JPH07106175B2 - Automatic rice washing rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic rice-washing rice cooker that automatically performs each process from washing rice to cooking rice and maintaining heat.

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional example, the authors have already applied for an automatic rice washing rice cooker shown in FIG. The configuration will be described below.

In the figure, 10 is an automatic rice-washing rice cooker main body (hereinafter referred to as a main body), and a main body 10 has a rice cooking chamber 11 therein.
A heating coil 12 for induction heating is arranged at the bottom of 11 so as to surround the lower periphery thereof, a lid 13 is provided at the top, and the periphery and bottom of the main body 10 are formed by a rice cooking chamber lower member 14. . Inside the rice cooking chamber 11, the main body 10 and removable rice cooker
15 built-in. A coupling 16 is fixed at the approximate center of the bottom surface of the rice cooking pot 15.
Is detachably fitted to a rotor 18 driven by a driving means such as a motor 17 and holds a rice cooking pot 15 rotatably. The rice-cooking pan 15 has a flange 19 around the upper opening of the rice-cooking pan 15, which is outward from the center of the rice-cooking pan 15. The outer end of the flange portion 19 projects to the outside of the rice cooking chamber 11, and the drain groove 20 is formed around the upper end of the rice cooking chamber lower member 14.
Has reached above. The opening of the rice cooking pot 15 has an inner lid 21 that fits into this opening, and the inner lid 21 has an inner lid 21.
A convex portion 22 is formed in the vicinity of the periphery of the opening and is fitted with the rice cooking pot 15 with a partial gap 23. And the inner lid 21
Is rotatably held by a lid 13. The lid 13 is rotatably connected to the rice cooking chamber lower member 14 via a hinge. Further, the lid 13 is provided with a steam port 24, and a water supply pipe 25 is provided so as to come into contact with the steam port 24 to supply water to the steam port 24. The water supply pipe 25 is connected to water supply or a water supply pump (not shown) via an electromagnetic valve 26. The temperature sensor 27 that detects the temperature of the rice cooking pot 15 is configured to move up and down by deenergizing and energizing the solenoid 28.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. When rice is thrown into the rice cooking pot 15 and set in the main body 10 to start the operation, first, the solenoid 28 is energized and the temperature sensor 27 goes down. Next, the electromagnetic valve 26 is actuated to open the flow path for a certain period of time, and the rice cooker 15 is passed from the water supply pipe 25 through the steam port 24.
A certain amount of water flows in. Subsequently, the motor 17 is intermittently energized, and the rice cooking pot 15 intermittently repeats normal rotation / stop. In this way, the rice and water in the rice cooking pot 15 move, and the rice is washed by the difference in the inertia. Next, move to the dehydration process. The rice cooking pot 15 is rotated in the dehydration mode by continuously energizing the motor 17. Therefore, the water flows into the drain ditch 20 through the gap 23 due to centrifugal force,
It is drained through the drain pipe 20a. The washing process is completed by repeating the above steps as a series of steps. Subsequently, the electromagnetic valve 26 is energized for a certain period of time, a predetermined amount of water for cooking rice is supplied, and the energization of the solenoid 28 is stopped. The temperature sensor 27 rises and comes into contact with the rice cooking pot 15, and then the rice cooking / heat-retaining process is performed like a conventional electric rice cooker, and a series of rice cooking operations is completed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional automatic rice-washing rice cooker, the water supply time at the time of drainage is determined by the total number of rice set, and water is supplied by opening the electromagnetic valve or the like for a certain time. .
Therefore, the amount of water supply depends on the water supply environment of the installation location of this automatic rice-washing rice cooker, and is large at high water pressure and low at low water pressure. Therefore, when water is supplied for a certain period of time, there is a problem in that water stains are very likely to vary, and the resulting rice becomes soft or hard.

The present invention solves the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to provide an automatic rice-washing rice cooker that secures water blistering during rice cooking and has stable characteristics. A second object is to provide an automatic rice-washing rice cooker that can make the amount of water required for washing rice more appropriate as well as the amount of water needed for cooking rice next time.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is a removable rice cooker, heating means for heating the rice cooker, and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker.
Water-supplying and draining means for supplying and draining water to the rice-cooking pan, rotating means for rotating the rice-cooking pan or stirring means in the rice-cooking pan, and measuring means for measuring the weight of the rice-cooking pan are provided. When water is supplied, the amount of water supplied for a certain period of time is measured by the measuring means, the water supply speed is calculated from the amount of water supplied and the water supply time, and the water supply time is changed or adjusted based on this water supply speed. The first means to solve the problem is to determine the water supply amount of.

In addition to the above configuration, the water supply rate is stored, and the water supply rate is used when determining the water supply time for washing rice and the water supply time for draining water during the next rice washing and rice cooking. It is a means for solving the above problem.

Effect The present invention, in the above-mentioned first problem solving means, at the time of water supply during rice washing without any problem even if there is an error in the amount of water supply,
The water supply rate at that time is measured, and by using the water supply rate at the time of water boil for cooking, which requires a more accurate water supply, the accuracy and speed of the water boil can be improved against disturbance factors such as water pressure. It is possible to improve the quality.

In addition to the action of the first problem solving means, the second problem solving means can use the water supply speed at the time of the previous rice cooking at the time of the next rice cooking and the rice washing. Also, it is possible to optimize the water supply volume, water supply time, and shorten the water supply time.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIG. 1, 30 is an automatic rice-washing rice cooker main body (hereinafter referred to as a main body), and a rice-cooking room 31 is provided in the lower part thereof. The rice-cooking room 31 has a rice-cooking pot 32 in the heating section inside the rice-cooking room 31,
An outer peripheral heating coil 33 for induction heating and a central heating coil 34 for heating the central portion are arranged on the bottom surface of the rice cooking pot 32 so as to surround the rice cooking pot 32, and a lid 35 covering the upper portion of the rice cooking pot 32 covers the upper portion. And a rice cooking chamber lower member that forms the periphery and bottom of the rice cooking chamber 31
It consists of 36. An upper coupling 37 is fixed to approximately the center of the bottom surface of the rice cooking pot 32, and the upper coupling 37 has a donut shape with the central portion removed. The upper coupling 37 is provided with a transmission pin via a small pulley 39, a belt 40, and a large pulley 41 which are rotationally driven by a driving means 38 such as a motor.
The lower coupling 37a provided on the upper end of the connected rotor 44 is detachably fitted via the 42 and the transmission plate 43. The transmission pin 42 is fixed integrally with the transmission plate 43, and is slidably fitted into a connection hole 46 provided in the large pulley 41 by a linear bearing 45. The rotor 44 is also held via a linear bearing 47 so as to be rotatable and slidable in the axial direction. By this, the rotor 44, the transmission plate 43, the transmission pin 42, etc. are held by the large pulley 41 slidably in the thrust direction. The rotor 44 is a linear bearing as described above.
A load cell that uses a strain gauge while being rotatably held by 47 and axially slidable.
A bearing 50 on a support plate 49 fixed to 48 indicates an axial load. The lower coupling 37a has a fitting projection 51 extending radially from the center, and the central portion has a cavity 37b.
And is in contact with the central portion of the pan bottom 32a of the rice cooking pan 32. The hollow portion 37b has a rotor 44 formed in a hollow strip.
Since the rotor 44 is rotationally driven by the driving means 38 such as a motor as described above, the rice cooking pot 32 is also rotationally driven at the same time. Further, a temperature sensor 52 in which a thermosensitive element such as a thermistor is enclosed is provided in the cavity 37b so as to be vertically movable. That is, the temperature sensor 52 includes an upper coupling 37 and a lower coupling 37a.
When and are fitted together, they are pressed into contact with the substantially central portion of the bottom surface 32a of the rice cooking pot 32 exposed at the central portion of the upper coupling 37. Further, the rice cooking pot 32 has a flange portion 53 that extends outward from the center around the upper opening thereof. The outer end of the flange portion 53 projects into a drain groove 54 formed so as to surround the upper outer periphery of the rice cooking pot 32. Inner lid on the opening of the rice cooker 32
55 is fitted, and the convex portion 56 is formed on the fitting portion, so that the rice cooker 32
They are fitted with a gap 57 between them. Inner lid
The substantially central portion of 55 is fitted to the inner lid support pipe 59 via a flexible body 58 such as silicon rubber, and the inner lid 55 is detachably held and fixed to the inner lid support pipe 59. . further,
The inner lid support pipe 59 is biased by a lid spring 60 and is rotatably held by a lower lid 62 via a feeding pipe 61 such as rice, and the lower lid 62 is integrally fixed to the lid 35. The lid 35 is rotatably coupled to the rice cooking chamber lower member 36 via a hinge 63. The lid 35 has a steam port so that it is located above the inner lid 55.
63b is provided and faces the steam port 63b, and the steam port 63b is provided.
There is a water supply pipe 63a for supplying water from above by using the water supply pipe 63a, and the water supply pipe 63a is connected to a water supply (not shown) via an electromagnetic valve 64. In addition, a valve is provided at the lower end of the input pipe 61.
65 are provided. A controller (not shown) serving as a control means obtains inputs from the load cell 48, the temperature sensor 52, etc., and drives means 38 such as a motor for rotating the rice cooking pot 32, an outer peripheral heating coil 32, a central heating coil 33, and It controls the electromagnetic valve 64 and the like.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below. First, the rice cooking pot 32 is set in the heating unit provided in the rice cooking chamber 31. When rice is put into the rice cooker 32 and set, and the operation of the main body 30 is started, the controller operates to open the electromagnetic valve 64 for a certain period of time. As a result, a certain amount of water flows into the rice cooking pot 32 from the water supply pipe 63a through the steam port 63b. Subsequently, by intermittently energizing the driving means 38 such as a motor, the rice cooking pot 32 is intermittently rotated and stopped repeatedly, and the rice washing is performed as described in the conventional example. Following this rice washing process, a dehydration process is executed.
The washing process is completed by repeating the above steps several times as a series of steps up to this point. Then, after the final draining (dehydration) is finished, a predetermined amount of water for cooking rice is drained, rice is cooked like an electric rice cooker, and then the warming process is followed by a series of rice cooking operations. It is supposed to end.

Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the process of washing rice.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a process regarding water supply at the time of water drainage.

In the rice washing process of the automatic rice-washing rice cooker of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, water supply, rice sharpening (intermittent rotation), draining (dehydration)
Is repeated several times. At that time, before and after water supply, the weight W ₀ before water supply and the weight W ₁ after water supply are measured using the load cell 48, and the opening energization time T ₀ of the electromagnetic valve 64 and the weights W ₁ and W ₂ are measured. Weight increase due to dW
The water supply rate V is calculated by (water supply amount). After finishing the rice washing process, move on to the water shaving process.

That is, at the time of boiling water for cooking rice, as shown in FIG. 3, the target water supply amount Q is reduced to a certain amount of water supply with reduced risk Q ₁ , the subsequent measurement of weight Q ₀ , and a small amount of water supply Q. ₂
And the weight Q ₃ are repeatedly measured, and the target water supply amount Q is gradually approached. At that time, the water supply time T ₁ when a certain amount of water is supplied
Then, the water supply time T ₂ when supplying a small amount of water is set to the water supply speed V
Is set based on. Regarding the water supply time at the time of drainage, it is necessary to measure accurately because the hardness of the finished rice greatly affects the cooking efficiency, but it is necessary to accurately measure it, but calculate the water supply speed V at the time of water supply for washing rice where the variation in water volume is relatively insensitive However, by calculating the water supply time when the water for cooking rice is drained using this water supply speed V, inconveniences such as excessive water supply and insufficient water supply are less likely to occur, and at the same time, a constant amount that reduces the risk to the target water supply amount Q is obtained. It is also possible to take a larger amount of water supply Q ₁ , so that it is possible to reduce the time required for fine adjustment before reaching the target water supply Q, and it is possible to reduce the time required for water drainage. By doing so, the rice cooking time can be shortened.

Further, the water supply speed V is stored and retained in the controller, or is adjusted and stored with the initially stored water supply speed V _0, and is stored when the next washing rice is used for washing water and watering water. The water supply times T ₀ , T _1, and T ₂ are calculated using the supplied water supply speed. As a result, it is possible to correct conditions such as excessive or insufficient water supply when washing and supplying water for washing rice. Furthermore, even if the installation location of the main body 30 changes, or even at the time of the first installation, the shortest water supply time is automatically set according to the water pressure of the location, and adjustment is required. It does not.

In addition, regarding the water supply in this embodiment, the electromagnetic valve 64
However, even when a water supply pump or the like is used, the same effect can be obtained even if there are factors that change the amount of water supply, such as voltage fluctuations and variations in the pump itself. In addition, according to the second means, the same effect can be expected even in a machine body that does not have a rice washing mechanism and automatically performs only water boil for rice cooking.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As is clear from the above description of the embodiments, according to the present invention, the first means for solving the problem is that the amount of water varies when the amount of water is large, which greatly affects the finish of cooking such as the hardness of the finished rice. By calculating the water supply speed at the time of water supply for washing rice, which is relatively less affected by water, and calculating the water supply time at the time of drainage, it is possible to prevent problems such as excessive water supply and insufficient water supply, and at the same time reduce the time required for water drainage. It is possible to reduce the rice cooking time, and the rice cooking time can be shortened accordingly.

In addition, the second problem solving means can memorize the water supply rate at the time of the previous rice washing and adjust the usage so that the amount of water supplied during the rice washing can be corrected such that the water supply is excessive or insufficient. Even if the environment such as a place changes, or even at the time of the first installation, the shortest water supply time is automatically set according to the water pressure etc. of the place, and it is necessary to adjust the water adjustment etc. It is possible to provide an automatic rice washing rice cooker.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part of an automatic rice-washing rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the process of supplying water to the washing rice, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional automatic rice-washing rice cooker for explaining the process of the automatic rice-washing rice cooker when the water is drained. 31 …… rice cooker, 33,34 …… peripheral heating coil, central heating coil (heating means), 44 …… rotor (rotating means), 48,49
...... Load cell, support plate (measuring means), 54 ... drain groove (draining means), 63a, 64 ... water supply pipe, electromagnetic valve (water supplying means).

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A rice cooker, a heating means for heating the rice cooker, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the rice cooker, a water supply means and a drainage means for supplying and draining water to and from the rice cooker,
Rotating means for rotating the rice cooking pot or stirring means in the rice cooking pot and measuring means for measuring the weight of the rice cooking pot are provided, and the amount of water supplied for a certain period of time is measured by the measuring means when the washing water is supplied during the rice washing process. Then, an automatic rice-washing rice cooker is configured to obtain a water supply rate from the water supply amount and the water supply time, and change or adjust the water supply time based on the water supply rate to determine the water supply amount at the time of boiling water for rice cooking. 2. A rice cooking pot, a heating means for heating the rice cooking pot, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the rice cooking pot, a water supplying means and a draining means for supplying and draining water to the rice cooking pan,
Rotating means for rotating the rice cooking pot or stirring means in the rice cooking pot and measuring means for measuring the weight of the rice cooking pot are provided, and the amount of water supplied for a certain period of time is measured by the measuring means when the washing water is supplied during the rice washing process. Then, the water supply rate is obtained from the water supply amount and the water supply time, the water supply time is changed or adjusted based on the water supply rate to determine the water supply amount at the time of boiling water for rice cooking, and the water supply speed is stored, An automatic rice-washing rice cooker configured to use the water supply speed when determining a water supply time for washing rice and a water supply time for draining water at the next time of washing rice and cooking rice.