JP7233121B2 - heating cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heat cooker.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a heating cooker including a cooker main body having a food container (inner pot) for containing food to be cooked, and a lid for opening and closing the food container. In this heating cooker, the lid is provided with a first steam discharge passage and/or a second steam discharge passage in order to discharge steam in the inner pot to the outside of the cooker.

JP 2018-121757 A

Since the gas (steam) inside the inner pot reaches a very high temperature, it is preferable in terms of safety to lower the temperature of the gas when discharging the gas out of the machine. Further, it is desired to realize a mechanism for lowering the temperature of the gas discharged to the outside of the machine with a simple structure. Patent document 1 does not disclose the details of the mechanism for lowering the temperature of the gas discharged to the outside of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heating cooker that is advantageous in terms of safety.

In order to achieve the above object, a heating cooker as one aspect of the present invention is a heating cooker that cooks ingredients in the inner pot by controlling heating of the inner pot, and is capable of accommodating the inner pot. a main body portion for controlling heating of the inner pot accommodated in the holding portion; and a lid portion attached to the main body portion for closing the inside of the inner pot, The lid portion has an exhaust mechanism for discharging gas from the inside of the inner pot to the outside of the machine, and the exhaust mechanism includes a communication pipe communicating with the inside of the inner pot and a valve member for opening and closing the communication pipe. and a cover member covering the valve member, wherein the cover member includes a first chamber in which gas released from the inner pot through the communication pipe is temporarily retained; It has a second chamber for temporarily retaining the gas flowing out of the chamber , and a partition wall for partitioning the first chamber and the second chamber , and is configured to exhaust the gas in the second chamber to the outside of the machine. The partition wall has a first wall surface located on the side of the communicating pipe and the valve member, and a second wall surface on the opposite side of the first wall surface. characterized in that an opening is provided in the second wall surface for allowing the to flow out .

According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a heating cooker that is advantageous in terms of safety.

1 is a front perspective view of the heating cooker according to the first embodiment (state where the lid is attached to the main body). 1 is a front perspective view of the heating cooker according to the first embodiment (with the lid removed from the main body); FIG. The perspective view when the cover part of 1st Embodiment is seen from the downward direction. Sectional view of the heating cooker of the first embodiment (state where the lid is attached to the main body) A diagram showing a configuration example of the lid portion (exhaust mechanism) of the first embodiment. A diagram showing a configuration example of the lid portion (exhaust mechanism) of the first embodiment. A diagram showing a configuration example of the lid portion (exhaust mechanism) of the first embodiment. Sectional view (XY sectional view) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the exhaust operation (closed state) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the exhaust operation (closed state) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the exhaust operation (automatic exhaust) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the exhaust operation (automatic exhaust) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the exhaust operation (forced exhaust) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the exhaust operation (forced exhaust) of the exhaust mechanism of the first embodiment; Front perspective view of the heating cooker of the second embodiment (with the lid attached to the main body) Front perspective view of the heating cooker of the second embodiment (with the lid removed from the main body) The perspective view when the cover part of 2nd Embodiment is seen from the downward direction. The figure which shows the structural example of the cover part (exhaust mechanism) of 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows the structural example of the cover part (exhaust mechanism) of 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows the cross-sectional schematic diagram of the cover member 27 of 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Also, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

<First embodiment>
A heating cooker 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the general configuration of the heating cooker 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 and 2 show front perspective views of the entire heating cooker 100 of this embodiment. 1 shows a state in which the lid portion 2 is attached to the body portion 1, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the lid portion 2 is removed from the body portion 1. As shown in FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the lid portion 2 as viewed from below, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the heating cooker 100 with the lid portion 2 attached to the body portion 1 (FIG. 1 shows a YZ sectional view on line AA). In each figure, the X-axis direction is the left-right direction of the heating cooker 100 , the Y-axis direction is the front-rear direction of the heating cooker 100 , and the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction of the heating cooker 100 . When the following description refers to the "X-axis direction", it may be defined as including the +X direction and the -X direction. The same applies to the “Y-axis direction” and the “Z-axis direction”.

The heating cooker 100 of the present embodiment is also called an electric pressure cooker, and is a device that cooks the ingredients in the inner pot 3 by controlling the heating of the inner pot 3 containing the ingredients to be cooked. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heating cooker 100 is detachably (removably) attached to the main body 1 that controls the heating of the inner pot 3 according to a predetermined heating program, and the upper part of the main body 1. and a lid portion 2 . As shown in FIG. 2, the heating cooker 100 of the present embodiment is configured such that the lid portion 2 can be completely removed from the main body portion 1, that is, the main body portion 1 and the lid portion 2 can be separated from each other. is configured to

Next, the configuration of the main body 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 2 and 4. FIG. The body portion 1 can include a housing portion 10 that can house the inner pot 3 , a heating portion (heater) 11 that heats the inner pot 3 that is housed in the housing portion 10 , and a control portion 12 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the container 10 has the shape of a bottomed cylinder with an open upper side. 3 can be freely put in and taken out. The housing part 10 is also called an outer pot and can be made of metal, for example. A flange 10a is provided on the periphery of the housing portion 10 . Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, the heating unit 11 is, for example, an induction heating device arranged around the housing part 10 (lower part in FIG. 4) to induction-heat the inner pot 3 housed in the housing part 10. have a coil. The control unit 12 has a processor such as a CPU and memory, for example, and controls power supply to the heating unit 11 (induction heating coil) according to a predetermined heating program for cooking ingredients in the inner pot 3. It controls the heat treatment (cooking of ingredients) of the pot 3 . In FIG. 4 , the control unit 12 is arranged in the front part of the main body 1 , but it can be arranged at any position inside the main body 1 .

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a user interface section 13 is provided on the outer surface of the main body section 1. As shown in FIGS. The user interface unit 13 is an input unit, such as buttons and dials, for receiving input from the user for setting and adjusting the details of the heat treatment of the inner pot 3 (that is, the details of cooking the ingredients put in the inner pot 3). and/or a display unit (such as a display) that displays the settings and status of the heat treatment (cooking content).

Next, the configuration of the lid portion 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. The lid portion 2 is attached to the upper portion of the main body portion 1 and is opened and closed with respect to the housing portion 10 of the main body portion 1 . It may be understood that the lid portion 2 is mounted, arranged, or installed on the upper portion of the body portion 1 . In this embodiment, the lid portion 2 includes an inner lid 14 and a handle portion 15 . The inner lid 14 is a lid for opening and closing the housing portion 10 (inner pot 3), and as shown in FIG. can be done. When the lid portion 2 is attached to the upper portion of the main body portion 1, the inner lid 14 covers the upper open portion of the storage portion 10 (inner pot 3) as shown in FIG. ) is a closed space, and can be fixed to the housing portion 10 by a fixing mechanism 30 described later. The handle portion 15 is a portion that a user grips in order to open and close the lid portion 2, and as shown in FIGS. can be provided on the top surface of the

The lid portion 2 also includes an exhaust mechanism 20 , a fixing mechanism 30 , a lock mechanism 40 and a pressure notification mechanism 50 .
The exhaust mechanism 20 is a mechanism for exhausting gas (steam) inside the inner pot 3 to the outside (outside) of the machine through an exhaust hole 23a provided on the upper surface of the lid portion 2, and is controlled by the control portion 12. sell. For example, the exhaust mechanism 20 is controlled by the control unit 12 at a predetermined timing such as when the cooking of the ingredients in the inner pot 3 (the heat treatment of the inner pot 3) is completed. Automatic exhaust is performed to exhaust the gas inside the inner pot 3 from the exhaust hole 23a to the outside of the machine. As a result, the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 can be reduced to be close to the atmospheric pressure (outside pressure), so that the lid portion 2 can be safely removed from the main body portion 1 . 1 and 2, the exhaust mechanism 20 has an exhaust button 16 provided on the upper surface of the lid portion 2. When the user presses the exhaust button 16, the exhaust mechanism 20 is operated from the inside of the inner pot 3. It may be configured to exhaust gas to the outside (forced exhaust). A detailed configuration example of the exhaust mechanism 20 will be described later.

The fixing mechanism 30 is a mechanism for fixing the body portion 1 and the lid portion 2 attached to the upper portion of the body portion 1 . The fixing mechanism 30 may be understood as a mechanism for fixing the inner lid 14 of the lid portion 2 to the accommodating portion 10 so as to maintain the inside of the accommodating portion 10 of the main body portion 1 in a closed space. In this embodiment, the fixing mechanism 30 includes, for example, a lever 31, a first fitting member 32 (first fixing member), and a second fitting member 33 (second fixing member), as shown in FIG. and The lever 31 is a first operation section (first operator) operated by a user, and can be configured to be movable between a fixed position P _F1 and a release position P _F2 by user operation. The fixing position P _F1 is the position of the lever 31 arranged when fixing the body portion 1 and the lid portion 2 , and the release position P _F2 is the position when fixing the body portion 1 and the lid portion 2 is released. This is the position of the lever 31 to be arranged. Each of the first fitting member 32 and the second fitting member 33 can be fitted to the overlapping portion between the flange 10a of the housing portion 10 and the inner lid 14 in a state where the lid portion 2 is attached to the main body portion 1. It is a constructed member. The first fitting member 32 and the second fitting member 33 are positioned facing each other across the housing portion 10 and the inner lid 14 of the body portion 1 (in this embodiment, the −Y direction side and the +Y direction side of the housing portion 10). ).

As shown in FIG. 4, the first fitting member 32 is a member having a U-shaped cross section, is arranged on the −Y direction side of the housing portion 10, and is arranged on the flange 10a of the housing portion 10 (−Y direction side) and the inner lid 14. The first fitting member 32 is connected to the lever 31 and configured to move in the Y-axis direction as the lever 31 moves in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, when the lever 31 is moved from the released position P _F2 to the fixed position P _F1 by the user's operation, the first fitting member 32 moves in the direction (+Y direction) approaching the accommodating portion 10 according to the movement of the lever 31. It moves and fits into the overlapping portion between the flange 10a (a part on the -Y direction side) of the accommodating portion 10 and the inner lid 14. As shown in FIG. Thereby, the body part 1 (accommodating part 10) and the lid part 2 (inner lid 14) can be fixed. On the other hand, when the lever 31 is moved from the fixed position P _F1 to the released position P _F2 by the user's operation, the first fitting member 32 moves away from the housing portion 10 (−Y direction) according to the movement of the lever 31 . , the overlapping portion of the flange 10a of the accommodating portion 10 and the inner cover 14 is released. As a result, the fixation between the body portion 1 (accommodating portion 10) and the lid portion 2 (inner lid 14) can be released.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second fitting member 33 is a member having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape, is arranged on the +Y direction side of the housing portion 10, and is located on the flange 10a (+Y direction side) of the housing portion 10. ) and the inner lid 14. Like the first fitting member 32, the second fitting member 33 is connected to the lever 31 and configured to move in the Y-axis direction as the lever 31 moves in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, when the lever 31 is moved from the released position P _F2 to the fixed position P _F1 by the user's operation, the second fitting member 33 moves in the direction (−Y direction) approaching the accommodating portion 10 as the lever 31 moves. , and fits into the overlapping portion between the flange 10a (a portion on the +Y direction side) of the accommodating portion 10 and the inner lid 14. As shown in FIG. Thereby, the body part 1 (accommodating part 10) and the lid part 2 (inner lid 14) can be fixed. On the other hand, when the lever 31 is moved from the fixed position P _F1 to the released position P _F2 by the user's operation, the second fitting member 33 moves away from the accommodation portion 10 (+Y direction) according to the movement of the lever 31, The overlapping portion between the flange 10a of the accommodating portion 10 and the inner lid 14 is released from the engagement. As a result, the fixation between the body portion 1 (accommodating portion 10) and the lid portion 2 (inner lid 14) can be released.

The locking mechanism 40 is a mechanism for locking the fixation of the body portion 1 and the lid portion 2 by the fixing mechanism 30 . The lock mechanism 40 may be understood as a restriction mechanism for restricting movement of the lever 31 of the fixing mechanism 30 from the fixing position P _F1 to the releasing position P _F2 by user operation. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a switch 41 (knob) as a second operation section (second operator) operated by the user when releasing the restriction on the movement of the lever 31 to the release position P _F2 . there is The switch 41 is normally arranged at the position P _L1 , but is configured to be slidable to the position P _L2 by user operation. When the switch 41 is slid to the position P _L2 by user's operation, the restriction on the movement of the lever 31 to the release position P _F2 can be released.

The pressure notification mechanism 50 has a pin member 51 (pressure pin) that can move in the Z-axis direction according to the internal pressure of the inner pot 3. The position of the pin member 51 in the Z-axis direction changes the internal pressure of the inner pot 3. is a predetermined value (threshold) or more (that is, whether the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 is high). In the case of this embodiment, the pin member 51 is arranged so that the upper end portion thereof can protrude from the upper surface of the lid portion 2, as shown in FIGS. The user can be notified of whether or not the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

For example, the pin member 51 of the pressure notification mechanism 50 is a member extending in the Z-axis direction, penetrates the flow path of the communicating pipe communicating with the inside of the inner pot 3 so as to block the flow path, and extends in the Z-axis direction. It is configured to be slidable in any direction. In the pressure notification mechanism 50, when the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 is less than a predetermined value, the pin member 51 is arranged at the first pin position (low pressure position) _PN1 by its own weight. On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the pin member 51 is pressed in the +Z direction by the internal pressure of the inner pot ₃ , and the second pin position ( high pressure position) P _N2 . At this time, the amount of protrusion of the pin member 51 from the upper surface of the lid portion 2 is larger at the second pin position P _N2 than at the first pin position P _N1 . It can be confirmed that the internal pressure of 3 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The predetermined value for determining whether the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 is high is defined by the mass (weight) of the pin member 51 and can be set arbitrarily.

[Configuration of Exhaust Mechanism]
Next, a configuration example of the exhaust mechanism 20 of the lid portion 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5A to 5C. 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the exhaust mechanism 20, and are diagrams showing an exploded example of the lid portion 2 (particularly, the exhaust mechanism 20). 5A shows the overall configuration of the lid portion 2, FIG. 5B shows the state where the cover member 23 is removed from the lid portion 2, and FIG. 5C shows the exhaust valve 22 and the cover member 23 removed from the lid portion 2. is removed. FIG. 5C also shows a state in which the cover member 23 is further disassembled. The exhaust mechanism 20 of this embodiment can include a communication pipe 21, an exhaust valve 22, and a cover member 23, as shown in FIG. 5C, for example.

The communication pipe 21 is a pipe provided in the inner lid 14 so as to communicate with the inside of the inner pot 3 (accommodating portion 10). Referring to FIG. 4, one end of the communicating pipe 21 is arranged inside the inner pot 3, and the other end is arranged with an exhaust valve 22. As shown in FIG.

The exhaust valve 22 is a valve member for opening and closing the flow path of the communication pipe 21, and is arranged at the upper end portion of the communication pipe 21 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5B, for example. The exhaust valve 22 includes a mass body (weight) and is configured to close (block) the flow path of the communication pipe 21 by its own weight. As a result, the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 can be made higher than the pressure outside the machine during the heat treatment of the inner pot 3 . On the other hand, the exhaust valve 22 is driven to open (open) the flow path of the communication pipe 21 under the control of the control unit 12 when discharging the gas (steam) from the inner pot 3 to the outside. be. Thereby, the gas inside the inner pot 3 can be released from the communicating pipe 21 .

The cover member 23 is a member configured to cover the communicating pipe 21 and the exhaust valve 22 . The cover member 23 temporarily retains the gas (steam) released from the inner pot 3 through the communication pipe 21 when the exhaust valve 22 is opened, and discharges it from the exhaust hole 23a provided on the upper surface. configured as For example, as shown in FIG. 5C, the cover member 23 includes an exterior member 23b having an exhaust hole 23a on the upper surface, and a partition member 23c that defines the internal space of the cover member 23. As shown in FIG. Attachment members 23d and 23e for attaching the partition member 23 to the lid portion 2 are fixed to the partition member 23c by screws or the like. The partition member 23c is attached to the lid portion 2 by the attachment members 23d and 23e via a seal member 23i made of rubber, resin, or the like. The exterior member 23b is configured to cover the side and top portions of the partition member 23c and is attached to the partition member 23c.

The cover member 23 of this embodiment is configured to include a first chamber S1 (first space) and a second chamber S2 (second space). Here, the first chamber S1 and the second chamber S2 of the cover member 23 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view (XY cross-sectional view) of the exhaust mechanism 20 with the exhaust valve 22 and the cover member 23 attached to the lid portion 2 . The partition member 23c has a partition wall 23g partially having an opening 23h, and the partition wall 23g partitions (partitions) the internal space of the cover member 23 into the first chamber S1 and the second chamber S2. The first chamber S1 is a space in which the gas released from the inside of the inner pot 3 through the communication pipe 21 is temporarily retained, and the second chamber S2 is a space through which the gas released from the inner pot 3 through the opening 23h of the partition wall 23g passes through the first chamber S1. It is a space that temporarily retains the gas that has flowed out from the Further, the exhaust hole 23a is provided in a portion (surface) of the upper surface of the exterior member 23b that defines the second chamber S2.

In the cover member 23 constructed in this way, as indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG. After being retained, the gas that has flowed out of the first chamber S1 through the opening 23h of the partition wall 23g is temporarily retained in the second chamber S2 and is discharged out of the machine from the second chamber S2 through the exhaust hole 23a. That is, the cover member 23 of the present embodiment can be configured such that the gas flow path from the communicating pipe 21 to the exhaust hole 23a has a labyrinth shape. With this configuration, the gas (steam) released from the interior of the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21 is lowered in temperature in each of the first chamber S1 and the second chamber S2 (that is, in two steps) and then , can be discharged to the outside of the machine through the exhaust hole 23a. As a result, the heating cooker 100 of this embodiment can reduce the temperature of the gas discharged from the exhaust hole 23a, which can be advantageous in terms of safety.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, the cover member 23 may include a plate member 23f disposed facing the partition wall 23g so as to cover the opening 23h of the partition wall 23g. The plate member 23f is a plate-shaped member that covers the opening 23h of the partition wall 23g so as not to block the opening 23h, and can be arranged, for example, in the second chamber S2. The plate member 23f can be made of metal or the like. In the case of the present embodiment, the plate member 23f can be arranged on the +Y direction side of the surface of the partition wall 23g on which the opening 23h is formed so as to face the surface and be spaced apart from the surface. Further, the plate member 23f can be configured as a part of the mounting member 23e for mounting the cover member 23 (the partition member 23c) to the lid portion 2. As shown in FIG. By further providing such a plate member 23f, the gas flow path from the communicating pipe 21 to the exhaust hole 23a can be formed into a more complicated labyrinth shape. That is, the effect of lowering the temperature of the gas (steam) can be improved, and the temperature of the gas discharged from the exhaust hole 23a can be further lowered, which can be further advantageous in terms of safety.

[Exhaust operation of exhaust mechanism]
Next, the exhaust operation of the exhaust mechanism 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A-7B, 8A-8B and 9A-9B. 7A and 7B show a state in which the flow path of the communication pipe 21 is closed by the exhaust valve 22 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a closed state). 8A and 8B show a state in which automatic exhaust is being performed, in which the inside of the inner pot 3 is automatically exhausted to the outside under the control of the control section 12. FIG. FIGS. 9A and 9B show a state in which the user's operation is forcibly exhausting the inside of the inner pot 3 to the outside of the machine. 7A, 8A, and 9A show cross-sectional views (YZ cross-sectional views) of the exhaust mechanism 20, which are enlarged views of the range R in FIG. A dashed arrow in the cross-sectional view indicates the flow of gas discharged from the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21 . 7B, 8B, and 9B are internal configuration diagrams for explaining the exhaust operation of the exhaust mechanism 20. FIG. In the internal configuration diagram, in order to facilitate understanding of the exhaust operation of the exhaust mechanism 20, only members related to the exhaust operation of the exhaust mechanism 20 are illustrated, and illustration of other members is omitted.

In the closed state, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the exhaust valve 22 closes (blocks) the passage of the communication pipe 21 by its own weight, so that the internal pressure of the inner pot 3 is reduced to the pressure outside the machine. can be higher. Then, the control unit 12 performs automatic exhaust for automatically discharging gas (steam) from the inside of the inner pot 3 to the outside of the machine at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be, for example, a predetermined timing after the heat treatment of the inner pot 3 (cooking of the ingredients in the inner pot 3) is completed, but may be a timing in the middle of the heat treatment. The predetermined timing after the end of the heat treatment is, for example, the timing at which the user is notified of the end of the heat treatment, the timing immediately before the end of the heat treatment is notified to the user, or the end of the heat treatment (cooking of the ingredients). It may be the timing immediately after. Here, the heat treatment is, for example, a process of controlling the heating of the inner pot 3 according to a predetermined heating program, and may include heating, steaming, and keeping the ingredients in the inner pot 3 .

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B , the automatic exhaust is performed by driving the exhaust valve 22 with the drive unit 24 to open (open) the flow path of the communication pipe 21, so that the inside of the inner pot 3 is discharged to the outside of the machine. This is a process that automatically discharges gas (steam). For example, as shown in FIG. 8B, the exhaust mechanism 20 is provided with a transmission member 25 for transmitting the power (driving force) of the drive portion 24 to the exhaust valve 22. The drive portion 24 is provided with the transmission member By driving 25, the exhaust valve 22 can be driven so as to open the flow path of the communicating pipe 21. FIG. In the case of the present embodiment, the driving portion 24 is provided on the main body portion 1, and includes a protruding member 24a provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of the main body portion 1, and and an actuator 24b that drives the projecting member 24a. The transmission member 25 includes a pin member 25a that contacts the lower surface of the exhaust valve 22 (specifically, the protrusion 22a provided on the exhaust valve 22), and a connecting member that connects the projecting member 24a and the pin member 25a. 25b.

When performing automatic exhaust, the controller 12 operates the actuator 24b to project the projecting member 24a from the upper surface of the main body 1 and push up the connecting member 25b, as shown in FIG. 8B. As a result, the pin member 25a is pushed up, and the exhaust valve 22 is also pushed up accordingly, so that the flow path of the communicating pipe 21 is opened and the gas (steam) is released from the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21. can be done. In other words, the control unit 12 can drive the exhaust valve 22 to open the flow path of the communicating pipe 21 by controlling the driving unit 24 (actuator 24b) to perform automatic exhaust.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the forced exhaust is performed by driving the exhaust valve 22 according to the user's operation to open (open) the flow path of the communication pipe 21, so that the inside of the inner pot 3 is discharged from the outside of the machine. This is a process that forcibly discharges gas (steam) to the The exhaust mechanism 20 has an operator (manipulation unit) for driving the exhaust valve 22 so as to open the flow path of the communication pipe 21 according to user's operation. In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9B in particular, the exhaust mechanism 20 includes an exhaust button 16 provided on the upper surface of the lid portion 2 and a connecting member 25b that operates the exhaust button 16 by the user as the operator. and a conversion member 26 that converts the driving of the The converting member 26 can be configured as a lever member having one end as a force point, the other end as an action point, and a fulcrum between those ends. The force point of the converting member 26 is brought into contact with the exhaust button 16, and force is applied by pressing the exhaust button 16 by the user's operation. Further, the point of action of the conversion member 26 can contact the connecting member 25b and act to push up the connecting member 25b in response to the user's depression of the exhaust button 16 . The user presses the exhaust button 16 when performing forced exhaust. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9B, when the user presses the exhaust button 16, the conversion member 26 pushes up the connecting member 25b, which in turn pushes up the exhaust valve 22, thereby opening the flow path of the communicating pipe 21. , the gas (steam) can be released from the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21 .

As described above, the heat cooker 100 of the present embodiment transfers the gas (steam) released from the inner pot 3 through the communication pipe 21 into each of the first chamber S1 and the second chamber S2 (that is, , in two stages), and then discharged to the outside of the machine through the exhaust hole 23a. As a result, the temperature of the gas discharged from the exhaust hole 23a can be lowered more efficiently with a simple configuration, which can be advantageous in terms of device cost and safety.

<Second embodiment>
A heating cooker 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment basically inherits the first embodiment, and is as described in the first embodiment except for what is mentioned below.

10 and 11 show front perspective views of the entire heating cooker 200 of this embodiment. 10 shows a state in which the lid portion 2 is attached to the main body portion 1, and FIG. 11 shows a state in which the lid portion 2 is removed from the main body portion 1. As shown in FIG. Moreover, FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the lid portion 2 as viewed from below. The heating cooker 200 of the present embodiment, like the heating cooker 100 of the first embodiment, controls the heating of the inner pot 3 containing the ingredients to be cooked, thereby cooking the ingredients in the inner pot 3. It comprises a main body 1 that controls heating of the inner pot 3 according to a predetermined heating program, and a lid 2 detachably attached to the top of the main body. However, the heat cooker 200 of this embodiment differs from the heat cooker 100 of the first embodiment in the configuration of the exhaust mechanism 20 and the fixing mechanism 30 . Therefore, below, the structure of the exhaust mechanism 20 and the fixing mechanism 30 in the cooking-by-heating appliance 200 of this embodiment is demonstrated.

First, the configuration of the fixing mechanism 30 in the heating cooker 200 of this embodiment will be described. The fixing mechanism 30 is a mechanism for fixing the body portion 1 and the lid portion 2, and in the case of the present embodiment, the fixing mechanism 30 is a flange 10a of the housing portion 10 of the body portion 1 and a claw portion of the inner lid 14 of the lid portion 2. 14a. As shown in FIG. 11, for example, the flange 10a of the housing portion 10 is a portion protruding radially from the peripheral portion of the housing portion 10, and is spaced apart along the circumferential direction (direction of rotation about the Z axis). A number of them are provided at intervals. 12, the claw portion 14a of the inner lid 14 is a portion that protrudes from the peripheral portion of the inner lid 14 so as to be engaged (fitted or hooked) with the flange 10a of the housing portion 10. A plurality of them are provided at intervals along the circumferential direction so as to correspond to the positions of the flanges 10 a of the accommodating portion 10 . In the heating cooker 200 having the fixing mechanism 30 configured in this way, the lid portion 2 is arranged on the main body portion 1 while the claw portions 14a of the inner lid 14 are passed between the flanges 10a of the housing portion 10, By rotating the lid portion 2 by a predetermined amount with respect to the main body portion 1 in the direction of the arrow AR shown in FIG. Part 1 and lid part 2 can be fixed.

Next, the configuration of the exhaust mechanism 20 in the heating cooker 200 of this embodiment will be described. The exhaust mechanism 20 is a mechanism for exhausting the gas (steam) inside the inner pot 3 to the outside (outside) of the machine through an exhaust hole 27 a provided on the upper surface of the lid portion 2 . For example, similar to the heating cooker 100 of the first embodiment, the exhaust mechanism 20 is controlled by the control unit 12 at a predetermined timing such as when the cooking of the ingredients in the inner pot 3 is finished. Automatic exhaust is performed to exhaust the gas inside the inner pot 3 from the exhaust hole 27a on the upper surface of the part 2 to the outside of the machine. 10 and 11, the exhaust mechanism 20 has an exhaust button 16 provided on the upper surface of the lid portion 2. When the user presses the exhaust button 16, the exhaust mechanism 20 is operated from the inside of the inner pot 3. It may be configured to perform forced exhaust for exhausting gas to the outside. The exhaust operation (automatic exhaust, forced exhaust) in the exhaust mechanism 20 of the present embodiment is the same as the exhaust operation of the exhaust mechanism 20 in the first embodiment.

13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the exhaust mechanism 20 of the present embodiment, showing an exploded example of the lid portion 2 (especially the exhaust mechanism 20). 13A shows a state in which the cover member 27 is removed from the lid portion 2, and FIG. 13B shows a state in which the exhaust valve 22 and the cover member 27 are removed from the lid portion 2. FIG. FIG. 13B also shows a state in which the cover member 27 is further disassembled. The exhaust mechanism 20 of this embodiment can include a communication pipe 21, an exhaust valve 22, and a cover member 27, as shown in FIG. 13B, for example. The configurations of the communicating pipe 21 and the exhaust valve 22 are the same as those of the heating cooker 100 of the first embodiment.

The cover member 27 is a member configured to cover the communicating pipe 21 and the exhaust valve 22 . The cover member 27 temporarily retains the gas (steam) released from the inner pot 3 through the communication pipe 21 when the exhaust valve 22 is opened, and discharges it from the exhaust hole 27a provided on the upper surface. configured as Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13B, the cover member 27 includes an upper exterior member 27b, a lower exterior member 27c, a seal member 27d, and a partition member 27e.

The upper exterior member 27b is a member forming the upper portion of the cover member 27, has an exhaust hole 27a on its upper surface, and is attached to the lower exterior member 27c. The lower exterior member 27c is a member that constitutes the lower portion of the cover member 27, has a hole 27f that fits into the projecting portion 2a of the lid portion 2, and has a support mechanism 27g that supports the upper exterior member 27b. . The support mechanism 27g has a hook _27g1 biased so as to be hooked on the claw of the upper exterior member 27b when the upper exterior member 27b is attached to the lower exterior member 27c, and is connected to the hook _27g1 . The support of the upper exterior member 27b by the hook _27g1 can be released by pressing the button _27g2 . Here, as shown in FIG. 13B, the projecting portion 2a of the lid portion 2 is a portion projecting in the +Z direction for attaching the cover member 27 to the lid portion 2. , the exhaust valve 22 and the pin member 25a are arranged.

The seal member 27d is made of rubber, resin, or the like, and is annularly formed, and is attached inside the hole 27f of the lower exterior member 27c. The sealing member 27d is formed between the projecting portion 2a and the lower exterior member 27c in a state in which the cover member 27 is attached to the lid portion 2 so that the projecting portion 2a of the lid portion 2 is fitted with the hole 27f of the lower exterior member 27c. It may be understood as a member for sealing (adhering) the hole 27f. Also, the sealing member 27d may be configured to contact the inner upper surface of the upper exterior member 27b. By using such a sealing member 27d, leakage of gas (steam) released from the inside of the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21 from between the cover member 27 and the projecting portion 2a of the lid portion 2 is reduced. Then, the gas can be temporarily retained inside the cover member 27 . Further, by using the sealing member 27d, the cover member 27 can be easily attached to and detached from the lid portion 2 without separately providing a mechanism for attaching the cover member 27 to the lid portion 2. FIG.

The partition member 27e is a member having a partition for partitioning the internal space of the cover member 27 (seal member 27d) into a first chamber S1 (first space) and a second chamber S2 (second space). Here, the configuration and function of the partition member 27e will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 shows a schematic cross-sectional view (YZ cross-sectional view) of the cover member 27 attached to the lid portion 2 (protruding portion 2a). The partition member 27e is attached to the inner upper surface of the upper exterior member 27b so as to cover the exhaust hole 27a of the upper exterior member 27b from the inside. The inner space of the cover member 27 is partitioned as a chamber S2. Further, the partition member 27e has an opening 27h for communicating the first chamber S1 and the second chamber S2 on the opposite side of the partition to the communication pipe 21 and the exhaust valve 22 side. Specifically, the partition wall of the partition member 27e is positioned on the side opposite to the first wall surface W1 (the +Y direction side) and the first wall surface W1 positioned on the communication pipe 21 and the exhaust valve 22 side (the -Y direction side). The opening 27h is provided in the second wall surface W2.

In the cover member 27 having the partition wall member 27e configured in this manner, the gas flow path from the communication pipe 21 to the exhaust hole 27a has a labyrinth shape. Therefore, the steam released from the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21 temporarily stays in the first chamber S1 (outer space of the partition member 27e) as indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG. , flows from the first chamber S1 into the second chamber S2 (the inner space of the partition member 27e) through the opening 27h of the partition member 27e, temporarily stays in the second chamber S2, and then flows through the exhaust hole 27a. discharged to the outside. That is, the cover member 27 of the present embodiment reduces the temperature of the steam released from the interior of the inner pot 3 through the communicating pipe 21 in each of the first chamber S1 and the second chamber S2 (that is, in two steps). After that, it can be discharged to the outside of the machine through the exhaust hole 27a. Therefore, the heating cooker 200 of this embodiment can reduce the temperature of the gas discharged from the exhaust hole 27a, which can be advantageous in terms of safety.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1: Main body, 2: Lid, 3: Inner pot, 10: Storage unit, 11: Heating unit, 12: Control unit, 13: Operation unit, 14: Inner lid, 20: Exhaust mechanism, 21: Communicating pipe, 22: driven valve (valve member), 23, 27: cover member

Claims (9)

A heating cooker that cooks ingredients in the inner pot by controlling heating of the inner pot,
a body portion having a housing portion capable of housing the inner pot, and controlling heating of the inner pot housed in the housing portion;
a lid portion attached to the body portion to make the inside of the inner pot a closed space;
with
The lid portion has an exhaust mechanism for discharging gas from the inside of the inner pot to the outside of the machine,
The exhaust mechanism has a communicating pipe that communicates with the interior of the inner pot, a valve member that opens and closes the communicating pipe, and a cover member that covers the valve member,
The cover member includes a first chamber that temporarily retains the gas released from the inner pot through the communication pipe, and a second chamber that temporarily retains the gas that has flowed out of the first chamber. , a partition for partitioning the first chamber and the second chamber , configured to exhaust the gas in the second chamber to the outside of the machine ,
The partition wall has a first wall surface located on the side of the communicating pipe and the valve member, and a second wall surface opposite to the first wall surface, and allows gas to flow out from the first chamber to the second chamber. A heating cooker characterized in that an opening for allowing heating is provided in the second wall surface . The cover member has an exhaust hole for discharging the gas released from the inner pot through the communication pipe to the outside of the machine,
2. The heating cooker according to claim 1, wherein said exhaust hole is provided on a surface defining said second chamber. 3. The heating cooker according to claim 2, wherein the cover member is configured such that a gas flow path from the communication pipe to the exhaust hole has a labyrinth shape. The heating cooker further comprises a drive unit for driving the valve member, and a control unit for controlling heat treatment of the inner pot,
4. The heating according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the control unit controls the driving unit at a predetermined timing to drive the valve member and open the communicating pipe. Cooking device. 5. The control unit according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit controls the driving unit at a predetermined timing after the heat treatment of the inner pot is completed, thereby driving the valve member and opening the communicating pipe. The heating cooker described. The heating cooker according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the drive section is provided in the main body section. The exhaust mechanism further has a transmission member for transmitting power of the drive unit to the valve member,
The heating cooker according to any one of claims 4 to 6 , wherein the drive section drives the valve member via the transmission member. 8. The heating cooker according to claim 7 , wherein the lid has an operator that drives the valve member so as to open the communication pipe by driving the transmission member according to a user's operation. . 8. The heating according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the lid has an operator for driving the valve member so as to open the communicating pipe in accordance with a user's operation. Cooking device.

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