Lever mechanism

Abstract

To provide a lever mechanism capable of reducing a risk of variations in operational feelings occurring as much as possible.SOLUTION: A lever mechanism 119 includes an engaged part 149, an engaging part LD that can engage with the engaged part, which rotates around a first shaft LF, and a lever part LB that can be operated. The lever mechanism further includes a transmission part LC which is rotated in a first direction around the first shaft by the lever part when the lever part is operated, and applies the force to rotate the engaging part in the first direction to the engaging part, and an energizing part LH for energizing the transmission part in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and attaching the transmission part to the engaging part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lever mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, a rice cooker has been proposed that includes "a main body, a lid that covers an opening of the main body in an openable and closable state, a locking member that is rotatably attached to the main body and that engages with a claw portion provided on the lid when the lid is in a closed state, a rotating lever that applies a pressing force to the locking member and rotates the locking member to release the engagement between the locking member and the claw portion, and a transmission member that is disposed between the locking member and the rotating lever and transmits the pressing force of the rotating lever to the locking member, and the transmission member is configured to absorb at least a portion of the pressing force of the rotating lever" (see, for example, JP 2021-180790 A, etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-180790 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the rice cooker described above, the transmission member, which is a spring member, is provided on the rotating lever side in a state separated from the locking member and biases the rotating lever. When the rotating lever is pressed, the transmission member rotates around the rotation axis and abuts against the locking member, applying a pressing force to the locking member. However, in the rice cooker described above, there is a risk that the arm angle of the transmission member may vary slightly during manufacturing, and the size of the gap between the transmission member and the locking member may vary, which may cause the operating feel of the rotating lever to vary between products.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a lever mechanism that can reduce the possibility of variations in operational feel as much as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The lever mechanism according to the present invention comprises: A locked portion; A locking portion that can be locked to the locked portion and rotates around a first axis; and a lever portion that is operable, a transmission unit that, when the lever unit is operated, is rotated in a first direction about the first axis by the lever unit, and applies a force to the locking unit to rotate the locking unit in the first direction; The locking mechanism further includes a biasing portion that biases the transmission portion in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction and that attaches the transmission portion to the locking portion.

[0007] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the initial positions of the locking portion, the lever portion, and the transmission portion can be kept constant regardless of the variation in the arm angle of the biasing member, so that the risk of variation in the operational feel can be reduced as much as possible with this lever mechanism.

[0008] In the present invention, It is preferable that the lever portion rotates in the second direction about a second axis when operated.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the rotation direction of the lever part and the rotation direction of the transmission part can be reversed when the lever part is operated, so that in this lever mechanism, friction between the lever part and the transmission part can be minimized when the lever part is operated, and friction noise between the lever part and the transmission part can be minimized and wear of the lever part and the transmission part can be minimized.

[0010] In the present invention, It is preferable that the lever portion moves linearly when operated.

[0011] According to the above-described configuration, since there is no need to form a bearing portion in the lever portion that rotates about the axis, the shape of the lever portion can be made as simple as possible.

[0012] In the present invention, The transmission portion is preferably made of resin.

[0013] According to the above configuration, when the lever portion and the locking portion are made of metal, the contact between the lever portion and the transmission portion can be made not to be metal-to-metal contact, and the contact between the locking portion and the transmission portion can be made not to be metal-to-metal contact, so that in this lever mechanism, it is possible to prevent the generation of noise caused by metal rubbing against metal.

[0014] In the present invention, It is preferable that the lever portion and the transmission portion are spaced apart from each other while the transmission portion rotates in the first direction to the first rotation position in a state in which the lever portion is not operated.

[0015] According to the above configuration, while the transmission part rotates in the first direction to the first rotation position in a state where the lever part is not operated, the transmission part can prevent the lever part from moving. Note that when the transmission part rotates in the first direction to the first rotation position in a state where the lever part is not operated, it is, for example, when the locking part goes from a state where it is not locked with the locked part to a state where it is locked with the locked part.

[0016] In the present invention, When the lever portion is operated while the locking portion and the locked portion are in a first state, the transmission portion rotates together with the locking portion in the first direction, and the locking portion is released from the locked state with respect to the locked portion, It is preferable that when the lever portion is operated while the engagement state between the engagement portion and the engaged portion is in the second state, only the transmission portion rotates in the first direction against the biasing force of the biasing portion, so that the engagement state of the engagement portion with respect to the engaged portion is maintained.

[0017] According to the above configuration, depending on the engagement state between the locking part and the locked part, the state in which the locking part is engaged with the locked part can be prevented from being released even when the lever part is operated. The first state is, for example, a state in which the locking force between the locking part and the locked part is not increased. For example, when the lever mechanism is provided in a pressure cooker, the engagement state between the locking part and the locked part is the first state during non-pressure operation. The second state is, for example, a state in which the locking part is pressed against the locked part or the locked part is pressed against the locking part, and the locking force between the locking part and the locked part is increased. For example, when the lever mechanism is provided in a pressure cooker, the engagement state between the locking part and the locked part is the second state during pressure operation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the lid is shown in a closed state. [Diagram 2] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the lid is shown in a closed state. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. [Figure 4] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the lid is shown in an open state. [Diagram 5] Fig. 1 is a front view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the lid is shown in a closed state. [Figure 6] 1 is a front view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the lid is closed and a state in which the lever mechanism is removed. [Figure 7] 1 is a top perspective view of a lever mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a first torsion spring and a third torsion spring are not shown. [Figure 8] 1 is a front view of a lever mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a first torsion spring and a third torsion spring are not shown. [Figure 9] 1 is a bottom perspective view of a lever mechanism and a flange member of a protective frame according to an embodiment of the present invention, with part of the flange member of the protective frame omitted in this drawing. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lever mechanism of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention taken along line II in Fig. 2. This figure shows the lid in the closed state and the operating part of the lever mechanism not being pressed down. This figure does not show the inner pot, and only shows the latching part of the lid. [Figure 11] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lever mechanism of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention taken along line II in Fig. 2. This figure shows the lever mechanism in a depressed state when the pressure cooking operation is not performed. This figure does not show the inner pot, and only shows the latched portion of the lid. [Figure 12] An enlarged cross-sectional view of the lever mechanism of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention taken along line II in Fig. 2. This figure shows the lever mechanism in a depressed state during pressure cooking. This figure does not show the inner pot, and only shows the latched portion of the lid. [Figure 13] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lever mechanism of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention taken along line II in Fig. 2. This figure shows the state in which the lid is being switched from open to closed. This figure does not show the inner pot, and only shows the latched portion of the lid. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] <Configuration of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention> 1 to 6, a rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is mainly composed of a main body 110, an inner pot 130, a lid 140, and a hinge mechanism 150. These components will be described in detail below.

[0020] (1) Main unit 1 to 6 and 10, main body 110 is mainly composed of housing 111, first packing PK1, second packing PK2, pot mounting section 112, induction heating coil 113, warming heater HT, center sensor 114, speaker AL, blower fan 115, heat sink 116, control board 118, automatic retractable power cord unit 120, and lever mechanism 119. These components will be described in detail below.

[0021] (1-1) Housing 1 to 6 and 10, the housing 111 is mainly composed of a housing 111a, a shoulder member 111c, a protective frame 111d, and a spacer (not shown). These components will be described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 111 contains a first packing PK1, a second packing PK2, an induction heating coil 113, a center sensor 114, a speaker AL, a blower fan 115, a heat sink 116, a control board 118, and an automatic retractable power cord unit 120.

[0022] (1-1-1) Containment Unit As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and 10, the container 111a is mainly composed of a side wall Aa, a bottom wall Ab, and a cover member Ac.

[0023] The side wall Aa is an enclosing wall portion having a substantially rounded rectangular shape in a plan view, and is made of ABS resin or the like. As shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and 10, it forms most of the side surface of the main body 110 (a portion other than the lower rear end). As shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 10, an opening Aa1 is formed in the upper portion of the front wall portion of the side wall Aa for inserting the front portion of the lever main body LB of the lever mechanism 119. A protrusion Aa2 is formed around the entire periphery of the upper end portion of the side wall Aa (see Figs. 3 and 10). As shown in Figs. 3 and 10, the protrusion Aa2 extends inward from the upper end portion of the side wall Aa. The upper surface of the protrusion Aa2 is a curved surface as shown in Figs. 3 and 10.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the bottom wall Ab covers the lower opening of the side wall Aa except for the area directly below the blower fan 115. An exhaust port (not shown) for discharging air inside the housing 111 to the outside is formed in the bottom wall Ab. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the bottom wall Ab is formed with four legs Ab1 extending downward. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, a speaker AL is disposed above the front end portion of the bottom wall Ab.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, the cover member Ac is mainly formed of a lower cover part Ac1 and a rear cover part Ac2. The lower cover part Ac1 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and is attached to the bottom wall Ab to cover the blower fan 115 from below, as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower cover part Ac1 has an intake port Ac1a for drawing air from outside the housing 111 into the inside. When the blower fan 115 is driven, the outside air is drawn into the inside of the housing 111 through the intake port Ac1a, and the heated air inside is discharged to the outside of the system from the exhaust port by the air flow generated by the drawing. The rear cover part Ac2 extends upward from the rear end part of the lower cover part Ac1, as shown in FIG. 3. Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear cover part Ac2 forms the lower rear end part of the side surface of the main body 110, and covers the automatic retractable power cord unit 120 from the rear side.

[0026] (1-1-2) Shoulder member The shoulder member 111c is a member made of a metal such as stainless steel, and is disposed inside the container 111a by fitting it to the side wall Aa of the container 111a through the upper opening of the side wall Aa of the container 111a, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 10. The shoulder member 111c is mainly formed of a bottom wall Ca, a curved portion Cb, a flange portion Cc, and a vertical wall Cd, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 10. The bottom wall Ca has a generally rounded rectangular shape in a plan view (see Fig. 4). As shown in Figs. 3 and 10, the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d is attached to the lower surface of the bottom wall Ca. An insertion opening for the inner pot 130 is formed in the bottom wall Ca from the front end to the rear (see Figs. 3, 4, and 10). In addition, openings are formed on the left and right sides of the front end of the bottom wall portion Ca (more specifically, the area in front of the insertion opening of the inner bowl 130) for inserting the upper extension wall portion LD2 and the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD of the lever mechanism 119 (see FIG. 4). In addition, an opening is formed on the rear end of the bottom wall portion Ca (more specifically, the area behind the insertion opening of the inner bowl 130) for inserting the fixing portion 153 of the hinge mechanism 150 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 10, the curved portion Cb extends upward from the outer end of the bottom wall portion Ca while curving. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d is attached to the lower surface of the curved portion Cb in the same way as the lower surface of the bottom wall portion Ca. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, the flange portion Cc extends outward from the upper end of the curved portion Cb. The vertical wall portion Cd has a substantially rectangular shape in a front view, and extends upward from the front edge of an opening (opening for inserting the fixing portion 153 of the hinge mechanism 150) at the rear end of the bottom wall portion Ca, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The left end, upper end, and right end of the vertical wall portion Cd are covered with the hinge cover 154 of the hinge mechanism 150 by covering the vertical wall portion Cd with the hinge cover 154 of the hinge mechanism 150 (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). The shoulder member 111c also serves to reflect upward the light of the LED 147 guided by the light guide member 148 when the cover body 140 is in the closed state. In order to efficiently reflect the light of the LED 147 guided by the light guide member 148, the surface of the shoulder member 111c may be subjected to a mirror finish.

[0027] (1-1-3) Protective frame The protective frame 111d has the function of housing the inner pot 130, and is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin or the like. As shown in Figures 3, 9 and 10, the protective frame 111d is mainly composed of three members: a flange member Da, an intermediate member Db and a bottom member Dc. These components will be described in detail below.

[0028] The flange member Da has a generally rounded rectangular shape in plan view, and constitutes the upper part of the protective frame 111d and is connected to the intermediate member Db, as shown in Figs. 3, 9 and 10. An insertion opening for the inner pot 130 is formed in the center of the flange member Da (see Figs. 3, 9 and 10). The flange member Da also has an opening for inserting the upper extension wall portion LD2 and the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD of the lever mechanism 119 (see Fig. 4). As shown in Fig. 9, a first bearing portion Da1 for mounting the first rotation shaft LE of the lever mechanism 119 is formed on the left and right sides of the lower part of the front end of the flange member Da. 9, a second bearing portion Da2 for mounting a second rotation shaft LF of the lever mechanism 119 is formed in the left and right portions of the lower front part of the flange member Da (more specifically, in the lower part of the flange member Da, a portion rearward and left of the first bearing portion Da1 on the left side, and a portion rearward and right of the first bearing portion Da1 on the right side). Also, as shown in FIG. 3, a fixing portion 153 of the hinge mechanism 150 that passes through an opening in the rear end of the bottom wall portion Ca of the shoulder member 111c is mounted to the rear end of the flange member Da.

[0029] The intermediate member Db is a substantially cylindrical member, and constitutes the middle part of the protective frame 111d and is connected to the flange member Da and the bottom member Dc as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 3, a heat retention heater HT is disposed inside the intermediate member Db.

[0030] The bottom member Dc is a bowl-shaped member that opens upward, and constitutes the lower part of the protective frame 111d and is connected to the intermediate member Db as shown in Fig. 3. Also, an opening for passing the center sensor 114 is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the bottom member Dc (see Fig. 3).

[0031] (1-1-4) Spacer The spacers have a shape extending from the bottom to the top, and four of them are arranged between the side wall Aa of the housing 111a and the intermediate member Db and bottom member Dc of the protective frame 111d. More specifically, the spacers are arranged on the inside of the front part of the right wall part of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a, on the inside of the middle part in the front-rear direction of the right wall part of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a, on the inside of the front part of the left wall part of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a, and on the inside of the middle part in the front-rear direction of the left wall part of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. The lower ends of the spacers are fixed to the bottom wall Ab of the housing 111a, and the upper ends of the spacers are fixed to the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d.

[0032] (1-2) First packing The first packing PK1 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, and has a generally circular ring shape (see Figs. 3 and 10). As shown in Figs. 3 and 10, the first packing PK1 is disposed between the flange member Da and the intermediate member Db, and serves to close the gap between the flange member Da and the intermediate member Db over the entire circumference.

[0033] (1-3) Second packing The second packing PK2 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, and has a substantially circular ring shape (see FIG. 3). The second packing PK2 also serves to seal the gap between the intermediate member Db and the bottom member Dc over the entire circumference (see FIG. 3).

[0034] (1-4) Pot placement part The pot placement part 112 is a substantially annular member made of resin or the like, and is fitted into the insertion opening for the inner pot 130 in the bottom wall part Ca of the shoulder member 111c and the insertion opening for the inner pot 130 in the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d, as shown in Figs. 3 and 10. The pot placement part 112 is also formed with a high step part 112a and a low step part (not shown), as shown in Figs. 3 and 10. The high step part 112a is one step higher than the low step part, and is formed at the front and rear of the pot placement part 112, as shown in Figs. 3 and 10, and is located above the bottom wall part Ca of the shoulder member 111c. As shown in Fig. 3, when the inner pot 130 is accommodated in the protective frame 111d, the flange part 133 of the inner pot 130 is placed on the high step part 112a. This prevents the inner pot 130 from coming into contact with the metal shoulder member 111c. The low stage is formed on the left and right sides of the pot mounting portion 112, and is located above the bottom wall portion Ca of the shoulder member 111c. When the inner pot 130 is housed in the protective frame 111d, the flange portion 133 of the inner pot 130 is not placed on the low stage. As a result, a gap is formed between the low stage and the flange portion 133 of the inner pot 130, and the inner pot 130 housed in the protective frame 111d can be easily removed by inserting a finger into this gap.

[0035] (1-5) Induction heating coil Induction heating coil 113 is an induction heating source that inductively heats inner pot 130, and is disposed on the outside of the bottom wall and curved wall portion of bottom member Dc of protective frame 111d as shown in FIG.

[0036] (1-6) Heater The warming heater HT is an annular heater used during warming operation, and is disposed inside the intermediate member Db of the protective frame 111d as described above, and is disposed outside the cylindrical wall portion 132 of the inner pot 130 when the inner pot 130 is housed in the protective frame 111d as shown in Fig. 3. Note that the warming heater HT may be used not only during warming operation, but also during rice cooking operation.

[0037] (1-7) Center sensor The center sensor 114 is a sensor for detecting the temperature of the inner bowl 130 and for detecting the presence or absence of the inner bowl 130, and as shown in Fig. 3, it protrudes upward through an opening in the bottom member Dc of the protective frame 111d. The center sensor 114 is biased upward by a biasing member such as a coil spring. In other words, the center sensor 114 is in a state in which it can freely protrude and retract in the vertical direction. When the inner bowl 130 is housed in the protective frame 111d, the center sensor 114 comes into contact with the bottom wall portion 131 of the inner bowl 130 to measure the temperature of the inner bowl 130.

[0038] (1-8) Speakers The speaker AL plays a role of notifying people with sounds when cooking starts and finishes, etc., and outputs sounds based on commands from the microcomputer MC on the microcomputer board CB. As described above, the speaker AL is disposed above the front end of the bottom wall Ab of the container 111a.

[0039] (1-9) Blower fan The blower fan 115 is disposed directly above the intake port Ac1a of the lower cover part Ac1 of the cover member Ac of the housing 111a, with the rotation axis aligned substantially along the vertical direction (see FIG. 3). When the blower fan 115 is driven, outside air is sucked in through the intake port Ac1a of the lower cover part Ac1 of the cover member Ac of the housing 111a, flows into the housing 111, and is sent upward as it is. The outside air sent upward is supplied to the control board 118 and the like through the heat sink 116, cooling them.

[0040] (1-10) Heat sink The heat sink 116 is a component for efficiently exchanging heat with the outside air, and is disposed above the blower fan 115 as shown in FIG.

[0041] (1-11) Control board The control board 118 is a board that constitutes a power supply circuit and has several heat generating components mounted thereon. The control board 118 is accommodated in the rear space of the housing 111 as shown in Fig. 3, and is communicatively connected to the microcomputer board CB.

[0042] (1-12) Automatic retractable power cord unit Automatic rewind power cord unit 120 is composed of a power cord (not shown) and an automatic rewind mechanism (not shown), and is housed in the rear space of housing 111 as shown in FIG. 3. The power cord is composed of an attachment plug, an electric wire, and the like. The attachment plug is disposed at the tip of the electric wire. The electric wire is wound around the automatic rewind mechanism so as to be freely extensible.

[0043] (1-13) Lever mechanism Lever mechanism 119 is for opening and closing lid body 140, and as shown in Figures 1 to 5 and 7 to 10, is mainly composed of an operating part LA, a lever main body LB, a transmission member LC, a stopper LD, a first rotating shaft LE, a second rotating shaft LF, a first torsion spring LG, a second torsion spring LH, a third torsion spring LI, and a locked part 149. These components will be described in detail below. Note that locked part 149 is provided on lid body 140 since it constitutes a part of lid body 140, and the details of locked part 149 will be described later.

[0044] The operating portion LA is a member that is pushed down by a person when the cover 140 is changed from the closed state to the open state, and is mainly formed of a base portion LA1, an extension wall portion LA2, a partition wall portion LA3, etc., as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10, a recess LA1a having a substantially semicircular shape in a plan view is formed on the upper surface of the base portion LA1 from the rear end to the middle portion in the front-rear direction. Also, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 7 to 9, recesses LA1b are formed on the left and right portions of the lower surface of the base portion LA1. Also, as shown in Fig. 10, the base portion LA1 is formed with a first insertion portion LA1c that is recessed from the rear end to the front side below the extension wall portion LA2. As shown in Fig. 10, the front portion of the base portion LB1 of the lever main body LB is inserted into this first insertion portion LA1c. 9 and 10, the base portion LA1 is formed with a second insertion portion LA1d recessed upward from the lower end. As shown in FIG. 10, a screw SC is inserted into this second insertion portion LA1d. As shown in FIG. 10, the first insertion portion LA1c and the second insertion portion LA1d are partitioned by a partition wall portion LA3. However, since a screw hole is formed in the partition wall portion LA3, the first insertion portion LA1c and the second insertion portion LA1d communicate with each other through this screw hole (see FIG. 10). Then, the front portion of the base portion LB1 of the lever main body LB is inserted into the first insertion portion LA1c in a state where it protrudes to the outside of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a through the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a. Then, in a state where the screw hole of the partition wall portion LA3 and the screw hole of the base portion LB1 of the lever body LB form one communication hole, the screw SC is inserted into the second insertion portion LA1d and passed through this communication hole (see FIG. 10). In this manner, the operating portion LA can be connected to the lever body LB (see FIG. 10). When the operating portion LA is connected to the lever body LB, the base portion LA1 is disposed outside the front wall portion of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, and a person can press down the operating portion LA to press down the lever body LB via the operating portion LA.When the operating part LA is connected to the lever body LB and not pressed down, the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a is covered by the base part LA1 in the front view (see Figs. 5 and 6). Although not shown, when the operating part LA is connected to the lever body LB and pressed down, the upper end of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a is exposed without being covered by the base part LA1 in the front view, and the part of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a other than the upper end is covered by the base part LA1. The extension wall part LA2 extends rearward from the center of the rear end of the base part LA1 as shown in Figs. 7 and 10. As shown in Fig. 10, when the operating part LA is connected to the lever body LB, the extending wall part LA2 enters the inside of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a through the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a. Also, as shown in Fig. 10, when the operating part LA is connected to the lever body LB and not pressed down, the extending wall part LA2 is located above the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a.

[0045] The lever body LB is a member formed from metal, and as shown in Figs. 7 to 10, is mainly formed of a base portion LB1, a rear wall portion LB2, a bearing portion LB3, a first torsion spring mounting portion LB4, and an abutment portion LB5. As shown in Figs. 7, 9, and 10, the base portion LB1 is a flat plate portion extending in the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 10, the front portion of the base portion LB1 protrudes outward from the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a through an opening Aa1 in the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a, and the rear portion of the base portion LB1 is disposed inside the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a. Also, a screw hole for passing a screw SC is formed in the front end portion of the base portion LB1 (see Fig. 10). As shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the rear wall portion LB2 extends downward from the rear end of the base portion LB1. As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the left-right center of the lower end of the rear wall portion LB2 is located above the left and right parts of the lower end of the rear wall portion LB2. As shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the bearing portion LB3 extends forward from the left and right ends of the rear wall portion LB2 and is disposed between the first bearing portion Da1 of the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d. A bearing hole for passing the first rotating shaft LE is formed in the bearing portion LB3 (see Figs. 7 to 10). By passing the first rotating shaft LE through this bearing hole, the lever body LB becomes rotatable around the first rotating shaft LE. As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the first torsion spring mounting portion LB4 extends rightward from the front end of the left bearing portion LB3. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a notch LB4a is formed at the lower end of the first torsion spring mounting portion LB4, and one end of the first torsion spring LG is attached to this notch LB4a. The lever body LB is biased by the first torsion spring LG in a clockwise direction about the first rotation shaft LE as viewed from the right side by the first torsion spring LG. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the contact portion LB5 extends rearward from the left-right central portion of the lower end of the rear wall portion LB2 and then extends diagonally rearward and downward. In addition, when the operating portion LA is not pressed down when the cover body 140 is in the closed state as shown in Fig. 10, the contact portion LB5 is slightly separated from the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC, and when the operating portion LA is pressed down as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the contact portion LB5 contacts the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC.Therefore, when the lever body LB is pushed down via the operating part LA and rotated counterclockwise around the first rotation shaft LE against the biasing force of the first torsion spring LG in a right side view, the abutment part LB5 applies a force to the receiving part LC2 of the transmission member LC, so that the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF by the lever body LB in a right side view.

[0046] The transmission member LC is a member formed from resin, and as shown in Figs. 7 to 10, is mainly formed of a base portion LC1, a receiving portion LC2, a second torsion spring mounting portion LC3, and the like. A bearing hole for passing the second rotation shaft LF is formed in the base portion LC1 (see Figs. 7 and 10). By passing the second rotation shaft LF through this bearing hole, the transmission member LC becomes rotatable around the second rotation shaft LF. As shown in Fig. 10, the receiving portion LC2 extends diagonally downward and forward from the front end of the upper end portion of the base portion LC1. As described above, when the cover 140 is in the closed state and the operating portion LA is not pressed down, the receiving portion LC2 is slightly separated from the contact portion LB5 of the lever body LB, and when the operating portion LA is pressed down, the receiving portion LC2 contacts the contact portion LB5 of the lever body LB. As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the second torsion spring attachment portion LC3 has a generally hook shape and is formed on the left and right sides of the lower end of the base portion LC1. As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, a portion that connects one coil portion and the other coil portion of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the second torsion spring attachment portion LC3. Then, as shown in Figs. 7 to 10, when an end of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the second torsion spring attachment portion LD6 of the stopper LD, the transmission member LC is biased by the second torsion spring LH in the counterclockwise direction about the second rotation axis LF in the right side view, and is attached to the stopper LD. Also, when the transmission member LC rotates clockwise about the second rotation axis LF in the right side view, it applies a force to the stopper LD (a force that rotates the stopper LD in the clockwise direction about the second rotation axis LF in the right side view).

[0047] The stopper LD is a member formed from metal, and as shown in Figs. 7 to 10, is mainly formed of a base portion LD1, an upper extended wall portion LD2, a claw portion LD3, a bearing portion LD4, a bottom wall portion LD5, a second torsion spring mounting portion LD6, and a third torsion spring mounting portion LD7. As shown in Fig. 8, the base portion LD1 is a flat plate portion having a horizontally elongated substantially rectangular shape in a front view. As shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 10, the upper extended wall portion LD2 extends upward from the left and right ends of the base portion LD1. As shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 10, the claw portion LD3 extends forward from the upper end of the upper extended wall portion LD2. The claw portion LD3 is engaged with the claw portion 149a of the engaged portion 149 of the cover body 140 when the cover body 140 is closed. As shown in Figs. 7 to 9, the bearing portion LD4 extends forward from the left and right ends of the base portion LD1, and is disposed between the second bearing portions Da2 of the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d. A bearing hole for passing the second rotating shaft LF is formed in the bearing portion LD4 (see Figs. 7 to 9). By passing the second rotating shaft LF through this bearing hole, the stopper LD becomes rotatable about the second rotating shaft LF. As shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the bottom wall portion LD5 extends forward from the lower end of the base portion LD1. In addition, the bottom wall portion LD5 comes into contact with the lower end portion of the base portion LC1 of the transmission member LC (a portion below the second rotation shaft LF of the transmission member LC) when the operation portion LA is not pressed down when the lid body 140 is in the closed state as shown in Fig. 10, when the operation portion LA is pressed down when the pressure cooking operation is not performed as shown in Fig. 11, or when the lid body 140 is changed from open to closed as shown in Fig. 13. The second torsion spring attachment portion LD6 extends forward from the left and right portions of the front end of the bottom wall portion LD5, then extends downward and further extends rearward as shown in Figs. 7 to 10. One end of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the left second torsion spring attachment portion LD6, and the other end of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the right second torsion spring attachment portion LD6. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the third torsion spring mounting portion LD7 extends forward from the left end portion of the bottom wall portion LD5 (more specifically, a portion of the bottom wall portion LD5 to the left of the left second torsion spring mounting portion LD6).One end of a third torsion spring LI is attached to the third torsion spring attachment portion LD7. The stopper LD is biased by the third torsion spring LI in the counterclockwise direction about the second rotation shaft LF when viewed from the right side.

[0048] As described above, the first rotation shaft LE is attached to the first bearing portion Da1 of the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d. At this time, the first rotation shaft LE is inserted into the inside of the coil portion of the first torsion spring LG and into the bearing hole of the bearing portion LB3 of the lever main body LB, as shown in Fig. 9. Also, the first rotation shaft LE is located at a height position between the upper and lower ends of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a, as shown in Fig. 9.

[0049] As described above, the second rotating shaft LF is attached to the second bearing portion Da2 of the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d. At this time, as shown in Fig. 9, the second rotating shaft LF is inserted through the inside of the coil portion of the second torsion spring LH and the inside of the coil portion of the third torsion spring LI, and is also inserted through the bearing hole of the base portion LC1 of the transmission member LC and the bearing hole of the bearing portion LD4 of the stopper LD.

[0050] As described above, the first torsion spring LG is a member for biasing the lever main body LB in the clockwise direction around the first rotation shaft LE when viewed from the right side. As described above, the first rotation shaft LE is inserted into the inside of the coil portion of the first torsion spring LG, one end of the first torsion spring LG is attached to the first torsion spring attachment portion LB4 of the lever main body LB, and the other end of the first torsion spring LG is attached to the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d.

[0051] The second torsion spring LH is a double torsion spring, which biases the transmission member LC in the counterclockwise direction about the second rotating shaft LF when viewed from the right side as described above, and is a member for attaching the transmission member LC to the stopper LD. As described above, the second rotating shaft LF is inserted inside both coil portions of the second torsion spring LH, a portion connecting one coil portion and the other coil portion of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the second torsion spring attachment portion LC3 of the transmission member LC, one end of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the second torsion spring attachment portion LD6 on the left side of the stopper LD, and the other end of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the second torsion spring attachment portion LD6 on the right side of the stopper LD.

[0052] As described above, the third torsion spring LI is a member for biasing the stopper LD in the counterclockwise direction around the second rotating shaft LF when viewed from the right side. As described above, the second rotating shaft LF is inserted into the inside of the coil portion of the third torsion spring LI, one end of the third torsion spring LI is attached to the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d, and the other end of the second torsion spring LH is attached to the third torsion spring attachment portion LD7 of the stopper LD.

[0053] (2) Inner pot As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner pot 130 is inserted through an insertion opening for the inner pot 130 in the bottom wall portion Ca of the shoulder member 111c and an insertion opening for the inner pot 130 in the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d, and is housed in the protective frame 111d with a specified gap. The inner pot 130 is a multi-layer body (clad material) of various aluminum alloys and stainless steel alloys, and is induction heated by the induction heating coil 113. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner pot 130 is formed of a bottom wall portion 131, a cylindrical wall portion 132, a flange portion 133, etc. The bottom wall portion 131 is generally disc-shaped in a plan view (see Figure 3). As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cylindrical wall portion 132 is generally cylindrical and extends upward from the outer end of the bottom wall portion 131. 3 and 4, the flange portion 133 extends outward from the upper end of the cylindrical wall portion 132. As described above, when the inner pot 130 is accommodated in the protective frame 111d with a specified gap therebetween, the flange portion 133 is placed on the high stage portion 112a of the pot mounting portion 112.

[0054] (3) Lid As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the lid 140 is for covering the opening of the inner pot 130 housed in the protective frame 111d of the main body 110 from above, and is disposed on the upper side of the main body 110 and attached to the main body 110 via the hinge mechanism 150 so as to be rotatable about the hinge mechanism side rotation shaft 151 (see Fig. 3) of the hinge mechanism 150. As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the lid 140 is mainly composed of an exterior body 141, a microcomputer board CB, a group of operation buttons BT, an information display panel DI, a pressure adjustment mechanism 143, a reinforcing member (not shown), a flow path forming portion 144, an inner lid 145, a steam sensor SS, an LED 147, an LED board FP, a light guide member 148, a locked portion 149, and a lid heater CH. These components will be described in detail below.

[0055] (3-1) Exterior body Exterior body 141 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped resin member, and as shown in Figures 1 to 6, is mainly composed of upper exterior member 141a and lower exterior member 141b, etc. These components will be described in detail below.

[0056] The upper exterior member 141a is a member having a substantially rounded rectangular shape in a plan view as shown in FIG. 2, and is attached to the lower exterior member 141b so as to cover the lower exterior member 141b from above as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The upper exterior member 141a is mainly formed of a side wall Sa1 and a top wall Sa2 as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6. The side wall Sa1 has a substantially rounded rectangular cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6, and is inclined inwardly as it goes upward. As shown in FIG. 3, the LED 147, the LED board FP, and the light guide member 148 are disposed inside the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 so as to face the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, when the upper exterior member 141a is attached to the lower exterior member 141b, a small gap is formed between the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 and the front wall portion of the outer wall Sb1 of the lower exterior member 141b. 3 and 4, a front end 148a of the light guiding member 148 is disposed in this gap. The top wall Sa2 extends inward from the upper end of the side wall Sa1, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 5, and 6. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 5, and 6, an opening is formed in the front part of the top wall Sa2 to expose the upper surfaces of the operation buttons of the operation button group BT, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an opening is formed in the rear part of the top wall Sa2 to fit a part of the flow path forming portion 144 (a portion forming the exhaust port BO).

[0057] The lower exterior member 141b is a member having a substantially rounded rectangular shape in a bottom view (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the lower exterior member 141b is mainly formed of an outer wall Sb1, a first bottom wall Sb2, an inner wall Sb3, and a second bottom wall Sb4. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the outer wall Sb1 has a substantially rounded rectangular cylindrical shape and is inclined inwardly as it goes downward. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the first bottom wall Sb2 extends inwardly from the lower end of the outer wall Sb1 except for the lower end of the front wall portion of the outer wall Sb1. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the inner wall Sb3 extends upwardly from the lower end of the front wall portion of the outer wall Sb1 and the inner end of the first bottom wall Sb2. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the second bottom wall Sb4 extends inwardly from the upper end of the inner wall Sb3. In addition, a reinforcing member is attached to the upper surface of the second bottom wall Sb4, and an inner lid 145 is attached to the lower surface of the second bottom wall Sb4 as shown in FIGS.

[0058] (3-2) Microcomputer board 14, the microcomputer board CB has electronic components such as a microcomputer MC mounted thereon, and is communicatively connected to the center sensor 114, steam sensor SS, induction heating coil 113, heat retention heater HT, speaker AL, information display panel DI, pressure adjustment mechanism 143, lid heater CH, and LED board FP electrically connected to LED 147. The microcomputer MC of the microcomputer board CB is equipped with a memory, and various programs and data for executing controls such as rice cooking control and heat retention control are stored in the memory. The microcomputer MC on the microcontroller board CB executes each process in the rice cooker 100, controls the output of the induction heating coil 113, the warming heater HT, and the lid heater CH, causes the LED board FP to change the brightness of the light emitted by the LED 147 depending on the progress of each process in the rice cooker 100, causes the LED board FP to change the speed at which the brightness of the light emitted by the LED 147 is changed depending on the progress of each process in the rice cooker 100, causes the LED board FP to change the color of the light emitted by the LED 147, causes the speaker AL to output sound, and measures time.

[0059] (3-3) Operation buttons The operation button group BT includes, for example, a rice cooking start button, a cancel button, etc. The upper surface of each operation button in the operation button group BT is exposed through the opening in the top wall Sa2 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141, as described above.

[0060] (3-4) Information display panel The information display panel DI is disposed behind the group of operation buttons BT as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The information display panel DI displays various information such as rice cooking menu information and rice cooking progress information based on commands from the microcomputer MC on the microcomputer board CB.

[0061] (3-5) Pressure adjustment mechanism The pressure adjustment mechanism 143 adjusts the pressure inside the inner pot 130 to 1 atmosphere or more (for example, 1.03 to 1.3 atmospheres) when the lid 140 is closed and pressure cooking is in progress.

[0062] (3-6) Reinforcement members The reinforcing member is intended to increase the rigidity of exterior body 141, and is made of, for example, sheet metal such as hot-dip galvanized steel sheet (SGCC), engineering plastic such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or the like.

[0063] (3-7) Flow path forming section The flow path forming portion 144 serves to form a part of the gas flow path within the lid body 140. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, an exhaust port BO is formed in the flow path forming portion 144. As described above, the portion of the flow path forming portion 144 that forms the exhaust port BO is fitted into the opening at the rear of the top wall Sa2 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141, and the exhaust port BO exhausts the gas that has flowed into the flow path forming portion 144 to the outside of the lid body 140.

[0064] (3-8) Inner lid 3, the inner lid 145 is a member that covers the top of the inner pot 130 to seal the inner pot 130 when the lid 140 is in the closed state. An inlet is formed in the inner lid 145, and this inlet allows gas (for example, steam generated in the inner pot 130, or outside air when the lid 140 is in the open state) to flow into the inside of the lid 140.

[0065] (3-9) Steam sensor The steam sensor SS is a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the lid 140 , more specifically, the temperature of the gas flowing through the gas flow path inside the lid 140 .

[0066] (3-10) LED The LED 147 emits light to inform people of the progress of each process in the rice cooker 100. The LED 147 is disposed inside the exterior body 141 as shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, the LED 147 is disposed inside the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141 so as to face the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141 as described above. In this way, the LED 147 is disposed closer to the front side of the lid body 140. The LED 147 is attached to the LED board FP as shown in FIG. 3, and is electrically connected to the LED board FP as shown in FIG. 14.

[0067] (3-11) LED board As described above, the LED board FP is a board for mounting the LEDs 147, is electrically connected to the LEDs 147, and is communicatively connected to the microcomputer board CB, receiving commands from the microcomputer MC of the microcomputer board CB to control the brightness, etc., of the LEDs 147. Also, as described above, the LED board FP is disposed inside the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141 so as to face the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141.

[0068] (3-12) Light-guiding member The light guide member 148 is a plate member made of acrylic resin, and is disposed inside the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141 so as to face the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141, as described above. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the light guide member 148 is inclined downward as it approaches the front. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the LED 147 is disposed above the rear end (upper end) of the light guide member 148. Also, as described above, the front end portion 148a of the light guide member 148 is disposed in the gap between the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141 and the front wall portion of the outer wall Sb1 of the lower exterior member 141b. Also, a plurality of grooves (not shown) are formed in the light guide member 148. These grooves allow the light emitted by the LEDs 147 to be sufficiently guided to the front end 148a of the light-guiding member 148, and also allow the light to be guided to the outside (front side) of the exterior body 141 through a gap between the front wall portion of the side wall Sa1 of the upper exterior member 141a of the exterior body 141 and the front wall portion of the outer wall Sb1 of the lower exterior member 141b. This allows the light emitted by the LEDs 147 to be visually recognized by a person.

[0069] (3-13)Locked part As described above, the locked portion 149 constitutes a part of the lever mechanism 119, and is disposed inside the front wall portion of the outer wall Sb1 of the lower exterior member 141b of the exterior body 141 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Also, as shown in Figure 10, the locked portion 149 is formed with a claw portion 149a that extends so as to incline upward toward the rear, and when the cover body 140 is in the closed state, the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD of the lever mechanism 119 of the main body 110 is locked to the claw portion 149a.

[0070] (3-14) Lid heater The lid heater CH is a heater used during keep-warm operation, and is disposed above the inner lid 145. The lid heater CH may be used not only during keep-warm operation but also during rice cooking operation, and may be disposed at a location other than the upper side of the inner lid 145.

[0071] (4) Hinge mechanism As shown in FIG. 3, the hinge mechanism 150 is mainly composed of a hinge mechanism side rotating shaft 151, a hinge mechanism side torsion spring 152, a fixed portion 153, a rotating portion (not shown), and a hinge cover 154. The hinge mechanism side rotating shaft 151 is inserted into a bearing hole of the fixed portion 153 and a bearing hole of the rotating portion. The hinge mechanism side torsion spring 152 is for biasing the cover body 140 in the opening direction. One end of the hinge mechanism side torsion spring 152 is fixed to the fixed portion 153, and the other end of the hinge mechanism side torsion spring 152 is fixed to the rotating portion. As described above, the fixed portion 153 is attached to the rear end of the flange member Da of the protective frame 111d of the main body 110 through the opening at the rear end of the bottom wall portion Ca of the shoulder member 111c of the main body 110. Moreover, a bearing hole for inserting the hinge mechanism side rotation shaft 151 is formed in the fixed part 153. The rotation part is attached to the rear end of the reinforcing member of the cover 140. Moreover, a bearing hole for inserting the hinge mechanism side rotation shaft 151 is formed in the rotation part. Then, the fixed part 153 and the rotation part are connected by inserting the hinge mechanism side rotation shaft 151 into the bearing hole of the fixed part 153 and the bearing hole of the rotation part, and the rotation part becomes rotatable about the hinge mechanism side rotation shaft 151 and the cover 140 becomes rotatable about the hinge mechanism side rotation shaft 151. The hinge cover 154 is placed on the vertical wall part Cd of the shoulder member 111c of the main body 110 as described above.

[0072] <Opening and closing operation of the lid of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention> Here, the opening and closing operation of the lid body 140 of the rice cooker 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, when a person changes the lid body 140 from the open state to the closed state, the person does not need to operate the lever mechanism 119, but simply tilts the lid body 140 toward the main body 110. At this time, the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 moves downward while contacting the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD. During this time, since the position of the locked portion 149 on the lid body 140 is fixed and the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 is inclined, as shown in FIG. 13, the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD moves rearward, and the stopper LD rotates clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF against the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI when viewed from the right side. As described above, when the cover 140 is changed from the open state to the closed state, the bottom wall portion LD5 of the stopper LD abuts against the lower end of the base portion LC1 of the transmission member LC, so that the transmission member LC is rotated by the stopper LD in the clockwise direction about the second rotation axis LF as viewed from the right side to the cover closed rotation position. At this time, as shown in Fig. 13, the transmission member LC rotates so that the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC is separated from the abutting portion LB5 of the lever body LB and the transmission member LC does not come into contact with the lever body LB, so that no force is applied to the lever body LB. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 13, when the cover 140 is changed from the open state to the closed state, the operating portion LA and the lever body LB do not move. The rotation position of the transmission member LC when the cover is closed (see FIG. 13) is between the initial position of the transmission member LC (i.e., the position of the transmission member LC when the cover 140 is closed and the operating unit LA is not pressed down as shown in FIG. 10) and the rotation limit position of the transmission member LC (i.e., the position of the transmission member LC when the operating unit LA is pressed down to the maximum as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12). When the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 reaches the lower side of the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD, the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD moves forward by the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI and is locked with the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 (see FIG. 10). In this way, the cover 140 is in the closed state.

[0073] When the lid body 140 is changed from the closed state to the open state when the pressure cooking operation is not performed, as shown in FIG. 11, the person presses down the operating part LA. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the lever body LB connected to the operating part LA is pressed down and rotated counterclockwise around the first rotation axis LE against the biasing force of the first torsion spring LG in the right side view. In addition, as described above, the abutment part LB5 of the lever body LB abuts against the receiving part LC2 of the transmission member LC when the operating part LA is pressed down, so that the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotation axis LF in the right side view as shown in FIG. 11. At this time, since the transmission member LC is attached to the stopper LD by the second torsion spring LH as described above, it tries to rotate together with the stopper LD (i.e., a force that tries to rotate the stopper LD in the clockwise direction around the second rotation axis LF in the right side view is applied to the stopper LD). The biasing force of the second torsion spring LH is set to be larger than the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 11, the transmission member LC actually rotates together with the stopper LD, and the stopper LD is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF against the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI when viewed from the right side. Finally, as shown in Fig. 11, the state in which the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is locked to the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 of the lid body 140 is released, and the lid body 140 is lifted by the hinge mechanism side torsion spring 152 of the hinge mechanism 150, as shown in Fig. 4, and the lid body 140 is opened.

[0074] In addition, it is not preferable from a safety standpoint for the lid body 140 to change from a closed state to an open state during pressure cooking operation. Therefore, in this rice cooker 100, when pressure cooking operation is performed and the lid body 140 is in a closed state, even if a person presses down the operating part LA, the lid body 140 will not change from a closed state to an open state. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, when the operating part LA is pressed down, the lever body LB is pressed down via the operating part LA, and is rotated counterclockwise against the biasing force of the first torsion spring LG around the first rotating shaft LE as viewed from the right side. In addition, as described above, the abutment part LB5 of the lever body LB abuts against the receiving part LC2 of the transmission member LC when the operating part LA is pressed down, so that the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotating shaft LF as viewed from the right side as shown in FIG. 12. At this time, since the transmission member LC is attached to the stopper LD by the second torsion spring LH as described above, it tries to rotate together with the stopper LD (i.e., a force that tries to rotate the stopper LD in the clockwise direction around the second rotation axis LF as viewed from the right side is applied to the stopper LD). However, when pressure cooking is in progress, an upward force acts on the lid 140, and the locking force between the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 and the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD becomes stronger. In this rice cooker 100, the biasing force of the second torsion spring LH is set to be greater than the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI, but is set to be smaller than the force required to rotate the stopper LD when pressure cooking is in progress. 12, the transmission member LC does not rotate together with the stopper LD, but rotates by itself against the biasing force of the second torsion spring LH, and the stopper LD does not rotate about the second rotation shaft LF. In this way, when pressure cooking is in progress, even if the operating part LA is pressed down, the closed state of the lid body 140, that is, the state in which the claw part LD3 of the stopper LD is locked to the claw part 149a of the locked part 149 of the lid body 140, is maintained.

[0075] <Features of the lever mechanism of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention> (1) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the transmission member LC is biased by the second torsion spring LH in the counterclockwise direction around the second rotation shaft LF in the right side view, and is attached to the stopper LD. In addition, when the transmission member LC is rotated by the lever body LB in the clockwise direction around the second rotation shaft LF in the right side view, the transmission member LC tries to rotate together with the stopper LD. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, the initial positions of the lever body LB, the transmission member LC, and the stopper LD can be constant regardless of the variation in the arm angle of the second torsion spring LH. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, the risk of variation in the operation feeling can be reduced as much as possible. In addition, in this lever mechanism 119, the weight of the stopper LD can be increased compared to a conventional lever mechanism in which the transmission member is not attached to a stopper, so that the sound generated when the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is locked to the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 can be made as heavy as possible.

[0076] (2) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the lever body LB is pushed down via the operating part LA, it rotates counterclockwise around the first rotation shaft LE against the biasing force of the first torsion spring LG as viewed from the right side. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, the rotation direction of the lever body LB when the lever body LB is pushed down can be reversed to the rotation direction of the transmission member LC. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, when the lever body LB is pushed down, the abutment part LB5 of the lever body LB and the receiving part LC2 of the transmission member LC can be prevented from rubbing as much as possible, and the rubbing noise between the abutment part LB5 of the lever body LB and the receiving part LC2 of the transmission member LC can be reduced as much as possible, and wear of the lever body LB and the transmission member LC can be reduced as much as possible.

[0077] (3) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the transmission member LC is made of resin, and the lever body LB and the stopper LD are made of metal. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, the contact between the abutment portion LB5 of the lever body LB and the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC can be prevented from being metal-to-metal contact, and the contact between the bottom wall portion LD5 of the stopper LD and the lower end portion of the base portion LC1 of the transmission member LC can be prevented from being metal-to-metal contact. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, it is possible to prevent the generation of noise caused by metals rubbing against each other.

[0078] (4) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is locked with the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149, the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC is separated from the abutment portion LB5 of the lever body LB and the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise about the second rotation axis LF to a lid closed rotation position in a right side view so that the transmission member LC does not come into contact with the lever body LB. Therefore, in this lever mechanism 119, when the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is locked with the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149, the transmission member LC can be prevented from moving the operation portion LA and the lever body LB.

[0079] (5) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the operating part LA is pressed down when the pressure cooking operation is not performed, the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF in the right side view, and the stopper LD is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF against the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI in the right side view. Then, the state in which the claw part LD3 of the stopper LD is locked to the claw part 149a of the locked part 149 of the lid body 140 is released. In addition, in this lever mechanism 119, when the operating part LA is pressed down when the pressure cooking operation is performed, the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF against the biasing force of the second torsion spring LH in the right side view, but the stopper LD does not rotate around the second rotation shaft LF. The claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is maintained in a state where it is locked to the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149 of the lid body 140. Therefore, with this lever mechanism 119, when pressure cooking is not performed, the lid body 140 can be changed from the closed state to the open state by pushing down the operation portion LA, and when pressure cooking is performed, the lid body 140 can be maintained in the closed state even if the operation portion LA is pushed down.

[0080] <Modification> (A) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment, the operation on the operating part LA is to push down the operating part LA, and the lever body LB is pushed down via the operating part LA when the operating part LA is pushed down, and rotates counterclockwise around the first rotation shaft LE against the biasing force of the first torsion spring LG when viewed from the right side. However, the operation on the operating part LA may be to push up the operating part LA. And, the lever body LB may be pushed up via the operating part LA when the operating part LA is pushed up, and rotates clockwise around the first rotation shaft LE when viewed from the right side. In this case, the extension wall portion LA2 of the operating part LA and the base portion LB1 of the lever body LB need to be located below the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing body 111a. Furthermore, in order to rotate the transmission member LC clockwise around the second pivot axis LF when viewed from the right side (i.e., in the same direction as the rotation direction of the lever body LB) when the lever body LB is rotated clockwise around the first pivot axis LE when viewed from the right side, it is necessary to appropriately modify the shape and positional relationship, etc. of the lever body LB or the transmission member LC so that, for example, the rear end of the lever body LB can press down on the portion of the transmission member LC rearward of the second pivot axis LF.

[0081] Furthermore, the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment has two rotation shafts, i.e., the first rotation shaft LE and the second rotation shaft LF. However, the lever mechanism 119 may have only one rotation shaft. In such a case, the rotation shaft may be passed through a bearing hole of the lever body LB, a bearing hole of the transmission member LC, a bearing hole of the stopper LD, the inside of the coil portion of the first torsion spring LG, the inside of the coil portion of the second torsion spring LH, and the inside of the coil portion of the third torsion spring LI. Then, when the lever body LB rotates about this rotation shaft, the transmission member LC may be rotated about this rotation shaft, and a force that rotates the stopper LD about this rotation shaft may be applied to the stopper LD. For example, when the lever body LB rotates counterclockwise around the rotation shaft in the right side view, the transmission member LC may be rotated counterclockwise around the rotation shaft in the right side view, and a force that rotates the stopper LD counterclockwise around the rotation shaft in the right side view may be applied to the stopper LD. Also, when the lever body LB rotates clockwise around the rotation shaft in the right side view, the transmission member LC may be rotated clockwise around the rotation shaft in the right side view, and a force that rotates the stopper LD clockwise around the rotation shaft in the right side view may be applied to the stopper LD. In such a case, the shapes and positional relationships of the lever body LB, the transmission member LC, the stopper LD, and the locked portion 149, etc., and the biasing directions of the first torsion spring LG, the second torsion spring LH, and the third torsion spring LI, etc., need to be appropriately modified in design.

[0082] Also, the lever body LB may move linearly downward when the operating part LA is pressed down. In order for the lever body LB to move linearly downward to rotate the transmission member LC in the clockwise direction around the second rotation axis LF as viewed from the right side, it is necessary to appropriately change the design of the shape and positional relationship of the lever body LB or the transmission member LC, for example, so that the rear end of the lever body LB can press down a part of the transmission member LC rearward of the second rotation axis LF. Also, the operation of the operation part LA is to push up the operation part LA, and the lever body LB may move linearly upward when the operation part LA is pushed up. When the lever body LB moves linearly upward, it is preferable that the abutment part LB5 of the lever body LB abuts against the receiving part LC2 of the transmission member LC. In these cases, it is preferable to provide a rail part for moving the lever body LB linearly in the up and down direction.

[0083] (B) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment, the lever body LB is made of metal, the transmission member LC is made of resin, and the stopper LD is made of metal. However, the lever body LB may be made of a material other than metal (e.g., resin, etc.), the transmission member LC may be made of a material other than resin (e.g., metal, etc.), and the stopper LD may be made of a material other than metal (e.g., resin, etc.).

[0084] (C) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment, when the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is locked to the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149, the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC moves away from the abutment portion LB5 of the lever body LB and the transmission member LC rotates to the cover closed rotation position about the second rotation shaft LF so that the transmission member LC does not come into contact with the lever body LB. However, when the claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD is locked to the claw portion 149a of the locked portion 149, the transmission member LC may come into contact with the lever body LB while the transmission member LC rotates to the cover closed rotation position about the second rotation shaft LF, and the lever body LB may be rotated by the transmission member LC about the first rotation shaft LE.

[0085] (D) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment, when the operating part LA is pressed down when the pressure cooking operation is not performed, the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF in the right side view, and the stopper LD is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF in the right side view against the biasing force of the third torsion spring LI. Then, the state in which the claw part LD3 of the stopper LD is engaged with the claw part 149a of the engaged part 149 of the lid body 140 is released, and the lid body 140 is in the open state from the closed state. In addition, in this lever mechanism 119, when the operating part LA is pressed down when the pressure cooking operation is performed, the transmission member LC is rotated clockwise around the second rotation shaft LF in the right side view against the biasing force of the second torsion spring LH, but the stopper LD does not rotate around the second rotation shaft LF. The claw portion LD3 of the stopper LD was kept engaged with the claw portion 149a of the engaged portion 149 of the lid body 140, and the closed state of the lid body 140 was maintained. However, the lever mechanism 119 may have a configuration other than the above, which can change the lid body 140 from the closed state to the open state when pressure cooking operation is not performed, and can maintain the closed state of the lid body 140 when pressure cooking operation is performed.

[0086] (E) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the opening Aa1 was formed in the upper part of the front wall part of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. However, the opening for passing the lever body LB may be formed in a part other than the upper part of the front wall part of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a (for example, the middle part in the vertical direction, etc.). In such a case, the shapes of the lever body LB, the transmission member LC, the stopper LD, etc. must be appropriately modified in design so that the lever body LB and the transmission member LC can be rotated by pressing down the operating part LA, and the transmission member LC can apply a force to the stopper LD to rotate the stopper LD.

[0087] (F) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the operating part LA was connected to the lever body LB in a state in which the front part of the base part LB1 of the lever body LB protrudes outside the side wall Aa of the housing 111a through the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. However, the operating part LA does not have to be connected to the lever body LB. That is, the lever body LB may be directly pushed down by a person. In addition, in a state in which the operating part LA is connected to the lever body LB, the operating part LA and the front part of the base part LB1 of the lever body LB may pass through the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. In such a case, the shape of the operating part LA needs to be appropriately modified so that the operating part LA can pass through the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a.

[0088] (G) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, when the operating unit LA is connected to the lever body LB and not pressed down, the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a is covered by the base part LA1 of the operating unit LA in the front view. However, the width of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a may be larger than the width of the base part LA1 of the operating unit LA, and the left part or the right part of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a may be exposed. Also, even when the operating unit LA is connected to the lever body LB and not pressed down, the upper part of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a may be exposed at a position higher than the upper surface of the base part LA1 of the operating unit LA. Also, even when the operating unit LA is connected to the lever body LB and not pressed down, the lower part of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a may be exposed at a position lower than the lower surface of the base part LA1 of the operating unit LA.

[0089] (H) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the first rotation shaft LE was located at a height position between the upper and lower ends of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. However, the first rotation shaft LE may be located above the upper end of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a, or may be located below the lower end of the opening Aa1 of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. In such a case, the shapes of the lever body LB, the transmission member LC, the stopper LD, etc. must be appropriately modified in design so that the lever body LB and the transmission member LC can be rotated by pressing down the operating part LA, and the transmission member LC can apply a force to the stopper LD to rotate the stopper LD.

[0090] (I) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment, a recess LA1a having a substantially semicircular shape in plan view is formed on the upper surface of the base part LA1 of the operating part LA from the rear end to the middle part in the front-rear direction, and recesses LA1b are formed on the left and right parts of the lower surface of the base part LA1 of the operating part LA. However, such recesses do not have to be formed.

[0091] (J) In the lever mechanism 119 according to the previous embodiment, the contact portion LB5 of the lever body LB is slightly spaced from the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC when the operation portion LA is not pressed down when the cover 140 is in the closed state. However, the contact portion LB5 of the lever body LB may be in contact with the receiving portion LC2 of the transmission member LC when the operation portion LA is not pressed down when the cover 140 is in the closed state.

[0092] (K) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the rice cooker 100, but the present invention may be applied to cooking appliances other than rice cookers (for example, a thermal jar, a bread maker, etc.).

[0093] The above modified examples may be applied individually or in combination with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 119 Lever mechanism 149 Locked part LB Lever body (lever part) LC Transmission parts (transmission parts) LD stopper (stopping part) LE 1st rotating axis (2nd axis) LF 2nd rotating axis (1st axis) LH 2nd torsion spring (biasing part)

Claims

1. A locked portion; A locking portion that can be locked to the locked portion and rotates around a first axis; and a lever portion that is operable, a transmission unit that, when the lever unit is operated, is rotated in a first direction about the first axis by the lever unit to apply a force to the locking unit that rotates the locking unit in the first direction; a biasing portion that biases the transmission portion in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction and attaches the transmission portion to the locking portion. Lever mechanism.

2. The lever portion rotates in the second direction about a second axis when operated.

2. The lever mechanism of claim 1.

3. The lever portion moves linearly when operated.

2. The lever mechanism of claim 1.

4. The transmission portion is formed of resin. A lever mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. While the transmission part rotates in the first direction to the first rotation position in a state in which the lever part is not operated, the lever part and the transmission part are separated from each other.

2. The lever mechanism of claim 1.

6. When the lever portion is operated while the engaging portion and the engaged portion are in a first engaged state, the transmission portion rotates together with the engaging portion in the first direction, and the engaging portion is released from the engaged state with respect to the engaged portion, When the lever portion is operated while the engaging state between the engaging portion and the engaged portion is in the second state, only the transmission portion rotates in the first direction against the biasing force of the biasing portion, and the state in which the engaging portion is engaged with the engaged portion is maintained.

2. The lever mechanism of claim 1.

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