JP7464490B2 - Electric cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electric cooker.

Traditionally, pots have often been used to heat and cook ingredients. In general, ingredients are cooked in the pot by various methods, such as boiling, grilling, and steaming. It is known to use a cooking pot equipped with a steam valve to infuse ingredients with liquid for a short period of time (see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a cooking pot equipped with a weight-type steam valve. In the cooking pot of Patent Document 1, when the pressure inside the pot reaches a predetermined pressure, the weight of the weight-type steam valve rises slightly, releasing pressurized steam.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-37912

However, the cooking pot of Patent Document 1 cannot cook automatically, and the cook must constantly monitor the cooking status of the ingredients in the cooking pot while adjusting the heat intensity of the heat source for heating the cooking pot. Also, with the cooking pot of Patent Document 1, in order to allow the ingredients to be fully saturated with the juices, it is necessary to continue to heat the ingredients at a relatively high temperature, which can damage the texture of the ingredients. Furthermore, with the cooking pot of Patent Document 1, if someone nearby unintentionally touches the weight-type steam valve, the pressure inside the pot will fluctuate, causing the cooking results to vary greatly.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide an electric cooker that can prevent deterioration of the texture of ingredients and prevent operational errors.

The electric cooker according to the present invention comprises a pot, a heating element for heating the pot, an inner lid for covering the pot, a lid body having an outer lid to which the inner lid is attached, and a check valve provided on the inner lid for exhausting gas generated in the pot heated by the heating element to the outside.

The electric cooker of the present invention can prevent deterioration of the texture of ingredients and prevent operating errors.

1 is a schematic perspective view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a graph showing temperature changes during cooking in the electric cooker of the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view of the electric cooker of the present embodiment.

Below, an embodiment of an electric cooker according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the drawings, the same or corresponding parts will be given the same reference symbols and the description will not be repeated.

[Embodiment 1]
First, an embodiment of an electric cooker 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1A and 1B. Figures 1A and 1B are schematic perspective views of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment. Figure 1A shows the electric cooker 100 with a lid 120 closed relative to a main body 110, and Figure 1B shows the electric cooker 100 with the lid 120 open relative to the main body 110. Here, the electric cooker 100 has a substantially cylindrical shape, but the electric cooker 100 may have another shape.

As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the electric cooker 100 includes a main body 110, a lid 120, a pot 130, a heating member 140, and a control unit 150. The main body 110 has a container shape with an open top, and a hole is provided in the center of the main body 110. The pot 130 is placed in the hole of the main body 110.

The lid 120 is attached to one end of the main body 110. The lid 120 is attached to the main body 110 so that it can be opened and closed.

The main body 110 and the lid 120 are connected by a rotation support 112 at the rear. Therefore, the lid 120 rotates relative to the main body 110 around the rotation support 112, which allows it to be opened and closed freely relative to the main body 110. Although not specifically shown here, a display unit and operation buttons may be provided on the outer surface of the main body 110 and/or the lid 120.

The pot 130 is placed inside the main body 110 and attached to the main body 110. The pot 130 is detachable from the main body 110.

The pot 130 holds the ingredients needed for cooking. For example, the pot 130 holds food ingredients. The pot 130 may also hold water and/or seasonings.

By attaching the pot 130 to the main body 110 and closing the lid 120 to the main body 110, the pot 130 is covered by the main body 110 and the lid 120. The ingredients in the pot 130 are cooked in this state.

In addition, the pot 130 is exposed when the lid 120 is opened relative to the main body 110. With the lid 120 open relative to the main body 110, ingredients can be added to the pot 130 and cooked food can be removed from the pot 130.

The heating member 140 is disposed in the main body 110. The heating member 140 heats the pot 130 attached to the main body 110. The heating member 140 may heat the pot 130 by increasing its own temperature. Alternatively, the heating member 140 may generate heat in the pot 130 by an electromagnetic method.

The control unit 150 controls the heating member 140. Here, the control unit 150 is disposed in the main body unit 110.

The control unit 150 includes a processor and a memory. The processor is a hardware circuit configured with a central processing unit (CPU) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. The processor controls the operation of each part of the electric cooker 100 by reading and executing a control program stored in the memory.

For example, the heating member 140 heats the pot 130 containing ingredients, thereby cooking the ingredients. In one example, the control unit 150 controls the heating member 140 to heat the pot 130 according to a heating profile that indicates the change in heating temperature over time caused by the heating member 140. Typically, the heating profile is set according to the type and amount of ingredients. By placing pre-specified ingredients in the pot under the control of the control unit 150, the temperature of the pot 130 can be controlled according to a predetermined cooking program, and the ingredients can be cooked automatically.

The lid body 120 includes an inner lid 122 and an outer lid 124. The inner lid 122 is attached to the outer lid 124. The inner lid 122 is provided to fit onto the top of the pot 130. When the lid body 120 is closed on the main body 110, the inner lid 122 is fitted onto the top of the pot 130.

It is preferable that the outer lid 124 is provided with an exhaust hole 126h that penetrates the thickness of the outer lid 124. Even if steam is generated from the ingredients in the pot 130 when the pot 130 is heated, the generated steam can be released to the outside through the exhaust hole 126h.

In the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, a check valve 126 is disposed in the inner lid 122. The inner lid 122 has a hole corresponding to the check valve 126, and the check valve 126 is disposed in a position that covers the hole of the inner lid 122. The check valve 126 is located in the exhaust path of steam from the pot 130.

The check valve 126 allows gas flowing from one side to the other side to pass, and inhibits the flow of gas flowing from the other side to one side. In detail, the check valve 126 allows gas flowing from the pot 130 side to the outer lid 124 side (e.g., the exhaust hole 126h side) to pass. In addition, the check valve 126 inhibits the flow of gas from the outer lid 124 side (e.g., the exhaust hole 126h side) to the pot 130 side.

When the pot 130 is heated by the heating member 140, steam is generated from the ingredients in the pot 130, and the air pressure inside the pot 130 changes compared to the atmospheric pressure. Typically, when the temperature inside the pot 130 rises, the air pressure inside the pot 130 increases above the atmospheric pressure. At this time, the check valve 126 allows air to pass from the pot 130 to the outside.

On the other hand, when the temperature inside the pot 130 drops after steam is generated inside the pot 130, the air pressure inside the pot 130 becomes lower than atmospheric pressure. At this time, the check valve 126 restricts the flow of air from the outside toward the pot 130.

The electric cooker 100 is powered by electricity. The electric cooker 100 may be connected to a commercial power source via a power adapter. Alternatively, the electric cooker 100 may be powered by battery power.

In the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, a check valve 126 is provided on the inner lid 122 that covers the pot 130. Therefore, when the temperature inside the pot 130 drops after steam is generated in the pot 130, the inside of the pot 130 is in a reduced pressure state. Therefore, in a relatively low temperature reduced pressure state, the ingredients in the pot 130 can be sufficiently soaked with the juice, and the time required for cooking can be shortened without compromising the texture of the ingredients. Furthermore, by providing the check valve 126 on the inner lid 122, it is possible to prevent people in the vicinity from unintentionally touching the check valve 126, and to prevent unintentional cooking from occurring.

Next, the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 2C. Figures 2A to 2C are schematic diagrams of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment. All of Figures 2A to 2C show the electric cooker 100 with the lid 120 closed over the main body 110 on which the pot 130 is placed.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the pan 130 is placed on the main body 110. Here, the pan 130 is in contact with the heating member 140. The pan 130 is placed on the heating member 140.

The pot 130 is covered by the lid 120. More specifically, the pot 130 is covered by the inner lid 122, which is covered by the outer lid 124. When the lid 120 is closed on the main body 110, the pot 130 engages with the inner lid 122.

Here, soup is contained in the pot 130. Note that the ingredients contained in the pot 130 are not limited to soup, and may be solids. For example, the pot 130 may contain meat, fish and/or vegetables. Alternatively, the pot 130 may contain only solids. The electric cooker 100 may also be used to cook rice.

A check valve 126 is attached to the inner lid 122. In addition, an exhaust hole 126h is provided in the outer lid 124. The exhaust hole 126h is connected to the check valve 126. The check valve 126 is located between the exhaust hole 126h and the pot 130.

Here, the check valve 126 is disposed within the exhaust hole 126h. The check valve 126 is exposed from the exhaust hole 126h.

The check valve 126 is preferably positioned in the exhaust hole 126h at a position where a human finger cannot enter. For example, the diameter of the exhaust hole 126h may be smaller than the diameter of a human finger. For example, the diameter of the exhaust hole 126h may be 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 7 mm or more and 18 mm or less. Alternatively, the depth of the exhaust hole 126h may be longer than the length of a human finger.

As shown in FIG. 2B, when cooking begins with ingredients placed in pot 130, heating element 140 heats pot 130. As heating element 140 heats pot 130, the temperature inside pot 130 rises, steam is generated from the ingredients in pot 130, and the air pressure inside pot 130 increases. At this time, check valve 126 rises slightly relative to inner lid 122, and the steam inside pot 130 passes through check valve 126 and then through exhaust hole 126h, and is released to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 2C, when heating of pot 130 by heating member 140 stops, the temperature inside pot 130 drops, and the food in pot 130 stops generating steam. As the temperature inside pot 130 drops, the air pressure inside pot 130 drops. At this time, check valve 126 is tightly attached to inner lid 122, and outside air cannot enter the inside of pot 130. As a result, the air pressure inside pot 130 becomes lower than atmospheric pressure, and pot 130 enters a reduced pressure state.

As a result, the electric cooker 100 can allow the ingredients in the pot 130 to fully soak in the liquid even in a relatively low-temperature, reduced-pressure state. This allows the time required for cooking to be shortened without compromising the texture of the ingredients.

Typically, electric cookers operate according to a pre-created program. Therefore, if the air pressure inside the pot of the electric cooker fluctuates unintentionally, cooking will proceed differently than planned unless the electric cooker measures the air pressure inside the pot and performs feedback control. In contrast, in the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, the check valve 126 is provided in the inner lid 122 and is not exposed to the outside of the electric cooker 100. This makes it possible to prevent the pressure state inside the pot 130 from fluctuating due to unintentional touching of the check valve 126 during cooking.

Furthermore, in the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, the check valve 126 is attached to the inner lid 122, thereby narrowing the enclosed space inside the pot 130. This allows the cooking process to be changed quickly by controlling the heating member 140.

Next, the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 3. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pot 130 is placed on the main body 110, and a lid 120 is closed to the main body 110. The pot 130 is covered with an inner lid 122, which is covered with an outer lid 124. When the lid 120 is closed to the main body 110, the pot 130 engages with the inner lid 122.

The electric cooker 100 further includes a sealing member 127. The sealing member 127 is attached to the lid 120. The sealing member 127 is located between the lid 120 and the pot 130. The sealing member 127 is annular and is disposed on the peripheral end of the pot 130. Typically, the sealing member 127 is an elastic body.

When the temperature of the pot 130 rises and the air pressure inside the pot 130 increases, the sealing member 127 deforms between the lid 120 and the pot 130. Even if steam is generated from the ingredients inside the pot 130 due to the deformation of the sealing member 127, the steam is prevented from leaking from between the lid 120 and the pot 130.

In detail, the sealing member 127 is attached to the inner lid 122. The sealing member 127 connects the inner lid 122 and the outer lid 124. The sealing member 127 abuts against each of the inner lid 122, the outer lid 124, and the pot 130.

As shown in FIG. 3, the check valve 126 is provided in the inner lid 122. In addition, the outer lid 124 is provided with an exhaust hole 126h. The check valve 126 is disposed in the exhaust hole 126h.

In the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, a check valve 126 is provided on the inner lid 122 that covers the pot 130. Therefore, when the temperature of the pot 130 rises to a temperature at which steam is generated in the pot 130 and then drops, the inside of the pot 130 is reduced in pressure. Therefore, in a relatively low temperature reduced pressure state, the ingredients in the pot 130 can be sufficiently soaked in the juices while preventing them from becoming too soft. Furthermore, by providing the check valve 126 on the inner lid 122, it is possible to prevent the air pressure inside the pot 130 from fluctuating due to people in the vicinity unintentionally touching the check valve 126.

As described above, the electric cooker 100 operates according to a cooking program. However, the surrounding environment of the electric cooker 100 is not always constant. For this reason, even if the electric cooker 100 operates according to a cooking program that cooks the same amount of the same ingredients, the operation according to the cooking program may be changed depending on the surrounding environment. For example, the electric cooker 100 may change the operation of the cooking program based on the temperature inside the pot 130.

Next, the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment. The electric cooker 100 of Figure 4 has a similar configuration to the electric cooker 100 described with reference to Figure 2A or Figure 3, except that it further includes a temperature measurement unit 160, and therefore, in order to avoid redundancy, a duplicated description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the electric cooker 100 includes a temperature measuring unit 160. The temperature measuring unit 160 measures the temperature inside the pot 130. Here, the temperature measuring unit 160 is attached to the inner lid 122. The temperature measuring unit 160 measures the temperature of an upper region in the space inside the pot 130. The control unit 150 (FIG. 1B) may control the heating member 140 based on the measurement result of the temperature measuring unit 160.

Next, cooking using the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 5. Figure 5 is a graph for explaining the change over time in temperature inside the pot 130 of the electric cooker 100. In Figure 5, when cooking begins, a cooking period Pc begins, and the cooking period Pc is followed by a keep-warm period Pk.

Typically, when the operator sets the type of cooking and the number of people, the control unit 150 (FIG. 1B) sets the cooking period Pc and the heating profile within the cooking period Pc according to instructions from the operator. The cooking period Pc changes in the order of heating period P1, boiling period P2, cooling period P3, and re-heating period P4.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the cooking period Pc starts, the heating period P1 starts. Typically, the heating period P1 starts when the user presses the cooking start button after attaching the pot 130 containing ingredients to the main body 110. Before the heating period P1 starts, the temperature of the pot 130 is typically room temperature. Depending on the type of cooking, the ingredients, and/or the user's preferences, there may be a leaving period before the heating period P1 during which the ingredients in the pot 130 are left.

During the temperature rise period P1, the heating member 140 heats the pot 130 so that the temperature of the pot 130 becomes higher than room temperature. The heating member 140 continues to heat the pot 130 until the ingredients in the pot 130 boil. For example, when the pot 130 contains water, the boiling temperature Tb of the pot 130 is approximately 100°C. When the temperature inside the pot 130 approaches the boiling temperature Tb, steam is generated from the ingredients in the pot 130, and the pressure in the pot 130 increases. As a result, the container inside the pot 130 is released to the outside of the electric cooker 100 through the check valve 126.

Next, during the boiling period P2, the pot 130 is heated to maintain the boiling of the ingredients in the pot 130. For example, if the pot 130 contains water, the temperature of the pot 130 is maintained at 100°C. During the boiling period P2, the water in the pot 130 continues to evaporate, and the amount of water in the pot 130 decreases. During the boiling period P2, the temperature in the pot 130 continues to maintain the boiling temperature Tb, and evaporation from the ingredients in the pot 130 progresses. Therefore, the steam in the pot 130 continues to be released to the outside of the electric cooker 100 through the check valve 126.

If the boiling period P2 continues for a long time, the food may become too soft. In particular, vegetables tend to lose their shape easily. For this reason, if the boiling period P2 is long, the texture of the food may not suit one's taste. Therefore, the boiling period P2 may be set relatively short depending on the food. The boiling period P2 may be shorter than the temperature increase period P1 and/or the temperature decrease period P3. For example, the boiling period P2 may be 0 minutes or more and 10 minutes or less.

Next, during the temperature reduction period P3, the temperature inside the pot 130 is reduced. In this case, the heating intensity of the heating element 140 may be reduced. Alternatively, heating by the heating element 140 may be temporarily stopped.

During the temperature reducing period P3, the temperature inside the pot 130 drops compared to the boiling period P2. As described above, in the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, the check valve 126 is provided in the inner lid 122, so that gas from outside the electric cooker 100 is prevented from entering the pot 130 even if the air pressure inside the pot 130 drops. Therefore, the inside of the pot 130 is in a reduced pressure state compared to atmospheric pressure.

During the temperature reduction period P3, the pot 130 is in a reduced pressure state, which makes it easier for the juice to seep into the ingredients in the pot 130. This is thought to be because during the temperature reduction period P3, air bubbles within the ingredients are released to the outside, making it easier for the juice to seep into the areas of the ingredients where the air bubbles have been removed.

During the temperature reduction period P3, once the temperature inside the pot 130 drops to a certain temperature, the temperature inside the pot 130 may be maintained constant. For example, the temperature inside the pot 130 is maintained at a warming temperature Tk. The warming temperature Tk is equal to or higher than 60°C and equal to or lower than 80°C. For example, the temperature reduction period P3 is equal to or higher than 1 minute and equal to or lower than 5 hours.

Next, as the cooking period Pc approaches the end, in the reheating period P4, the heating member 140 heats the pot 130 so that the temperature of the pot 130 reaches the boiling temperature Tb. The temperature of the pot 130 rises until it approaches the boiling point.

In this manner, the electric cooker 100 ends cooking when the cooking period Pc ends. For example, when cooking ends, the electric cooker 100 may output a sound to inform people nearby that cooking has ended.

The electric cooker 100 raises the temperature of the pot 130 back up to the boiling temperature Tb during the reheating period P4 immediately before the end of the cooking period Pc. In this way, the temperature of the pot 130 at the end of cooking is at or close to the boiling temperature Tb, so that freshly cooked food can be served. Furthermore, because the pressure inside the pot 130 is close to atmospheric pressure, the lid 120 can be easily opened from the pot 130 without the need for a special mechanism.

Note that even when cooking is finished in the electric cooker 100, the user may not be ready for a meal. Therefore, it is preferable for the electric cooker 100 to maintain the temperature of the pot 130 at a predetermined temperature after cooking is finished.

Next, during the warming period Pk, the amount of heat applied to the pot 130 is reduced so that the temperature of the pot 130 decreases. The temperature of the pot 130 gradually decreases until it reaches the warming temperature Tk. For example, the warming temperature Tk is between 60°C and 80°C. For example, the warming period Pk is between 1 minute and 12 hours.

As described above, the control unit 150 (FIG. 1B) controls the heating member 140. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, if the electric cooking appliance 100 is equipped with a temperature measuring unit 160, the temperature measuring unit 160 can measure the temperature of the upper region of the pot 130. Therefore, the control unit 150 can detect the temperature of both the lower region and the upper region of the pot 130. Therefore, the control unit 150 can estimate the pressure or reduced pressure state within the pot 130 based on the temperature and volume of the pot 130. Therefore, the control unit 150 may change the length of the temperature reduction period P3 and/or the length or amount of heat of the reheating period P4 depending on the estimated pressure or reduced pressure state within the pot 130.

As described above, when the temperature of pot 130 drops after steam is generated in pot 130 while cooking ingredients, pot 130 enters a reduced pressure state. In this case, it becomes difficult to open lid 120 from pot 130. In the explanation above with reference to FIG. 5, pot 130 is heated to boiling temperature Tb to make it easier to open lid 120 from pot 130, but this embodiment is not limited to this.

Even when the pot 130 is sealed, the check valve 126 may be electrically controlled to make it easier to open the lid 120 relative to the main body 110. For example, the pot 130 may be changed from a sealed state to an open state by supplying power to a mechanism capable of moving the check valve 126 to move the check valve 126 in a direction away from the inner lid 122.

[Embodiment 2]
2 to 4, the pan 130 inserted into the main body 110 remains in contact with the heating member 140, but this embodiment is not limited to this. The distance between the pan 130 and the heating member 140 may be changed.

Next, an electric cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1, 6A, and 6B. Figs. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment. Fig. 6A shows a schematic diagram of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment together with a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the sealing member 127. The electric cooker 100 shown in Figs. 6A and 6B is similar to the description above with reference to Figs. 2A and 2B, except that the sealing member 127 that seals the pot 130 is attached to the inner lid 122, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the sealing member 127 is attached to the inner lid 122. The sealing member 127 has a ring-shaped structure and is attached to the end of the inner lid 122. When the pot 130 is inserted into the main body 110 and the lid 120 is closed against the main body 110, the sealing member 127 is located between the lid 120 and the pot 130. Typically, the sealing member 127 is an elastic body. The sealing member 127 seals the pot 130.

A wide portion 130p is provided above the pot 130. The wide portion 130p causes the diameter of the pot 130 to expand outward. The sealing member 127 abuts against the wide portion 130p, thereby sealing the pot 130.

The sealing member 127 is bent so as to bend outward. The sealing member 127 has an upper portion 127a, a lower portion 127b, and a bent portion 127p. The upper portion 127a and the lower portion 127b are bent at the bent portion 127p.

The lower portion 127b is located vertically below the upper portion 127a. The upper portion 127a abuts against the inner lid 122. When the lid 120 is closed on the main body 110 to which the pot 130 is attached, the lower portion 127b abuts against the pot 130. In particular, the lower portion 127b abuts against the wide portion 130p of the pot 130.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the temperature inside pot 130 drops after steam is generated in pot 130 by heating member 140, pot 130 enters a reduced pressure state. At this time, sealing member 127 deforms. Here, sealing member 127 deforms to become thinner while in close contact with inner lid 122 and pot 130. More specifically, upper portion 127a and lower portion 127b of sealing member 127 deform to move closer to each other. The deformation of sealing member 127 prevents steam from inside pot 130 from leaking outward from between lid 120 and pot 130.

Furthermore, due to the deformation of the sealing member 127, the pot 130 rises relative to the heating member 140 and moves in a direction away from the heating member 140. This promotes a decrease in the temperature of the ingredients in the pot 130. As a result, the pot 130 quickly moves to a reduced pressure state, promoting the penetration of the juices into the ingredients in the pot 130.

In the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, when the temperature in the pot 130 drops after steam is generated in the pot 130 and the pot 130 is placed in a reduced pressure state, the sealing member 127 deforms and the pot 130 moves away from the heating member 140. Therefore, the distance between the pot 130 and the heating member 140 can be changed without electrically controlling the pot 130, and the temperature of the pot 130 can be reduced more quickly.

Next, an electric cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 6A to FIG. 7B. FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are schematic cross-sectional views of the electric cooker 100 according to this embodiment. The electric cooker 100 in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B is similar to the description above with reference to FIG. 3, except that the pot 130 moves due to deformation of the sealing member 127, and therefore a duplicate description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the sealing member 127 is located between the lid 120 and the pot 130. Typically, the sealing member 127 is an elastic body. The sealing member 127 seals the pot 130. The sealing member 127 has an annular structure and abuts against the peripheral end of the inner lid 122. The sealing member 127 also abuts against the pot 130. This seals the pot 130.

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the temperature inside pot 130 drops after steam is generated inside pot 130 by heating member 140, pot 130 enters a reduced pressure state. At this time, sealing member 127 deforms. Due to the deformation of sealing member 127, pot 130 rises above heating member 140 and moves in a direction away from heating member 140. This can promote the reduction in temperature inside pot 130. As a result, pot 130 quickly enters a reduced pressure state, promoting the penetration of the juice into the ingredients inside pot 130.

In the above description with reference to Figures 6A to 7B, the pan 130 comes into contact with the heating member 140 before the reduced pressure state is reached, and when the reduced pressure state is reached, it rises up relative to the heating member 140 and separates from the pan 130; however, this embodiment is not limited to this. The pan 130 may be positioned away from the heating member 140 even before the reduced pressure state is reached. For example, the pan 130 may be heated by electromagnetic interaction with the heating member 140. Even in this case, the pan 130 rises up relative to the heating member 140 when the reduced pressure state is reached, and separates further from the pan 130, thereby facilitating cooling of the pan 130.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, by using a sealing member 127 with the bent portion 127p facing outward, a sealing member (packing) used in a general electric cooker or rice cooker can be used. Also, because the bent portion 127p of the sealing member 127 faces outward, the sealing member 127 can effectively maintain a seal between the inside and outside of the pot 130 even if the pressure inside the pot 130 becomes higher than atmospheric pressure during cooking with the electric cooker 100. However, the shape of the sealing member 127 in the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment is not limited to this.

Next, the electric cooker 100 will be described with reference to Figures 8A to 8C. Figures 8A to 8C are schematic partial enlarged views of the electric cooker 100. Figures 8A to 8C are similar to the partial enlarged view of the electric cooker 100 shown in Figure 6A, except that the shape of the sealing member 127 is different, and therefore duplicated descriptions will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

The sealing member 127 shown in FIG. 8A is bent so as to bend inward. The sealing member 127 has an upper portion 127a, a lower portion 127b, and a bent portion 127p. The upper portion 127a and the lower portion 127b are bent at the bent portion 127p.

The lower portion 127b is located vertically below the upper portion 127a. The upper portion 127a abuts against the inner lid 122. The lower portion 127b also abuts against the pot 130. More specifically, the lower portion 127b abuts against the wide portion 130p of the pot 130.

In the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment, the pot 130 may be in a reduced pressure state. As shown in FIG. 8A, the sealing member 127 is bent so as to bend inward, so that the seal between the inside and outside of the pot 130 can be effectively maintained even when the pot 130 is in a reduced pressure state.

The sealing member 127 shown in FIG. 8B has an upper portion 127a, a lower portion 127b, a support portion 127c, and a bent portion 127p. The upper portion 127a and the lower portion 127b are bent at the bent portion 127p. The support portion 127c extends parallel to the upper portion 127a.

The lower portion 127b is located vertically below the upper portion 127a. The upper portion 127a abuts against the inner lid 122. The lower portion 127b and the support portion 127c abut against the pot 130. In particular, the lower portion 127b and the support portion 127c abut against the wide portion 130p of the pot 130.

In the sealing member 127 shown in FIG. 8B, the lower portion 127b is bent relative to the upper portion 127a. Furthermore, the support portion 127c, together with the upper portion 127a, can suppress the flow of gas even when pressure is applied from the outside to the inside of the sealing member 127. Therefore, whether the pressure inside the pot 130 is higher or lower than atmospheric pressure, the sealing member 127 can effectively maintain a seal between the inside and outside of the pot 130.

The sealing member 127 shown in FIG. 8C has an upper portion 127a, a lower portion 127b, a connecting portion 127d, a bent portion 127q, and a bent portion 127r. The upper portion 127a and the connecting portion 127d are bent at the bent portion 127q located on the inside. The connecting portion 127d and the lower portion 127b are bent at the bent portion 127r located on the outside.

The connecting portion 127d is located vertically below the upper portion 127a, and the lower portion 127b is located even further vertically below the connecting portion 127d. The upper portion 127a abuts against the inner lid 122. The lower portion 127b abuts against the pot 130. More specifically, the lower portion 127b abuts against the wide portion 130p of the pot 130.

The sealing member 127 shown in FIG. 8C bends outward and inward, respectively. This allows the sealing member 127 to effectively maintain a seal between the inside and outside of the pot 130 whether the pressure inside the pot 130 is higher or lower than atmospheric pressure.

[Embodiment 3]
Next, electric cooker 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9A to 10B. Figures 9A and 9B are schematic partial enlarged views of electric cooker 100 of the present embodiment. Figure 9A is a schematic view showing latch mechanism 170 in the normal state, and Figure 9B is a schematic view of latch mechanism 170 when pan 130 is changed to the open state.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the electric cooker 100 has a latch mechanism 170. The latch mechanism 170 changes the state of the pot 130 from a sealed state to an open state. The latch mechanism 170 is disposed on the lid 120.

The latch mechanism 170 has a latch button 172, a rotating member 174, a rotating shaft 176, and a latch valve 178. The latch button 172 is arranged to protrude from the outer lid 124. An operator can press the latch button 172. Typically, the latch button 172 is pressed in the vertical direction. When the latch button 172 is pressed, the latch button 172 moves along the pressing direction.

The latch button 172 abuts against the rotating member 174. The rotating member 174 rotates in response to a change in the position of the latch button 172. The rotating member 174 rotates around a rotation shaft 176. One end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the latch button 172, and the other end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the latch valve 178. For example, one end of the rotating member 174 is in contact with the bottom of the latch button 172, and the other end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the top of the latch valve 178.

The inner lid 122 has a hole corresponding to the latch valve 178, and the latch valve 178 is positioned to cover the hole in the inner lid 122. The latch valve 178 is located in the exhaust path of steam from the pot 130.

As shown in FIG. 9B, when the latch button 172 is pressed vertically downward, one end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically downward together with the latch button 172. In this case, the rotating member 174 rotates about the pivot shaft 176, and the other end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically upward. As the other end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically upward, the latch valve 178 moves vertically upward, and the hole in the inner lid 122 covered by the latch valve 178 is opened. The latch mechanism 170 changes the pot 130 from a sealed state to an open state.

In this way, in the latch mechanism 170, by pressing the latch button 172, the latch valve 178 can be opened, and the pot 130 can be changed from a sealed state to an open state. Although the latch valve 178 is opened by pressing the latch button 172, it is preferable to seal the pot 130 when the latch button 172 is not pressed. For example, when the heating member 140 heats the pot 130, the air in the pot 130 passes through the check valve 126, and the temperature in the pot 130 drops and the pot 130 becomes sealed, it is preferable that the latch valve 178 maintains the state of the pot 130 unless the latch button 172 is pressed. In the latch mechanism 170, the latch valve 178 is preferably pressed toward the inner lid 122 by an elastic member.

Figures 10A and 10B are schematic cross-sectional views of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment. Figure 10A is a schematic diagram of the electric cooker 100 in normal operation, and Figure 10B is a schematic diagram of the electric cooker 100 when the lid 120 is open.

As shown in FIG. 10A, normally, in the latch mechanism 170, the latch button 172 partially protrudes from the outer surface of the outer lid 124. One end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the latch button 172, and the other end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the latch valve 178. In this case, the rotating member 174 extends diagonally upward toward the latch button 172, and one end of the rotating member 174 is located vertically above the other end of the rotating member 174.

As shown in FIG. 10B, when the lid 120 is opened, the latch button 172 is pressed in the latch mechanism 170. This causes the latch button 172 to move vertically downward from the outer surface of the outer lid 124 to the inside. The movement of the latch button 172 causes the rotating member 174 to rotate about the rotating shaft 176, and the other end of the rotating member 174 to move vertically upward. As the other end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically upward, the latch valve 178 moves vertically upward, and the hole in the inner lid 122 covered by the latch valve 178 is opened. The pot 130 is changed from a sealed state to an open state by the latch mechanism 170. In this way, the pot 130 can be changed to an open state, so that the lid 120 can be opened with a relatively small force.

In the description with reference to Figures 9A to 10B, the latch mechanism 170 moves the latch valve 178 to change the sealed and open states of the pan 130, but this embodiment is not limited to this. The latch mechanism 170 may also move the check valve 126 to change the sealed and open states of the pan 130.

Next, the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11A and 11B. Figures 11A and 11B are schematic partial enlarged views of the electric cooker 100 of this embodiment. The electric cooker 100 of Figures 11A and 11B has the same configuration as described above with reference to Figures 9A to 10B, except that the latch mechanism 170 opens the check valve 126 to the inner lid 122, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the latch mechanism 170 has a latch button 172, a rotating member 174, a rotating shaft 176, and a check valve 126. The check valve 126 is provided in the inner lid 122.

As described above, when the temperature inside pot 130 rises, the air pressure inside pot 130 becomes higher than atmospheric pressure. At this time, check valve 126 allows air to pass from pot 130 to the outside. On the other hand, when the temperature inside pot 130 drops after the temperature inside pot 130 rises, the air pressure inside pot 130 becomes lower than atmospheric pressure. At this time, check valve 126 restricts the flow of air from the outside to pot 130.

The latch button 172 is connected to a rotating member 174. The rotating member 174 rotates in response to a change in the position of the latch button 172. The rotating member 174 rotates around a rotation shaft 176. One end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the latch button 172, and the other end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the check valve 126. For example, one end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the bottom of the latch button 172, and the other end of the rotating member 174 is connected to the top of the check valve 126.

As shown in FIG. 11B, when the latch button 172 is pressed, one end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically downward together with the latch button 172. In this case, the rotating member 174 rotates about the pivot shaft 176, and the other end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically upward. As the other end of the rotating member 174 moves vertically upward, the check valve 126 moves vertically upward, and the hole in the inner lid 122 that is covered by the check valve 126 is opened.

In this way, in the latch mechanism 170, by pressing the latch button 172, the check valve 126 can be opened and the pot 130 can be changed from a sealed state to an open state. Although the check valve 126 can be opened by pressing the latch button 172, it is preferable to seal the pot 130 when the latch button 172 is not pressed.

Above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined. The drawings are mainly shown schematically for ease of understanding, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may differ from the actual ones due to the convenience of drawing. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, etc. of each component shown in the above embodiments are only examples and are not particularly limited, and various changes are possible within a range that does not substantially deviate from the effects of the present invention.

The present invention is useful in the field of electric cookers.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Electric cooking appliance 110 Main body 120 Lid 130 Pot 140 Heating member 150 Control unit

Claims (7)

A pot and
A heating element for heating the pan;
A lid body having an inner lid for covering the pot and an outer lid to which the inner lid is attached;
A check valve provided in the inner lid for exhausting gas generated in the pot heated by the heating member to the outside ;
A latch mechanism for releasing the reduced pressure in the pot;
Equipped with
The latch mechanism includes a latch button, a rotating member, a rotating shaft, and a latch valve.
The latch button protrudes from the outer cover,
One end of the rotating member is connected to the latch button, and the other end of the rotating member is connected to the latch valve,
The inner lid is provided with a hole corresponding to the latch valve,
The latch valve is disposed at a position covering the hole formed in the inner lid, and is pressed toward the inner lid by an elastic member,
When the latch button is pressed, the rotating member rotates about the rotating shaft, and the latch valve moves to open the hole provided in the inner lid . A control unit for controlling the heating of the pot by the heating member is further provided.
The electric cooker according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the heating member so that the temperature of the pot becomes lower than the boiling temperature after the temperature of the pot reaches the boiling temperature during cooking. The electric cooker of claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the heating element to heat the pot to boiling temperature at the end of cooking. The electric cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a sealing member positioned between the inner lid and the pot to seal the pot. the sealing member is deformable;
The electric cooker according to claim 4 , wherein the pot is movable in a direction away from the heating member when the inside of the pot reaches a certain reduced pressure state. The electric cooker according to claim 1 , wherein the latch mechanism controls opening and closing of the check valve relative to the inner lid. 7. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein when the latch button is pressed downward, one end of the rotating member moves downward together with the latch button and the other end of the rotating member moves upward, causing the latch valve to move upward and opening the hole provided in the inner lid.

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