as a steam port assembly of the conventional rice cooker 1 will be described. A port 201 and an exhaust port 204 (see FIG. 1) for discharging the steam to the outside are provided. A packing 203 (see FIG. 1) that seals the port cap 202, and a locking portion that is provided on the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the steam port cap 202 and engages with a locking receiving portion 201a (see FIG. 1) of the steam port 201. and a steam port hook 206. Then, with the packing 203 disposed on the steam port cap 202, the projecting portion 201b (see FIG. 1) provided on the steam port 201 is inserted into the insertion hole 202a (see FIG. 1) of the steam port cap 202 to The steam recovery unit 17 is assembled by engaging the mouth hook 206 with the lock receiving portion 201a. Here, in the steam recovery unit 17, the packing 203 is sandwiched between the steam port 201 and the steam port cap 202, and the insertion portion between the protruding portion 201b and the insertion hole 202a and the engagement between the steam port hook 206 and the lock receiving portion 201a. Steam port 201 and steam port cap 202 are fixed at the junction and the steam port cap 202 at the time of assembly. This elastic force was concentrated on the insertion portion and the engaging portion. Therefore, in the engaging portion, an elastic force acts in the direction in which the steam port 201 and the steam port cap 202 are separated from each other. Also, when assembling the steam recovery unit 17, the elastic force acts on the steam port 201 and the steam port cap 202, so that the steam port hook 206 may become difficult to engage with the lock receiving portion 201a. 17 would be difficult to assemble. On the other hand, if the clamping force described above is weakened, the sealing between the steam port 201 and the steam port cap 202 may become incomplete, and steam may leak from between them, and steam may be recovered during use. There was a fear that the unit 17 would be disassembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a rice cooker whose steam port assembly can be easily disassembled and assembled.

In the rice cooker of the present invention, a steam port assembly is detachably attached to the passage through which the steam generated in the pot is released to the outside, and the steam port assembly is provided with an intake port through which the steam flows into the interior. a steam port for recovering the liquefied steam; and a steam port cap provided with an exhaust port for discharging the steam to the outside and openably and closably covering an upper opening of the steam port, wherein the steam port is approximately a rectangular bottom portion, a pair of opposed side wall portions rising vertically from the bottom portion, a pair of guide grooves respectively running along the side wall portions to regulate the moving direction of the steam port cap when the steam port cap is opened and closed, and the guide grooves. The steam port cap has a pair of flange portions protruding from each other and a lock receiving portion, and the steam port cap is fitted with a pair of insertion protrusions and the flange portion, which are respectively fitted into the guide grooves when the steam port cap is opened and closed. and a locking portion that engages with the locking receiving portion when the steam vent cap completely covers the upper opening.

According to the present invention, the steam port and the steam port cap can be slidably assembled and disassembled, the locking portion can be easily engaged with the locking receiving portion to be locked, and the engagement can be easily released. to unlock it. Therefore, disassembly and assembly of the steam port assembly can be easily performed.

It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a common rice cooker showing a reference example of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main electrical configuration of the same; 1 is a perspective view of a steam recovery unit of a rice cooker showing a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the vapor recovery unit of the same; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the vapor recovery unit of the same; It is a perspective view of a steam port same as the above. It is a perspective view of a steam port cap same as the above. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rice cooker showing a second embodiment of the present invention; It is a side view of a rice cooker same as the above. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state where the lid body of the rice cooker was opened same as the above. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lid body is opened in the rice cooker showing the third embodiment of the present invention; It is a perspective view and a side view of a conventional rice scoop. It is the perspective view and partial enlarged view of the rice scoop which show 4th Example of this invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view, a partially enlarged view, and a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX of a rice scoop showing a modified example of the fourth embodiment; It is the perspective view and partial enlarged view of the rice scoop which shows the further modification of 4th Example. It is explanatory drawing which showed typically the heating operation of the conventional rice cooker. It is explanatory drawing which showed typically the heating operation of the rice cooker which shows 5th Example of this invention. FIG. 10 is a view showing how a measuring cup is stored in a conventional rice cooker accessory in an exterior box. It is a top view which shows the state which opened the upper surface of an exterior box same as the above. FIG. 20 is a top view showing a state in which the top surface of the exterior box is opened, which is different from FIG. 19; Fig. 21 is a top view showing a state in which the top surface of the exterior box is opened, different from Figs. 19 and 20; FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exterior box for storing rice cooker accessories in the exterior box according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a steam recovery unit of a conventional rice cooker; FIG.

Hereinafter, reference examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of a general rice cooker, which is a reference example of the present invention, will be described. Reference numeral 1 denotes a rice cooker, which has a substantially rectangular shape in which the front and rear faces and the left and right sides face each other when viewed from above. The whole is constituted by a main body 2 of a rice cooker 1 having an open upper surface and a lid 3 that covers the upper opening of the main body 2 so as to be openable and closable. The main body 2 has a pot housing portion 4 with an open upper surface, and when the lid body 3 is opened, a bottomed pot 5 as a container for housing water and rice, which are the objects to be cooked, is placed in the pot housing portion. 4 is detachably accommodated. The pot accommodating portion 4 is configured by combining a bowl-shaped resin inner frame 6, a metal inner frame ring 7, and the like, and is formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom as a whole.

The pan 5 has a main material 8 made of aluminum with good thermal conductivity, and a heating element 9 made of a magnetic metal plate such as ferritic stainless steel is joined to the outer surface of the main material 8 from the lower side to the bottom. A body heater 11 using a cord heater as an example of heating means is provided on the outer surface of the inner frame ring 7 facing the outer surface of the pot 5 . A heating coil 12 is provided on the outer surface of the inner frame 6 facing the bottom of the pot 5 from the lower side of the pot 5 as a heating means for heating the heating element 9 of the pot 5 by electromagnetic induction.

A pan sensor 14 as a pan temperature detecting means is disposed at the center of the bottom of the inner frame 6 so as to elastically come into contact with the bottom of the outer surface of the pan 5 . The pot sensor 14 is configured to detect the temperature of the pot 5 and mainly control the heating temperature of the bottom portion of the pot 5 by the heating coil 12 .

A lid open button 15 is arranged in an exposed state on the upper front surface of the lid body 3. When the lid open button 15 is pressed, the engagement between the main body 2 and the lid body 3 is released, and the upper part of the main body 2 is opened. A hinge spring (not shown) provided at the rear automatically opens the lid 3 with the hinge shaft of the hinge portion 16 as the center of rotation. A steam recovery unit 17 serving as an external steam port assembly is detachably mounted on the rear upper surface of the lid 3 to discharge steam generated from the food to be cooked in the pot 5 to the outside of the rice cooker 1. be.

The lid body 3 has an outer lid 19 as an external component forming the outer shell of the upper surface, a radiator plate 20 forming the lower surface of the lid body 3, and the outer lid 19 and the radiator plate 20, which are joined together to form a skeleton of the lid body 3. and an outer lid cover 21 as a lid base material forming the main component. A lid heater 22 as lid heating means is provided on the upper surface of the radiator plate 20 inside the lid 3 . The lid heater 22 may be an electric heater such as a cord heater, or an electromagnetic induction heating coil.

An inner lid assembly 23 as a lower member of the lid 3 is detachably provided below the heat sink 20 . The inner lid assembly 23 comprises an inner lid 24 made of metal and having a disc shape with a diameter substantially equal to the upper opening of the pan 5, and an elastic member for sealing between the inner lid 24 and the pan 5. A packing 25, an inner lid ring 26 for mounting the lid packing 25 on the outer circumference of the inner lid 24, and a pressure regulating portion 27 for adjusting the internal pressure of the pot 5 are provided. A ring-shaped lid packing 25 abuts on the upper surface of the pot 5 when the lid body 3 is closed and closes the gap between the pot 5 and the inner lid 24 to seal the steam generated from the pot 5. It is something to do.

The radiator plate 20 is provided with a thermistor-type lid sensor 34 for controlling the temperature of the inner lid 24 by the lid heater 22 as lid temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the lid 3, particularly the inner lid 24. . Further, inside the lid 3, a steam exhaust path 35 is formed as a passage for releasing steam generated in the pan 5 to the outside, which communicates the steam port unit 17 and the pressure regulating section 27 with each other. The pressure regulating section 27 is provided with a pressure regulating valve 36 that opens and closes a steam discharge path 35 between the inside of the pot 5 and the steam recovery unit 17 . The pressure regulating valve 36 is ball-shaped and interlocks with a solenoid 37 provided inside the lid 3. When the steam inside the pot 5 is released to the outside, the steam discharge path 35 is opened to pressurize or pressurize the inside of the pot 5. When the pressure is reduced, the solenoid 37 rotates the pressure regulating valve 36 so as to close the steam discharge path 35 . During pressurization, the object to be cooked in the pot 5 is heated by high-frequency power supply to the heating coil 12, and when the internal pressure of the pot 5 reaches a predetermined value, the steam discharge path 35 is opened against the weight of the pressure regulating valve 36. By doing so, the pressure inside the pan 5 is maintained above the atmospheric pressure.

Decompression means 38 lowers the pressure inside the pan 5 below normal atmospheric pressure with the lid 3 closed to the main body 2 . The decompression means 38 accommodates the pot 5 in the pot container 4, closes the lid 3, and then energizes the solenoid 37 to reduce the internal pressure of the sealed pot 5 with the pressure regulating valve 36 blocking the steam discharge path 35. lower the Further, when the pressure inside the pan 5 drops below the atmospheric pressure by a certain value, the operation of the decompression pump 39, which is the operating source of the decompression means 38, is stopped to keep the inside of the pan 5 in a decompressed state. Furthermore, when the pressure inside the pot 5 is returned from the decompressed state to the same pressure as the outside air, the operation of the decompression pump 39 is stopped and the path (not shown) communicating between the decompression pump 39 and the interior of the pot 5 is opened. That is, the decompression means 38 also serves as a pressure return means for returning the pressure inside the pan 5 from the decompressed state to the same pressure as the outside air.

41 is a unitized heating substrate assembly including the heating control means 40 . The heating control means 40 includes a microcomputer or the like in order to electrically control each part of the rice cooker 1 in combination with a display/operation control means 46 described later. A body heater 11 and a heating coil 12 for heating the pot 5 during rice cooking and heat retention, and a lid heater 22 for heating the lid 3 upon receiving each temperature detection signal from and an operation signal from an operation unit 43, which will be described later. , and the operation of the solenoid 37 and the decompression pump 39 respectively. Here, the heating control means 40 mainly controls the heating coil 12 based on the temperature detected by the pot sensor 14 to control the temperature of the bottom of the pot 5, and mainly controls the lid heater 22 based on the temperature detected by the lid sensor 34. It is configured to control the temperature of the inner lid 24 facing the food to be cooked.

28 is an operation panel that serves as a display operation unit of the rice cooker 1 . The operation panel 28 includes a display section 42 for displaying various information related to cooking, and an operation section 43 (see FIG. 2) for starting rice cooking and selecting the time and cooking course. A control PC (Printed Circuit) board 47 having a display/operation control means 46 which is a control means of the operation panel 28 is arranged on the lower surface of these. The control PC board 47 has a pattern-formed conductive circuit part, and by mounting a control IC or the like related to operation and display on this control PC board 47, display and operation control are performed in cooperation with the heating control means 40 described above. Means 46 are configured.

Next, the main control system in the above configuration of a general rice cooker will be described with reference to FIG. The control means 51 for electrically controlling each part of the rice cooker 1 is configured by combining the heating control means 40 and the display/operation control means 46 as described above, and is stored in its own storage means (not shown). As functions on the control sequence of the program, a rice cooking control means 52 for cooking and heating the food to be cooked in the pot 5 during rice cooking, and a heat retention control means 53 for keeping and heating the rice in the pot 5 to a predetermined heat retention temperature during heat retention. Upon receiving a command to start reserved rice cooking from the operation unit 43, a reserved rice cooking course is executed to control the rice cooking control unit 52 so that the food in the pan 5 is cooked in a predetermined time stored in advance in the storage unit. A possible reservation rice cooking control means 54 is provided.

Reference numeral 55 denotes a heating coil driving means which incorporates a high frequency inverter circuit or the like for receiving a control signal from the control means 51 and supplying a predetermined high frequency current to the heating coil 12 . Apart from this, on the output side of the control means 51, a lid heater driving means 56 for receiving a control signal from the control means 51 and driving the lid heater 22 so as to heat the radiator plate 20 and the inner lid 24 is provided. , a torso heater driving means 57 for driving the torso heater 22, and a display section 55 are provided respectively. As described above, the display unit 43 is driven by the display/operation control means 46 of the control means 51 . When the rice is cooked by the rice cooking control means 52 and when the temperature is kept warm by the heat retention control means 53, the temperatures detected by the pot sensor 14 and the lid sensor 34 cause the heating coil 12 to heat the bottom of the pot 5 and the body heater 11 to heat the pot. 5 and heating of the inner lid 24 by the lid heater 22 are controlled. In addition, after the rice cooking by the rice cooking control means 52 is finished and the food in the pan 5 is cooked as rice, the heat retention by the heat retention control means 53 is automatically performed, and based on the temperature detected by the pan sensor 14, By adjusting the heating of the pot 5 by the heating coil 21 and the body heater 22, the rice is kept at a predetermined temperature (approximately 70°C to 76°C).

In the above configuration, when rice and water, which are the objects to be cooked, are put into the pot 5 and, for example, the rice cooking key of the operation unit 43 is operated, rice cooking by the rice cooking control means 52 is started. Here, the rice-cooking control means 52 controls the heating coil 12 and The bottom and sides of the pot 5 are heated by the body heater 11, respectively, and the water temperature in the pot 5 is maintained at about 45-60° C. for 15-20 minutes for soaking. Since the inside of the pan 5 is maintained in a decompressed state during soaking, it is possible to allow the rice to sufficiently absorb water in the pan 5.例文帳に追加

After that, when the soaking for a predetermined time is completed, the rice cooking control means 52 starts the substantial rice cooking operation, and the heating coil 12 strongly heats the pan 5 to boil the food. When the temperature of the bottom of the pot 5 reaches 90° C. or higher during this boiling heating, and the temperature of the inner lid 24 stabilizes at 90° C. or higher, it is assumed that the inside of the pot 5 is in a boiling state, and the heating amount is reduced more than before. Continue heating to boiling.

It should be noted that the fact that the temperature of the inner lid 24 is stabilized at 90.degree. Further, in this boiling detection, the pot sensor 14 and the lid sensor 34 can confirm that both the bottom of the pot 5 and the inner lid 24 have reached 90° C. or higher, so that it can be accurately confirmed that the inside of the pot 5 has boiled completely. well detectable.

When the boiling continues, the rice cooking control means 52 causes the lid heater 22 to start heating the lid. The lid heating here is controlled by the temperature detected by the lid sensor 34 so that the temperature of the inner lid 24 is 100-110.degree. Then, when the bottom of the pan 5 rises to a predetermined temperature, the completion of cooking in the pan 5 is detected, the rice cooking process by the rice cooking control means 52 is terminated, and the heat retention control means 53 shifts to the heat retention process, and the first Move to Nomurashi. During steaming, the lid heater 22 is turned on and off by controlling the temperature detected by the lid sensor 34 to prevent condensation on the inner lid 24 and maintain a high temperature (98-100°C) to the extent that the rice does not burn. Control the temperature of the bottom of the pan 5 so that The mooring is continued for a predetermined time (15 to 20 minutes), and when the mooring ends, the temperature control means 53 shifts to heat retention.

When the temperature is kept warm, the heating coil 12 heats the bottom and side lower portions of the pot 5 so that the temperature is slightly higher than the temperature of the rice stored in the pot 5, and the lid heater 22 heats the inner lid 24, Further, the side surface of the pot 5 is temperature-controlled by a body heater 11 so that the rice does not dry out and a large amount of dew does not adhere.

Next, the detailed configuration of the rice cooker of the first embodiment and the effects thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. FIG.

This embodiment differs from the reference example in the shape and configuration of a steam recovery unit 17' as a steam port assembly. That is, the steam recovery unit 17' of the present embodiment, like the steam recovery unit 17 of the reference example, has a steam port 61 for recovering the liquefied steam, and a steam port that covers the top opening of the steam port 61 so as to be openable and closable. Although it is provided with a cap 62 and a packing 63 that seals between the steam port 61 and the steam port cap 62, it has a structure without a steam port hook like the steam recovery unit 17. It is configured so that it can be disassembled and assembled by sliding.

Specifically, the vapor recovery unit 17 ′ is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and configured to match the surface shape of the upper surface of the outer lid 19 when detachably attached to the rear upper surface of the lid 3 . The steam recovery unit 17' is provided with an intake port 65 at the bottom portion 61a of the steam port 61, which is the lower surface portion, and an exhaust port 64 is formed at the upper surface portion 62a of the steam port cap 62, which is the upper surface portion. Then, the steam generated from the food to be cooked in the pan 5 is caused to flow into the steam recovery unit 17' via the steam discharge path 35 from the intake port 65, and is discharged from the rice cooker 1 from the exhaust port 64. ing. The intake port 65 also serves as a connecting portion with the steam discharge path 35 .

The steam recovery unit 17 ′ has a steam port 61 and a steam port cap 62 to form an outer surface. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the moving direction of the steam port cap 62 is regulated so that it slides along the upper surface of the steam port 61 in the longitudinal direction. It is arranged to disassemble and assemble the unit 17'.

The steam port 61 is composed of a substantially rectangular bottom portion 61a provided with an intake port 65 and four continuous side wall portions 61b vertically rising from each side of the bottom portion 61a. A groove 61c for installing 63 is formed. It should be noted that the bottom portion 61a and the two longitudinal side wall portions 61b may be provided with a finger-holding portion or a non-slip portion for putting a finger on when the steam port cap 62 is slid.

61 d of guide grooves which run along the longitudinal direction of the steam port 61 are formed in the outer surface of the side wall part 61b of a longitudinal direction, respectively. The guide groove 61d is also provided on one lateral side wall portion 61b, and the three side wall portions 61b form a continuous guide groove 61d. The guide groove 61d regulates the direction of sliding movement when the steam port cap 62 is opened and closed, and a flange portion 61e relatively projecting from the guide groove 61d is formed on the guide groove 61d. The thickness of the flange portion 61e of this embodiment is thinner than that of the side wall portion 61b. and are configured to be flush with each other. In addition, concave locking receiving portions 67 are provided on the two flange portions 61e in the longitudinal direction, respectively. The position where the locking receiving portion 67 is provided is desirably near the side wall portion 61b side where the guide groove 61d is not formed. In addition, since the later-described locking portion 68 is immediately engaged with the locking receiving portion 67, it is possible to quickly know that the steam port cap 62 has been erroneously inserted.

The steam port cap 62 is provided with an exhaust port 64, and has a plate-like upper surface portion 62a which has substantially the same shape as the bottom portion 61a when viewed from the top, and two long sides and one short side of the upper surface portion 62a which are vertically lowered. The steam recovery unit 17' is assembled by sliding the steam port cap 62 onto the steam port 61 from the direction in which the side wall portions 62b are not provided. Continuous insertion projections 62c are formed on the inner surfaces of these three side wall portions 62b, and as shown in FIG. The entire flange portion 61e of the steam port 61 is configured to fit into the recess 62d between the insertion protrusion 62c and the upper surface portion 62a.

A convex locking portion 68 is formed in each of the concave portions 62d formed in the side wall portion 62b in the longitudinal direction of the steam port cap 62, and is disposed at a position corresponding to the locking receiving portion 67 so as to be oriented in the correct direction. When the steam port cap 62 is inserted into the steam port 61 through the opening, the locking portion 68 is configured to be locked to the locking receiving portion 67 at the position where the steam port cap 62 is completely closed. Note that the outer surface of the engaging portion 68 may be formed in an R shape. Further, a finger hooking portion or a non-slip portion may be provided on the upper surface portion 62a and the two side wall portions 62b in the longitudinal direction.

The packing 63 is made of an elastic member and has a ring shape with a circular cross section. The packing 63 is arranged in the groove 61c, and when the steam recovery unit 17' is assembled, it is brought into close contact with the lower surface of the upper surface portion 62a of the steam port cap 62 to seal the steam port 61 and the steam port cap 62. ing.

Next, regarding the rice cooker 1 configured as described above, the operation of disassembling and assembling the steam recovery unit 17' in particular will be described. First, the packing 63 is fitted into the groove 61c and arranged in the steam port 61. As shown in FIG. Then, when the steam port cap 62 is slid toward the steam port 61 from the direction in which the side wall portion 62b is not provided, the insertion protrusion 62c of the steam port cap 62 is fitted in the vicinity of the longitudinal entrance of the guide groove 61d of the steam port 61. , and the flange portion 61e of the steam port 61 is fitted near the entrance of the recess 62d of the steam port cap 62 in the longitudinal direction.

When the steam port cap 62 is slid along the upper surface of the steam port 61 in the longitudinal direction while the lower surface of the upper surface portion 62a slides on the packing 63, the steam port cap 62 is slid along the respective guide grooves 61d in the longitudinal direction of the steam port 61. The insertion protrusion 62c of the steam port cap 62 slides, and the flange portion 61e of the steam port 61 slides along each recess 62d of the steam port cap 62 in the longitudinal direction. During sliding, the engaging portion 68 abuts against the flange portion 61e, and the engaging portion 68 is pushed by the flange portion 61e, so that the longitudinal side wall portions 62b of the steam port cap 62 are elastically deformed outward.

Further, when the steam port cap 62 is slid along the upper surface of the steam port 61 in the longitudinal direction, the insertion protrusion 62c of the steam port cap 62 in the short direction fits into the guide groove 61d in the short direction of the steam port 61. Also, the lateral flange portion 61e of the steam port 61 is fitted into the lateral recess 62d of the steam port cap 62 . At this time, since the locking portion 68 moves to the position of the locking receiving portion 67, the locking portion 68 engages with the locking receiving portion 67 due to its elastic force and is locked, thereby assembling the steam recovery unit 17'. is completed. In this way, the steam port 61 and the steam port cap 62 can be assembled in a sliding manner. Therefore, it is configured to be easily locked. Moreover, not only the longitudinal side wall portions 61b and 62b of the steam port 61 and the steam port cap, but also the lateral side wall portions 61b and 62b of the steam port 61 and the steam port cap have insertion protrusions 62c and guide grooves 61d. Since the flange portion 61e fits into the concave portion 62d, the lower surface of the flange portion 61e pushes down the upper surface of the insertion protrusion 62c by the side wall portions 61b and 62b in three directions, and the packing 63 is securely attached to the lower surface of the upper surface portion 62a. It is possible to bring them into close contact with each other, and to disperse the portion receiving the elastic force from the packing 63 . Therefore, the steam port 61 and the steam port cap 62 can be sealed more reliably, and the steam port cap 62 can be easily opened and closed.

Next, the operation of disassembling the steam recovery unit 17' will be described. When the steam port cap 62 is slid in the direction opposite to the sliding direction (the arrow direction in FIG. 4) during assembly, the engaging portion 68 is disengaged. As a result, the locking portion 68 is pushed by the longitudinal flange portion 61e of the steam port 61, and the longitudinal side wall portions 62b of the steam port cap 62 are elastically deformed outward. When the steam port cap 62 is slid along the upper surface of the steam port 61 in the longitudinal direction while the lower surface of the upper surface portion 62a slides on the packing 63, the steam port cap 62 is slid along the respective guide grooves 61d in the longitudinal direction of the steam port 61. The insertion protrusion 62c of the steam port cap 62 slides, and the flange portion 61e of the steam port 61 slides along each recess 62d of the steam port cap 62 in the longitudinal direction. After that, by further sliding the steam port cap 62 in the same direction, the steam port 61 and the steam port cap 62 are disassembled, and the elastic deformation of the longitudinal side wall portion 62b of the steam port cap 62 is released. Then, by removing the packing 63 arranged in the groove 61c, the disassembly of the steam recovery unit 17' is completed.

As described above, in the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment, the steam recovery unit 17' as a steam port assembly is detachably attached to the steam discharge path 35 as a passage for releasing the steam generated in the pot 5 to the outside. The steam recovery unit 17' is provided with an inlet port 65 for allowing the steam to flow inside, a steam port 61 for recovering the liquefied steam, and an exhaust port 64 for discharging the steam to the outside. and a steam port cap 62 that openably and closably covers the top opening of the steam port 61. The steam port 61 includes a guide groove 61d for regulating the movement direction of the steam port cap 62 when opening and closing, and a flange protruding from the guide groove 61d. The steam port cap 62 has an insertion projection 62c that fits into the guide groove 61d when the steam port cap 62 is opened and closed, a recess 62d that the flange portion 61e fits into, and a steam port cap 62d. and a locking portion 68 that engages with the locking receiving portion 67 when the cap 62 covers the entire top opening of the steam port 61 .

Therefore, the steam port 61 and the steam port cap 62 can be slidably assembled and disassembled, and the locking portion 68 can be easily engaged with the locking receiving portion 67 for locking, and the engagement can be easily released. to unlock it. Therefore, the vapor recovery unit 17' can be easily disassembled and assembled.

8 to 10 show a rice cooker 1' according to a second embodiment of the invention. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the structure which is common in the rice cooker of a reference example and 1st Example, and the same description is abbreviate|omitted as much as possible in order to avoid duplication. In the rice cooker 1' here, a rice scoop, which is an accessory of the rice cooker 1', is housed inside the lid body 3', thereby eliminating the need for a rice scoop holder and securing space in the kitchen.

Since the rice scoop serves to serve rice, which is the object to be cooked, placing the rice scoop directly on the floor or desk poses a hygienic problem and should be avoided. Conventionally, a rice scoop stand was separately provided outside the rice cooker, for example, on the side of the rice cooker, and the rice scoop was stored in this scoop stand. However, it is necessary to secure a space for installing the rice scoop stand in a limited kitchen, and there is a possibility that problems such as a lack of space for placing the rice scoop may occur. In order to solve this problem, there has been proposed a rice scoop that does not have a rice scoop stand and that stands on its own with its spatula up.

However, since the rice scoop is placed separately from the rice cooker, there is a risk that the rice scoop may be lost when placed. Therefore, in this embodiment, a storage container 75 for storing the rice scoop is provided inside the lid 3' of the rice cooker 1'.

The structure of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. A clamp 71 corresponds to an engaging portion between the main body 2' and the lid 3', and the base end thereof is the lid open button 15. , and is rotatably supported on the outer lid cover 19 about a clamp shaft 72 provided inside the lid body 3 . Reference numeral 73 denotes a clamp biasing means such as a spring that biases the base end of the clamp 71 toward the lid open button 15 side.

74 is a rice scoop, and 75 is a storage container for storing the rice scoop 74 . The containment container 75 includes a containment container main body 75a for containing a rice scoop, a hole portion 75b provided on one side of the containment container main body 75a, and a containment container main body 75a provided on the other side of the containment container main body 75a. and a hook 75c to be engaged inside, and is rotatably supported with respect to the outer lid cover 19 around a pivot portion 76 that is provided inside the lid 3' and penetrates the hole 75b. . The hook portion 75c is interlocked with the clamp 71, and when the lid opening button 15 is pressed and the proximal end portion of the clamp 71 is pushed downward to rotate the clamp 71, the engagement of the hook portion 75c is released. It is configured as follows. When the hook portion 75c is disengaged, the storage container 75 rotates about the shaft support portion 76, and is set at a predetermined angle, for example, the lid 3', which facilitates taking out the rice scoop 74 when the lid 3' is opened. The rotation of the containment vessel 75 is stopped at an angle of 45° with respect to the lower surface of '.

Next, with reference to FIG. 10, the operation of the rice cooker 1' configured as described above when opening and closing the lid 3' will be described. First, when the lid 3' of the rice cooker 1' is closed, the engagement between the clamp 71 and the hook portion 75c is not released, and the container 75 is housed inside the lid 3' together with the rice scoop 74. . When the lid open button 15 is pressed here, the proximal end of the clamp 71 is pushed downward, the clamp 71 rotates against the biasing force of the clamp biasing means 73, and the engagement of the clamp 71 is released. be. Then, the lid body 3' automatically opens around the hinge shaft of the hinge portion 16, and the outer lid cover 19 stops at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the main body 2'.

When the clamp 71 rotates, the hook portion 75c interlocking with the clamp 71 moves in the direction of the arrow, and the engagement of the hook portion 75c is released. Then, due to the gravity applied to the containment vessel 75 and the inertial force acting on the containment vessel 75 when the lid 3' opens, the containment vessel 75 rotates about the pivot 76 in the direction of the dotted arrow, and the lid 3' opens. The rotation of the containment vessel 75 stops at a predetermined angle with respect to the lower surface. At the same time that the lid 3' is opened in this way, the storage container 75 emerges from the outer lid cover 19 together with the rice scoop 74. As shown in FIG. After that, the user takes out the rice scoop 74 from the storage container 75 and uses it.

After using the rice scoop 74, the user stores the rice scoop 74 in the storage container 75 and rotates the storage container 75 toward the outer lid cover 19 to move it inside the lid 3'. At this time, since the lid open button 15 and the clamp 71 are returned to their original positions by the biasing force of the clamp biasing means 73, the hook portion 75c engages the container 75 inside the lid body 3. FIG. After that, the lid 3 ′ is closed with the hinge shaft of the hinge portion 16 as the center of rotation, and the main body 2 ′ and the lid 3 ′ are engaged with the clamp 71 .

As described above, the rice cooker 1' of this embodiment includes a clamp 71 that engages the main body 2' and the lid 3', a storage container 75 that stores the rice scoop 74, and the storage container 75 inside the lid 3'. When the clamp 71 is disengaged, the hook 75c is disengaged and the lid 3' is opened simultaneously with the opening of the lid 3'. A storage container 75 appears together with a rice scoop 74 from the outer lid cover 19 of the container. Therefore, there is no need to secure a space for installing a rice scoop stand or a rice scoop, and problems such as difficulty in placing them do not occur. Also, since the rice scoop 74 is stored inside the lid 3' together with the storage container 75, problems such as loss of the rice scoop 74 do not occur. Therefore, the limited kitchen space can be secured, and the rice scoop 74 can be used to separate the rice, which is the object to be cooked, more efficiently, thereby improving convenience.

FIG. 11 shows a rice cooker 1″ according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Components common to the rice cookers of the reference example, the first embodiment, and the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. However, the same description will be omitted as much as possible to avoid duplication. By providing an LED 82 as a function and a heat retention ON/OFF button 83 as a second operation unit, it is possible to confirm whether or not the rice cooker 1 ″ is in a heat retention state without closing the lid body 3 , and to turn the heat retention ON.・Off operation is enabled.

The display section of a conventional rice cooker is generally arranged at the front of the main body, such as the display section 42 of the rice cooker 1' of the second embodiment. However, in recent years, there are many designs that are arranged on the top surface of the lid 3, such as the display 42 of the rice cooker 1 of the reference example.

Many rice cookers, such as the rice cooker 1 in the reference example, have a function to automatically turn on the heat retention after the rice is cooked, but few rice cookers automatically turn off the heat retention after the rice is finished eating. , it is necessary for the user to turn off the heat retention of the rice cooker by himself/herself. At this time, when the display portion 42 is arranged on the top surface portion of the lid 3, the display portion 42 faces rearward together with the top surface portion of the lid 3 when the lid of the lid 3 is opened, as shown in FIG. Therefore, when checking the display section 42 in order to turn off the heat retention, it was necessary to close the lid 3 once. Since the temperature of the main body 2 and the pot 5 is high immediately after the heat insulation is turned off, it is common to remove the pot 5 by opening the lid 3 after the temperature of the main body 2 and the pot 5 has decreased. And when the pot 5 is cooled, the lid 3 needs to be opened. However, in the case of the rice cooker 1 in which the display portion 42 is arranged on the top surface portion of the lid 3, the display portion 42 cannot be visually recognized when the lid 3 is opened, so there is a possibility that confirmation of whether or not the heat retention is turned off may be neglected. there were.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the main body 2 is provided with an angle sensor 81 for detecting the lid opening angle of the lid 3 with respect to the main body 2 and an LED 82 .

The structure of the rice cooker 1″ of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11. Reference numeral 81 denotes an angle sensor, which is provided at the hinge portion 16 and detects the rotation angle of the hinge portion 16. Angle sensor 81 detects the lid opening angle of the lid 3 with respect to the main body 2 by detecting the rotation angle of the hinge portion 16, and acts as an element for detecting the lid opening angle of the lid 3. An angle sensor. Reference numeral 81 is electrically connected to an input port of the control means 51, and transmits a detected rotation angle signal to the control means 51. In this embodiment, an angle sensor 81 for measuring the rotation angle of the hinge portion 16 is provided. However, any element or method that can detect the lid opening angle of the lid 3 with respect to the main body 2 is not limited to this.

82 is an LED as a light emitting element, and the LED 82 of this embodiment is arranged on the front surface of the main body 2 and acts as a second display section. The LED 82 is electrically connected to the output port of the control means 51 in the same manner as the display section 42 , and lighting and extinguishing of the LED 82 are controlled by the heat retention control means 53 of the control means 51 . The display may be driven by the display/operation control means 46 in the same manner as the display unit 43 . In this embodiment, the LED 82 is placed on the front surface of the main body 2, but it is not limited to this as long as it can be visually recognized when the lid 3 is opened. In place of the LED 82, a side-light-emitting type optical fiber having a light source unit arranged on at least one end may be employed, and the color emitted from this optical fiber indicates the operation status of the rice cooker 1'' such as keeping warm. It may be configured to

Reference numeral 83 denotes a heat retention ON/OFF button capable of turning ON/OFF the heat retention of the rice cooker 1. The heat retention ON/OFF button 83 of this embodiment is arranged on the front surface of the main body 2 in the same manner as the LED 82, and the second Acts as an operating unit. The heat retention ON/OFF button 83 is electrically connected to the input port of the control means 51 in the same manner as the operation unit 43, and a signal from the heat retention ON/OFF button 83 is transmitted to the control means 51, and the control means The heat retention control means 53 of 51 receives this signal and controls the operation of the rice cooker 1'' to be in the heat retention state or in the stop state. Although the front face of the main body 2 is used, it is not limited to this as long as it is a place that can be easily accessed when the lid body 3 is opened.

Next, regarding the rice cooker 1″ having the above configuration, the operation of opening the lid 3 during heat retention will be described. Based on this, the rice is kept at a predetermined temperature by adjusting the heating of the pot 5 by the heating coil 12 and the body heater 11. When the lid open button 15 is pressed here, the main body 2 and the lid 3 are separated. The engagement is released, and the lid body 3 opens around the hinge axis of the hinge portion 16. At this time, the angle sensor 81 detects the rotation angle of the hinge portion 16, and the detected signal is transmitted to the control means 51. Send to

When the detected signal from the angle sensor 81 detects that the cover 3 has reached a predetermined angle, for example, 90°, the heat retention control means 53 determines that the cover 3 is open and turns on the LED 82. Or control it so that it blinks. With this configuration, it is possible to control the LED 82 to light up or blink only when the rice cooker 1″ is kept warm and when the lid 3 is opened.

When the heat retention ON/OFF button 83 is operated during heat retention, a signal from the heat retention ON/OFF button 83 is transmitted to the control means 51 . Then, when the heat retention control means 53 stops controlling the rice cooker 1'', the heat retention of the rice cooker 1'' is turned OFF and the rice cooker 1'' is stopped. When the rice cooker 1'' is stopped, the heat retention is turned ON. When the OFF button 83 is operated, a signal from the heat retention ON/OFF button 83 is transmitted to the control means 51, the heat retention control means 53 shifts to heat retention, and the heat retention of the rice cooker 1'' is turned on. By doing so, even when the lid of the rice cooker 1 ″ in which the display unit 42 and the operation unit 43 are arranged on the top surface of the lid 3 is opened, the lid 3 is not closed, and the rice cooker 1 ″ is kept warm. It is possible to turn ON/OFF the heat retention of the rice cooker 1″. can be

When a certain period of time elapses while the rice cooker 1″ is in the heat-retaining state and the lid body 3 is in the open state, the heat-retaining control means 53 changes the lighting or blinking LED 82, for example, by changing the blinking variation of the LED 82. At this time, the rice cooker 1″ may also be configured so that a sound is generated from a speaker (not shown) as a notification means, and the user is also informed by this sound.

As described above, the rice cooker 1″ of this embodiment includes the main body 2 provided with the angle sensor 81 as an element for detecting the lid opening angle of the lid 3 with respect to the main body 2, and the LED 82 as a light emitting element. 1″ and when the lid 3 is opened, the LED 82 lights up or blinks. Therefore, even with the rice cooker 1 ″ in which the display portion 42 is arranged on the top surface of the lid 3 , it is possible to confirm whether the rice cooker 1 ″ is in the heat-retaining state without closing the lid 3 .

In the rice cooker 1″ of the present embodiment, in addition to the operation unit 43 arranged on the top surface of the lid 3, a heat retention ON/OFF button 83 as a second operation unit capable of turning ON/OFF the heat retention can be operated. is provided on the main body 2, and even if the rice cooker 1 ″ in which the display part 42 is arranged on the top surface of the lid 3, the warming ON/OFF operation of the rice cooker 1 ″ can be performed without closing the lid 3. .

In addition, the rice cooker 1 ″ of the present embodiment controls to change the lit or blinking LED 82 when a certain period of time has passed while the rice cooker 1 ″ is kept warm and the lid body 3 is open. It is configured to generate a sound to inform the user. Therefore, it is possible to notify the user that a certain period of time has elapsed while the rice cooker 1″ is in the heat-retaining state and the lid body 3 is in the open state.

A rice scoop according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15. FIG. The rice scoop here is used in the rice cooker in each of the above examples. For comparison, the structure of a conventional rice scoop is shown in FIG. The same reference numerals are given to the structures common to the rice cookers of the reference example and the first to third embodiments, and the same descriptions are omitted as much as possible to avoid duplication.

Since the rice scoop serves to serve rice, which is the object to be cooked, placing the rice scoop directly on the floor or desk poses a hygienic problem and should be avoided. Conventionally, in order to solve this problem, there has been proposed a free-standing rice scoop that does not use a rice scoop stand, and is installed so that the spatula, which is the part on which the rice is served, does not come into contact with the installation surface such as the floor or desk. For example, in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3161134, the base end surface of the grip handle is formed into a flat surface, and this flat surface is brought into contact with the floor or desk as the installation surface, and the spatula is placed vertically with the spatula portion facing up. However, a self-supporting rice scoop is disclosed. However, this flat surface has a small area relative to the height of the rice scoop, and there is a possibility that the rice scoop cannot be stably placed vertically. In addition, if the flat surface is provided with a sufficient area for the rice scoop to be stably placed vertically, the flat surface may become too large, which may make it difficult to use the rice scoop or secure an installation space. rice field. Therefore, in a rice scoop in which the base end surface of the grip handle is formed into a flat surface, the self-supporting shape connecting between the grip handle and the spatula is curved downward, and the lowermost portion of this curved portion is brought into contact with the installation surface. A device with a protrusion has been proposed.

12(A) and 12(B), the conventional free-standing rice scoop 74 is made of polypropylene, and includes a spatula 91 for serving rice and a grip for the user to hold. A handle 92 and a self-supporting shape part 93 formed between the spatula part 91 and the grip handle 92 are provided. Assuming that the surface 91a of the spatula portion 91 on which the rice is to be placed is the upper surface, the self-supporting portion 93 is formed to have a downwardly curved, substantially U-shaped cross section, and is configured to have a protruding portion 94 at the lowest portion. The projecting portion 94 extends downward from the self-supporting shape portion 93 and is formed so as to cross the self-supporting shape portion 93 perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the rice scoop 74 .

The handle 92 has a flat upper surface and a generally triangular cross-section, and includes a grip portion 92 a that is gripped by the user and a base end portion 92 b that corresponds to the base end of the rice scoop 74 . The grasping portion 92a is formed to gradually become thin plate-like from the proximal end to the distal end. In order to concentrate the weight of the rice scoop 74, the base end portion 92b is formed large and protrudes downward, and the base end surface 92c is formed flat. With this configuration, the base end surface 92c can be brought into contact with the installation surface, and the rice scoop 74 can be stably placed vertically. Also, when the rice scoop 74 is placed horizontally with the surface 91a facing upward, the rice scoop 74 rotates toward the grip handle 92 with the protruding portion 94 as a fulcrum, and only the protruding portion 94 and the bottom of the base end portion 92b contact the installation surface. , the spatula 74 can be laid horizontally without contacting the spatula part 91 with the installation surface, and can be kept clean. The base end portion 92b is non-slip, making it easier to grip the grip portion 92a.

However, the conventional self-supporting rice scoop 74 having such a structure is weaker than a normal rice scoop against the force applied when serving rice, and there is concern about insufficient strength due to its shape. Specifically, the directions of the forces applied when the rice is cooked are indicated by white arrows in FIGS. If a large load is applied when serving rice, there is a risk that the self-supporting shape portion 93 will be destroyed by these loads, and the rice scoop 74 will break, and the rice scoop 74 will break. could not be resolved. Therefore, in this embodiment, ribs 96 and recesses 97 are additionally provided as reinforcement shapes to the self-supporting shape portion 93 of the rice scoop 74 to maintain the strength against the load applied when rice is served, and to maintain the self-supporting shape. The shape of the portion 93 is used to improve convenience.

FIGS. 13A to 13D show the rice scoop 74 ^II of this embodiment. 13(A) is a top view of the rice scoop 74 ^II , and FIGS. 13(B) to 13(D) are enlarged views of the portion E in FIG. 13(A).

13(A) and 13(B), a convex rib 96 is provided on the upper surface of the self-supporting shape portion 93 as a reinforcing shape. A dashed-dotted line L indicates the position of the protruding portion 94 in the self-supporting shape portion 93 when viewed from above. is provided. By configuring in this way, without adding a large change to the conventional rice scoop 74, it is possible to cope with the force applied when rice is spread as indicated by the white arrows in FIGS. 12A and 12B. In addition, not only the protruding portion 94 but also the ribs 96 can suppress the deformation of the self-supporting shape portion 93, and the strength can be maintained as compared with the conventional rice scoop 74. The angle between the rib 96 and the one-dot chain line L is preferably closer to 90°. For example, in FIG. preferable.

FIG. 13(C) is a modification of FIG. 13(B), in which the rib 96 is formed in a substantially S shape centered on the dashed line L when viewed from above. FIG. 13(D) is also a modification of FIG. 13(B), and the upper surface of the rib 96 arranged at an angle of 90° with the dashed line L is bifurcated at the end on the spatula 91 side. It is formed in a substantially Y shape. Note that the branch point 96a of the rib 96 is preferably not arranged on the dashed line L. As shown in FIG. Even with this configuration, the same effect as the rib 96 of FIG. 13(B) or more effect can be obtained.

FIGS. 14A to 14C show a rice scoop 74 ^III which is a modification of the rice scoop 74 ^II . 14(A) is a top view of rice scoop 74 ^III , FIG. 14(B) is an enlarged view of F portion of FIG. 14(A), and FIG. 14(C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 14(B). .

The structure of the rice scoop 74 ^III of this modification will be explained with reference to FIGS. , are provided side by side in the direction of the dashed-dotted line L on the upper surface of the self-supporting shape portion 93 of the rice scoop 74 ^III . As shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C, the recess 97 has a substantially concave cross-sectional shape and can accommodate a specified volume, and has a measuring function capable of measuring a specified volume, for example, like a measuring spoon. there is By configuring in this way, the contour of the recess 97 plays the same role as the rib 96, and deformation of the self-supporting shape portion 93 can be suppressed without making any major changes to the conventional rice scoop 74. The strength can be maintained more than that of the rice scoop 74. Also, the rice scoop 74 ^III can be provided with a weighing function. In this modified example, two recesses 97 are provided in the self-supporting shape portion 93 of the rice scoop 74 ^III , but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of recesses 97 may be one or three or more. Further, the concave shape of the concave portion 97 may be changed to change the capacity, and the concave portion 97 may be formed with a capacity display portion such as "1 mL", for example.

FIGS. 15A and 15B show a rice scoop 74 ^IV which is a further modification of the rice scoop 74 ^III . FIG. 15(A) is a top view of the rice scoop 74 ^IV , and FIG. 15(B) is an enlarged view of the G portion of FIG. 15(A). In this modified example, a concave shape 98 is provided at one end of each concave portion 97 . By configuring in this way, in addition to the effect of the recessed portion 97 of the rice scoop 74 ^III , powdery or liquid matter such as seasoning stored in the recessed portion 97 and weighed can be easily poured from the recessed portion 98. can be done.

As described above, the rice cooker of the present embodiment is provided with the rice ^{scoop 74 II .} A self-supporting shape part 93 is provided so that the spatula part 91 does not contact the setting surface when the rice scoop 74 ^II is placed on the floor or desk as the setting surface, and the self-supporting shape part 93 extends downward from the lowest part. , has a projecting portion 94 provided perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rice scoop 74, so that the projecting portion 94 does not form an angle parallel to the dashed line L as the position of the projecting portion 94 when viewed from the top and is not arranged on the same line. It is configured with a rib 96 as a reinforcing shape provided. For this reason, the conventional rice scoop 74 has a simple structure that does not require any major changes, and the ribs 96 can suppress the deformation of the self-supporting shaped portion 93 against the load applied when rice is served. You can keep stronger than

The rice cooker of this embodiment is provided with a rice scoop 74 ^III , and the rice scoop 74 ^III is configured by providing a recessed portion 97 in a self-supporting shape portion 93 as a portion provided with ribs 96 , and there is no major change from the conventional rice scoop 74 . With a simple structure that does not require additional weight, it is possible to keep the strength higher than that of the conventional rice scoop 74, and furthermore, the rice scoop ^74III can be provided with a weighing function.

The rice cooker of this embodiment is provided with rice ^{scoops 74 IV ,} each of which is formed with a concave shape 98 at one end of each of the recesses 97 . Things can easily be poured from the recessed shape 98 .

The rice cooking control of the rice cooker ^1III according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. For comparison, the rice cooking control of the conventional rice cooker 1 is shown in FIG. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to the structures common to the rice cookers of the reference example and the first to fourth embodiments, and the same description is omitted as much as possible to avoid duplication.

In recent years, ``low-protein rice'' (a rice grain type with gelatinized rice) has been marketed as a diet therapy for renal failure patients and those with high blood sugar levels. This "low-protein rice" is made by processing white rice, so it has a high moisture content of 20 to 28%, and because it has been gelatinized once, it has the characteristic of absorbing water quickly. Therefore, when this "low-protein rice" is cooked in the white rice course of a conventional general rice cooker, the portion of the rice that comes into contact with the pot becomes hard, and the rice as a whole becomes too soft. It was difficult to cook rice in such a state, and there was a risk of deterioration in taste.

Referring to FIG. 16, the case of cooking rice in the white rice course of the conventional rice cooker 1 will be described. It is incorporated in means 52 . Therefore, the low-protein rice, which absorbs water quickly and has a large amount of water, absorbs more water than necessary in the pot 5, and the water disappears at the stage of this soaking process, making it difficult to transfer heat to the center. Furthermore, the low-protein rice gelatinizes quickly, and gelatinization starts from the inner surface of the pot 5 where the temperature is high. It becomes difficult to convey. As a result, only the temperature of the inner surface of the pan 5 rises, and the temperature of the bottom surface of the pan 5 reaches the white rice control temperature while the center part is not sufficiently heated, and the rice cooking of the rice cooker 1 ends, and soft objects , There was a risk of becoming uncooked. Therefore, in the rice cooker 1 ^III of this embodiment, the heating coil 12 performs electromagnetic induction heating at 700 W or more, and the rice cooking control for low-protein rice is provided so that the rice cooking capacity of the pot 5 is set to 2 cups or less.

A case of cooking low-protein rice with the rice cooker 1 ^III of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 17 . First, the low-protein rice to be cooked and water are placed in the pot 5. In the rice cooker 1 ^III of the present embodiment, the rice is cooked in a small volume of 2 cups or less. A water level line (not shown) for the amount of low protein rice and water exclusively for cooking low protein rice is provided, and the low protein rice and water are put into the pot 5 according to this water level line.

Next, when the lid 3 is closed and the operation part 43 is operated to select, for example, the low-protein rice course, rice cooking by the rice cooking control means 52 is started. Here, in the heating pattern of the low-protein rice course, as shown in FIG. 17, the “soaking” step is omitted, and based on this, the rice cooking control means 52 turns off the electricity from the heating coil 12 from the start of rice cooking to boiling. It is possible to heat with a small amount of water by heating to boiling at once without boiling. Further, by performing electromagnetic induction heating of the heating coil 12 with a high-frequency current at 700 W or more to cook the low-protein rice at once, the rice in the pot 5 can be cooked without excessive water absorption. Therefore, low-protein rice can be cooked more deliciously and easily. Note that the subsequent steps are described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-081656, so description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, the rice cooker 1 ^III of the present embodiment includes a pot 5 for containing low-protein rice and water to be cooked, a main body 2 having a pot housing portion 4 for housing the pot 5, and heating the pot 5. and a rice cooking control means 52 as a control means for controlling the heating coil 12. A water level line for the amount of low-protein rice and water is provided, and the rice-cooking control means 52 performs electromagnetic induction heating with the heating coil 12 at 700 W or more, omitting the “hitashi” step. It is configured to control the heating coil 12 in the low-protein rice course. Therefore, it is possible to heat with a small amount of water, and by cooking the low-protein rice at once, the rice in the pot 5 can be cooked without excessive water absorption, making the low-protein rice more delicious and easy. can be cooked.

A structure for housing rice cooker accessories in an exterior box according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The rice cooker accessories here are those used in the rice cooker in each of the above examples. For comparison, FIGS. 18 to 21 show a structure for storing conventional rice cooker accessories in an exterior box. The same reference numerals are given to the structures common to the rice cookers of the reference example and the first to fifth embodiments, and the same descriptions are omitted as much as possible to avoid duplication.

Conventionally, outer boxes are made of cardboard, for example, and are used for transporting home electric appliances such as rice cookers. A packaging packing made of, for example, polystyrene foam is provided in the outer box, and the packing packing holds the home electric appliance so that it does not move in the outer box and protects the electric home appliance. In addition, the accessories of home electric appliances are usually stored in the outer box together with the home electric appliances. There were many.

18 to 21, for a rice cooker 1, which is an example of a conventional home appliance, a structure for storing rice cooker accessories such as a rice scoop 74, a measuring cup 103, and a power cord 104 in an outer box 101. To explain, as shown in FIG. 18, a measuring cup 103 is housed in the pan 5 inside the rice cooker 1, and as shown in FIG. A rice scoop 74 was housed in the space 105 in the packing packing 102 .

However, depending on the state in which the measuring cup 103 and the rice scoop 74 are stored, the measuring cup 103 may come into contact with the inner surface of the pot 5 or the rice scoop 74 may come into contact with the outer lid 19 or the main body 2 due to vibrations during transportation or dropping of the outer box 101 . There is a risk of damage or deformation due to contact with the outer surface. In addition, if the shape of the accessory such as the rice scoop 74 is changed, the packing packing 102 must be stored in the packing packing 102, i.e., the mold of the packing packing 102 must be changed. was expensive. Therefore, as a countermeasure for preventing these damages and deformations, a storage structure using a dead space 106 formed between the exterior box 101 and the rear portion of the rice cooker 1 as shown in FIG. 20 has been proposed.

As shown in FIG. 21, the longitudinal length of the two packing packings 102 is shortened, and the upper end is bent into the dead space 106 at the rear of the rice cooker 1 between the packing packings 102 and the outer box 101. An L-shaped partition plate 108 is arranged, and a power cord 104 is accommodated in a space 109 between the outer box 101 and the partition plate 108 . However, this is not a countermeasure for storing accessories such as the measuring cup 103 and the rice scoop 74 described above, and the problem of storing in the packaging packing 102 has not been solved. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 21, when the inner lid 110 is installed over the upper edges of the two packaging packings 102, the dead space 106 at the rear of the rice cooker 1 and the dead space 107 at the front of the rice cooker 1, which are still widely present, The dead spaces 106 and 107 could not be effectively utilized because accessories and the like could not be stored. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a support plate 111 as an inexpensive plate is added above the rice cooker 1 as a product to utilize the dead spaces 106 and 107, thereby preventing the rice cooker 1 from being damaged or deformed. A rice scoop 74, a measuring cup 103, and a power cord 104 are stored.

Referring to FIG. 22, the case where the rice scoop 74, the measuring cup 103 and the power cord 104 of this embodiment are housed in the exterior box 101 will be described. Reference numeral 111 denotes a support plate made of cardboard arranged above the rice cooker 1 and provided between two packaging packings 102 shown in FIG. The support plate 111 includes a first support portion 111a whose shape can be changed according to the shape of the dead space 107 at the front of the rice cooker 1, and a first support portion 111a whose shape can be changed according to the shape of the dead space 106 at the rear of the rice cooker 1. 2 support portions 111b and a flat support portion main body 111c connecting the first support portion 111a and the second support portion 111b. Therefore, only by adding an inexpensive cardboard support plate 111, not only the dead space 107 in the front part of the rice cooker 1 but also the dead space 106 in the rear part of the rice cooker 1 can be utilized, thereby preventing the rice cooker 1 from being damaged or deformed. The rice scoop 74, the measuring cup 103, and the power cord 104 can be accommodated in the configuration. Further, the support plate 111 made of cardboard is easy to process, and even if the shapes of the rice scoop 74, the measuring cup 103, and the power cord 104 are changed, it can be dealt with simply by changing the processing of the support plate 111. On the other hand, even when the support plate 111 itself is changed, the change cost is low. When the support plate 111 is arranged, it is preferable that the height of the support plate 111 and the height of the stored accessories are lower than the upper edge of the packing packing 102. A lid 110 can be installed.

Taking the rice cooker 1 shown in FIG. 22 as an example, the front surface of the rice cooker 1 is nearly vertical, and the front dead space 107 is not very wide. It is formed in a substantially V shape, and is housed in the dead space 107 by arranging the rice scoop 74 in the first support portion 111a. On the other hand, the rear portion of the rice cooker 1 is formed with a stepped portion, and the dead space 106 at the rear portion is wide, so the second support portion 111b is formed to have a substantially L-shaped cross section, and a measuring cup is attached to this horizontal portion. Notches and holes (not shown) for hanging 103 are provided. In addition, the end edge of the second support portion 111b is folded back into a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the power cord 104 is arranged on the folded portion, so that the measuring cup 103 and the power cord 104 are placed in the dead space at the rear. Stored in 106. This folded portion serves as a cushioning material between the measuring cup 103 and the power cord 104 and as a reinforcing material for suppressing deformation of the second support portion 111b. The side edge of the first support portion 111a and the side edge of the second support portion 111b may contact the packing packing 102 and be supported by the packing packing 102. Deformation of the support portion 111a and the second support portion 111b can be suppressed, and contact between accessories arranged on the first support portion 111a and the second support portion 111b and the rice cooker 1 as a product is suppressed. can.

In this embodiment, the structure in which the support plate 111 is added to the outer box 101 shown in FIG. 20 is adopted, but the structure in which the support plate 111 is added to the outer box 101 shown in FIG. The shapes of the first support portion 111a and the second support portion 111b are determined according to the shapes of the left and right dead spaces of the rice cooker 1 .

As described above, in this embodiment, the rice cooker accessories such as the rice cooker 74, the measuring cup 103, and the power cord 104 are stored in the outer box 101. A container 1, a packaging packing 102 that holds the rice cooker 1 so that it does not move in an exterior box 101, and a support plate 111 made of cardboard as an inexpensive plate disposed above the rice cooker 1 are provided inside. Then, according to the shapes of the dead spaces 106 and 107 formed by the outer box 101, the rice cooker 1, and the packaging packing 102, the first support portion 111a and the first support portion 111b of the support plate 111 are For example, it is configured to have a V-shaped cross section, an L-shaped cross section, a U-shaped cross section, or a shape change such as providing a notch or a hole. Therefore, not only the power cord 104 but also the rice scoop 74 and the measuring cup 103 can be stored in the dead space 107 at the front of the rice cooker 1 and the dead space 106 at the rear of the rice cooker 1. Even if there are dead spaces on the left and right sides of the container 1, accessories can be stored in these dead spaces. Further, the support plate 111 is easy to process, and even if the shape of the rice scoop 74, the measuring cup 103, or the power cord 104 is changed, it can be dealt with simply by changing the processing of the support plate 111. Even if the plate 111 itself is changed, the change cost is low.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, a rice cooker may be configured by combining each part of the first to sixth embodiments. Also, the configuration and shape of each part of the first to sixth embodiments are not limited to those shown in the drawings, and can be changed as appropriate.

1 rice cooker 5 pot 17' steam recovery unit (steam port assembly)
35 Steam exhaust path 61 Steam port
61a bottom
61b side wall
61d guide groove 61e flange portion 62 steam port cap 62c insertion protrusion 62d recess
63 Packing
64 exhaust port 65 intake port 67 locking receiving portion 68 locking portion

Claims (3)

A rice cooker equipped with a steam port assembly detachably attached to a passage for releasing steam generated in the pot to the outside,
The steam port assembly includes:
a steam port for recovering the liquefied steam, provided with an intake port for allowing the steam to flow into the interior;
a steam port cap provided with an exhaust port for discharging the steam to the outside and openably and closably covering an upper opening of the steam port;
The steam port includes a substantially rectangular bottom portion, a pair of opposing side wall portions rising vertically from the bottom portion, and a pair of guides respectively running along the side wall portions and restricting the moving direction of the steam port cap when the steam port cap is opened and closed. having a groove, a pair of flange portions protruding from the guide groove, and a lock receiving portion,
The steam port cap includes a pair of insertion protrusions fitted into the guide grooves when the steam port cap is opened and closed, a pair of recesses into which the flange portions are respectively fitted, and the steam port cap covering the upper opening. and a locking portion that engages with the locking receiving portion. The rice cooker according to claim 1, further comprising a packing that seals between the steam port and the steam port cap. The lock receiving portion is provided on the flange portion,
3. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion is formed in the concave portion.

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