JP7780775B2 - rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rice cooker.

So-called fully automatic rice cookers are known, capable of automatically carrying out processes from supplying rice and water to the pot to cooking the rice (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-220047

In conventional fully automatic rice cookers, there is still room for improvement in terms of reducing the noise generated when feeding rice into the pot.

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

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

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

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

(Findings that form the basis of the present invention)
The present inventors have conducted extensive research into ways to reduce noise generated during rice delivery, and have come to the following findings.

Conventional fully automatic rice cookers are typically designed to supply rice into the pot by allowing the rice to fall from above under its own weight. With this design, the rice hits the bottom wall of the pot, creating a loud noise. One way to reduce this noise is to install a separate silencer. However, this naturally increases the number of parts and requires space for the silencer.

The inventors therefore discovered a configuration in which an airflow is generated in the rice-transporting pipe that supplies rice from the rice container to the pot, and this airflow pushes the rice in the rice-transporting pipe into the pot through the rice inlet in the inner lid. With this configuration, the airflow flowing through the rice-transporting pipe rapidly decreases in flow rate as it enters the large space of the pot. Furthermore, the internal pressure of the pot increases as the airflow enters the pot. As a result, the speed at which the rice hits the bottom wall of the pot decreases, and noise during rice transport is reduced compared to conventional fully automatic rice cookers. Based on this novel finding, the inventors arrived at the following invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a pot and
A housing having an upper surface opening and accommodating the pot through the upper surface opening;
a rice container for storing rice;
a rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot;
an outer lid that opens and closes the top opening of the housing by rotating around an outer lid hinge portion provided on the top of the housing;
an inner lid that is detachably attached to the outer lid and that covers the opening of the pot in an openable and closable manner as the outer lid rotates;
Equipped with
The rice supply department
a cylindrical rice-transport pipe whose one end communicates with the interior of the rice container and whose other end penetrates the interior of the outer lid and opens toward the rice-inlet provided in the inner lid;
a rice sending fan that generates an air flow from the rice container side toward the rice inlet in the rice sending pipe and pushes the rice in the rice sending pipe into the pot through the rice inlet;
To provide a rice cooker comprising:

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

The rice feeding pipe may have an internal flow path with a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along its length. With this configuration, the airflow generated by the rice feeding fan can push the rice in the rice feeding pipe into the pot at a constant or approximately constant pressure, further reducing noise during rice feeding.

Furthermore, a portion of the rice feed tube may be positioned coaxially with the outer lid hinge and extend through the side wall of the outer lid. This configuration reduces the impact of the outer lid's rotation and minimizes the number of places where the rice feed tube bends at sharp angles (e.g., 90 degrees or more). This reduces airflow pressure loss caused by bending the rice feed tube and improves the sealing performance of the rice feed tube. As a result, noise during rice feeding can be reduced and the product size can be further reduced.

The rice container further includes a rice container lid that rotates around the rice container hinge to open and close the rice container opening located above the rice container. The rice container hinge and the outer lid hinge are arranged coaxially, and a portion of the rice supply pipe passes through the rice container hinge or forms at least a portion of the rice container hinge. This configuration minimizes the impact of the rice container lid's rotation and minimizes the number of places where the rice supply pipe bends at sharp angles (e.g., 90 degrees or more). This reduces airflow pressure loss due to bending of the rice supply pipe and improves the sealing performance of the rice supply pipe. As a result, noise during rice delivery can be reduced and the product size can be further reduced. Furthermore, the rice container opening can be made larger, improving the ease of refilling the rice container with rice.

The rice container may further include a rice-inlet lid that can be opened and closed to cover the rice inlet, and an annular sealing member that is positioned around the rice inlet and seals the gap between the outer lid and the inner lid, as well as the gap between the rice-inlet lid and the inner lid. With this configuration, a single sealing member seals the gap between the outer lid and the inner lid, and the gap between the rice-inlet lid and the inner lid, thereby minimizing the number of parts and improving sealing performance.

The rice container may further include an arm that moves the rice-inlet lid between a closed position where it contacts the sealing member to close the rice inlet, and an open position where it moves away from the sealing member to open the rice inlet. When the rice-inlet lid is in the closed position, the arm is located in the sealed space between the outer and inner lids, sealed except for the other end of the rice-feeding tube. With this configuration, by locating the arm that moves the rice-inlet lid in the sealed space between the outer and inner lids, it is possible to prevent rice powder, insects, etc. from entering the interior of the outer lid or the space between the outer and inner lids, improving cleanability.

The rice sending fan may also be driven at a predetermined rotation speed, and when the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, it may be driven at an even higher rotation speed. With this configuration, when the rice sending fan is driven at a predetermined rotation speed and the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, it can be assumed that the rice sending pipe or the rice sending fan filter is clogged. By then driving the rice sending fan at an even higher rotation speed than the actual rotation speed, it is possible to clear the clogging of the rice sending pipe or the rice sending fan filter. As a result, noise during rice sending caused by clogging of the rice sending pipe or the rice sending fan filter can be reduced.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, substantially identical components in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals.

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

(Embodiment)
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, which can automatically perform all processes from supplying rice and water to the pot to cooking the rice. The rice cooker according to this embodiment is also a non-pressure rice cooker, which performs the rice cooking process at a pressure inside the pot of less than 1.05 atmospheres.

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

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

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

As shown in Figure 2, an inner lid 7 is detachably attached to the outer lid 2. In this embodiment, the inner lid 7 has a disk or approximately disk shape. The inner lid 7 is configured to cover the opening of the pot 6 so that it can be opened and closed as the outer lid 2 rotates. The inner lid 7 is provided with a rice inlet 7a for adding rice to the pot 6 and an exhaust port 7b for discharging fluids such as air or steam from within the pot 6.

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

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

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

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

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

One end of the cylindrical rice supply pipe 42 is connected to the bottom of the rice storage compartment 41. In this embodiment, the rice supply pipe 42 has an internal flow path with a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along its length. The internal flow path of the rice supply pipe 42 is formed in a straight line or a smoothly curved line to prevent protrusions or recesses that could clog the rice. A rice supply device 43 is provided below the inclined surface 41a. The rice supply device 43 supplies rice from the rice container 4 into the rice supply pipe 42 in an amount corresponding to the rice cooking amount selected on the display/operation unit 8 (described below). The other end of the rice supply pipe 42 penetrates the interior of the outer lid 2 and opens toward the rice inlet 7a of the inner lid 7 (see Figure 2). A rice supply fan 44 is attached to the rice supply pipe 42. The rice supply fan 44 is configured to generate an airflow within the rice supply pipe 42 from the rice container 4 toward the rice inlet 7a, forcing the rice in the rice supply pipe 42 through the rice inlet 7a and into the pot 6. In this embodiment, the rice feeding pipe 42, rice feeding device 43, and rice feeding fan 44 constitute a rice feeding section that feeds rice from the rice container 4 (rice storage section 41) into the pot 6.

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

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

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the rice container hinge portion 4b and the outer lid hinge portion 1b are arranged coaxially. The straight pipe portion 42a, which is part of the rice feed pipe 42, passes through the rice container hinge portion 4b or constitutes at least a part of the rice container hinge portion 4b. In this embodiment, the straight pipe portion 42a of the rice feed pipe 42 constitutes the rice container hinge portion 4b and functions as the rice container hinge portion 4b. This prevents the straight pipe portion 42a of the rice feed pipe 42 from being affected by the rotation of the rice container lid 5.

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

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

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the rice feed pipe 42 includes a flexible tube 42d. In this embodiment, the tube 42d is made of rubber. One end 42da of the tube 42d is connected to the other end 42cb of the joint 42c. The other end 42db of the tube 42d is connected to the outer casing 22 of the rice feeding unit 21 so as to penetrate the outer casing 22 and be exposed below the outer lid 2. The rice feeding unit 21 is a unit for feeding rice discharged from the rice feed pipe 42 into the pot 6. The outer shape of the tube 42d changes from a flat shape to an approximately square shape from the one end 42da to the other end 42db. However, the internal flow path of the tube 42d has a uniform or approximately uniform cross-sectional area along its length, and is formed in a straight or smoothly curved shape to prevent protrusions or recesses that could become clogged with rice.

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

As shown in Figure 12, the outer casing member 22 forms part of the inner wall (the wall on the pot 6 side) of the outer lid 2 and is recessed toward the upper wall of the outer lid 2. The other end 42db of the tube 42d passes through the outer casing member 22 and opens toward the rice inlet 7a of the inner lid 7 (see Figure 14).

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

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

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

In this embodiment, the arm 25 is configured to rotate about the pivot 25a to move the rice-inlet lid 23 between the closed and open positions. The pivot 25a is connected to the drive source 26. When the drive source 26 is driven, the pivot 25a rotates, causing the arm 25 to rotate. Furthermore, when the rice-inlet lid 23 is in the closed position, the arm 25 is located within the sealed space E1 between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7, sealed except for the other end 42db of the rice-transport tube 42. The sealed space E1 is formed by the outer casing 22, the rice-inlet lid 23, and the seal member 24. The pivot 25a is covered by the arm 25 and is not exposed to the sealed space E1. The drive source 26 is located outside the sealed space E1.

The sealing member 24 is provided on the bottom wall of the outer lid 2 facing the inner lid 7. When the inner lid 7 is attached to the outer lid 2 as shown in Figure 14, the sealing member 24 is positioned around the rice inlet 7a and is configured to seal the gap between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7. Furthermore, when the rice-inlet lid portion 23 is in the closed position, the sealing member 24 is configured to seal the gap between the rice-inlet lid portion 23 and the inner lid 7. In other words, the sealing member 24 has the function of sealing gaps in two locations with a single component.

As mentioned above, the inner lid 7 is provided with an exhaust port 7b (see Figure 14) for discharging fluids such as air or steam from within the pot 6. As shown in Figure 13, the outer lid 2 is provided with an exhaust passage 27. The exhaust passage 27 is located opposite the exhaust port 7b. A ring-shaped gasket (not shown) is provided around the exhaust passage 27 of the outer lid 2 to seal the gap between the inner lid 7 and the outer lid 2 when the inner lid 7 is attached to the outer lid 2. Fluid within the pot 6 flows into the exhaust passage 27 through the exhaust port 7b.

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

The size of the rice inlet 7a is, for example, 215 ^mm2 . The size of the exhaust outlet 7b is, for example, 80.0 ^mm2 . Note that, in a top view, the rice inlet 7a is preferably located close to the center of the pot 6. This ensures that the mound of rice formed in the pot 6 by the rice discharged from the rice inlet 7a has a more uniform shape. Furthermore, the exhaust outlet 7b is preferably located away from the rice inlet 7a. This prevents the rice discharged from the rice inlet 7a from flowing into the exhaust passage 27 through the exhaust outlet 7b. In this embodiment, the distance L1 from the center of the pot 6 to the center of the rice inlet 7a is set to be smaller than the distance L2 from the center of the pot 6 to the center of the exhaust passage 27 (L1 < L2). In a top view, the centers of the rice inlet 7a and the exhaust outlet 7b are located opposite each other across the center of the pot 6. The distance L1 is, for example, 22.5 mm. The distance L2 is, for example, 44.9 mm.

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

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

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

As shown in FIG. 16 , the housing 1 has a pot accommodating section 1c that accommodates the pot 6. A pot heating device 9 is provided on the outer periphery of the pot accommodating section 1c of the housing 1, facing the pot 6. The pot heating device 9 is an example of a heating section that heats the pot 6. The pot heating device 9 is, for example, an induction heating coil that inductively heats the pot 6 when electricity is applied. A through hole is provided in the central bottom of the pot accommodating section 1c of the housing 1, and a pot temperature sensor 10, an example of a temperature detection section, is provided so as to come into contact with the central bottom of the pot 6 through the through hole.

A control unit 11 is also provided inside the housing 1. The control unit 11 controls the water pump 32, drive source 26, rice feed device 43, and rice feed fan 44 to supply rice and water into the pot 6, and controls the pot heating device 9 to perform the rice cooking process. The control unit 11 is equipped with a memory unit that stores multiple rice cooking sequences for cooking rice. Here, a "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 order. Each rice cooking sequence corresponds to one of the multiple rice cooking courses. The control unit 11 controls the pot heating device 9 to perform the rice cooking process based on the rice cooking information selected on the display operation unit 8 and the temperatures detected by the pot temperature sensor 10 and steam sensor 28.

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

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

In addition, in this embodiment, the rice sending fan 44 is driven by the control unit 11 at a predetermined rotation speed (e.g., 60% to 65% of the maximum rotation speed). At this time, if rice is clogged in the rice sending pipe 42 or dust or the like is clogged in the filter 45, pressure loss will cause the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 to be higher than the predetermined rotation speed. For this reason, in this embodiment, when the actual rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, the rice sending fan 44 is driven at an even higher rotation speed (e.g., 100% of the maximum rotation speed). This allows clogging of the rice sending pipe 42 or filter 45 to be cleared. Furthermore, because the rotation speed of the rice sending fan 44 is not normally set to the maximum rotation speed, noise caused by the operation of the rice sending fan 44 can be reduced.

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

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is designed so that the airflow generated by the rice-feeding fan 44 flows into the pot 6 along with the rice through the rice inlet 7a. This configuration reduces the speed at which the rice hits the bottom wall of the pot 6, reducing noise during rice feeding.

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

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the straight pipe section 42a of the rice feed pipe 42 is arranged coaxially with the outer lid hinge section 1b and passes through the side wall 2a of the outer lid 2. This configuration reduces the impact of the rotation of the outer lid 2 and minimizes the number of places where the rice feed pipe 42 bends at sharp angles (e.g., 90 degrees or more). This reduces airflow pressure loss caused by bending the rice feed pipe 42 and improves the sealing performance of the rice feed pipe 42. As a result, noise during rice feeding can be further reduced.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment is equipped with a rice container lid 5 that pivots around the rice container hinge 4b to freely cover the rice container opening 4a. The rice container hinge 4b and the outer lid hinge 1b are arranged coaxially. The straight pipe section 42a of the rice supply pipe 42 forms the rice container hinge 4b. This configuration minimizes the impact of the rotation of the rice container lid 5 and minimizes the number of sharp bends (e.g., 90 degrees or greater) in the rice supply pipe 42. This reduces airflow pressure loss caused by bending the rice supply pipe 42 and improves the sealing performance of the rice supply pipe 42. As a result, noise during rice supply can be further reduced. Furthermore, the rice container opening 4a can be enlarged, improving the ease of refilling rice into the rice container 4.

The rice cooker according to this embodiment also includes a rice inlet lid 23 that can be opened and closed to cover the rice inlet 7a, and an annular sealing member 24 that seals the gap between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7, as well as the gap between the rice inlet lid 23 and the inner lid 7. With this configuration, a single sealing member 24 seals the gap between the outer lid 2 and the inner lid 7 and the gap between the rice inlet lid 23 and the inner lid 7, thereby minimizing the number of parts and improving sealing performance.

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

In addition, in the rice cooker according to this embodiment, the rice feed fan 44 is driven at a predetermined rotation speed, and when the actual rotation speed of the rice feed fan 44 is higher than the predetermined rotation speed, it is driven at an even higher rotation speed. With this configuration, it is possible to infer that the rice feed pipe 42 or filter 45 is clogged based on the rotation speed of the rice feed fan 44. Then, by driving the rice feed fan 44 at a rotation speed higher than the actual rotation speed, it is possible to clear the clog in the rice feed pipe 42 or filter 45. As a result, noise during rice feeding caused by clogging in the rice feed pipe 42 or filter 45 can be reduced.

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

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

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

The rice cooker according to the present invention can reduce noise generated when feeding rice, making it useful, for example, as a fully automatic rice cooker that can automatically perform everything from supplying rice and water to cooking the rice in the pot.

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

Claims (3)

A pot and
A housing having an upper surface opening and accommodating the pot through the upper surface opening;
a rice container for storing rice;
a rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot;
an outer lid that covers the top opening of the housing in an openable and closable manner;
an inner lid that is detachably attached to the outer lid and covers the opening of the pot;
Equipped with
The rice supply department
a cylindrical rice-transport pipe whose one end communicates with the interior of the rice container and whose other end penetrates the interior of the outer lid and opens toward the rice-inlet provided in the inner lid;
a rice feeding unit for feeding the rice discharged from the rice feeding pipe into the pot;
Equipped with
The rice input unit comprises:
A rice-input lid that covers the rice-input port in an openable and closable manner;
an arm portion that moves the rice charging lid portion between a closed position that closes the rice charging opening and an open position that opens the rice charging opening;
Equipped with
The rice feeding unit is provided on the outer lid,
When the rice-introducing lid is in the open position, the rice-introducing lid and the arm are positioned so as not to cross below the other end of the rice-transporting pipe.
Rice cooker. When the rice-feeding lid is in the closed position, the arm is located in a sealed space between the outer lid and the inner lid, except for the other end of the rice-feeding pipe.
The rice cooker according to claim 1. An annular sealing member is arranged around the rice inlet and seals the gap between the outer lid and the inner lid, and also seals the gap between the rice-input lid portion and the inner lid.
The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: