Pressure cooker

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure cooker that can suppress, as much as possible, the outflow of a highly viscous substance in a moist state from the outlet of the steam discharge passage when a highly viscous substance is generated during pressure cooking and rises with the steam. [Solution] The pressure cooker 100 according to the present invention comprises a container 130, a heating unit 113, a valve seat unit ID2, and a solenoid valve 143. The heating unit heats the container. The valve seat unit has a hole OPa that communicates with the internal space Si of the container. The solenoid valve has a valve body VB and a solenoid unit PS. The solenoid unit opens and closes the hole by moving the valve body along the virtual extension line EP of the axis Xp of the hole. The valve body has a diameter Dv that is larger than the diameter Dm of the hole opening MP on the valve body side of the hole. The hole also has a small diameter section SD. When the valve body closes the hole, a space is formed between the hole opening on the valve body side and the small diameter section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure-type heating cooker. Background Art

[0002] In the past, pressure-type heating cookers have been proposed that temporarily keep the inside of the inner pot in a pressurized state to heat and cook food. By the way, some of such pressure-type heating cookers are provided with a pressure regulating valve that opens and closes a hole in a valve seat with the valve element of a solenoid valve (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-045471). Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-045471 Summary of Invention Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, during pressure regulation, when a substance that exhibits high viscosity in a wet state (hereinafter referred to as "high-viscosity substance") is generated and rises together with water vapor, the wet high-viscosity substance may spurt out from the discharge port of the steam discharge passage formed at the tip of the valve element.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-type heating cooker that can suppress as much as possible the spurting of the wet high-viscosity substance from the discharge port of the steam discharge passage when the high-viscosity substance is generated and rises together with water vapor during pressure regulation. Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A pressure-type cooking appliance according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a container, a heating section, a valve seat section, and a solenoid valve. The heating section heats the container. The valve seat section has a hole that communicates with the internal space of the container. The solenoid valve comprises a valve body and a solenoid section. The solenoid section opens and closes the hole by moving the valve body along a virtual extension of the axis of the hole. The valve body has a diameter larger than the diameter of the hole opening on the valve body side of the hole. Here, the hole opening refers to the opening on the inlet or outlet side of the hole. The hole also has a small-diameter section. Here, the small-diameter section refers to a section that has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole opening on the valve body side of the hole. Furthermore, it is preferable that the diameter of the hole decreases from the hole opening on the valve body side toward the small-diameter section. When the valve body closes the hole, a space is formed between the hole opening on the valve body side of the hole and the small-diameter section.

[0007] As described above, in this pressure cooker, the valve body has a diameter larger than the diameter of the valve body side of the hole, the hole has a smaller diameter section, and furthermore, when the valve body closes the hole, a space is formed between the valve body side of the hole and the smaller diameter section. Therefore, when the valve body closes the hole, the highly viscous substance that rises with the steam temporarily remains in that space in a moist state. When the valve body opens the hole, the moist highly viscous substance remaining in that space acts as a buffer, which can slow down the pressure change in the steam discharge passage formed beyond the valve body, and consequently, it is possible to suppress the eruption of the moist highly viscous substance present in the steam discharge passage from the outlet of the steam discharge passage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, cut by a plane passing through the center in [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an enlarged view of the solenoid valve and the area around the flow path forming section. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the lid base assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from diagonally above. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the base assembly of the lid according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view of a base assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the solenoid valve and inner cover, which are not components of the base assembly, are also depicted in this figure. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view II in Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a magnified view of the area around the solenoid valve. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is a magnified view of the area around the pressure regulating hole. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] <Configuration of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention> As shown in Figure 1, the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention mainly consists 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.

[0010] (1) Main unit As shown in Figure 1, the main unit 110 mainly consists of a housing 111, an induction heating coil 113, a center sensor 114, a blower fan 115, a heat sink 116, a control board 118, an automatic retractable power cord unit 119, and a locking part 120, etc. These components will be described in detail below.

[0011] (1-1) Cabinet As shown in Figure 1, the housing 111 mainly consists of a housing 111a, shoulder members 111c, and protective frames 111d, etc. These components will be described in detail below.

[0012] (1-1-1) Containment As shown in Figure 1, the housing 111a is mainly composed of side walls Aa and bottom wall Ab, etc. These components will be described in detail below. As shown in Figure 1, the housing 111a houses the induction heating coil 113, center sensor 114, blower fan 115, heat sink 116, control board 118, automatic retractable power cord unit 119, and locking part 120, etc.

[0013] The side wall Aa is an enclosure wall that has a roughly rounded rectangular shape in plan view and forms the side surface of the main body 110, as shown in Figure 1. Also, as shown in Figure 1, a shoulder member 111c is attached to the upper end of the side wall Aa.

[0014] The bottom wall Ab is a wall portion that has a roughly rounded rectangular shape in plan view and closes the lower opening of the side wall Aa, as shown in Figure 1. Also, as shown in Figure 1, the bottom wall Ab has legs Ac that extend downward. An exhaust port (not shown) is formed at the front of the bottom wall Ab for discharging air from inside the housing 111 to the outside of the housing 111, and an intake port AO (see Figure 1) is formed at the rear of the bottom wall Ab for drawing air from outside the housing 111 into the housing 111. As shown in Figure 1, a blower fan 115 is positioned directly above the intake port AO. When the blower fan 115 is driven, air from outside the housing 111 is drawn into the housing 111 through the intake port AO, and the resulting airflow discharges the air from inside the housing 111 to the outside of the housing 111 through the exhaust port.

[0015] (1-1-2) Shoulder member As described above, the shoulder member 111c is attached to the upper end of the side wall Aa of the housing 111a. Also, as shown in Figure 1, the flange portion Db of the protective frame 111d is attached to the lower surface of the shoulder member 111c. An opening is formed in the center of the shoulder member 111c for passing the inner pot 130 through. Furthermore, an opening is formed in the front part of the shoulder member 111c (more specifically, the part in front of the opening for passing the inner pot 130 through) for passing the claw portion of the locking portion 120 through.

[0016] (1-1-3) Protective frame The protective frame 111d serves to accommodate the inner pot 130 and support the shoulder member 111c, and as shown in Figure 1, it is mainly formed of the inner pot accommodating portion Da, the flange portion Db, and the like. The inner pot accommodating portion Da is a bowl-shaped portion that covers the outer periphery of the inner pot 130 (see Figure 1), and is connected to the bottom wall Ab of the accommodating body 111a. Further, as shown in Figure 1, an opening for passing the center sensor 114 is formed in the central portion of the bottom wall of the inner pot accommodating portion Da. As shown in Figure 1, the flange portion Db extends outward from the upper end of the inner pot accommodating portion Da, and is attached to the lower surface of the shoulder member 111c as described above.

[0017] (1-2) Induction heating coil The induction heating coil 113 is an induction heating source that induction-heats the inner pot 130, and as shown in Figure 1, it is disposed outside the bottom wall and the lower end portion of the side wall of the inner pot accommodating portion Da of the protective frame 111d.

[0018] (1-3) Center sensor The center sensor 114 is a sensor for detecting the temperature of the inner pot 130 and detecting the presence or absence of the inner pot 130, and as shown in Figure 1, it protrudes upward through the opening in the bottom wall of the inner pot accommodating portion Da of the protective frame 111d. The center sensor 114 is biased upward by a biasing member (not shown) such as a coil spring. That is, the center sensor 114 is configured to be retractable along the vertical direction. When the inner pot 130 is accommodated in the protective frame 111d, the center sensor 114 comes into contact with the bottom wall portion 131 of the inner pot 130 to measure the temperature of the inner pot 130.

[0019] (1-4) Blower fan As described above, the blower fan 115 is disposed directly above the air intake port AO of the bottom wall Ab of the accommodating body 111a. When the blower fan 115 is driven, air outside the housing 111 is sucked in from the air intake port AO of the bottom wall Ab of the accommodating body 111a, flows into the interior of the housing 111, and is sent directly upward. The air sent upward passes through the heat sink 116 and is supplied to the control board 118 and the like to cool them.

[0020] (1-5) Heatsink The heatsink 116 is a component that efficiently exchanges heat with the outside air, and as shown in Figure 1, it is positioned above the blower fan 115.

[0021] (1-6) Control board The control board 118 is a board that constitutes the power supply circuit and has several heat-generating components mounted on it. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the control board 118 is located inside the housing 111a at the rear of the housing 111a and is connected to the microcontroller board CB for communication.

[0022] (1-7) Automatic retractable power cord unit The automatic retractable power cord unit 119 consists of a power cord (not shown) and an automatic winding mechanism (not shown), and is located inside the housing 111a at the rear end of the housing 111a, as shown in Figure 1. The power cord consists of a plug and an electrical wire. The plug is located at the end of the electrical wire. The electrical wire is wound around the automatic winding mechanism so as to be extendable.

[0023] (1-8)Locked part The locking portion 120 has a claw portion, and the locking portion 120 is attached to the shoulder member 111c such that the claw portion passes through the opening at the front of the shoulder member 111c. When the lid 140 is in the closed position, the claw portion of the lever member (not shown) of the opening and closing mechanism 147 of the lid 140 is locked to this claw portion.

[0024] (2) Inner pot As shown in Figure 1, the inner pot 130 is housed in the inner pot housing portion Da of the protective frame 111d with a predetermined gap, passing through the opening in the center of the shoulder member 111c. The inner pot 130 is a multilayer (clad material) of various aluminum alloys and stainless steel alloys, and is induction heated by the induction heating coil 113. The inner pot 130 is formed from a bottom wall portion 131, a cylindrical wall portion 132, and a flange portion 133, as shown in Figure 1. The bottom wall portion 131 has a roughly disc shape in plan view. The cylindrical wall portion 132 has a roughly cylindrical shape and extends upward from the outer end of the bottom wall portion 131, as shown in Figure 1. The flange portion 133 has a roughly annular shape and extends outward from the upper end of the cylindrical wall portion 132, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, when the inner pot 130 is housed in the inner pot housing portion Da of the protective frame 111d with a predetermined gap, the flange portion 133 is located above the shoulder member 111c.

[0025] (3) Lid As shown in Figure 1, the lid 140 is intended to cover the opening of the inner pot 130 housed in the protective frame 111d of the main body 110 from above. It is positioned above the main body 110 and attached to the main body 110 via the hinge mechanism 150 so as to be rotatable around the hinge mechanism side pivot axis 151 of the hinge mechanism 150. As shown in Figure 1, the lid 140 mainly consists of a cover member 141, a base assembly 142, a microcontroller board CB, a group of operation buttons (not shown), an information display panel DI, a solenoid valve 143, a packing member, a flow path forming part 144, an inner lid locking mechanism 145, an inner lid IL, a steam sensor (not shown), an opening / closing mechanism 147, and an interlocking member (not shown). These components will be described in detail below.

[0026] (3-1) Cover member The cover member 141 is a roughly rounded rectangular member in plan view, and as shown in Figure 1, it is attached to the base assembly 142 so as to cover the base assembly 142 from above. The space formed between the base assembly 142 and the cover member 141 houses the microcontroller board CB, information display panel DI, solenoid valve 143, flow path forming section 144, reinforcing member 146, steam sensor, opening / closing mechanism 147, and interlocking member, etc. Incidentally, a first opening is formed at the front end of the top wall of the cover member 141 to expose the top wall of the opening / closing button OA of the opening / closing mechanism 147, and a second opening is formed in the front part of the top wall of the cover member 141 behind the first opening to expose the upper surface of each of the operation buttons of the operation button group. Furthermore, a third opening is formed at the rear of the top wall of the cover member 141 to expose a part of the flow path forming section 144 (the part that forms the exhaust port BO) (see Figure 1).

[0027] (3-2) Base Assembly The base assembly 142, as shown in Figure 4, is an assembly that has a roughly rounded rectangular shape in plan view, and is composed of a base resin plate LE, a reinforcing member 146, and a valve fixing base 149, as shown in Figure 5. Each of these members will be described in detail below.

[0028] (3-2-1) Base resin plate The base resin plate LE is a plate member formed from a general-purpose resin such as polypropylene resin, and in plan view it has a roughly rounded rectangular shape. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, this base resin plate LE mainly consists of a lower central body portion LEa, a higher side edge rib portion LEb, and a lower side edge rib portion LEc. As shown in Figure 5, an opening OPx is formed in the front-to-back center of the lower central body portion LEa. The valve fixing base 149 is housed in this opening OPx. When the valve fixing base 149 is housed in the opening OPx, a small gap is created between the valve fixing base 149 and the base resin plate LE. Also, this valve fixing base 149 is not fastened to the base resin plate LE. Furthermore, a front positioning column portion PRf is formed on the front side of the lower central body portion LEa, and a rear positioning column portion PRr is formed on the rear side. The front positioning column portion PRf is inserted into the front positioning hole OPf of the reinforcing member 146 when it is attached to the reinforcing member 146. Furthermore, the rear positioning column PRr is inserted through the rear positioning hole OPr of the reinforcing member 146 when it is attached to the reinforcing member 146. The high-step side edge rib portion LEb is a pair of left and right rib portions that are higher than the low-step central main body portion LEa, as shown in Figure 5, and is located on both the left and right sides of the low-step central main body portion LEa. The low-step side edge rib portion LEc is a pair of left and right rib portions that are higher than the low-step central main body portion LEa but lower than the high-step side edge rib portion LEb, as shown in Figure 5, and is located outside the high-step side edge rib portion LEb. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the reinforcing member 146 is screwed to this base resin plate LE at the high-step side edge rib portion LEb and the low-step side edge rib portion LEc for the purpose of reinforcing the base resin plate LE.

[0029] (3-2-2) Reinforcement members The reinforcing member 146 is a member for increasing the rigidity of the base resin plate LE, and is formed from, for example, sheet metal such as hot-dip galvanized steel (SGCC) or engineering plastic such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the reinforcing member 146 is arranged to cover the upper side of the base resin plate LE, and as described above, is screwed to the base resin plate LE at the high-step side edge rib portion LEb and the low-step side edge rib portion LEc of the base resin plate LE. As shown in Figure 5, the reinforcing member 146 is mainly composed of a low-step central plate portion 146a, a high-step side edge portion 146b, and a low-step side edge portion 146c. As shown in Figure 5, a recess Cv is formed in the approximate center of the low-step central plate portion 146a in the front-rear direction, and a roughly rectangular opening OPy is formed therein. As shown in Figure 5, the opening OPy extends from the front side of the recess Cv to beyond the rear end of the recess Cv. This opening OPy is formed to expose the solenoid valve 143 and a portion of the valve mounting base 149. With the formation of this opening OPy, only the front portion Cf and the side portions Cs exist in the recess Cv. As shown in Figure 5, one screw hole BP1 is formed in the front portion Cf, and one screw hole BP2 is formed in each of the left and right side portions Cs, along with one main positioning hole OPm and one sub-positioning hole OPs. The main positioning column PRm of the valve mounting base 149 is fitted into the main positioning hole OPm when the valve mounting base 149 is attached (see Figure 3). Similarly, the sub-positioning column PRs of the valve mounting base 149 is fitted into the sub-positioning holes OPs when the valve mounting base 149 is attached (see Figure 3). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a front positioning hole OPf is formed on the front side of the lower central plate portion 146a, and a rear positioning hole OPr is formed on the rear side. The front positioning hole OPf is into which the front positioning column PRf of the base resin plate LE is fitted when it is attached to the base resin plate LE. The rear positioning hole OPr is into which the rear positioning column PRr of the base resin plate LE is fitted when it is attached to the base resin plate LE.As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, with the valve fixing base 149 housed in the opening OPx of the base resin plate LE, screws BS are passed through the aforementioned screw holes BP1 and BP2, and the screws BS are screwed into the second screw receiving portion of the valve fixing base 149, thereby fastening the valve fixing base 149 to the reinforcing member 146. When the reinforcing member 146 is fastened to the base resin plate LE, the lower central plate portion 146a covers the upper side of the lower central main body portion LEa of the base resin plate LE, the higher side edge portion 146b covers the upper side of the higher side edge rib portion LEb of the base resin plate LE, and the lower side edge portion 146c covers the upper side of the lower side edge rib portion LEc of the base resin plate LE.

[0030] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 5, a bearing hole OPc is formed at the front end of the reinforcing member 146 for passing the opening / closing mechanism side pivot shaft OD of the opening / closing mechanism 147, and a bearing hole is formed at the rear end of the reinforcing member 146 for passing the hinge mechanism side pivot shaft 151 of the hinge mechanism 150.

[0031] (3-2-3) Valve fixing base The valve fixing base 149 is a substantially cylindrical base member for fixing the solenoid valve 143, and is formed from a main body portion 149a and an outer peripheral portion 149b, as shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, a substantially circular opening OPz is formed in the center of the main body portion 149a, and a substantially elliptical opening OPw is formed on the rear side. Also, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a main positioning column portion PRm, a secondary positioning column portion PRs, a first screw receiving portion (not shown), and a second screw receiving portion (not shown) are formed on the upper side of the main body portion 149a. A pair of main positioning column portions PRm are provided on the left and right sides in the area between the opening OPz and the opening OPw. This pair of main positioning column portions PRm are inserted into the main positioning holes OPm of the reinforcing member 146 when attached to the reinforcing member 146. A pair of secondary positioning column portions PRs are provided on the left and right sides of the opening OPw. This pair of auxiliary positioning column sections PRs are inserted through the auxiliary positioning holes OPs of the reinforcing member 146 when attached to the reinforcing member 146. The first screw receiving section is a part for screwing the solenoid valve 143, and a pair is provided on the left and right sides of the opening OPz. Screws are passed through screw holes formed in the stay section (not shown) of the frame PA of the solenoid valve 143, and the screws are screwed into the first screw receiving section, thereby fixing the solenoid valve 143 to the valve fixing base 149. The second screw receiving section is a part for screwing the valve fixing base 149 to the reinforcing member 146, and one is provided on the front side of the opening OPz, and a pair is provided on the left and right sides slightly outside and rear of the first screw receiving section. With the base resin plate LE housed in the opening OPx, screws BS are passed through the screw holes BP1 and BP2 of the reinforcing member 146, and the screws BS are screwed into the second screw receiving section, thereby fixing the valve fixing base 149 to the reinforcing member 146. Furthermore, a valve chamber forming rib portion (not shown) and a leg portion (not shown) are formed on the lower side of the main body portion 149a. The valve chamber forming rib portion is a roughly rounded rectangular rib portion for forming the valve chamber, and extends downward from the lower surface of the main body portion 149a. This valve chamber is in communication with the openings OPz and OPw. The leg portion extends downward from the edges of the openings OPz and OPw inside the valve chamber.Then, this leg portion abuts against the outer circumference of the valve seat portion ID2 of the valve seat portion forming member ID of the inner lid IL, determining the vertical (i.e., height) positional relationship between the solenoid valve 143 and the valve seat portion ID2.

[0032] (3-3) Microcontroller board The microcontroller board CB has electronic components such as a microcomputer mounted on it and is connected to the information display panel DI, the solenoid PS of the solenoid valve 143, the steam sensor, and the control board 118 of the main unit 110. It is also connected to the induction heating coil 113, center sensor 114, and blower fan 115 of the main unit 110 via the control board 118 of the main unit 110. The microcomputer on the microcontroller board CB is equipped with memory, and various programs and data for executing control such as rice cooking control are stored in the memory. The microcomputer on the microcontroller board CB executes each process in the rice cooker 100, controls the output of the induction heating coil 113 of the main unit 110, measures time, energizes the coil PD of the solenoid PS of the solenoid valve 143 to perform pressure cooking operation, and cuts off the power supply to the coil PD of the solenoid PS of the solenoid valve 143 to stop pressure cooking operation.

[0033] (3-4) Operation Buttons The group of operation buttons consists of, for example, a rice cooking start button and a cancel button. Furthermore, as described above, the upper surface of each operation button in the group of operation buttons is exposed through the second opening in the top wall of the cover member 141.

[0034] (3-5) Information display panel The information display panel DI is located behind the group of operation buttons, as shown in Figure 1. The information display panel DI displays various information, such as rice cooking menu information and cooking progress information, based on commands from the microcomputer on the microcontroller board CB.

[0035] (3-6) Solenoid valve The solenoid valve 143 operates to adjust the pressure in the inner space Si of the inner pot 130 to 1 atmosphere or more when the lid 140 is closed and pressure cooking is in operation, and is fixed to the upper side of the valve fixing base 149 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. As shown in Figure 7, the solenoid valve 143 mainly consists of a solenoid PS, a valve body VB, and a regulating member SQ. After describing these components in detail, the operation of the solenoid valve 143 and the control of the microcomputer on the microcontroller board CB will be described in detail below.

[0036] (3-6-1) Solenoid The solenoid PS is a push-type solenoid and, as shown in Figure 7, mainly consists of a frame PA, a movable iron core PB, a plunger RP, a coil PD, and a coil spring (not shown). These components will be described in detail below.

[0037] As shown in Figure 7, the frame PA is formed from a top wall PA1, a front wall PA2, a rear wall PA3, a bottom wall PA4, stays, etc. As shown in Figure 7, the movable core PB, coil PD, and coil spring are arranged inside this frame PA. The top wall PA1 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. An opening is formed in the center of the top wall PA1 for the upper ends of the movable core PB and plunger RP to pass through. As shown in Figure 7, the front wall PA2 extends downward from the front end of the top wall PA1. As shown in Figure 7, the rear wall PA3 extends downward from the rear end of the top wall PA1. As shown in Figure 7, the bottom wall PA4 extends from the lower end of the front wall PA2 to the lower end of the rear wall PA3. An opening is formed in the center of the bottom wall PA4 for the lower end of the plunger RP to pass through. The stay portion is a wing portion that extends upward from the side end of the bottom wall portion PA4 and then extends laterally. Screw holes are formed in this stay portion, and screws are passed through these screw holes and screwed into the first screw receiving portion of the valve fixing base 149, thereby fixing the solenoid valve 143 to the valve fixing base 149.

[0038] The movable core PB has a roughly cylindrical shape and moves vertically when the coil PD is energized. As shown in Figure 7, a plunger RP is attached to the movable core PB so as to extend vertically. The movable core PB is also biased upward by a coil spring. When the coil PD is energized, the movable core PB moves downward against the biasing force of the coil spring. At this time, the plunger RP attached to the movable core PB also moves downward in conjunction. When the energization of the coil PD is stopped, the movable core PB moves upward due to the biasing force of the coil spring. At this time, the plunger RP attached to the movable core PB also moves upward in conjunction. As shown in Figure 7, a regulating member SQ is attached to the upper end of the movable core PB.

[0039] As shown in Figure 7, the plunger RP extends vertically and passes through an opening in the bottom wall PA4 of the frame PA of the solenoid PS. Furthermore, as described above, the plunger RP is attached to the movable core PB of the solenoid PS and can move up and down in conjunction with the vertical movement of the movable core PB of the solenoid PS. In addition, a male threaded portion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the plunger RP. The valve body VB is attached to the lower end of the plunger RP by screwing this male threaded portion into the female threaded portion of the valve body VB.

[0040] The coil PD is formed, for example, by winding insulated copper wire around a bobbin, and generates magnetic flux when current flows through it. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the coil PD is arranged to surround the movable iron core PB.

[0041] As described above, the coil spring biases the movable iron core PB upwards.

[0042] (3-6-2) Valve body The valve body VB is for opening and closing the pressure regulating hole OPa of the valve seat forming member ID of the inner lid IL, and as shown in Figure 7, it is disposed between the bottom wall PA4 of the frame PA of the solenoid PS and the base part ID1 (see Figure 5) of the valve seat forming member ID of the inner lid IL. Furthermore, as described above, the valve body VB is attached to the lower end of the plunger RP by screwing the female threaded portion of the plunger RP with the male threaded portion of the plunger RP. Now, if the diameter of the valve body VB is Dv and the diameter of the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa is Dm, then Dv > Dm. That is, when the valve body VB closes the pressure regulating hole OPa, the lower surface of the valve body VB comes into contact with the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa. Furthermore, since the lower surface of the valve body VB is flat as shown in Figures 7 and 8, when the valve body VB closes the pressure regulating hole OPa, a space is created between the lower surface of the valve body VB and the small diameter portion SD of the pressure regulating hole OPa, which will be described later. This space is closed at the top and open at the bottom.

[0043] A packing member VQ is attached to the valve body VB. This packing member VQ is sandwiched between the bottom wall PA4 of the frame PA of the solenoid PS and the valve fixing base 149. This packing member VQ is elastically deformable and deforms in accordance with the vertical movement of the movable iron core PB of the solenoid PS.

[0044] (3-6-3) Regulating member As shown in Figure 7, the regulating member SQ is located at the upper end of the movable core PB and moves up and down in accordance with the vertical movement of the movable core PB. This regulating member SQ contributes to preventing the lid from opening during pressure cooking operation, but its explanation is omitted here.

[0045] (3-6-4) Operation of the solenoid valve and control of the microcomputer on the microcontroller board Here, we will explain the operation of the solenoid valve 143 and the control of the microcomputer on the microcontroller board CB when pressurizing the internal space of the inner pot 130. First, the microcomputer energizes the coil PD of the solenoid PS. As a result, the movable iron core PB and plunger RP of the solenoid PS move to the lower side of the solenoid PS against the biasing force of the coil spring. At the same time, the packing member VQ undergoes elastic deformation, and the valve body VB also moves downward. The valve body VB then contacts the upper end of the valve seat portion ID2 of the valve seat portion forming member ID of the inner lid IL, closing the pressure regulating hole OPa of the valve seat portion forming member ID. When the inner pot 130 is heated in this state, the pressure in the internal space of the inner pot 130 increases.

[0046] Next, the operation of the solenoid valve 143 and the control of the microcomputer on the microcontroller board CB when returning the internal space of the inner pot 130 to atmospheric pressure will be described. The microcomputer stops the power supply to the coil PD of the solenoid PS. As a result, the movable iron core PB of the solenoid PS moves upward due to the biasing force of the coil spring, and the plunger RP also moves upward. At the same time, the packing member VQ undergoes elastic deformation, and the valve body VB also moves upward. Then, the valve body VB separates from the upper end of the valve seat portion ID2 of the valve seat portion forming member ID of the inner lid IL, opening the pressure regulating hole OPa of the valve seat portion forming member ID. At this time, the internal space of the inner pot 130 is returned to atmospheric pressure.

[0047] (3-7) Flow channel forming section The flow path forming section 144 is for forming a flow path within the lid 140 and, as described above, is attached to the base assembly 142. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an exhaust port BO is formed in the flow path forming section 144. The portion of the flow path forming section 144 that forms the exhaust port BO is exposed from the third opening of the cover member 141, as described above. As indicated by the arrow FV in Figure 2, the steam VP generated in the inner pot 130 passes through the pressure regulating hole OPa of the valve seat forming member ID of the inner lid IL, then passes through the opening of the base assembly 142 and flows into the space formed by the flow path forming section 144. The steam is then discharged to the outside of the lid 140 through the exhaust port BO.

[0048] (3-8) Inner lid locking mechanism The inner lid locking mechanism 145 is a mechanism that locks the inner lid IL to the base assembly 142, and as shown in Figure 1, it consists of an inner lid lever LL and a coil spring (not shown), etc. This inner lid locking mechanism 145 is located on the lower front surface of the base assembly 142.

[0049] (3-9) Inner lid As shown in Figure 1, the inner lid IL is a component that can be attached to the lid 140 and is located below the base assembly 142 when attached to the lid 140. Also, as shown in Figure 1, when the lid 140 is closed with the inner lid IL attached to it, the inner lid IL covers the top of the inner pot 130 and seals the inside of the inner pot 130. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the inner lid IL mainly consists of the inner lid body IA, the inner lid ring IB, a packing (not shown), and a valve seat forming member ID. These components will be described in detail below.

[0050] (3-9-1) Inner lid body As shown in Figure 5, the inner lid body IA is mainly formed from a lower disc wall portion IA1, a cylindrical side wall portion IA2, and an upper annular wall portion IA3. As shown in Figure 5, the lower disc wall portion IA1 has a roughly disc shape in plan view. A recess is formed in the center of this lower disc wall portion IA1, which is recessed downwards, and as shown in Figure 5, the valve seat forming member ID is housed in this recess. As shown in Figure 5, the cylindrical side wall portion IA2 extends upward from the outer end of the lower disc wall portion IA1 and has a roughly cylindrical shape. As shown in Figure 5, the upper annular wall portion IA3 extends outward from the upper end of the cylindrical side wall portion IA2 and has a roughly annular shape.

[0051] (3-9-2) Inner cover ring As shown in Figure 5, the inner lid ring IB is formed from a base portion IB1, a supported portion IB2, a handle portion IB3, a locking portion IB4, and a rib IB5. As shown in Figure 5, the base portion IB1 has a substantially annular shape. A groove is formed in the base portion IB1 in the circumferential direction. The packing is attached to the inner lid ring IB via this groove. As shown in Figure 5, the supported portion IB2 extends to the rear from the rear end of the base portion IB1. As shown in Figure 5, the handle portion IB3 extends outward from the left and right sides of the front end of the base portion IB1. This handle portion IB3 is for the user of the rice cooker 100 to grasp when removing the inner lid IL from the lid 140. As shown in Figure 5, the locking portion IB4 extends to the front from the front end and the center in the left-right direction of the base portion IB1. As shown in Figure 5, rib IB5 is formed to extend upward from the inclined surface of the locking portion IB4 at the center of the right end wall and left end wall of the locking portion IB4.

[0052] (3-9-3) Packing The packing is a flexible member that contacts the flange portion 133 of the inner pot 130 when the lid 140 is closed, thereby sealing the gap between the inner pot 130 and the inner lid IL, and is attached to the inner lid ring IB as described above.

[0053] (3-9-4) Valve seat forming member As shown in Figure 5, the valve seat forming member ID is formed from a base portion ID1, a valve seat portion ID2, and a cylindrical wall portion ID3. In plan view, the base portion ID1 has a roughly rounded rectangular shape. As shown in Figure 5, the valve seat portion ID2 is fitted into the front of the base portion ID1, and an opening is formed at the rear of the base portion ID1. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the valve seat portion ID2 has a roughly cylindrical shape. A pressure regulating hole OPa extends from this valve seat portion ID2 along the vertical direction, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. That is, the hole axis Xp of the pressure regulating hole OPa is along the vertical direction. Figures 7 and 8 also show the hole axis Xp of the pressure regulating hole OPa along its extension line EP. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the pressure regulating hole OPa has a constricted shape in the center along the hole axis. Here, the most constricted part along the hole axis is called the small diameter portion. This small-diameter section is indicated by the symbol SD in Figure 8. That is, if the diameter of the small-diameter section SD is Ds, and the diameter of the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa and the diameter of the inner pot side opening CP of the pressure regulating hole OPa are Dm, then the relationship Dm > Ds holds. The cylindrical wall section ID3 has a roughly cylindrical shape and extends downward from the edge of the opening of the base section ID1.

[0054] (3-10) Steam sensor The steam sensor is a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the lid 140, or more specifically, the temperature of the steam flowing through the flow path inside the lid 140.

[0055] (3-11) Opening and closing mechanism As shown in Figure 1, the opening / closing mechanism 147 mainly consists of an opening / closing button OA, a coil spring (not shown), a lever member (not shown), a pivot shaft OD on the opening / closing mechanism side, and a torsion spring (not shown) on the opening / closing mechanism side, and is responsible for opening and closing the lid 140.

[0056] (4) Hinge mechanism As shown in Figure 1, the hinge mechanism 150 mainly consists of a hinge mechanism-side pivot shaft 151, a hinge mechanism-side torsion spring 152, and a base portion 153. The hinge mechanism-side pivot shaft 151 is inserted through the bearing hole of the base portion 153 and the bearing hole of the reinforcing member 146 of the lid 140. The hinge mechanism-side torsion spring 152 is for biasing the lid 140 in the opening direction. One end of the hinge mechanism-side torsion spring 152 is fixed to the base portion 153, and the other end of the hinge mechanism-side torsion spring 152 is fixed to the reinforcing member 146 of the lid 140. The base portion 153 is attached to the rear end of the flange portion Db of the protective frame 111d of the main body 110.

[0057] <Features of the rice cooker according to the embodiment of the present invention> In the rice cooker 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the valve body VB of the solenoid valve 143 has a diameter Dv that is larger than the diameter Dm of the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa, the pressure regulating hole OPa has a small diameter section SD, and furthermore, when the valve body VB closes the pressure regulating hole OPa, a space is formed between the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa and the small diameter section SD. Therefore, when the valve body VB closes the pressure regulating hole OPa, the rising "starch" temporarily remains in that space. When the valve body VB opens the pressure regulating hole OPa, the "starch" remaining in that space acts as a buffer, which can slow down the pressure change in the space of the flow path forming section 144 located beyond the valve body VB, and consequently, it is possible to suppress the "starch" present in that space from being ejected from the exhaust port BO.

[0058] <Variation> (A) In the rice cooker 100 according to the above embodiment, the shape of the pressure regulating hole OPa formed in the valve seat forming member ID was a constricted shape in which the diameter gradually decreases from the valve body side opening MP toward the small diameter point SD, and gradually widens from the small diameter point SD toward the inner pot side opening CP of the pressure regulating hole OPa. However, the shape of the pressure regulating hole OPa may be a stepped shape.

[0059] (B) In the rice cooker 100 according to the above embodiment, the diameter Dm of the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa formed in the valve seat forming member ID and the diameter Dm of the inner pot side opening CP of the pressure regulating hole OPa were the same. However, the diameters of these openings MP and CP may be different. That is, the diameter of the valve body side opening MP of the pressure regulating hole OPa may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the inner pot side opening CP of the pressure regulating hole OPa.

[0060] (C) In the rice cooker 100 according to the previous embodiment, the lower surface of the valve body VB of the solenoid valve 143 was flat, but it may be curved downward or upward to the extent that it does not impair the spirit of the present invention.

[0061] (D) In the above embodiment, the present invention was applied to a rice cooker 100, but the present invention may also be applied to cooking appliances, equipment, etc. other than rice cookers that have a pressure adjustment function.

[0062] The above variations may be applied individually or in combination. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 100 Rice cookers (pressure cookers) 113 Induction heating coil (heating section) 130 Inner pot (container) 143 Solenoid valve Dm: Diameter of the valve body side opening of the pressure regulating hole (Diameter of the valve body side opening of the hole) Dv valve diameter EP extension line (virtual extension line) ID2 Valve seat part MP pressure regulating hole, valve side opening (valve side opening of the hole) OPa Pressure adjustment hole (hole) PS solenoid (solenoid part) SD Small diameter section Si inner space VB valve body Xp hole axis (axis)

Claims

1. Container and A heating unit for heating the aforementioned container, A valve seat portion having a hole that communicates with the internal space of the container, A solenoid valve having a valve body and a solenoid part that opens and closes the hole by moving the valve body along a virtual extension of the axis of the hole. Equipped with, The valve body has a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening on the valve body side of the hole. The hole has a small-diameter portion having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the opening on the valve body side of the hole. When the valve body closes the hole, a space is formed between the opening of the hole on the valve body side and the small diameter portion. Pressure cooker.

2. The diameter of the hole decreases as you move from the opening on the valve side of the hole toward the smaller diameter portion. A pressure cooker according to claim 1.

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