JPH10201621A - Rice cooking and warming pan - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To seal the clearance of a contact part to prevent the leakage of steam within a pan by elastically bringing the peripheral part lower surface of the lower surface member of a lid body into contact with the upper surface of the upper periphery of the pan, and generating a water film by the dew by condensation of steam in the contact part between the lower surface member and the upper periphery of the pan. SOLUTION: In rice cooking and warming, the inner lid 28 of a lid body 25 is heated by a lid heater 41, whereby dew condensation in the lower surface of the inner lid 28 is minimized. Although a minute clearance is caused in the contact part between the peripheral part lower surface of the inner lid 28 and the upper surface of the upper periphery of a pan 4 when the lid body 25 is closed, the clearance is minute and held uniformly since the inner pan 28 is elastically pressed to the upper periphery of the pan 4 by the energizing force of packings 31, 36 and a spring 40. Since the dew by condensation of steam in rice cooking penetrates into the clearance to form a water film, and the clearance of the contact part is surely sealed by the water seal effect by this water film, the leakage of steam between the inner lid 28 and the pan 4 can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rice cooker for heating rice and water stored in a pot to cook rice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a rice cooker includes a pot body, a pot removably housed in the pot body, and a lid attached to an upper portion of the pot body and covering an upper surface of the pot in the pot body. It is configured.

[0003] In a conventional rice cooker, a steam cooker is made of an elastic rubber material such as silicone rubber which seals the space between the lower surface of the lid and the pot so that steam during cooking does not leak from between the pot and the lid. An annular lid packing is attached to the periphery of the lower surface of the lid. This lid packing is attached irrespective of the removable inner lid system or the fixed inner lid system.

[0004]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention On the lower surface side of the lid of the rice cooker, rice grains and the like tend to adhere and become dirty. Dirt on the lower surface of the lid can be easily wiped off with a cloth width or the like. However, since the lid packing is made of rubber and easily elastically deformed, it is difficult to wipe off dirt and the cleaning property is poor.

[0005] Further, since the lid packing has a shape protruding downward from the lower surface of the lid, rice grains are easily adhered and soiled. If the rice cooker is used with the rice grains attached, the pot's sealing effect will be reduced, and steam will leak from the pot.

[0006] Since steam directly hits the lid packing during use of the rice cooker, the steam deteriorates relatively early due to the influence of the steam and loses the elasticity required for sealing the pot, discolors, and further smells. Can't be taken. For this reason, the service life of the lid packing is shorter than the service life of the pot body and the lid, and the lid packing must be replaced each time the lid packing deteriorates.

Further, if the lid packing is attached to the lower surface of the lid, the appearance is poor. In particular, in recent years, particularly in recent years, the inner lid has been used in a rice cooker in which the inner lid is fixed and the inner lid is not detachable. Are fixed, and the lid packing is conspicuous to the extent that the lower surface of the lid is clear, resulting in a further deterioration in appearance.

[0008] Dirt adhering to the lid packing decomposes after a long-term use, causing odor and causing a reduction in taste. In particular, when the lid packing is in the shape of a bag with a U-shaped cross section, dirt easily accumulates in the bag, and improvement is desired.

In order to meet these demands, a product in which the lid packing can be easily attached and detached and washed with water has been commercialized, but in this case, the lid packing can be easily washed, Not only is this problem not solved, but there is a disadvantage that the structure becomes complicated.

In an electric kettle without a heat retaining function or in a pot device used for purposes other than rice cooking, a water film is formed in a gap between a contact portion of the lid and the pot without using a lid packing. There is one in which a pot is hermetically sealed by the water sealing effect to suppress steam leakage.

[0011] However, in these devices, in which the lid is pivotally supported by a hinge mechanism to be opened and closed, when the lower surface of the lid is brought into contact with the upper peripheral edge of the pot, the lid and the main body are closed. When the height of the pot is not uniform and the height of the pot varies, the contact between the lower surface of the lid and the upper edge of the pot becomes uneven, and the water sealing effect cannot be obtained. In the hinge mechanism, a spring is provided in the hinge mechanism so that the lid is always opened in the direction in which the lid is automatically opened.If the gap between the lid and the main body varies,
The clamp mechanism for locking the lid on the opposite side of the hinge mechanism will not be engaged.

Therefore, a conventional rice cooker in which the lid is pivotally supported by a hinge mechanism, or in which the lid is automatically opened by the urging force of a spring, uses a lid packing made of an elastic material. It is in a state where it is inevitable to seal between the lid and the pot.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to securely seal the space between the lid and the pot without using the lid packing, and to use the steam in the pan. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rice cooker that can reliably prevent leakage of rice.

[0014]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve such an object, the lower surface of the lower surface member of the lid is provided with a lower surface.
The upper peripheral edge of the pot is elastically brought into contact with the upper surface of the upper peripheral edge of the pot, and a water film is formed at a contact portion between the lower surface member and the upper peripheral edge of the pot by dew condensation of steam generated during rice cooking. The gap between the parts is sealed to prevent the leakage of steam in the pot. In particular, in the invention of claim 2, a steam hole is provided on the lower surface member of the lid so that steam in the cooking pot is released outside through the steam hole during cooking. An auxiliary packing is provided for sealing a gap between the lower surface member and the upper peripheral edge of the pot outside a contact portion between the lower surface member of the lid and the upper peripheral edge of the pan.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment, in which reference numeral 1 denotes a shuttle main body, and the shuttle main body 1 includes an outer frame 2 and a bottomed cylindrical shape provided inside the outer frame 2. A pot 4 is housed in the inner frame 3 so as to be freely inserted and removed.

A support projection 6 is formed on the upper part of the inner frame 3 so as to protrude annularly, and a flange 7 is formed on the upper part of the pan 4 to bend outwardly. , Whereby the pan 4 is stably supported.

The pan 4 is made of a material mainly composed of aluminum having excellent heat conductivity, and a heat generating layer 8 made of a magnetic metal material such as ferritic stainless steel is formed on the bottom surface and the lower part of the side surface.
Are joined.

On the outer surface of the pan 4, a plastic coating (coating) film 9 mainly composed of silicone resin or polyether sulfone resin of about 50 to 100 μm is formed in order to enhance the heat insulation of the pan 4 by a heat insulating effect. ing.
The thickness of the plastic coating film 9 is preferably 50 μm or more because the heat insulating effect increases as the film thickness increases. Further, the coating material may be alumina powder, titania powder, aluminum powder, glass powder, or the like.
By mixing inorganic materials having low thermal conductivity such as hollow glass beads, glass fibers, and mica powder, it is possible to further improve the heat insulating property and to store the heat of the pot 4 to bring out the effect of increasing the heat retaining property. is there.

A pot temperature sensor 12 elastically abuts and comes into contact with a substantially central portion of the outer bottom surface of the pot 4, and the pot temperature sensor 12 detects the pot temperature sequentially. On the outer surface of the inner frame 3, as a heating means, a heating coil 13 formed by spirally winding a litz wire obtained by gathering and twisting copper wires insulated with a resin such as polyurethane is provided as a heating layer of the pan 4. 8 are provided.

The heating coil 13 is inserted into a coil base 14 made of a resin material such as polyethylene terephthalate reinforced with glass fiber. That is, when the coil base 14 is formed,
Is molded and integrated therein. The heating coil 13 is fixed to the inner frame 3 together with the coil base 14 simply by screwing the coil base 14 to the inner frame 3.

The inner frame 3 is used to enhance the heat retention of the pan 4
It is formed of the same resin material as the coil base 14 or a resin material having a heat retaining property such as a polyamide resin reinforced with glass fiber.

A heating control board 17 is provided on the inner bottom of the kettle body 1.
The heating control board 17 has a control circuit 18 such as an inverter circuit for supplying a high-frequency current of 24 to 30 KHz to the heating coil 13 and a switching element 19 such as an IGBT transistor. Are connected, and the heat generated by the heat generated by the switching element 19 is radiated through the radiator 20.

The heating control board 17 has a board temperature sensor 2
1 is provided to detect the temperature inside the main body. The substrate temperature sensor 21 is preferably mounted on the heating control substrate 17 at or near a high-temperature heat-generating component such as the switching element 19, or at or near the radiator 20. By providing the substrate temperature sensor 21 on the heating control substrate 17, there is an advantage that wiring processing is unnecessary and the structure is simplified.

A lid 25 is provided on the upper part of the shuttle body 1.
The lid 25 includes an outer lid 26, an outer lid cover 27, and an inner lid 28 constituting a lower surface member of the lid 25. Outer lid 2
6 and the outer cover 27 are each made of a resin such as polypropylene. The outer lid cover 27 is attached to the lower peripheral edge of the outer lid 26. The inner lid 28 is made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, and the outer lid cover 27
It is attached to the lower surface side of the outer lid 26 inside.

A flange 29 projecting substantially horizontally is formed inside the outer cover 27, and a certain gap 30 is provided between the flange 29 and the outer cover 26.
The peripheral portion of the inner lid 28 is inserted therein, and the inner lid 28 can be displaced up and down through the gap 30. A packing 31 formed of an elastic member such as silicone rubber is provided between a peripheral portion of the inner lid 28 and the outer lid 26, and the packing 31 seals between the inner lid 28 and the outer lid 26. ing.

A plurality of steam holes 34 are formed in the center of the inner cover 28, and a steam discharge port 35 is formed in the outer cover 26 corresponding to the steam holes 34. The steam discharge port 35 and the inner cover 28
A packing 36 formed of an elastic member such as silicone rubber is provided between the inner cover 28 and the steam hole 34 of the inner cover 28 through the inside of the packing 36.
Is in communication with A guide member 37 for guiding the flow of steam is provided in the steam discharge port 35.

A spring 40 is provided between the inner lid 28 and the outer lid 26, and the inner lid 28 is elastically urged downward by the elastic force of the packings 31, 36 and the elastic force of the spring 40. ing. A lid heater 41 for heating the inner lid 28 and an inner lid 28
Is provided with a lid temperature sensor 42 for sequentially detecting the temperature of the lid.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lid 25 is attached to the upper part of the shuttle main body 1 via a hinge mechanism 45 so as to be vertically rotatable. The lid 28 opens and closes the opening of the pan 4. When the lid 25 is closed to the upper surface of the pot body 1, the lower surface of the peripheral portion of the inner lid 28 is attached to the upper surface of the upper peripheral edge of the pan 4.
The elastic force of the spring 1 and 36 and the spring 40 abut on each other. The spring 40 is not always necessary and may be omitted.

On the opposite side of the hinge mechanism 45,
A clamp mechanism 46 for retaining the lid 25 in a closed state by removably locking the lid 25 to the shuttle main body 1 is provided, and a spring 47 is provided at a portion where the hinge mechanism 45 is provided. The lid 25 is always elastically urged in the opening direction by a spring 47, and the urging force causes the
Is released, the lid 25 automatically pivots upward and opens.

To explain the rice cooking process, water and rice are stored in the pot 4 and the water in the pot 4 is heated to 60 ° C. by induction heating (IH heating) based on the heating coil 13 as shown in FIG.
The rice is cooked for about 15 minutes by heating to the following temperature to promote water absorption to rice. After the completion of the overcooking, the process shifts to boiling heating. It should be noted that hot-boiled cooking is not always necessary and may be omitted.

The boiling heating is a process of boiling the water in the pot 4 and is an important point for ensuring rice cooking performance. In particular, heating from about 60 ° C. or higher, which is the gelatinization temperature of rice, to boiling is important. If the heating is insufficient during this time, the rice becomes hard, and in some cases, the core remains on the rice due to insufficient heating. Therefore, conventionally, boiling heating is performed with the maximum heating amount of the rated power consumption.

In this embodiment, the output of the induction heating (IH heating) of the pan 4 is 1300 W, 1000 W, 700 W, 400 W
It is divided into four stages of W, and 700 W is used for side cooking and heating is performed by continuous energization of 1300 W for boiling heating.

During boiling heating, the lid temperature sensor 42
When the temperature becomes equal to or higher than ℃ and stabilized at a predetermined temperature, the process shifts to boiling continuous heating. This boiling continuous heating has a heating output of 1000
The power is reduced to W, and is switched to a predetermined intermittent energization to control the water in the pan 4 to continue boiling for about 1 to 7 minutes.

When a predetermined stroke time elapses or when the temperature of the pot temperature sensor 12 increases by 2 to 5 ° C.
Move to the cooking process. This cooking process is 1300W
And the temperature of the pan temperature sensor 12 is 10 to 15
The process ends when the temperature rises by ° C., and after this process, the process shifts to the swing process. This spotting process is a pot temperature sensor 1 with 700W
The pot 4 is heated in accordance with the temperature of 2, and the inside of the pan 4 is maintained at a high temperature to the extent that no scorching occurs, thereby ensuring the spotting effect. Then, after this spotting process, the process shifts to a warming process.

During rice cooking and warming, the lid heater 41 heats the inner lid 28 of the lid 25, and this heating reduces condensation on the lower surface of the inner lid 28.
When you open 5, the soup does not run off in large quantities.

When the lid 25 is closed, a small gap is formed in the contact portion between the lower surface of the peripheral portion of the inner lid 28 and the upper surface of the upper peripheral portion of the pot 4 such that vapor leaks partially. Since the upper peripheral edge of the pan 4 is elastically pressed by the urging forces of the packings 31, 36 and the spring 40, the gap is kept as a small and uniform gap. The soup due to the condensation of steam during rice cooking enters the gap to form a water film, and the water sealing effect of the water film ensures that the lower surface of the peripheral portion of the inner lid 28 and the upper surface of the upper peripheral portion of the pot 4 are securely formed. And the steam in the pan 4 does not leak from between the inner lid 28 and the pan 4. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rice cooker heating performance from being reduced due to the steam leak and to prevent the pot body 1 from being stained due to the steam leak.

There is no conventional lid packing on the lower surface of the inner lid 28, and the entire lower surface is substantially flat, so that the lower surface of the inner lid 28 can be easily and efficiently cleaned. And because there is no lid packing,
There are no problems such as contamination of the lid packing, odor adhesion to the lid packing, adhesion of rice grains to the lid packing, spoilage due to the spoilage, deterioration of taste due to the spoilage, and the like. Furthermore, since there is no lid packing, there is no problem of damage to the lid packing or deterioration of the lid packing due to the influence of steam, and replacement of the lid packing due to the damage or deterioration.

Further, since the entire lower surface of the inner lid 28 is substantially flat, the appearance is clear and a good appearance can be maintained. And since there is no lid packing, there is no need to make it detachable for cleaning, and therefore no complicated structure.

The lid 25 has packings 31, 3
6 are provided, but these packings 31 and 36 are arranged inside the inner lid 28 and are not exposed to the outside at all. Therefore, the appearance and the cleaning property are not deteriorated by the packings 31 and 36 at all. Absent.

The inner lid 28 can be elastically displaced up and down via the packings 31 and 36 and the spring 40. Therefore, even if the height of the pot 4 varies, the inner lid 28 can be elastically displaced up and down. The state of contact between the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the inner lid 28 and the upper surface of the upper peripheral edge of the pot is always kept uniform, so that a water sealing effect for the gap between the contact portions is reliably obtained. In addition, due to the vertical elastic displacement of the inner lid 28, the clamp mechanism 46 always keeps a constant relationship between the lid 25 and the shuttle main body 1 when the lid 25 is closed.
Locking of the lid 25 can always be accurately achieved.

At the time of cooking rice, steam in the pot 4 is positively discharged to the outside through the steam hole 34 and the guide member 37. Therefore, the internal pressure in the pan 4 does not become too high, and the water sealing effect is not adversely affected.
If the steam hole 34 is clogged with rice grains or the like and the internal pressure in the pan 4 rises abnormally, the pressure in the pan 4 causes the inner lid 28 to pack the packings 31 and 36 and the spring 40.
Is displaced upward against the elastic force of the above, and this displacement creates a sufficient gap between the inner lid 28 and the upper peripheral edge of the pan 4, and steam flows out from this gap to ensure safety.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the inner lid 28 and the pot 4 are located outside the portion where the inner lid 28 of the lid 25 and the upper peripheral edge of the pot 4 are in contact with each other. There is provided an auxiliary packing 50 made of an elastic member such as rubber for sealing a gap between the upper packing and the upper peripheral edge. This auxiliary packing 50 is attached to the upper surface of the flange 29 protruding inside the outer lid cover 27,
Is closed so that the gap between the inner lid 28 and the upper peripheral edge of the pan 4 is sealed by elastically contacting the upper peripheral edge of the pan 4.

In such a configuration, even if the water sealing effect due to the water film on the contact portion between the lower surface of the inner peripheral portion of the inner lid 28 and the upper surface of the upper peripheral portion of the pot 4 becomes insufficient during rice cooking, The auxiliary packing 50 can prevent steam leakage from between the pot 4 and the lid 25 by the packing 50, and when the inner lid 28 is deformed or a foreign object gets stuck in the contact portion between the inner lid 28 and the pan 4 Also, it is possible to prevent steam leakage from between the pot 4 and the lid 25.

In each of the above embodiments, the inner lid, which is the lower surface member of the lid, is configured to be elastically displaced up and down. The point is that the inner lid, which is the lower surface member of the lid, may be elastically displaced up and down relative to the pan.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, the lower surface of the lower edge member of the lid is elastically brought into contact with the upper surface of the upper edge of the pot, and the lower surface member and the upper edge of the pot are brought into contact with each other. In the contact part, a water film is formed by the condensation of steam generated during rice cooking, and the water sealing effect of the water film is used to seal the gap between the contact parts, so that the lid is not used without lid packing. Leakage of steam from between the body and the pot can be reliably prevented. Since there is no need to use the lid packing, all the various adverse effects such as the cleaning property and the appearance due to the lid packing can be eliminated.

In particular, in the invention of claim 2, the steam in the pot is actively released to the outside through the steam holes during the cooking of rice, so that the internal pressure in the pot does not increase so much and a more reliable water sealing effect is obtained. Can be

According to the third aspect of the present invention, even if the water sealing effect becomes insufficient, the lower surface member may be deformed, or foreign matter may be interposed between the lower surface member and the pot. In addition, it is possible to prevent steam leakage from between the pot and the lid.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a rice cooker according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the rice cooker.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a rice cooking process.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to a second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hook main body 4 ... Pot 25 ... Lid 28 ... Inner lid (lower surface member)

Claims (3)

[Claims] The lower surface of the lower surface member of the lid is elastically brought into contact with the upper surface of the upper peripheral edge of the pan, and the contact between the lower surface member and the upper peripheral edge of the pan is provided with steam generated during rice cooking. A water rice cooker, wherein a water film is formed by the dew condensation, and the water film seals a gap between the contact portions to prevent leakage of steam in the pan. 2. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein a steam hole is provided in a lower surface member of the lid, and steam in the pot at the time of cooking rice is discharged outside through the steam hole. 3. An auxiliary packing for sealing a gap between the lower surface member and the upper peripheral edge of the pot outside a contact portion between the lower surface member of the lid and the upper peripheral edge of the pot. Or the rice cooker according to 2.