JP7410403B2 - Protection structure of sensing parts - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a structure for protecting detection components such as a center sensor employed in rice cookers and the like.

Currently, in order to sell household electrical equipment overseas that may cause liquid to spill during normal use, it is necessary to pass a flood test according to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. In this flood test, after the specified treatment has been applied to the household electrical appliance in question, the appliance container is filled with approximately 1% saline solution, and then 15% of the container capacity or 0.25 liters, whichever is greater. After pouring a fixed amount of salt water into the device for one minute, conduct a specified dielectric strength test on the household electrical equipment to check the effect on the insulation structure (space distance, etc.) of the flooded area. If the dielectric strength test is satisfied and the evidence of water intrusion satisfies the specified requirements for the insulation structure (insulation distance), the product is deemed to have passed.

By the way, a rice cooker is an example of the above-mentioned "household electrical appliance that may spill liquid during normal use." In many rice cookers manufactured in recent years, an opening is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the protective frame that houses the inner pot, and a center sensor is arranged to protrude from the opening (for example, -343545, etc.). For this reason, when the above-mentioned overflow test is performed on such a rice cooker, saline water will infiltrate through the gap between the center sensor and the edge of the opening. Therefore, in order for this type of rice cooker to pass the above-mentioned dielectric strength test, it is necessary to prevent the salt water from coming into contact with the live parts of the center sensor (conductors and conductive parts to which voltage is applied) when salt water enters. It is necessary to

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-343545

An object of the present invention is to provide a structure that protects live parts of sensing components such as a center sensor from liquids such as saline solution in order to make an electrical device having a structure similar to that of the rice cooker pass the above-mentioned dielectric strength test. It's about doing.

( 1 )
The protection structure for the sensing component according to the present invention is as follows:
an outer bottom wall having a first opening;
a receiving member having a second opening and disposed above the outer bottom wall;
a sensing component having a base portion disposed such that an upper end portion thereof protrudes above the receiving member through the second opening, and a charging portion provided on a lower surface of the base portion;
at least one passage forming part forming a passage communicating with the first opening and the second opening on the outside of the sensing component on the lower side of the receiving member;
further comprising a rib portion extending downward below the sensing component,
The passage forming part is composed of an inner cylindrical wall part facing the side surface of the base part , and an outer cylindrical wall part located outside the inner cylindrical wall part and extending in the vertical direction,
further comprising a first sealing member attached to the outer periphery of the detection component and in close contact with the inner surface of the inner cylinder wall portion over the entire periphery;
The passage passes between the inner cylinder wall and the outer cylinder wall ,
The charging part is surrounded by the inner cylinder wall part,
The rib portion corresponds to a lower portion of the inner cylinder wall portion .

According to the above configuration, when salt water intrudes from the gap between the detection component and the edge of the second opening in a water overflow test according to the International Electrotechnical Commission standard, the salt water is separated outward from the detection component. The liquid flows into the passage formed in the outer bottom wall and is discharged to the outside through the first opening in the outer bottom wall. By the way, normally, in a detection component, a charging part is disposed on the opposite side of the detection target to prevent it from coming into contact with the human body, and is covered with a cover or the like. Therefore, saline water can be kept away from the live portion of the sensing component during the overflow test, and the live portion of the sensing component can be protected from the saline water during the overflow test.

In addition, with the above configuration, the ribs actively drop the saline solution moving to the lower side of the sensing component along the passage forming part onto the outer bottom wall, and the salt water is discharged to the outside through the first opening of the outer bottom wall. can do. Therefore, the live portion of the detection component can be protected from salt water during a water overflow test.

Further, according to the above configuration, when saline water infiltrates through the gap between the sensing component and the edge of the second opening in the above-described water overflow test, the first sealing member prevents the saline water from flowing to the lower part of the sensing component. It can be kept away from the live parts of the sensing components. In addition, in the protection structure of this detection component, since a passage passes between the inner cylinder wall and the outer cylinder wall, the saline solution is guided toward the outer bottom wall and the first It can be discharged outside through the opening.

( 2 )
In the invention described in ( 1 ) above,
further comprising a standing wall portion extending upward from the outer bottom wall portion,
It is preferable that the standing wall portion is located outside the outer cylindrical wall portion.

According to the above configuration, when the lower end of the outer cylindrical wall does not reach the outer bottom wall, it is possible to prevent the saline from flowing into the outside of the standing wall.

( 3 )
The protection structure for the sensing component according to the present invention is as follows:
an outer bottom wall having a first opening;
a receiving member having a second opening and disposed above the outer bottom wall;
a base portion disposed such that its upper end protrudes above the receiving member through the second opening; a charging portion provided on the lower surface of the base portion; a detection component having a first inner cylindrical wall portion provided on the lower side of the base portion;
at least one passage forming part forming a passage communicating with the first opening and the second opening on the outside of the sensing component on the lower side of the receiving member;
further comprising a rib portion extending downward below the sensing component,
further comprising a second seal member attached to the outer periphery of the first inner cylinder wall ,
The passage forming portion includes an inner cylinder wall portion including a second inner cylinder wall portion located inside the first inner cylinder wall portion and the first inner cylinder wall portion, and an inner cylinder wall portion located outside the inner cylinder wall portion. It is composed of an outer cylinder wall part ,
the second sealing member is partially in close contact with the inner surface of the outer cylinder wall ;
The passage passes between the inner cylinder wall and the outer cylinder wall ,
The charging part is surrounded by the first inner cylindrical wall part,
The rib portion corresponds to a lower portion of the second inner cylinder wall portion .

According to the above configuration, when salt water infiltrates from the gap between the detection component and the edge of the second opening in the overflow test according to the International Electrotechnical Commission standards, the salt water is formed so as to be in contact with the outer wall of the detection component. The liquid flows into the passageway and is discharged to the outside through the first opening in the outer bottom wall. By the way, normally, in a detection component, a charging part is disposed on the opposite side of the detection target to prevent it from coming into contact with the human body, and is covered with a cover or the like. Therefore, the live portion of the detection component can be protected from salt water during a water overflow test.

In addition, with the above configuration, the ribs actively drop the saline solution moving to the lower side of the sensing component along the passage forming part onto the outer bottom wall, and the salt water is discharged to the outside through the first opening of the outer bottom wall. can do. Therefore, the live portion of the detection component can be protected from salt water during a water overflow test.

Further, according to the above configuration, it is possible to protect the charging portion of the detection component from saline water in a water overflow test, and the saline water can be efficiently discharged over a short distance.

( 4 )
In the invention described in ( 3 ) above,
Preferably, the outlet of the passage is located directly above the first opening.

According to the above configuration, the saline solution coming out from the outlet of the passage can be efficiently discharged to the outside.

1 is an external perspective view of a rice cooker according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a bottom view of the rice cooker concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 2. FIG. It is a back side perspective view of the support stand which constitutes the rice cooker concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a bottom view of the support stand which constitutes the rice cooker concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 6. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of location P in FIG. 3. FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the rice cooker concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. 9 is an enlarged view of location Q in FIG. 8. FIG. It is an external perspective view of the center sensor unit which constitutes the rice cooker concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a lower perspective view of the center sensor unit which comprises the rice cooker based on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the center sensor unit which comprises the rice cooker based on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 13 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 12. FIG.

-First embodiment-
<Structure of the rice cooker according to the first embodiment of the present invention>
The rice cooker 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is an induction heating pressure rice cooker, and as shown in FIGS. It is configured. These components will be explained in detail below.

1. Main Body As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the main body 110 mainly includes a housing 111, an induction heating coil 112, a heat insulating material (not shown), a support base 113, a ferrite core (not shown), and a center sensor. 114, a heat-retaining heater 115, a blower fan unit 116, a power circuit board 117, and an automatic winding power cord unit 118. These components will be explained in detail below.

(1) Housing As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 111 is mainly composed of a housing 111a, a shoulder member 111c, and a protective frame 111d, and includes heat insulating material (not shown), support It accommodates a stand 113, a ferrite core (not shown), an induction heating coil 112, a center sensor 114, a heat insulating heater 115, a blower fan unit 116, a power circuit board 117, an automatic winding power cord unit 118, and the like. Each component of the housing 111 will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the container 111a is mainly formed of a side wall portion 111x and a bottom wall portion 111y. The side wall portion 111x is a rectangular cylindrical enclosing wall portion that has a substantially rounded rectangular shape in plan view. As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom wall portion 111y is a rectangular dish-shaped portion with approximately rounded corners when viewed from the bottom, and is formed below the side wall portion 111x as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. . As shown in FIG. 2, an air intake port SO for sucking air from outside the housing 111 is formed on the rear side of the bottom wall portion 111y, and an air intake port SO is formed on the front side of the bottom wall portion 111y. , an exhaust port EO is formed for discharging the air inside the housing 111 to the outside. Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, a blower fan unit 116 is disposed above the intake port SO. When the blower fan unit 116 is driven, external air is sucked into the housing 111 through the intake port SO, and the air flow generated thereby causes the internal heated air to be discharged to the outside of the system from the exhaust port EO. Ru. Furthermore, a saucer portion RD and a standing wall portion WT are formed on the bottom wall portion 111y, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. As shown in FIG. 2, this saucer portion RD bulges downward (concave/concave) near the center in the depth direction and width direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the saucer portion RD is mainly formed of a substantially disk-shaped tray bottom wall portion RB and a tray side wall portion RS. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, in this saucer part RD, two central drain ports EP are formed around the center of the dish bottom wall part RB and oppose each other across the center. Four peripheral drain ports EX are formed at equal intervals and are formed so as to straddle the wall portion RB and the dish side wall portion RS. The standing wall portion WT is a surrounding wall exhibiting a cylindrical shape, and is formed to surround the saucer portion RD in plan view.

The shoulder member 111c is a frame having a substantially rounded rectangular shape in plan view, and is fitted onto the upper side of the side wall 111x of the container 111a as shown in FIG. Covers the edge of the opening. This shoulder member 111c has a substantially circular opening through which the inner pot 130 is inserted. Further, a claw receiving portion (not shown) is formed on the front side of the shoulder member 111c, and a lid connecting portion (not shown) is formed on the rear side. The claw receiving portion is a portion for receiving a claw portion (not shown) of a lever member disposed on the lid 140 and locking the lid 140. Further, the lid connecting portion constitutes a hinge mechanism together with a main body connecting portion (not shown) provided on the lid 140, and supports the lid 140 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the main body 110. As shown in FIG. 3, a protection frame 111d is attached to the lower side of the shoulder member 111c. Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, the protection frame 111d is attached to the shoulder member 111c at a protection frame flange portion FP (described later).

The protective frame 111d is a member that protects the outer periphery of the inner pot 130 and maintains the shape of the shoulder member 111c, and as shown in FIG. It is formed from FP. The inner pot accommodating portion PA is a bowl-shaped portion that covers the outer periphery of the inner pot 130. An opening OC is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the inner pot accommodating portion PA, and the tip of the center sensor 114 protrudes from the opening OC. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a meandering path forming portion SK is formed below the bottom wall portion of the inner pot accommodating portion PA of the protective frame 111d so as to surround the opening OC in plan view. The meandering path forming part SK is a concentric double cylindrical rib, and is formed so as to mesh with a meandering path forming part SN formed on a support base 113, which will be described later, with a certain gap (see FIG. 7). Further, as described above, the protection frame flange portion FP is located below the shoulder member 111c, and maintains the shape of the shoulder member 111c by stretching the shoulder member 111c outward.

(2) Induction Heating Coil The induction heating coil 112 is for inductively heating the inner pot 130, and as shown in FIG. It is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the side.

(3) Heat Insulating Material The heat insulating material is wound around the outer periphery of the inner pot accommodating portion PA of the protective frame 111d and the outer periphery of the induction heating coil 112, so that the heat generated from the inner pot 130 during rice cooking is transferred to the outside of the inner pot accommodating portion PA. It plays the role of suppressing the outflow.

(4) Support stand The support stand 113 mainly holds the center sensor 114 and the ferrite core, and also prevents liquids such as saline solution from entering between the center sensor 114 and the opening OC of the protection frame 111d. It is a member that plays the role of forming a drainage path for draining liquid, and as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, it mainly includes a center sensor support part 113a, a drainage path forming part 113b, a wing part 113d, and It is formed from a ferrite core housing portion 113e. Note that this support stand 113 is fixed to the bottom wall portion 111y of the container 111a with screws. Each part will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the center sensor support portion 113a is mainly formed of an inner cylindrical wall portion WI, an outer cylindrical wall portion WO, and a bridge portion BR. The inner cylindrical wall portion WI is a wall portion exhibiting a cylindrical shape as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. It should be noted that a portion of the inner cylinder wall portion WI above the bridge portion BR functions as a seat portion ZP of the center sensor 114, and a lower portion functions as a liquid guiding rib RW. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the outer cylindrical wall WO is disposed outside the inner cylindrical wall WI so that its cylindrical axis coincides with the cylindrical axis of the inner cylindrical wall WI. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower end of the outer cylindrical wall WO is located at a height position approximately at the center in the height direction of the inner cylindrical wall WI, and the upper end of the outer cylindrical wall WO is located on the inner side. It is located at approximately the same height as the upper end of the cylinder wall portion WI. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the bridge portion BR extends radially outward from approximately the center in the height direction of the inner cylindrical wall portion WI, and is connected to the lower end portion of the outer cylindrical wall portion WO. .

The drain path forming portion 113b extends outward from the upper end of the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the drain path forming portion 113b is mainly formed of a base portion BP, a meandering path forming portion SN, an outer peripheral wall portion WS, and a bridge portion BD. The base portion BP is an annular portion extending from the upper end of the center sensor support portion 113a toward the outer periphery. As shown in FIG. 6, the meandering path forming portion SN is a concentric double cylindrical rib and is formed on the upper side of the base portion BP. The outer peripheral wall portion WS is a substantially cylindrical portion formed on the outer peripheral side of the meandering path forming portion SN, and as shown in FIG. It extends in the vertical direction to a position near the lower end of the inner cylindrical wall portion WI of the sensor support portion 113a. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the bridge portion BD extends radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the base body portion BP, and is connected to a substantially central portion in the height direction of the outer circumferential wall portion WS.

The wing portion 113d is a stepped portion extending toward the outer circumferential side from a portion near the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the drain path forming portion 113b, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. The outside is one step higher.

The ferrite core accommodating portions 113e are portions for accommodating ferrite cores, and are formed at four locations in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

(5) Ferrite Core The ferrite core is a member that prevents the magnetic flux generated when the induction heating coil 112 is energized from exiting to the outside, and is inserted into the ferrite core housing portion 113e of the support base 113 as described above. ing.

(6) Center sensor The center sensor 114 is a sensor for detecting the temperature at the bottom of the inner pot 130 and the presence or absence of the inner pot 130, and as shown in FIG. It is composed of a sensing end 114b, a lead wire 114e, and an annular packing PK. The center sensor 114 is supported by the center sensor support part 113a of the support stand 113 so as to be movable up and down, and the inner cylinder wall part WI and the outer cylinder wall part WO of the center sensor support part 113a of the support stand 113 are connected to each other. It is biased upward by a coil spring disposed in between. As shown in FIG. 7, the main body portion 114a is mainly formed from a base portion MB, a collar portion ZA, a cylindrical wall portion WC, a pair of leg portions GL, and an inner protection wall portion WP. The base portion MB is a portion exhibiting a substantially cylindrical shape, and as shown in FIG. 7, the detection end 114b is placed over the head of the base portion MB. A thermocouple (not shown) is inserted along the axis of the base portion MB. Note that the tip of this thermocouple is in contact with the detection end 114b. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, this base body part MB is located above the inner cylinder wall part WI of the center sensor support part 113a of the support base 113. The flange ZA is an annular portion extending outward from the lower end of the base portion MB. In addition, this collar part ZA is located inside the outer cylindrical wall part WO of the center sensor support part 113a of the support stand 113, as shown in FIG. The cylindrical wall portion WC extends downward from the collar ZA. Note that this cylindrical wall portion WC is formed with an annular groove for mounting an annular packing PK. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the cylindrical wall portion WC is located between the inner cylindrical wall portion WI and the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113. The leg portion GL extends downward from the lower surface of the cylindrical wall portion WC, as shown in FIG. Note that here, as shown in FIG. 7, the leg portions GL are formed in a pair so as to sandwich the axis of the base portion MB. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the leg portion GL passes between the inner cylindrical wall portion WI and the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113, and is located in the opening between the bridge portions BR. It is inserted. That is, this leg portion GL guides the vertical movement of the center sensor 114. The inner protection wall portion WP is a portion exhibiting a substantially cylindrical shape, and extends downward from the lower end surface of the base portion MB inside the leg portion GL, as shown in FIG. Further, this inner protection wall portion WP is located inside the inner cylinder wall portion WI of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113.

The detection end 114b is a metal covering, as shown in FIG. 7, and is placed over the upper end of the main body 114a. Note that, as described above, the tip of the thermocouple is in contact with this detection end 114b. As shown in FIG. 7, the head of the detection end 114b projects from the opening OC of the inner pot accommodating portion PA of the protection frame 111d into the inner space of the inner pot accommodating portion PA.

The lead wire 114e extends downward from the charging portion on the lower surface of the base portion MB of the main body portion 114a, and is communicatively connected to a control circuit board disposed on the lid body 140. The lead wire 114e transmits a detection signal from a thermocouple or a detection signal generated when the center sensor 114 is pressed down.

The annular packing PK is fitted into an annular groove of the cylindrical wall portion WC, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, this annular packing PK is in close contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113.

(7) Heat Retention Heater The heat retention heater 115 is a heater for keeping the cooked rice warm after cooking, and is disposed inside the shoulder member 111c as shown in FIG. 3.

(8) Ventilation Fan Unit The ventilation fan unit 116 is composed of an axial fan, a heat sink, etc., and as described above, is located above the air intake port SO of the bottom wall portion 111y of the housing 111a of the housing 111. , the rotation axis of the fan is arranged substantially along the vertical direction. That is, when the sending fan in the blowing fan unit 116 is driven, external air is sucked in from the intake port SO, flows into the housing 111, and is sent upward as it is. The external air sent upward passes through the heat sink and is supplied to the power supply circuit board 117 and the like to cool these members.

(9) Power supply circuit board The power supply circuit board 117 is a board that constitutes a power supply circuit, and has several heat generating components mounted thereon. Note that this power supply circuit board 117 is housed in the rear space Sr of the housing 111, as shown in FIG.

(10) Automatic winding type power cord unit The automatic winding type power cord unit 118 is composed of a power cord, an automatic winding mechanism (not shown), etc., and as shown in FIG. It is housed in the rear space. The power cord consists of a plug and an electrical wire (not shown). The plug is placed at the end of the electric wire. The electric wire is wound around an automatic winding mechanism so as to be expandable.

2. Inner pot The inner pot 130 is a bowl-shaped pot that opens upward, and is inserted into the opening of the shoulder member 111c, and is accommodated in the inner pot accommodating portion PA of the protective frame 111d with a predetermined gap. Note that the inner pot 130 is a multilayer body (clad material) of various aluminum alloys and stainless steel alloys, and can be induction heated by the induction heating coil 112.

3. Lid Body As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lid body 140 mainly includes an exterior body 141, an open button 142, an operation button group 143, a pressure adjustment mechanism 144, a reinforcing member (not shown), and a lever mechanism 145. , a main body connection part (not shown), a steam processing unit 147, a control circuit board (not shown), and an inner lid 146. These components will be explained in detail below.

(1) Exterior body As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the exterior body 141 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped member, and includes an open button 142, an operation button group 143, a pressure adjustment mechanism 144, and a reinforcing member (not shown). ), a lever mechanism 145, a control circuit board, etc. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the open button 142 and the operation button group 143 are disposed on the exterior body 141 so that their upper surfaces are exposed above the exterior body 141. Further, this exterior body 141 is reinforced with a reinforcing member so that it can withstand internal pressure during use. Further, a pair of main body connecting portions are arranged at the rear end of the lower surface of the exterior body 141, and together with the lid connecting portion formed on the shoulder member 111c of the casing 111 of the main body 110, they constitute a hinge mechanism. There is. This hinge mechanism allows the lid 140 to be opened and closed with respect to the main body 110. In addition, in this hinge mechanism, the lid body 140 is biased toward the opening direction by a torsion spring. Furthermore, an inner lid 146 is removably disposed on the lower surface of the exterior body 141.

(2) Open Button The open button 142 is a rounded rectangular button for opening the lid 140, and is disposed so that its top surface is exposed above the exterior body 141, as described above. Further, the open button 142 is disposed inside the exterior body 141 above the lever mechanism 145, and is biased upward by a coil spring (not shown).

(3) Operation Button Group The operation button group 143 includes, for example, a start/stop button, a rice cooking method selection button, etc., and is used to allow the user to select the operation method of the rice cooker 100. As described above, each of the operation buttons in the operation button group 143 is arranged so that the upper surface thereof is exposed above the exterior body 141. Further, each operation button is mounted on the operation board, and is biased upward by a coil spring (not shown).

(4) Pressure Adjustment Mechanism The pressure adjustment mechanism 144 adjusts the pressure inside the inner pot 130 to 1.03 to 1.3 atmospheres when the lid 140 is closed and pressure cooking is being performed. Moreover, this pressure adjustment mechanism 144 restricts the rotation of a lever member (not shown) of the lever mechanism 145 so that the lid body 140 is not opened during the pressure cooking operation. In addition, in this embodiment, this pressure adjustment mechanism is not particularly limited, and a conventional one may be employed.

(5) Reinforcing member The reinforcing member is for increasing the strength of the lid body 140. Note that in this embodiment, the reinforcing member is not particularly limited, and may be a metal plate itself or a metal plate with a complicated shape.

(5) Lever Mechanism The lever mechanism 145 includes a lever member (not shown), a coil spring, and the like. The lever member includes an abutting plate (not shown), a pair of left and right extending plates (not shown) extending downward from the front side of the abutting plate, and extending rearward from the bottom of each extending plate. It is a metal plate member formed from a claw part (not shown) extending from the top, and is pivotally supported by the exterior body 141, and is supported upward by a coil spring (not shown) at the rear end of the contact plate part. is energized. Here, when the open button 142 is pressed down by the user, the open button 142 comes into contact with a portion of the contact plate portion of the lever member on the rear side of the rotation shaft. Then, when the user wants to close the lid 140, the user does not need to operate the open button 142, and can simply push the lid 140 toward the main body 110. At this time, the claw portion of the lever member moves downward while contacting an inclined surface (not shown) formed on the shoulder member 111c. During this time, the lever member rotates forward against the biasing force of the coil spring. When the pawl reaches the pawl receiving portion formed on the shoulder member 111c, the pawl fits into the hole of the pawl receiving portion due to the biasing force of the coil spring. In this way, the lid body 140 is brought into a closed state. On the other hand, when opening the lid 140, the user presses down the open button 142. Then, the lower end portion of the open button 142 comes into contact with the contact portion of the lever member, and the lever member rotates forward against the biasing force of the coil spring. At this time, the claw part that has been fitted into the hole of the claw receiving part is pulled out from the hole of the claw receiving part. Then, the lid 140 is lifted upward by the biasing force of a torsion spring (described later), and the lid 140 is placed in an open state.

(6) Steam Processing Unit The steam processing unit 147 traps water vapor rising from the inner pot 130 during rice cooking and returns it to the inner pot 130, and as shown in FIGS. It is removably installed on the rear side.

(7) Control circuit board The control circuit board is a board that constitutes a control circuit, and has electronic components such as a microcomputer mounted thereon, and includes the induction heating coil 112 of the main body 110, the heat retention heater 115, and the blower fan unit 116. , the power supply circuit board 117, the operation button group 143 of the lid body 140, and the like.

(8) Inner lid The inner lid 146 is a member for covering and sealing the upper part of the inner pot 130, as shown in FIG. 3, and is detachably attached to the lower side of the exterior body 141.

<Drainage structure around the center sensor of the rice cooker according to the first embodiment of the present invention>
The drainage structure SE that protects the center sensor 114 from liquids such as saline will be described below. As shown in FIG. 7, this liquid drainage structure SE is mainly constructed from the bottom wall portion 111y of the container 111a, the protection frame 111d, the support stand 113, and the annular packing PK of the center sensor 114.

As described above, the center sensor 114 is supported by the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113 and the coil spring so as to be vertically movable. Note that the coil spring is disposed between the inner cylindrical wall portion WI and the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113, and biases the center sensor 114 upward. (See Figure 7). Note that the arrangement of the center sensor 114 will be described in more detail as shown in FIG. 7 as follows.

As shown in FIG. 7, the head of the detection end 114b of the center sensor 114 protrudes into the inner space of the inner pot accommodating portion PA from the opening OC of the inner pot accommodating portion PA of the protection frame 111d. Here, a certain gap is provided between the detection end 114b and the edge of the opening OC so that the detection end 114b of the center sensor 114 can move smoothly in the vertical direction without being caught. Further, the base portion MB of the main body portion 114a of the center sensor 114 is located above the inner cylinder wall portion WI of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113, and the flange portion ZA is located above the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113. The cylindrical wall WC is located between the inner cylindrical wall WI and the outer cylindrical wall WO of the center sensor support 113a of the support base 113, and the cylindrical wall WC is located inside the outer cylindrical wall WO of the support base 113. The portion GL extends downward between the inner cylindrical wall portion WI and the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113, and is inserted into the opening between the bridge portions BR, and is inserted into the opening between the bridge portions BR. The portion WP is located inside the inner cylinder wall portion WI of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113. Further, as described above, the annular packing PK of the center sensor 114 is in close contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical wall portion WO of the center sensor support portion 113a of the support base 113.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the cylindrical rib on the outer circumferential side of the meandering path forming part SK is disposed with a gap between the two cylindrical ribs of the meandering path forming part SN, and both the cylindrical ribs of the meandering path forming part SK The protection frame 111d and the support base 113 are arranged so that the cylindrical ribs on the inner peripheral side of the meandering path forming part SN are arranged with a gap between the ribs. By arranging the protective frame 111d and the support base 113 in this manner, a meandering path PN having a rectangular wave shape in cross-sectional view is formed between the meandering path forming portion SN and the meandering path forming portion SK (Fig. 7 reference).

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the support base 113 is arranged such that the outer circumferential wall portion WS of the drain path forming portion 113b of the support base 113 is located inside the standing wall portion WT of the bottom wall portion 111y of the container 111a. and a container 111a are provided. Note that here, the lower end portion of the outer peripheral wall portion WS and the upper end portion of the standing wall portion WT are opposed to each other with a gap interposed therebetween.

As described above, since the liquid drainage structure SE is constructed, when a liquid such as saline solution enters the gap between the inner pot 130 and the protective frame 111d, the liquid will be disposed of as follows. It will flow.

As shown by the thick arrow in FIG. 7, the liquid that has entered the gap between the inner pot 130 and the protective frame 111d enters the gap between the detection end 114b of the center sensor 114 and the edge of the opening OC, and the liquid enters the gap between the detection end 114b of the center sensor 114 and the edge of the opening OC, and After passing through the space above the flange ZA of the main body part 114a and the annular packing PK, it flows into the meandering path PN formed between the meandering path forming part SN and the meandering path forming part SK, and the meandering path The liquid that has passed through PN passes through the vertical passage PV formed between the cylindrical rib on the outer peripheral side of the meandering path forming part SN and the outer peripheral wall part WS, and falls into the saucer part RD of the bottom wall part 111y of the container 111a. I will do it. The liquid that has fallen into the saucer portion RD is discharged to the outside of the housing 111 through the central liquid drain port EP and the peripheral liquid drain port EX formed in the saucer portion RD. In addition, the liquid that has passed through the meandering path PN is transmitted through the cylindrical rib on the outer peripheral side of the meandering path forming part SN, the outer cylindrical wall part WO of the center sensor support part 113a, and the bridge part BR, and the liquid guiding rib of the inner cylindrical wall part WI. When the liquid reaches RW, the liquid is dropped into the saucer portion RD below it by the liquid guiding rib RW.

By the way, when the amount of liquid that has entered is large, a part of the liquid that has passed through the meandering path PN moves downward along the outer peripheral wall part WS, and is finally guided to the saucer part RD. At this time, it is assumed that the liquid that has reached the lower end of the outer peripheral wall part WS may wrap around the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall part WS, but even in such a case, the liquid is guided to the saucer part RD by the standing wall part WT. It turns out. Therefore, the possibility that the liquid will infiltrate to the outer circumferential side of the standing wall portion WT is extremely low.

<Features of the rice cooker according to the first embodiment of the present invention>
(1)
In the rice cooker 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the above-described drain structure SE is constructed. Therefore, by appropriately determining the passage area of the drain passage, etc., it is possible to prevent saline water from reaching the charged part of the center sensor 114 in the overflow test according to the International Electrotechnical Commission standard. Therefore, this rice cooker 100 can pass the dielectric strength test during the water overflow test.

(2)
In the rice cooker 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the saucer part RD is located below the vertical passage PV formed between the cylindrical rib on the outer peripheral side of the meandering path forming part SN and the outer peripheral wall part WS. At the same time, a peripheral drain port EX is formed in the saucer portion RD so as to straddle the tray bottom wall portion RB and the tray side wall portion RS. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, liquid such as salt water that enters through the gap between the inner pot 130 and the protective frame 111d can be efficiently discharged to the outside of the housing.

(3)
In the rice cooker 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the annular packing PK is attached to the center sensor 114 and the meandering path PN and the vertical path PV are formed, so that liquid such as saline solution can be absorbed into the center sensor 114. It is possible to prevent the liquid from flowing downward along the cylindrical wall part WC and the pair of legs GL, and to guide the liquid to the saucer part RD while keeping it away from the center sensor 114.

(4)
In the rice cooker 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the outer circumferential wall portion WS of the drain path forming portion 113b of the support stand 113 is located inside the standing wall portion WT of the bottom wall portion 111y of the container 111a. A support stand 113 and a storage body 111a are arranged. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, it is possible to prevent liquid such as saline solution from leaking out of the outer peripheral wall portion WS.

<Modified example>
(A)
In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the meandering path PN was formed between the protection frame 111d and the support base 113, but instead of the meandering path PN, a horizontal path (disc-shaped path) or a diagonal path ( A reverse truncated conical cylindrical path), an oblique downward path (truncated conical cylindrical path), etc. may be formed.

(B)
In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the center sensor 114 was movable up and down, but the center sensor may be fixed. In such a case, the center sensor may have only a temperature detection function.

(C)
Although the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment employs the center sensor 114 having a temperature detection function, a center sensor that detects other physical quantities such as pressure may also be employed.

(D)
Although the present invention was applied to the rice cooker 100 in the previous embodiment, the present invention may be applied to other cooking devices that require the drain structure SE according to the previous embodiment.

-Second embodiment-
<Structure of the rice cooker according to the second embodiment of the present invention>
A rice cooker 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is a heater heating type rice cooker, and as shown in FIG. . These components will be explained in detail below.

1. Main Body As shown in FIG. 8, the main body 210 mainly includes a housing 211, a main heater 212, a heat insulator (not shown), a support base 213, a center sensor 214, a heat retaining heater (not shown), and a blower fan. It is composed of a unit 216, a power circuit board 217, a control circuit board (not shown), an operation panel 219, and an opening lever 220. These components will be explained in detail below.

(1) Housing As shown in FIG. 8, the housing 211 mainly includes a side wall member 211a, a bottom wall member 211b, a shoulder member 211c, and a protective frame 211d, and includes a heat insulating material (not shown). , a support stand 213, a main heater 212, a center sensor 214, a heat retention heater, a blower fan unit 216, a power circuit board 217, a control circuit board (not shown), an operation panel 219, and the like. Each component of the housing 211 will be described in detail below.

The side wall member 211a is a rectangular cylindrical enclosing wall portion that has a substantially rounded rectangular shape in plan view.

The bottom wall member 211b is a rectangular plate-shaped portion with substantially rounded corners when viewed from the bottom, and is attached to the lower side of the side wall member 211a as shown in FIG. An intake port SO' for sucking air from outside the housing 211 is formed on the rear side of the bottom wall member 211b, and an air intake port SO' is formed on the front side of the bottom wall member 211b as shown in FIG. An exhaust port (not shown) for discharging the air inside the housing 111 to the outside is formed in the housing 111 . Note that, as shown in FIG. 8, a blower fan unit 216 is disposed above the intake port SO'. When the blower fan unit 216 is driven, external air is sucked into the housing 211 through the intake port SO', and the resulting air flow causes the heated air inside to be discharged from the exhaust port to the outside of the system. Ru. Furthermore, a saucer portion RD' is formed on the bottom wall member 211b, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. This saucer portion RD' bulges downward (concave/concave) near the center in the depth direction and width direction. As shown in FIG. 9, the saucer portion RD' is mainly formed of a substantially disc-shaped dish bottom wall part RB' and a dish side wall part RS'. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in this saucer portion RD', two drain ports EP' are formed around the center of the tray bottom wall portion RB', opposing each other with the center in between.

The shoulder member 211c is a frame having a substantially rounded rectangular shape in a plan view, and is fitted onto the upper side of the side wall member 211a as shown in FIG. is covered. This shoulder member 211c has a substantially circular opening through which the inner pot 230 is inserted. Further, a lid connecting portion (not shown) is formed on the rear side of the shoulder member 211c. The lid connecting portion constitutes a hinge mechanism together with a main body connecting portion (not shown) provided on the lid 240, and supports the lid 240 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the main body 210. As shown in FIG. 8, a protection frame 211d is attached to the lower side of the shoulder member 211c. Note that, as shown in FIG. 8, the protection frame 211d is attached to the shoulder member 211c at a protection frame flange portion FP' (described later).

The protective frame 211d is a member that protects the outer periphery of the inner pot 230 and maintains the shape of the shoulder member 211c, and as shown in FIG. It is formed from part FP'. The inner pot accommodating portion PA' is a bowl-shaped portion that covers the outer periphery of the inner pot 230. An opening OC' is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the inner pot accommodating part PA', and the tip of the center sensor 214 projects from this opening OC'. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a cylindrical rib SK' is formed on the lower side of the bottom wall part of the inner pot accommodating part PA' of the protective frame 211d so as to surround the opening OC' in plan view. . The cylindrical rib SK' is a cylindrical rib extending downward from the lower surface of the inner pot accommodating part PA' as shown in FIG. It is formed so as to face the outer cylindrical wall WO' on the outside of the outer cylindrical wall WO' (see FIG. 9). Further, as described above, the protective frame flange portion FP' is located below the shoulder member 211c, and maintains the shape of the shoulder member 211c by stretching the shoulder member 211c outward.

(2) Main heater The main heater 212 is for heating the inner pot 230, and as shown in FIG. 8, the main heater 212 is for heating the inner pot 230, and as shown in FIG. Attached to the outer surface.

(3) Insulating material The insulating material is wrapped around the outer periphery of the inner pot accommodating part PA' of the protective frame 211d and the outer periphery of the main heater 212, so that the heat generated from the inner pot 230 during rice cooking is transferred to the inner pot accommodating part PA'. It plays the role of suppressing leakage to the outside.

(4) Support stand The support stand 213 mainly holds the center sensor 214 and drains liquid such as saline solution that enters between the center sensor 214 and the opening OC' of the protection frame 211d. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, it is mainly formed of a center sensor support part 213a and a wing part 213d. Each part will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 9, the center sensor support portion 213a is mainly formed of an inner cylindrical wall portion WI', an outer cylindrical wall portion WO', and a bridge portion BR'. The inner cylindrical wall portion WI' is a wall portion having a cylindrical shape. It should be noted that a portion of this inner cylinder wall portion WI' above the bridge portion BR' functions as a seat portion ZP' of the center sensor 214, and a lower portion functions as a liquid guide rib RW'. As shown in FIG. 9, the outer cylindrical wall WO' is disposed outside the inner cylindrical wall WI' so that its cylindrical axis coincides with the cylindrical axis of the inner cylindrical wall WI'. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the lower end of the outer cylindrical wall WO' is located at the height of the center in the height direction of the inner cylindrical wall WI', and the upper end of the outer cylindrical wall WO' is located at a higher position than the upper end of the inner cylinder wall portion WI. As shown in FIG. 9, the bridge portion BR' extends radially outward from the center in the height direction of the inner cylindrical wall portion WI', and is connected to the lower end portion of the outer cylindrical wall portion WO.

The wing portion 213d is a portion extending toward the outer circumferential side from a portion near the center of the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical wall portion WO' of the center sensor support portion 213a, as shown in FIG.

(5) Center sensor The center sensor 214 is a sensor for detecting the temperature at the bottom of the inner pot 230 and the presence or absence of the inner pot 230, and as shown in FIGS. It is composed of a portion 214a, a sensing end 214b, a lead wire 214e, and a partially annular packing PK'. The center sensor 214 is supported by the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213 so as to be vertically movable, and the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213 has an inner cylindrical wall part WI' and an outer cylindrical wall part WO'. is biased upward by a coil spring disposed between the As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, the main body portion 214a is mainly formed from a base portion MB′, a collar portion ZA′, a cylindrical wall portion WC′, a pair of leg portions GL′, and an inner protective wall portion WP′. has been done. The base portion MB' is a portion having a substantially cylindrical shape, and as shown in FIG. 13, the detection end 214b is placed over the head of the base portion MB'. A thermocouple (not shown) is inserted along the axis of this base portion MB'. Note that the tip of this thermocouple is in contact with the detection end 214b. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, this base body part MB' is located above the inner cylinder wall part WI' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213. The flange ZA' is an annular portion extending outward from the lower end of the base body MB', as shown in FIGS. 10 to 13. In addition, this collar part ZA' is located inside the outer cylindrical wall part WO' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support stand 213, as shown in FIG. The cylindrical wall portion WC' extends downward from the collar portion ZA' as shown in FIGS. 10 to 13. As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, this cylindrical wall portion WC' is provided with an annular groove for mounting a partially annular packing PK'. Moreover, this cylindrical wall part WC' is located between the inner cylindrical wall part WI' and the outer cylindrical wall part WO' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213, as shown in FIG. The leg portion GL' extends downward from the lower surface of the cylindrical wall portion WC', as shown in FIGS. 10 to 13. Note that here, as shown in FIG. 9, a pair of leg portions GL' are formed so as to sandwich the axis of the base portion MB'. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the leg portion GL' passes between the inner cylindrical wall portion WI' and the outer cylindrical wall portion WO' of the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213, and the leg portion GL' It is inserted through the opening in between. That is, this leg GL' guides the vertical movement of the center sensor 214. The inner protection wall part WP' is a part exhibiting a substantially cylindrical shape, and extends downward from the lower end surface of the base part MB' inside the leg part GL', as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13. Further, this inner protection wall portion WP′ is located inside the inner cylinder wall portion WI′ of the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213.

The detection end 214b is a metal covering, as shown in FIG. 13, and is placed over the upper end of the main body 214a. Note that, as described above, the tip of the thermocouple is in contact with this detection end 214b. As shown in FIG. 9, the head of the detection end 214b protrudes from the opening OC' of the inner pot accommodating part PA' of the protection frame 211d into the inner space of the inner pot accommodating part PA'.

The lead wire 214e extends downward from the charging portion on the lower surface of the base portion MB' of the main body portion 214a, and is communicatively connected to the control circuit board. The lead wire 214e transmits a detection signal from a thermocouple or a detection signal generated when the center sensor 214 is pressed down.

The partially annular packing PK' is fitted into the annular groove of the cylindrical wall portion WC', as shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 9, this partially annular packing PK' is partially in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical wall part WO' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213. That is, a part of the partially annular packing PK' does not come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical wall part WO', and that part is an opening.

(6) Heat retention heater The heat retention heater is a heater for keeping cooked rice warm after cooking, and is disposed inside the shoulder member 211c as shown in FIG. 8.

(7) Ventilation fan unit The ventilation fan unit 216 is composed of an axial fan, a heat sink, etc., and as described above, a fan is installed above the air intake port SO' of the bottom wall member 211b of the housing 211. The rotating shaft is disposed so as to extend substantially in the vertical direction. That is, when the sending fan in the blowing fan unit 216 is driven, external air is sucked in through the intake port SO', flows into the housing 211, and is sent upward as it is. The external air sent upward passes through the heat sink and is supplied to the power supply circuit board 217, the control circuit board, etc., thereby cooling these members.

(8) Power supply circuit board The power supply circuit board 217 is a board that constitutes a power supply circuit, and has several heat generating components mounted thereon. Note that this power supply circuit board 217 is housed in the front space Sf' of the housing 211, as shown in FIG.

(9) Control circuit board The control circuit board is a board that constitutes a control circuit, and has electronic components such as a microcomputer mounted thereon. This control circuit board is also housed in the front space Sf' of the casing 211, and is disposed above the heat sink.

(10) Operation Panel The operation panel 219 mainly includes an information display panel (not shown) and a group of operation buttons. Various information such as menu information is displayed on the information display panel. The operation button group includes, for example, a start/stop button, a rice cooking method selection button, and the like. The operation panel 219 is arranged so that its upper surface is exposed above the front part of the housing 211. Further, each operation button is mounted on the operation board, and is biased upward by a coil spring (not shown).

(11) Open Lever The open lever 220 is a lever for opening the lid body 240, and is attached to the main body 210 immediately behind the operation panel 219 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction. Note that this opening lever 220 is urged rearward by a coil spring (not shown). Note that when the opening lever 220 is pushed forward, the locking portion 242 of the lid body 240 is released, and the lid body 240 is placed in an open state.

2. Inner pot The inner pot 230 is a bowl-shaped metal pot that opens upward, and is inserted into the opening of the shoulder member 211c and is accommodated in the inner pot accommodating portion PA' of the protective frame 211d with a predetermined gap. .

3. Lid Body The lid body 240, as shown in FIG. 8, mainly includes an exterior body 241, a locked part 242, a steam processing unit 243, a main body connection part (not shown), and an inner lid 246. . These components will be explained in detail below.

(1) Exterior Body As shown in FIG. 8, the exterior body 241 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped member, and houses the locked portion 242, the steam processing unit 243, and the like. Further, a locked portion 242 is provided on the front side of the exterior body 241, and a pair of main body connecting portions are provided on the rear end of the lower surface of the exterior body 241. Further, an inner lid 246 is removably disposed on the lower surface of the exterior body 241.

(2) Locked part The locked part 242 is a part of the main body 210 that can be locked with the opening lever 220, and is attached to the outer case 241 so as to be exposed on the front side of the outer case 141 as shown in FIG. It is located in

(3) Steam Processing Unit The steam processing unit 243 traps water vapor rising from the inner pot 230 during rice cooking and returns it to the inner pot 230, and as shown in FIG. It is removably installed in the.

(4) Main body connecting portion As described above, the main body connecting portion is disposed at the rear end of the lower surface of the exterior body 241, and is hinged together with the lid connecting portion formed on the shoulder member 211c of the casing 211 of the main body 210. It constitutes a mechanism. This hinge mechanism allows the lid 240 to be opened and closed with respect to the main body 210. In addition, in this hinge mechanism, the lid body 240 is biased toward the opening direction by a torsion spring.

(5) Inner lid As shown in FIG. 8, the inner lid 246 is a member for covering and sealing the upper part of the inner pot 230, and is detachably attached to the lower side of the exterior body 241.

<Drainage structure around the center sensor of the rice cooker according to the second embodiment of the present invention>
The liquid drainage structure SE' that protects the center sensor 214 from liquids such as saline will be described below. As shown in FIG. 9, this drainage structure SE' is mainly constructed from a bottom wall member 211b, a protection frame 211d, a support base 213, an annular packing PQ, and a partial annular packing PK' of the center sensor 214. ing.

As described above, the center sensor 214 is supported by the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213 and the coil spring so as to be vertically movable. Note that the coil spring is disposed between the inner cylindrical wall portion WI' and the outer cylindrical wall portion WO' of the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213, and attaches the center sensor 214 upward. (See Figure 9). The arrangement of the center sensor 214 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 9, the head of the detection end 214b of the center sensor 214 protrudes from the opening OC' of the inner pot accommodating part PA' of the protection frame 211d into the inner space of the inner pot accommodating part PA'. Here, a certain gap is provided between the sensing end 214b and the edge of the opening OC' so that the sensing end 214b of the center sensor 214 can move smoothly without being caught in the vertical direction. . Further, the base portion MB' of the main body portion 214a of the center sensor 214 is located above the inner cylindrical wall portion WI' of the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213, and the flange portion ZA' is located above the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213. It is located inside the outer cylindrical wall WO' of the support part 213a, and the cylindrical wall WC' is located between the inner cylindrical wall WI' and the outer cylindrical wall WO' of the center sensor support 213a of the support base 213. The leg GL' extends downward between the inner cylindrical wall WI' and the outer cylindrical wall WO' of the center sensor support 213a of the support base 213, and extends between the bridge BR'. The inner protection wall portion WP' is located inside the inner cylinder wall portion WI' of the center sensor support portion 213a of the support base 213. Furthermore, as described above, the partially annular packing PK' of the center sensor 214 is partially in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical wall part WO' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a cylindrical rib SK' extends downward from the lower surface of the bottom wall of the inner pot accommodating part PA' of the protective frame 211d, and this cylindrical rib SK' is connected to the support base 213. It faces the outer cylindrical wall WO' on the outside of the outer cylindrical wall WO' of the center sensor support part 213a (see FIG. 9). As shown in FIG. 9, an annular packing PQ is sandwiched between the cylindrical rib SK' and the outer cylindrical wall WO', and the sensing end 214b of the center sensor 214 and the edge of the opening OC' When liquid flows into the gap, the liquid is prevented from moving to the outside of the annular packing PQ.

As described above, since the liquid drainage structure SE' is constructed, when liquid such as saline water enters the gap between the inner pot 230 and the protective frame 211d, the liquid will be disposed of as follows. It will flow to

As shown by the thick arrow in FIG. 9, the liquid that has entered the gap between the inner pot 230 and the protective frame 211d enters the gap between the detection end 214b of the center sensor 214 and the edge of the opening OC', and then It flows outward along the flange part ZA' of the main body part 214a of the center sensor 214, and is formed between the partially annular packing PK' and the outer cylindrical wall part WO' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support base 213. It passes through the gap and the opening between the bridge parts BR' and falls into the saucer part RD' of the bottom wall member 211b. The liquid that has fallen into the saucer portion RD' is discharged to the outside of the casing 211 through the liquid drain port EP' formed in the saucer portion RD. Furthermore, when the liquid that has passed through the opening between the bridge parts BR' reaches the liquid guide rib RW' of the inner cylinder wall part WI' along the bridge part BR', the liquid is transferred by the liquid guide rib RW'. It is dropped onto the lower saucer section RD'.

<Features of the rice cooker according to the second embodiment of the present invention>
(1)
In the rice cooker 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned drain structure SE' is constructed. Therefore, by appropriately determining the passage area of the drain passage, etc., it is possible to prevent saline water from reaching the charged part of the center sensor 214 in the overflow test according to the International Electrotechnical Commission standard. Therefore, this rice cooker 200 can pass the dielectric strength test during the water overflow test.

(2)
In the rice cooker 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the drain port EP' of the saucer part RD' of the bottom wall member 211b is located directly below the opening between the bridge parts BR' of the center sensor support part 213a of the support stand 213. is formed. Therefore, in this rice cooker 200, liquid that has entered the gap between the detection end 214b of the center sensor 214 and the edge of the opening OC' can be quickly drained to the outside.

<Modified example>
(A)
In the rice cooker 200 according to the previous embodiment, the center sensor 214 was movable up and down, but the center sensor may be fixed. In such a case, the center sensor may have only a temperature detection function.

(B)
Although the rice cooker 200 according to the previous embodiment employs the center sensor 214 having a temperature detection function, a center sensor that detects other physical quantities such as pressure may also be employed.

111d, 211d (receiving member)
111y Bottom wall part (outer bottom wall part)
113b Drainage path forming part (passage forming part)
114,214 Center sensor (detection part)
211b Bottom wall member (outer bottom wall part)
EP central drain port (first opening)
EP' Drain port (first opening)
EX peripheral drain port (first opening)
OC, OC' opening (second opening)
PK Annular packing (first seal member)
PK' Partial ring packing (second seal member)
PN Meandering path (passage)
RB, RB' Dish bottom wall part RD, RD' Receiver part RS, RS' Dish side wall part RW, RW' Liquid guiding rib (rib part)
SE, SE' Drainage structure (protective structure for sensing parts)
WO, WO' Outer cylindrical wall (opposing wall)
WS outer peripheral wall (outer wall)
WT standing wall section

Claims (4)

an outer bottom wall having a first opening;
a receiving member having a second opening and disposed above the outer bottom wall;
a sensing component having a base portion disposed such that an upper end portion thereof protrudes above the receiving member through the second opening, and a charging portion provided on a lower surface of the base portion;
at least one passage forming part forming a passage communicating with the first opening and the second opening on the outside of the sensing component on the lower side of the receiving member;
further comprising a rib portion extending downward below the sensing component,
The passage forming part is composed of an inner cylindrical wall part facing the side surface of the base part , and an outer cylindrical wall part located outside the inner cylindrical wall part and extending in the vertical direction,
further comprising a first sealing member attached to the outer periphery of the detection component and in close contact with the inner surface of the inner cylinder wall portion over the entire periphery;
The passage passes between the inner cylinder wall and the outer cylinder wall ,
The charging part is surrounded by the inner cylinder wall part,
The rib portion corresponds to a lower portion of the inner cylinder wall portion.
Protection structure for sensing parts. further comprising a standing wall portion extending upward from the outer bottom wall portion,
The protection structure for a sensing component according to claim 1 , wherein the standing wall portion is located outside the outer cylindrical wall portion. an outer bottom wall having a first opening;
a receiving member having a second opening and disposed above the outer bottom wall;
a base portion disposed such that its upper end protrudes above the receiving member through the second opening; a charging portion provided on the lower surface of the base portion; a detection component having a first inner cylindrical wall portion provided on the lower side of the base portion;
at least one passage forming part forming a passage communicating with the first opening and the second opening on the outside of the sensing component on the lower side of the receiving member;
further comprising a rib portion extending downward below the sensing component,
further comprising a second seal member attached to the outer periphery of the first inner cylinder wall ,
The passage forming portion includes an inner cylinder wall portion including a second inner cylinder wall portion located inside the first inner cylinder wall portion and the first inner cylinder wall portion, and an inner cylinder wall portion located outside the inner cylinder wall portion. It is composed of an outer cylinder wall part ,
the second sealing member is partially in close contact with the inner surface of the outer cylinder wall ;
The passage passes between the inner cylinder wall and the outer cylinder wall ,
The charging part is surrounded by the first inner cylindrical wall part,
The rib portion corresponds to a lower portion of the second inner cylinder wall portion.
Protection structure for sensing parts. 4. The detection component protection structure according to claim 3 , wherein the outlet of the passage is located directly above the first opening.

Images