JP7617527B2 - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rice cooker.

Conventionally, so-called fully automatic rice cookers have been known that can automatically carry out the process from supplying rice and water to the pot to cooking the rice (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-220047

Conventional fully automatic rice cookers still have room for improvement in terms of reducing the noise generated when feeding rice into the pot.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve this problem by providing a rice cooker that can reduce the noise generated when feeding rice.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.
According to the present invention, a pot and
A housing having an upper opening and accommodating the pot through the upper opening;
A rice container for storing rice;
A rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container to the pot;
an outer lid that opens and closes an upper opening of the housing by rotating about an outer lid hinge portion provided on an upper portion of the housing;
An inner lid that is detachably attached to the outer lid and covers the opening of the pot in an openable and closable manner in accordance with the rotation of the outer lid;
Equipped with
The rice supplying department:
A cylindrical rice-transporting pipe whose one end is connected to the inside of the rice container and whose other end penetrates the inside of the outer lid and opens toward the rice-inlet provided in the inner lid;
A rice sending fan that generates an air flow from the rice container side toward the rice inlet in the rice sending pipe and pushes the rice in the rice sending pipe into the pot through the rice inlet;
Provided is a rice cooker comprising:

The present invention provides a rice cooker that can reduce noise generated when feeding rice.

1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with an outer lid open. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the rice container lid open. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the housing, the outer lid, and the outer wall of the rice container removed, as viewed obliquely from the rear. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of parts related to the rice storage section and the rice supply section, seen obliquely from above. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of parts related to the rice storage section and the rice supply section, viewed obliquely from below. FIG. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the internal structure of the outer lid. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the outer lid from an oblique rear view. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a portion of the rice supply pipe located at the portion where the outer lid and the rice container are adjacent to each other. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 of FIG. 9. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the inner wall of the outer lid. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state in which the inner lid is attached to the outer lid of FIG. 13 . The rice insertion lid is shown in the closed position. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 cut in the depth direction.

(Findings on which the present invention is based)
The present inventors conducted extensive research into ways to reduce noise generated during rice delivery and obtained the following findings.

Conventional fully automatic rice cookers are usually configured to supply rice into the pot by allowing the rice to fall from above the pot under its own weight. With this configuration, the rice collides with the bottom wall of the pot, generating a loud noise. To suppress this noise, it is conceivable to provide a separate soundproofing device. However, in this case, naturally, the number of parts increases and space is required to accommodate the soundproofing device.

The inventors have therefore discovered a configuration in which an air flow is generated in a rice delivery pipe for supplying rice from a rice container into a pot, and the air flow pushes the rice in the rice delivery pipe into the pot through the rice inlet of the inner lid. With this configuration, the flow rate of the air flowing through the rice delivery pipe drops sharply as it flows into the pot, which is a large space. In addition, the internal pressure of the pot increases as the air flow enters the pot. As a result, the speed at which the rice collides with the bottom wall of the pot decreases, and noise during rice delivery is reduced compared to conventional fully automatic rice cookers. Based on this new finding, the inventors have come up with the following invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a pan and
A housing having an upper opening and accommodating the pot through the upper opening;
A rice container for storing rice;
A rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot;
an outer lid that opens and closes an upper opening of the housing by rotating about an outer lid hinge portion provided on an upper portion of the housing;
An inner lid that is detachably attached to the outer lid and covers the opening of the pot in an openable and closable manner in accordance with the rotation of the outer lid;
Equipped with
The rice supplying department:
A cylindrical rice-transporting pipe whose one end is connected to the inside of the rice container and whose other end penetrates the inside of the outer lid and opens toward the rice-inlet provided in the inner lid;
A rice sending fan that generates an air flow from the rice container side toward the rice inlet in the rice sending pipe and pushes the rice in the rice sending pipe into the pot through the rice inlet;
Provided is a rice cooker comprising:

With this configuration, the airflow generated by the rice-feeding fan flows into the pot together with the rice through the rice inlet. This reduces the speed at which the rice hits the bottom wall of the pot, reducing noise when feeding the rice.

The rice delivery pipe may have an internal flow passage with a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along the longitudinal direction. With this configuration, the rice in the rice delivery pipe can be pushed into the pot with a constant or approximately constant pressure by the air flow generated by the rice delivery fan, and noise during rice delivery can be further reduced.

A portion of the rice delivery tube may be arranged coaxially with the outer lid hinge portion and penetrate the side wall of the outer lid. This configuration reduces the effects of the rotation of the outer lid and minimizes the number of places where the rice delivery tube bends at a sharp angle (e.g., 90 degrees or more). This reduces the pressure loss of the airflow caused by the bending of the rice delivery tube and improves the sealing of the rice delivery tube. As a result, noise during rice delivery can be further reduced and the product size can be further reduced.

The rice container further includes a rice container lid that rotates around the rice container hinge part to open and close the rice container opening provided above the rice container. The rice container hinge part and the outer lid hinge part are arranged coaxially, and a part of the rice delivery pipe passes through the inside of the rice container hinge part or may constitute at least a part of the rice container hinge part. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the influence of the rotational movement of the rice container lid and to minimize the number of places where the rice delivery pipe bends at a sharp angle (e.g., 90 degrees or more). This suppresses the pressure loss of the air flow caused by the bending of the rice delivery pipe and improves the sealing property of the rice delivery pipe. As a result, the noise during rice delivery can be further suppressed and the product size can be further reduced. In addition, the rice container opening can be secured large, improving the ease of refilling the rice container with rice.

The rice feed container may further include a rice feed lid that covers the rice feed opening so that it can be opened and closed freely, and an annular sealing member that is arranged around the rice feed opening and seals the gap between the outer lid and the inner lid, as well as the gap between the rice feed lid and the inner lid. With this configuration, a single sealing member is used to seal the gap between the outer lid and the inner lid, and the gap between the rice feed lid and the inner lid, thereby preventing an increase in the number of parts and improving sealing performance.

The rice feed lid may further include an arm section that moves the rice feed lid section between a closed position where the rice feed lid section comes into contact with the sealing member to close the rice feed opening, and an open position where the rice feed lid section moves away from the sealing member to open the rice feed opening, and the arm section may be located in an enclosed space between the outer lid and the inner lid, except for the other end of the rice feed tube, when the rice feed lid section is located in the closed position. With this configuration, by locating the arm section that moves the rice feed lid section in the enclosed space between the outer lid and the inner lid, it is possible to prevent rice powder, insects, etc. from entering the inside of the outer lid or the space between the outer lid and the inner lid, and to improve cleanability.

The rice sending fan may be driven at a predetermined rotation speed, and when the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, the fan may be driven at an even higher rotation speed. With this configuration, when the rice sending fan is driven at a predetermined rotation speed and the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, it can be assumed that there is a blockage in the rice sending tube or the filter of the rice sending fan. By then driving the rice sending fan at a rotation speed higher than the actual rotation speed, the blockage in the filter of the rice sending tube or the rice sending fan can be cleared. As a result, noise during rice sending caused by blockage in the filter of the rice sending tube or the rice sending fan can be suppressed.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, substantially identical components in the drawings are given the same reference numerals.

In addition, for the sake of convenience, the following uses terms indicating directions such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," and "side" assuming normal use, but this is not intended to limit the use state of the rice cooker according to the present invention.

(Embodiment)
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rice cooker according to this embodiment is a so-called fully automatic rice cooker that can automatically perform processes from supplying rice and water to a pot to cooking the rice. The rice cooker according to this embodiment is also a non-pressure type rice cooker that performs the rice cooking process at a pressure in the pot of less than 1.05 atm.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rice cooker according to this embodiment includes a housing 1, an outer lid 2 that covers the top of the housing 1, a water container 3 provided at the bottom of the housing 1, a rice container 4 provided along one side of the housing 1, and a rice container lid 5 that covers the top of the rice container 4.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the rice cooker of Figure 1 with the outer lid 2 open. In this embodiment, the housing 1 has a rectangular or approximately rectangular shape. As shown in Figure 2, an upper opening 1a is provided on the top surface of the housing 1. The pot 6 is inserted through the upper opening 1a, so that the pot 6 is accommodated in the housing 1. An outer lid hinge portion 1b is provided on the upper rear portion of the housing 1. The outer lid hinge portion 1b is provided to extend in the horizontal direction X.

The outer lid 2 is configured to cover the top opening 1a of the housing 1 so as to be freely opened and closed by rotating around the outer lid hinge portion 1b. In this embodiment, the outer lid 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped or approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. When viewed from above, the outer lid 2 and the housing 1 have the same or approximately the same shape. In other words, the outer lid 2 and the housing 1 have the same or approximately the same dimensions in the horizontal direction X and the depth direction Y perpendicular to the horizontal direction X.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner lid 7 is removably attached to the outer lid 2. In this embodiment, the inner lid 7 has a disk or a roughly disk shape. The inner lid 7 is configured to cover the opening of the pot 6 so as to be able to open and close freely as the outer lid 2 rotates. The inner lid 7 is provided with a rice inlet 7a for putting rice into the pot 6, and an exhaust outlet 7b for discharging fluids such as air or steam from within the pot 6.

A water container 3 for containing water is provided at the bottom of the housing 1. In this embodiment, the water container 3 is configured to be detachable from the housing 1 by sliding in the depth direction Y.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the rice cooker of Figure 1 with the rice container lid 5 open. The rice container 4 is for storing rice. In this embodiment, the rice stored in the rice container 4 is rice that does not need to be washed, so-called no-rinse rice. A rice container opening 4a is provided above the rice container 4 for placing rice inside the rice container 4. A rice container hinge portion 4b is provided at the rear upper portion of the rice container 4. The rice container lid 5 is configured to cover the rice container opening 4a so as to be freely opened and closed by rotating around the rice container hinge portion 4b.

In this embodiment, the rice container lid 5 and the rice container 4 have the same or approximately the same shape when viewed from above. That is, the rice container lid 5 and the rice container 4 have the same or approximately the same dimensions in the horizontal direction X and the depth direction Y. In addition, the total length in the height direction Z of the rice container lid 5 and the rice container 4 is the same or approximately the same as the total length in the height direction Z of the outer lid 2 and the housing 1. The height direction Z is perpendicular to the horizontal direction X and the depth direction Y. When the rice container lid 5 and the outer lid 2 are closed, the rice cooker according to this embodiment has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped appearance.

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the internal structure of the rice cooker in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rice cooker in Figure 1 with the housing 1, outer lid 2, and outer wall of the rice container 4 removed, seen obliquely from behind.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rice container 4 has a rice storage section 41 that stores rice. The rice storage section 41 has an inclined surface 41a that is inclined in the depth direction Y and height direction Z so that the cross-sectional area decreases toward the bottom. The rice stored in the rice storage section 41 moves downward along the inclined surface 41a due to its own weight, and is collected below the inclined surface 41a.

One end of the cylindrical rice feed pipe 42 is connected to the lower part of the rice storage section 41. In this embodiment, the rice feed pipe 42 has an internal flow path with a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along the longitudinal direction. The internal flow path of the rice feed pipe 42 is formed in a straight line or a smooth curve so as not to have any protrusions or recesses where rice can get stuck. A rice feed device 43 is provided below the inclined surface 41a. The rice feed device 43 supplies rice from the rice container 4 to the rice feed pipe 42 in an amount corresponding to the amount of rice to be cooked selected on the display operation unit 8 described later. The other end of the rice feed pipe 42 penetrates the inside of the outer lid 2 and opens toward the rice inlet 7a (see FIG. 2) of the inner lid 7. A rice feed fan 44 is attached to the rice feed pipe 42. The rice feed fan 44 is configured to generate an air flow from the rice container 4 side toward the rice inlet 7a in the rice feed pipe 42, and push the rice in the rice feed pipe 42 into the pot 6 through the rice inlet 7a. In this embodiment, the rice supply pipe 42, the rice supply device 43, and the rice supply fan 44 constitute a rice supply section that supplies rice from the rice container 4 (rice storage section 41) to the pot 6.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the configuration of the parts related to the rice storage section 41 and the rice supply section, seen from diagonally above. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the configuration of the parts related to the rice storage section 41 and the rice supply section, seen from diagonally below.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a filter 45 is provided below the rice sending fan 44. In this embodiment, the filter 45 is configured to be detachable from the rice container 4 by sliding in the lateral direction X. The filter 45 prevents dust and other particles from entering the rice sending fan 44 from outside the rice container 4.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the rice container hinge portion 4b and the outer lid hinge portion 1b are arranged coaxially. The straight pipe portion 42a, which is a part of the rice supply pipe 42, passes through the inside of the rice container hinge portion 4b or constitutes at least a part of the rice container hinge portion 4b. In this embodiment, the straight pipe portion 42a of the rice supply pipe 42 constitutes the rice container hinge portion 4b and functions as the rice container hinge portion 4b. This makes it possible to prevent the straight pipe portion 42a of the rice supply pipe 42 from being affected by the rotational movement of the rice container lid 5.

Figure 9 is a top view showing the internal structure of the outer lid 2. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the outer lid 2 as seen obliquely from the rear. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a portion of the rice delivery pipe 42 located in the area where the outer lid 2 and rice container 4 are adjacent.

The straight pipe section 42a of the rice feed pipe 42 is arranged coaxially with the outer lid hinge section 1b and is provided so as to penetrate the side wall 2a of the outer lid 2. The outer lid side end 42aa of the straight pipe section 42a is rotatably connected to one end 42ca of the joint section 42c via an annular sliding packing 42b. In this embodiment, the joint section 42c is formed in a substantially L-shape. The joint section 42c is configured to rotate around the straight pipe section 42a as a rotation axis. In other words, the joint section 42c is configured to rotate in conjunction with the rotational movement of the outer lid 2. The straight pipe section 42a and the joint section 42c are made of a rigid material such as plastic.

9 and 10, the rice delivery pipe 42 includes a flexible tube 42d. In this embodiment, the tube 42d is a rubber tube. One end 42da of the tube 42d is connected to the other end 42cb of the joint 42c. The other end 42db of the tube 42d is connected to the outer casing 22 of the rice introduction unit 21 so as to penetrate the outer casing 22 and be exposed below the outer lid 2. The rice introduction unit 21 is a unit for introducing rice discharged from the rice delivery pipe 42 into the pot 6. The outer shape of the tube 42d changes from a flat shape to a substantially square shape from the one end 42da to the other end 42db. However, the internal flow path of the tube 42d has a uniform or substantially uniform cross-sectional area in the longitudinal direction, and is formed in a straight line or a smooth curved line so as not to have any protrusions or recesses where rice can get stuck.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 in Figure 9. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the structure of the inner wall of the outer lid 2. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the state in which the inner lid 7 is attached to the outer lid 2 in Figure 13.

As shown in FIG. 12, the outer casing member 22 constitutes part of the inner wall (the wall on the side of the pot 6) of the outer lid 2, and is a recessed portion toward the upper wall of the outer lid 2. The other end 42db of the tube 42d is provided so as to pass through the outer casing member 22 and open toward the rice insertion port 7a of the inner lid 7 (see FIG. 14).

The rice feeding unit 21 comprises an outer casing member 22, a rice feeding lid portion 23, an annular sealing member 24, and an arm portion 25.

The rice-input lid 23 is configured to cover the rice-input opening 7a so as to be freely opened and closed. In this embodiment, the rice-input lid 23 has a disk or approximately disk shape. The rice-input lid 23 has a diameter smaller than the rice-input opening 7a and larger than the inner diameter of the seal member 24. The rice-input lid 23 is connected to one end of the arm 25.

The arm portion 25 is configured to move the rice insertion lid portion 23 between a closed position where it contacts the sealing member 24 to close the rice insertion opening 7a, and an open position where it is removed from the sealing member 24 to open the rice insertion opening 7a. Figure 15 shows the rice insertion lid portion 23 in the closed position. Figure 12 shows the rice insertion lid portion 23 in the open position.

In this embodiment, the arm 25 is configured to move the rice-input lid 23 between the closed position and the open position by rotating around the rotation shaft 25a. The rotation shaft 25a is connected to the drive source 26. When the drive source 26 is driven, the rotation shaft 25a rotates, and the arm 25 rotates. When the rice-input lid 23 is in the closed position, the arm 25 is located in the sealed space E1 between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7, which is sealed except for the other end 42db of the rice-transport tube 42. The sealed space E1 is formed by the outer member 22, the rice-input lid 23, and the seal member 24. The rotation shaft 25a is covered by the arm 25 and is configured not to be exposed to the sealed space E1. The drive source 26 is located outside the sealed space E1.

The sealing member 24 is provided on the bottom wall of the outer lid 2 facing the inner lid 7. When the inner lid 7 is attached to the outer lid 2 as shown in FIG. 14, the sealing member 24 is arranged around the rice insertion opening 7a and is configured to seal the gap between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7. When the rice insertion lid part 23 is in the closed position, the sealing member 24 is configured to seal the gap between the rice insertion lid part 23 and the inner lid 7. In other words, the sealing member 24 has the function of sealing two gaps with a single part.

As described above, the inner lid 7 is provided with an exhaust port 7b (see FIG. 14) for discharging fluids such as air or steam from within the pot 6. As shown in FIG. 13, the outer lid 2 is provided with an exhaust passage 27. The exhaust passage 27 is provided in a position opposite the exhaust port 7b. Around the exhaust passage 27 of the outer lid 2, a ring-shaped gasket (not shown) is provided to seal the gap between the inner lid 7 and the outer lid 2 when the inner lid 7 is attached to the outer lid 2. Fluids within the pot 6 flow into the exhaust passage 27 through the exhaust port 7b.

Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the rice cooker of Figure 1 cut in the depth direction Y. As shown in Figure 16, an exhaust hole 2b is provided in the upper wall of the outer lid 2. The exhaust hole 2b is connected to the exhaust passage 27. Fluid in the pot 6 that flows into the exhaust passage 27 is released to the outside through the exhaust hole 2b. In this embodiment, the exhaust hole 2b is formed to extend in the horizontal direction X, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The size of the rice inlet 7a is, for example, 215 ^mm2 . The size of the exhaust port 7b is, for example, 80.0 ^mm2 . In addition, it is preferable that the rice inlet 7a is close to the center of the pot 6 in a top view. This makes the pile of rice formed in the pot 6 by the rice discharged from the rice inlet 7a have a more uniform shape. In addition, it is preferable that the exhaust port 7b is disposed away from the rice inlet 7a. This makes it possible to prevent the rice discharged from the rice inlet 7a from flowing into the exhaust passage 27 through the exhaust port 7b. In this embodiment, the distance L1 from the center of the pot 6 to the center of the rice inlet 7a is set to be smaller than the distance L2 from the center of the pot 6 to the center of the exhaust passage 27 (L1<L2). In a top view, the center of the rice inlet 7a and the center of the exhaust port 7b are located at positions facing each other across the center of the pot 6. The distance L1 is, for example, 22.5 mm. The distance L2 is, for example, 44.9 mm.

As shown in FIG. 14, the inner lid 7 is provided with a steam inlet 7c and a water inlet 7d. As shown in FIG. 13, the outer lid 2 is provided with a steam sensor 28 and a water inlet passage 29. The steam sensor 28 is provided at a position corresponding to the steam inlet 7c. The water inlet passage 29 is provided at a position corresponding to the water inlet 7d. In this embodiment, the steam sensor 28 measures the temperature of the steam generated in the pot 6. Around the steam sensor 28, a ring-shaped packing 28a is provided so that the steam taken in from the steam inlet 7c is directed toward the steam sensor 28. Similarly, around the water inlet passage 29, a ring-shaped packing 29a is provided.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, one end of a cylindrical water supply pipe 31 is connected to the water inlet passage 29. The other end of the water supply pipe 31 is connected to the inside of the water container 3 through the outer lid hinge portion 1b. The water supply pipe 31 is provided with a water supply pump 32. When the water supply pump 32 is driven, the water in the water container 3 is supplied to the pot 6 through the water supply pipe 31, the water inlet passage 29, and the water inlet port 7d. In this embodiment, the water supply pipe 31 and the water supply pump 32 constitute a water supply unit that supplies the water in the water container 3 to the pot 6.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the upper wall of the outer lid 2 is provided with a display operation unit 8 that displays various types of rice cooking information such as the amount of rice cooked and the rice cooking course (white rice course, brown rice course, etc.) and allows the user to select specific rice cooking information from the various types of rice cooking information. The display operation unit 8 is configured to display various types of rice cooking information and to instruct the user to select the amount of rice cooked and the rice cooking course, as well as to start, cancel, schedule, and perform other operations. In this embodiment, the display operation unit 8 is an example of a selection unit that allows the user to select the amount of rice cooked.

As shown in FIG. 16, the housing 1 has a pot housing section 1c that houses a pot 6. A pot heating device 9 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the pot housing section 1c of the housing 1 at a position facing the pot 6. The pot heating device 9 is an example of a heating section that heats the pot 6. The pot heating device 9 is, for example, an induction heating coil that inductively heats the pot 6 when electricity is passed through it. A through hole is provided in the central bottom of the pot housing section 1c of the housing 1, and a pot temperature sensor 10, an example of a temperature detection section, is provided so as to contact the central bottom of the pot 6 through the through hole.

The control unit 11 is provided inside the housing 1. The control unit 11 controls the water pump 32, the drive source 26, the rice feed device 43, and the rice feed fan 44 to supply rice and water into the pot 6, and controls the pot heating device 9 to perform the rice cooking process. The control unit 11 is provided with a memory unit that stores multiple rice cooking sequences for cooking rice. Here, the "rice cooking sequence" refers to a rice cooking procedure in which the power supply time, heating temperature, heating time, heating output, etc. are predetermined for each of the four main processes of preheating, heating, maintaining boiling, and steaming, which are performed in sequence. Each rice cooking sequence corresponds to one of the multiple rice cooking courses. The control unit 11 controls the pot heating device 9 to perform the rice cooking process based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit 8 and the detected temperatures of the pot temperature sensor 10 and the steam sensor 28.

The control unit 11 also includes a memory unit that stores multiple preparatory sequences to be performed before the rice cooking process begins. Here, a "preparatory sequence" refers to a procedure in which the operating time of each pump or fan is predetermined for each process, including rice and water delivery. Based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit 8, the control unit 11 controls the water delivery pump 32, drive source 26, rice delivery device 43, and rice delivery fan 44 to perform each process.

When the control unit 11 drives the water supply pump 32, the water in the water container 3 is supplied into the pot 6 through the water supply pipe 31, the water inlet passage 29, and the water inlet 7d. When the control unit 11 drives the drive source 26, the arm 25 rotates about the pivot shaft 25a, and the rice inlet lid 23 moves from the closed position to the open position. When the control unit 11 then drives the rice sending device 43 and the rice sending fan 44, the rice in the rice container 4 is sent into the rice sending pipe 42 by the rice sending device 43, and the rice in the rice sending pipe 42 is sent into the pot 6 through the rice inlet 7a by the rice sending fan 44.

In this embodiment, the rice sending fan 44 is driven by the control unit 11 at a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 60% to 65% of the maximum rotation speed). At this time, if rice is clogged in the rice sending pipe 42 or dust or the like is clogged in the filter 45, the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 will be higher than the predetermined rotation speed due to pressure loss. For this reason, in this embodiment, when the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, the rice sending fan 44 is driven at an even higher rotation speed (for example, 100% of the maximum rotation speed). This makes it possible to eliminate clogging of the rice sending pipe 42 or the filter 45. In addition, since the rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 is not set to the maximum rotation speed under normal circumstances, noise caused by the operation of the rice sending fan 44 can be suppressed.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rice sending fan 44 is driven at a higher rotation speed than the actual rotation speed for a predetermined time, and then driven at a lower rotation speed. At this time, if the blockage of the rice sending pipe 42 or the filter 45 has not been cleared, the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 will be higher than the lower rotation speed. Therefore, when the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 is higher than the lower rotation speed, the control unit 11 is configured to issue a warning indicating that the blockage of the rice sending pipe 42 or the filter 45 has not been cleared. The warning is issued, for example, by voice or display from the display operation unit 8.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is configured so that the airflow generated by the rice-feeding fan 44 flows into the pot 6 together with the rice through the rice inlet 7a. This configuration reduces the speed at which the rice collides with the bottom wall of the pot 6, and reduces noise when feeding the rice.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the rice delivery pipe 42 has a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along the longitudinal direction. This allows the airflow generated by the rice delivery fan 44 to push the rice in the rice delivery pipe 42 into the pot 6 at a constant or approximately constant pressure, further reducing noise when delivering the rice.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the straight pipe section 42a of the rice delivery pipe 42 is arranged coaxially with the outer lid hinge section 1b and is provided so as to penetrate the side wall 2a of the outer lid 2. This configuration makes it possible to suppress the effects of the rotational movement of the outer lid 2 and to minimize the number of places where the rice delivery pipe 42 bends at a sharp angle (e.g., 90 degrees or more). This suppresses the pressure loss of the air flow caused by the bending of the rice delivery pipe 42 and improves the sealing performance of the rice delivery pipe 42. As a result, noise during rice delivery can be further suppressed.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is provided with a rice container lid 5 that can freely open and close the rice container opening 4a by rotating around the rice container hinge portion 4b. The rice container hinge portion 4b and the outer lid hinge portion 1b are arranged coaxially. The straight pipe portion 42a of the rice supply pipe 42 constitutes the rice container hinge portion 4b. This configuration makes it possible to suppress the influence of the rotational movement of the rice container lid 5 and to minimize the number of places where the rice supply pipe 42 bends at a sharp angle (for example, 90 degrees or more). This suppresses the pressure loss of the air flow caused by the bending of the rice supply pipe 42 and improves the sealing property of the rice supply pipe 42. As a result, noise during rice supply can be further suppressed. In addition, the rice container opening 4a can be secured large, improving the ease of refilling the rice container 4 with rice.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is also equipped with a rice-inlet lid 23 that freely opens and closes the rice-inlet 7a, and an annular sealing member 24 that seals the gap between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7 and also seals the gap between the rice-inlet lid 23 and the inner lid 7. With this configuration, a single sealing member 24 seals the gap between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7 and the gap between the rice-inlet lid 23 and the inner lid 7, which prevents an increase in the number of parts and improves sealing performance.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is also provided with an arm 25 that moves the rice-inlet lid 23 between a closed position that closes the rice inlet 7a and an open position that opens the rice inlet 7a. The arm 25 is located in the sealed space E1 when the rice-inlet lid 23 is in the closed position. With this configuration, by disposing the arm 25 in the sealed space E1, it is possible to prevent rice powder, insects, and the like from entering the outer lid 2 or the space between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the rice sending fan 44 is driven at a predetermined rotation speed, and when the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, it is driven at an even higher rotation speed. With this configuration, it is possible to estimate that there is a blockage in the rice sending pipe 42 or the filter 45 based on the rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44. Then, by driving the rice sending fan 44 at a rotation speed higher than the actual rotation speed, the blockage in the rice sending pipe 42 or the filter 45 can be cleared. As a result, noise during rice sending caused by blockage in the rice sending pipe 42 or the filter 45 can be suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be embodied in various other forms. For example, the display operation unit 8 is given above as an example of a selection means, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the selection means may be an information terminal device such as a smartphone. The selection means may also receive information selected by an information terminal device such as a smartphone, and select the amount of cooked rice, etc., based on the information.

In addition, although the rice cooker according to the present embodiment is described above as a non-pressure type rice cooker, the present invention is not limited to this. The rice cooker according to the present invention may be a pressure type rice cooker.

Although the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiment with appropriate reference to the drawings, various modifications and alterations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and alterations are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom.

The rice cooker according to the present invention can suppress noise generated when feeding rice, and is therefore useful, for example, as a fully automatic rice cooker that can automatically carry out the process from feeding rice and water into the pot to cooking the rice.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Housing 1a Top opening 1b Outer lid hinge portion 1c Pot storage portion 2 Outer lid 2a Side wall 2b Exhaust hole 3 Water container 4 Rice container 4a Rice container opening 4b Rice container hinge portion 5 Rice container lid 6 Pot 7 Inner lid 7a Rice inlet 7b Exhaust port 7c Steam inlet 7d Water inlet 8 Display operation portion (selection means)
9 Pot heating device (heating section)
10 Pot temperature sensor (temperature detection part)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 Control unit 21 Rice feeding unit 22 Outer casing member 23 Rice feeding lid 24 Sealing member 25 Arm 25a Rotating shaft 26 Driving source 27 Exhaust passage 28 Steam sensor 28a Gasket 29 Water feeding passage 29a Gasket 31 Water supply pipe 32 Water supply pump 41 Rice storage section 41a Inclined surface 42 Rice feeding pipe 42a Straight pipe section 42aa End 42b Sliding gasket 42c Joint section 42ca One end 42cb Other end 42d Tube 42da One end 42db Other end 43 Rice feeding device 44 Rice feeding fan 45 Filter E1 Sealed space

Claims (7)

A pot and
A housing having an upper opening and accommodating the pot through the upper opening;
A rice container for storing rice;
A rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot;
an outer lid that opens and closes an upper opening of the housing by rotating about an outer lid hinge portion provided on an upper portion of the housing;
An inner lid that is detachably attached to the outer lid and covers the opening of the pot in an openable and closable manner in accordance with the rotation of the outer lid;
Equipped with
The rice supplying department:
A cylindrical rice-transporting pipe whose one end is connected to the inside of the rice container and whose other end penetrates the inside of the outer lid and opens toward the rice-inlet provided in the inner lid;
A rice sending fan that generates an air flow from the rice container side toward the rice inlet in the rice sending pipe and pushes the rice in the rice sending pipe into the pot through the rice inlet;
Equipped with
A portion of the rice feed pipe is arranged coaxially with the outer lid hinge portion and penetrates a side wall of the outer lid. A pot and
A housing having an upper opening and accommodating the pot through the upper opening;
A rice container for storing rice provided along one side surface of the housing;
A rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot;
an outer lid that opens and closes an upper opening of the housing by rotating about an outer lid hinge portion provided on an upper portion of the housing;
An inner lid that is detachably attached to the outer lid and covers the opening of the pot in an openable and closable manner in accordance with the rotation of the outer lid;
Equipped with
The rice supplying department:
A cylindrical rice-transporting pipe having one end communicating with the inside of the rice container below the rice container and the other end penetrating the inside of the outer lid and opening toward the rice-inlet provided in the inner lid;
A rice sending fan is disposed below the rice container, and generates an air flow from the rice container side toward the rice inlet in the rice sending pipe, and pushes the rice in the rice sending pipe into the pot through the rice inlet.
Equipped with
A portion of the rice feed pipe is arranged coaxially with the outer lid hinge portion and penetrates a side wall of the outer lid. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rice delivery pipe has an internal flow passage with a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along the longitudinal direction. The rice container further includes a rice container lid that rotates around a rice container hinge portion to open and close the rice container opening provided above the rice container.
The rice container hinge portion and the outer lid hinge portion are arranged coaxially,
4. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the rice supply pipe passes through an inside of the rice container hinge part or constitutes at least a portion of the rice container hinge part. A rice-inputting lid portion that covers the rice-inputting port in an openable and closable manner;
An annular sealing member disposed around the rice inlet to seal the gap between the outer lid and the inner lid and to seal the gap between the rice inlet lid portion and the inner lid;
The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising: a closed position in which the rice insertion lid portion is brought into contact with the sealing member to close the rice insertion opening;
and an arm portion that moves the rice feed opening to an open position away from the sealing member,
When the rice-injection lid part is located at the closed position, the arm part is located in a sealed space between the outer lid and the inner lid, except for the other end of the rice-transporting tube.
The rice cooker according to claim 5 . The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rice-sending fan is driven at a predetermined rotation speed, and when the actual rotation speed of the rice-sending fan is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, the rice-sending fan is driven at an even higher rotation speed than the predetermined rotation speed.

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