JPH02147019A - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To protect the electric parts of an operating part or a display part from steam or heat by housing a printed circuit board, for which the electric parts to relate to the operating part of display part, to a closed space which is provided in a cover. CONSTITUTION:An operation panel 19 engages an engaging groove 27 to the edge part of an opening part 31, which is formed in a part to be positioned in the opposite side of a cylinder body 10 for steam discharge, out of an outer cover board 4 and a fitting projected wire part 28 is fitted. Then, the circumferential edge part of the operation panel 19 is abutted on and engaged to the upper surface of the outer cover board 4 and a boss part 29 of the operation panel 19 is fixed to an inner cover board 5 by a screw 33 to be inserted from a lower direction to a screw hole part 32 which is projected and formed on the inner cover board 5. By applying narrow adhering force between the outer cover board 4 and inner cover board 5 and adhering the both cover boards, a closed space 49 is formed. Then, a printed circuit board 34, for which the electric parts to relate to operating parts 35 and 36 or a display part 49 are arranged, is housed to the closed space 49. As a result, the electric parts on the printed circuit board 34 can be separated from the steam or heat, which is generated during rice cooking, as much as possible and the life of a rice cooker can be prolonged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a rice cooker in which an operating section or a display section is provided on the top surface of the lid.

(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 part 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 part can be operated to start the rice cooking operation. At the same time, the operation panel is provided with light from a light emitting element based on the operation, and the process of the rice cooking operation can be confirmed by visually checking it through the window.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In general, rice cookers are usually placed on low places such as tables or sinks in order to scoop out the rice in the pot after cooking. Therefore, the position of the user's eyes 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.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the present inventor has considered providing an operating section or a display section on the top surface of the lid. However, in this case, the location of the printed circuit board on which the electrical components related to the operation section or the display section are arranged becomes a problem. Because,
This is because it is necessary to protect the electrical components on the printed circuit board from steam and heat generated during cooking.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and its purpose is to improve the visibility and operability of the operation section and display section, and to prevent the electrical components of the operation section and display section from steam and heat. To provide a rice cooker that can be protected from

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The rice cooker of the present invention is provided with an operation section or a display section on the upper surface of the lid, and an electric component related to the operation section or the display section. The printed circuit board on which is arranged is housed in a closed space provided in the lid.

(Function) Since the operating section or display section is provided on the top surface of the lid,
The visibility and operability of the operation section and display section are improved. Moreover,
Since the printed circuit board is housed in the closed space provided in the lid, the electrical components on the printed circuit board can be isolated from steam and heat as much as possible by the closed space, and the life of the electrical components can be extended.

(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. An abutment portion 9 is formed, and the engagement convex portion 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 engaging 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 operation openings 21 and 22 and four display openings 23 to 26 are formed in this manner. 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.
The operation panel 19 is inclined downwardly toward the outside by gradually increasing the height toward the sides.

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
Two bosses are integrally provided on the lower surface of 9, projecting downward.
Female threaded portions 30 are formed in these two boss portions. 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. By fitting the fitting protrusion 28, the peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 is attached 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. By attaching the operation panel 19 in this manner, a closed space 49 is formed between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5. Reference numeral 34 denotes a printed circuit board housed in the closed space 49 so as to face the back surface of the operation panel 19, and on the top surface thereof there are installed, for example, two operation switches, which are electrical components for operating the rice cooking operation. (
(not shown) and four light emitting elements 37 to 4 for displaying the rice cooking operation process (see Fig. 2).
0 is arranged so as to face each of the openings 21 to 26 for operation and display of the operation panel 19, thereby forming the display section 50. 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 sheet attachment recess 20 of the operation panel 19, and as shown in FIG. Direction mark 4 to indicate position
2.43 is formed, and display openings 23 to 2 are formed.
Transparent windows 44 to 47 are formed in the portion facing 6. 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, since the operation panel 19 is provided on the upper surface of the lid 2, the operation panel 1
The operating sections 35, 36 and display section 50 of 9 become easier to see, and the operating sections 35, 36 become easier to operate.

Moreover, since the printed circuit board 34 on which electrical components related to the operating sections 35, 36 and the display section 49 are arranged is housed in the closed space 49 formed in the lid 2, the printed circuit board 34 is placed inside the closed space 49. Electrical parts can be isolated as much as possible from the steam and heat generated during rice cooking, and the lifespan of the electric parts can be extended.

In this embodiment, since the operation panel 19 is tilted, the user's line of sight becomes more perpendicular to the operation panel 19, and the visibility of the operation panel 19 can be greatly improved. ．． It is possible to improve the visibility of the characters such as "keep warm" attached to the operation panel 19 and the light emitted from the light emitting elements 37 to 40, and of course the operation section 35 can be improved.
．． The operability of 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 5 from below with the screws 33, the screws 3
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 easily removed from the lid 2 by simply lifting it outward from the portion 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. The peripheral edge of the operation panel 19 is placed on the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, and in this state, the screw 33 is inserted into the screw hole 32 of the inner cover plate 5 and tightened to the boss portion 29 of one of the operation panels. Since the installation of the panel 19 is completed, it is easy to install one operation panel.

Moreover, by fixing one operation panel to the inner cover plate 5 with the screws 33 in this manner, the operation panel 19 can be mounted between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 via the operation panel 19 at the same time. Since the structure is such that adhesive force is applied to bind the two, it is not only possible to assemble the lid 2 itself including the operation panel 19 easily, but also to attach the lid 2 to the central part of the lid 2 using the operation panel 19. Since the clamping force is applied, when the engagement force between the engagement protrusion 8 of the outer cover plate 4 and the engagement recess 9 of the inner cover plate 5 decreases due to deformation of the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 during long-term use. but,
Compared to the conventional structure, the bonding state between the outer cover plate 4 and the inner cover plate 5 can be maintained stably, and since the peripheral edge of the operation panel 190 is pressed against the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4, the operation Panel 1
The two peripheral edges are firmly attached to the upper surface of the outer cover plate 4 without being lifted up, giving a good appearance. In addition, especially in this embodiment, since the operation panel 19 is made of ABS resin,
Not only does the sheet 41 have good adhesion, but even if the boss portion 29 is integrally provided on the bottom surface of the operation panel 19, unlike the polypropylene that generally forms the outer cover plate, it will not work on the top surface of the single operation panel. The appearance of the operation panel 19 can be kept beautiful without causing flesh marks.

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 provides an operation section or a display section on the upper surface of the lid, and electrical components related to the operation section or display section are disposed. The printed circuit board is stored in the closed space provided in the lid, so
In addition to improving the visibility and operability of the operation and display sections,
The closed space allows the electrical components on the printed circuit board to be isolated from steam and heat as much as possible, which has the excellent effect of extending the life of the electrical components.

[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, 19 is an operation panel, 31 is an opening, 33 is a screw, 34 is a printed circuit board, 35, 36 is an operation unit, and 37 to 40 are light emitting units. 4 is a closed space, and 50 is a display section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An operating section or a display section is provided on the top surface of the lid, and a printed circuit board on which electrical components related to the operating section or display section are arranged is housed in a closed space provided on the lid. A rice cooker characterized by: