JPH02147017A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the visual confirmability of an operation panel and the operability of an operating part by inclining and providing the operation panel, which has the operating part to executes operation concerning rice cooking operation, in the upper surface part of a cover. CONSTITUTION:In the upper surface part of an operation panel 19, a sheet fitting recessed part 20 is formed to be inclined toward the side direction of a main body 1. On the upper surface of a printed circuit board 34 to be arranged between the operation panel 19 and an inner cover board 5, operating parts 35 and 36 of two operating switches, which execute the operation concerning the rice cooking operation, and four light emitting elements 37-40 to display the process of the rice cooking operation are arranged so as to face to respective opening parts 21-16. On an elastically deformable sheet 41 to be attached to the sheet fitting recessed part 20, indicating marks 42 and 43 to indicate the positions of the operating parts 35 and 36 are formed in parts, which face to the opening parts 21 and 22, and transparent window parts 44-47 are formed in parts to face to the opening parts 23-26 for display. Accordingly, the glance of a user goes to nearly vertical to the operation panel. Then, the visual confirmability of the operation panel can be widely improved and the operability can be extremely improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a rice cooker with an improved layout structure of an operation panel having an operation section for performing operations related to rice cooking operation.

(Prior art) In conventional rice cookers, the operation panel is generally attached to the lower part of the outer periphery of the rice cooker body so as to protrude from the bottom.
This operation panel is provided with an operation section that can be operated from the outside, and a display lamp or a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode is disposed inside the operation panel, so that the operation section can be operated to perform rice cooking operation. At the same time, the process of the rice cooking operation can be confirmed by visually confirming the light from the light emitting element based on the operation through a window provided in the operation panel.

(Problem 8 to be Solved by the Invention) In the above configuration, since the operation panel protrudes from the outer circumferential side of the main body, not only does the installation space become large, but the design is also unsightly. In addition, rice cookers are generally placed on low places such as tables or sinks in order to scoop out the rice in the pot after cooking, and therefore the user's eye position is limited. is also usually higher than the main body.

However, with the above-mentioned device, the control panel is located at the bottom of the outer periphery of the main body, so if you are standing, your line of sight is too diagonal to the control panel. The disadvantage was that it was difficult to operate.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to reduce the installation space of the main body, improve the appearance, and improve the visibility of the operation panel and the operation of the operation section. To provide a rice cooker that can improve the quality of rice.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The rice cooker of the present invention has a tilted operation panel provided on the upper surface of the lid, which has an operation part for performing operations related to rice cooking operation. This is a characteristic feature.

(Function) Since the operation panel is provided on the lid, there is no protrusion like a conventional operation panel on the outer peripheral side of the rice cooker body, and the installation space for the main body is reduced.

Moreover, in this case, the operation panel is located on the top surface of the lid, making it easier to see, and the operation panel is also tilted, so the user's line of sight is more perpendicular to the operation panel. This greatly improves the visibility of the operation panel and the ease of operation.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, in FIG. 3 showing the overall appearance, 1 is the main body of the rice cooker, and 2 is a lid that is provided to the main body 1 so that it can be opened and closed via a well-known hinge mechanism 3. As shown in the enlarged view, it consists of an outer cover plate 4 and an inner cover plate 5, and a handle base 6 is integrally formed on the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, and a handle cover is attached to the handle base 6 to cover the upper part. 7 is attached.

A plurality of engagement protrusions 8 are formed on the inner peripheral edge of the outer cover plate 4, while a plurality of engagement protrusions 8 are formed on the outer circumferential edge of the inner cover plate 5 in correspondence with the engagement protrusions 8. A mating recess 9 is formed, and the engaging protrusion 8 is held in an engaged state by the elasticity of the inner cover plate 5 and outer cover plate 4 themselves. Reference numeral 10 denotes a stepped cylindrical steam venting cylinder having a large diameter part 10a and a small diameter part 10b at the top and bottom, and has flanges 1 at both the top and bottom ends, respectively.
1° 12 is formed, and a threaded portion 13 is further formed in the small diameter portion 10b.
and steam vent holes 14 are formed vertically. The steam venting cylinder 10 has an insertion hole 15 formed to protrude downward from one side of the outer cover plate 4 and an inner cover plate 5 corresponding to the insertion hole 15.
The nut member 17 is inserted into the hole 16 formed in the inner cover plate 5 from below the inner cover plate 5 with the flange 11 in contact with the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4. The nut member 17 is pressed against the inner cover plate 5, and the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 are sandwiched at one side thereof by such a mounting structure of the steam venting cylinder 10. Although not shown, an engagement protrusion for engaging the inner cover is provided on the lower surface of the inner cover plate 5.
An inner cover (not shown) is engaged and held on the lower surface of the inner cover plate 5 of the cover 2 by this engagement protrusion and the small diameter portion 10b of the steam venting cylinder 10. Reference numeral 18 denotes a lid heater provided at the center of the inner lid plate 5 of the lid 2 for keeping the inner lid warm. Reference numeral 19 denotes an operation panel, which will be described in detail below. That is, the operation panel 19 is made of ABS resin, for example, and has a seat mounting recess 20 that slopes toward the side of the main body 1 on its upper surface. For example, two operating openings 21, 22 and 4
Display openings 23 to 26 are formed. A peripheral wall 19a is formed diagonally downward on the four sides of the operation panel 19, and the height of the peripheral wall 19a is set to the handle base 6.
(By increasing the height sequentially as you go to 1111,
The operation panel 19 is inclined downwardly toward the outside.

In addition, a U-shaped engagement groove 27 is formed on one outer edge (the left outer edge in FIG. 1) of the peripheral wall portion 19a;
A fitting protrusion 28 is formed at the lower part of the periphery, located slightly inward from the periphery. Furthermore, operation panel 1
A boss portion 29 is integrally provided on the lower surface of 9 and projects downward.
A female threaded portion 30 is formed in this boss portion 29 . The operation panel 19 configured in this manner has the engagement groove 27 engaged with the edge of the opening 31 formed in the portion of the outer cover plate 4 located on the opposite side of the steam venting cylinder 10. The fitting protrusion 28 is fitted to connect the peripheral edge of one operation panel to the outer cover plate 4.
The operation panel 1 is brought into contact with the upper surface, and in this state, the operation panel 1
The boss portion 29 of No. 9 is fixed to the inner cover plate 5 by a screw 33 inserted from below into a screw hole 32 formed protrudingly on the inner cover plate 5. A clamping force is applied between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 to bind them together. Reference numeral 34 denotes a printed circuit board disposed between one operation panel and the inner lid plate 5. On the top surface of this circuit board, there are, for example, two operation switches (
(not shown) and four light emitting elements 37 to 40 for displaying the process of rice cooking operation are provided in each opening for operation and display of the operation panel 19, respectively. It is arranged so as to face 21 to 26. Lead wires (not shown) led out from the operation switches and light emitting elements 37 to 40 on the printed circuit board 34 are connected to lead wires introduced into the lid 2 from the main body 1. Reference numeral 41 denotes an elastically deformable sheet affixed to the seat mounting four parts 20 of the operation panel 19, and as shown in FIG.
Direction marks 42 and 43 are formed to indicate the position of the display, and transparent windows 44 to 47 are formed in portions facing the display openings 23 to 26. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 48 designates a clamp for releasing the lid 20 provided on the handle cover 7.

In the case of this embodiment with such a configuration, the operation panel 19 is
2, there is no protrusion like a conventional operation panel on the outer peripheral side surface of the main body 1. As a result, the installation space of the main body 1 can be reduced and the shape of the main body 1 can be reduced. can be made smarter and look better. Moreover, in this case, the operation panel 19 is located on the top surface of the lid 2 and is inherently easy to see, and furthermore, the operation panel 19 is tilted, so the user's line of sight is directed toward the operation panel 19. The operation panel 19 becomes more vertical.
The visibility of the operation parts 35, 36, etc. can be greatly improved. Letters such as “keep warm” attached to the operation panel 19 and the light emitting element 37
It is possible to improve the visibility of the light emitted from 40 to 40, and of course, the operability of the operating parts 35 and 36 can also be improved.

Incidentally, such an effect can also be obtained with a configuration in which the operation panel is integrally formed on the outer cover plate, but in this case, in order to repair the electrical components on the printed circuit board 34, it is necessary to remove the inner cover plate. It is necessary to remove the handle from the outer cover plate, which is really troublesome.In addition, in this case, if the operation panel is configured to protrude from the outer cover plate as in this embodiment, the handle base is separated from the outer cover plate due to the structure of the mold. This creates a problem that it must be formed separately. It is also possible to consider a configuration in which a separate operation panel is screwed to the outer cover plate, but in this case, if the operation panel is screwed to the outer cover plate from above,
Although it is easy to remove, the screw heads are exposed to the outside and look bad.However, if you screw the operation panel to the outer cover plate from the inside, it will look better, but when you remove the outer cover, it will look bad. The operation panel cannot be removed unless the inner cover plate is removed from the plate, making it really troublesome to remove the operation panel.

However, in this embodiment, since the operation panel 19 is fixed to the inner cover plate from below with the screws 33, the screws 33
3 is not exposed on the operation panel 19, which gives it a good appearance. When removing the operation panel 19, just remove the screws 33 and then attach the operation panel 19 to the opening of the outer cover plate 4. The operation panel 19 can be removed from the lid 2 by simply lifting it outward from the section 31, and the operation panel 19 can be easily removed. Furthermore, when installing the operation panel 19, the engagement groove 27 of the operation panel 19 is engaged with the edge of the opening 31 of the outer cover plate 4, and then the fitting protrusion 28 is fitted into the opening 31. Place the peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 on the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, and in this state insert the screw 33 into the screw hole 32 of the inner cover plate 5 to remove the operation panel 19.
Since installation of the operation panel 19 is completed by simply tightening it to the boss portion 29 of the operation panel, the installation of one operation panel is excellent.

Moreover, by fixing the operation panel 19 to the inner cover plate 5 with the screws 33 in this manner, a clamping force is created between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 via the operation panel 19 at the same time as the operation panel 19 is attached. Since the structure is such that the lid 2 itself, including the operation panel 19, can be easily assembled, the operation panel 19 can be attached to the central part of the lid 2. - Due to the application of adhesion force, the engagement protrusion 8 of the outer cover plate 4 may be caused by deformation of the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 during long-term use.
Even if the engagement force between the inner cover plate 5 and the engagement recess 9 decreases, the bonded state between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 can be stably maintained compared to the conventional structure. Since the peripheral edge of one operation panel is pressed against the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, the peripheral edge of the one operation panel is firmly attached to the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4 without floating up, giving it a good appearance. In this embodiment, since one operation panel is made of ABS resin, the adhesiveness of the sheet 41 is of course good, and even if the boss portion 29 is integrally provided on the lower surface of the operation panel 19, for example, Unlike polypropylene, which generally forms the outer cover plate, there is no sinkage on the upper surface of the operation panel 19, and the appearance of the operation panel 19 can be kept beautiful.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, but can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, the present invention has a configuration in which an operation panel having an operation section for performing operations related to rice cooking operation is provided on the upper surface of the lid in an inclined manner. There is no protruding object such as a conventional operation panel on the outer circumferential side of the container main body, so that the installation space for the main body can be reduced and the appearance can be improved.

Moreover, in this case, the operation panel is located on the top surface of the lid, making it easier to see, and the operation panel is also tilted, so the user's line of sight is more perpendicular to the operation panel. This provides an excellent effect in that the visibility of the operation panel is greatly improved and the operability can be significantly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lid, FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the operation panel,
FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view. In the drawing, 2 is a lid, 4 is an outer cover plate, 5 is an inner cover plate, 1 is an operation panel, 31 is an opening, 33 is a splash, 35 and 36 are operation parts, and 37 to 40 are light emitting elements. .

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rice cooker characterized in that an operation panel having an operation section for performing operations related to rice cooking operation is provided on the upper surface of the lid in an inclined manner.