JP7634225B2 - 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 a series of operations, including supplying rice, supplying water, and cooking rice.

JP 2020-5668 A

However, the rice cooker of Patent Document 1 is equipped with a lid unit that is attached to the drawer unit via a hinge shaft and rotates around the hinge shaft to open and close the opening of the pot, and a storage section for storing rice is provided above the lid unit. With this configuration, space is required to prevent the lid unit attached to the drawer unit from coming into contact with the storage section when it rotates, making it difficult to reduce the height of the rice cooker. This makes it difficult to reduce the space occupied when installing the rice cooker, and limits the installation location of the rice cooker. In addition, because the drawer unit has a storage section for the pot, and the storage section has a heating device for heating the pot, it is difficult to wash the entire lid unit and storage section, and cleanability is poor. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in the rice cooker of Patent Document 1 in terms of improving ease of installation and cleanability.

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 pot container for accommodating the pot;
A housing having a storage area for storing the pot container;
A rice container provided inside the housing and above the storage area for storing rice;
A lid body that is detachably attached to the pot container so as to be positioned between the pot container and the rice container when the pot container is accommodated in the accommodation area and covers an opening of the pot;
a pan heating device provided inside the housing and below the storage area for heating the pan;
Equipped with
The rice cooker provided is one in which the pot container and the lid are detachable from the housing by sliding relative to the rice container and the pot heating device between the storage area and the outside of the housing and to the side of the storage area while the lid covers the opening of the pot.

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 an exploded perspective view of the lid, pot, and pot container of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . 2 is a diagram showing a recess provided in the bottom of a pot container in the rice cooker of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a convex portion provided on the mounting surface of the weight detection device so as to correspond to a concave portion provided on the bottom of the pot in the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 of FIG. 1. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a communication member has moved to a second communication position, the cross-sectional view being partially enlarged in FIG. 4 . 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a communication member has moved to a first communication position, the cross-sectional view being partially enlarged in FIG. 4 . 5B is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the protrusion of the communication member in the second communication position shown in FIG. 5A and the elongated hole into which the protrusion is inserted. FIG. 5C is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the protrusion of the communication member in the first communication position shown in FIG. 5B and the elongated hole into which the protrusion is inserted. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view showing the water supply device of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 in a state where the communication member has moved to a second communication position. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view showing the water supply device of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 in a state where a communication member has moved to a first communication position. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 . 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the rice cooker of FIG. 1 .

According to one aspect of the present invention, a pan and
A pot container for accommodating the pot;
A housing having a storage area for storing the pot container;
A rice container provided inside the housing and above the storage area for storing rice;
A lid body that is detachably attached to the pot container so as to be positioned between the pot container and the rice container when the pot container is accommodated in the accommodation area and covers an opening of the pot;
a pan heating device provided inside the housing and below the storage area for heating the pan;
Equipped with
The rice cooker provided is one in which the pot container and the lid are detachable from the housing by sliding relative to the rice container and the pot heating device between the storage area and the outside of the housing and to the side of the storage area while the lid covers the opening of the pot.

With this configuration, the pot container can be slid outside the housing and to the side of the storage area while the lid remains covering the opening of the pot contained in the pot container, so unlike conventional rice cookers, no space is required to rotate the lid so that it does not come into contact with the rice container. This means that the rice cooker can be made smaller than conventional rice cookers and takes up less space when installed, so the rice cooker can be installed in a larger area than before, and the installation location is less restricted. This improves ease of installation.

In addition, according to the above configuration, since the pot heating device is provided inside the housing and below the pot container housed in the storage area, the pot container does not have a pot heating device. Therefore, the pot, pot container, and lid that have been slid outside the housing and to the side of the storage area can be disassembled and each can be washed in its entirety, making cleaning easy. Therefore, cleaning can be improved.

The lid may further include a rice feed device that feeds rice from the rice container into the pot and a water feed device that feeds water into the pot, and may have holes through which the rice fed by the rice feed device and the water fed by the water feed device pass when they are fed into the pot. In conventional rice cookers, when rice and water are fed into the pot through the same path in the lid, residues of mixed rice and water components may adhere to the path in the lid, which may cause mold to grow. In conventional rice cookers, the lid is attached to the housing side, and it is difficult to clean the path in the lid, so holes for feeding rice and holes for feeding water are provided separately. In contrast, in the rice cooker according to the above aspect, rice and water pass through the same hole when they are fed into the pot, but the lid slides and separates from the housing, allowing the entire lid to be washed, improving cleanability. In addition, in the rice cooker according to the above embodiment, rice and water are supplied to the pot through the same hole, so fewer holes need to be provided in the lid than in conventional rice cookers, improving heat retention.

The rice cooker may further include a steam cylinder capable of discharging steam to the outside of the housing, and a communication member that can be moved between a first communication position that fluidly connects the hole to the steam cylinder and a second communication position that fluidly connects the hole to the rice sending device and the water sending device. When the communication member is located at the first communication position, the communication member is configured to be able to discharge steam generated in the pot and pass through the hole to the outside of the housing, and when the communication member is located at the second communication position, the rice sent by the rice sending device and the water sent by the water sending device may be supplied to the pot through the hole. According to this configuration, the communication target of the hole can be switched by moving the communication member to the first communication position and the second communication position, so that steam in the pot can be discharged and rice and water can be supplied to the pot through the same hole. Therefore, the number of holes provided in the lid can be reduced compared to conventional rice cookers, improving heat retention. In addition, the steam in the pot can be discharged to the outside of the housing through the steam tube without flowing to the rice delivery device or water delivery device, so the rice and water before cooking are not altered by the steam, preventing a decline in the quality of the cooked rice.

The communication member may have a sealant that seals the periphery of the hole in the first communication position, and the sealant may be configured to move upward away from the lid and then move horizontally when the communication member moves from the first communication position to the second communication position. With this configuration, the sealant seals the periphery of the hole in the first communication state, so that steam in the pot can be more reliably discharged to the outside of the housing. Furthermore, when the communication member moves from the first communication position to the second communication position, the sealant moves upward away from the lid and then moves horizontally, preventing friction between the sealant and the lid during the horizontal movement and reducing the possibility of the sealant being damaged.

The container further includes a weight detection device on which the pot container accommodated in the accommodation area is placed,
The amount of rice and water supplied to the pot contained in the pot container may be measured based on the weight detected by the weight detection device. In conventional rice cookers, the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot is measured before the rice and water are supplied to the pot based on the rotation speed or driving time of the rice and water supply device, for example, and the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot is estimated. Therefore, the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot is not measured accurately. In contrast, in the rice cooker according to the above embodiment, the amount of rice and water is measured after the rice and water are supplied to the pot based on the weight detected by the weight detection device of the pot container in which the pot is contained, so that the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot can be measured more accurately.

The control unit may also be provided to measure the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot based on the weight detected by the weight detection device and to control the rice feeding device and the water feeding device, and the control unit may control one of the rice feeding device and the water feeding device to supply one of the rice and water into the pot, and then control the other of the rice feeding device and the water feeding device to supply the other of the rice and water into the pot, and may measure the amount of one of the rice and water supplied to the pot by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device after one of the rice and water has been supplied to the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device before the rice and water have been supplied to the pot, and may measure the amount of the other of the rice and water supplied to the pot by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device after one of the rice and water has been supplied to the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device after the rice and water have been supplied to the pot.

According to this configuration, the weight detected by the weight detection device before rice and water are supplied into the pot is measured as the weight of the pot container, and the weight detected by the weight detection device after one of rice and water is supplied into the pot is measured as the weight of the pot container and one of rice and water supplied into the pot. Therefore, the amount of one of rice and water supplied into the pot is measured by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device after one of rice and water is supplied into the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device before rice and water are supplied into the pot. Also, the weight detected by the weight detection device after rice and water are supplied into the pot is measured as the weight of the pot container and the rice and water supplied into the pot. Therefore, the amount of the other of rice and water supplied into the pot is measured by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device after one of rice and water is supplied into the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device after rice and water are supplied into the pot. As a result, the rice cooker according to the above aspect can measure the rice and water in the pot based only on the measurement results by the weight detection device.

The weight detection device may also detect the weight when the sealing material is positioned away from the lid. With this configuration, since the sealing material is away from the lid when the weight is measured, it is possible to prevent weight from being applied to the pot container from outside the pot container via the sealing material. This improves the accuracy of the weight detection device in measuring the amount of rice and water supplied into the pot.

The control unit may also control the water supply device to supply water into the pot, measure the amount of water supplied into the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device, and then control the rice supply device to supply rice in an amount corresponding to the measured amount of water into the pot. According to this configuration, the control unit can control the water supply device to supply water into the pot, measure the amount of water supplied into the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device, and then control the rice supply device to supply rice in an amount corresponding to the measured amount of water into the pot. For example, when the water supplied into the pot by the water supply device is stored in the water container, the amount of water that can be stored in the water container is limited, and by repeatedly cooking rice, an amount of water less than the amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice cooked by the user of the rice cooker may remain in the water container. In this case, if an amount of rice appropriate for the amount of rice cooked by the user of the rice cooker is supplied into the pot in advance for cooking rice, the amount of water supplied to the pot may be insufficient, making it impossible to cook rice with the desired taste. In contrast, with the rice cooker described above, water is first supplied to the pot and the amount of water is measured, and then the amount of rice corresponding to the measured amount of water is supplied to the pot, making it possible to cook rice with the desired flavor.

The pot may further include a water container capable of containing water supplied by the water supply device into the pot, and an opening through which the water supplied by the water supply device passes may be provided at the top of the water container. According to this configuration, an opening through which the water supplied by the water supply device passes may be provided at the top of the water container capable of containing water supplied by the water supply device into the pot. Therefore, by storing water in the water container such that the water level is located below the opening of the water container, it is possible to prevent the water in the water container from leaking out of the opening of the water container.

In addition, a recess may be provided on one of the mounting surface of the weight detection device on which the pot is placed and the bottom surface of the pot, and a protrusion corresponding to the recess may be provided on the other of the mounting surface and the bottom surface, and the pot is guided to move to a predetermined position where the weight detection device can detect the weight of the pot by the protrusion sliding within the recess relative to the recess. According to this configuration, a recess may be provided on one of the mounting surface of the weight detection device and the bottom surface of the pot, and a protrusion corresponding to the recess may be provided on the other. The protrusion slides within the recess relative to the recess, and the pot is guided to move to a predetermined position where the weight detection device can detect the weight of the pot. Therefore, even if the pot is repeatedly slid, it can be moved to the predetermined position more reliably, preventing a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the weight detection device.

The apparatus further includes a water supply device that supplies water to the pot, the water supply device having a water supply pipe through which a fluid can flow, one end of the water supply pipe opening toward the hole in the lid, and the water supply pipe may be provided with a first pump that supplies fluid only from the other end side of the water supply pipe to the pot side of the water supply pipe, and a second pump that supplies gas into the water supply pipe between the first pump and the other end of the water supply pipe. With this configuration, the first pump supplies fluid only from the other end side of the water supply pipe to the pot side, thereby restricting the flow of fluid from the first pump to the pot side in one direction. Even if water stagnates in the water supply pipe, the second pump supplies gas into the water supply pipe, thereby discharging the water in the water supply pipe to the other end side of the water supply pipe or into the pot through the first pump and the hole in the lid.

In addition, an insulating layer or an air layer may be formed in the side wall of the pot container, which is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the material constituting the pot container. The pot container for housing the pot does not have a pot heating device, so the side wall can be made thin to fit the shape of the pot. Holding a pot container with a thin side wall in the hand may cause burns. In the rice cooker of the above embodiment, an insulating layer or an air layer is formed in the side wall of the pot container, so that heat conduction from the pot to the outer surface of the pot container is suppressed, and the temperature of the outer surface of the pot container is lowered to reduce the risk of burns. In addition, in the rice cooker of the above embodiment, an insulating layer or an air layer is formed in the side wall of the pot container, so that the amount of heat applied from below the pot container by the pot heating device that is radiated from the pot to the outside of the pot container during cooking can be reduced. Therefore, the heating of the pot can be controlled more efficiently and finely, so that the rice cooking performance can be improved and rice can be cooked with less energy.

A non-contact temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the bottom of the pot may be provided inside the housing and below the storage area. According to this configuration, a non-contact temperature detection device for measuring the temperature of the center of the bottom of the pot is provided inside the housing and below the storage area. Therefore, the temperature of the bottom of the pot stored in the storage area can be measured without interfering with the sliding movement of the pot container, preventing a decrease in the accuracy of the temperature measurement.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. 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)
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. The rice cooker according to this embodiment is a so-called fully automatic rice cooker that can automatically perform a process from supplying rice and water to a pot to cooking rice.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rice cooker according to this embodiment includes a housing 11, a rice container 301, a pot 2, a pot container 21, and a lid 22.

The housing 11 has a substantially D-shaped shape when viewed from above. In other words, when viewed from above, the housing 11 has a shape in which one side of a rectangular shape is bent into a semicircular arc. In this embodiment, the curved side of the housing 11 is referred to as the front. Also, the flat side opposite the curved side of the housing 11 is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the direction toward the front and rear of the housing 11 is referred to as the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is referred to as the lateral direction. In this embodiment, the direction toward the upper left and lower right of FIG. 1 is referred to as the lateral direction X. Also, the direction toward the lower left and upper right is referred to as the front-rear direction Y. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction X and the front-rear direction Y and toward the upper and lower parts of FIG. 1 is referred to as the height direction Z. Also, in this embodiment, the lateral direction X, the front-rear direction Y, and the direction intersecting the lateral direction X and the front-rear direction Y are referred to as the lateral direction.

The housing 11 is provided at the lower front side with a storage area 12 capable of storing a pot container 21. The storage area 12 is configured so that the pot container 21 can be stored by sliding it from the side of the storage area 12. FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration in which the pot container 21 can be stored by sliding it from the front of the storage area 12 along the front-rear direction Y. A steam port 53b, which will be described later, is provided above the storage area 12 and at the curved portion of the front of the housing 11. A housing cover 11a, which covers the housing 11 and also covers a rice container 301, which will be described later, is detachably attached to the upper end of the housing 11. A water container mounting portion 11b is provided at the lower side of one side of the housing 11 (the lower right side in FIG. 1). A water container 401 is arranged on the water container mounting portion 11b so that an opening 401a provided at the top of the water container 401 faces upward. In this embodiment, a plastic bottle is arranged as an example of the water container 401.

The rice container 301 is a container that contains rice. The rice container 301 is provided inside the housing 11 and above the storage area 12. In other words, the rice container 301 is provided inside the housing 11 below the housing lid 11a so as to be adjacent to the housing lid 11a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the storage area 12 contains a pot container 21, a pot 2 (see FIG. 2) contained in the pot container 21, and a lid 22 that is removably attached to the pot container 21. The pot container 21 is placed on a protrusion 61 (see FIG. 3B) of a weight detection device 6, which will be described later. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the pot container 21 contained in the storage area 12 contains a pot 2 and has a lid 22 attached to it.

The pot container 21 housed in the storage area 12 is arranged so that the height of the pot container 21 housed in the storage area 12 is lower than the height of the storage area 12. The pot 2, pot container 21, and lid 22 can be attached to and detached from the housing 11 by sliding the lid 22 between the storage area 12 and the outside of the housing 11 and the side of the storage area 12 along the front-to-rear direction Y while the pot container 21 is attached to it.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pot, pot container, and lid of the rice cooker of Figure 1. Figure 3A is a view from below of a recess provided in the bottom of the pot container in the rice cooker of Figure 1. Figure 3B is a view from diagonally above of a protrusion provided on the mounting surface of the weight detection device so as to correspond to the recess provided in the bottom of the pot container in the rice cooker of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 in Figure 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pot 2 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. That is, the pot 2 has a bottom 2a, a side wall 2b, an opening 2c, and a flange portion 2d. The flange portion 2d extends from the upper end of the side wall 2b toward the outside of the pot 2 around the entire circumferential circumference of the upper end of the side wall 2b.

The pot container 21 has a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of housing the pot 2. That is, the pot container 21 has a bottom 21a, a side wall 211, and an opening 21h. The pot container 21 is formed, for example, from resin.

The side wall 211 has an inner wall portion 21b, a rib 21c, and an outer wall portion 21d. A plurality of ribs 21c are provided protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall portion 21b so that their longitudinal direction is along the height direction Z. The outer wall portion 21d is provided so as to face the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall portion 21b and sandwich the plurality of ribs 21c between the outer wall portion 21d and the inner wall portion 21b. An air layer 21e is formed inside the side wall 211, i.e., between the inner wall portion 21b and the outer wall portion 21d.

When the pot 2 is housed in the pot container 21, it is housed so that there is a gap between the inner wall 21b of the pot container 21 and the side wall 2b of the pot 2, and between the bottom 21a of the pot container 21 and the bottom 2a of the pot 2. Therefore, even if the pot 2 is heated by the pot heating device 7 described later, the heat transferred to the pot container 21 is reduced compared to when there is no gap between the pot container 21 and the pot 2, so damage to the pot container 21 due to heat can be reduced. As shown in FIG. 4, when the pot 2 is housed in the pot container 21, the flange portion 2d of the pot 2 is placed on the upper end of the inner wall portion 21b of the pot container 21. In other words, when the pot 2 is housed in the pot container 21, the pot 2 is supported by the flange portion 2d.

As shown in FIG. 3A, a recess 21f is provided on the lower surface side, i.e., the bottom surface, of the bottom 21a of the pot container 21. The recess 21f has a recess side wall 21g. The recess side wall 21g has a U-shape with straight parts at both ends and the two straight parts connected by a curved part consisting of a semicircular arc. In other words, a U-shaped groove is provided on the bottom 21a of the pot container. The length between the straight parts of the recess side wall 21g, i.e., the width of the U-shaped groove, is set to be longer than the radius of the bottom 21a of the pot container 21. The lower surface of the recess side wall 21g is a flat surface provided along the U-shape. In addition, a through hole is provided in the center of the bottom 21a of the pot container 21, penetrating the bottom 21a in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 3B, a convex portion 61 corresponding to the concave portion 21f is provided at the bottom of the storage area 12 for placing the pot container 21 stored in the storage area 12. The convex portion 61 is provided so that a ring-shaped flat plate protrudes from the housing 11. A glass plate 61a (described later) is provided at the center of the convex portion 61. The convex portion 61 is provided so that the height of the convex portion 61 is higher than the height of the side wall 21g of the concave portion. A convex portion peripheral portion 11c is provided on the outside of the convex portion 61 around the entire circumferential circumference of the convex portion 61. The convex portion peripheral portion 11c is a flat surface provided in a ring shape so as to face the lower surface of the side wall 21g of the concave portion when the pot container 21 is stored in the storage area 12. The diameter of the convex portion 61 is the length at which the outer surface of the convex portion 61 is located near both straight portions of the side wall 21g of the recess when the convex portion 61 is located between the straight portions of the side wall 21g of the recess, and is set to be longer than the radius of the convex portion peripheral portion 11c.

When the pot container 21 slides between the storage area 12 and the outside of the housing 11 and the side of the storage area 12, the convex portion 61 slides relatively within the concave portion 21f. More specifically, the side wall 21g of the concave slides relatively to the outer surface of the convex portion 61. This guides the sliding movement of the pot container 21. In addition, in this embodiment, a curved portion is provided on the side wall 21g of the concave, so that the outer surface of the convex portion 61 and the curved portion of the side wall 21g of the concave can be abutted and stopped. Therefore, even if the pot container 21 slides repeatedly, the pot container 21 can be moved more reliably to a predetermined position in the storage area 12. In other words, the pot container 21 slides in the direction in which the U-shaped groove portion of the bottom 21a of the pot container extends, and the sliding movement is guided by sliding the side wall 21g of the groove portion and the outer surface of the convex portion 61 relatively. In addition, because the outer surface of the protrusion 61 and the curved portion of the groove can be brought into contact with each other, even if the pot container 21 is repeatedly slid, the pot container 21 can be reliably moved to a predetermined position within the storage area 12. Furthermore, when the pot container 21 is placed on the protrusion 61, the pot container 21 can rotate forward and backward in the circumferential direction of the protrusion 61 so that the side wall 21g of the recess and the outer surface of the protrusion 61 slide relative to each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lid body 22 has a lid body main body 22a, a hole portion 22b, a pot gasket 22c, and an attachment member 22d. In this embodiment, the lid body main body 22a has a ring-shaped flat plate portion and a cylindrical portion having an outer peripheral surface that is flush with the circumferential outer peripheral surface of the ring-shaped flat plate. In addition, when the lid body 22 is detachably attached to the pot container 21, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the lid body main body 22a is flush with the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 211 of the pot container 21. In this embodiment, the flat plate includes an approximately flat plate, and the flush surface includes approximately flush. The hole portion 22b is provided in the center of the width direction of the flat plate portion of the lid body main body 22a. The lid body 22 has a hole portion 22b through which rice sent by the rice sending device 3 described later and water sent by the water sending device 4 described later are supplied into the pot 2. The pot gasket 22c is provided so as to come into contact with the pot 2 when the lid 22 is removably attached to the pot container 21 so as to cover the opening of the pot 2. The mounting member 22d is attached to the lid body 22a so as to sandwich the pot gasket 22c therebetween.

Figure 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the cross-sectional view of Figure 4, showing the state in which the communication member has moved to the second communication position. Figure 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the cross-sectional view of Figure 4, showing the state in which the communication member has moved to the first communication position. Figure 6A is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the protrusion of the communication member in the second communication position shown in Figure 5A and the long hole into which the protrusion is inserted. Figure 6B is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the protrusion of the communication member in the first communication position shown in Figure 5B and the long hole into which the protrusion is inserted. Figure 7A is a cross-sectional view in plan view showing the water supply device for the rice cooker of Figure 1, showing the state in which the communication member has moved to the second communication position. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view in plan view showing the water supply device for the rice cooker of Figure 1, showing the state in which the communication member has moved to the first communication position.

As shown in Figures 4 to 7B, the housing 11 has a rice feeding device 3, a water feeding device 4, a connecting member 5, a weight detection device 6, a pan heating device 7, a temperature detection device 8, and a control unit 9.

The rice sending device 3 has a rice sending shaft 31 and a rice sending blade 32. The rice sending shaft 31 is arranged horizontally from below the rice container 301 to above the storage area 12. The rice sending blade 32 is formed in a spiral shape around the axis of the rice sending shaft 31. The rice stored in the rice container 301 falls due to gravity, and is sent horizontally toward the top of the storage area 12 by the rice sending shaft 31 and the rice sending blade 32, which are rotated by a motor or the like. When the pot container 21 is stored in the storage area 12, the rice sent to the top of the storage area 12 falls due to gravity and enters the pot 2 through the hole 22b of the lid 22. In other words, the rice sending device 3 can supply rice in the rice container 301 to the pot 2.

The water supply device 4 has a water supply pipe 41, a water supply pump 42 which is an example of a first pump, and a water supply pipe drainage pump 43 which is an example of a second pump. As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the water supply device 4 is disposed inside the housing 11.

The water supply pipe 41 has one end 41a and the other end 41b. The one end 41a is provided so as to open toward the hole 22b of the lid body 22 housed in the housing area 12. The other end 41b is provided so as to be fluidically connected to the outside of the housing 11. In this embodiment, the other end 41b is connected to a water intake member 402 that is arranged on the back of the housing 11 and takes in water from the inside of a water container 401 that is placed on a water container placement part 11b outside the housing 11. More specifically, the water intake member 402 has a water intake pipe 402a through which a fluid can flow and a cap part 402b that is detachably attached to the opening of various water containers. The other end 41b of the water supply pipe 41 is connected to the water intake pipe 402a of the water intake member 402 that is arranged outside the housing so as to be fluidically connected to each other.

The water supply pipe 41 is provided with a water supply pump 42 and a water supply pipe drain pump 43. The water supply pump 42 is an example of a first pump that sends fluid (including water and gas) only from the other end 41b side of the water supply pipe 41 to the pot 2 side of the water supply pipe 41. The water supply pump 42 is a volumetric pump such as a diaphragm pump, a plunger pump, or a piston type pump. In this embodiment, the water supply pump 42 is attached to connect two water supply pipes 41. In this embodiment, the water supplied to the pot 2 by the water supply pump 42 of the water supply device 4 is sent from the water container 401 through the opening 401a. The water supply pipe drain pump 43 is an example of a second pump that is disposed between the water supply pump 42 and the other end 41b of the water supply pipe 41 and sends gas (e.g., air) into the water supply pipe 41. In this embodiment, the water supply pipe drain pump 43 is connected to a branch pipe branched off from the water supply pipe 41.

The communication member 5 has a communication member body 51, a sealant 52, and a steam cylinder 53. As shown in Figures 5A to 6B, the communication member 5 is arranged so that it can move between a first communication position that fluidly connects the hole 22b of the lid body 22 to the steam cylinder 53 that can discharge steam to the outside of the housing 11, and a second communication position that fluidly connects the hole 22b of the lid body 22 to the rice sending device 3 and the water sending device 4.

The communication member body 51 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 51a. As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, each protrusion 51a is provided in the housing 11 and enters an elongated hole 501 of a support member that supports the communication member 5 via the protrusion 51a, and moves slidably within the elongated hole 501. In Figures 6A and 6B, when the protrusion 51a is located at the left end of each elongated hole 501, the communication member 5 is located in the first communication position. Also, when the protrusion 51a is located at the right end of each elongated hole 501, the communication member 5 is located in the second communication position. The long hole 501 is composed of a first section that extends diagonally upward (upper right in FIGS. 6A and 6B) from one end of the long hole 501 corresponding to the first communication position of the communication member 5 toward the other end corresponding to the second communication position of the communication member 5, and a second section that is continuous with the first section and extends horizontally to the other end of the long hole 501 corresponding to the second communication position of the communication member 5. When the communication member 5 moves from the first communication position to the second communication position, each protrusion 51a slides and passes through the first section of the corresponding long hole 501, so that the communication member 5 can move upward.

The sealing material 52 is provided on the underside of the communication member main body 51, that is, on the surface facing the storage area 12. As shown in FIG. 6A, when the communication member 5 is located in the second communication position, the sealing material 52 is separated from the lid body 22 and the communication member 5 is separated from the lid body 22. As shown in FIG. 6B, when the communication member 5 is located in the first communication position, the sealing material 52 contacts the lid body 22 and seals the periphery of the hole 22b of the lid body 22. In other words, when the communication member 5 is located in the first communication position and the inside of the pot 2 and the steam cylinder 53 are in fluid communication through the hole 22b of the lid body 22, the steam in the pot 2 is introduced into the steam cylinder 53 by the sealing material 52 without leaking into the inside of the housing 11. In addition, when the communication member 5 moves from the first communication position to the second communication position, the sealing material 52 moves upward so as to move away from the lid body 22 and then moves horizontally.

The steam cylinder 53 has one end 53a and a steam port 53b, which is an example of the other end. One end 53a of the steam cylinder 53 is provided on the upper surface of the communication member body 51 so as to communicate with the inside of the pot 2 through the hole 22b of the lid 22 when the communication member 5 is located in the first communication position. The steam port 53b is provided above the storage area 12 and in the curved portion of the front surface of the housing 11. Therefore, when the communication member 5 is located in the first communication position and the pot container 21 is stored in the storage area 12, the steam in the pot 2 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the hole 22b of the lid 22 and the steam cylinder 53.

The weight detection device 6 has a placement surface. The placement surface is provided with a convex portion 61, on which the pot container 21 housed in the storage area 12 is placed. The weight detection device 6 is disposed in the housing 11 below the pot container 21 housed in the storage area 12. The weight detection device 6 detects the weight of the pot container 21 housed in the storage area 12 and placed on the convex portion 61 of the placement surface. In this embodiment, the weight of the pot container 21 includes the weight of the pot 2 housed in the pot container 21, the lid body 22 detachably attached to the pot container 21, and the rice and water supplied into the pot 2. In this embodiment, the control unit 9 described later measures the amount of rice and water supplied into the pot 2 based on the weight detected by the weight detection device 6.

As shown in FIG. 4, inside the housing 11 and below the storage area 12, a pot heating device 7 is provided in a position facing the bottom 2a of the stored pot 2. The pot heating device 7 is, for example, an induction heating coil that inductively heats the pot 2 when electricity is passed through it.

The pot heating device 7 and rice container 301 are provided inside the housing 11. Therefore, the pot container 21 and the lid 22 can slide relative to the rice container 301 and pot heating device 7 between the storage area 12 and the outside of the housing 11 and the side of the storage area 12 while the lid 22 covers the opening 2c of the pot 2.

A light-transmitting glass plate 61a is provided in the center of the protrusion 61 on the mounting surface of the weight detection device 6. A non-contact temperature detection device 8 is provided inside the housing 11 and below the glass plate 61a of the weight detection device 6, i.e., inside the housing 11 and below the storage area 12. The temperature detection device 8 is, for example, an infrared sensor that measures the temperature of the bottom 2a of the pot 2 by non-contact detection of infrared rays emitted from the bottom 2a of the pot 2 through a through hole in the bottom 21a of the pot container 21 and the glass plate 61a.

The control unit 9 is provided inside the housing 11. The control unit 9 measures the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot 2 based on the weight detected by the weight detection device 6, and controls the rice feeding device 3 and the water feeding device 4. The control unit 9 also has a memory unit (not shown) 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 9 controls the pot heating device 7 and performs the rice cooking process based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit (not shown) and the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 8. The control unit 9 controls the water supply pump 42 and the water supply pipe drain pump 43, and controls the connecting member 5.

Next, the operation of the rice cooker according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the rice cooker according to this embodiment.

First, in step S1, the user places rice in the rice container 301 and water in the water container 401.

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, etc., using the display operation unit.

Next, in step S3, the control unit 9 detects whether or not a command to start cooking rice has been issued by the user, for example by operating the display operation unit. If there is no command to start cooking rice ("NO" in step S13), the control unit 9 waits without driving the rice sending device 3 and the water sending device 4. On the other hand, if there is a command to start cooking rice ("YES" in step S13), the control unit 9 proceeds to step S14.

Next, in step S4, the control unit 9 controls the communication member 5 to move the communication member 5 to a second communication position that fluidly connects the hole 22b of the lid body 22 with the rice sending device 3 and the water sending device 4. As a result, in the subsequent steps, the weight detection device 6 detects the weight when the sealing material 52 is positioned away from the lid body 22.

Next, in step S5, the weight detection device 6 detects the weight of the pot container 21 before rice and water are supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S6, the control unit 9 controls either the rice supply device 3 or the water supply device 4 to supply either rice or water into the pot 2.

Next, in step S7, the weight detection device 6 detects the weight of the pot container 21 after either rice or water has been supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S8, the control unit 9 subtracts the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after either the rice or the water has been supplied into the pot 2 in step S16 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 before the rice and water are supplied into the pot 2 in step S14. In this way, the control unit 9 measures the amount of either the rice or the water supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S9, the control unit 9 controls the other of the rice feeding device 3 and the water feeding device 4 to supply the other of the rice and water into the pot 2. Note that in steps S15 and S18, the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot 2 may be an amount corresponding to the amount of rice cooked selected by the display operation unit (hereinafter referred to as the set amount of rice cooked), which may be supplied in one go, or the set amount of rice cooked may be supplied in multiple goes.

Next, in step S10, the weight detection device 6 detects the weight of the pot container 21 after rice and water have been supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S11, the control unit 9 subtracts the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after rice and water are supplied into the pot 2 in step S9 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after one of the rice and water is supplied into the pot 2 in step S6. In this way, the control unit 9 measures the amount of the other of the rice and water supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S12, the control unit 9 controls the water supply pump 42 and the water supply pipe drain pump 43 to drain the water in the water supply pipe 41 out of the water supply pipe 41. Details will be explained later.

Next, in step S13, the control unit 9 controls the communication member 5 to move the communication member 5 to the first communication position that fluidly connects the hole 22b of the lid body 22 with the steam cylinder 53, and then cooks rice. In this embodiment, the control unit 9 controls the pot heating device 7 based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit and the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 8, and cooks rice. The steam generated in the pot 2 during cooking is discharged from the steam cylinder 53 to the outside of the housing 11 through the hole 22b, through which rice and water pass when being supplied to the pot 2.

In this way, the rice cooker according to this embodiment can cook rice automatically.

Next, we will explain in more detail the process of draining the water in the water supply pipe 41 out of the water supply pipe 41 in step S12.

The control unit 9 stops the operation of the water supply pump 42 and drives the water supply pipe drain pump 43. This causes gas to be sent from the water supply pipe drain pump 43, and the water in the water supply pipe 41 located on the water container 401 side of the water supply pipe drain pump 43 returns to the water container 401. Next, the control unit 9 drives the water supply pump 42 while maintaining the operation of the water supply pipe drain pump 43. This causes the gas sent from the water supply pipe drain pump 43 to push the water in the water supply pipe 41 located on the pot 2 side of the water supply pipe drain pump 43, and sends it into the pot 2.

In this manner, the process of draining the water in the water supply pipe 41 out of the water supply pipe 41 is performed. This process makes it possible to prevent the growth of bacteria and other contaminants due to the water remaining in the water supply pipe 41.

Figure 9 is a flow chart showing another example of the operation of the rice cooker according to this embodiment. Note that steps S101, S103 to S105, and S110 to S111 correspond to steps S1, S3 to S4, and S11 to S12 shown in Figure 8, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

Following step S101, in step S102, the user selects rice cooking information. More specifically, the user uses the display operation unit to select a course for cooking rice based on the amount of water supplied.

Following step S105, in step S106, the control unit 9 controls the water supply device 4 to supply water into the pot 2.

Next, in step S107, the weight detection device 6 detects the weight of the pot container 21 after water has been supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S108, the control unit 9 subtracts the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after water has been supplied into the pot 2 in step S107 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 before rice and water are supplied into the pot 2 in step S105. In this way, the control unit 9 measures the amount of water supplied into the pot 2.

Next, in step S109, the control unit 9 controls the rice sending device 3 to supply rice into the pot 2 in an amount corresponding to the amount of water measured in step S107. Note that the amount of rice and water supplied into the pot 2 in steps S105 and S108 may be the set amount of cooked rice supplied in one go, or the set amount of cooked rice may be supplied in multiple runs.

In this way, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the control unit 9 controls the water supply device 4 so that water is supplied into the pot 2, and the amount of water supplied into the pot 2 is measured from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6. The control unit 9 then controls the rice supply device 3 so that an amount of rice corresponding to the measured amount of water is supplied to the pot 2. Therefore, the rice cooker according to this embodiment can automatically cook rice based on the amount of water supplied.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment includes a pot 2, a pot container 21 that houses the pot 2, a housing 11 having a storage area 12 that houses the pot container 21, and a rice container 301 that houses rice and is provided inside the housing 11 and above the storage area 12. The rice cooker also includes a lid 22 that is detachably attached to the pot container 21 so as to be positioned between the pot container 21 and the rice container 301 when the pot container 21 is stored in the storage area 12 and covers the opening 2c of the pot 2. The rice cooker further includes a pot heating device 7 that is provided inside the housing 11 and below the storage area 12 and heats the pot 2. The pot container 21 and the lid 22 slide between the storage area 12 and the outside of the housing 11 and the side of the storage area 12 relative to the rice container 301 and the pot heating device 7 while the lid 22 covers the opening 2c of the pot 2. By sliding in this way, the pot container 21 and the lid 22 are configured to be detachable from the housing 11.

With this configuration, the pot container 21 can be slid outside the housing 11 and to the side of the storage area 12 while the lid 22 remains covering the opening 2c of the pot 2, so no space is required to rotate the lid 22 so that it does not come into contact with the rice container 301. This allows the rice cooker to be made smaller than conventional rice cookers, and the space it occupies when installed can be reduced, so the area in which the rice cooker can be installed is larger than before, and the installation location of the rice cooker is less restricted. This improves ease of installation.

In addition, because the pot heating device 7 is provided inside the housing 11 and below the pot container 21 housed in the storage area 12, the pot container 21 does not have a pot heating device 7. Therefore, the pot 2, pot container 21, and lid 22 that have been slid outside the housing 11 and to the side of the storage area 12 can be disassembled and each can be washed in its entirety, making cleaning easy. This improves cleanability.

In addition, the rice cooker according to the present embodiment further includes a rice feed device 3 that feeds rice from the rice container 301 into the pot 2, and a water feed device 4 that feeds water into the pot 2. The lid 22 has a hole 22b through which the rice fed by the rice feed device 3 and the water fed by the water feed device 4 are fed into the pot 2. In a conventional rice cooker, if rice and water are fed into the pot through the same path in the lid, there is a risk of mold growing due to the residue of a mixture of rice and water components adhering to the path in the lid. In a conventional rice cooker, the lid is attached to the housing side, and it is difficult to clean the path in the lid, so a hole for feeding rice and a hole for feeding water are provided separately. In contrast, in the rice cooker according to the above embodiment, the rice and water pass through the same hole 22b when they are fed into the pot 2, but the lid 22 slides and separates from the housing 11, and the entire lid 22 can be washed, improving cleanability. In addition, in the rice cooker according to the above embodiment, rice and water are supplied to the pot 2 through the same hole 22b, so the number of holes 22b provided in the lid 22 can be reduced compared to conventional rice cookers, improving heat retention.

In addition, the rice cooker according to this embodiment is provided with a steam cylinder 53 capable of discharging steam to the outside of the housing 11, and a communication member 5 that can be moved to a first communication position that fluidly connects the hole 22b with the steam cylinder 53. The communication member 5 is configured to be able to be moved to a second communication position that fluidly connects the hole 22b with the rice sending device 3 and the water supply device 4. When the communication member 5 is located in the first communication position, the steam generated in the pot 2 and that passes through the hole 22b can be discharged to the outside of the housing 11 via the steam cylinder 53. Furthermore, when the communication member 5 is located in the second communication position, the rice sent by the rice sending device 3 and the water sent by the water supply device 4 can be supplied into the pot 2 through the hole 22b. According to this configuration, the communication member 5 can be moved between the first and second communication positions to switch the communication target of the hole 22b, so that the steam in the pot 2 can be discharged and rice and water can be supplied to the pot 2 through the same hole 22b. Therefore, the number of holes 22b provided in the lid 22 can be reduced compared to conventional rice cookers, improving heat retention. In addition, the steam in the pot 2 can be discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the steam tube 53 without flowing to the rice sending device 3 side and the water sending device 4 side, so that the rice and water before cooking are not altered by the steam, and a decrease in the quality of the cooked rice can be prevented.

In addition, according to the rice cooker of this embodiment, the communication member 5 has a sealant 52 that seals the periphery of the hole 22b in the first communication position, and the sealant 52 is configured to move upward away from the lid 22 and then move horizontally when the communication member 5 moves from the first communication position to the second communication position. With this configuration, the sealant 52 seals the periphery of the hole 22b in the first communication state, so that the steam in the pot 2 can be more reliably discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the steam tube 53. In addition, when the communication member 5 moves from the first communication position to the second communication position, the sealant 52 moves upward away from the lid 22 and then moves horizontally, so friction between the sealant 52 and the lid 22 during the horizontal movement can be prevented, and the possibility of the sealant 52 being damaged can be reduced.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is equipped with a weight detection device 6 on which the pot container 21 housed in the housing area 12 is placed, and is configured to measure the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot 2 housed in the pot container 21 based on the weight detected by the weight detection device 6. In conventional rice cookers, the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot is measured before the rice and water are supplied to the pot based on the rotation speed or operating time of the rice and water supply device, for example, and the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot is estimated. Therefore, the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot is not measured accurately. In contrast, in the rice cooker according to the above aspect, the amount of rice and water is measured after the rice and water are supplied to the pot 2 based on the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 of the pot container 21 in which the pot 2 is housed, so the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot 2 can be measured more accurately.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment includes a control unit 9 that measures the amount of rice and water supplied into the pot 2 based on the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 and controls the rice sending device 3 and the water sending device 4. The control unit 9 is configured to control one of the rice sending device 3 and the water sending device 4 to supply one of the rice and water into the pot 2, and then control the other of the rice sending device 3 and the water sending device 4 to supply the other of the rice and water into the pot 2. The control unit 9 is configured to measure the amount of one of the rice and water supplied into the pot 2 by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after one of the rice and water is supplied into the pot 2 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 before the rice and water are supplied into the pot 2. The control unit 9 is configured to measure the amount of the other of the rice and water supplied into the pot 2 by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after the rice and water are supplied into the pot 2 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after the rice and water are supplied into the pot 2.

According to this configuration, the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 before rice and water are supplied into the pot 2 is measured as the weight of the pot container 21. Also, the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after one of rice and water is supplied into the pot 2 is measured as the weight of the pot container 21 and one of rice and water supplied into the pot 2. Therefore, the amount of one of rice and water supplied into the pot 2 is measured by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after one of rice and water is supplied into the pot 2 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 before rice and water are supplied into the pot 2. Also, the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after rice and water are supplied into the pot 2 is measured as the weight of the pot container 21 and the rice and water supplied into the pot 2. Therefore, the amount of the other of rice and water supplied into the pot 2 is measured by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after one of rice and water is supplied into the pot 2 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6 after rice and water are supplied into the pot 2. This allows the rice cooker according to the above embodiment to measure the amount of rice and water in the pot based solely on the results of the weighing performed by the weight detection device 6.

In addition, when rice is first supplied into the pot 2 through the hole 22b of the lid 22 and then water is supplied into the pot 2, the water is poured over the rice that has piled up in a mountain shape in the pot 2, breaking up the mountain-shaped pile of rice and making it easier for the rice in the pot 2 to be soaked in water. This prevents a decline in the quality of the cooked rice. In addition, when water is first supplied into the pot 2 through the hole 22b of the lid 22 and then rice is supplied into the pot 2, the rice supplied into the pot 2 falls onto the surface of the water that was supplied earlier, reducing impact. This prevents the rice from cracking due to impact when it is supplied into the pot 2, and prevents a decline in the quality of the cooked rice.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the weight detection device 6 is configured to detect weight when the sealing material 52 is positioned away from the lid body 22. With this configuration, since the sealing material 52 is separated from the lid body 22 when measuring the weight, it is possible to prevent weight from being applied to the pot container 21 from outside the pot container 21 via the sealing material 52. This improves the accuracy of measuring the amount of rice and water supplied into the pot 2 by the weight detection device 6.

In addition, according to the rice cooker of this embodiment, the control unit 9 is configured to control the water supply device 4 to supply water into the pot 2, and to measure the amount of water supplied into the pot 2 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6. The control unit 9 is also configured to control the rice supply device 3 to supply rice in an amount corresponding to the measured amount of water in the pot 2 and supply it into the pot 2. With this configuration, the control unit 9 can control the water supply device 4 to supply water into the pot 2, measure the amount of water supplied into the pot 2 from the weight detected by the weight detection device 6, and then control the rice supply device 3 to supply rice in an amount corresponding to the measured amount of water and supply it into the pot 2. For example, when the water supplied into the pot 2 by the water supply device 4 is stored in the water container 401, the amount of water that can be stored in the water container 401 is limited, and repeated cooking may result in an amount of water remaining in the water container 401 that is less than the amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice cooked that the user of the rice cooker desires. In this case, if an amount of rice appropriate for the amount of rice desired by the user of the rice cooker is first supplied to pot 2 for cooking, there is a risk that the amount of water supplied to pot 2 will be insufficient and rice with the desired flavor cannot be cooked. In contrast, with the rice cooker of the above embodiment, water is first supplied to pot 2 and the amount of water is measured, and an amount of rice corresponding to the measured amount of water is supplied to the pot, so rice with the desired flavor can be cooked.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is equipped with a water container 401 capable of containing water supplied by the water supply device 4 into the pot 2, and an opening 401a is provided at the top of the water container 401 through which the water supplied by the water supply device 4 into the pot 2 passes. With this configuration, since the opening 401a is provided at the top of the water container 401, water can be contained in the water container 401 so that the water level is located below the opening 401a, and the water in the water container 401 can be prevented from leaking from the opening 401a.

In addition, the rice cooker according to this embodiment further includes a water supply device 4 that supplies water into the pot 2, and the water supply device 4 has a water supply pipe 41 through which a fluid can flow, and the water supply pipe 41 is configured so that one end 41a opens toward the hole 22b of the lid 22. The water supply pipe 41 is provided with a water supply pump 42 that supplies fluid only from the other end 41b side of the water supply pipe 41 to the pot 2 side of the water supply pipe 41, and a water supply pipe drain pump 43 that supplies gas into the water supply pipe 41 between the water supply pump 42 and the other end 41b of the water supply pipe 41. According to this configuration, the water supply pump 42 supplies fluid only from the other end 41b side of the water supply pipe 41 to the pot 2 side, thereby restricting the flow of fluid from the water supply pump 42 to the pot 2 side in one direction. In addition, even if water remains in the water supply pipe 41, the water supply pipe drain pump 43 can send gas into the water supply pipe 41, so that the water in the water supply pipe 41 can be discharged to the other end 41b of the water supply pipe 41, or into the pot 2 through the water supply pump 42 and the hole 22b in the lid 22.

In addition, according to the rice cooker of this embodiment, an air layer 21e is formed in the side wall 211 of the pot container 21. According to this configuration, the pot container 21 for housing the pot 2 does not have a pot heating device 7, so the side wall 211 can be made thin to fit the shape of the pot 2. If the pot container 21 with a thin side wall 211 is held by hand, there is a risk of getting burned. In the rice cooker of the above embodiment, an air layer 21e is formed in the side wall 211 of the pot container 21, so that the heat conduction from the pot 2 to the outer surface of the pot container 21 is suppressed, and the temperature of the outer surface of the pot container 21 can be lowered to suppress the risk of getting burned. In addition, in the rice cooker of the above embodiment, an air layer 21e is formed in the side wall 211 of the pot container 21, so that the amount of heat applied from below the pot container 21 by the pot heating device 7 to the outside of the pot container 21 from the pot 2 during cooking can be suppressed. This allows for more efficient and precise control of the heating of pot 2, improving rice cooking performance and allowing rice to be cooked with less energy.

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, a recess 21f is provided on the bottom surface of the pot container 21, and a protrusion 61 corresponding to the recess 21f is provided on the mounting surface of the weight detection device 6. With this configuration, the protrusion 61 slides within the recess 21f relative to the recess 21f, thereby guiding the pot container 21 to move to a predetermined position where the weight detection device 6 can detect the weight of the pot container 21.

In addition, according to the rice cooker of this embodiment, a non-contact temperature detection device 8 for measuring the temperature of the bottom of the pot 2 is provided inside the housing 11 and below the storage area 12. According to this configuration, a non-contact temperature detection device 8 for measuring the temperature in the center of the bottom of the pot 2 is provided inside the housing 11 and below the storage area 12. Therefore, the temperature of the bottom of the pot 2 stored in the storage area 12 can be measured without interfering with the sliding movement of the pot container 21, preventing a decrease in the accuracy of the temperature measurement.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms. For example, in the above, it is described that an air layer 21e is formed within the side wall 211 of the pot container 21, but the present invention is not limited to this. An insulating layer made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the material constituting the pot container 21 may be formed within the side wall 211 of the pot container 21.

In the above description, the bottom surface of the pot container 21 is provided with a recess 21f, and the mounting surface of the weight detection device 6 is provided with a protrusion 61 corresponding to the recess 21f, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bottom surface of the pot container 21 may be provided with a protrusion 61, and the mounting surface of the weight detection device 6 may be provided with a recess 21f corresponding to the protrusion 61.

In addition, in the above description, one recess 21f and one protrusion 61 are provided to correspond to each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, multiple recesses 21f and a corresponding number of protrusions 61 may be provided to correspond to each other.

In addition, in the above description, the pot 2, pot container 21, and lid 22 slide along the front-to-back direction Y between the storage area 12 and the outside of the housing 11 and the side of the storage area 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pot 2, pot container 21, and lid 22 may slide in a direction oblique to the front-to-back direction Y between the storage area 12 and the outside of the housing 11 and the side of the storage area 12.

In addition, although it has been described above that steam within the pot 2 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the hole 22b through which rice and water pass when being supplied into the pot 2, the present invention is not limited to this. The hole in the lid 22 for discharging steam within the pot 2 to the outside of the housing 11 may be provided separately from the hole 22b through which the rice and water pass when being supplied into the pot 2. In other words, the lid 22 may be provided with a hole in addition to the hole 22b through which the rice and water pass when being supplied into the pot 2.

In addition, although the above description states that the hole 22b of the lid 22 is provided in the center of the lid body 22a in the width direction, the present invention is not limited to this. The hole 22b of the lid 22 may be provided in a location other than the center of the lid body 22a in the width direction, as long as the rice and water supplied to the pot 2 can pass through it.

In the above description, the water container 401 is placed on the water container placement section 11b of the housing 11 with the opening 401a facing upward, but the present invention is not limited to this. The water container 401 may be placed with the opening 401a facing downward as long as water does not leak from the opening 401a.

In the above, the rice feeding device 3 is configured to feed and supply the amount of rice corresponding to the measured amount of water in the pot 2 into the pot 2, so that rice can be cooked so as to use up all the water contained in the water container 401. For example, when a plastic bottle containing 500 ml of water is used as the water container 401, the amount of rice is about 2.1 cups and the amount of water required for cooking rice is 500 ml, so rice corresponding to about 2.1 cups of rice can be cooked. Also, when a plastic bottle containing 250 ml of water is used as the water container 401, the amount of rice is 1.05 cups and the amount of water required for cooking rice is 250 ml, so rice corresponding to 1.05 cups of rice can be cooked. Since bottled water is easy to obtain, even if rice is cooked so as to use up all the water in the bottle, new bottled water can be used each time rice is cooked by replacing the bottle. In other words, by preparing a plastic bottle containing an amount of water corresponding to the amount of rice desired by the user, the burden of maintenance on the user can be reduced.

In addition, by appropriately combining any of the various embodiments or modifications described above, it is possible to achieve the effects of each. In addition, it is possible to combine embodiments with each other, or to combine examples with each other, and it is also possible to combine features of different embodiments or examples.

The rice cooker of the present invention is easy to install and clean, making it useful as a rice cooker that can be used in places where it was difficult to use conventional rice cookers.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 rice cooker 11 housing 11a housing lid 11b water container mounting portion 11c protruding portion peripheral portion 12 storage area 2 pot 2a bottom portion 2b side wall 2c opening portion 2d flange portion 21 pot container 21a bottom portion 21b inner wall portion 21c rib 21d outer wall portion 21e air space 21f recess 21g recess side wall 21h opening portion 211 side wall 22 lid body 22a lid body main body 22b hole portion 22c pot gasket 22d mounting member 3 rice feeding device 31 rice feeding shaft 32 rice feeding blade 301 rice container 4 water feeding device 41 water feeding pipe 41a one end portion 41b other end portion 42 water feeding pump 43 water feeding pipe drainage pump 401 Water container 401a Opening 402 Water intake member 402a Water intake pipe 402b Cap portion 5 Communication member 51 Communication member body 51a Projection portion 52 Sealing material 53 Steam bottle 53a One end portion 53b Steam port 501 Slotted hole 6 Weight detection device 61 Convex portion 61a Glass plate 7 Pot heating device 8 Temperature detection device 9 Control unit

Claims (12)

A pot and
A pot container and
A housing having a storage area for storing the pot container;
A rice container provided inside the housing for storing rice;
A lid for covering the opening of the pot ;
A pan heating device for heating the pan;
A rice feeding device that feeds rice from the rice container into the pot;
A water supply device that supplies water into the pot;
a steam cylinder capable of discharging steam to the outside of the housing;
Equipped with
The lid has a hole through which rice fed by the rice feeding device and water fed by the water feeding device pass when they are supplied into the pot,
The rice cooker further comprises a communication member movable between a first communication position that fluidly connects the hole portion to the steam cylinder and a second communication position that fluidly connects the hole portion to the rice sending device and the water sending device . 2. The rice cooker of claim 1, wherein the communication member is configured to, when located in the first communication position, allow steam generated in the pot and passing through the hole to be discharged to the outside of the housing, and when located in the second communication position, allow rice delivered by the rice delivery device and water delivered by the water delivery device to be supplied into the pot through the hole. the communication member has a sealant that seals a periphery of the hole at the first communication position,
The rice cooker according to claim 2, wherein the sealing material is configured to move upward away from the lid body and then move horizontally when the communication member moves from the first communication position to the second communication position. A weight detection device is provided on which the pot container accommodated in the accommodation area is placed,
The rice cooker according to claim 3 , wherein the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot contained in the pot container is measured based on the weight detected by the weight detection device. A control unit is provided to measure the amount of rice and water supplied to the pot based on the weight detected by the weight detection device and to control the rice feeding device and the water feeding device.
The control unit is
One of the rice sending device and the water sending device is controlled to supply one of rice and water into the pot, and then the other of the rice sending device and the water sending device is controlled to supply the other of rice and water into the pot;
a weight detection device for detecting a weight of rice or water supplied into the pot after the rice or water is supplied into the pot, the weight detection device detecting a weight of rice or water supplied into the pot before the rice or water is supplied into the pot is subtracted from the weight of rice or water supplied into the pot, and
The amount of the other of the rice and the water supplied into the pot is measured by subtracting the weight detected by the weight detection device after the rice and the water are supplied into the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device after the rice and the water are supplied into the pot.
The rice cooker according to claim 4 . The rice cooker according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the weight detection device detects the weight when the sealing material is positioned away from the lid body. 6. The rice cooker of claim 5, wherein the control unit controls the water supply device to supply water into the pot, measures the amount of water supplied into the pot from the weight detected by the weight detection device, and then controls the rice supply device to supply rice in an amount corresponding to the measured amount of water into the pot. a water container capable of containing water to be supplied into the pot by the water supply device;
The rice cooker according to claim 7 , wherein an opening is provided in an upper portion of the water container through which water supplied into the pot by the water supply device passes. A recess is provided on one of the mounting surface of the weight detection device on which the pot is placed and the bottom surface of the pot, and a protrusion corresponding to the recess is provided on the other of the mounting surface and the bottom surface.
A rice cooker as described in any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the pot container is guided to move to a predetermined position where the weight detection device can detect the weight of the pot container by the convex portion sliding within the concave portion relative to the concave portion. Further, a water supply device is provided to supply water into the pot.
The water supply device has a water supply pipe through which a fluid can flow,
The water supply pipe has one end that opens toward the hole in the lid,
The water supply pipe is provided with a first pump for supplying fluid only from the other end side of the water supply pipe to the pan side of the water supply pipe, and a second pump for supplying gas into the water supply pipe between the first pump and the other end side of the water supply pipe.
The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 9 . The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein an insulating layer made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the material constituting the pot or an air layer is formed inside the side wall of the pot. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , further comprising a non-contact temperature detection device disposed inside the housing and below the storage area for detecting the temperature of the bottom of the pot.

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