JP2631054B2 - Rice cooker water volume setting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water setting device for a rice cooker,
That is, the present invention relates to an apparatus for setting an amount of water suitable for an amount of cooked rice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a domestic rice cooker, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of water scales (11) (11) corresponding to the amount of cooked rice are engraved on the inner surface of a rice cooker (1). At the time of cooking rice, a pre-measured amount of rice is stored in a rice cooker (1), water is poured up to a water amount scale (11) corresponding to the rice amount, and the rice is heated by a heating device (12) to cook rice.

However, in this conventional apparatus, the engraving position of the water scale (11) accurately corresponds to the corresponding rice amount, but when the measured rice amount is inaccurate, Even if the water level is accurately adjusted to the water volume scale (11), the water volume ratio will be inaccurate. Further, even if the rice amount is accurate, the position of the water surface is difficult to match with the water amount scale (11) on the inner surface of the rice cooker (1), and the position of the water surface and the water amount scale (1) are difficult.
If 1) does not match, the water amount ratio will also be incorrect.

[0004] Further, in the case of cooking a rice amount deviating from the rice amount corresponding to the water amount scale (11), an accurate water amount ratio cannot be set because there is no corresponding water amount scale. The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to accurately set a water amount ratio corresponding to an arbitrary rice amount in a rice cooker of the above type.

[Invention of claim 1]

[0006]

The technical means of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is as follows: "The downstream end of the water supply circuit (3) faces the open upper end of the rice cooker (1) and the water supply circuit (3) is opened. Is provided with a water level difference detecting means (4) for inserting a water supply valve (31) and providing a water level difference detection means (4) for detecting a water level difference between the upper surface of the rice layer and the water surface on a lid (2) covered by a rice cooker (1). An operation section for outputting a signal is provided, the water supply valve (31) is opened by the water amount setting operation signal, and the water level difference detection means (4) is provided.
A control device (C) for closing the water supply valve (31) in response to an output when the detected water level difference of the water supply reaches the set value (H _o ).
Was provided. "

[0007]

The above technical means operates as follows. When the lid (2) is opened and an arbitrary amount of rice is put into the rice cooker (1) and the operation unit is operated with the lid (2) closed, a water amount setting operation signal is input to the control device (C). Water valve (3
1) is opened, and water is supplied from the water supply circuit (3) into the rice cooker (1).

[0008] At the beginning of the water supply, since water permeates into the rice layer, the water level difference detected by the water level difference detection means (4) is in a zero state. As the amount of input water increases, the water level rises above the upper surface of the rice layer. In this state, the output from the water level difference detection means (4) is a water level difference corresponding to the height between the water surface and the upper surface of the rice layer. Then, the water level difference setpoint water supply valve when it becomes (H _{o) (31)} and is closed water setting is completed.

[0009] When rice is stored in a container, voids are formed between the rice grains, so that the porosity is proportional to the amount of rice. By setting the water level difference to a predetermined value, the water amount ratio is set to a predetermined value.

[0010]

[Effect] When the water level difference between the upper surface of the rice layer and the water surface is set to a predetermined value, the supply of water is stopped, and the amount of water at this time is adapted to the amount of rice in the rice cooker (1). Therefore, compared with the case where the water amount ratio is set in accordance with the conventional water amount scale, the error in setting the water amount is reduced, and the cooking is improved.

[0011] In addition, the amount of rice to be cooked can be arbitrarily set because an amount of water suitable for the amount of rice can be set.
That is, an appropriate water amount ratio can be set without measuring rice in advance. [Invention of Claim 2 and Claim 3] The invention of Claim 2 is to incorporate a vibration generating means (5) and to operate it for a predetermined time prior to setting the water amount. In this case, since the upper surface of the rice layer is smoothed, the water level difference detection accuracy is improved, and the water amount setting accuracy is improved.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, the vibration output section of the vibration generating means is brought into contact with the rice cooker (1), and the vibration from the vibration generating means (5) is efficiently produced. This is transmitted to 1), and the smoothing of the upper surface of the rice layer is further ensured.

[0013]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 2 et seq., The amount of water is automatically set by the rice cooking operation, and timer rice cooking is enabled. In this rice cooker, as shown in FIG. 2, an annular heater (12a) as a heating device (12) is provided at the bottom of a casing (10) that is open upward, and is accommodated in the casing (10) so that it can be taken out. Cooked rice cooker (1)
Is mounted on the heater (12a). Heater (1
The cylindrical output portion (51) of the vibration generating means (5) protrudes from the central opening of 2a) and comes into contact with the bottom of the rice cooker (1) mounted on the heater (12a). Further, the cylindrical output section (5
At the center of 1), there is provided a temperature sensor (S) urged in the ascending direction by a spring (B) interposed between the vibration generating means (5) and the casing, and this temperature sensor (S) is provided.
Is in contact with the bottom center of the rice cooker (1).

A juice tray (13) is provided on the outer periphery of the heating device (12), and the vibration generating means (5) is provided between the juice tray (13) and the bottom of the casing (10). In addition, a control device (C) and a water supply valve (31) are provided.
A lid (2) covers the upper end opening of the casing (10) having the above configuration. In this embodiment, the lid (2) includes an outer lid (2a) and an inner lid (2b). Outer lid (2
It is detachably connected by a connection shaft (21) protruding from the central inner surface of (a). The lid (2) is pivotally supported by a bearing (14) provided on the upper part of the side wall of the casing (10) so as to be able to open freely, and a swingable hook (22) provided on the opposite side corresponds thereto. It engages with an engaged portion (15) provided on the upper part of the side wall of the casing (10) in a detachable manner.

Therefore, when the lid (2) having the above structure is closed, the hook (22) is engaged with the engaged portion while the inner lid (2b) is in contact with the flange (F) at the upper end of the rice cooker (1). (1
5) and locked in the closed state. Outer lid (2
A communication hole (32) communicating with the rice cooker (1) is formed in the connection shaft (21) provided in (a), and a tube (33) communicating with the communication hole (32) has an outer lid ( 2a), and is connected from the bearing portion (14) to a water supply valve (31) in the casing (10).
3) becomes the above-described water supply circuit (3), and when the inlet of the water supply valve (31) is connected to a water supply source, when the water supply valve (31) is open, the communication hole (3 32), water is supplied into the rice cooker (1).

A water level difference detecting means (4) is attached to the outer lid (2a), and a detecting portion at the tip projects into the rice cooker (1) through a through hole provided in the inner lid (2b). I do. The water level difference detecting means (4) includes an ultrasonic oscillator and a receiver for receiving a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave, and receives a reflected wave from the surface of water contained in the rice cooker (1). The water level difference (H) is calculated from the difference between the calculated distance to the water surface and the calculated distance to the upper surface of the rice layer calculated by receiving the reflected wave from the rice layer below. Therefore, the water level difference detecting means (4)
Will output a signal directly corresponding to the water level difference (H).

The above components are started by an operation switch of an operation panel (6) provided on a side wall of the casing (10),
The operation is controlled by the output of a control device (C) constituted by a microcomputer based on the input signals from the respective units. As described above, in this embodiment, a timer (T ₁ ) is built in the control device (C) to enable timer cooking. Therefore, in addition to the rice cooker switch (61) for rice cooker operation, the operation panel (6) has
Timer set switch for timer rice cooking (62)
Is provided.

In the timer rice cooking, the elapsed time from the timer setting to the start of rice cooking is set, and this elapsed time becomes the set time of the timer (T ₁ ), and is the time obtained by subtracting 30 minutes from the set time. Is a timer of a type that outputs an output signal when the time has elapsed. In other words, if it is desired to start cooking after 8 hours, the display section (not shown) provided on the operation panel (6) is set so that the display of [08:00] appears. (In this embodiment, a water supply command signal) is output.

A program for executing the operation of the control device (C) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Prior to the start of rice cooking, the lid (2) is opened and rice is put into the rice cooker (1). Thereafter, in the case of timer rice cooking, the elapsed time from the set time to the rice cooking start time is set by the timer set switch (62), and the rice cooking switch (61) is operated.

In the case of ordinary rice cooking regardless of the timer, the rice cooker switch (61) is operated without operating the timer set switch (62). When the power is turned on, first, in step (71), the rice cooker switch (6) is turned on.
It monitors whether 1) is operated. Rice cooker switch (6
When 1) is operated, the process proceeds to step (72), and it is determined whether or not the timer rice cooking is set.

If the timer is set to rice cooking, the timer (T ₁ ) is turned “ON” and the step (7)
The elapsed time is monitored in 3), and when it is 30 minutes before the set time, the vibration generating means (5) operates for the time set by the timer (T ₂ ), and the water supply valve (31) is opened. That is, the rice cooker (1) is vibrated until the set time (for example, about 10 seconds to 1 minute) of the timer (T ₂ ) elapses before the water supply, and the upper surface of the rice in the rice cooker (1) is removed. Smoothed. Then, water supply is started from the communication hole (32) of the connecting shaft (21) by opening the water supply valve (31), and in step (74), the output from the water level difference detection means (4) is monitored to detect the water level difference. Water level difference (H) of means (4)
There the water supply valve (31) is closed when the set value _{(H o).} This completes the water volume setting. In this method, the upper surface of the rice layer is smoothed prior to water supply, and the water level difference between the smoothed upper surface of the rice layer and the water surface is detected and the water amount is set, so that the water amount setting accuracy is high.

Thereafter, in step (75), the time measured by the timer (T ₃ ) is monitored and the set time (30 minutes) is monitored.
At the elapse of time, the heater (12a) is turned "on" and the rice cooking proceeds. Thereby, rice cooking is started at the set time. At the start of the rice cooking, the immersion time of about 30 minutes has elapsed since the water was supplied into the rice cooker (1). During the 30 minutes, the rice was started in a state where each rice grain was impregnated with the predetermined degree of water. The Rukoto.

During the rice cooking, the temperature in the rice cooker (1) is monitored by the temperature sensor (S), the water in the rice cooker (1) evaporates, and the water in the rice cooker (1) evaporates. )
When the bottom of the rice rises to the rice cooking completion temperature, the heater (12a)
Is turned off to complete the main rice-cooking operation, and thereafter, the process proceeds to the washing process for a predetermined time. The above operation is for the case of timer rice cooking, but if the timer is not set by the timer set switch (62), step (72).
After that, the water supply valve (31) is opened without looking at the time counted by the timer (T ₁ ), and the subsequent operation is executed. Therefore, in this case, after an amount of water suitable for the amount of cooked rice is supplied by operating the rice cooker switch (61), 3.
When 0 minutes have passed, rice cooking will automatically proceed.

The 30 minute soaking time is effective in the case of rice that does not require rice washing, but the soaking time may be too long if the rice needs to be sharpened prior to cooking rice. For this purpose, the operation panel (6) is provided with a selection switch (63) for selecting the necessity of the immersion time, and the control having the immersion time is performed only when the selection switch (63) is turned on. The method may be executed. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 4, a step (77) for judging the state of the selection switch (63) is inserted before the step (75), and when the selection switch (63) is "ON", Go to step (75), and conversely, select switch (63)
Is turned off, the heating device (12) may be directly turned on without going through the step (75).

When cooking rice which has been ground with water and has a certain moisture content in rice, the immersion time is set at 30 times.
It is also possible to set the time shorter than the minute, for example, about 10 minutes. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, a time counting step (78) is inserted into the flow branched from the step (77). do it. In the case of the above embodiment, the immersion time set in step (75) is set to 30 minutes, but this value is appropriately set according to the rice cooking method and the like, and is not limited to 30 minutes. .

In the above embodiment, the heating device (12) is a heater (12a). However, a configuration in which the rice cooker (1) is heated by a gas burner may be used. In this case, in the rice cooking start operation, the on-off valve inserted into the gas circuit to the gas burner is opened and the ignition operation is performed, and when the main rice cooking is completed, the on-off valve is closed. In the above embodiment, water is supplied through the connecting shaft (21) connecting the outer lid (2a) and the inner lid (2b). However, water is supplied into the rice cooker (1) from another location. You may make it.

Next, a known distance meter (40) as shown in FIG. 6 may be used as the water level difference detecting means (4). The distance meter (40) converts light emitted from the light emitting diode (41) into a parallel light beam by a lens (42), and converts a reflected light beam from the measured portion into the parallel light beam.
In this configuration, the light is focused by a condenser lens (45) provided at a predetermined distance from the camera, and a position detection element (44) is disposed at a position located at the focus. The position detecting element (44) has a distance (X) from the center to the light receiving point (D).
The output current value changes according to the output current value, and the output current value is input to an arithmetic circuit (46). In the arithmetic circuit (46), the output current value, the light emitting diode (41) and the position detection The distance (B) between the centers of the elements (44), from the condenser lens (45) to the position detecting element (44)
The detection distance (L) is calculated based on the distance (f) up to and the detection width (A) of the position detection element (44).

[0028] To detect the set value of the water level difference based on the detection distance _(L) (H o) is to execute the program based on the flowchart shown in FIG. According to this, the initial detection distance (L) by the distance meter (40) at the start of water supply.
_o ) coincides with the distance from the distance meter (40) to the upper surface of the rice layer. Then, the initial detection distance ( _Lo ) is stored, and thereafter, in step (79), the detection distance (L) detected by the distance meter is compared with the initial detection distance ( _Lo ), and the difference is monitored. Then, when the water supply valve (31) is closed when this difference matches the set value (H _o ), it functions in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment. In this embodiment, a device corresponding to the distance meter (40) and the step (79) serves as a water level difference detecting means (4).

[0029] Incidentally, the setting value (H _o) is determined in correspondence to the optimum amount of water, this value varies slightly in relation to the diameter of the cooking pot (1). In the case of the rice cooking kettle of rice cooker for home use, this setting value (H _o) may be about 20mm.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a conventional rice cooker.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of a program of a control device (C).

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a main part of a modification of the flowchart.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a main part of another modification.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a distance meter (40).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of water level difference detection using a distance meter (40).

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) ... rice cooker (3) ... water supply circuit (31) ... water supply valve (2) ... lid (4) ... water level difference detection means (C) ... control device

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A water supply valve (31) is inserted into the water supply circuit (3) with the downstream end of the water supply circuit (3) facing the open upper end of the rice cooker (1). A water level difference detection means (4) for detecting a water level difference between the upper surface of the rice layer and the water surface is provided on the lid (2) to be covered, and an operation unit for outputting a water volume setting operation signal is provided. Opening the water supply valve (31) and detecting the water level difference (4)
A control device (C) for closing the water supply valve (31) in response to an output when the detected water level difference of the water supply reaches the set value (H _o ).
Water setting device for rice cooker provided with 2. The water amount setting device for a rice cooker according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration generating means (5) which operates for a predetermined time before water is supplied. 3. The water amount setting device for a rice cooker according to claim 2, wherein the vibration output section of the vibration generating means is configured to be in contact with the rice cooker (1).