Cooker

Abstract

To provide a cooker capable of reducing oscillation of a pot by an agitator and maintaining airtightness of a cooking space by removably fixing the pot to a proper position of a body.SOLUTION: A cooker includes: a pot that stores a material to be cooked and includes a pot grip part, a body for removably storing the pot; a heating part that comes in contact with the bottom face of the pot and heats the pot; one or a plurality of elastic support bodies provided below the heating part that energize the heating part upward in a height direction; a pot fixing part for fixing the pot provided in an upper region of the body to the body; and a fixing release part for releasing the fixing of the pot provided in the upper region of the body to the body. When the pot is fixed to the body, the height direction of the pot is locked by the pot fixing part, and when the fixing of the pot to the body is released, the pot is uplifted upward in the height direction by the elastic support body, forming a gap that a user's fingers can enter below the pot grip part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic bread maker in which a kneading container is fixed to the bottom of a heating chamber. This automatic bread maker includes a bottomed, cylindrical device main body with a heating chamber inside, a kneading container housed in the heating chamber and housing ingredients, a kneading blade that rotates in the kneading container to knead the ingredients in the kneading container, a drive unit that rotates the kneading blade, a cylindrical kneading container stand attached to the bottom of the kneading container, and a bottomed, cylindrical container support stand that supports the kneading container in the heating chamber by bayonet connection with the kneading container stand.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a bread case fixed to the top of a baking chamber. This bread case includes a bakery body, a protective frame that forms the inner wall of the bakery body and the baking chamber, and a bread case that is set in a bread case storage chamber inside the protective frame, and includes a convex leaf spring with a dogleg cross section on the left and right near the opening of the bread case and a concave leaf spring with a dogleg cross section on the left and right at the upper end of the protective frame with which the dogleg cross section leaf spring elastically engages. The outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical part provided at the bottom of the bread case includes four vertically elongated convex parts spaced at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction, and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical opening of the protective frame that faces the cylindrical part of the bread case includes four vertically elongated concave parts, similarly spaced at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction, into which the convex parts of the bread case fit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-232107 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-226347 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a cooking device that can reduce shaking of the pot caused by a stirrer and maintain the airtightness of the cooking space by removably fixing the pot in an appropriate position on the main body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure comprises a pot for containing an item to be cooked, a main body for detachably containing the pot, a lid for covering the opening of the pot, a heating section for heating the pot, a stirring section for stirring the item to be cooked contained in the pot, pot fixing sections provided at two locations on the upper region of the main body for fixing the pot to the main body, and a fixing release section on at least one of the pot fixing sections for releasing the fixation of the pot to the main body. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The cooking device disclosed herein can fix the pot to the main body at a position away from the stirring body. This reduces the shaking of the pot caused by the stirring body, and maintains the airtightness of the cooking space. In addition, the pot fixing part is located in a visible position when attaching or detaching the pot, and the pot cannot be released without operating the fixing release part located on the pot fixing part. This allows the user to fix the pot in the correct position on the main body and easily attach and detach the pot from the main body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment with a lid closed (with the lid closed); [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention (with the lid open); [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention (with a lid closed); [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention (with a lid closed); [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a pan of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6]1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a heater and near a bottom sensor of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a main body of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (without a pan accommodated therein); [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a main part near a pan fixing part of a heating cooker according to a first embodiment of the present invention (when a pan is not accommodated); [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a lock lever of a cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pan fixing portion of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (when a pan is not accommodated, a cross-sectional view of a shaft of a locking lever). FIG. [Figure 11] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pan fixing portion of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (when a pan is not accommodated, a cross-sectional view of a locking lever spring) [Figure 12] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pan fixing portion of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (when a pan is not accommodated, a cross-sectional view of a protruding portion of a locking lever) [Figure 13] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near the fixing release part of the cooking device according to the first embodiment (when no pan is accommodated, a cross-sectional view of the fixing release button) [Figure 14] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near a pot fixing part of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (a cross-sectional view of a protruding part of a locking lever when the lid is open and the pot is being inserted) [Figure 15] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near a pot fixing part of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (when the lid is open, when a pot is placed inside, and when a protrusion of a locking lever is inserted). [Figure 16] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pot fixing portion of a cooking device according to the first embodiment (a cross-sectional view of a protruding portion of a locking lever when the lid is closed and when a pot is accommodated in the cooking device). [Figure 17] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pan fixing portion of a heating cooker according to the first embodiment (cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1); [Figure 18] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near the fixing release part of the cooking device according to the first embodiment (when the fixing release button is pressed) [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pan detection unit of a heating cooker according to the first embodiment (when no pan is accommodated); [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a main part of a pan detection unit of a heating cooker according to the first embodiment (when no pan is accommodated); [Figure 21] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near a pan detection unit of a heating cooker according to the first embodiment (a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1); [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing detection information of a pan detection unit prestored in a control unit of a cooking device according to the first embodiment; [Figure 23] 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a control unit when a cooking menu using a stirring cooking pot is selected in the heating cooker according to the first embodiment. [Figure 24] 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a control unit when a cooking menu using a stir-fry pan is selected in the heating cooker according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 25] 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a control unit when a cooking menu using a stew pot is selected in the heating cooker according to the first embodiment. [Figure 26] FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of a pot handle of a cooking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 27] 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near a pot fixing portion of a heating cooker according to a second embodiment of the present invention (when the lid is closed and the pot is accommodated) [Figure 28] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a main body of a cooking device according to a third embodiment (without a pan accommodated therein) [Figure 29] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the appearance of a pan of a cooking device according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time when the inventors came up with the idea of ​​this disclosure, in an automatic bread machine that kneads bread dough contained in a kneading container with a rotating kneading blade, there was a method in which the kneading container stand installed at the bottom of the kneading container was inserted into a container support stand installed in a heating chamber, bayonet-connected in the same direction as the rotation direction of the kneading blade, and fixed to the heating chamber (Patent Document 1). This allows the kneading of bread dough to be carried out without the kneading container coming off the heating chamber.

[0010] Also, in an automatic bread machine that kneads bread dough contained in a bread case with a rotating bread blade, a cylindrical part having a convex part on the outer periphery provided at the bottom of the bread case is inserted into a cylindrical opening of a protective frame having a concave part facing the convex part, and the convex part and the concave part are fitted together to position the bread case, and a convex leaf spring with a V-shaped cross section provided on the left and right sides of the upper part of the bread case is engaged with a concave leaf spring with a V-shaped cross section provided at the upper part of the protective frame, thereby fixing the bread case to the baking chamber. When the leaf springs are securely engaged, a "snap" sound is heard and the bread case is accommodated in the baking chamber (Patent Document 2). This allows the bread dough to be kneaded without the bread case coming off the baking chamber when kneading the dough. Also, the user can recognize that the bread case has been accommodated in the baking chamber by the "snap" sound.

[0011] However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems.

[0012] In the bayonet coupling method, when stirring the food inside the pot, the rotation direction of the stirrer is limited to the direction in which the pot can be fixed so that the pot does not come off. Therefore, it is not possible to stir the food in the reverse direction, and it may not be possible to perform optimal stirring according to the state of the food.

[0013] In addition, because the bayonet coupling method requires the pan to be rotated to attach and detach, when the handle is located on the side of the pan, it is necessary to secure a space for the handle to rotate, and it is necessary to provide a shape on the top surface of the main body that allows the handle to rotate, which may affect the design and size of the product. In addition, when the diameter of the pan is large, when the pan contains food, or when the pan itself is heavy, the torque applied to the bayonet coupling when attaching becomes large, and a heavy structure using metal or the like may be required.

[0014] In addition, when the leaf spring is fixed to the side of the pot, the elasticity of the leaf spring stops the pot midway when it is attached, and the pot may not be stored in the correct position. Furthermore, when the pot is stored in the correct position, a "snap" sound is heard when the leaf spring is securely engaged, but the user may not notice the sound and the pot may not be stored in the correct position. In addition, when removing the pot, it is necessary to remove it beyond the elasticity of the spring, but when the engagement allowance of the leaf spring increases due to the influence of heat during baking bread or aging, it may be necessary to use a large force to remove the pot in order to release the engagement. If the engagement is released in this state, the pot may come off with force, in which case the cooked food in the pot may spill out.

[0015] The inventors have come up with the subject matter of the present disclosure in order to solve the above problems.

[0016] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a cooking device that can reduce the shaking of the pot caused by the stirrer and maintain the airtightness of the cooking space by removably fixing the pot in an appropriate position on the main body.

[0017] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0018] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0019] (Embodiment 1) [1-1. Configuration] Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0020] Cooking device 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 25 is a cooking appliance for cooking food or other cooking objects (not shown). In this embodiment, cooking device 1 is an automatic cooking device in which an operating sequence is preprogrammed for each cooking menu, and is also called an "auto cooker," "multi cooker," "slow cooker," etc. The X, Y, and Z directions in the figures respectively indicate the width, depth, and height directions of cooking device 1. In addition, the definitions of front, back, left, right, and up and down in the explanation are defined from the viewpoint of a user looking at cooking device 1 from the front.

[0021] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment with a lid 2 closed. Fig. 2 is an external perspective view of a cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment with a lid 2 open. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment with a lid 2 closed. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment with a lid 2 closed. Fig. 5 is an external perspective view of a pot 6 of the cooking device according to the first embodiment.

[0022] When a user uses the cooking device 1, he places food (not shown) in the pot 6 shown in Figs. 2 to 5, operates the operation display unit 17 shown in Fig. 1 to select a cooking menu, and then presses the decision button 18. When the decision button 18 is pressed, the cooking device 1 operates to cook the food according to a predetermined program in accordance with the dish of the selected cooking menu (such as stew or curry). The cooking device 1 of this embodiment has a function of stirring the food using a stirring blade 8 shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

[0023] The cooking device 1 of this embodiment has a function of "pressurizing and cooking" in which the food to be cooked is pressurized and cooked while sealing the cooking space S of the pot 6. The cooking device 1 of this embodiment is provided with a sealing mechanism (not shown) for sealing the cooking space S in order to achieve both the stirring function using the stirring blade 8 and the pressurizing and cooking function.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the cooking device 1 includes a main body 4, a pan 6 and a stirring blade 8 housed in the main body 4, and a lid 2.

[0025] The main body 4 is a member that houses the pan 6 and other components. The main body 4 houses various parts for operating the cooking device 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the main body 4 includes a housing 4a that forms the exterior and a pan housing section 4b that detachably houses the pan 6.

[0026] Pot accommodating portion 4b is recessed to conform to the shape of pot 6. Pot accommodating portion 4b is composed of upper frame 5 which forms the top opening of main body 4, concave protective frame 9 which forms the side and bottom of pot accommodating portion 4b, and heater 10 which is a heating portion located above the bottom of protective frame 9. Protective frame 9 is easily affected by the heat of heated pot 6 and heater 10, and is therefore made of a highly heat-resistant material. In this embodiment, it is made of a metallic material.

[0027] On both the left and right sides (X direction) of the upper part of upper frame 5, there are provided members that constitute a pan detection unit 200 that detects the placement of pan 6 in pan storage unit 4b, a pan fixing unit 100 that fixes the stored pan 6 to main body 4, and a fixation release unit 110 that releases the fixation of pan 6 to main body 4. The pan detection unit 200, pan fixing unit 100, and fixation release unit 110 will be described in detail from Figure 7 onwards.

[0028] Pot 6 is a cylindrical member having a bottom portion 6d that is open at the top, and has a cooking space S for heating and cooking food. A stirring blade 8 is provided on the bottom portion 6d of pot 6, and ribs 6b are provided on the inner surface of pot 6.

[0029] The stirring blade 8 is a member for stirring the food contained in the cooking space S. The stirring blade 8 has a function of rotating in a rotation direction R1 (or a circumferential direction R) around a rotating shaft 25 shown in Fig. 4. The rib 6b is a protrusion for assisting the stirring of the food by the stirring blade 8. In this embodiment, the central positions of the rotating shaft 25, the main body 4, and the pot 6 are substantially in the same position.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, pot handle 7 for gripping pot 6 is provided on both the left and right sides (X direction) of the upper part of pot 6. Pot handle 7 is fastened by rivets or the like to side portion 6a forming the flat portion of the upper part of pot 6. In this embodiment, pot handle 7 is made of highly heat-resistant resin because it comes into contact with heated pot 6 and is easily affected by heat. As shown in Figure 5, pot handle 7 is also provided with locking claw portion 7a for fixing pot 6 to pot storage portion 4b, and detection shaft pressing portion 7b for pressing detection shaft 202, which is a component of pot detection portion 200 that detects that pot 6 has been stored in pot storage portion 4b, as described below.

[0031] The lid 2 is a member for opening and closing the opening of the main body 4 and the pot 6 housed in the pot housing portion 4b of the main body 4. The lid 2 is pivotally supported on the main body 4 by a lid attachment portion 4c provided on the main body 4 as shown in Fig. 3 so as to be freely opened and closed. Fig. 1 shows the state in which the lid 2 closes the main body 4, and Fig. 2 shows the state in which the lid 2 opens the main body 4. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lid 2 and the housing 4a have handle portions 4d on both the left and right sides (X direction) for the user to grip the cooking appliance 1.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 2, the lid 2 comprises an outer lid 3 and an inner lid 14. The outer lid 3 is a lid for opening and closing the entire main body 4, and the inner lid 14 is a lid for opening and closing the opening of the pot 6, and is attached to the inside of the outer lid 3. An elastic packing 15 is provided around the periphery of the inner lid 14, which comes into contact with the inside surface of the side portion 6a of the pot 6 when the lid 2 is closed on the main body 4, thereby sealing the opening of the pot 6. In this embodiment, the packing 15 is made of silicone rubber.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the outer lid 3 is provided with a handle 16, an operation display unit 17, and an exhaust outlet 20.

[0034] Handle 16 is a member that allows the user to open and close lid 2. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when handle 16 is located in a position parallel to the X direction, lid 2 and pot 6 are locked in the Z direction, and lid 2 closes main body 4. As shown in Figure 1, when handle 16 is rotated clockwise in the direction R2 about the center of the handle shaft, the lock between lid 2 and pot 6 in the Z direction is released, and lid 2 can be opened from main body 4.

[0035] The operation display unit 17 serves both as an operation unit for operating the cooking device 1 and as a display unit for displaying information. The operation display unit 17 is provided on the upper surface of the outer lid 3. The operation display unit 17 includes a decision button 18 as a part of the operation unit. The decision button 18 is used to select a cooking menu and to command the start of cooking.

[0036] Exhaust outlet 20 is an opening for discharging steam and the like generated in cooking space S of pot 6 to the outside. Exhaust outlet 20 communicates with exhaust inlet 19 shown in Figs.

[0037] The exhaust inlet 19 is an opening provided in the inner lid 14, and communicates with the exhaust outlet 20 through the internal flow path of the lid 2. Air in the cooking space S enters the internal flow path of the lid 2 from the exhaust inlet 19 and is discharged to the outside from the exhaust outlet 20.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, a pressure valve 23 is provided in the internal flow passage that connects the exhaust inlet 19 and the exhaust outlet 20. The pressure valve 23 is a valve for controlling the communication state between the exhaust inlet 19 and the exhaust outlet 20. The pressure valve 23 is normally closed and acts to keep the cooking space S sealed. By heating and cooking the food with the cooking space S sealed, it is possible to perform pressurized and heat cooking of the food. On the other hand, when the pressure valve 23 is opened, the exhaust inlet 19 and the exhaust outlet 20 are connected, and the pressure in the cooking space S approaches atmospheric pressure. The pressure valve 23 functions as a "pressure control means" that controls the pressure in the cooking space S.

[0039] In this embodiment, a pressure valve drive motor 24 is provided for driving the pressure valve 23. The timing at which the pressure valve drive motor 24 opens / closes the pressure valve 23 is preset for each cooking menu. When the pressure valve drive motor 24 is not driving the pressure valve 23, the pressure valve 23 is normally closed, but when the pressure in the cooking space S reaches a predetermined pressure (e.g., 2 to 3 atmospheres) or higher, the pressure valve 23 automatically opens. This makes it possible to prevent the cooking space S from becoming overly pressurized, improving safety.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, the cooking device 1 is provided with a heater 10 as a heating unit, a protective frame 9 that supports the heater 10 in the pot accommodating section 4b of the main body 4, a bottom sensor 21, a connector 26, an output shaft 27, a gear unit 29, a drive motor 28, and a control board 40 in the pot accommodating section 4b of the main body 4.

[0041] Heater 10 is a heat source that heats pot 6, and thereby heats the food to be cooked in cooking space S. In the present embodiment, heater 10 is a cast-in heater, and the bottom surface 6d of pot 6 is brought into contact with heater 10 to heat the food to be cooked in the pot.

[0042] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of the vicinity of heater 10 and bottom sensor 21 of cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, heater 10 is elastically supported upward in the Z direction by heater spring 11 below pot accommodating portion 4b. The underside of heater 10 is provided with boss 10a and flat portion 10b formed from the base of boss 10a. Meanwhile, protective frame 9 is provided with opening 9a larger than the outline of boss 10a on the surface facing boss 10a, and the outer peripheral end of opening 9a is provided with annular rib 9b extending upward in the Z direction and flat portion 9c formed from the base of annular rib 9b.

[0043] The heater spring 11, which is an elastic support, is formed of a compression coil spring. The heater spring 11 is sandwiched between the heater 10 and the protective frame 9, with the upper end of the heater spring 11 contacting the flat surface 10b of the heater 10 and the lower end of the heater spring 11 contacting the flat surface 9c outside the annular rib 9b of the protective frame 9. The area of ​​the flat surface 10b of the heater 10 and the area of ​​the flat surface 9c of the protective frame 9 are formed to a position larger than the outer diameter of the compression coil spring. This allows the heater spring 11 to be reliably installed on the respective flat surfaces 9c and 10b. This makes it possible to prevent the heater spring 11 from being disposed between the heater 10 and the protective frame 9 in an inclined state.

[0044] The lower end of boss 10a of heater 10 is inserted into opening 9a of protective frame 9, and is fastened to flat washer 12 made of metal with an outer diameter larger than that of opening 9a at a position below opening 9a with screw 13. Heater 10 is thus urged upward in the Z direction by heater spring 11, and its position in the Z direction is restricted by contact between flat washer 12 and flat portion 9c of protective frame 9, and heater 10 is elastically supported by protective frame 9 below pot accommodating portion 4b. The position of heater 10 in the X and Y directions is restricted by the gap between the outer shape of boss 10a and opening 9a of protective frame 9. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned heater springs 11 are provided in three positions at approximately 120 degrees from pot 6 and at the same distance from the center of pot 6 in the XY plane view. This makes it possible to suppress tilting of heater 10 when it operates in the Z direction.

[0045] Protective frame 9 is fixed to upper frame 5 at multiple points with screws or the like and is supported within main body 4. As a result, protective frame 9 will not move even when pot 6 is stored in pot housing portion 4b and heater 10 moves downward in the Z direction and contacts protective frame 9 or when heater 10 is urged upward in the Z direction by heater spring 11. This allows heater 10, which is the heat source, to be stably fixed to pot housing portion 4b of main body 4.

[0046] Bottom sensor 21 is a component for detecting the temperature of pot 6 and transmitting this temperature information to control board 40. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, bottom sensor 21 is provided such that the upper surface of contact 21a, which is the heat-sensing portion of bottom sensor 21, protrudes from opening hole 10c of heater 10 provided near rotation shaft 25 of stirring blade 8 beyond the upper surface of heater 10, and is elastically supported upward in the Z direction by sensor spring 22 below pot housing portion 4b. This ensures that pot 6 and bottom sensor 21 come into contact with each other when pot 6 is housed in pot housing portion 4b.

[0047] The protective frame 9 has an opening 9d on the surface facing the opening 10c of the heater 10, the opening 9d being smaller than the outer shape of the opening 10c of the heater 10, and the outer peripheral end of the opening 9d is provided with an annular rib 9e extending upward in the Z direction and a flat portion 9f formed from the base of the annular rib 9e.

[0048] The sensor spring 22, which is an elastic support, is formed of a compression coil spring. The sensor spring 22 is sandwiched between the bottom sensor 21 and the protective frame 9 with the upper end of the sensor spring 22 contacting the flat surface 21b of the contact 21a and the lower end of the sensor spring 22 contacting the flat surface 9f outside the annular rib 9e of the protective frame 9 below the bottom sensor 21. The area of ​​the flat surface 21b of the contact 21a and the area of ​​the flat surface 9f of the protective frame 9 are formed to a position larger than the outer diameter of the sensor spring 22. This ensures that the sensor spring 22 is installed on the respective flat surfaces 9f and 21b, and prevents the sensor spring 22 from being disposed between the bottom sensor 21 and the protective frame 9 in an inclined state.

[0049] Below the sensor cover 21c that constitutes the side surface of the bottom sensor 21, there is provided a flange portion 21d that is larger than the opening 9d of the protective frame 9 and is formed substantially on the XY plane.

[0050] The surface of protective frame 9 facing flange portion 21d of sensor cover 21c is formed in approximately the XY plane up to an area larger than the outer shape of flange portion 21d. As a result, bottom sensor 21 is urged upward in the Z direction by sensor spring 22, and its position in the Z direction is regulated by contact between flange portion 21d of sensor cover 21c and flat portion 9f of protective frame 9, and it is elastically supported by protective frame 9 below pot accommodating portion 4b. The position of bottom sensor 21 in the X and Y directions is regulated by the gap between the outer shape of sensor cover 21c and opening hole 9d of protective frame 9.

[0051] Connector 26 is a member for connecting rotating shaft 25 of stirring blade 8 to output shaft 27. Connector 26 has a connecting shape for connecting rotating shaft 25, and when rotating shaft 25 is connected to connector 26, rotating shaft 25 and output shaft 27 can rotate integrally. Rotating shaft 25 is provided penetrating bottom portion 6d of pot 6 from inside the pot to outside the pot. Therefore, rotating shaft 25 and connector 26 are connected in the space below pot 6.

[0052] The output shaft 27 is a member for transmitting the rotational force of the drive motor 28 to the rotary shaft 25. The tip of the output shaft 27 is connected to the connector 26. A gear unit 29 is connected to the output shaft 27, and the rotational force of the drive motor 28 is transmitted to the output shaft 27. The drive motor 28 has a motor shaft 30, and the rotational force of the motor shaft 30 is transmitted to the output shaft 27 via the gear unit 29. With this configuration, the rotational force of the drive motor 28 is transmitted to the rotary shaft 25 via the output shaft 27, and the stirring blade 8 is rotationally driven in the rotational direction R1. The rotational direction R1 of the stirring blade 8 corresponds to the circumferential direction R of the rotary shaft 25, and hereinafter, the rotational direction R1 and the circumferential direction R will be used as appropriate.

[0053] The control board 40 is a board for controlling each component of the cooking appliance 1. The control board 40 is electrically connected to each component such as the bottom sensor 21, the operation display unit 17, the pressure valve drive motor 24, the drive motor 28, the heater 10, and the detection body 201 of the pan detection unit 200, and controls the operation of each component based on a predetermined program. In this embodiment, the control board 40 is equipped with a CPU having a memory that stores the program and a processor for executing the program. The control board 40 functions as a "control unit" that controls the cooking appliance 1.

[0054] [1-2. Configuration of the pot fixing part] In cooker 1 configured as above, the configuration of pot fixing part 100 that fixes pot 6 to pot accommodating part 4b will be described.

[0055] Fig. 7 is an external perspective view of main body 4 when pot 6 of cooking device 1 according to the present embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pot accommodating section 4b. For the sake of explanation, lid 2 has been omitted. Fig. 8 is an external perspective view of essential parts near pot fixing section 100 when pot 6 of cooking device 1 according to the present embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pot accommodating section 4b.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 7, upper frame 5 above handle portion 4d of main body 4 has two recessed spaces for accommodating pot handle portion 7, one on each side (in the X direction) facing pot handle portion 7.

[0057] 7 and 8, first recessed space 50 is a space formed by three side walls 50a and a bottom surface 50b that connect to the upper surface of upper frame 5, which has an open top surface and a side surface toward the center of pot 6. When pot 6 is stored in pot storage section 4b, part of pot handle 7 is stored therein. Side wall 50a in the X direction shown in FIG. 8 is formed by an inclined surface that connects from bottom surface 50b to the upper surface of upper frame 5.

[0058] The second recessed space 51 is located inside and below the first recessed space 50, and is a space formed by three side walls 51a and a bottom surface 51b that are connected to the bottom surface 50b of the first recessed space 50, with the top surface and the side surface toward the center of the pot 6 open. An opening hole 51c is provided in the side wall 51a and the bottom surface 51b in the X direction so that a locking lever 101 described later can rotate. Furthermore, an opening hole 51d is provided in the bottom surface 51b forward in the Y direction with respect to a reference line of the axis in the X direction that passes through the center of the pot 6, through which a detection shaft 202 described later can protrude. When the pot 6 is accommodated in the pot accommodation section 4b, a part of the pot handle portion 7 is also accommodated in this second recessed space 51.

[0059] FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of the lock lever 101 of the cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0060] Locking lever 101 is a member for restricting the Z direction of pot 6 when pot 6 is accommodated in pot storage section 4b. As shown in FIG. 9, locking lever 101 has shaft 101a and protrusions 101b at approximately both ends of locking lever 101 in the Y direction. When pot 6 is accommodated in pot storage section 4b, the four protrusions 101b on both the left and right sides each engage with the locking claws 7a of the corresponding pot handle 7, restricting the Z direction of pot 6. As the protrusions 101b can be engaged with the locking claws 7a at both ends of locking lever 101 in the Y direction, rocking of pot 6 can be reduced and the Z direction of pot 6 can be stably restricted.

[0061] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near pot fixing part 100 when pot 6 is not accommodated in pot accommodating part 4b of cooking device 1 according to embodiment 1 (a cross-sectional view of shaft 101a of locking lever 101). For ease of explanation, lid 2 is omitted.

[0062] As shown in Figure 10, the locking lever 101 is journalled to the upper frame 5 by inserting the shaft 101a into the recess 5a that corresponds to the shaft 101a and is provided in the upper frame 5. This allows the locking lever 101 to rotate about the shaft 101a in a rotational direction R3 towards the centre of the pot 6 and in a rotational direction R4 opposite thereto. Also, as the locking lever 101 is journalled by the shaft 101a and the recess 5a at both ends of the locking lever 101 in the Y direction, the rocking of the locking lever 101 can be reduced and the locking lever 101 can be stably journalled to the upper frame 5.

[0063] 9 and 10, the pot 6 can be fixed in the Z direction, so the pot 6 will not become unfixed due to the rotation of the stirring blade 8. This eliminates the need to limit the stirring direction of the stirring blade 8, allowing optimal stirring to be performed according to the state of the food being cooked.

[0064] Furthermore, the user can place the pot 6 in the main body 4 from top to bottom in the Z direction. This allows the user to easily place and secure the pot 6 in the pot housing section 4b. Furthermore, when placing the pot 6 in the pot housing section 4b, there is no need to rotate the pot 6 to secure it, as is the case with the bayonet coupling method, so there is no need to provide a shape on the top surface of the main body 4 to allow for the rotational movement. This allows for an improvement in the design of the cooking appliance 1 and a more compact product size.

[0065] The locking lever support 102 is a member made of a metal material for reinforcing the protrusion 101b of the locking lever 101. As shown in Fig. 9, it is formed so as to reinforce the area between the surface of the protrusion 101b of the locking lever 101 that engages with the locking claw 7a of the pot handle 7 and the shaft 101a, and is fixed to the locking lever 101. This makes it possible to prevent the locking lever 101 from being deformed or damaged by the force applied when the protrusion 101b comes into contact with the locking claw 7a.

[0066] Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts near pot fixing part 100 (cross-sectional view of locking lever spring 103) when pot 6 of cooking device 1 according to embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pot accommodating part 4b. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts near pot fixing part 100 (cross-sectional view of protrusion 101b of locking lever 101) when pot 6 of cooking device 1 according to embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pot accommodating part 4b. For the sake of explanation, lid 2 is omitted from both Figs. 11 and 12.

[0067] The locking lever spring 103 is a member formed of a compression coil spring that elastically supports the locking lever 101 on the upper frame 5. As shown in FIG. 11, the locking lever spring 103 is provided between the locking lever 101 and the upper frame 5 so that the free length is contracted. As a result, the locking lever 101 is biased in a rotation direction R3 shown in FIG. 10 around the shaft 101a. As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 12, the biased locking lever 101 is elastically supported by a surface formed along the side surface of the upper frame 5 of the locking lever cover 104 in a state in which the ribs 101c provided near both ends of the locking lever support 102 below the convex portion 101b come into contact with the side surface of the opening hole 51c of the second recessed space, and the convex portion 101b is convex from the opening hole 51c toward the side wall 51a in the X direction.

[0068] The locking lever cover 104 is a member for restricting the downward movement of the shaft 101a. As shown in Fig. 10, the locking lever cover 104 is fixed to the upper frame 5 in a state of contacting the lower part of the shaft 101a. This makes it possible to prevent the shaft 101a of the locking lever 101 from shifting downward in the Z direction when it rotates (R3, R4), and the locking lever 101 can stably perform the rotation (R3, R4) about the shaft 101a.

[0069] 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near fixation release part 110 (a cross-sectional view of fixation release button 111) when pot 6 of cooking device 1 according to embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pot accommodating part 4b. For the sake of explanation, lid 2 is omitted.

[0070] Release button 111 is a member for releasing the engagement between protrusion 101b of lock lever 101 and lock claw 7a of pot handle 7. In this embodiment, release button 111 is release part 110. As shown in FIG. 9, release button 111 is fixed to lock lever 101 with a screw, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 13, button part 111a is provided in front of first recessed space 50 provided on both the left and right sides (X direction) of the upper part of upper frame 5 in the Y direction so as to be protruding from the upper surface of upper frame 5. In other words, release button 111 is provided near pot fixing part 100. This allows the user to see release button 111 and easily press release buttons 111 on both the left and right sides. As shown in FIG. 9, release button 111 is fixed to locking lever 101, its operation is linked to locking lever 101, and it is provided near pot handle 7 that engages with locking lever 101, so that the user can quickly grab pot handle 7 after releasing pot 6. This allows the user to quickly and easily transport pot 6 after releasing it from pot fixing part 100. Also, the stroke amount of release button 111 can be increased by the amount of protrusion. This allows the user to reduce the amount by which release button 111 is pressed in, and reduces degradation of release operability, such as the user's finger getting caught between upper frame 5 or the finger getting pinched.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 13, a flange portion 111b is formed below the button portion 111a. The flange portion 111b is formed to have an outer shape larger than the opening hole 5b for providing the button portion 111a of the upper frame 5. At the portion of the upper frame 5 facing the flange portion 111b, a plurality of ribs 5c that contact the flange portion 111b are evenly provided in the X direction and the Y direction from approximately the center of the button portion 111a. The ribs 5c and the flange portion 111b contact each other in the Z direction, and the release button 111 is elastically supported by the upper frame 5 by the locking lever spring 103 via the locking lever 101. This makes it possible to prevent the button portion 111a from coming off the upper frame 5 and to maintain a uniform amount of protrusion of the button portion 111a from the upper surface of the upper frame 5, thereby suppressing deterioration in appearance quality. Furthermore, even if the components of the cooking appliance 1 are deformed due to heat, shaking, dropping, or the like, the amount of protrusion of the button portion 111a can be maintained uniform, and therefore the inner lid 14, etc. configured above the button portion 111a as shown in FIG. 3, etc., can be prevented from pressing the button portion 111a.

[0072] [1-3. Operation of the pot fixing part] Next, the operation of pot holding part 100 and the configuration associated with that operation in cooker 1 configured as above will be described.

[0073] Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts near pot fixing part 100 when pot 6 of the cooking device according to the present embodiment 1 is being accommodated in pot accommodating part 4b (a cross-sectional view of convex part 101b of locking lever 101). The arrow pointing downward in the Z direction in the figure indicates the direction in which pot 6 is accommodated. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts near pot fixing part 100 when pot 6 of the cooking device according to the present embodiment 1 is accommodated in pot accommodating part 4b (a cross-sectional view of convex part 101b of locking lever 101). For the sake of explanation, lid 2 has been omitted from both Figs. 14 and 15.

[0074] As described above, before the pot 6 is accommodated in the pot accommodating portion 4b of the main body 4, the locking lever 101 is biased toward the center of the pot 6 by the locking lever spring 103. The rib 101c of the locking lever 101 contacts the side surface of the opening hole 51c of the second recessed space, and the locking lever is elastically supported by the upper frame 5 in a state in which the protruding portion 101b protrudes from the opening hole 51c toward the side wall 51a in the X direction.

[0075] As shown in Figure 14, when convex portion 101b of locking lever 101 comes into contact with locking claw portion 7a of pot handle 7 during the process of storing pot 6 in pot storage portion 4b of main body 4, locking lever 101 rotates about axis 101a in direction R4 to avoid contact while compressing locking lever spring 103. This rotation gradually reduces engagement allowance D between convex portion 101b and locking claw portion 7a. The engagement allowance refers to the dimension in the X direction where convex portion 101b and locking claw portion 7a overlap.

[0076] When the pot 6 is accommodated in the pot storage section 4b to a predetermined position, the heater 10 comes into contact with the bottom surface 6d of the pot 6, compressing the heater spring 11 that biases the heater 10 upward in the Z direction, and moves downward in the Z direction in conjunction with the movement of the pot 6. When the protruding portion 101b rotates to a position where the engagement margin D disappears, the locking claw portion 7a moves below the protruding portion 101b, and at the same time, the compression of the locking lever spring 103 is released, and the locking lever 101 rotates in the R3 direction around the axis 101a. In conjunction with the rotation, the protruding portion 101b enters above the locking claw portion 7a, and as shown in FIG. 15, it has the engagement margin D and engages. As a result, the pot 6 is locked in the Z direction by the locking lever 101. At the time of engagement, the user can recognize that the pot 6 is accommodated in the pot storage section 4b by the set feeling and set sound caused by the compression and release of the locking lever spring 103.

[0077] Similarly to pot 6, heater 10 is also locked in the Z direction by locking lever 101 via pot 6. At this time, heater spring 11 is compressed downward in the Z direction, so heater 10 comes into contact with bottom portion 6d of pot 6 and is locked in a state where it is biased upward in the Z direction.

[0078] [1-4. Operation of the pot fixing part during stirring cooking] Next, the operation of pot holding part 100 and pot 6 during stirring cooking and the configuration associated with that operation will be described.

[0079] The stirring cooking in this embodiment refers to stirring the food contained in pot 6 with stirring blade 8 and cooking it under heat and pressure (hereinafter referred to as stirring cooking).

[0080] Stir cooking can be performed in two ways: with the lid open, the food is heated, and with the lid closed, the cooking space S is sealed, and the food is pressurized and heated. In this embodiment, the case of stirring cooking with the lid closed will be cited and described.

[0081] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near pot fixing part 100 (a cross-sectional view of protruding part 101b of locking lever 101) with lid 2 of cooking appliance 1 in accordance with the present embodiment 1 closed.

[0082] 4 and 16, the gasket 15 of the inner lid 14 abuts against the inner surface of the side portion 6a of the pot 6, sealing the opening of the pot 6 with a seal margin H in the Z direction. The cooking space S is sealed by this configuration and other sealing mechanisms.

[0083] Additionally, a predetermined gap H1 in the Z direction is provided between the underside 7c of the pot handle portion 7 and the bottom surface 51b of the second recessed space 51 of the upper frame 5, and a predetermined gap H2 in the Z direction is provided between the inner lid 14 and the outer lid 3. Both gap H1 and gap H2 are configured to be narrower than the seal allowance H.

[0084] When stirring cooking starts, the stirring blade 8 rotates due to the power of the drive motor 28, stirring the food in the pot. In the process of stirring the food, for example, if a large food climbs over the stirring blade 8, a force may be momentarily applied to the stirring blade 8. Since the stirring blade 8 is attached to the bottom surface 6d of the pot 6, the force applied to the stirring blade 8 is transmitted to the pot 6 via the rotating shaft 25. Furthermore, when the food is between the stirring blade 8 and the rib 6b in the pot, a large force such as a force that pushes the food aside or a force that crushes the food is transmitted to the pot 6 via the rib 6b and the rotating shaft 25.

[0085] When the force (hereinafter referred to as F) applied to pot 6 described above is transmitted to pot 6 as a force in the Z direction (hereinafter referred to as F1), pot 6 oscillates within the range of gap H1. This makes it possible to limit the range of oscillation of pot 6, thereby reducing the oscillation of pot 6. It is also possible to prevent oscillation that exceeds the seal allowance H between pot 6 and packing 15, thereby maintaining the airtightness of cooking space S of pot 6.

[0086] Furthermore, because pot 6 is sandwiched between locking lever 101 and heater 10 and elastically supported in the Z direction by heater spring 11, when pot 6 oscillates within the range of gap H1, part of F1 is absorbed by the elastic force of heater spring 11, reducing the force applied to locking lever 101. This prevents all of F1 transmitted to pot 6 from being applied to locking lever 101, thereby preventing locking lever 101 from being deformed, damaged, etc. Furthermore, the force applied to detection shaft 202, which is in contact with pot handle 7 (described below), can also be reduced, preventing detection body 201, which is in contact with detection shaft 202 via detection lever 203, from being deformed, damaged, etc.

[0087] In addition, the opening of pot 6 abuts against packing 15, which is an elastic body. When F1 is transmitted to pot 6 and pot 6 oscillates within the range of gap H1, part of F1 is absorbed by the elastic force of packing 15, reducing the force applied to locking lever 101. In addition, packing 15 can move in the Z direction within the range of gap H2 via inner lid 14. This allows packing 15 to maintain a shape for sealing the opening of pot 6. In order to maintain the airtightness of cooking space S of pot 6, the relationship H>H1+H2 for the seal allowance H between pot 6 and packing 15 can be satisfied.

[0088] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near pot fixing part 100 of cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment (cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1).

[0089] As shown in FIG. 17, the side wall 7d of the pot handle portion 7 and the side wall 51a of the second recessed space 51 face each other at two points, and a predetermined gap H3 is provided in the Y direction. When the above-mentioned force F is transmitted to the pot 6 as a force (hereinafter F2) in the rotational direction (R1 or circumferential direction R), the pot 6 oscillates in the rotational direction within the range of the respective gap H3, i.e., H3+H3. This limits the oscillating range of the pot 6, and reduces the oscillating of the pot 6. In addition, it is possible to prevent the seal portion between the pot 6 and the packing 15 from being twisted and the packing 15 from being deformed to generate a gap in the seal portion, and it is possible to stably seal the opening of the pot 6. The cooking device 1 of this embodiment has a function of "pressurizing and cooking" that pressurizes and cooks the food while sealing the cooking space S of the pot 6, so the gap H3 is set to 1 mm or less. If there is no "pressurizing" function, the gap H3 may be set to 2 mm or less.

[0090] Furthermore, when side wall 7d and side wall 51a come into contact with each other, they function to stop the rotation of pot 6. This allows the food inside the pot to be stirred as intended. In addition, in this embodiment, the rotation of pot 6 can be stopped at a position away from rotation shaft 25, so the force (hereinafter F3) constituting rotation torque P generated in the rotation stopper can be made smaller. This makes it possible to prevent damage or breakage to detection shaft 202 and the components constituting the rotation stopper. Furthermore, since the rotation of pot 6 can be stopped without the components constituting the rotation stopper being made sturdy, the number of components and the material costs can be reduced.

[0091] [1-5. How to release the pot] Next, the operation of removing pot 6 from pot housing portion 4b and the configuration associated with this operation will be described.

[0092] There are several cases in which the user may remove the pot 6 from the pot accommodating section 4b, such as “before cooking begins,” “after cooking ends,” and “when cleaning.” In this embodiment, however, we will focus on and explain the case where the user removes the pot 6 from the pot accommodating section 4b “after cooking ends.”

[0093] When cooking is finished and the pressure in cooking space S falls below a predetermined level, lid 2 can be safely opened. In this state, the user can open lid 2 and remove pot 6 from pot accommodating section 4b. Release button 111 is fixed to locking lever 101, and is biased by locking lever spring 103 via locking lever 101 while in contact with upper frame 5 in the Z direction.

[0094] 18 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near fixation release part 110 in a state where fixation release button 111 of cooking appliance 1 according to embodiment 1 is pressed. For the sake of explanation, lid 2 is omitted.

[0095] When button portion 111a is pressed, locking lever 101 rotates (R4 in Figure 15), and the engagement between protrusion 101b of locking lever 101 and locking claw portion 7a of pot handle 7 is released. In this state, the user can remove pot 6 from pot storage portion 4b.

[0096] Since the button portion 111a is provided near the pan 6 and the pan handle portion 7, when cooking is finished, the button portion 111a is heated by radiant heat from the heated pan 6. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, a plurality of ribs are provided on the back surface of the button portion 111a. This increases the cross-sectional area of ​​the button portion 111a, enhances the radiation of the transmitted heat, and suppresses the temperature rise of the button portion 111a. In addition, a plurality of ribs 111c are provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the button portion 111a, reducing the contact area when the user presses the button portion 111a, and making it difficult for heat to be transmitted to the user's fingers. The ribs 111c also have the function of making it difficult for the finger to slip when pressing the button portion 111a. This allows the user to press the release button 111 safely.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 18, when the user presses the button portion 111a, a gap H4 is generated between the upper frame 5 and the flange portion 111b. In some cases, food pieces or seasonings processed for cooking may be caught in the gap H4. In this embodiment, as described above, the upper surface of the flange portion 111b is formed as a substantially flat surface. As a result, even if food pieces or seasonings remain on the upper surface of the flange portion 111b, the upper surface of the flange portion 111b is substantially flat, making it easy to clean and allowing the food pieces, seasonings, etc. to be easily removed. In this embodiment, the gap H4 is set to 2 mm or less. This makes it possible to improve the cleanability of the fixation release portion 110 and prevent the user's fingers from being caught when pressing the fixation release button 111.

[0098] When the engagement between the projection 101b of the locking lever 101 and the locking claw 7a of the pot handle 7 is released, the pot 6 is released from the elastic support between the locking lever 101 and the heater 10, and the pot 6 is lifted upward, as shown in Figure 14. In this state, the elastic force of the heater spring 11 is adjusted so that a predetermined gap H5 in the Z direction between the top surface of the upper frame 5 and the lower part of the pot handle 7 is a gap large enough for a user's fingers to fit through. This allows the user to insert their fingers into the gap H5 and easily grasp the pot handle 7. The user can also easily remove the pot 6 from the pot storage section 4b and transport it.

[0099] In this state, pot 6 is not fixed to pot accommodating portion 4b, and cooking device 1 of the present embodiment is not ready to start cooking. Therefore, in order to inform the user that pot 6 is not properly accommodated in pot accommodating portion 4b, gap H5 is set to a gap that prevents contact between tip 202a of detection shaft 202 and underside 7c of pot handle portion 7 so that pot detection unit 200, which will be described later, does not detect it.

[0100] 8 is formed as an inclined surface that connects from the bottom surface 50b to the upper surface of the upper frame 5. This reduces contact between the user's fingers and the upper frame 5 when inserting the fingers into the gap H5, enabling the user to easily grasp the pot handle 7.

[0101] Furthermore, the upper surface of the upper frame 5 outside the X-direction sidewall 50a shown in Fig. 8 is provided with a plurality of openings 5d that communicate with the outside air. This allows the pot handle 7, which has been heated by conductive heat, radiant heat, etc. from the pot 6, to be cooled by the outside air. This allows the user to safely grasp the pot handle 7. Also, because the X-direction sidewall 50a is configured as an inclined surface, the first recessed space 50 can be easily cleaned.

[0102] [1-6. Configuration of the pot detection unit] Next, the configuration of pot detection section 200 that detects that pot 6 has been placed in pot accommodating section 4b of main body 4 in cooker 1 configured as above will be described.

[0103] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts near pan detection unit 200 when pan 6 of cooking appliance 1 according to embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pan accommodation unit 4b. Figure 20 is an external perspective view of essential parts of pan detection unit 200 when pan 6 of cooking appliance 1 according to embodiment 1 is not accommodated in pan accommodation unit 4b. For the sake of explanation, lid 2 is omitted in Figure 19, and housing 4a is omitted in Figure 20.

[0104] 17 is a member that transmits a signal that pot 6 has been placed in pot housing portion 4b to control board 40. In this embodiment, it is constituted by a microswitch. Sensing body 201 is electrically connected to control board 40 via lead wires or the like.

[0105] The detection body 201 is configured to emit a signal when a contact portion 201a provided inside is connected. As shown in Fig. 20, the detection body 201 is provided with a contact portion 201a, a switch lever 201b that contacts the contact portion 201a, and an operating shaft 201c that supports the switch lever 201b on the detection body 201. When a force is applied to the switch lever 201b, the switch lever 201b rotates around the operating shaft 201c. When the switch lever 201b rotates a predetermined amount, the contact portion 201a and the switch lever 201b come into contact with each other.

[0106] A detection shaft 202 and a detection lever 203 shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are members for operating the detection body 201.

[0107] The detection shaft 202 is a cylindrical shaft body. The detection shaft 202 is made of a rigid metal to prevent deformation due to an impact caused by contact with the pot 6 or radiant heat from the heated pot 6.

[0108] 8, tip 202a of detection shaft 202 is provided so as to protrude from opening 51d provided in bottom surface 51b of second recessed space 51 of upper frame 5 toward bottom surface 51b. Opening 51d is provided forward in the Y direction with respect to a reference line of the X-direction axis that passes through the center of pot 6.

[0109] Pot handle 7 is provided with detection shaft pushing portion 7b at a position facing tip 202a of detection shaft 202. When pot 6 is placed in pot housing portion 4b, detection shaft pushing portion 7b and tip 202a come into contact and tip 202a is pushed downward in the Z direction by pot 6, causing detection shaft 202 to move downward in the Z direction.

[0110] In addition, by configuring the aforementioned opening hole 51d to be provided forward in the Y direction with respect to the reference line of the X-direction axis passing through the center of the pot 6, it is possible to prevent the tip 202a from being pressed by the detection shaft pressing part 7b when the pot 6 is stored in the pot storage part 4b with the front and back reversed. Also, in the case where the pot detection part 200 is provided at two places, one on each side, and both are provided forward in the Y direction with respect to the reference line of the X-direction axis passing through the center of the pot 6, as in the present embodiment, the detection shaft pressing part 7b is arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference line of the X-direction axis passing through the center of the pot 6, that is, two places on each side, for a total of four places, so that the pot detection part 200 on both sides can be pressed even when the pot 6 is stored in the pot storage part 4b with the front and back reversed. By applying this, it is possible to detect multiple types of pots 6 without problems even when the pot detection part 200 is pressed only on one side, the left or right, or when the pot is installed with the front and back reversed.

[0111] 19, the detection shaft 202 is positioned in the radial direction by being inserted into a cylindrical guide hole 51e extending downward in the Z direction provided below the opening hole 51d and a cylindrical guide hole 104a extending downward in the Z direction provided in the locking lever cover 104. This restricts the movement direction of the detection shaft 202 to approximately the Z direction.

[0112] In addition, the tip 202a of the detection shaft 202 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape. This allows the contact with the detection shaft pressing portion 7b to be a point contact, reducing damage to the detection shaft pressing portion 7b due to contact and reducing the risk of the detection shaft pressing portion 7b getting caught on the detection shaft pressing portion 7b. In addition, the heat conduction from the detection shaft pressing portion 7b to the detection shaft 202 can be minimized, reducing the transfer of heat to adjacent members via the detection shaft 202. This allows the thermal deformation of members adjacent to the detection shaft 202 to be suppressed.

[0113] Furthermore, the contact point with the detection shaft pressing portion 7b can be limited to approximately the center of the tip portion 202a. In other words, the direction of the force applied to the detection shaft 202 from the pot 6 can be set to approximately the central axial direction of the detection shaft 202. This can reduce the force that tries to bend the detection shaft 202 starting from the contact point with the guide hole (51e, 104a) when the detection shaft 202 operates while contacting the inner surface of the guide hole (51e, 104a), thereby suppressing deformation of the detection shaft 202. In addition, the contact resistance between the detection shaft 202 and the guide hole (51e, 104a) can be reduced, and the operation of the detection shaft 202 can be stabilized.

[0114] In addition, due to the effect of reducing the force tending to bend the detection axis 202, the gap between the detection axis 202 and the opening hole 51d and the guide hole (51e, 104a) can be reduced. This reduces the tilt of the detection axis 202 during operation, and stabilizes the operation of the detection axis 202. In this embodiment, the gap between the detection axis 202 and the opening hole 51d and the guide hole (51e, 104a) is configured to be less than 1 / 2 the radius of the detection axis 202.

[0115] In this embodiment, the length of the guide hole (51e, 104a) extending downward is made longer than the diameter of the detection shaft 202 in order to increase the area of ​​the opposing side surfaces of the detection shaft 202 and the guide hole (51e, 104a). As a result, when liquid such as water or seasoning liquid seeps in through the opening hole 51d, the liquid flowing in the gap between the detection shaft 202 and the guide hole (51e, 104a) can be guided along the detection shaft 202, and the liquid can be prevented from dripping onto the detection body 201, which is a charging part installed at the bottom inside the main body 4.

[0116] Detection lever 203 is a member that transmits the movement of detection shaft 202 to detection body 201. As shown in Fig. 20, detection lever 203 is fixed to detection shaft 202, and when pot 6 is housed in pot housing portion 4b and detection shaft 202 moves downward in the Z direction, detection lever 203 moves downward in the Z direction in conjunction with the movement of detection shaft 202. In this embodiment, detection shaft 202 and detection lever 203 are fixed with an e-ring.

[0117] The detection lever 203 includes a lever portion 203a for pushing the switch lever 201b of the detection body 201. The surface where the lever portion 203a comes into contact with the switch lever 201b of the detection body 201 is formed as a gently inclined surface that tapers toward the tip of the lever portion 203a. When the detection lever 203 operates, the lever portion 203a gradually pushes the switch lever 201b along the inclined surface, and the switch lever 201b rotates in stages. This makes it possible to reduce the sudden application of force to the switch lever 201b when a sudden force is applied to the detection shaft 202, and to suppress damage to the detection body 201.

[0118] The inclined surface is set so that switch lever 201b comes into contact with contact portion 201a when detection shaft 202 is pressed in enough to determine that pot 6 is properly accommodated in pot accommodation portion 4b. This makes it possible to accurately detect that pot 6 is accommodated in pot accommodation portion 4b.

[0119] The detection lever spring 204 is an elastic support formed of a compression coil spring. As shown in Fig. 19, the detection lever spring 204 has the detection shaft 202 inserted inside, and is provided so that the free length between the detection lever 203 and the detection body support 205 is contracted in a state where the upper end of the detection lever spring 204 is in contact with the flat surface 203c of the detection lever 203 and the lower end of the detection lever spring 204 is in contact with the flat surface 205b of the detection body support 205.

[0120] The area of ​​the flat surface 203c of the detection lever 203 and the area of ​​the flat surface 205b of the detection body support 205 are formed to a position larger than the outer diameter of the compression coil spring. This ensures that the detection lever spring 204 is installed on each of the flat surfaces 203c and 205b, and prevents the detection lever spring 204 from being disposed between the detection lever 203 and the detection body support 205 in an inclined state.

[0121] The detection shaft 202 to which the detection lever 203 is fixed is inserted into an opening hole 205c provided in the flat surface portion 205b of the detection body support 205, and an e-ring having an outer diameter larger than the opening hole 205c is fastened to a position below the opening hole 205c. This allows the detection shaft 202 to be held between the detection lever 203 and the detection body support 205 without coming off the detection shaft 202 from the detection lever spring 204, and the detection lever 203 and the detection shaft 202 are urged upward in the Z direction by the detection lever spring 204, and the tip 202a of the detection shaft 202 is elastically supported in a state where it is convex from the opening hole 51d provided in the bottom surface 51b of the second recessed space 51 of the upper frame 5 toward the bottom surface 51b.

[0122] Furthermore, when pan 6 is accommodated in pan accommodation portion 4b and detection shaft 202 moves downward in the Z direction, the biasing force of detection lever spring 204 acts in the opposite direction to the movement direction of detection shaft 202. This prevents all of the force applied to detection shaft 202 from being applied to switch lever 201b, and makes it possible to reduce the force applied to switch lever 201b and contact portion 201a. This makes it possible to prevent deformation and damage to detection body 201.

[0123] Furthermore, the flat surface 205b of the detection element support 205 is provided below the surrounding surface in the Z direction. When liquid such as water or seasoning liquid enters through the opening hole 51d of the upper frame 5, the liquid flowing along the detection axis 202 is temporarily pooled around the flat surface 205b. Thereafter, the liquid drips from the opening hole 205c provided in the flat surface 205b along the detection axis 202 to a position directly below the detection axis 202. This makes it possible to prevent the liquid from flowing onto the detection element 201, which is the charging part installed on the detection element support 205.

[0124] As described above, the detection body support 205 is a part that supports the members that make up the pan detection unit 200. The detection body 201, the detection shaft 202, the detection lever 203, and the detection lever spring 204 are fixed or supported.

[0125] Detection element support 205 is stably fixed with screws or the like to housing 4a in a lower region within main body 4 below pot fixing part 100 and away from pot 6 and heater 10. This allows detection element 201 to be provided in a position away from heat sources such as heated pot 6 and heater 10, and makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the durability of detection element 201 due to the influence of radiant heat from the heat source.

[0126] Moreover, an opening hole 4e communicating with the outside air is provided near the fixed portion of the detection body support 205. This generates air circulation with the outside air around the detection body 201 within the main body 4, making it possible to cool the detection body 201 and suppress a decrease in durability of the detection body 201 due to the influence of radiant heat from the heat source.

[0127] Furthermore, the detection body support 205 has an opening 205c for inserting the detection shaft 202 and a side wall 205d extending to a position lower than the lowest position of the switch lever 201b. As a result, when water or liquid such as seasoning liquid that has entered from above the main body 4 flows along the detection shaft 202, the liquid can be guided along the side wall 205d, and adhesion of the liquid to the switch lever 201b, which is the charging part, can be prevented.

[0128] 19 and 20, the detection body 201 is installed on the detection body support 205 in such a position that the operating axis 201c is oriented substantially perpendicular to the Z direction in which the detection lever 203 operates, and the operating axis 201c is above the detection body 201 in the Z direction. Furthermore, in the XY plane view, the operating axis 201c and the contact portion 201a of the detection lever 203, the detection body 201, and the switch lever 201b are arranged so as not to overlap. This makes it possible to prevent the detection axis 202 from pressing the side and end of the switch lever 201b when the detection lever 203 comes into contact with the switch lever 201b, and to prevent the detection axis 202 from coming into contact with the operating axis 201c and contact portion 201a of the detection body 201 and the detection body 201 body.

[0129] [1-7. Operation of the pot detector] Next, detection by pot detection section 200, which detects that pot 6 has been placed in pot accommodating section 4b of main body 4 in cooker 1 configured as above, and the configuration associated with the detection will be described.

[0130] The cooking device 1 of this embodiment has multiple pots 6 according to the cooking menu. For example, there is a "stirring cooking pot" having a structure for attaching the stirring blade 8, a "stir-fry cooking pot" having a structure for attaching the stirring blade 8 and made of a different material from the "stir-fry cooking pot," and a "stewing cooking pot" without a structure for attaching the stirring blade 8. The user can use the cooking device 1 by changing the pot 6 according to the desired cooking menu.

[0131] In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the pot detection units 200 provided on both the left and right sides (X direction) of the upper part of the upper frame 5 each have one detection body 201, and the three types of pots 6 mentioned above are included.

[0132] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of a main part near pan detection unit 200 when pan 6 is accommodated in pan accommodation unit 4b of cooking appliance 1 according to embodiment 1 (cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1).

[0133] As shown in Figure 21, when pot 6 is placed in pot storage section 4b, detection shaft pressing section 7b of pot handle 7 presses tip 202a of detection shaft 202, causing detection shaft 202 to move downward in the Z direction. As this moves, lever section 203a of detection lever 203 fixed to detection shaft 202 comes into contact with switch lever 201b of detection body 201. Switch lever 201b is pushed in stages by lever section 203a and rotates around operating shaft 201c, and when it has rotated a predetermined amount, it comes into contact with contact section 201a.

[0134] Furthermore, the lever portion 203a is provided with a guide rib 203b at a portion facing the detection body support 205. When the detection lever 203 operates, the guide rib 203b comes into contact with the opening hole 205a of the detection body support 205 into which the lever portion 203a is inserted, stabilizing the position of the lever portion 203a. This allows the switch lever 201b to be pressed stably.

[0135] When switch lever 201b and contact portion 201a come into contact, detection body 201 is energized and a signal is transmitted to control board 40. Based on that signal, control portion 40 determines whether pot 6 is contained in pot container 4b. In the following description, "pot detection portion 200 detects" is defined as a state in which switch lever 201b and contact portion 201a of detection body 201 come into contact, detection body 201 is energized, and a signal is transmitted to control board 40.

[0136] In this embodiment, there are three types of pots 6 according to the cooking menu, but because cooking cannot be done unless each pot 6 is properly accommodated in pot accommodating section 4b, all pots 6 are formed in a shape that can be accommodated in pot accommodating section 4b. Therefore, a user may end up placing a pot 6 different from the desired cooking menu in pot accommodating section 4b.

[0137] In this embodiment, if a pot 6 different from the cooking menu desired by the user is placed in the pot accommodating section 4b, the shape of the detection axis pushing section 7b of the pot handle section 7 that faces the tip 202a of the detection axis 202 is changed for each pot 6 so that the pot detection section 200 detects the pot differently for each type of pot 6, so that cooking cannot be started immediately.

[0138] The control unit 40 determines whether the pot 6 corresponding to the cooking menu is properly accommodated in the pot accommodating section 4b based on the cooking menu selected by the user, the detection information of the pot detection unit 200 pre-stored in the control unit 40, and the information actually detected by the pot detection unit 200.

[0139] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing detection information of pan detection unit 200 pre-stored in control unit 40 of cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0140] As shown in Figure 22, when pot detection unit 200 detects both points on the left and right sides (X direction), it is determined that the "stirring cooking pot" is properly stored in pot housing unit 4b. Detection axis pressing portion 7b of pot handle 7 of the "stirring cooking pot" is formed in a shape that presses detection axis 202 at both points on the left and right sides (X direction) when pot 6 is properly stored in pot housing unit 4b.

[0141] When the pan detection unit 200 detects only the left side, it is determined that the "stir-fry pan" is properly accommodated in the pan accommodating unit 4b. The detection shaft pushing portion 7b of the pan handle 7 of the "stir-fry pan" is formed in a shape that pushes only the left detection shaft 202 when the pan 6 is properly accommodated in the pan accommodating unit 4b.

[0142] When the pot detection unit 200 detects only the right side, it determines that the "stewing pot" is properly stored in the pot storage unit 4b. The detection shaft pushing portion 7b of the pot handle 7 of the "stewing pot" is formed in a shape that pushes only the right detection shaft 202 when the pot 6 is properly stored in the pot storage unit 4b.

[0143] When pan detection unit 200 fails to detect both the left and right sides (X direction), it determines that pan 6 is not properly accommodated in pan accommodating unit 4b, or that pan 6 is not accommodated in pan accommodating unit 4b at all. Examples of pan 6 not properly accommodated in pan accommodating unit 4b include when pan 6 is not engaged with pan fixing unit 100 on either the left or right, or when pan 6 is accommodated in pan accommodating unit 4b upside down.

[0144] Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 23 to 25, the operation of control unit 40 which determines whether pot 6 appropriate for a cooking menu is properly accommodated in pot accommodating portion 4b in this embodiment will be described.

[0145] Before starting cooking, the user first places ingredients according to the desired cooking menu in pot 6, and places pot 6 in pot housing portion 4b of main body 4. Next, closes lid 2 and rotates handle 16 in the direction opposite to the R2 direction shown in FIG. 1 to secure lid 2 to main body 4. After that, the user operates operation display unit 17 to select the desired cooking menu, and then presses decision button 18.

[0146] First, a description will be given of a case where the cooking menu desired by the user uses the stirring cooking pot 6. Fig. 23 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the control unit 40 when a cooking menu using the stirring cooking pot 6 is selected in the heating cooker 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0147] As shown in FIG. 22, when stirring cooking pot 6 is properly accommodated in pot accommodation portion 4b, it is detected by pot detection portions 200 on both the left and right sides (X direction).

[0148] When the decision button 18 is pressed, the control unit 40 starts detection by the pan detection unit 200 (S101).

[0149] Next, it is confirmed whether the pot detection unit 200 is detecting both points on both the left and right sides (X direction) (S102). If it is detecting both points on both the left and right sides (X direction), it is determined that the stirring cooking pot 6 is properly accommodated in the pot accommodation unit 4b, detection is terminated (S103), and cooking begins (S104).

[0150] Next, it is confirmed whether the pot detection unit 200 is detecting one of the two locations on both the left and right sides (X direction) (S005). If one of the two locations on both the left and right sides (X direction) is detected, it is determined that a pot 6 different from the stirring cooking pot 6 is contained in the pot containing unit 4b. Since cooking cannot start in this state, the user is notified that "Please insert the correct pot", which encompasses the above-mentioned state (S106).

[0151] When pot detection unit 200 does not detect either of the two locations on the left or right side (X direction), it determines that a pot 6 different from the stirring cooking pot 6 is stored in pot storage unit 4b, or that pot 6 is not stored in pot storage unit 4b, or that pot 6 is caught in pot storage unit 4b in a position where detection shaft pushing portion 7b of pot handle portion 7 cannot push detection shaft 202, or that pot 6 is stored in pot storage unit 4b upside down, etc. In this state, cooking cannot start, so the user is notified that "Please place pot correctly", which can include the above-mentioned states (S107).

[0152] Also, even during cooking, it is checked whether the pan detection units 200 are detecting something (S108). If at least one of the pan detection units 200 is not detecting something, it is determined that the pan 6 has tilted from the pan housing unit 4b during the cooking process, or that a malfunction of the pan detection unit 200 has occurred. Since cooking cannot continue in this state, the cooking is stopped and a message is issued saying "Please place the pan correctly" (S109). If the pan detection unit 200 is detecting something, cooking continues (S110).

[0153] As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to detect whether stirring cooking pot 6 is properly accommodated in pot accommodating portion 4b.

[0154] Next, a description will be given of a case where the cooking menu desired by the user uses the stir-fry pan 6. Fig. 24 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the control unit 40 when a cooking menu using the stir-fry pan 6 is selected in the cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0155] As shown in FIG. 22, when stir-fry pan 6 is properly accommodated in pan accommodating section 4b, it is detected by pan detector 200 on the left side.

[0156] When the decision button 18 is pressed, the control unit 40 starts detection by the pan detection unit 200 (S201).

[0157] Next, it is confirmed whether the pan detection unit 200 is detecting both locations on both the left and right sides (X direction) (S202). If it is detecting both locations on both the left and right sides (X direction), it is determined that a pan 6 other than the stir-fry pan 6 is contained in the pan container 4b. Since cooking cannot start in this state, the user is notified to "insert the correct pan" (S203).

[0158] Next, it is confirmed whether the pan detection unit 200 detects the right side (S204). If the right side is detected, it is determined that a pan 6 other than the stir-fry pan 6 is contained in the pan container 4b. Since cooking cannot start in this state, the user is notified to "insert the correct pan" (S205).

[0159] Next, it is confirmed whether the pan detection unit 200 detects the left side (S206). If the left side is detected, it is determined that the stir-fry pan 6 is properly accommodated in the pan accommodation unit 4b, and the detection is terminated (S207) and cooking is started (S208).

[0160] When pan detection unit 200 is not detecting the left side, in other words when pan detection unit 200 is not detecting both the left and right sides (X direction), it determines that a pan 6 different from the stir-fry pan 6 is stored in pan accommodating unit 4b, or that the pan 6 is not stored in pan accommodating unit 4b, or that the pan 6 is caught in pan accommodating unit 4b at a position where detection shaft pushing portion 7b of pan handle portion 7 cannot push detection shaft 202, or that the pan 6 is stored in pan accommodating unit 4b upside down, etc. In this state, cooking cannot be started, so the user is notified that "Please put the pan in correctly," which can include the above-mentioned states (S209).

[0161] Also, even during cooking, it is checked whether pan detection unit 200 is detecting (S210). If only the left side of pan detection unit 200 is not detecting, it is determined that pan 6 has tilted from pan housing portion 4b during the cooking process, or that pan detection unit 200 has malfunctioned. Since cooking cannot continue in this state, cooking is stopped and a message is issued saying "Please place pan correctly" (S211). If pan detection unit 200 is detecting, cooking continues (S212).

[0162] As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to detect whether stir-fry pan 6 is properly accommodated in pan accommodating portion 4b.

[0163] Next, a description will be given of a case where the cooking menu desired by the user uses the stew cooking pot 6. Fig. 25 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the control unit 40 when a cooking menu using the stew cooking pot 6 is selected in the heating cooker 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0164] As shown in FIG. 22, stew cooking pot 6 is designed to be detected by pot detection section 200 on the right side when it is properly accommodated in pot accommodation section 4b.

[0165] When the decision button 18 is pressed, the control unit 40 starts detection by the pan detection unit 200 (S301).

[0166] Next, it is confirmed whether the pot detection unit 200 is detecting both points on both the left and right sides (X direction) (S302). If it is detecting both points on both the left and right sides (X direction), it is determined that a pot 6 other than the stewing pot 6 is contained in the pot containing unit 4b. Since cooking cannot start in this state, the user is notified to "insert the correct pot" (S303).

[0167] Next, it is confirmed whether the pot detection unit 200 is detecting the right side (S304). If the right side is detected, it is determined that the stewing pot 6 is properly accommodated in the pot accommodation unit 4b, and the detection ends (S305) and cooking begins (S306).

[0168] Next, it is confirmed whether the pot detection unit 200 detects the left side (S307). If the left side is detected, it is determined that a pot 6 other than the stewing pot 6 is contained in the pot container 4b. Since cooking cannot start in this state, the user is notified to "insert the correct pot" (S308).

[0169] When pot detection unit 200 is not detecting the left side, in other words when pot detection unit 200 is not detecting both the left and right sides (X direction), it determines that a pot 6 other than the stewing pot 6 is stored in pot housing unit 4b, or that pot 6 is not stored in pot housing unit 4b, or that pot 6 is caught in pot housing unit 4b in a position where detection shaft pushing portion 7b of pot handle portion 7 cannot push detection shaft 202, or that pot 6 is stored in pot housing unit 4b upside down, etc. In this state, cooking cannot be started, so the user is notified that "Please put the pot correctly", which can include the above-mentioned states (S309).

[0170] Also, even during cooking, it is checked whether pan detection unit 200 is detecting something (S310). If only the right side of pan detection unit 200 is not detecting something, it is determined that pan 6 has tilted from pan housing portion 4b during the cooking process, or that pan detection unit 200 has malfunctioned. Since cooking cannot continue in this state, cooking is stopped and a message is issued saying "Please place pan correctly" (S311). If pan detection unit 200 is detecting something, cooking continues (S312).

[0171] As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to detect whether stew cooking pot 6 is properly accommodated in pot accommodating portion 4b.

[0172] As described above, in this embodiment, even if a user accidentally places a pot 6 in pot housing section 4b that is different from the cooking menu desired by the user, the pot can be changed to the appropriate pot by being notified before cooking begins. Also, during the cooking process, an abnormality in the state in which pot 6 is housed in pot housing section 4b can be detected, allowing the user to use cooking appliance 1 safely.

[0173] [1-8. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the cooking device 1 comprises a pot 6 for containing the food to be cooked, a main body 4 for accommodating the pot 6 in a removable manner, a lid 2 for covering the opening of the pot 6, a heating section 10 for heating the pot 6, a stirring section 8 for stirring the food contained in the pot 6, pot fixing sections 100 provided at two locations in the upper region of the main body 4 for fixing the pot 6 to the main body 4, and a fixing release section 110 on at least one of the pot fixing sections 100 for releasing the fixation of the pot 6 to the main body 4.

[0174] This allows the user to detachably fix the pot 6 in a stable and appropriate position on the main body 4. The pot 6 cannot be released unless the fixation release part 110 provided on the pot fixing part 100 is operated. This prevents the pot 6 from coming off the main body 4 during stirring cooking, reducing the shaking of the pot 6 caused by the stirrer 8 and maintaining the airtightness of the cooking space S. This allows the user to use the cooking appliance 1 safely.

[0175] In this embodiment, fixation releasing portion 110 is provided near pot fixing portion 100.

[0176] This allows the user to simultaneously view fixing release part 110 and pot fixing part 100. This allows the user to quickly and easily transport pot 6 after releasing the fixing of pot 6 from pot fixing part 100.

[0177] In this embodiment, pot 6 is provided with pot handle 7 for carrying pot 6.

[0178] This allows the user to easily carry the pot 6 by grasping the pot handle 7. Furthermore, by configuring the pot 6 and the pot handle 7 as separate parts, the user does not need to directly grasp the heated pot 6 when carrying the pot 6, and therefore can carry the pot 6 safely.

[0179] In this embodiment, pot holder 100 includes locking lever 101 rotatably supported on main body 4, and locking lever 101 includes protrusion 101b that locks pot 6 or pot handle 7 in the Z direction.

[0180] This allows the pot 6 to be locked in the Z direction, so the pot 6 will not be released due to the influence of the rotation of the stirring body 8. This eliminates the need to limit the stirring direction of the stirring blade 8, allowing optimal stirring according to the state of the food being cooked. In addition, the user can store the pot 6 in the main body 4 from top to bottom in the Z direction. This allows the user to easily store and fix the pot 6 in the main body 4. In addition, when storing the pot 6 in the pot storage section 4b, there is no need to rotate the pot 6 while fixing it, as in the bayonet connection method, so there is no need to provide a shape on the top surface of the main body 4 to allow for the rotational movement. This allows the design of the cooking device 1 to be improved and the product size to be made more compact.

[0181] In the present embodiment, one or more protrusions 101b are provided in an area that engages with pot 6 or pot handle , and that engages with pot 6 or pot handle .

[0182] This allows the Z direction of pan 6 to be regulated stably, and the rocking of pan 6 can be reduced.

[0183] In this embodiment, the fixing release part 110 is connected to the locking lever 101 .

[0184] This causes the operation of release part 110 to be linked to locking lever 101. This allows the user to quickly grasp pot handle part 7 after releasing pot 6. This allows the user to quickly and easily transport pot 6 after releasing pot 6 from pot fixing part 100.

[0185] In this embodiment, at least one of pot handle 7 and protrusion 101b is made of metal.

[0186] This makes it possible to prevent locking lever 101 and pot handle 7 from being deformed or damaged by the force applied when protrusion 101b and pot handle 7 come into contact with each other.

[0187] In this embodiment, the bottom surface 6d of the pan 6 and the heating unit 10 are in contact with each other, and one or more elastic supports 11 are provided below the heating unit 10 to urge the heating unit 10 upward in the Z direction.

[0188] This allows pot 6 to be in stable contact with heating unit 10. This allows the food in the pot to be heated efficiently. Also, the force in the Z direction of pot 6 generated when stirrer 8 is in operation is partially absorbed by the elastic force of elastic support 11, reducing the force applied to locking lever 101. This makes it possible to prevent locking lever 101 from being deformed or damaged.

[0189] In addition, in this embodiment, when the fixation between pan 6 and pan fixing part 100 is released, pan 6 is lifted upward in the Z direction by elastic support body 11.

[0190] This creates a gap in the Z direction below pot handle portion 7. This allows the user to insert their fingers into the gap and easily grasp pot handle portion 7. In addition, the user can easily remove pot 6 from pot housing portion 4b and transport it.

[0191] (Embodiment 2) Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 26 and 27. Figure 26 is an external perspective view of a pot handle of a cooking device according to the second embodiment. Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion near pot fixing part 100 when lid 2 of cooking device 1 according to the second embodiment is closed.

[0192] [2-1. Configuration] As shown in Figure 26, locking claw 7a is fixed to pot handle 7 with a screw. Locking claw 7a is made of a metal member. Locking claw 7a may be fixed to pot handle 7 by insert molding. Also, as shown in Figure 27, when the pot handle 7 and pot 6 are fastened together, they may be fastened together with a fixing member 250 such as a rivet.

[0193] [2-2. Operation] The operation and function of the cooking device 1 configured as above are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0194] [2-3. Effects, etc.] This makes it possible to prevent locking claw portion 7a from being deformed or damaged by the force applied when protrusion 101b comes into contact with locking claw portion 7a during the process of storing pot 6 in pot storing portion 4b.

[0195] (Embodiment 3) Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 28 and 29. Figure 28 is a plan view of main body 4 of cooking device 1 according to the third embodiment when pot 6 is not accommodated in pot accommodating section 4b. For the sake of explanation, lid 2 has been omitted. Figure 29 is an external perspective view of pot 6 of cooking device according to the third embodiment.

[0196] [3-1. Configuration] 28, detection axes 202 are provided in two places, one on each side, on the top surface of upper frame 5, and both are provided forward in the Y direction with respect to the reference line of the X direction axis that passes through the center of pot 6. Furthermore, they are disposed at positions symmetrical with respect to the reference line of the Y direction axis that passes through the center of pot 6.

[0197] 29, pot 6 is provided with detection shaft pressing portion 300 at a position facing tip portion 202a of detection shaft 202. Detection shaft pressing portion 300 is fixed to flange portion 6c of pot 6 with screws, rivets, or the like.

[0198] [3-2. Operation] When pan 6 is accommodated in pan accommodation section 4b, bottom surface 300a of detection shaft pushing section 300 comes into contact with tip portion 202a, and tip portion 202a is pushed downward in the Z direction by pan 6, causing detection shaft 202 to move downward in the Z direction. Other operations and functions of cooking appliance 1 are the same as those of embodiment 1.

[0199] [3-3. Effects, etc.] By configuring the detection shaft 202 to be located forward in the Y direction with respect to the reference line of the X-direction axis that passes through the center of the pot 6, it is possible to prevent the tip 202a from being pressed by the detection shaft pressing unit 300 when the pot 6 is stored in the pot storage unit 4b with the front and back facing in the opposite direction. Furthermore, in the case where the pot detection units 200 are provided at two locations, one on each side, and both are provided forward in the Y direction with respect to the reference line of the X-direction axis that passes through the center of the pot 6, as in this embodiment, the detection shaft pressing units 300 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference line of the X-direction axis that passes through the center of the pot 6, that is, two locations on each side, for a total of four locations, so that the pot detection units 200 on both sides can be pressed even when the pot 6 is stored in the pot storage unit 4b with the front and back facing in the opposite direction. By applying this, it is possible to detect multiple types of pots 6 without any problems, even when the pot detection units 200 are pressed on only one side, left or right, or when the pots are installed with the front and back facing in the opposite direction.

[0200] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first and second embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first and second embodiments to create new embodiments.

[0201] Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0202] In the first embodiment, one example of the configuration of pot handle 7 for transporting pot 6 has been described in which pot handle 7 is fastened with rivets or the like to side surface 6a forming the flat portion at the top of pot 6. However, the configuration for transporting pot 6 need only be capable of engaging with locking lever 101, which is pot fixing part 100, and is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. For example, pot handle 7 may be formed by partially protruding flange 6c of pot 6 outward.

[0203] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for installing heater springs 11 between protective frame 9 and heater 10, a configuration in which heater springs 11 are installed at three locations at approximately 120 degrees from the center of pot 6 and at the same distance from the center of pot 6 has been described. However, the configuration for installing heater springs 11 between protective frame 9 and heater 10 is not limited to the above configuration as long as heater spring 11 can operate without getting caught when heater spring 11 is pressed. For example, heater spring 11 may be installed at three or more locations at the same distance from the center of pot 6. Also, in an XY plane view, an axis in the X direction or an axis in the Y direction passing through the center of pot 6 may be used as a reference line, and an even number of installation locations for heater springs 11 may be provided symmetrically about the reference line.

[0204] In the first embodiment, as one example of a configuration in which protrusion 101b of locking lever 101 and locking claw 7a of pot handle 7 engage, a configuration in which protrusion 101b is provided at approximately both ends in the Y direction of locking lever 101 has been described. However, the configuration in which protrusion 101b of locking lever 101 and locking claw 7a of pot handle 7 engage can be any configuration that provides a contact area or contact position between protrusion 101b and locking claw 7a that can stably regulate pot 6 in the Z direction, and is not limited to the above configuration. For example, one protrusion 101b may be provided over the entire area of ​​locking lever 101 in the Y direction, and locking claw 7a may be provided facing pot handle 7.

[0205] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for pivotally supporting the locking lever 101 on the upper frame 5, a configuration in which the shaft 101a of the locking lever 101 is inserted into the recess 5a provided in the upper frame 5 corresponding to the shaft 101a has been described. However, the configuration for pivotally supporting the locking lever 101 on the upper frame 5 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as the locking lever 101 is pivotally supported on the upper frame 5. For example, a shaft may be provided on the upper frame 5, and a recess corresponding to the shaft of the upper frame 5 may be provided on the locking lever 101.

[0206] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for reinforcing the protruding portion 101b of the locking lever 101, a configuration in which the locking lever support 102 made of a metal material is disposed between the surface of the protruding portion 101b of the locking lever 101 that engages with the locking claw portion 7a of the pan handle portion 7 and the shaft 101a has been described. However, the configuration for reinforcing the locking lever 101 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as it is capable of suppressing deformation or damage caused by the force applied when the locking lever 101 comes into contact with the locking claw portion 7a. For example, the locking lever 101 may be formed of a metal material, the rigidity of the locking lever 101 may be increased, and the locking lever support 102 may not be provided. Also, a reinforcing rib may be provided to reinforce the area between the surface of the protruding portion 101b of the locking lever 101 that engages with the locking claw portion 7a of the pan handle portion 7 and the shaft 101a, the rigidity of the locking lever 101 may be increased, and the locking lever support 102 may not be provided.

[0207] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for fixing the release button 111 to the locking lever 101, a configuration in which the release button 111 is fixed to the locking lever 101 with a screw has been described. However, the configuration for fixing the release button 111 to the locking lever 101 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as the release button 111 can be stably fixed to the locking lever 101 during use. For example, the release button 111 and the locking lever 101 may be fixed by fitting with a claw or by press-fitting.

[0208] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for making the protrusion amount of the button portion 111a of the release button 111 from the upper surface of the upper frame 5 uniform, a contact configuration between the flange 111b and the upper frame 5 has been described in which a plurality of ribs 5c that contact the flange portion 111b are provided at the portion of the upper frame 5 facing the flange portion 111b, evenly arranged in the X direction and the Y direction from the approximate center of the button portion 111a. However, the contact configuration between the flange 111b and the upper frame 5 is not limited to the above-mentioned contact configuration as long as the contact positions are evenly arranged and the contact area is small. For example, a plurality of protrusions may be evenly arranged on the upper frame 5 to make the flange 111b and the upper frame 5 contact each other. In addition, in order to reduce the contact area, the tip shapes of the ribs and protrusions may be semicircular, arcuate, or hemispherical.

[0209] In the first embodiment, a configuration in which multiple ribs 111c are provided on the upper surface of button portion 111a has been described as an example of a configuration that reduces the contact area when the user presses button portion 111a of fixation release button 111 and makes it difficult for the user's finger to slip. However, the configuration of the upper surface of button portion 111a may be any configuration that can reduce the contact area between the user's finger and button portion 111a, and is not limited to the contact configuration described above. For example, the upper surface of button portion 111a may be provided with multiple protrusions or may be textured.

[0210] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for releasing the fixing of the fixing release unit 110, a configuration in which the fixing release button 111 is pressed and the engagement unit is rotated to release the fixing has been described. However, the configuration for releasing the fixing of the fixing release unit 110 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as the user can release the fixing easily and safely and the fixing unit is easy to clean. For example, the engagement unit may be released by operating the fixing release button 111 in one direction on the XY plane on the top surface of the upper frame 5.

[0211] In the first embodiment, a configuration using a microswitch has been described as an example of the configuration of sensing body 201. However, the configuration of sensing body 201 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as it can transmit a signal when pan 6 is contained in pan containing section 4b to control board 40. For example, sensing body 201 may be configured using a reed switch, a hall element, or a photointerrupter.

[0212] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for fixing the detection lever 203 to the detection shaft 202, a configuration in which the detection shaft 202 and the detection lever 203 are fixed with an e-ring has been described. However, the configuration for fixing the detection lever 203 to the detection shaft 202 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as the detection lever 203 can be stably fixed to the detection shaft 202 during use. For example, the detection shaft 202 may be press-fitted into the detection lever 203 to fit them together.

[0213] In the first embodiment, as an example of a configuration for preventing the detection shaft 202 from coming off the detection object support 205, a configuration in which an e-ring having an outer diameter larger than the opening hole 205c is fastened onto the detection shaft 202 below the opening hole 205c of the detection object support 205 has been described. However, the configuration for preventing the detection shaft 202 from coming off the detection object support 205 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as the detection shaft 202 below the opening hole 205c is larger than the opening hole 205c. For example, the lower end portion 202b of the detection shaft 202 may be processed by header processing or the like to provide a protrusion for preventing coming off.

[0214] In the first embodiment, as an example of the operation of the control unit 40 to determine whether the pot 6 corresponding to the cooking menu is properly accommodated in the pot accommodating section 4b, the operation of the control unit 40 has been described in which the pot detecting units 200 provided on both the left and right sides (X direction) of the upper part of the upper frame 5 each have one detecting element 201, and the pot detecting units 200 detect three different types of pots 6 differently. However, the operation of the control unit 40 to determine whether the pot 6 corresponding to the cooking menu is properly accommodated in the pot accommodating section 4b may be performed in any configuration that can determine whether the pot 6 is properly accommodated in the pot accommodating section 4b, and the position and number of the detecting elements 201 and the type of pot 6 are not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. For example, the pot detecting units 200 provided on both the left and right sides (X direction) of the upper part of the upper frame 5 each have two detecting elements 201, i.e., a total of four detecting elements 201, may be arranged at positions where the X-axis and Y-axis passing through the center of the pot 6 are shifted from the reference line.

[0215] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0216] (Additional Note) From the above embodiments, the following techniques are disclosed.

[0217] (Technology 1) A cooking device comprising: a pot for containing an item to be cooked; a main body for detachably containing the pot; a lid for covering an opening of the pot; a heating section for heating the pot; a stirrer for stirring the item to be cooked contained in the pot; pot fixing sections provided in two locations on an upper region of the main body for fixing the pot to the main body; and a fixing release section on at least one of the pot fixing sections for releasing the fixation of the pot to the main body.

[0218] This configuration allows the user to stably and removably fix the pot in an appropriate position on the main body. The pot cannot be released unless the release part provided on the pot fixing part is operated. This means that the pot will not come off the main body during stirring cooking, reducing the shaking of the pot caused by the stirrer and maintaining the airtightness of the cooking space S. This allows the user to use the cooking appliance safely.

[0219] (Technology 2) The cooking device according to Technology 1, wherein the fixing release portion is provided near the pan fixing portion.

[0220] With this configuration, the user can see the fixing release part and the pot fixing part at the same time, which allows the user to quickly and easily transport the pot after releasing it from the pot fixing part.

[0221] (Technology 3) A cooking device according to Technology 1 or 2, wherein the pot is provided with a pot handle for carrying the pot.

[0222] With this configuration, the user can easily carry the pot by grasping the pot handle. Also, by configuring the pot and the pot handle as separate parts, the user does not need to directly grasp the heated pot when carrying it, so the user can carry the pot safely.

[0223] (Technology 4) A heating cooker described in any one of Technologies 1 to 3, wherein the pot fixing portion is provided with a locking lever pivotally supported on the main body, and the locking lever is provided with a convex portion that locks the pot or the pot handle portion in the Z direction.

[0224] With this configuration, the pot can be locked in the Z direction, so the pot will not become unfixed due to the influence of the rotation of the stirring body. This eliminates the need to limit the stirring direction of the stirring blade, allowing optimal stirring according to the state of the food being cooked. In addition, the user can store the pot in the main body from top to bottom in the Z direction. This allows the user to easily store and fix the pot in the main body. In addition, when storing the pot in the pot storage section, there is no need to rotate the pot while fixing it, as with the bayonet connection method, so there is no need to provide a shape on the top surface of the main body to allow for the rotational movement. This allows for improved design of the heating cooker and a more compact product size.

[0225] (Technology 5) A cooking device according to Technology 4, wherein the protrusion engages with the pot or the pot handle, and one or more protrusions are provided in the area that engages with the pot or the pot handle.

[0226] This configuration allows the pan to be stably regulated in the Z direction, thereby reducing the rocking of the pan.

[0227] (Technology 6) The cooking device according to Technology 4 or 5, wherein the fixing release portion is connected to the locking lever.

[0228] This configuration allows the release part and the lock lever to operate in tandem, allowing the user to quickly grab the pot handle after releasing the pot from the pot fixing part, and allowing the user to quickly and easily transport the pot after releasing it from the pot fixing part.

[0229] (Technology 7) The cooking device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein at least one of the pot handle portion and the protrusion portion is made of metal.

[0230] With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the locking lever and the pot handle from being deformed or damaged by the force applied when the convex portion and the pot handle come into contact with each other.

[0231] (Technology 8) A cooking device described in any one of Technology 4 to Technology 7, in which the bottom surface of the pot and the heating portion are in contact with each other, and one or more elastic supports are provided below the heating portion to urge the heating portion upward in the Z direction.

[0232] This configuration allows the pot to be in stable contact with the heating unit. This allows the food in the pot to be heated efficiently. Also, the force in the Z direction of the pot that is generated when the stirrer is in operation is partially absorbed by the elastic force of the elastic support, reducing the force applied to the locking lever. This makes it possible to prevent the locking lever from being deformed or damaged.

[0233] (Technology 9) A cooking device as described in Technology 8, in which when the fixation between the pot and the pot fixing part is released, the pot is lifted upward in the Z direction by the elastic support body.

[0234] This configuration creates a gap in the Z direction below the pot handle, allowing the user to insert their fingers into the gap and easily grasp pot handle 7. The user can also easily remove the pot from the pot storage unit and transport it. [Industrial Applicability]

[0235] The present disclosure is applicable to cookers that stir and heat food, specifically, auto cookers, pressure cookers, rice cookers, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0236] 1 Cooker 2 lid 3 Outer lid 4. Main unit 4a Case 4b Pot storage section 4c Lid attachment part 4d handle part 4e opening hole 5 Upper frame 5a Recess 5b Opening hole 5c Rib 5d Opening Hole 6. Pot 6a Side part 6b Rib 6c Flange part 6d Bottom part 7 Pot handle 7a Locking claw part 7b Detection shaft pushing part 7c Bottom side 7d side wall 8 Agitator blade (agitator) 9 Protective Frame 9a opening hole 9b Circular rib 9c Plane part 9d Opening hole 9e Circular rib 9f flat part 10 Heater (heating part) 10a Boss 10b Flat part 10c opening hole 11 Heater spring (elastic support) 12 Flat washer 13 Screws 14 Inner lid 15 Packing 16 Handle 17 Operation display section 18 Confirm button 19 Exhaust inlet 20 Exhaust outlet 21 Bottom sensor 21a Contact 21b Plane part 21c Sensor cover 21d Flange part 22 Sensor spring (elastic support) 23 Pressure valve 24 Pressure valve drive motor 25 Rotational Axis 26 Connectors 27 Output shaft 28 Drive motor 29 Gear Unit 30 Motor shaft 40 Control board (control unit) 50 First concave space 50a Sidewall 50b bottom 51 Second concave space 51a side wall 51b Bottom 51c opening hole 51d Opening hole 51e Guide hole 100 Pot fixing part 101 Locking lever 101a axis 101b Convex part 101c Rib 102 Locking lever support 103 Locking lever spring (elastic support) 104 Locking lever cover 104a Guide hole 110 Fixed release part 111 Unlock button 111a Button section 111b Flange part 111c Rib 200 Pot detector 201 Detector 201a Contact part 201b Switch lever 201c motion axis 202 Detection axis 202a Tip 202b Lower end 203 Detection Lever 203a Lever part 203b Guide rib 203c flat part 204 Detection lever spring (elastic support) 205 Detector support 205a Opening hole 205b Plane part 205c opening hole 205d side wall 250 Fixing member 300 Detection shaft pushing part 300a bottom

Claims

1. a pot containing food to be cooked and having a pot handle; a main body that detachably accommodates the pot; a heating section that contacts the bottom surface of the pot and heats the pot; a pot fixing portion that fixes the pot to the main body; Equipped with When the fixation between the pot and the main body by the pot fixing part is released, The pot is lifted upward in the height direction, forming a gap below the pot handle into which a user's fingers can fit.

2. One or more elastic supports are provided below the heating section, When the fixation between the pot and the main body by the pot fixing part is released, The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the pot is lifted upward in the height direction by the elastic support.

3. A fixing release part that releases the fixing between the pot and the main body is provided near the pot fixing part. The cooking device according to claim 1 .

4. The pot fixing portion includes a locking lever pivotally supported on the main body, The locking lever has a protrusion that locks the pot or the pot handle in the height direction. The cooking device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The protrusion engages with the pot or the pot handle, One or more of the following may be provided in the area that engages with the pot or the pot handle: The cooking device according to claim 4.

6. The lock release portion is connected to the lock lever. The cooking device according to claim 4.

7. At least one of the pot handle and the protrusion is made of metal. The cooking device according to claim 4.

Images