JP7620818B2 - Rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rice cooker.

Conventionally, an example of this type of rice cooker is the rice cooker described in Patent Document 1 (JP Patent Publication No. 2020-5668). Patent Document 1 discloses a rice cooker that can automatically perform processes from washing to cooking rice.

JP 2020-5668 A

However, the rice cooker in Patent Document 1 is configured to draw water used for washing and cooking rice from a water supply outside the rice cooker. This requires the rice cooker to be installed near a water supply, restricting the installation location or requiring plumbing work at the installation location of the rice cooker. In addition, the rice cooker in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a lid unit that opens and closes the opening of the pot by rotating around a hinge axis, and a storage section for storing rice is provided above the lid unit. With this configuration, space is required to prevent the lid unit from coming into contact with the storage section when it rotates, making it difficult to reduce the height of the rice cooker and difficult to clean. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in the rice cooker in Patent Document 1 in terms of ease of installation and ease of cleaning.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a rice cooker that can solve the above problems and improve ease of installation and cleaning.

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 a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot;
A lid that can cover the opening of the pot by rotating around a rotation axis provided at the rear upper part of the housing, and can be opened and closed freely;
a water tank provided along one side surface of the housing and configured to store water;
a rice tank provided along one side surface of the housing and configured to store rice;
A rice cooker comprising:
The rice cooker is provided such that the water tank and the rice tank are arranged in series from the front side to the rear side of the rice cooker, and at least one of them is detachable.

The rice cooker of the present invention can improve ease of installation and cleaning.

1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the lid in an open state. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the lid open and the water tank removed. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the lid, the water tank, and the top wall of the rice tank removed. FIG. 2 is a top view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the upper wall of the lid and the operation board removed. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 with the bottom wall of the housing removed. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line A2-A2 in Figure 1. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a region surrounded by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 8 . 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of water in a water pipe during a water adjustment step before the start of a water pipe drainage step. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of water in the water pipe in the first half of the water pipe drainage process. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of water in the water pipe in the latter half of the water pipe drainage process. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a rice washing device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 .

According to one aspect of the present invention, a pan and
A housing having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot;
A lid that can cover the opening of the pot by rotating around a rotation axis provided at the rear upper part of the housing, and can be opened and closed freely;
a water tank provided along one side surface of the housing and configured to store water;
a rice tank provided along one side surface of the housing and configured to store rice;
A rice cooker comprising:
The rice cooker is provided such that the water tank and the rice tank are arranged in series from the front side to the rear side of the rice cooker, and at least one of them is detachable.

With this configuration, since the rice cooker is equipped with a water tank, there is no need to install it near a water supply, eliminating restrictions on installation location and the need for plumbing work. In addition, since the water tank and rice tank are provided along one side of the same housing and are arranged in series from the front side to the rear side, the rice cooker can be made smaller in height. Also, when viewed from above the rice cooker, the housing, water tank, and rice tank can be easily arranged in a space-efficient, compact (roughly rectangular) shape. This improves ease of installation.

In addition, according to the above configuration, at least one of the water tank and the rice tank is detachable, so that at least one of them can be removed for cleaning. This improves cleaning performance. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank with water or the rice tank with rice.

In the case of rice cookers that automatically perform everything from washing to cooking the rice, it is normal for water to be supplied to the pot from the lid. As mentioned above, if the water tank is installed along one side of the housing, the lid will rotate, so it becomes an issue to secure a path to supply water from the water tank to the lid.

In contrast, a rice cooker according to one aspect of the present invention may be configured to include a water supply path that supplies water from the water tank to the pot, the water supply path including a tank-side water supply pipe that connects the inside and outside of the water tank, and a lid-side water supply pipe that passes through the inside of the lid and connects the outside of the lid to the inside of the pot, and when the lid is in a closed state covering the opening of the pot, the tank-side water supply pipe and the lid-side water supply pipe are connected to each other so as to be in fluid communication with each other, and when the lid rotates to open the opening of the pot, the connection between the tank-side water supply pipe and the lid-side water supply pipe is released. With this configuration, the tank-side water supply pipe and the lid-side water supply pipe can be connected and released in conjunction with the rotation (opening and closing) of the lid. Therefore, a path for supplying water from the water tank to the lid can be secured with a simpler configuration.

The lid may be arranged to cover a portion of the water tank when the lid is in the closed state, one end of the tank-side water supply pipe may be arranged in a portion of the water tank, one end of the lid-side water supply pipe may be arranged on a surface facing the portion of the water tank, and one end of the tank-side water supply pipe and one end of the lid-side water supply pipe may be connected to be in fluid communication with each other when the lid rotates to cover the opening of the pot. With this configuration, it is possible to ensure a path for supplying water from the water tank to the lid with a simpler configuration.

The one end of the lid-side water supply pipe may be disposed on the side of the pivot tip of the lid, away from the pivot axis. With this configuration, the arc of the rotation trajectory of the one end of the lid-side water supply pipe when the lid rotates becomes closer to a straight line. As a result, the one end of the tank-side water supply pipe and the one end of the lid-side water supply pipe can be connected in a more linear manner, improving the reliability of the connection.

The lid-side water supply pipe may be provided with a first pump that sends fluid only from the water tank to the pot, and a second pump that is located closer to the water tank than the first pump and sends gas into the lid-side water supply pipe. With this configuration, the first pump sends fluid only from the water tank to the pot, so that the flow of fluid from the first pump to the pot can be restricted to one direction. Even if water accumulates in the lid-side water supply pipe, the second pump can send gas into the lid-side water supply pipe, so that the water in the lid-side water supply pipe can be discharged into the water tank or into the pot through the first pump.

The tank-side water supply pipe may be removably attached to the water tank. This configuration can further improve cleaning ease.

The water tank may be removable, while the rice tank may not be removable. This configuration can prevent the water tank and rice tank from being mistakenly installed in reverse. When refilling the rice tank with rice, the rice is likely to scatter around. By making the water tank, which is easy to refill, removable, it is possible to improve usability. By making the rice tank non-removable, it is possible to eliminate the need to consider the sealing of the rice tank. Furthermore, by removing the water tank, it is possible to remove the tank-side water supply pipe attached to the water tank as well, which can further improve cleaning ease.

The water tank may be disposed further forward than the rice tank. With this configuration, the water tank, which is easier to refill, is disposed forward, making it easier to use.

Furthermore, if water is left for a long time, problems such as the proliferation of bacteria can occur. If the water tank is too large, this problem becomes more pronounced and the rice cooker becomes larger. Conversely, if the water tank is too small, the frequency of refilling the water increases, making it less convenient to use. In response to this, the capacity of the water tank may be 1.0 to 1.5 times the capacity of the rice tank. With this configuration, it becomes easier to coordinate the timing of refilling the rice tank with rice and the timing of refilling the water tank with water, further improving usability. Furthermore, the occurrence of the above problems can be suppressed, and the rice cooker can be prevented from becoming larger.

The washing machine may also be provided with a drain tank that stores the water used in washing the rice, the drain tank being stored within the housing and being arranged so that a portion of the drain tank is exposed from a side of the housing that is different from the one side of the housing. With this configuration, the water tank and the drain tank, which both store water, are arranged in different positions at first glance, which reduces the risk of confusing the water tank with the drain tank. Also, storing the drain tank within the housing can help save space.

The rice cooker may also be provided with a selection unit that selects whether the rice stored in the rice tank is pre-washed rice or not. With this configuration, pre-washed rice, which does not require washing, and rice that does require washing (e.g., polished rice) can be cooked using procedures appropriate for each type.

The selection unit may also be provided in the rice tank. With this configuration, following the action of refilling the rice tank with rice, it becomes easier to select whether or not to use pre-rinsed rice in a single flow, improving usability.

The present invention also includes a rice washing device that washes rice using rice and water, a control unit that executes a rice sending process for sending rice in the rice tank into the rice washing device, a water sending process for sending water in the water tank into the rice washing device, a rice washing process for washing rice using the rice and water placed in the rice washing device, and a draining process for discharging the water in the rice washing device after the rice washing to the outside of the rice washing device, and when no-wash rice is selected by the selection unit, the control unit does not have to execute the rice washing process and the draining process.

The rice washing device also includes a receiving unit that receives rice type information transmitted from an information terminal device, a rice washing device that washes rice with rice and water, and a control unit that executes a rice sending process for sending rice in the rice tank into the rice washing device, a water sending process for sending water in the water tank into the rice washing device, a rice washing process for washing rice with the rice and water placed in the rice washing device, and a draining process for discharging the water in the rice washing device after the rice washing to the outside of the rice washing device. If the rice type information received by the receiving unit is non-wash rice, the control unit does not need to execute the rice washing process and the draining process.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a pot and
A housing having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot;
A lid that can cover the opening of the pot by rotating around a rotation axis provided at the rear upper part of the housing, and can be opened and closed freely;
a water tank provided along one side surface of the housing and configured to store water;
a water supply path for supplying water from the water tank to the pot;
Equipped with
The water supply path is
A tank-side water supply pipe that communicates between the inside and the outside of the water tank;
A lid-side water supply pipe that passes through the inside of the lid and communicates between the outside of the lid and the inside of the pot;
Equipped with
The rice cooker is provided with a first pump in the lid side water supply pipe for sending fluid only from the water tank side to the pot side, and a second pump that is disposed closer to the water tank than the first pump and sends gas into the lid side water supply pipe.

With this configuration, the first pump sends fluid only from the tank side to the pot side, so that the flow of fluid from the first pump to the pot side can be restricted to one direction. Even if water accumulates in the lid side water supply pipe, the second pump sends gas into the lid side water supply pipe, so that the water in the lid side water supply pipe can be discharged into the water tank or into the pot through the first pump.

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," and "rear" assuming normal use, but this is not intended to limit the use state of the rice cooker according to the present invention.

<<Embodiment>>
The overall configuration of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker of Fig. 1 with the lid in an open state, and is a view showing the lid in an open state. Fig. 3 is a view showing the rice cooker of Fig. 1 with the lid in an open state and the water tank removed. A perspective view showing the rice cooker of Fig. 1. The rice cooker according to this embodiment is a so-called fully automatic rice cooker that can automatically perform processes from washing rice to cooking rice.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rice cooker according to this embodiment includes a housing 1, a lid 2 that covers the top of the housing 1, and a rectangular or nearly rectangular water tank 3 and rice tank 4 that are arranged along one side 1a of the housing 1.

The housing 1 comprises a rectangular or approximately rectangular main body 11 and a rectangular or approximately rectangular base 12 on which the water tank 3 and rice tank 4 are placed. The main body 11 and base 12 have the same length in the front-to-rear direction Y, and are connected so that one side of each is spatially connected. The housing 1, main body 11, and base 12 each have a rectangular or approximately rectangular shape when viewed from above.

The base 12 is provided so as to extend laterally (to the left in FIG. 2 ) from the lower portion of one side surface 11a of the main body 11. The length of the base 12 in the height direction Z is set to be shorter than the length of the main body 11 in the height direction Z. This causes one side surface 11a of the main body 11 to be exposed to the outside. In this embodiment, one side surface 11a of the main body 11 corresponds to one side surface 1a of the housing 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 11 has a pot storage section 11b that stores the pot 5. A rotation axis TA extending in the horizontal direction X is provided at the upper rear portion of the main body 11. The horizontal direction X, the front-rear direction Y, and the height direction Z are perpendicular to one another. The lid 2 is attached to the rotation axis TA so as to be freely rotatable. The lid 2 is configured to cover the opening 5a of the pot 5 so as to be freely opened and closed by rotating about the rotation axis TA. In this embodiment, the lid 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped or approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the closed state where the lid 2 covers the opening 5a of the pot 5, the length of the lid 2 in the front-rear direction Y is the same as the length of the main body 11 in the front-rear direction Y. In the closed state of the lid 2, the total length of the main body 11 of the housing 1 and the lid 2 in the height direction Z is the same as the total length of the base 12 of the housing 1 and the water tank 3 or rice tank 4 in the height direction Z. In addition, in the closed state of the lid 2, the total length of the main body 11 and base 12 of the housing 1 in the horizontal direction X is the same as the total length of the lid 2 and the water tank 3 or rice tank 4 in the horizontal direction X. In other words, in the closed state of the lid 2, the rice cooker according to this embodiment has a rectangular or approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The water tank 3 is a container that stores water. The rice tank 4 is a container that stores rice. The water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 are arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker, and at least one of them is removable. In this embodiment, the water tank 3 is arranged further forward than the rice tank 4. Also, in this embodiment, the water tank 3 is removable as shown in FIG. 3, while the rice tank 4 is configured not to be removable. In this embodiment, the capacity of the water tank 3 is 1.0 to 1.5 times the capacity of the rice tank 4.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rice cooker in Figure 1 with the lid 2, water tank 3, and top wall of rice tank 4 removed. Figure 6 is a top view of the rice cooker in Figure 1 with the top wall of the lid 2 and the operation board removed. Figure 7 is a bottom view of the rice cooker in Figure 1 with the bottom wall of the housing 1 removed. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A2-A2 in Figure 1. Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area surrounded by the two-dot chain line in Figure 8.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, a rice washing device 6 is disposed within the lid 2. The rice washing device 6 is a device that washes rice using the water in the water tank 3 and the rice in the rice tank 4. The rice washing device 6 is provided so as to be located above the opening 5a of the pot 5 when the lid 2 is closed. In this embodiment, the rice washing device 6 is provided with an on-off valve (not shown) at a position corresponding to the opening 5a of the pot 5. The rice washed by the rice washing device 6 is stored (dropped) into the pot 5 when the on-off valve is opened. The water used for washing the rice by the rice washing device 6 is stored in a drainage tank 7 housed below the main body 11 of the housing 1.

The rice washing device 6 and the drain tank 7 are connected via a drain pipe 71, as shown in Figs. 5 to 7. In this embodiment, the drain pipe 71 extends through a pivot shaft housing portion TA1 that houses the pivot shaft TA. As shown in Fig. 7, the drain pipe 71 is provided with a drain pump 72. In this embodiment, the drain pump 72 is attached so as to connect the two drain pipes 71. When the drain pump 72 is driven, the water used to wash the rice in the rice washing device 6 is stored in the drain tank 7.

The drainage tank 7 is provided so that a portion of it is exposed from a side surface of the housing 1 that is different from the side surface 1a of the housing 1. In this embodiment, the drainage tank 7 is provided so that a portion of it is exposed from the front surface 11c of the main body 11, as shown in FIG. 5. The drainage tank 7 is also provided so that it can be removed. In this embodiment, the drainage tank 7 is configured as a pull-out tank, and can be removed by pulling it out forward, as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6 and 8 to 9, the rice washing device 6 and the water tank 3 are connected by a lid-side water supply pipe 81 and a tank-side water supply pipe 82. The lid-side water supply pipe 81 is a pipe that passes through the inside of the lid 2 and connects the outside of the lid 2 to the inside of the pot 5. In this embodiment, the lid-side water supply pipe 81 is connected to the inside of the pot 5 via the rice washing device 6. The tank-side water supply pipe 82 is a pipe that connects the inside of the water tank 3 to the outside of the water tank 3. In this embodiment, the tank-side water supply pipe 82 is detachably attached to the water tank 3. In this embodiment, the rice washing device 6, the lid-side water supply pipe 81, and the tank-side water supply pipe 82 form a water supply path that supplies water from the water tank 3 to the pot 5.

The lid-side water supply pipe 81 is provided with a water supply pump 83 and a water supply pipe drain pump 84. The water supply pump 83 is an example of a first pump that sends fluid (including water and gas) in only one direction from the water tank 3 side to the pot 5 side. The water supply pump 83 is, for example, a volumetric pump such as a diaphragm pump. In this embodiment, the water supply pump 83 is attached to connect the two lid-side water supply pipes 81. The water supply pipe drain pump 84 is an example of a second pump that is disposed closer to the water tank 3 than the water supply pump 83 and sends gas (for example, air) into the lid-side water supply pipe 81. In this embodiment, the water supply pipe drain pump 84 is connected to a branch pipe branched off from the lid-side water supply pipe 81.

2 and 3, one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 is provided on a surface facing the step portion 31, which is a part of the water tank 3. In this embodiment, one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 is exposed at a position facing the step portion 31. The step portion 31 of the water tank 3 protrudes toward one side surface 11a of the main body 11 and is shorter in height direction Z than the upper surface of the water tank 3, thereby creating a step. The lid 2 is provided so as to cover the step portion 31 of the water tank 3 when the lid 2 is in the closed state. In other words, the length of the lid 2 in the horizontal direction X is set to be longer than the length of the main body 11 in the horizontal direction X. In addition, in this embodiment, one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 is disposed on the side of the rotation tip portion 2a of the lid 2, which is away from the rotation axis TA.

One end 82a of the tank side water supply pipe 82 is provided on the step portion 31 of the water tank 3. In this embodiment, like one end 81a of the lid side water supply pipe 81, the one end 82a of the tank side water supply pipe 82 is located on the side of the pivot tip 2a of the lid 2 away from the pivot axis TA. When the lid 2 is in a closed state covering the opening 5a of the pot 5, the lid side water supply pipe 81 and the tank side water supply pipe 82 are connected so as to be fluidly connected to each other. Also, when the lid 2 rotates to open the opening 5a of the pot 5, the connection between the lid side water supply pipe 81 and the tank side water supply pipe 82 is released.

In this embodiment, one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 is attached to the periphery of the cylindrical lid-side connection part 2b that protrudes inward in the thickness direction of the lid 2, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. In addition, one end 82a of the tank-side water supply pipe 82 is provided so as to protrude toward the lid-side connection part 2b, and a cylindrical gasket 31a is attached around it. When the lid 2 rotates to cover the opening 5a of the pot 5, one end 82a of the tank-side water supply pipe 82 and one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 are connected so as to be fluidly connected to each other, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

The rice washing device 6 and the rice tank 4 are connected via a rice sending pipe 91, as shown in Figs. 4 to 8. In this embodiment, the rice sending pipe 91 extends through a pivot shaft housing TA1 that houses the pivot shaft TA. As shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 8, a rice sending fan 92 is provided at one end 91a of the rice sending pipe 91. When the rice sending fan 92 is driven, the rice in the rice sending pipe 91 is sent to the rice washing device 6. In this embodiment, the rice washing device 6 and the rice sending pipe 91 form a rice sending path that supplies rice in the rice tank 4 to the pot 5.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a rice sending device 93 is attached to the rice tank 4. The bottom of the rice tank 4 is formed to have a tapered cross section that protrudes downward. The rice sending device 93 is connected to the bottom of the rice tank 4 and is provided to extend in the horizontal direction X. The rice sending device 93 is also connected to the rice sending pipe 91. The rice sending device 93 is configured to take in rice in the rice tank 4 and send it out to the rice sending pipe 91.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rice tank 4 has a step 41 at a position facing a part of the lid 2. The step 41 of the rice tank 4 protrudes toward one side 11a of the main body 11 and is shorter in the height direction Z than the top surface of the rice tank 4, thereby creating a step. When the water tank 3 and rice tank 4 are placed on the base 12, the step 41 of the rice tank 4 is configured to be flush with the step 31 of the water tank 3. The lid 2 is provided to cover the step 31 of the water tank 3 and the step 41 of the rice tank 4 when the lid 2 is in the closed state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper wall of the lid 2 is provided with a display operation unit 21 that displays various types of cooking information such as the amount of cooked rice and cooking course (white rice course, brown rice course, etc.) and allows the user to select specific cooking information from the various types of cooking information. The display operation unit 21 includes a liquid crystal display 21A that displays various types of cooking information, and multiple buttons 21B that allow the user to select the amount of cooked rice and cooking course, as well as start, cancel, schedule, and other operations. While referring to the various types of cooking information displayed on the liquid crystal display 21A, the user can use the multiple buttons 21B to select specific cooking information and give instructions to start cooking, etc.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pot heating device 13 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of pot accommodating section 11b of housing 1 at a position facing pot 5. Pot heating device 13 is, for example, an induction heating coil that inductively heats pot 5 when electricity is passed through it. A through hole is provided in the central bottom of pot accommodating section 11b of housing 1, and a pot temperature sensor 14 is provided so as to contact the central bottom of pot 5 through the through hole.

The control unit 15 is provided inside the main body 11 of the housing 1. The control unit 15 has a memory unit that stores multiple cooking sequences for cooking rice. Here, a "cooking sequence" refers to a cooking procedure in which the power supply time, heating temperature, heating time, heating output, etc. are predetermined for each of the four main steps of preheating, heating, maintaining boiling, and steaming, which are performed in order. Each cooking sequence corresponds to one of multiple cooking courses. The control unit 15 controls the pan heating device 13 and performs the cooking process based on the cooking information selected on the display operation unit 21 and the temperature detected by the pan temperature sensor 14.

The control unit 15 also includes a memory unit that stores multiple preparatory sequences to be performed before the start of the rice cooking process. Here, a "preparatory sequence" refers to a rice washing procedure in which the operation time of each pump or fan is predetermined for each process, such as rice feeding, water feeding, rice washing, drainage, water injection, loading, water adjustment, and drain pipe drainage, are performed in order. The control unit 15 controls the drain pump 72, water feeding pump 83, water feeding pipe drain pump 84, and rice feeding fan 92 based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit 21, and performs each of the above processes.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rice tank 4 is provided with a selection unit 42 for selecting whether the rice stored in the rice tank 4 is pre-washed rice or not. In this embodiment, the selection unit 42 is a button provided on the top surface of the rice tank 4. The housing 1 is also provided with a receiving unit 43 for receiving rice type information transmitted from an information terminal device such as a smartphone. In this embodiment, the receiving unit 43 is provided on the front surface 11c of the main body 11 of the housing 1. The rice type information includes information on whether the rice is pre-washed rice or not. The control unit 15 is configured not to execute the rice washing process, the draining process, and the water pouring process when pre-washed rice is selected by the selection unit 42, or when the rice type information received by the receiving unit 43 is pre-washed rice.

Next, the operation of the rice cooker according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the rice cooker according to this embodiment.

First, in step S1, the user places the water tank 3 containing water and the rice tank 4 containing rice on the base 12 of the housing 1.

Next, in step S2, the user selects the rice cooking information. More specifically, the user selects the amount of rice to be cooked, the rice cooking course, and the like, using the display operation unit 21. The user also selects whether the rice placed in the rice tank 4 is pre-rinsed rice or not, using the selection unit 42. Alternatively, the user uses an information terminal device to transmit rice type information, including whether the rice placed in the rice tank 4 is pre-rinsed rice or not, to the receiving unit 43.

Next, in step S3, the control unit 15 detects whether or not an instruction to start cooking rice has been given by the user, for example by operating the display operation unit 21. If there is no instruction to start cooking rice ("NO" in step S3), the control unit 15 waits without operating the pump or the like. On the other hand, if there is an instruction to start cooking rice ("YES" in step S3), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S4 and detects whether or not no-rinse rice has been selected by the selection unit 42, or whether the rice type information received by the receiving unit 43 is no-rinse rice.

If the control unit 15 detects that the rice in the rice tank 4 is pre-washed rice ("YES" in step S4), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if the control unit 15 does not detect that the rice in the rice tank 4 is pre-washed rice ("NO" in step S4), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S8.

In step S5, the control unit 15 performs a rice sending process and a water sending process. The rice sending process is a process of sending rice in the rice tank 4 into the rice washing device 6. In the rice sending process, the control unit 15 drives the rice sending device 93 for a time predetermined according to the rice cooking information to move the rice in the rice tank 4 into the rice sending pipe 91, and drives the rice sending fan 92 to send the rice in the rice sending pipe 91 into the rice washing device 6. The water sending process is a process of sending water in the water tank 3 into the rice washing device 6. In the water sending process, the control unit 15 drives the water sending pump 83 for a time predetermined according to the rice cooking information to send the water in the water tank 3 into the rice washing device 6 through the tank side water sending pipe 82 and the lid side water sending pipe 81. The rice sending process and the water sending process may be performed in sequence or simultaneously. The amount of rice sent to the rice washing device 6 in the rice sending process may be an amount corresponding to the amount of rice cooked selected by the display operation unit 21 (hereinafter referred to as the set amount of rice cooked), or may be an amount obtained by dividing the set amount of rice cooked.

Next, in step S6, the control unit 15 performs the pouring process. The pouring process is a process in which the rice and water in the rice washing device 6 are poured into the pot 5. In the pouring process, the control unit 15 opens the opening/closing valve of the rice washing device 6 to pour the rice and water in the rice washing device 6 into the pot 5.

Next, in step S7, the control unit 15 detects whether the rice in the pot 5 is at the set cooking amount. If the rice in the pot 5 has not reached the set cooking amount ("No" in step S7), the control unit 15 returns to step S5 and performs the rice conveying process and the water conveying process. On the other hand, if the rice in the pot 5 has reached the set cooking amount ("YES" in step S7), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S14 and performs the water adjustment process described below.

If pre-rinsed rice is not selected by the selection unit 42 ("No" in step S4), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S8 and performs the rice sending process and the water sending process. The rice sending process and the water sending process in step S8 are the same as the rice sending process and the water sending process in step S5.

Next, in step S9, the control unit 15 performs a rice washing process. The rice washing process is a process in which rice is washed using the rice and water placed in the rice washing device 6. The control unit 15 drives the rice washing device 6 for a time period that is predetermined according to the rice cooking information, and washes the rice using the rice and water placed in the rice washing device 6.

Next, in step S10, the control unit 15 performs a drainage process. The drainage process is a process in which the water after washing the rice is discharged outside the rice washing device 6. In the drainage process, the control unit 15 drives the drain pump 72 for a time period that is predetermined according to the rice cooking information, and discharges the water after washing the rice from the rice washing device 6 to the drain tank 7 through the drain pipe 71.

Next, in step S11, the control unit 15 performs a water injection process. The water injection process is a process of sending water from the water tank 3 to the rice washing device 6 to prevent washed rice from adhering to the inner walls of the rice washing device 6 and falling into the pot 5. In the water injection process, the control unit 15 drives the water supply pump 83 for a time period that is predetermined according to the rice cooking information, and sends water from the water tank 3 into the rice washing device 6 through the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81.

Next, in step S12, the control unit 15 performs the input process. The input process in step S12 is the same as the input process in step S6.

Next, in step S13, the control unit 15 detects whether the rice in the pot 5 is at the set cooking amount. If the rice in the pot 5 has not reached the set cooking amount ("No" in step S13), the control unit 15 returns to step S8 and performs the rice conveying process and the water conveying process. On the other hand, if the rice and water in the pot 5 have reached the set cooking amount ("YES" in step S13), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S14 and performs the water adjustment process.

The water adjustment process is a process for adjusting the amount of water in the pot 5 to an amount (hereinafter referred to as the set water amount) that corresponds to the amount of rice to be cooked selected by the display operation unit 21. In the water adjustment process, the control unit 15 drives the water supply pump 83 to send water from the water tank 3 into the pot 5 through the tank side water supply pipe 82, the lid side water supply pipe 81, and the rice washing device 6 so that the amount of water in the pot 5 becomes the set water amount.

Next, in step S15, the control unit 15 performs a water supply pipe draining process. The water supply pipe draining process is a process for draining water remaining in the lid body side water supply pipe 81 and the tank side water supply pipe 82. The details of the water supply pipe draining process will be described in detail later.

Next, in step S16, the control unit 15 performs the rice cooking process. In this embodiment, the control unit 15 controls the pan heating device 13 based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit 21 and the temperature detected by the pan temperature sensor 14, and performs the rice cooking process.

In this way, the rice cooker according to this embodiment can automatically perform the process from washing to cooking rice.

Next, the water pipe drainage process will be explained in more detail. Figures 11A to 11C are explanatory diagrams showing the principle of the water pipe drainage process. In Figures 11A to 11C, the diagonal lines shown in the water tank 3, the tank side water pipe 82, the lid side water pipe 81, and the pot 5 represent water.

Figure 11A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of water in the tank-side water pipe 82 and the lid-side water pipe 81 during the water adjustment process, which is before the start of the water pipe drainage process. In the water adjustment process, the control unit 15 drives the water pump 83 to send water from the water tank 3 into the pot 5 through the tank-side water pipe 82 and the lid-side water pipe 81. At this time, the tank-side water pipe 82 and the lid-side water pipe 81 are filled with water.

Figure 11B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of the water in the tank side water pipe 82 and the lid side water pipe 81 during the first half of the water pipe drainage process. During the first half of the water pipe drainage process, the control unit 15 stops the operation of the water pump 83 and operates the water pipe drainage pump 84. This causes gas to be sent from the water pipe drainage pump 84, and the water in the tank side water pipe 82, which is located on the water tank 3 side of the water pipe drainage pump 84, returns to the water tank 3.

Figure 11C is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of the water in the tank-side water pipe 82 and the lid-side water pipe 81 during the latter half of the water pipe drainage process. During the latter half of the water pipe drainage process, the control unit 15 drives the water pump 83 while maintaining the operation of the water pipe drainage pump 84. As a result, the gas sent from the water pipe drainage pump 84 pushes the water in the tank-side water pipe 82, which is located on the pan 5 side of the water pipe drainage pump 84, and sends it into the pan 5.

In this manner, the water supply pipe drainage process is carried out. This water supply pipe drainage process can prevent the growth of bacteria and other contaminants due to water remaining in the lid side water supply pipe 81 and the tank side water supply pipe 82.

Next, an example of the configuration of the rice washing device 6 will be described. Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a rice washing device.

As shown in FIG. 12, the rice washing device 6 includes a rice washing motor 61, a rice washing blade 62, a rice washing tank 63, and an opening/closing valve 64.

The rice washing motor 61 is a driving source that generates power to rotate the rice washing blade 62. The rice washing blade 62 is attached to the output shaft 61a of the rice washing motor 61 and is configured to rotate around the output shaft 61a. The rice washing tank 63 is a part that contains the rice and water sent to the rice washing device 6, and is formed in a tapered shape so that the diameter decreases toward the bottom. The rice washing blade 62 is configured to wash the rice and water in the rice washing tank 63 by rotating along the tapered inner wall surface of the rice washing tank 63. A drain pipe 71 is connected to the rice washing tank 63. The water used for washing the rice in the rice washing tank 63 is sent to the drain tank 7 through the drain pipe 71. The opening and closing valve 64 is configured to be able to open and close the bottom of the rice washing tank 63. When the opening and closing valve 64 is opened, the rice washed in the rice washing tank 63 falls into the pot 5.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is equipped with a water tank 3, so there is no need to install the rice cooker near a water supply, eliminating restrictions on installation location and the need for plumbing work. In addition, the water tank 3 and rice tank 4 are provided along one side 1a of the same housing 1 and are arranged in series from the front side to the rear side, so the height direction Z of the rice cooker can be made smaller. Also, when viewed from above the rice cooker, the housing 1, water tank 3, and rice tank 4 can be easily arranged in a compact (approximately rectangular) shape with good space efficiency. This improves ease of installation.

In addition, with the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the water tank 3 is removable, so it can be removed for cleaning. This improves ease of cleaning. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank 3 with water.

In addition, according to the rice cooker of this embodiment, when the lid 2 is in the closed state, the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81 are configured to be connected so as to be fluidly connected to each other. Also, when the lid 2 rotates to open the opening 5a of the pot 5, the connection between the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81 is disconnected. With this configuration, the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81 can be connected and disconnected in conjunction with the rotation (opening and closing) of the lid 2. Therefore, with a simpler configuration, it is possible to ensure a path for supplying water from the water tank 3 to the lid 2.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the lid 2 is arranged to cover the step 31 of the water tank 3 when the lid 2 is in the closed state. One end 82a of the tank side water supply pipe 82 is arranged on the step 31 of the water tank 3, and one end 81a of the lid side water supply pipe 81 is arranged on the surface facing the step 31 of the water tank 3. When the lid 2 rotates to cover the opening 5a of the pot 5, the one end 82a of the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the one end 81a of the lid side water supply pipe 81 are connected to be in fluid communication with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to ensure a path for supplying water from the water tank 3 to the lid 2 with a simpler configuration.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 is disposed on the side of the rotation tip 2a of the lid 2, away from the rotation axis TA. With this configuration, the arc of the rotation trajectory of the one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 when the lid 2 rotates becomes closer to a straight line. As a result, the one end 82a of the tank-side water supply pipe 82 and the one end 81a of the lid-side water supply pipe 81 can be connected in a more linear manner, improving the reliability of the connection.

In addition, according to the rice cooker of this embodiment, the lid side water supply pipe 81 is provided with a water supply pump 83 that sends fluid only from the water tank 3 side to the pot 5 side, and a water supply pipe drain pump 84 that is located on the water tank 3 side of the water supply pump 83 and sends gas into the lid side water supply pipe 81. With this configuration, the water supply pump 83 sends fluid only from the water tank 3 side to the pot 5 side, so that the flow of fluid from the water supply pump 83 to the pot 5 side can be unidirectionally regulated. Even if water remains in the lid side water supply pipe 81, the water supply pipe drain pump 84 can send gas into the lid side water supply pipe 81, so that the water in the lid side water supply pipe 81 can be discharged into the water tank 3 or into the pot 5 through the water supply pump 83.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the tank-side water supply pipe 82 is removably attached to the water tank 3. This configuration can further improve cleaning ease.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the water tank 3 is removable, while the rice tank 4 is non-removable. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 from being mistakenly installed in reverse. When refilling the rice tank 4 with rice, the rice is likely to scatter around. By making the water tank 3, which is easy to refill, removable, it is possible to further improve usability. Furthermore, by making the rice tank 4 non-removable, it is possible to eliminate the need to consider the sealing property of the rice tank 4. Furthermore, by removing the water tank 3, the tank side water supply pipe 82 attached to the water tank 3 can also be removed together, which further improves cleaning ease.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the water tank 3 is positioned further forward than the rice tank 4. This makes it easier to refill the water tank 3 by positioning it forward, which further improves usability.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the capacity of the water tank 3 is set to be 1.0 to 1.5 times the capacity of the rice tank 4. This configuration makes it easier to coordinate the timing of refilling the rice tank 4 with rice and the timing of refilling the water tank 3 with water, improving usability. The reason for this is explained below.

For example, when cooking two cups of rice, the weight of the rice is 300g and the volume of the rice is 216ml. The amount of water suitable for cooking two cups of rice is 475ml. If only one cooking is considered, the capacity of the water tank 3 needs to be more than twice the capacity of the rice tank 4. However, as mentioned above, if the water is left for a long time, problems such as the proliferation of bacteria may occur. If the water tank 3 is too large, this problem becomes more noticeable and the rice cooker becomes larger. If the water tank 3 is too small, the frequency of refilling water increases, making it difficult to use. On the other hand, the water tank 3 is usually easier to refill than the rice tank 4. For example, when cooking two cups of rice twice, the volume of the rice is 432ml and the amount of water suitable for cooking two cups of rice is 475ml. In other words, by setting the capacity of the water tank 3 to be between 1.0 and 1.5 times the capacity of the rice tank 4, it becomes easier to match the timing of refilling the rice in the rice tank 4 n times (n is the natural number) with the timing of refilling the water in the water tank 3 2 x n times. Also, it is possible to prevent an increase in the frequency of refilling the water in the water tank 3, improving usability.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the drain tank 7 is stored within the housing 1 and is provided so that a portion of it is exposed from the front surface of the housing 1, which is different from the side surface 1a of the housing 1. With this configuration, the water tank 3 and the drain tank 7, which both contain water, are arranged in different positions at first glance, which reduces the risk of confusing the water tank 3 with the drain tank 7. Also, storing the drain tank 7 within the housing 1 can help save space.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is also equipped with a selection unit 42 that selects whether the rice stored in the rice tank 4 is pre-washed rice or not. This configuration allows pre-washed rice, which does not require washing, and rice that does require washing (e.g., polished rice), to be cooked using the appropriate procedure for each type.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the selection unit 42 is provided on the top surface of the rice tank 4. With this configuration, following the action of refilling the rice tank 4 with rice, it becomes easier to select whether or not to use pre-rinse rice in a single flow, improving usability.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented in various other aspects. For example, in the above, the water tank 3 is removable and the rice tank 4 is non-removable, but the present invention is not limited to this. If at least one of the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 is removable, then at least one of them can be removed for cleaning. This improves cleaning performance. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank 3 with water or the rice tank 4 with rice.

It is not necessary that at least one of the water tank 3 and rice tank 4 is detachable, and both may be non-detachable. For example, by providing a water supply pump 83 and a water supply pipe drain pump 84, a unique effect is achieved in that even if water remains in the lid side water supply pipe 81, the water in the lid side water supply pipe 81 can be drained into the water tank 3 or the pot 5. In such a configuration, the water tank 3 and rice tank 4 do not need to be detachable.

In the above, the rice tank 4 has a rectangular or approximately rectangular shape like the water tank 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rice tank 4 may be configured to be stored in a rectangular or approximately rectangular container as shown in FIG. 13. In this case, the rice sending device 93 may be arranged outside the rice tank 4 so as to communicate the bottom of the rice tank 4 with the rice sending pipe 91, rather than inside the rice tank 4, and may be configured to send rice that falls from inside the rice tank 4 to the rice sending pipe 91. This configuration makes it easier to attach and detach the rice tank 4.

In the above description, the water tank 3 is disposed forward of the rice tank 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the water tank 3 may be disposed rearward of the rice tank 4. In other words, the positions of the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 may be interchanged.

In the above, the selection unit 42 and the receiving unit 43 are provided to detect whether the rice stored in the rice tank 4 is pre-washed rice or not, but the present invention is not limited to this. Either the selection unit 42 or the receiving unit 43 may be provided. The selection unit 42 may also be provided in the display operation unit 21.

In the above, the rice is washed in the rice washing device 6, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rice may be washed in the pot 5, as in the rice cooker of Patent Document 1.

Although the water pouring step is performed in the above description, the present invention is not limited to this. The water pouring step does not necessarily have to be performed. For example, the inner wall of the rice washing device 6 may be embossed to prevent washed rice from adhering to the inner wall of the rice washing device 6 and falling into the pot 5.

Although the above describes the introduction step, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the rice is washed in the pot 5, as in the rice cooker of Patent Document 1, the introduction step does not need to be performed.

In addition, although the water adjustment step is performed in the above description, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the amount of water in the pot 5 reaches a set amount through the water supply step of step S5 or the water pouring step of step S11, there is no need to perform the water adjustment step.

In addition, any of the various embodiments described above can be combined as appropriate to achieve the effects of each.

For example, various configurations may be effective regardless of the arrangement of the water tank 3 and rice tank 4. Also, various configurations may be effective regardless of whether the water tank 3 and rice tank 4 are detachable or not. Below, specific examples of combinations of various configurations are described. Below, for configurations similar to this embodiment, please refer to Figures 1 to 13.

(Configuration A: Water Path Removal Configuration)
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 8, the rice cooker of the configuration A has the following features:
Five pots and
A housing 1 having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot 5;
A lid body 2 that can cover an opening of the pot 5 in an openable and closable manner by rotating about a rotation axis TA provided at the rear upper part of the housing 1;
a water tank 3 provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1 and configured to store water;
A rice cooker comprising:
A water supply path is provided for supplying water from the water tank 3 to the pot 5.
The water supply path is
A tank-side water supply pipe 82 that communicates between the inside and the outside of the water tank 3;
A lid-side water supply pipe 81 that passes through the inside of the lid 2 and communicates between the outside of the lid 2 and the inside of the pot 5;
Equipped with
When the lid 2 is in a closed state covering the opening of the pot 5, the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81 may be connected to each other so as to be fluidly connected to each other, and when the lid 2 rotates to open the opening of the pot 5, the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81 may be disconnected. The rice may be either washed or unwashed.

With this configuration, the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the lid side water supply pipe 81 can be connected and disconnected in conjunction with the rotation (opening and closing) of the lid 2. Therefore, with a simpler configuration, it is possible to ensure a path for supplying water from the water tank 3 to the lid 2.

(1) In addition to the above configuration A, the housing 1 may also be provided with a rice tank 4 for storing rice, as in this embodiment. The rice tank 4 may also be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1. This configuration allows the rice cooker to be made smaller and easier to install.

(2) In addition to the above configuration A, the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 may be arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker, and at least one of them may be removable. This configuration improves cleaning ease. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank 3 with water and the rice tank 4 with rice.

(3) In addition to the above configuration A, the lid body has the following features:
The lid 2 is provided so as to cover a part of the water tank 3 (e.g., a step portion 31) when the lid 2 is in the closed state,
One end 82a of the tank-side water supply pipe 82 is provided in a part of the water tank 3,
One end 81a of the lid body side water supply pipe 81 is provided on a surface facing a part of the water tank 3,
When the lid 2 rotates to cover the opening of the pot 5, one end 82a of the tank side water supply pipe 82 and one end 81a of the lid side water supply pipe 81 may be connected so as to be fluidly connected to each other.

This configuration makes it possible to ensure a path for supplying water from the water tank 3 to the lid body 2 with a simpler configuration.

The one end 81a of the lid body side water supply pipe 81 may be disposed on the side of the rotation tip 2a of the lid body 2, away from the rotation axis TA. With this configuration, the arc of the rotation trajectory of the one end 81a of the lid body side water supply pipe 81 when the lid body 2 rotates becomes closer to a straight line. As a result, the one end 82a of the tank side water supply pipe 82 and the one end 81a of the lid body side water supply pipe 81 can be connected in a more linear manner, improving the reliability of the connection.

(Configuration B: Rice and water tank volume ratio)
As shown in FIG. 2, the rice cooker of configuration B is as follows:
Five pots and
A housing 1 having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot 5;
A lid body 2 that can cover an opening of the pot 5 in an openable and closable manner by rotating about a rotation axis TA provided at the rear upper part of the housing 1;
A water tank 3 provided in the housing 1 and configured to store water;
A rice tank 4 is provided in the housing 1 and stores rice.
The capacity of the water tank 3 may be 1.0 to 1.5 times the capacity of the rice tank 4. It is preferable that this rice cooker is dedicated to no-rinse rice. In this case, the rice stored in the rice tank 4 is no-rinse rice. In other words, the rice cooker of configuration B does not execute steps S8 to S13 of the process shown in FIG.

This configuration makes it easier to coordinate the timing of refilling the rice tank 4 with the timing of refilling the water tank 3 with water, improving usability.

(1) In addition to the above configuration B, the water tank 3 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1, as in this embodiment. The rice tank 4 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1. This configuration allows the rice cooker to be made smaller and easier to install.

(2) In addition to the above configuration B, the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 may be arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker, and at least one of them may be removable. This configuration improves cleaning ease. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank 3 with water and the rice tank 4 with rice.

(3) In addition to the above configuration B, the water tank 3 may be removable, while the rice tank 4 may not be removable. The water tank 3 may be disposed forward of the rice tank 4. The effects of each configuration are the same as those of this embodiment.

(Configuration C: Drainage tank)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the rice cooker of configuration C is as follows:
Five pots and
A housing 1 having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot 5;
A lid body 2 that can cover an opening of the pot 5 in an openable and closable manner by rotating about a rotation axis TA provided at the rear upper part of the housing 1;
A water tank 3 provided in the housing 1 and configured to store water;
A rice tank 4 provided in the housing 1 for storing rice;
The machine may further include a drain tank 7 that is provided in the housing 1 and that stores the water used for washing the rice. The rice may be either washed or non-washed.

According to this configuration, when the rice is washed, the rice cooker executes the rice washing process S6 shown in FIG. 10, and the wastewater generated in the rice washing process S6 can be stored in the drainage tank 7. Therefore, it is not necessary to install the rice cooker near a sink or the like, which increases ease of installation.

(1) In addition to the above configuration C, the water tank 3 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1, as in this embodiment. The rice tank 4 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1, as in this embodiment. This configuration allows the rice cooker to be made smaller and easier to install.

(2) In addition to the above configuration C, the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 may be arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker, and at least one of them may be removable. This configuration improves cleaning ease. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank 3 with water and the rice tank 4 with rice.

(3) In addition to the above configuration C, the water tank 3 may be removable, while the rice tank 4 may not be removable. The water tank 3 may be disposed forward of the rice tank 4. The effects of each configuration are the same as those of this embodiment.

(4) In addition to the above configuration C, the drain tank 7 may be housed within the housing 1 and be partially exposed from a side of the housing 1 other than the side 1a of the housing 1 (for example, the front surface 11c). With this configuration, the water tank 3 and the drain tank 7, which both contain water, are arranged in different positions at first glance, which reduces the risk of confusing the water tank 3 with the drain tank 7. Furthermore, by storing the drain tank 7 within the housing 1, space can be saved.

(Configuration D: Pump)
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the rice cooker of configuration D is as follows:
Five pots and
A housing 1 having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot 5;
A lid body 2 that can cover an opening of the pot 5 in an openable and closable manner by rotating about a rotation axis TA provided at the rear upper part of the housing 1;
A water tank 3 provided in the housing 1 and configured to store water;
A rice cooker comprising:
A water supply path is provided for supplying water from the water tank 3 to the pot 5.
The water supply path is
A tank-side water supply pipe 82 that communicates between the inside and the outside of the water tank 3;
A lid-side water supply pipe 81 that passes through the inside of the lid 2 and communicates between the outside of the lid 2 and the inside of the pot 5;
Equipped with
The lid body side water supply pipe 81 may be provided with a first pump (e.g., water supply pump 83) that supplies fluid only from the water tank 3 side to the pot 5 side, and a second pump (e.g., water supply pipe drain pump 84) that is disposed closer to the water tank 3 than the first pump and supplies gas into the lid body side water supply pipe 81. The rice may be either washed or unwashed.

With this configuration, the first pump sends fluid only from the water tank 3 to the pot 5, so that the flow of fluid from the first pump to the pot 5 can be restricted to one direction. Even if water accumulates in the lid side water supply pipe 81, the second pump sends gas into the lid side water supply pipe 81, so that the water in the lid side water supply pipe 81 can be discharged into the water tank 3 or into the pot through the first pump.

(1) In addition to the above configuration D, the water tank 3 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1, as in this embodiment. Also, as in this embodiment, the housing 1 may include a rice tank 4 for storing rice. The rice tank 4 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1. This configuration allows the rice cooker to be made smaller and easier to install.
(2) In addition to the above configuration D, the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 may be arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker, and at least one of them may be removable. This configuration improves cleaning properties. It also makes it easier to refill the water tank 3 with water and the rice tank 4 with rice.

(Configuration E: No-rinse rice/washed rice selection button)
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the rice cooker of configuration E is as follows:
Five pots and
A housing 1 having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot 5;
A lid body 2 that can cover the opening of the pot by rotating around a rotation axis TA provided at the rear upper part of the housing, so as to be freely opened and closed;
A rice tank 4 for storing rice provided in the housing 1;
The rice cooker may further include a selection unit 42 for selecting whether the rice contained in the rice tank 4 is pre-washed rice or not. With this configuration, pre-washed rice that does not require washing and rice that requires washing (e.g., polished rice) can be cooked in a procedure suitable for each type of rice. The selection unit 42 may be provided in the display operation unit 21.

(1) In addition to the above configuration E, the selection unit 42 may be provided in the rice tank 4. With this configuration, following the action of refilling the rice tank 4 with rice, it becomes easier to select whether or not the rice is pre-rinsed rice in a series of steps, thereby improving usability.

(2) In addition to the above configuration E, the water tank 3 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1, as in this embodiment. The rice tank 4 may be provided along one side surface 1a of the housing 1, as in this embodiment. This configuration allows the rice cooker to be made smaller and easier to install.

(3) In addition to the above configuration E, the water tank 3 and the rice tank 4 may be arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker, and at least one of them may be removable. This configuration improves cleaning ease. It also makes it easy to refill the water tank 3 with water and the rice tank 4 with rice.

(4) In addition to the above configuration E, the water tank 3 may be removable, while the rice tank 4 may not be removable. The water tank 3 may be disposed forward of the rice tank 4. The effects of each configuration are the same as those of this embodiment.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being 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 is useful, for example, as a rice cooker for home and commercial use, as it can improve ease of installation and cleaning.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 1a One side 2 Lid 2a Pivot tip 2b Lid side connection 3 Water tank 4 Rice tank 5 Pot 5a Opening 6 Rice washing device 7 Drain tank 11 Main body 11a One side 11b Pot storage section 11c Front 12 Base 13 Pot heating device 14 Pot temperature sensor 15 Control section 21 Display operation section 21A Liquid crystal display 21B Button 31 Step section 31a Gasket 41 Step section 42 Selection section 43 Receiving section 61 Rice washing motor 61a Output shaft 62 Rice washing blade 63 Rice washing tank 64 Opening/closing valve 71 Drain pipe 72 Drain pump 81 Lid side water supply pipe 81a One end 82 Tank side water supply pipe 82a One end 83 Water pump 84 Water pipe drain pump 91 Rice pipe 91a One end 92 Rice fan 93 Rice sending device TA Rotating shaft TA1 Rotating shaft housing

Claims (17)

A pot and
A housing having a pot accommodating portion for accommodating the pot;
A lid that can cover the opening of the pot by rotating around a rotation axis provided at the rear upper part of the housing, and can be opened and closed freely;
a water tank provided in the housing and configured to store water;
A rice tank provided in the housing and configured to store rice;
A selection unit for selecting whether the rice stored in the rice tank is pre-washed rice or not;
A rice washing device that washes rice with rice and water;
a control unit that executes a rice sending step of sending the rice in the rice tank into the rice washing device, a water sending step of sending the water in the water tank into the rice washing device, a rice washing step of washing the rice with the rice and water placed in the rice washing device, a draining step of discharging the water in the rice washing device after the rice washing to the outside of the rice washing device, and a water pouring step of sending the water in the water tank into the rice washing device after the draining step;
A rice cooker equipped with: The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit is provided in the rice tank. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when no-rinse rice is selected by the selection unit , the control unit does not execute the rice washing process and the draining process. A receiving unit is provided for receiving rice variety information transmitted from an information terminal device,
The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the rice type information received by the receiving unit is no-rinse rice, the control unit does not execute the rice washing process and the draining process. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a drainage tank that is removably housed within the housing and that contains water used for washing the rice. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the rice tank and the water tank is removable. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rice tank and the water tank are arranged along one of a pair of sides of the housing. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rice tank and the water tank are arranged in series from the front to the rear of the rice cooker. A water supply path is provided for supplying water from the water tank to the pot,
The water supply path is
A tank-side water supply pipe that communicates between the inside and the outside of the water tank;
A lid-side water supply pipe that passes through the inside of the lid and communicates between the outside of the lid and the inside of the pot;
Equipped with
The rice cooker of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein when the lid is in a closed state covering the opening of the pot, the tank side water pipe and the lid side water pipe are connected to be fluidly connected to each other, and when the lid rotates to open the opening of the pot, the connection between the tank side water pipe and the lid side water pipe is released. the lid is provided to cover a portion of the water tank when the lid is in the closed state,
One end of the tank-side water supply pipe is provided in a part of the water tank,
One end of the lid-side water supply pipe is provided on a surface facing a part of the water tank,
The rice cooker according to claim 9, wherein when the lid is rotated to cover the opening of the pot, one end of the tank-side water supply pipe and one end of the lid-side water supply pipe are connected to each other so as to be in fluid communication with each other. The rice cooker according to claim 10, wherein one end of the lid-side water supply pipe is disposed on the side of the pivot tip of the lid, away from the pivot shaft. The lid-side water supply pipe has a first pump that sends fluid only from the water tank side to the pot side.
The rice cooker according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a second pump arranged closer to the water tank than the first pump and configured to send gas into the lid body side water supply pipe. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the tank-side water supply pipe is detachably attached to the water tank. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the water tank is removable, while the rice tank is non-removable. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the water tank is disposed further forward of the rice cooker than the rice tank. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the capacity of the water tank is 1.0 to 1.5 times the capacity of the rice tank. A rice supply path is provided for supplying rice from the rice tank to the pot,
The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein at least a portion of the rice sending path is detachable from the housing.

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