JP7539092B2 - Cooking equipment - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a cooking device.

Conventionally, cooking devices that heat and cook food or other ingredients in a pot are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The cooking device in Patent Document 1 has a mechanism that automatically operates a pressure reducing valve (pressure release valve) to control the pressure inside the pot, and when certain conditions are met, such as during cooking or when cooking is finished, the pressure reducing valve is operated to release the pressure inside the pot to atmospheric pressure.

JP 2016-174703 A

However, in the cooking device of Patent Document 1, the drive mechanism for the pressure reducing valve is provided inside the lid, which tends to increase the size of the lid, and there is room for improvement in terms of making the cooking device more compact.

Therefore, the objective of this disclosure is to solve the above problems and to reduce the size of the cooking device.

To achieve the above object, the cooking device of the present disclosure comprises a pot having a cooking space, a heating unit for heating the pot, a lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, and a valve drive unit provided in the lid for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve, the valve drive unit comprising a drive source and a rotational operation unit that rotates by the drive force of the drive source.

This disclosure allows for the miniaturization of cooking appliances.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with a lid closed); FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with a lid closed); FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with the lid open); FIG. 1 is a front view showing the inside of the lid of the embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view showing the inside of a main body of an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cooking device according to the embodiment (a view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1 ). FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pressure reducing valve according to an embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in a sealed state); FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pressure reducing valve according to an embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in an open state); FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer cover of a lid according to an embodiment is omitted. FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer cover of a lid according to an embodiment is omitted. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a lock ring and a pot according to an embodiment; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing how the flanges of the pot and the lock ring overlap in the embodiment (in an unlocked state where the flanges do not overlap); FIG. 13 is a diagram showing how the flanges of the pot and the lock ring overlap in the embodiment (locked state in which the flanges overlap to the maximum extent); FIG. 13 is a diagram showing how the flanges of the pot and the lock ring overlap in the embodiment (semi-locked state in which the flanges partially overlap each other); FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock ring restriction valve according to an embodiment, showing a peripheral configuration thereof from above; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock ring restriction valve according to an embodiment, showing a peripheral configuration thereof from above; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock ring restriction valve according to an embodiment, showing a peripheral configuration thereof from above; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment, in which a handle is omitted; FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion A in FIG. 12 . FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer cover of a lid of an embodiment is omitted; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer lid and a cover member are omitted in the lid of the embodiment; FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a part of an outer lid and a cover member of the lid of the embodiment are omitted. FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a valve drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a main configuration of a valve drive unit according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a main configuration of a valve drive unit according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a top view of a valve drive lever according to an embodiment; 1 is a bottom view of a valve drive lever according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a top view of a support plate according to an embodiment; 1 is a bottom view of a support plate according to an embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining a schematic operation of the valve drive unit of the embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in a closed position); FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining a schematic operation of the valve drive unit of the embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in an open position); FIG. 24B is an enlarged plan view of a first connection pin and a long hole according to an embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 24A ). FIG. 24B is an enlarged plan view of a first connection pin and a long hole according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of a lid lock drive unit according to an embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a base member according to an embodiment; FIG. 29 is an enlarged perspective view showing the periphery of the cover lock detection means in FIG. 28 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the lid lock drive unit excluding the lock ring according to the embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the lid lock drive unit excluding the lock ring according to the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; FIG. 32B is an enlarged plan view of a second connection pin and a long hole according to an embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 32A ). FIG. 32B is an enlarged plan view of a second connection pin and a long hole according to an embodiment. A flowchart showing a process for executing a pressure cooking menu according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is not linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is not linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is not linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is not linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is not linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the handle is manually operated in the embodiment to transition from an open state (unlocked state) to a closed state (locked state). 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the pressure reducing valve is shifted from an open state to a closed state during automatic operation of the motor according to the embodiment. 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the handle is manually operated in the embodiment to transition from a closed state (locked state) to an open state (unlocked state). 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the pressure reducing valve is shifted from a closed state to an open state during automatic operation of the motor according to the embodiment. A flowchart of a process for executing a pressure cooking menu according to a modified example.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a pot having a cooking space, a heating unit for heating the pot, and a lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space,
a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure;
a valve drive unit provided on the lid for variably operating the pressure reducing valve;
The valve drive unit includes a drive source and a rotational movement unit that rotates by the drive force of the drive source.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to the first aspect, in which the rotation axis of the rotational motion part extends along the thickness direction of the lid.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the rotational operation portion has a pressing portion for pressing down the pressure reducing valve from the closed position to the open position,
The cooking device according to the first or second aspect is provided, wherein the pressing portion moves in an arc between a first position at which the pressure reducing valve is pressed down and a second position different from the first position.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to the third aspect, in which the pressing portion has an inclined surface whose height changes along the direction of the arc-shaped movement.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the rotational motion unit includes a first arm portion extending in an arc shape and a second arm portion connecting the first arm portion and the rotational shaft.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to the fifth aspect, in which the rotational motion part has a cavity in the area surrounded by the first arm part and the second arm part.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a first gear for transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the rotational operation portion is provided in the cavity,
In a sixth aspect, there is provided the cooking device, wherein a second gear that meshes with the first gear is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the first arm portion.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the first gear and the second gear are each constituted by a spur gear,
In a seventh aspect, there is provided the cooking device according to the seventh aspect, wherein the pressure reducing valve moves up and down along an axial direction of the spur gear.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, further comprising a support plate that supports the rotating part in a rotatable state.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the rotational motion portion has a first arm portion extending in an arc shape,
A ninth aspect of the present invention provides a cooking device according to the present invention, wherein the support plate has an arc-shaped groove that guides the arc-shaped movement of the first arm portion.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the support plate includes a first restriction wall that blocks movement of the rotational motion part in a first direction and a second restriction wall that blocks movement of the rotational motion part in a second direction,
In the cooking device according to a ninth or tenth aspect, the rotational operation portion is rotatably provided in a region between the first restriction wall and the second restriction wall.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the rotational motion unit has a member arrangement space in an area surrounded by the first arm and the second arm, in which other members can be arranged,
The present invention provides a cooking device according to any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects, wherein the support plate has a fixing portion for fixing the support plate to the lid, and the fixing portion is arranged in the component arrangement space.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking device according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, further comprising a cover member that covers the rotating part, the rotating part having a rib at a location where it comes into contact with the cover member.

Below, exemplary embodiments of the cooking device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations of the following embodiments, and configurations based on similar technical ideas are included in the present disclosure.

(Embodiment)
First, a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG.

Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views of the cooking device 2 according to the embodiment, Figure 4A is a plan view showing the inside of the lid 10, Figure 4B is a plan view showing the inside of the main body 8, and Figure 5 is a view seen from the arrow A-A in Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 show the lid 10 in a closed state, and Figure 3 shows the lid 10 in an open state.

The cooking device 2 shown in Figures 1 to 5 is a cooking appliance for cooking food or other cooking items (not shown). The cooking device 2 of this embodiment can be used as an automatic cooking device with pre-programmed operation sequences for each cooking menu, and such cooking devices are also called "auto cookers," "multi cookers," or "slow cookers." Of course, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment can also be used for manual cooking without using pre-programmed operation sequences.

When a user uses the cooking device 2 as an automatic cooker, the user places the food (not shown) in the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 shown in FIG. 3, and operates the operation display unit 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to select a cooking menu and decide to perform cooking. The cooking device 2 operates to cook the food in accordance with a predetermined program according to the selected cooking menu (such as stew or curry).

In the following, this embodiment will be described in terms of using the cooking device 2 as an automatic cooking device.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment has a "pressure cooking function" that cooks with the cooking space S1 pressurized to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. To execute the pressure cooking function, a pressure cooking menu that performs pressure cooking can be selected on the operation display unit 6 shown in FIG. 2. The operation display unit 6 functions as a cooking menu selection unit for selecting a cooking menu. In addition to the pressure cooking function, a "reduced pressure cooking function" that cooks with the cooking space S1 decompressed to a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure may be selectable.

The cooking device 2 shown in Figures 1 to 5 includes a pot 4 (Figures 3 and 5), a main body 8 that houses the pot 4, and a lid 10.

The pot 4 is a cylindrical container with a bottom and an open top. The pot 4 forms a cooking space S1, and a stirring blade 5 is provided in the cooking space S1.

The main body 8 is a cylindrical member having a bottom and an open top. Various parts for operating the cooking device 2 are built into the main body 8. As shown in FIG. 4B, a magnet 152 is built into the upper end of the main body 8 as a lid opening/closing detection means 150 for detecting whether the lid 10 is opened or closed. As shown in FIG. 5, a heater 9 is built into the bottom side of the main body 8 as a heating unit for heating the pot 4.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the main body 8 supports the lid 10 so that it can rotate (arrow R1) from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. This allows the lid 10 to rotate in the vertical direction and in the depth direction.

The lid 10 is a member for opening and closing the main body 8 and the pot 4. The lid 10 houses various parts for operating the cooking device 2, and as shown in FIG. 5, for example, houses a control unit 11. The control unit 11 is illustrated in a simplified form.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, the lid 10 comprises an outer lid 12 and an inner lid 14 (Figures 3 and 4A). The outer lid 12 is a lid for opening and closing the top opening of the main body 8, and the inner lid 14 is a lid for sealing the top opening of the pot 4. The inner lid 14 is removably attached to the inside (lower side) of the outer lid 12. Figure 3 shows the inner lid 14 removed from the outer lid 12, and Figure 4A shows the inner lid 14 attached to the outer lid 12.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer cover 12 has an air vent 16 and a handle 201.

The vent 16 is an opening for venting the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 to the outside. The vent 16 is switched between a connected state in which it is connected to the cooking space S1 and a non-connected state in which it is not connected, by a pressure reducing valve 26 described below. In the connected state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 becomes atmospheric pressure, and in the non-connected state, the cooking space S1 is sealed by the inner lid 14 and becomes a pressure independent of atmospheric pressure.

The handle 201 is a member that the user rotates to switch between the locked and unlocked states of the lid 10. The handle 201 is rotated about a rotation axis Ax that extends in the thickness direction of the lid 10 (arrow R2). The thickness direction of the lid 10 roughly coincides with the vertical direction when the lid 10 is closed (Figs. 1 and 2), and roughly coincides with the horizontal direction when the lid 10 is open (Fig. 3).

As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, the inner lid 14 has an inner lid main body 20 and a gasket 22.

The inner lid body 20 corresponds to the main body of the inner lid 14 and has a roughly disk-like shape. A gasket 22 is attached to the outer periphery of the inner lid body 20. The gasket 22 is a roughly annular member attached to the outer periphery of the inner lid body 20 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the lid 10 is closed, the gasket 22 abuts against the upper end 4A of the pot 4 to seal the cooking space S1.

The inner lid body 20 is provided with a safety valve 24, a pressure reducing valve 26, and a lock ring restriction valve 28.

The safety valve 24, pressure reducing valve 26, and lock ring regulation valve 28 are all valves attached to the inner lid body 20 and positioned so as to be exposed to the cooking space S1. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper surface side of the inner lid body 20 is provided with a ventilation space S2 that communicates with the ventilation port 16. The safety valve 24 and pressure reducing valve 26 each operate to switch between a communication state and a non-communication state between the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2.

The safety valve 24 is a valve that operates automatically in response to an increase in pressure in the cooking space S1. The safety valve 24 is positioned to seal the cooking space S1, and moves from the sealed position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 increasing above a predetermined pressure. The safety valve 24 prevents the cooking space S1 from becoming overpressurized.

The pressure reducing valve 26 is a valve that operates automatically mainly under the control of the control unit 11. In this embodiment, the pressure reducing valve 26 is also configured to operate in conjunction with the handle 201 when the handle 201 is operated in a specific direction. The pressure reducing valve 26 is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, and the position is controlled by the control unit 11. A valve drive unit 40 is provided above the pressure reducing valve 26, and the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to control the position of the pressure reducing valve 26. The pressure reducing valve 26 may also be referred to as a "pressure release valve" or "pressure release valve."

Like the safety valve 24, the lock ring regulating valve 28 is a valve that operates spontaneously in response to an increase in pressure in the cooking space S1. The lock ring regulating valve 28 is provided to automatically regulate the rotational movement of the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) described below. The lock ring regulating valve 28 moves from a non-regulating position that allows the lock ring 216 to rotate to a regulating position that regulates the rotational movement of the lock ring 216 in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 increasing to a predetermined pressure or higher. Here, the non-regulating position of the lock ring regulating valve 28 is a position lower in the height direction than the regulating position. Unlike the safety valve 24 and the pressure reducing valve 26, the position of the lock ring regulating valve 28 does not affect the pressure in the cooking space S1.

The detailed configuration of pressure reducing valve 26 will now be described with reference to Figures 6A and 6B. Figures 6A and 6B are vertical cross-sectional views each showing a schematic view of the peripheral configuration of pressure reducing valve 26. Figure 6A shows a sealed state in which cooking space S1 is sealed, and Figure 6B shows an open state in which cooking space S1 is open to atmospheric pressure.

As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the pressure reducing valve 26 includes a valve body 30, a gasket 32, a spring 34, and a valve receiving portion 36.

The valve body 30 is a movable part that moves between a sealing position (FIG. 6A) that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position (FIG. 6B), and is a rod-shaped member that extends in the vertical direction. The valve body 30 is inserted into the opening 37 of the valve receiving portion 36 that is erected on the inner lid main body portion 20.

The valve body 30 has an expanded diameter section 38 in the center, which is located in the cooking space S1. The expanded diameter section 38 is a section for attaching a sealing gasket 32. When the gasket 32 comes into contact with the underside of the valve receiving portion 36 around the opening 37, it seals the cooking space S1.

The spring 34 is a biasing member for biasing the valve body 30 toward the sealed position, and exerts a biasing force F3 on the valve body 30 toward the ventilation space S2.

The valve drive unit 40 described above is provided above the valve body 30. The valve drive unit 40 includes a valve holding member 42, a support member 44, and a valve drive lever 82.

The valve holding member 42 is a member that is disposed above the valve body 30 and engages to selectively press the valve body 30, and is elastically supported by the support member 44. The support member 44 is engaged with the valve holding accommodating portion 116 (FIG. 18, etc.) described later. The valve drive lever 82 is a member that is disposed above the valve holding member 42 and is driven along the lateral direction B in the front view of FIGS. 6A and 6B (the circumferential direction in the plan view) to change the height position of the valve holding member 42. The valve drive lever 82 has a bottom surface 48 that contacts the upper end of the valve holding member 42, and the bottom surface 48 forms an inclined surface 98 that is inclined along the drive direction, thereby changing the height position of the valve holding member 42.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when a low portion of the bottom surface 48 comes into contact with the valve retaining member 42, the valve retaining member 42 is pressed downward, pressing the valve body 30 downward (arrow F4). This releases the contact between the packing 32 and the valve receiving portion 36, opening the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2 to communication, and opening the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure. The detailed mechanism and operation of the valve drive unit 40 will be described later.

Next, the lid locking mechanism for locking the opening and closing of the lid 10 will be explained using Figures 7 to 11.

Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged perspective views showing the state in which part of the outer cover 12 of the cover 10 has been omitted. Figures 7 and 8 show the same state as seen from different angles.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment has a double lid locking mechanism. Specifically, it has a lid hook 214 (first lid locking member) that locks the opening and closing of the lid 10 by engaging with the main body 8, and a lock ring 216 (second lid locking member) that restricts the opening and closing of the lid 10 by engaging with the pot 4.

The lid hook 214 is a hook-shaped member provided on the lid 10, with a tip that is bent inward. When the lid 10 is closed, the lid hook 214 hooks onto a hook receiving portion 215 provided on the main body 8. This places the lid 10 in a locked state, restricting its opening movement.

The lock ring 216 is a ring-shaped member provided on the lid 10, which engages with a flange portion 60 (FIG. 9) of the pot 4 described below to restrict the opening movement of the lid 10, more specifically, the movement of the inner lid 14 relative to the pot 4. The lock ring 216 is connected to the handle 201 inside the lid 10, and is provided so as to be able to rotate integrally with the handle 201 when it is rotated (arrow R2) (arrow R3).

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the pot 4 and lock ring 216.

As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of flange portions 217 are provided on the underside of the lock ring 216. The flange portions 217 are protrusions that protrude toward the center of the lock ring 216 and are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction (arrow R4).

Similarly, multiple flanges 60 are provided on the upper end 4A of the pot 4. The flanges 60 are protruding parts that protrude toward the outer periphery of the pot 4 and are arranged at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction (arrow R4).

Figures 10A to 10C are plan views showing the relative positional relationship between the pot 4 and the lock ring 216. Figure 10A corresponds to the unlocked state, Figure 10B corresponds to the semi-locked state, and Figure 10C corresponds to the locked state. In Figures 10A to 10C, the pot 4 is shown in solid lines, and the lock ring 216 is shown diagrammatically in dotted lines.

When closing the lid 10, as shown in FIG. 10A, the flange portion 217 of the lock ring 216 and the flange portion 60 of the pot 4 are in a position where they do not overlap in a plan view, so the flange portion 217 passes between the adjacent flange portions 60 and is positioned below the flange portion 60. In this state, by rotating the handle 201 to rotate the lock ring 216 relative to the pot 4, it is possible to switch between a locked state in which the flange portion 60 and the flange portion 217 overlap in a plan view as shown in FIG. 10C, and an unlocked state in which they do not overlap as shown in FIG. 10A. As shown in FIG. 10B, the rotation position in which the flange portion 60 and the flange portion 217 partially overlap is a "half-locked state." In the half-locked state, the lid 10 is incompletely locked, and it is preferable to completely lock the lid 10 as shown in FIG. 10C.

To unlock the lid 10, simply rotate the handle 201 in the opposite direction.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a lid lock drive unit 200 for operating the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 is connected to the handle 201. The lid lock drive unit 200 has a slide member 212 that rotates integrally with the handle 201. By sliding the slide member 212, the locked state by the lid hook 214 and the locked state by the lock ring 216 can be released.

As shown in FIG. 8, the slide member 212 has a first end 212A and a second end 212B. The second end 212B of the slide member 212 comes into contact with the upper end 214A of the lid hook 214, disengaging the lower end 214B from the hook receiving portion 215, thereby releasing the lid hook 214 from the locking state. The slide member 212 and the lock ring 216 are connected to each other via a long hole and a pin, which will be described later, and as the slide member 212 rotates, the lock ring 216 rotates in the same direction. This allows the lock ring 216 to be in an unlocked state.

As described above, by rotating the handle 201, it is possible to switch between a locked/unlocked state using the lid hook 214 and a locked/unlocked state using the lock ring 216.

Next, the configuration and operation of the lock ring restriction valve 28 will be described with reference to Figures 11A to 11C. Figures 11A to 11C are perspective views seen from above showing the peripheral configuration of the lock ring restriction valve 28. Figure 11A shows the state before the rotation of the lock ring 216 is restricted, Figure 11B shows the state in which the lock ring 216 is rotatable, and Figure 11C shows the state in which the rotation of the lock ring 216 is restricted.

The lock ring regulation valve 28 shown in Figures 11A to 11C operates to move up and down along the central axis Z of the lock ring regulation valve 28 in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 (not shown) located below the ventilation space S2. The lock ring regulation valve 28 is biased downward (arrow F5) by a biasing means (not shown).

A restricting pin 70 is provided near the lock ring restricting valve 28. The restricting pin 70 is a rod-shaped member for restricting the rotational movement of the lock ring 216, and is biased by a biasing means 72 in a direction approaching the lock ring restricting valve 28 along the axis Y (arrow F6).

The lock ring 216 has a pin receiving portion 74 for receiving the restricting pin 70. When the restricting pin 70 moves in a direction approaching the pin receiving portion 74, the restricting pin 70 comes into contact with the pin receiving portion 74, and the rotational movement of the lock ring 216 is restricted.

In the example shown in FIG. 11A, the pressure in the cooking space S1 is less than a predetermined pressure, and the lock ring regulating valve 28 does not protrude upward along the central axis Z. At this time, the lock ring regulating valve 28 does not press the regulating pin 70 toward the pin receiving portion 74, and the regulating pin 70 is far enough away from the pin receiving portion 74 that it does not come into contact with it. Therefore, the lock ring 216 can rotate (arrow F7) in the circumferential direction (arrow R3) as shown in FIG. 11B.

When the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises above a predetermined pressure, the lock ring regulating valve 28 moves upward along the central axis Z (arrow F8) as shown in FIG. 11C. The raised lock ring regulating valve 28 presses the regulating pin 70 toward the pin receiving portion 74 (arrow F9). As a result, the regulating pin 70 protrudes to a position where it can contact the pin receiving portion 74, and when the lock ring 216 attempts to rotate, the regulating pin 70 comes into contact with the pin receiving portion 74, restricting further rotation (arrow F7 is shown by a dotted line).

According to the above operation, when the cooking space S1 is pressurized to a pressure equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure, the lock ring restriction valve 28 operates spontaneously to restrict the rotational movement of the lock ring 216. This makes it possible to prevent the user from opening the lid 10 when the cooking space S1 is pressurized to a pressure equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure.

Next, the configuration of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 32C.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the cooking device 2 without the handle 201, and Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in Figure 12.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the lid 10 has a built-in shaft member 203. The shaft member 203 is an axial member that is connected to a handle 201 (not shown) and rotates integrally with the handle 201. The shaft member 203 overlaps with the rotation axis Ax of the handle 201, and constitutes the lid lock drive unit 200 together with the handle 201.

Figures 14 to 16 are perspective and plan views showing the lid 10 with part of the outer lid 12 omitted. As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are built into the lid 10.

The valve drive unit 40 has a cover member 78 as shown in FIG. 14, and in FIGS. 15 and 16, the cover member 78 is shown omitted.

The shaft member 203 passes through the center of the valve drive unit 40, including the cover member 78, and is connected to a rotating arm 206 that constitutes the lid lock drive unit 200 at a position below the valve drive unit 40.

As shown in Figures 14 to 16, a substrate case 80 is provided adjacent to the valve drive unit 40. The substrate case 80 is a case for arranging a substrate (not shown), and the substrate arranged in the substrate case 80 constitutes the control unit 11 shown in Figure 5.

As shown in FIG. 16, the lid 10 is provided with a board 154 as a lid opening/closing detection means 150 for detecting the open/closed state of the lid 10. The lid opening/closing detection means 150 of this embodiment is configured with the magnet 152 shown in FIG. 4B and the board 154 shown in FIG. 16. The board 154 of this embodiment is a board on which a Hall element capable of detecting magnetic force is mounted, and is capable of detecting the magnetic force of the magnet 152 built into the main body 8 shown in FIG. 4B. The board 154 transmits the result of the magnetic force detection by the Hall element to the control unit 11.

The magnetic force detection result by the Hall element changes depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed, so the detection result is sent from the substrate 154 to the control unit 11, allowing the control unit 11 to determine whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

Next, the detailed configuration of the valve drive unit 40 will be described using Figures 17 to 23. Figure 17 is an enlarged plan view of the valve drive unit 40, and Figures 18 and 19 are exploded perspective views showing the main components of the valve drive unit 40. Figures 20 and 21 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the valve drive lever 82, and Figures 22 and 23 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the support plate 84.

As shown in Figures 17 to 19, the valve drive unit 40 includes a valve drive lever 82 and a support plate 84.

The valve drive lever 82 is a member (rotating part) that rotates under the control of the control unit 11 (arrow R5). As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the valve drive lever 82 has the function of variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, and is supported by a support plate 84. The support plate 84 is a plate-shaped member that supports the valve drive lever 82 from below in a movable state.

The valve drive lever 82 has a shape in which multiple arms are connected. As shown in Figures 18 to 21, the valve drive lever 82 has an arc arm 86, multiple connecting arms 88, and a rotation center 90.

The arc arm 86 is a portion that extends in an arc shape around the rotation center 90 and is located at the outermost position in the radial direction of the valve drive lever 82. The arc arm 86 has a gear portion 92, a push-down portion 94, and an elongated hole 96.

The gear portion 92 has a gear shape for transmitting the rotational driving force of the motor 102 shown in FIG. 18 to the valve drive lever 82, and meshes with the gear portion 104. In this embodiment, the gear portions 92 and 104 are each configured as spur gears. The axial direction C of the teeth in the gear portions 92 and 104 is the thickness direction of the lid 10, i.e., the vertical direction.

The push-down portion 94 is a member that operates to push down the valve holding member 42 shown in FIG. 18. In this embodiment, the push-down portion 94 has an inclined surface 98 on the underside that faces the valve holding member 42. The inclined surface 98 is a surface whose height changes along the movement direction of the valve drive lever 82, and is lower on the side closer to the gear portion 92 (i.e., closer to the valve holding member 42) and higher on the side closer to the long hole 96 (i.e., farther from the valve holding member 42).

The long hole 96 is a space for inserting a connection pin 208 of the lid lock drive unit 200 described below. The long hole 96 extends in an arc along the direction in which the arc arm 86 extends. By inserting the connection pin 208 into the long hole 96, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 can be linked together.

The multiple connecting arms 88 extend to connect the arc arm 86 and the rotation center 90. In the area surrounded by the arc arm 86 and the connecting arm 88, a component arrangement space 99 is formed in which other components can be arranged.

A circular rib 89 is provided on the upper surface of the arc arm 86 and the connecting arm 88. The rib 89 is a protrusion provided to come into contact with the cover member 78 (FIG. 14) arranged above the valve drive lever 82. The rib 89 comes into contact with the cover member 78, thereby reducing friction when the valve drive lever 82 slides against the cover member 78, and making the operation of the valve drive lever 82 more stable. The rib 89 comes into contact with the cover member 78 only when the cooking space S1 is depressurized from a pressurized state higher than atmospheric pressure; otherwise, there is a gap between the rib 89 and the cover member 78.

The rotation center 90 is a portion located at the center of rotation of the valve drive lever 82. The rotation center 90 has a through hole 100, through which the shaft member 203 described above is inserted. The rotation axis Ax of the valve drive unit 40 including the valve drive lever 82 and the rotation axis Ax of the lid lock drive unit 200 including the shaft member 203 coincide with each other. In other words, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are configured coaxially. By making them coaxial, it is possible to suppress axial misalignment. In addition, by making them coaxial, it is possible to reduce the width of the long hole 96 compared to when they are not coaxial, and it is possible to realize space saving by omitting the moving parts of the valve drive lever 82 and the lid lock drive unit 200.

The valve drive unit 40 further includes a motor 102 and a gear unit 104. The motor 102 is a drive source for rotating the valve drive lever 82, and the gear unit 104 is connected to the tip of the motor 102. The gear unit 104 has a gear shape that is rotated by the motor 102, and meshes with the gear unit 92 of the valve drive lever 82 described above.

24A and 24B are plan views for explaining the general operation of the valve drive unit 40. FIG. 24A corresponds to the sealed state of the pressure reducing valve 26 (not shown), and FIG. 24B corresponds to the open state of the pressure reducing valve 26.

As shown in FIG. 24A, when the gear portion 104 rotates counterclockwise (arrow R20) due to the rotational drive of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 having the gear portion 92 is driven to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R6). When the valve drive lever 82 is in the position where it has rotated the most counterclockwise, the push-down portion 94 does not contact the valve holding member 42 and does not push the valve holding member 42 downward. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealing position where it seals the cooking space S1 (FIG. 6A).

As shown in FIG. 24B, when the gear portion 104 rotates clockwise (arrow R21) by the rotation drive of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 is driven to rotate clockwise (arrow R7). In the process until the valve drive lever 82 rotates to the maximum clockwise position, the push-down portion 94 comes into contact with the valve holding member 42 and pushes the valve holding member 42 downward. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position that opens the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure (FIG. 6B).

According to the above operation, the control unit 11 drives the motor 102 to rotate, thereby moving the valve drive lever 82 toward the closed position (Figure 24A) or the open position (Figure 24B).

The pressure reducing valve 26 and the valve holding member 42 move up and down depending on the pressure in the cooking space S1. In response, the valve drive lever 82 is also pushed by the valve holding member 42 and a force acts on it to move it up and down, but as mentioned above, the axial direction C (Figure 18) of the teeth of the gear parts 92 and 104 extends up and down along the movement direction of the valve holding member 42. Therefore, even if a force acts on the valve drive lever 82 to move it up and down, no force is applied from the gear part 92 to the gear part 104, and unnecessary force is not applied to the motor 102.

The motor 102 and gear portion 104 described above are attached to the support plate 84.

As shown in FIG. 18, the support plate 84 has a lower surface 106 that supports the valve drive lever 82 from below, and multiple wall portions 108, 110, and 112 that surround the outer periphery of the valve drive lever 82.

The walls 108, 110, and 112 all rise upward from the lower surface 106, forming a space inside in which the valve drive lever 82 is placed. The wall 108 extends in an arc, and the walls 110 and 112 extend in a straight line.

The wall portion 108 is provided at a position facing the outer periphery of the arc arm 86, and the walls 110 and 112 are provided at positions facing one end and the other end of the arc arm 86, respectively. The wall portion 110 restricts the counterclockwise rotation (arrow R6) of the valve drive lever 82, and the wall portion 112 restricts the clockwise rotation (arrow R7) of the valve drive lever 82. The valve drive lever 82 is rotatable in the section surrounded by the walls 110 and 112.

The support plate 84 further includes a through hole 114, a valve holder accommodating portion 116, a groove portion 118, an elongated hole 120, a motor mounting portion 122, and at least three screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164.

The through hole 114 is a hole for inserting the shaft member 203 described above, and overlaps with the through hole 100 provided in the rotation center 90 of the valve drive lever 82.

The valve retaining accommodation portion 116 is a space for accommodating the valve retaining member 42. The support member 44 (not shown) shown in Figures 6A and 6B is engaged in the valve retaining accommodation portion 116, and elastically supports the valve retaining member 42.

The groove portion 118 is an arc-shaped groove portion for guiding the rotational movement of the arc arm 86 of the valve drive lever 82. A long hole 120 is formed in the groove portion 118.

The long hole 120 is a through hole for inserting the connection pin 208 of the lid lock drive unit 200 described above. The long hole 120 is formed in an arc shape like the long hole 96, and is positioned so that the long hole 96 overlaps with the long hole 120.

The motor mounting portion 122 is a portion for mounting and supporting the motor 102 and gear portion 104 described above. The motor mounting portion 122 has a fixing portion 124 for fixing the main body portion 102A of the motor 102, and a through hole 126 for inserting the rotating shaft 102B of the motor 102. The gear portion 104 is attached to the rotating shaft 102B inserted into the through hole 126.

The screw receiving portion 160 is a portion (boss portion) for receiving the screw 166 shown in FIG. 17. Similarly, the screw receiving portion 162 is a portion for receiving the screw 168 shown in FIG. 17, and the screw receiving portion 164 is a portion for receiving the screw 170 shown in FIG. 17. The screws 166, 168, and 170 inserted into the screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164, respectively, are fixed to a block 172 (FIG. 17) that forms the vent 16. This allows the support plate 84 to be firmly fixed to the block 172, and thus fixed to the lid 10.

The screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164 are provided near the valve retaining housing 116. When the internal pressure of the pot 4 is high, i.e., when the cooking space S1 is pressurized above atmospheric pressure, the valve drive lever 82 presses down on the pressure reducing valve 26, generating a large repulsive force that tends to cause deformation of the valve drive lever 82 and the support plate 84. In response to this, multiple screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164 are provided around the valve retaining housing 116 and the support plate 84 is fixed to the block 172, which can suppress deformation of the valve drive lever 82 and the support plate 84 and contribute to improving the sliding properties of the valve drive lever 82.

In the attached state shown in FIG. 17, the screw receiving portions 162 and 164 are positioned on the outside of the valve drive lever 82, while the screw receiving portion 160 is positioned on the inside of the valve drive lever 82. By providing and fixing the screw receiving portion 160 not only on the outside but also on the inside of the valve drive lever 82, a cantilever beam can be configured as a doubly supported beam, and deformation of the valve drive portion 40 can be suppressed.

As shown in Figures 24A and 24B, the gear portion 104, the motor attachment portion 122, and the screw receiving portion 160 are arranged in the component arrangement space 99 of the valve drive lever 82. By accommodating multiple components in the component arrangement space 99, the space inside the valve drive lever 82 can be effectively utilized, and the horizontal dimension of the valve drive portion 40 can be prevented from becoming longer in one direction. This leads to a reduction in the size of the valve drive portion 40 and the lid 10 including the valve drive portion 40.

The size of the component arrangement space 99 is set so that, within the rotation range of the valve drive lever 82 from FIG. 24A to FIG. 24B, the gear portion 104, the motor mounting portion 122, and the screw receiving portion 160 do not come into contact with the inner walls of the arms 86, 88 that make up the component arrangement space 99. This allows multiple components to be arranged in the component arrangement space 99 without interfering with the operation of the valve drive lever 82.

By locating the screw receiving portion 160 in the component placement space 99, it becomes possible to fix the support plate 84 at a position closer to the center, which further improves its strength.

In the above configuration, as shown in Figures 24A and 24B, by making the valve drive unit 40 move in a rotational motion rather than a linear motion, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to position the valve drive unit 40. Compared to a configuration in which the valve drive unit moves linearly, the shape of the lid 10, which is circular in plan view, can be effectively utilized to position the valve drive unit 40, and the dimensions of the lid 10, mainly in the horizontal and height directions, can be reduced, allowing the heating cooker 2 to be made more compact.

Here, the engagement relationship between the first connection pin 208 and the long hole 96 will be described with reference to Figures 25A and 25B. Figures 25A and 25B are enlarged plan views of the first connection pin 208 and the long hole 96, respectively, with Figure 25A corresponding to the state shown in Figure 24A and Figure 25B corresponding to the state shown in Figure 24B.

As shown in Figures 25A and 25B, the inner wall of the arc arm 86 that defines the long hole 96 has a first end 240 and a second end 242 as two ends that can engage with the first connection pin 208. The first end 240 and the second end 242 each correspond to the terminal end of the long hole 96. The first end 240 is the end of the long hole 96 in the valve opening direction (arrow R7), and the second end 242 is the end in the valve closing direction (arrow R6).

According to the configuration shown in Figures 25A and 25B, (1) the engagement relationship between the first connection pin 208 and the valve drive lever 82, i.e., the interlocking relationship between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200, changes depending on whether the main moving body is the first connection pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82, and (2) whether the moving direction is clockwise or counterclockwise.

For example, when the first connection pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82 operates so that the first connection pin 208 remains in contact with one of the ends 240, 242 of the long hole 96, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are in an interlocking state. On the other hand, when the first connection pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82 operates so that the first connection pin 208 moves/moves relatively between the ends 240, 242 of the long hole 96, the interlocking state between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released.

As described above, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked by the engagement between the first connection pin 208 and the long hole 96, making it possible to switch between a linked state and a non-linked state depending on the moving subject and the moving direction. This allows the desired operation to be achieved, and details of the operation will be described later.

Next, the detailed configuration of the lid lock drive unit 200 will be described with reference to Figures 26 to 31.

Figure 26 is an oblique view showing the peripheral configuration of the lid lock drive unit 200, Figure 27 is an oblique view showing the main parts of the lid lock drive unit 200, Figure 28 is an oblique view showing the base member 202, Figure 29 is an enlarged oblique view of the periphery of the lid lock detection means 228 in Figure 28, and Figures 30 and 31 are oblique views showing the main parts of the lid lock drive unit 200 excluding the lock ring 216.

As shown in Figures 26 to 31, the lid lock drive unit 200 is supported from below by a base member 202, and the lock ring 216 shown in Figure 27 is rotatably positioned below the base member 202.

The lid lock drive unit 200 includes a rotating arm 206, a first connection pin 208, a second connection pin 210, and a slide member 212.

The rotating arm 206 is a member (arrow R8) that rotates integrally with the shaft member 203 as it rotates (arrow R2), and extends in a radial direction D perpendicular to the rotation axis Ax. A fixed plate 207 is provided above one side of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The fixed plate 207 is a plate-shaped member fixed to the base member 202, is positioned above the rotating arm 206 with a gap therebetween, and has the shaft member 203 inserted therethrough.

A first connection pin 208 is erected in the middle of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The first connection pin 208 is a rod-shaped member that is inserted into the long hole 96 (Figs. 24A to 25B) of the valve drive lever 82 described above, and links the valve drive lever 82 and the rotating arm 206 together.

A connection part 220 is provided at the other end of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The connection part 220 is a part that is connected to the slide member 212, and connects the rotating arm 206 and the slide member 212 so that they rotate together. A long hole 224 is formed in the connection part 220, and the second connection pin 210 is inserted into the long hole 224. The second connection pin 210 is a rod-shaped member that is erected on the lock ring 216 shown in FIG. 27, and protrudes upward from the base member 202 through a long hole 226 in the base member 202 shown in FIG. 28.

The slide member 212 is a member that slides on the outer periphery of the base member 202 and rotates together with the rotating arm 206 (arrow R8).

As shown in Figures 30 and 31, the first end 212A of the slide member 212 is an end that is connected to the connection part 220, and contact is detected by the lid lock detection means 228 described later. The second end 212B of the slide member 212 is an end that engages with the lid hook 214 shown in Figures 26 and 28 to release the lock of the lid 10 by the lid hook 214.

As shown in Figures 28 and 29, a lid lock detection means 228 is provided near the long hole 226. The lid lock detection means 228 is a means for detecting that the lid 10 is in a locked state. In this embodiment, the lid lock detection means 228 is a microswitch that can detect contact with the first end 212A of the slide member 212.

29, the first end 212A of the slide member 212 is shown diagrammatically by a dotted line. The first end 212A slides in the circumferential direction (arrow R8) between a detection position P1 where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228 and a non-detection position P2 where it does not contact the lid lock detection means 228 (arrow F10). The first end 212A contacts the lid lock detection means 228 in the radial direction D at the detection position P1. Because the contact direction is the radial direction D, even if the first end 212A contacts the lid lock detection means 228, no force is applied in the vertical direction to the slide member 212, the lock ring 216, etc. This can reduce the effect on the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

As shown in FIG. 26, when the lid lock detection means 228 detects contact of the first end 212A, it is determined that the lid 10 is in a locked state by the lock ring 216. The control unit 11 determines that the lid 10 is in the locked state based on the detection signal transmitted from the lid lock detection means 228.

As shown in FIG. 29, a protrusion 229 is provided near the long hole 226. The protrusion 229 is a protrusion provided on the surface of the base member 202, and engages with the first end 212A of the slide member 212. At a rotational position where the first end 212A contacts the protrusion 229 (between the detection position P1 and the non-detection position P2 shown in FIG. 29), a clicking sensation occurs when the user rotates the handle 201. The position of the protrusion 229 is set at a position where it contacts the first end 212A when the first end 212A starts to move from the lock position where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228 toward the unlock position. This allows the user to be notified by a clicking sensation that the unlocking operation of the lid 10 has begun.

As shown in FIG. 31, the lower end of the shaft member 203 is inserted into the rotating arm 206 at a position below the fixed plate 207. A friction member 230 is provided in the middle of the rotating arm 206, and a friction member 232 is similarly provided on the underside of the fixed plate 207. The friction members 230 and 232 are each made of a material with a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber. Normally, there is a gap between the friction members 230 and 232 in the vertical direction, so that the friction members 230 and 232 do not come into contact with each other, and the rotating arm 206 can rotate relative to the fixed plate 207 (arrow R8).

If the user were to lift the handle 201, the lock drive unit 200, which includes the shaft member 203 connected to the handle 201, the rotating arm 206, etc., would rise up as a unit. The friction member 230 provided on the rotating arm 206 would rise up to come into contact with the friction member 232 of the fixed plate 207, and high frictional force would be generated by the contact between the friction members 230, 232. This would restrict the rotation of the rotating arm 206, thereby preventing unintended operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 when the user lifts the handle 201.

The operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 having the above-described configuration will be explained using Figures 32A to 32C.

Figures 32A to 32C are plan views each illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

Figure 32A shows the state in which the lid lock drive unit 200 has rotated most counterclockwise. At this time, the lid 10 is locked by the lid hook 214 and by the lock ring 216. When the user rotates the handle 201 clockwise, the shaft member 203 rotates clockwise (arrow R2), and the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 also rotate clockwise together (arrow R8). Since the second connection pin 210 erected on the lock ring 216 is disposed in the elongated hole 224, the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 do not engage with the connection unit 220 for a certain section after they start to rotate clockwise, and the lock ring 216 does not rotate.

Here, the engagement relationship between the second connection pin 210 and the long hole 224 will be described with reference to Figures 32D and 32E. Figures 32D and 32E are enlarged plan views of the second connection pin 210 and the long hole 224, respectively, with Figure 32D corresponding to the state shown in Figure 32A and Figure 32E corresponding to the state shown in Figure 32B.

As shown in Figures 32D and 32E, the inner wall portion constituting the long hole 224 has a first end 250 and a second end 252 as two ends that can engage with the second connection pin 210. The first end 250 and the second end 252 are each the end portions of the long hole 224, and are constituted by the inner wall surrounding the long hole 224. The first end 250 is the end of the long hole 224 in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), and the second end 252B is the end in the locking direction (arrow R20).

In the state shown in FIG. 32D, the second connection pin 210 is engaged with the first end 250 of the long hole 224, so even if the rotating arm 206 moves in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), the second connection pin 210 only moves relatively inside the long hole 224 from the first end 250 to the second end 252, and does not engage with the rotating arm 206. As a result, the interlocking between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released, and the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 does not rotate.

When the shaft member 203 further rotates clockwise, as shown in FIG. 32B, the second connection pin 210 engages with the connection portion 220 that forms the long hole 224, and the lock ring 216 also begins to rotate integrally. In this way, the lock ring 216 begins to rotate after the rotating arm 206 and the slide member 212. When the lock ring 216 begins to rotate, the overlapping area between the flange portions 60 and 217 shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 decreases, and the locked state becomes a semi-locked state.

As shown in FIG. 32E, when the second connection pin 210 engages with the second end 252 of the long hole 224, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are interlocked. As the rotating arm 206 rotates in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), the second connection pin 210 is pressed by the second end 252, and the lock ring 216 rotates.

When the shaft member 203 is further rotated clockwise, as shown in FIG. 32C, the second end 212B of the slide member 212 engages with the lid hook 214, and the lock of the lid 10 by the lid hook 214 is released. At the same time, the overlapping area between the flange portions 60 and 217 shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 disappears, and the lock of the lid 10 by the lock ring 216 is also released. In this way, the double lock by the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 is released.

In the above configuration, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are connected to each other through the engagement between the long hole 96 and the connection pin 208. This allows the operation of one of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 to be linked to the operation of the other. In the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, such linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is used to perform operations that improve the convenience of the cooking appliance 2. Below, the operations that utilize the linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 will be described with reference to Figures 33 to 37B.

(Pressure cooking menu execution)
33 is a flowchart showing the process of executing the pressure cooking menu. The process shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 33, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the lid is closed (S1). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the lid is closed based on the detection result of the magnetic force of the magnet 152 built into the main body unit 8 by the lid open/close detection means 150 shown in FIG. 16. If the lid is not closed (NO in S1), the control unit 11 executes the process of step S1 again.

When the controller 11 detects that the lid is closed (YES in S1), it notifies the user that cooking is OK (S2). Specifically, the controller 11 displays a message such as "Cooking OK" on the operation display unit 6 shown in FIG. 2, indicating that cooking can begin.

The control unit 11 accepts the selection of a pressure cooking menu (S3). Specifically, the selection of the pressure cooking menu is accepted in response to the user selecting the pressure cooking menu and pressing the cooking start button on the operation display unit 6 shown in FIG. 2.

The control unit 11 judges whether the lid lock has been detected (S4). Specifically, when the lid lock detection means 228 shown in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 detects contact of the first end 212A of the slide member 212, it detects that the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 are in a double locked state (YES in S4). Here, "lid lock" means the locked state of the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216, which can be confirmed based on the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228. Since the lock ring 216 can be closed even when the lid 10 is open, the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228 (S4) as well as the detection result of the lid open/close detection means 150 (S1) are confirmed to confirm that the lid 10 is in a completely locked state, that is, that the lid 10 is closed and both the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 are in a locked state.

When the lid lock is detected (YES in S4), the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position (S5). Specifically, to seal the cooking space S1 in accordance with the pressurized cooking menu, the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position.

If the lid lock is not detected (NO in S4), the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position (S6) and determines whether the lid lock is detected (S7). Specifically, in step S6, similar to step S5, the valve drive unit 40 is driven to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position. In a state where the lid lock is not detected, that is, in a state where the first end 212A of the slide member 212 is not in contact with the lid lock detection means 228 (unlocked state or half-locked state), the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in conjunction with the operation of the valve drive unit 40, and the lock ring 216 is also moved to the locked position in conjunction with the movement of the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position. As a result, the first end 212A of the slide member 212 also moves to a position where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228, so that the lid lock can be confirmed in response to the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228 changing from OFF to ON (YES in S7). The lid is locked by the interlocking of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200, so in addition to the lid being locked, it is also possible to determine that the pressure reducing valve 26 has moved to the sealed position. In this way, even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or the lock is insufficient (i.e., half-locked), the pressurized cooking menu can be made executable.

If the lid lock cannot be confirmed in step S7 (NO in S7), the control unit 11 notifies the user of an error (S8). Specifically, the control unit 11 displays a message on the operation display unit 6 indicating a malfunction of the valve drive unit 40.

In response to execution of step S5 or a YES determination in step S7, the control unit 11 executes a pressure cooking menu (S9). Specifically, in response to the pressure cooking menu selected in step S3, the control unit 11 controls the operation of the heater 9 and the like according to a predetermined sequence to execute a predetermined pressure cooking.

The detailed operation of step S6 will now be described with reference to Figures 34A to 34C. Figures 34A to 34C are plan views for explaining the operation of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 in step S6.

Figure 34A shows the state in which the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 have rotated to the maximum clockwise position. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, the lid hook 214 is in the unlocked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the unlocked state.

When the control unit 11 drives the motor 102 shown in FIG. 18 to drive the valve drive lever 82 counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 34A (arrow R9), the state transitions to the state shown in FIG. 34B, and then to the state shown in FIG. 34C. As shown in FIG. 34B and FIG. 34C, the position of the depression portion 94 of the valve drive lever 82 changes, the pressure reducing valve 26 moves from the open position to the sealed position, and the cooking space S1 is sealed.

At this time, the rotating arm 206 also rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the valve drive lever 82. Specifically, the first connection pin 208 disposed in the long hole 96 of the valve drive lever 82 rotates counterclockwise in conjunction with the valve drive lever 82, causing the rotating arm 206 having the first connection pin 208 to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R10). As the rotating arm 206 rotates, the slide member 212 connected to the rotating arm 206 also rotates counterclockwise (arrow R11).

As shown in FIG. 34B, when the second end 212B of the slide member 212 separates from the lid hook 214, the lid hook 214 is caught by the hook receiving portion 215 and enters a locked state. In addition, the second connection pin 210 inserted into the long hole 224 of the rotating arm 206 also rotates counterclockwise in response to the rotation of the rotating arm 206, and the lock ring 216 also moves toward the locked state. When the valve drive lever 82 moves all the way counterclockwise, the first connection pin 208 and the second connection pin 210 are designed to move to the most counterclockwise rotated position as shown in FIG. 34C. Therefore, the lock ring 216 can also be transitioned to a locked state in accordance with the locked state of the lid hook 214.

According to the above operation, by linking the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 with the operation of the valve drive unit 40, the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 to lock the lid 10 can be linked with the operation of sealing the pressure reducing valve 26 by the valve drive unit 40. This allows the lid 10 to be automatically transitioned to a locked state in conjunction with moving the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position at the start of cooking, making it possible to perform pressure cooking even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or if it is in a half-locked state. This eliminates the need for the user to lock the lid 10, improving convenience when using the cooking appliance 2.

When the state shown in FIG. 34A is changed to the state shown in FIG. 34C, the lid lock detection means 228 detects contact with the slide member 212. This makes it possible to confirm that the double lock state is established by the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216. Because this locked state is the result of the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 being linked to the operation of the valve drive unit 40, it is also possible to determine that the valve drive lever 82 has moved the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position. This makes it possible to efficiently and accurately confirm that the pressure reducing cooking is ready based solely on the detection results of the lid lock detection means 228.

When transitioning from the state of FIG. 34A to the state of FIG. 34B, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the long hole 96 is engaged with the first end 240 (FIGS. 25A and 25B), which is the clockwise end of the long hole 96, and therefore rotates integrally with the counterclockwise rotation of the valve drive lever 82. On the other hand, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the long hole 224 is engaged with the second end 252 (FIGS. 32D and 32E), which is the counterclockwise end of the long hole 224, and therefore does not move in conjunction with the counterclockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206. As a result, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 does not move.

When the state shown in FIG. 34B is reached, the second connection pin 210 engages with the first end 250, which is the clockwise end of the long hole 224, and rotates integrally with the counterclockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206, transitioning to the state shown in FIG. 34C. In this way, the lock ring 216 can be moved to the locked position, even though it operates with a delay relative to the drive of the valve drive lever 82. As will be described later, when the valve drive lever 82 is driven to rotate in the opposite direction, the connection between the long hole 224 and the second connection pin 210 makes it possible to release the link between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200.

When execution of the pressurized cooking menu is completed, the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position (S10). At this time, even if the valve drive unit 40 is driven from the state shown in FIG. 34C to move the pressure reducing valve 26 toward the open position, it is designed not to return to the state shown in FIG. 34A. The specific design and operation will be explained using FIG. 35A and FIG. 35B.

Figure 35A shows the same state as that shown in Figure 34B. The pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position, the lid hook 214 is in the locked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the locked state. When the control unit 11 drives the motor 102 shown in Figure 18 to drive the valve drive lever 82 to rotate clockwise from this state (arrow R12), the state transitions to that shown in Figure 35B.

As shown in FIG. 35B, the valve drive lever 82 has rotated to the fullest clockwise position, while the rotating arm 206 has not rotated clockwise and remains in the same state as in FIG. 35A. As shown in FIG. 35A, the first connection pin 208 disposed in the long hole 96 is disposed at the most clockwise rotated position in the long hole 96, and even if the valve drive lever 82 including the long hole 96 rotates clockwise, the first connection pin 208 does not move and remains disposed in the middle of the long hole 96.

Due to this engagement relationship between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208, when the valve drive unit 40 operates the pressure reducing valve 26 from the sealed position (Figure 35A) to the open position (Figure 35B), the lid lock drive unit 200 is not interlocked and the lid 10 is not released from its locked position.

The above operation makes it possible to prevent the lid 10 from being unlocked even when the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the open position when cooking is finished. This means that the user must operate the handle 201 to unlock the lid 10, further improving safety.

The control unit 11 notifies the user that cooking has finished (S11). Specifically, the operation display unit 6 shown in FIG. 2 displays a message or the like indicating that pressure cooking has finished. When the user realizes that pressure cooking has finished, the user can turn the handle 201 to unlock the lid 10, open the lid 10, and remove the food from the pot 4.

(During power outages, etc.)
While a pressure cooking menu is being executed, the operation of the pressure cooker 2 may be stopped due to a power outage or other reasons. When the cooking space S1 is at or above a predetermined pressure, the lock ring regulation valve 28 described above operates to regulate the rotation of the lock ring 216. When the pressure drops to a level at which the lock ring regulation valve 28 does not operate, the lid 10 becomes openable, but in that case, if the pressure in the cooking space S1 is at or above atmospheric pressure, there is a risk that the food inside will scatter.

In addition, if a reduced pressure cooking menu is available in which the pressure in the cooking space S1 is below atmospheric pressure, if a power outage occurs while a reduced pressure cooking menu is being executed instead of a pressurized cooking menu, the pressure in the cooking space S1 is below atmospheric pressure and the lid 10 cannot be opened even if you try to do so. It is necessary to wait for the pressure and temperature of the pot 4 to rise until the lid 10 can be opened.

To solve the above problem, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment is designed so that the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, and the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved from the sealed position to the open position in conjunction with the unlocking operation of the lid 10. The specific operation will be described with reference to Figures 36A and 36B.

Figures 36A and 36B are plan views each illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

Figure 36A shows the state in which the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 have rotated most counterclockwise. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealing position, the lid hook 214 is in the locked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the locked state. In this state, when the user rotates the handle 201 and the shaft 203 clockwise (arrow R13), the rotating arm 206 and the slide member 212 rotate clockwise together (arrow R14). As a result, as shown in Figure 36B, the second connection pin 210 abuts against the counterclockwise end of the long hole 224 (second end 252 shown in Figures 32D and 32E), and the rotating arm 206 and the second connection pin 210 engage with each other to enter an interlocking state. When the handle 201 and the shaft 203 are further rotated, the lock ring 216 having the second connection pin 210 also rotates clockwise with a delay (arrow R14), and finally transitions to the state shown in Figure 36C.

In the state shown in FIG. 36C, the slide member 212 and the lock ring 216 have moved to the most clockwise rotated position, and the lock state by the lid hook 214 is released, and the lock state by the lock ring 216 is also released.

In the above operation, the valve drive lever 82 also rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating arm 206. Specifically, since the rotating arm 206 having the long hole 96 is engaged with the first connection pin 208, the valve drive lever 82 forming the long hole 96 also rotates clockwise in conjunction with the rotation of the first connection pin 208 of the rotating arm 206 arranged in the long hole 96 (arrow R15).

As shown in FIG. 36B, when the rotating arm 206 has rotated a predetermined angle, the second end 212B of the slide member 212 is not engaged with the lid hook 214. The second connection pin 210 inserted into the long hole 224 is not engaged until it reaches the counterclockwise end (second end 252) of the long hole 224, and does not rotate in conjunction with the rotating arm 206, so the lock ring 216 does not operate. Meanwhile, in conjunction with the rotation of the first connection pin 208 inserted into the long hole 96, the valve drive lever 82 rotates clockwise by approximately the same angle (arrow R15). In the state shown in FIG. 36B, the pressing portion 94 of the valve drive lever 82 begins to contact the valve holding member 42, and the pressure reducing valve 26 moves toward the open position and begins to open the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure.

Only when the state shown in FIG. 36C is reached will the lid 10 be released from its locked state by the lid hook 214 and lock ring 216.

According to the above operation, by linking the operation of the valve drive unit 40 with the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, the operation of unlocking the lid 10 by the lid lock drive unit 200 can be linked with the opening operation of the pressure reducing valve 26 by the valve drive unit 40. As a result, even if the valve drive lever 82 cannot be driven due to a power outage or the like, the user can manually open the pressure reducing valve 26 and open the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure. This allows the lid 10 to be safely and quickly opened, improving the convenience of using the cooking appliance 2.

In addition, the valve drive lever 82 moves the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, and then the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 are released from their locked state. This allows the cooking space S1 to be opened to atmospheric pressure before the lid 10 is released from its locked state, preventing the food in the pot 4 from scattering when the pot 4 is in a pressurized state, and ensuring that the lid 10 can be opened first when the pot 4 is in a depressurized state.

Even if the user rotates the handle 201 counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 36C in the direction to lock the lid 10, it is designed not to return to the state shown in FIG. 36A. The specific design and operation will be explained using FIG. 37A to FIG. 37C.

Figure 37A shows the same state as that shown in Figure 36C. The pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, the lid hook 214 is in the unlocked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the unlocked state. From this state, when the user rotates the handle 201 to rotate the shaft member 203 counterclockwise (arrow R16), the rotating arm 206 and the slide member 212 rotate counterclockwise (arrow R17), transitioning to the state shown in Figure 37B. In the state shown in Figure 37B, the second connection pin 210 engages with the first end 250 (Figures 32D and 32E) of the long hole 224, resulting in an interlocking state, and the second connection pin 210 and the lock ring 216 also begin to rotate clockwise together (arrow R17). As a result, the rotating arm 206, the slide member 212, and the lock ring 216 rotate together, transitioning to the state shown in Figure 37C.

As shown in FIG. 37C, the lid lock drive part 200, such as the rotating arm 206, has rotated counterclockwise to the maximum extent, while the valve drive lever 82 has not rotated counterclockwise and remains in the same state as in FIG. 37A.

In the state shown in FIG. 37A, the first connection pin 208 arranged in the long hole 96 is arranged at the most clockwise rotated position in the long hole 96, so even if the first connection pin 208 rotates counterclockwise, the valve drive lever 82 having the long hole 96 does not rotate in conjunction with it.

When the lid lock drive unit 200 transitions the lid 10 from the unlocked state (Figure 37A) to the locked state (Figure 37C) due to this engagement between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208, the link between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released, and the pressure reducing valve 26 is fixed in the open position.

According to the above operation, in order to seal the cooking space S1 and make it pressurizable, the control unit 11 must drive the valve drive lever 82, and the pressure reducing valve 26 cannot be moved to the sealed position by manual operation by the user alone. This prevents a dangerous state caused by manual operation by the user and improves safety.

Here, the operations described in Figures 34A to 37C will be explained in the tables of Figures 38 to 41.

Figures 38 to 41 are tables showing the operation of each component when the handle 201 is operated by manual operation of the handle 201, or when the valve drive lever 82 and pressure reducing valve 26 are operated by automatic operation of the motor 102.

Figure 38 shows the operation when the handle 201 is operated to transition from an open state (unlocked state) to a closed state (locked state), and Figure 39 shows the operation when the pressure reducing valve 26 transitions from an open state to a closed state when the motor 102 is automatically operated. Figure 40 shows the operation when the handle 201 is operated to transition from a closed state (locked state) to an open state (unlocked state), and Figure 41 shows the operation when the pressure reducing valve 26 transitions from a closed state to an open state when the motor 102 is automatically operated.

In Figures 38 to 41, "handle movement angle" (Figures 38, 40) and "valve drive movement angle" (Figures 39, 41) respectively represent the amount of movement of the handle 201 and the amount of movement (unit: degrees) of the valve drive lever 82. "Handle" represents the movement of the handle 201, "lock ring" represents the movement of the lock ring 216, and "valve drive lever" represents the movement of the valve drive lever 82.

<Open ⇒ Close (manual handle)>
38, when the open state is changed to the closed state by manual operation of the handle 201, the handle 201 rotates from 0° to A°, and then rotates from A° to C°. The angles A and C may be set appropriately as long as the relationship is A<C. A is, for example, about 10°, and C is, for example, about 30°.

As shown in FIG. 38, when the handle 201 rotates from 0° to A°, neither the lock ring 216 nor the valve drive lever 82 moves, and the pressure reducing valve 26 remains open. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in FIG. 37A to the state shown in FIG. 37B.

As shown in FIG. 37A, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the long hole 224 abuts against the counterclockwise second end 252 (FIGS. 35D and 35E) of the long hole 224, so even if the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the second connection pin 210 does not move in conjunction with it. In other words, the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction with the operation of the handle 201. The first connection pin 208 inserted through the long hole 96 abuts against the clockwise first end 240 (FIGS. 25A and 25C) of the long hole 96, so even if the first connection pin 208 rotates counterclockwise, the valve drive lever 82 does not move in conjunction with it. In other words, the valve drive lever 82 does not move in conjunction with the operation of the handle 201.

As shown in Figure 38, when the handle 201 rotates from A° to C° (locked position), the lock ring 216 rotates (C-A)° and moves to the locked position, the valve drive lever 82 does not move, and the pressure reducing valve 26 remains open. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in Figure 37B to the state shown in Figure 37C.

In the state shown in FIG. 37B, the second connection pin 210 engages with the clockwise first end 250 of the long hole 224, and as the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 moves in the same direction in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating arm 206. Meanwhile, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the long hole 96 is still in the middle position between the first end 240 and the second end 242 of the long hole 96 and is not engaged with the valve drive lever 82, so the valve drive lever 82 does not move in conjunction with the rotation.

The positional relationship between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208 is designed so that the first connection pin 208 does not engage with the second end 242 of the long hole 96 until the state shown in FIG. 37A transitions to the state shown in FIG. 37C. This makes it possible to create a state in which the valve drive lever 82 is not linked to the operation of the handle 201 when the handle 201 is rotated counterclockwise, i.e., a state in which the link between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released.

According to the above operation, the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 can be transitioned to the locked state by operating the handle 201 regardless of whether the cooking space S is pressurized or not. This allows the lid 10 and the main body 8 to be locked even in a non-pressurized state, improving safety.

<Open ⇒ Close (motor automatic)>
As shown in FIG. 39, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is shifted from an open state to a closed state by automatic operation of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 rotates from 0° to A°, and then rotates from A° to C°.

When the valve drive lever 82 rotates from 0° to A°, the handle 201 moves in tandem from 0° to A°, and the lock ring 216 does not move in tandem. Even if the valve drive lever 82 rotates A°, the pressure reducing valve 26 does not become closed, but remains open. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in FIG. 34A to the state shown in FIG. 34B.

As shown in FIG. 34A, the first connection pin 208 inserted into the long hole 96 is engaged with the first clockwise end 240 (FIGS. 25A and 25B) of the long hole 96, so when the valve drive lever 82 starts to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R9), the first connection pin 208 moves in the same direction in conjunction (arrow R10). On the other hand, the second connection pin 210 inserted into the long hole 224 is engaged with the second counterclockwise end 252 (FIGS. 32D and 32E) of the long hole 224, so even if the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the second connection pin 210 does not move in conjunction. Therefore, the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction with the movement of the valve drive lever 82.

As shown in FIG. 39, when the valve drive lever 82 rotates from A° to C°, the pressure reducing valve 26 transitions from a closed state to an open state. Furthermore, the handle 201 also moves in conjunction with the valve, moving from A° to C°, and the lock ring 216 also moves in conjunction with the valve, moving from 0° to (C-A)°. As a result, both the handle 201 and the lock ring 216 move to the locked position. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in FIG. 34B to the state shown in FIG. 34C.

When the state shown in FIG. 34B is reached, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the long hole 224 engages with the clockwise first end 250 of the long hole 224. As the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 rotates in the same direction in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating arm 206, transitioning to the state shown in FIG. 34C.

The above operation allows the lock ring 216 to be automatically moved to the locked position when the pressurized cooking course is performed. This prevents the pressure reducing valve 26 from being closed when the lock ring 216 has not been moved to the locked position (including a half-locked state). The pressure reducing valve 26 can be closed and the lid 10 can be locked simultaneously, improving safety.

<Close ⇒ Open (manual handle)>
As shown in Fig. 40, when the handle 201 is manually operated to transition from the closed state to the open state, the handle 201 rotates from C° to B°, and then rotates from B° to 0°. The angles B and C may be set appropriately as long as B<C. B is, for example, about 20°. In this embodiment, B>A.

When the handle 201 rotates from C° to B°, the valve drive lever 82 moves in tandem from C° to B°. This causes the pressure reducing valve 26 to transition from a closed state to an open state, and the cooking space S is opened to atmospheric pressure. The lock ring 216 does not transition in tandem and remains locked. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in FIG. 36A to the state shown in FIG. 36B.

In the state shown in FIG. 36A, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the long hole 96 is engaged with the first clockwise end 240 (FIGS. 25A and 25B) of the long hole 96. Therefore, when the rotating arm 206 and the first connection pin 208 rotate clockwise by operating the handle 201, the valve drive lever 82 engaged with the first connection pin 208 also rotates in the same direction in conjunction with the rotating arm 206. On the other hand, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the long hole 224 is engaged with the first clockwise end 250 of the long hole 224. Therefore, even if the rotating arm 206 rotates clockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 does not operate in conjunction with the rotating arm 206.

As shown in FIG. 40, when the handle 201 rotates from B° to 0°, the valve drive lever 82 moves in tandem from B° to 0°, and the lock ring 216 also moves in tandem from B° to 0°. As a result, both the handle 201 and the lock ring 216 move to the locked position. Note that the pressure reducing valve 26 remains in the open state. This operation corresponds to the operation of transitioning from the state shown in FIG. 36B to the state shown in FIG. 36C.

When the state shown in FIG. 36B is reached, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the long hole 224 engages with the counterclockwise second end 252 of the long hole 224, and as the rotating arm 206 rotates clockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 also rotates in the same direction in conjunction with the clockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206, transitioning to the state shown in FIG. 36C.

The above operation makes it possible to reduce the pressure in the cooking space S from a pressurized state to atmospheric pressure even in the event of a malfunction of the motor 102 or a power outage, allowing the contents to be removed quickly.

<Close ⇒ Open (motor automatic)>
As shown in FIG. 41, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is shifted from a closed state to an open state by automatic operation of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 rotates from C° to B°, and then rotates from B° to 0°.

When the valve drive lever 82 rotates from C° to B°, the handle 201 and lock ring 216 do not move together, and the lock ring 216 maintains its locked state. When the valve drive lever 82 moves to B°, the pressure reducing valve 26 transitions from a closed state to an open state, and the cooking space S is opened to atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, when the valve drive lever 82 rotates from B° to 0°, the handle 201 and lock ring 216 do not move together, and the lock ring 216 maintains its locked state. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in FIG. 35A to the state shown in FIG. 35B.

In the state shown in FIG. 35A, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the long hole 96 is engaged with the clockwise first end 240 of the long hole 96. Therefore, even if the valve drive lever 82 rotates clockwise, the first connection pin 208 does not move in conjunction with it, and transitions to the state shown in FIG. 35B.

The positional relationship between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208 is designed so that the first connection pin 208 does not engage with the second end 242 of the long hole 96 until the state shown in FIG. 35A changes to the state shown in FIG. 35B. This makes it possible to create a state in which the rotating arm 206 connected to the first connection pin 208 is not linked to the operation of the valve drive lever 82 when the motor 102 is in automatic operation to rotate the valve drive lever 82 clockwise (valve opening direction), i.e., a state in which the link between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released.

The above operation makes it possible to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to an open state without releasing the locking state of the locking ring 216. This allows the lid 10 and the main body 8 to remain locked, improving safety.

(Action/Effect 1)
As described above, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment comprises a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating section) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealed position for sealing the cooking space S1 and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, and a valve drive section 40 provided on the lid 10 for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, and the valve drive section 40 comprises a motor 102 (drive source) and a valve drive lever 82 (rotating section) which rotates due to the drive force of the motor 102.

In this type of cooking device 2, the valve drive unit 40 rotates, making it possible to effectively utilize the internal space of the lid 10 to place the valve drive unit 40, which contributes to reducing the product size of the cooking device 2. In particular, when the lid 10 has a roughly circular outer shape in a plan view, the valve drive unit 40 can be provided by effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10 without increasing the horizontal dimension of the lid 10 in one direction by rotating the valve drive unit 40 instead of moving it linearly. This makes it possible to reduce the horizontal size of the lid 10, which leads to a reduction in the size of the cooking device 2.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the rotation axis Ax of the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement part) extends along the thickness direction of the lid 10. With such a cooking device 2, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to arrange the valve drive part, and in particular, the height of the lid 10 can be reduced.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation part) has a push-down part 94 for pushing down the pressure reducing valve 26 from the sealed position to the open position, and the push-down part 94 moves in an arc between a first position (FIG. 24B) where the pressure reducing valve 26 is pushed down and a second position (FIG. 24A) different from the first position. With this cooking device 2, the push-down part 94 moves in an arc, making it easier to ensure a longer moving distance than if it moved in a straight line. This allows the position of the push-down part 94 to be adjusted more precisely while effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, improving the accuracy of pressure adjustment.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the push-down portion 94 has an inclined surface 98 whose height changes along the arc-shaped movement direction. With such a cooking device 2, the push-down portion 94 can be configured with a simple structure.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotational operation part) includes an arc arm 86 (first arm) that extends in an arc shape, and a connection arm 88 (second arm) that connects the arc arm 86 and the rotation axis Ax. With such a cooking device 2, the valve drive part 40 can be configured with a simple structure.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation part) has a component arrangement space 99 in the area surrounded by the arc arm 86 (first arm) and the connecting arm 88 (second arm). With such a cooking device 2, other components can be arranged in the component arrangement space 99, making effective use of the space.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, a gear portion 104 (first gear) for transmitting the driving force of a motor 102 (driving source) to a valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation portion) is provided in the component arrangement space 99, and a gear portion 92 (second gear) that meshes with the gear portion 104 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the arc arm 86 (first arm). With such a cooking device 2, the gear portions 92 and 104 can be arranged by utilizing the space of the component arrangement space 99, and the valve drive lever 82 can be operated with a simple configuration.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the gear portion 104 (first gear) and the gear portion 92 (second gear) are each composed of a spur gear, and the pressure reducing valve 26 moves up and down along the axial direction C of the spur gear. With this cooking device 2, even when the pressure reducing valve 26 moves up and down to press the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation portion), a pressing force is applied in the axial direction C of the spur gear, so no driving force is transmitted between the gear portions 92 and 104. This makes it possible to realize a configuration in which no unnecessary force is applied to the gear portion 104 or the motor 102.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a support plate 84 that supports the valve drive lever 82 (rotary movement part) in a rotatable state. With this cooking device 2, the operation of the valve drive lever 82 becomes more stable.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation part) has an arc arm 86 (first arm) that extends in an arc shape, and the support plate 84 has an arc groove portion 118 that guides the arc movement of the arc arm 86 (first arm). With such a cooking device 2, the operation of the valve drive lever 82 can be stabilized.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the support plate 84 includes a wall portion 110 (first restriction wall) that blocks the movement of the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement portion) in the first direction (counterclockwise in plan view) and a wall portion 112 (second restriction wall) that blocks the movement of the valve drive lever 82 in the second direction (clockwise in plan view), and the valve drive lever 82 is provided rotatably in the area between the wall portions 110 and 112. With this cooking device 2, the movement range of the valve drive lever 82 can be easily defined. Also, even if an abnormality occurs in the operation of the valve drive lever 82, the movement can be restricted by contact with the walls 110 and 112, so the load on the gear portions 92 and 104 can be reduced.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation part) has a component arrangement space 99 in an area surrounded by the arc arm 86 (first arm) and the connecting arm 88 (second arm), and the support plate 84 has a screw receiving part 160 (fixing part) for fixing the support plate 84 to the lid 10 (block 172), and the screw receiving part 160 is arranged in the component arrangement space 99. According to such a cooking device 2, it is possible to fix the support plate 84 to the lid 10 at a position close to the center of the support plate 84, and the strength of the support plate 84 can be improved.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a cover member 78 that covers the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation part), and the valve drive lever 82 has a rib 89 at a location where it contacts the cover member 78. With this cooking device 2, friction between the valve drive lever 82 and the cover member 78 can be reduced when the valve drive lever 82 slides, and the operation of the valve drive lever 82 can be stabilized.

(Action/Effect 2)
As described above, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment includes a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space S1 and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid lock member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a lock position for restricting the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlocked position for enabling the opening operation, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operation member) for manually operating the lock ring 216 by the user. The valve drive unit 40 has a long hole 96 (first engagement portion), and the lid lock drive unit 200 has a first connection pin 208 (second engagement portion) that engages with the long hole 96.

With this type of cooking device 2, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 can be engaged with each other, allowing their respective operations to be linked. This allows the pressure reducing valve 26 and the lock ring 216 to be automatically moved to appropriate positions depending on the situation, eliminating the need for manual operation by the user and improving the convenience of using the cooking device 2.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked by the engagement between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208. This makes it possible to switch between a linked state and a non-linked state depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40, 200.

The present invention is not limited to the case where the valve drive unit 40 has the long hole 96 and the lid lock drive unit 200 has the pin 208, but may also be applicable to the case where the valve drive unit 40 has a pin and the lid lock drive unit 200 has a long hole. In other words, the first engagement portion of the valve drive unit 40 may be either the long hole or the pin, and the second engagement portion of the lid lock drive unit 200 may be the other.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the lid lock drive unit 200 has a rotating arm 206 (arm member) that extends in the horizontal direction B inside the lid 10 so as to connect between the handle 201 (operating member) and the lock ring 216 (lid lock member), the first connection pin 208 (second engagement part) is a pin provided on the rotating arm 206, and the long hole 96 (first engagement part) is a long hole through which the first connection pin 208 is inserted. With such a cooking device 2, the pin 208 and the long hole 96 can be provided while effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, and the two drive units 40, 200 can be linked.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 each rotate. With this cooking device 2, it is easier to link the operation of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200, and the space in the lateral direction B of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized, allowing the product size to be reduced.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the rotation axis Ax of the valve drive unit 40 and the rotation axis Ax of the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) are coaxial. With such a cooking device 2, it is possible to simplify the configuration and reduce the size of the product while suppressing axial misalignment.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the lid 10 is provided with a handle 201 (operating member) that is rotated, and a shaft member 203 that extends in the thickness direction of the lid 10 as the rotation axis Ax of the handle 201, and a through hole 100 is formed in the rotation center 90 of the valve drive unit 40 to insert the shaft member 203. With such a cooking device 2, a coaxial structure can be created with a simple configuration.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the handle 201 (operating member) is rotated around a rotation axis Ax that extends along the thickness direction of the lid 10. Such a cooking device 2 can be easily operated by the user.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a lock ring restriction valve 28 (moving member) that is provided on the inner lid 14 and is located at a first position when the pressure in the cooking space S1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure, and is located at a second position when the pressure is less than the predetermined pressure. The lock ring restriction valve 28 selectively engages with the lock ring 216 so as to restrict the movement of the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) in the first position (FIG. 11C) and not restrict the movement of the lock ring 216 in the second position (FIGS. 11A and 11B). With such a cooking device 2, the provision of the lock ring restriction valve 28 makes it possible to prevent the lid 10 from being opened when the cooking space S1 is in a high-pressure state, thereby improving safety.

(Action/Effect 3)
As described above, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment includes a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space S1 and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 and variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid lock member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a locked position for restricting the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlocked position for enabling the opening operation, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operating member) for manually operating the lock ring 216 by the user, and the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

With this type of cooking device 2, the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 can be linked to the operation of the valve drive unit 40, so that the locking/unlocking operation of the lid 10 can be performed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the pressure reducing valve 26, which can replace manual operation by the user. This can improve the convenience of using the cooking device 2.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, when the valve drive unit 40 operates in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position, the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in a direction to move the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) to the locked position in conjunction with the valve drive unit 40. With this cooking device 2, when a pressurized cooking menu is selected, even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or the lock is insufficient (e.g., half-locked), the lid 10 can be automatically transitioned to a locked state, making it possible to start pressurized cooking.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes an operation display unit 6 (cooking menu selection unit) for selecting a cooking menu, and a control unit 11, and the control unit 11 operates the valve drive unit 40 in a direction that moves the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position in response to the pressure cooking menu being selected on the operation display unit 6. With this type of cooking device 2, when a pressure cooking menu is executed, the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 can be sealed to be in a state in which pressure cooking can be started.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a lid lock detection means 228 that detects whether the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) is in the locked position. With this cooking device 2, by checking that the lock ring 216 is in the locked position, it is possible to check that the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position in addition to that the lock ring 216 is in the locked position.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, when the valve drive unit 40 operates in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are disengaged. With this cooking device 2, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the open position at the end of cooking or the like to return the pot 4 to atmospheric pressure, the lid lock drive unit 200 is not engaged to prevent the lid from being unlocked, so that the user must manually unlock the lid. This improves safety.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked to each other by the engagement between the long hole 96 and the pin 208. With this cooking device 2, by linking them through the engagement between the long hole 96 and the pin 208, it is possible to switch between an interlocking state and a non-interlocking state depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40, 200.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 11, and the valve drive unit 40 includes a motor 102 (drive source) controlled by the control unit 11 and a valve drive lever 82 (operation unit) operated by the driving force of the motor 102. With this cooking device 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be operated automatically.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (operating part) rotates. With such a cooking device 2, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to position the valve drive part 40, which contributes to a smaller product size.

(Action/Effect 4)
As described above, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment includes a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space S1 and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 and variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid lock member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a lock position for restricting the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlocked position for enabling the opening operation, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operating member) for manually operating the lock ring 216 by the user, and the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

With this type of cooking appliance 2, the operation of the valve drive unit 40 can be linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, so that the opening and closing of the pressure reducing valve 26 can be performed in conjunction with the locking/unlocking of the lid 10. For example, when unlocking the lid 10, it is possible to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position to return the pressure in the pot 4 to atmospheric pressure. This allows the pressure in the pot 4 to be returned to atmospheric pressure so that the lid 10 can be opened even when the valve drive unit 40 does not operate due to a power outage or the like, improving the convenience of using the cooking appliance 2.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, when the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in a direction to move the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) to the unlocked position, the valve drive unit 40 operates in conjunction with the lid lock drive unit 200 in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position. With this cooking device 2, even if the valve drive unit 40 does not operate due to a power outage or the like, the pressure in the pot 4 can be made atmospheric pressure so that the lid 10 can be opened.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, when the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, the pressure reducing valve 26 moves to the open position, and then the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) moves to the unlocked position. With this cooking device 2, the pressure in the cooking space S1 can be released before the lid 10 can be opened, improving safety and convenience.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a protrusion 229 that selectively engages with the lid lock drive unit 200 to provide a clicking sensation when the handle 201 (operating member) is operated. With this cooking device 2, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation by the user.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, when the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in a direction to move the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) to the locked position, the link between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released. With this cooking device 2, when the user manually closes the lid 10, the pressure reducing valve 26 is not moved to the sealed position, so that the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 cannot be put into a pressurizable sealed state by manual operation by the user. This improves safety.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked to each other by the engagement between the long hole 96 and the pin 208. With this cooking device 2, by linking them through the engagement between the long hole 96 and the pin 208, it is possible to switch between an interlocking state and a non-interlocking state depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40, 200.

The cooking device 2 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 11, and the valve drive unit 40 includes a motor 102 (drive source) controlled by the control unit 11 and a valve drive lever 82 (operation unit) operated by the driving force of the motor 102. With this cooking device 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be operated automatically.

In addition, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 rotates. With this cooking device 2, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to position the valve drive unit 40, which contributes to a smaller product size.

Although the invention of the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiment, the invention of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked to each other by the engagement relationship between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208, but the invention is not limited to such a case. For example, the engagement relationship between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208 may be eliminated, and the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 may operate independently without being linked to each other. A flowchart of the process for executing a pressurized cooking menu when this configuration is adopted is shown in FIG. 42.

In the flowchart shown in FIG. 42, steps S21 and S22 are executed instead of steps S4 to S8 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 33.

Specifically, in response to the notification of cooking OK in step S2, the control unit 11 judges whether or not the lid lock has been detected (S21). The specific method of judgment is the same as step S4 in FIG. 33, and the description will be omitted. If the lid lock is not detected, the control unit 11 executes the process of step S21 again. As a result, the next step S3 (accepting the selection of the pressure cooking menu) is not executed unless the locked state of the lid 10 can be confirmed. As described above, since the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are not linked, the user needs to manually operate the handle 201 to lock the lid 10. For this reason, the specification is such that pressure cooking cannot be executed unless the lid lock can be confirmed in step S21.

When the lid lock is detected (YES in S21), the control unit 11 accepts the selection of a pressure cooking menu (S3). The control unit 11 further drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position (S22). Thereafter, steps S9 to S11 are executed as the same process as in the flowchart of FIG. 33.

In step S22, the pressure reducing valve 26 moves to the sealed position by the valve drive unit 40, but the lid lock drive unit 200 is not interlocked, so the state of the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 does not change.

Although the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and variations are to be understood as being included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they deviate therefrom. In addition, changes in the combination and order of elements in each embodiment may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Any of the various modifications of the above embodiment can be combined as appropriate to achieve the effects of each.

This disclosure is applicable to any cooking device that heats and cooks food or other ingredients.

2 Cooking device 4 Pot 9 Heater (heating part)
10 Lid 12 Outer lid 14 Inner lid 26 Pressure reducing valve 40 Valve drive part 82 Valve drive lever (operating part, rotating operating part)
96 Long hole (first engagement part)
102 Motor (drive source)
200 Lid lock drive unit 201 Handle (operation member)
208 First connecting pin (second engaging portion)
214 Lid hook (first lid lock member)
216 Lock ring (second lid lock member)
S1 Cooking space

Claims (12)

A pot having a cooking space;
A heating unit for heating the pan;
A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space;
a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure;
a valve drive unit provided on the lid for variably operating the pressure reducing valve;
The valve drive unit includes a drive source and a rotational operation unit that is rotated by a drive force of the drive source .
The cooking device , wherein the rotational movement portion includes a first arm extending in an arc shape and a second arm connecting the first arm and a rotation shaft. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation axis of the rotating part extends along the thickness direction of the lid. the rotational operation portion has a pressing portion for pressing down the pressure reducing valve from the closed position to the open position,
The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the depression portion moves in an arc between a first position at which the pressure reducing valve is depressed and a second position different from the first position. The cooking device according to claim 3, wherein the pressing portion has an inclined surface whose height changes along the direction of the arc-shaped movement. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational operation unit has a member arrangement space in an area surrounded by the first arm and the second arm, in which other members can be arranged. a first gear for transmitting a driving force of the driving source to the rotational operation unit is provided in the component arrangement space,
The cooking device according to claim 5 , wherein a second gear that meshes with the first gear is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the first arm. The first gear and the second gear are each constituted by a spur gear,
The cooking device according to claim 6 , wherein the pressure reducing valve moves up and down along an axial direction of the spur gear. The cooking device according to claim 1, further comprising a support plate that supports the rotating part in a rotatable state. A pot having a cooking space;
A heating unit for heating the pan;
A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space;
a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure;
a valve drive unit provided on the lid for variably operating the pressure reducing valve;
The valve drive unit includes a drive source and a rotational operation unit that is rotated by a drive force of the drive source.
The rotary motion unit is further provided with a support plate that supports the rotary motion unit in a rotatable state.
The rotational motion portion has a first arm extending in an arc shape,
The support plate has an arc -shaped groove that guides the arc-shaped movement of the first arm. A pot having a cooking space;
A heating unit for heating the pan;
A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space;
a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position for sealing the cooking space and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure;
a valve drive unit provided on the lid for variably operating the pressure reducing valve;
The valve drive unit includes a drive source and a rotational operation unit that is rotated by a drive force of the drive source.
The rotary motion unit is further provided with a support plate that supports the rotary motion unit in a rotatable state.
the support plate includes a first restriction wall that blocks movement of the rotational motion unit in a first direction and a second restriction wall that blocks movement of the rotational motion unit in a second direction,
The rotational movement portion is rotatably provided in a region between the first restriction wall and the second restriction wall. the rotational motion unit has a member arrangement space in an area surrounded by the first arm and the second arm in which other members can be arranged,
The cooking device according to claim 8 , wherein the support plate has a fixing portion for fixing the support plate to the lid, the fixing portion being disposed in the component disposing space. A cover member for covering the rotational movement unit is further provided,
The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement portion has a rib at a portion where the rotational movement portion comes into contact with the cover member.

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