Heating Regulator

Abstract

To improve convenience when using a cooker.SOLUTION: A cooker comprises: a pot comprising a cooking space; a heating part for heating the pot; a lid comprising an inner lid for sealing the cooking space; a pressure reduction valve provided in the inner lid, and capable of moving between a sealing position at which the cooking space is sealed, and an opening position at which it is opened to atmospheric pressure; a valve driving part provided in the lid, and for variably operating the position of the pressure reduction valve; a lid lock member provided in the lid, and capable of moving between a locking position at which opening operation of the lid is regulated, and an unlocking position at which the opening operation is allowed; and a lid lock driving part provided in the lid, and comprising an operation member for allowing the lid lock member to be operated by manual operation of a user. Operation of the lid lock driving part is interlocked with operation of the valve driving part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, cooking devices have been known in which food or other ingredients are placed in a pot and cooked by heating (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The cooking appliance of Patent Document 1 has a mechanism that automatically operates a pressure reducing valve (pressure release valve) to control the pressure inside the pot, and operates the pressure reducing valve to release the pressure inside the pot to atmospheric pressure when certain conditions are met, such as during cooking or at the end of cooking. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-174703 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is a demand for improving the convenience of users when using cooking appliances, including the cooking appliance of Patent Document 1.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to solve the above problems and improve the convenience when using a cooking appliance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure comprises a pot having a cooking space, a heating unit for heating the pot, a lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, a pressure reducing valve provided on the inner lid and movable between a sealed position that seals the cooking space and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit provided on the lid and variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve, a lid locking member provided on the lid and movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocked position that allows the opening, and a lid locking drive unit provided on the lid and having an operating member for manually operating the lid locking member by a user, and the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid locking drive unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the convenience when using a cooking appliance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with the lid closed); [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with the lid closed); [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment (with the lid open); [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the inside of the lid of the embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the inside of a main body of an embodiment; [Figure 5] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cooking device according to the embodiment (a view taken along the arrow AA in FIG. 1); [Figure 6A] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pressure reducing valve according to an embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in a sealed state); [Figure 6B] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pressure reducing valve according to an embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in an open state); [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer cover of the lid of the embodiment is omitted. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer cover of the lid of the embodiment is omitted. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lock ring and a pot according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the flanges of the pot and lock ring overlap in the embodiment (in an unlocked state where the flanges do not overlap). [Figure 10B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the flanges of the pot and lock ring overlap in the embodiment (locked state in which the flanges overlap to the maximum extent); [Figure 10C] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the flanges of the pot and lock ring overlap in the embodiment (semi-locked state in which the flanges partially overlap). [Figure 11A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock ring restriction valve according to an embodiment, showing the surrounding configuration thereof from above; [Figure 11B] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock ring restriction valve according to an embodiment, showing the surrounding configuration thereof from above; [Figure 11C] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock ring restriction valve according to an embodiment, showing the surrounding configuration thereof from above; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to an embodiment, showing a state in which a handle is omitted; [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer cover of a lid according to an embodiment is omitted; [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of an outer lid and a cover member are omitted in the lid of the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a part of an outer lid and a cover member of the lid of the embodiment are omitted. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a valve drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the main configuration of a valve drive unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the main configuration of a valve drive unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 20] 1 is a top view of a valve drive lever according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 21] 1 is a bottom view of a valve drive lever according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 22] 1 is a top view of a support plate according to an embodiment; [Figure 23] 1 is a bottom view of a support plate according to an embodiment; [Figure 24A] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the general operation of the valve drive unit of the embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in a closed position); [Figure 24B] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the general operation of the valve drive unit of the embodiment (when the pressure reducing valve is in an open position); [Figure 25A] 24A is an enlarged plan view of the first connection pin and the elongated hole of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 25B] FIG. 24B is an enlarged plan view of the first connection pin and the elongated hole of the embodiment. [Figure 26] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the peripheral configuration of a lid lock drive unit according to an embodiment; [Figure 27] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a lid lock drive unit according to an embodiment; [Figure 28] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a base member according to an embodiment; [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is an enlarged perspective view showing the periphery of the lid lock detection means in FIG. 28. [Figure 30] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a lid lock drive unit excluding a lock ring according to an embodiment; [Figure 31] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a lid lock drive unit excluding a lock ring according to an embodiment; [Figure 32A] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; [Figure 32B] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; [Figure 32C] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit according to the embodiment; [Figure 32D] 32A is an enlarged plan view of the second connection pin and the elongated hole of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 32E] FIG. 32B is an enlarged plan view of the second connection pin and the elongated hole of the embodiment. [Figure 33] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for executing a pressure cooking menu according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 34A] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 34B]FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 34C] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 35A] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is not linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 35B] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is not linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 36A] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 36B] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 36C] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 37A] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is not linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 37B] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is not linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 37C] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a relationship in which the operation of the valve drive unit is not linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit in the embodiment; [Figure 38] 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the handle is manually operated to transition from an open state (unlocked state) to a closed state (locked state) in an embodiment. [Figure 39] 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the pressure reducing valve is shifted from an open state to a closed state during automatic operation of the motor of the embodiment. [Figure 40] 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the handle is manually operated to transition from a closed state (locked state) to an open state (unlocked state) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 41] 1 is a table showing the operation of each member when the pressure reducing valve is shifted from a closed state to an open state during automatic operation of the motor of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pot having a cooking space, A heating unit that heats the pot; a lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space; a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure; a valve driving unit provided on the lid for variably operating the pressure reducing valve; a lid locking member provided on the lid and movable between a locked position that restricts the lid from opening and an unlocked position that allows the lid to open; a lid lock driving unit provided on the lid and having an operating member for manually operating the lid lock member by a user; The present invention provides a cooking device in which the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the heating cooker described in the first aspect, wherein when the valve drive unit operates in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve to the sealed position, the lid lock drive unit operates in conjunction with the valve drive unit in a direction to move the lid lock member to the locked position.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking menu selection unit for selecting a cooking menu; a control unit, A second aspect of the present invention provides a heating cooker in which the control unit operates the valve drive unit in a direction that moves the pressure reducing valve to the sealed position in response to a pressurized cooking menu being selected in the cooking menu selection unit.

[0013] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cooking device according to the second or third aspect, further comprising a lid lock detection means for detecting whether the lid lock member is in the locked position.

[0014] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating cooker according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein when the valve drive unit operates in a direction that moves the pressure reducing valve to the open position, the link between the valve drive unit and the lid lock drive unit is released.

[0015] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cooking device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the valve drive unit and the lid lock drive unit are linked to each other by an engagement relationship between an elongated hole and a pin.

[0016] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the device further comprises a control unit, The present invention provides the cooking device according to any one of first to sixth aspects, wherein the valve driving unit includes a driving source controlled by the control unit and an operating unit operated by the driving force of the driving source.

[0017] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cooking device according to the seventh aspect, wherein the operating part is a rotation operating part that rotates.

[0018] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a cooking device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations of the following embodiments, and configurations based on similar technical ideas are included in the present disclosure.

[0019] (Embodiment) First, a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0020] Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views of a cooking device 2 according to an embodiment, Figure 4A is a plan view showing the inside of the lid 10, Figure 4B is a plan view showing the inside of the main body 8, and Figure 5 is a view taken along the arrow AA in Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 show a state in which the lid 10 is closed, and Figure 3 shows a state in which the lid 10 is open.

[0021] The cooking device 2 shown in Figures 1 to 5 is a cooking appliance for cooking food or other cooking items (not shown). The cooking device 2 of this embodiment can be used as an automatic cooking device with pre-programmed operation sequences for each cooking menu, and such cooking devices are also called "auto cookers," "multi cookers," or "slow cookers." Of course, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment can also be used for manual cooking without using pre-programmed operation sequences.

[0022] When a user uses the cooking appliance 2 as an automatic cooker, the user places an object to be cooked (not shown) in the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 shown in Fig. 3, and operates the operation display unit 6 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to select a cooking menu and decide to perform cooking. The cooking appliance 2 operates to cook the object to be cooked according to a predetermined program in accordance with the dish (stew, curry, etc.) of the selected cooking menu.

[0023] In the following, in this embodiment, a case where the cooking appliance 2 is used as an automatic cooking appliance will be described.

[0024] The cooking device 2 of this embodiment has a "pressure cooking function" that cooks food while the cooking space S1 is pressurized to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. To execute the pressure cooking function, a pressure cooking menu that performs pressure cooking can be selected on the operation display unit 6 shown in FIG. 2. The operation display unit 6 functions as a cooking menu selection unit for selecting a cooking menu. In addition to the pressure cooking function, a "vacuum cooking function" that cooks food while the cooking space S1 is depressurized to a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure may also be selectable.

[0025] The cooking device 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 includes a pot 4 (FIGS. 3 and 5), a main body 8 that houses the pot 4, and a lid 10.

[0026] The pot 4 is a cylindrical container having a bottom and an open top. The pot 4 forms a cooking space S1, and a stirring blade 5 is provided in the cooking space S1.

[0027] Main body 8 is a cylindrical member having a bottom and an open top. Various components for operating cooking appliance 2 are built into main body 8. As shown in FIG. 4B, a magnet 152 is built into the upper end of main body 8 as lid opening / closing detection means 150 for detecting whether lid 10 is open or closed. As shown in FIG. 5, a heater 9 is built into the bottom side of main body 8 as a heating unit for heating pot 4.

[0028] 1 and 3, the main body 8 pivotally supports the lid 10 so that it can rotate (arrow R1) from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, thereby allowing the lid 10 to rotate in the vertical and depth directions.

[0029] Lid 10 is a member for opening and closing main body 8 and pot 4. Lid 10 houses various components for operating cooker 2, including a control unit 11, as shown in Figure 5, for example. Control unit 11 is shown in a simplified form.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, lid 10 comprises outer lid 12 and inner lid 14 (Figures 3 and 4A). Outer lid 12 is a lid for opening and closing the top opening of main body 8, and inner lid 14 is a lid for sealing the top opening of pot 4. Inner lid 14 is detachably attached to the inside (bottom side) of outer lid 12. Figure 3 shows the state in which inner lid 14 is detached from outer lid 12, and Figure 4A shows the state in which inner lid 14 is attached to outer lid 12.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer cover 12 includes a vent 16 and a handle 201.

[0032] Vent 16 is an opening for venting cooking space S1 of pot 4 to the outside. Vent 16 is switched between a connected state in which it is connected to cooking space S1 and a disconnected state in which it is not connected, by pressure reducing valve 26, which will be described later. In the connected state, the pressure in cooking space S1 is atmospheric pressure, and in the disconnected state, cooking space S1 is sealed by inner lid 14 and has a pressure independent of atmospheric pressure.

[0033] Handle 201 is a member that the user rotates to switch between the locked and unlocked states of lid 10. Handle 201 is rotated (arrow R2) around a rotation axis Ax that extends in the thickness direction of lid 10. The thickness direction of lid 10 roughly coincides with the vertical direction when lid 10 is closed (FIGS. 1 and 2), and roughly coincides with the horizontal direction when lid 10 is open (FIG. 3).

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the inner lid 14 has an inner lid main body 20 and a packing 22.

[0035] The inner lid main body 20 corresponds to the main body of the inner lid 14 and has a generally circular disk shape. A gasket 22 is attached to the outer periphery of the inner lid main body 20. The gasket 22 is a generally annular member attached to the outer periphery of the inner lid main body 20 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the lid 10 is closed, the gasket 22 abuts against the upper end 4A of the pot 4, sealing the cooking space S1.

[0036] The inner lid body 20 is provided with a safety valve 24, a pressure reducing valve 26, and a lock ring restriction valve 28.

[0037] The safety valve 24, pressure reducing valve 26, and lock ring regulation valve 28 are all valves attached to the inner lid body 20 and positioned so as to be exposed to the cooking space S1. As shown in Figure 5, a ventilation space S2 that communicates with the ventilation port 16 is provided on the upper surface side of the inner lid body 20. The safety valve 24 and pressure reducing valve 26 each operate to switch between a communication state and a non-communication state between the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2.

[0038] The safety valve 24 is a valve that operates automatically in response to an increase in pressure in the cooking space S1. The safety valve 24 is positioned to seal the cooking space S1, and moves from the sealed position to the open position in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 increasing above a predetermined pressure. The safety valve 24 prevents the cooking space S1 from becoming overpressurized.

[0039] The pressure reducing valve 26 is a valve that operates automatically mainly under the control of the control unit 11. The pressure reducing valve 26 of this embodiment is also configured to operate in conjunction with the handle 201 when the handle 201 is operated in a specific direction. The pressure reducing valve 26 is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, and the position is controlled by the control unit 11. A valve drive unit 40 is provided above the pressure reducing valve 26, and the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to control the position of the pressure reducing valve 26. The pressure reducing valve 26 may also be called a "pressure release valve" or a "pressure relief valve."

[0040] Like the safety valve 24, the lock ring regulation valve 28 is a valve that operates automatically in response to an increase in pressure in the cooking space S1. The lock ring regulation valve 28 is provided to automatically regulate the rotation of the lock ring 216 (lid locking member), which will be described later. The lock ring regulation valve 28 moves from a non-regulating position, which allows the lock ring 216 to rotate, to a regulating position, which regulates the rotation of the lock ring 216, in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 increasing to or above a predetermined pressure. Here, the non-regulating position of the lock ring regulation valve 28 is lower in height than the regulating position. Unlike the safety valve 24 and the pressure reducing valve 26, the position of the lock ring regulation valve 28 does not affect the pressure in the cooking space S1.

[0041] Here, the detailed configuration of pressure reducing valve 26 will be described with reference to Figures 6A and 6B. Figures 6A and 6B are vertical cross-sectional views each showing a schematic view of the peripheral configuration of pressure reducing valve 26, with Figure 6A showing a sealed state in which cooking space S1 is sealed, and Figure 6B showing an open state in which cooking space S1 is open to atmospheric pressure.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the pressure reducing valve 26 includes a valve body 30, a packing 32, a spring 34, and a valve receiving portion 36.

[0043] The valve element 30 is a movable part that moves between a sealing position (FIG. 6A) where it seals the cooking space S1 and an open position (FIG. 6B), and is a rod-shaped member that extends vertically. The valve element 30 is inserted into an opening 37 of a valve receiving part 36 that is erected on the inner lid main body 20.

[0044] An expanded diameter portion 38 is provided in the center of the valve body 30 and is positioned in the cooking space S1. The expanded diameter portion 38 is a portion for attaching a sealing packing 32. When the packing 32 abuts against the underside of the valve receiving portion 36 around the opening 37, it seals the cooking space S1.

[0045] The spring 34 is a biasing member for biasing the valve body 30 toward the sealing position, and applies a biasing force F3 to the valve body 30 toward the ventilation space S2.

[0046] The valve drive section 40 described above is provided above the valve body 30. The valve drive section 40 includes a valve holding member 42, a support member 44, and a valve drive lever 82.

[0047] The valve holding member 42 is a member that is disposed above the valve disc 30 and engages to selectively press the valve disc 30, and is elastically supported by a support member 44. The support member 44 is engaged with a valve holding accommodating portion 116 (FIG. 18, etc.) described below. The valve drive lever 82 is a member that is disposed above the valve holding member 42 and is driven along the lateral direction B when viewed from the front in FIGS. 6A and 6B (the circumferential direction when viewed from above) so as to change the height position of the valve holding member 42. The valve drive lever 82 has a bottom surface 48 that contacts the upper end of the valve holding member 42, and the bottom surface 48 forms an inclined surface 98 that is inclined along the drive direction, thereby changing the height position of the valve holding member 42.

[0048] 6B, when a low portion of the bottom surface 48 comes into contact with the valve holding member 42, the valve holding member 42 is pressed downward, pressing the valve body 30 downward (arrow F4). This releases the contact between the packing 32 and the valve receiving portion 36, opening the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure and connecting the cooking space S1 to the ventilation space S2. The detailed mechanism and operation of the valve drive unit 40 will be described later.

[0049] Next, a lid locking mechanism for locking the opening and closing of the lid 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0050] 7 and 8 are enlarged perspective views showing a state in which part of the outer lid 12 of the lid 10 is omitted. Figures 7 and 8 show the same state as seen from different angles.

[0051] The cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment is provided with a double lid locking mechanism. Specifically, it is provided with a lid hook 214 (first lid locking member) that locks the opening and closing of the lid 10 by engaging with the main body 8, and a lock ring 216 (second lid locking member) that restricts the opening and closing of the lid 10 by engaging with the pot 4.

[0052] Lid hook 214 is a hook-shaped member provided on lid 10, with a tip bent inward. When lid 10 is closed, lid hook 214 hooks onto hook receiving portion 215 provided on main body 8. This places lid 10 in a locked state, restricting its opening movement.

[0053] Lock ring 216 is a ring-shaped member provided on lid 10, which is engaged with flange portion 60 (FIG. 9) of pot 4 described below to restrict the opening movement of lid 10, more specifically, the movement of inner lid 14 relative to pot 4. Lock ring 216 is connected to handle 201 inside lid 10, and is provided so as to be rotatable integrally therewith (arrow R3) in conjunction with the rotation operation of handle 201 (arrow R2).

[0054] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the pot 4 and the lock ring 216.

[0055] 9, a plurality of flange portions 217 are provided on the underside of lock ring 216. Flange portions 217 are protrusions that protrude toward the center of lock ring 216, and are arranged at intervals from one another in the circumferential direction (arrow R4).

[0056] Similarly, multiple flange portions 60 are provided on the upper end portion 4A of the pot 4. The flange portions 60 are protruding portions that protrude toward the outer periphery of the pot 4 and are arranged at intervals from one another in the circumferential direction (arrow R4).

[0057] Figures 10A to 10C are plan views showing the relative positional relationship between pot 4 and lock ring 216. Figure 10A corresponds to the unlocked state, Figure 10B corresponds to the semi-locked state, and Figure 10C corresponds to the locked state. In Figures 10A to 10C, pot 4 is shown in solid lines, and lock ring 216 is schematically shown in dotted lines.

[0058] When closing the lid 10, as shown in FIG. 10A, the flange portion 217 of the locking ring 216 and the flange portion 60 of the pot 4 are positioned so that they do not overlap in a plan view, and the flange portion 217 passes between adjacent flange portions 60 and is positioned below the flange portions 60. In this state, by rotating the handle 201 to rotate the locking ring 216 relative to the pot 4, it is possible to switch between a locked state in which the flange portions 60 and 217 overlap in a plan view, as shown in FIG. 10C, and an unlocked state in which they do not overlap, as shown in FIG. 10A. As shown in FIG. 10B, when the flange portions 60 and 217 are rotated to a partially overlapping position, this is a "half-locked state." In the half-locked state, the lid 10 is not fully locked, and it is preferable to switch to the fully locked state shown in FIG. 10C.

[0059] To unlock the lid 10, the handle 201 is rotated in the opposite direction.

[0060] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a lid lock drive unit 200 for operating the lid hook 214 and lock ring 216 is connected to the handle 201. The lid lock drive unit 200 has a slide member 212 that rotates integrally with the handle 201. By sliding the slide member 212, the locked state by the lid hook 214 and the locked state by the lock ring 216 can be released.

[0061] 8, slide member 212 has first end 212A and second end 212B. When second end 212B of slide member 212 comes into contact with upper end 214A of lid hook 214 and disengages lower end 214B from hook receiving portion 215, lid hook 214 is placed in an unlocked state. Slide member 212 and lock ring 216 are connected to each other via a long hole and a pin, which will be described later, and as slide member 212 rotates, lock ring 216 rotates in the same direction. This allows lock ring 216 to be placed in an unlocked state.

[0062] As described above, by rotating the handle 201, it is possible to switch between the locked state / unlocked state by the lid hook 214 and the locked state / unlocked state by the lock ring 216.

[0063] Next, the configuration and operation of the lock ring regulation valve 28 will be described with reference to Figures 11A to 11C. Figures 11A to 11C are perspective views seen from above to show the peripheral configuration of the lock ring regulation valve 28. Figure 11A shows the state before rotation of the lock ring 216 is restricted, Figure 11B shows the state in which the lock ring 216 is rotatable, and Figure 11C shows the state in which rotation of the lock ring 216 is restricted.

[0064] 11A to 11C operates to move up and down along the central axis Z of the lock ring regulation valve 28 in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 (not shown) located below the ventilation space S2. The lock ring regulation valve 28 is biased downward (arrow F5) by a biasing means (not shown).

[0065] A restriction pin 70 is provided near the lock ring restriction valve 28. The restriction pin 70 is a rod-shaped member for restricting the rotational movement of the lock ring 216, and is biased by a biasing means 72 in a direction approaching the lock ring restriction valve 28 along the axis Y (arrow F6).

[0066] The lock ring 216 has a pin receiving portion 74 for receiving the restriction pin 70. When the restriction pin 70 moves in a direction approaching the pin receiving portion 74, the restriction pin 70 comes into contact with the pin receiving portion 74, and the rotational movement of the lock ring 216 is restricted.

[0067] In the example shown in Figure 11A, the pressure in the cooking space S1 is less than a predetermined pressure, and the lock ring regulation valve 28 does not protrude upward along the central axis Z. At this time, the lock ring regulation valve 28 does not press the regulation pin 70 toward the pin receiving portion 74, and the regulation pin 70 is separated from the pin receiving portion 74 to the extent that it does not come into contact with the pin receiving portion 74. Therefore, the lock ring 216 can rotate (arrow F7) in the circumferential direction (arrow R3) as shown in Figure 11B.

[0068] When the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises above a predetermined pressure, the lock ring restriction valve 28 moves upward along the central axis Z (arrow F8), as shown in Figure 11C. The raised lock ring restriction valve 28 presses the restriction pin 70 toward the pin receiving portion 74 (arrow F9). As a result, the restriction pin 70 protrudes to a position where it can contact the pin receiving portion 74. When the lock ring 216 attempts to rotate, the restriction pin 70 comes into contact with the pin receiving portion 74, restricting further rotation (arrow F7 is shown by a dotted line).

[0069] According to the above operation, when the cooking space S1 is pressurized to a pressure equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure, the lock ring restriction valve 28 operates spontaneously to restrict the rotation of the lock ring 216. This makes it possible to prevent the user from opening the lid 10 when the cooking space S1 is pressurized to a pressure equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure.

[0070] Next, the configuration of the valve driving section 40 and the lid lock driving section 200 will be described with reference to Figs. 12 to 32C.

[0071] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the cooking device 2 with the handle 201 omitted, and FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in FIG.

[0072] 12 and 13, the lid 10 has a built-in shaft member 203. The shaft member 203 is an axial member connected to a handle 201 (not shown) and rotates integrally with the handle 201. The shaft member 203 overlaps with the rotation axis Ax of the handle 201, and together with the handle 201, constitutes the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0073] 14 to 16 are perspective and plan views showing a state in which part of the outer lid 12 of the lid 10 is omitted. As shown in Figs. 14 to 16, a valve drive unit 40 and a lid lock drive unit 200 are built into the inside of the lid 10.

[0074] The valve driving section 40 has a cover member 78 shown in FIG. 14, and in FIGS. 15 and 16, the cover member 78 is omitted.

[0075] The shaft member 203 passes through the center of the valve driving unit 40 including the cover member 78 , and is connected to a rotating arm 206 that constitutes the lid lock driving unit 200 at a position below the valve driving unit 40 .

[0076] 14 to 16, a substrate case 80 is provided adjacent to the valve driving unit 40. The substrate case 80 is a case for arranging a substrate (not shown), and the substrate arranged in the substrate case 80 constitutes the control unit 11 shown in FIG.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 16, lid 10 is provided with a substrate 154 as lid open / close detection means 150 for detecting the open / closed state of lid 10. Lid open / close detection means 150 of this embodiment is configured with magnet 152 shown in FIG. 4B and substrate 154 shown in FIG. 16. Substrate 154 of this embodiment is a substrate on which a Hall element capable of detecting magnetic force is mounted, and is capable of detecting the magnetic force of magnet 152 built into main body 8 shown in FIG. 4B. Substrate 154 transmits the magnetic force detection result by the Hall element to control unit 11.

[0078] The detection result of the magnetic force by the Hall element changes depending on whether the lid 10 is open or closed, so by transmitting the detection result from the substrate 154 to the control unit 11, the control unit 11 can identify whether the lid 10 is open or closed.

[0079] Next, the detailed configuration of the valve driving unit 40 will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 23. Figure 17 is an enlarged plan view of the valve driving unit 40, and Figures 18 and 19 are exploded perspective views showing the main components of the valve driving unit 40. Figures 20 and 21 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the valve driving lever 82, and Figures 22 and 23 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the support plate 84.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 17 to 19, the valve driving section 40 includes a valve driving lever 82 and a support plate 84.

[0081] The valve drive lever 82 is a member (rotational movement part) that rotates under the control of the control unit 11 (arrow R5). As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the valve drive lever 82 has the function of variably moving the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, and is supported by a support plate 84. The support plate 84 is a plate-shaped member that supports the valve drive lever 82 from below in a movably state.

[0082] 18 to 21, the valve drive lever 82 has a shape in which a plurality of arms are connected. The valve drive lever 82 has an arc arm 86, a plurality of connecting arms 88, and a rotation center 90.

[0083] The arc arm 86 is a portion that extends in an arc shape around a rotation center 90, and is located at the outermost radial position of the valve drive lever 82. The arc arm 86 has a gear portion 92, a push-down portion 94, and an elongated hole 96.

[0084] The gear portion 92 has a gear shape for transmitting the rotational driving force of the motor 102 shown in Fig. 18 to the valve drive lever 82, and is engaged with the gear portion 104. In this embodiment, the gear portions 92 and 104 are each formed of a spur gear. The axial direction C of the teeth of the gear portions 92 and 104 is the thickness direction of the lid 10, i.e., the vertical direction.

[0085] The pressing down portion 94 is a member that operates to press down the valve holding member 42 shown in Fig. 18. The pressing down portion 94 in this embodiment has an inclined surface 98 on its lower surface side that faces the valve holding member 42. The inclined surface 98 is a surface whose height changes along the direction of movement of the valve drive lever 82, and is lower on the side closer to the gear portion 92 (i.e., closer to the valve holding member 42) and higher on the side closer to the elongated hole 96 (i.e., farther from the valve holding member 42).

[0086] The elongated hole 96 is a space for inserting a connection pin 208 of the lid lock actuator 200, which will be described later. The elongated hole 96 extends in an arc shape in the same direction as the arc arm 86. By inserting the connection pin 208 into the elongated hole 96, the valve actuator 40 and the lid lock actuator 200 can be linked together.

[0087] The multiple connecting arms 88 extend to connect the arc arms 86 and the rotation center 90. In the area surrounded by the arc arms 86 and the connecting arms 88, a component arrangement space 99 is formed in which other components can be arranged.

[0088] An annular rib 89 is provided on the upper surfaces of the arc arm 86 and the connecting arm 88. The rib 89 is a protrusion provided to come into contact with the cover member 78 (FIG. 14) disposed above the valve drive lever 82. The rib 89 comes into contact with the cover member 78, thereby reducing friction when the valve drive lever 82 slides relative to the cover member 78 and further stabilizing the operation of the valve drive lever 82. The rib 89 comes into contact with the cover member 78 only when the cooking space S1 is depressurized from a pressurized state higher than atmospheric pressure; otherwise, a gap is present between the rib 89 and the cover member 78.

[0089] The rotation center 90 is a portion located at the center of rotation of the valve drive lever 82. The rotation center 90 has a through hole 100, through which the aforementioned shaft member 203 is inserted. The rotation axis Ax of the valve drive unit 40 including the valve drive lever 82 and the rotation axis Ax of the lid lock drive unit 200 including the shaft member 203 coincide with each other. In other words, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are configured coaxially. By making them coaxial, it is possible to suppress axial misalignment. Furthermore, by making them coaxial, it is possible to reduce the width of the elongated hole 96 compared to when they are not coaxial, and it is possible to achieve space savings by omitting the moving parts of the valve drive lever 82 and the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0090] The valve drive unit 40 further includes a motor 102 and a gear unit 104. The motor 102 is a drive source for rotationally driving the valve drive lever 82, and the gear unit 104 is connected to the tip of the motor 102. The gear unit 104 has a gear shape that is rotationally driven by the motor 102, and meshes with the gear unit 92 of the valve drive lever 82 described above.

[0091] 24A and 24B are plan views for explaining the general operation of the valve driving unit 40. Fig. 24A corresponds to the sealed state of the pressure reducing valve 26 (not shown), and Fig. 24B corresponds to the open state of the pressure reducing valve 26.

[0092] As shown in Fig. 24A, when the gear portion 104 rotates counterclockwise (arrow R20) due to the rotational drive of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 having the gear portion 92 is driven to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R6). When the valve drive lever 82 is in the position where it has rotated most counterclockwise, the push-down portion 94 does not contact the valve holding member 42 and does not push the valve holding member 42 downward. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealing position where it seals the cooking space S1 (Fig. 6A).

[0093] As shown in Figure 24B, when the gear portion 104 rotates clockwise (arrow R21) by the rotational drive of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 is rotated clockwise (arrow R7). As the valve drive lever 82 rotates to its maximum clockwise position, the pressing portion 94 comes into contact with the valve holding member 42 and presses the valve holding member 42 downward. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position where it opens the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure (Figure 6B).

[0094] According to the above operation, the control unit 11 drives the motor 102 to rotate, thereby moving the valve drive lever 82 toward the closed position (FIG. 24A) or the open position (FIG. 24B).

[0095] The pressure reducing valve 26 and the valve holding member 42 move up and down in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1. Accordingly, the valve drive lever 82 is also pushed by the valve holding member 42, and a force that moves it up and down acts on it. However, as described above, the axial direction C (FIG. 18) of the teeth of the gear portions 92 and 104 extends up and down along the direction of movement of the valve holding member 42. Therefore, even when a force that moves it up and down acts on the valve drive lever 82, no force is applied from the gear portion 92 to the gear portion 104, and it is possible to prevent unnecessary force from being applied to the motor 102.

[0096] The motor 102 and gear portion 104 described above are attached to the support plate 84 .

[0097] As shown in FIG. 18, the support plate 84 includes a lower surface 106 that supports the valve drive lever 82 from below, and a plurality of wall portions 108, 110, and 112 that surround the outer periphery of the valve drive lever 82.

[0098] The walls 108, 110, 112 all have a shape that rises upward from the lower surface 106, and form a space inside for arranging the valve drive lever 82. The wall 108 extends in an arc shape, and the walls 110, 112 extend linearly.

[0099] The wall 108 is provided at a position facing the outer periphery of the arc arm 86, and the walls 110, 112 are provided at positions facing one end and the other end of the arc arm 86, respectively. The wall 110 restricts the counterclockwise rotation (arrow R6) of the valve drive lever 82, and the wall 112 restricts the clockwise rotation (arrow R7) of the valve drive lever 82. The valve drive lever 82 is rotatable in the section surrounded by the wall 110 and the wall 112.

[0100] The support plate 84 further includes a through hole 114, a valve guard receiving portion 116, a groove portion 118, an elongated hole 120, a motor mounting portion 122, and at least three screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164.

[0101] The through hole 114 is a hole for inserting the above-mentioned shaft member 203 therethrough, and overlaps with the through hole 100 provided in the rotation center 90 of the valve drive lever 82 .

[0102] The valve holding accommodating portion 116 is a space for accommodating the valve holding member 42. The support member 44 (not shown) shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is engaged in the valve holding accommodating portion 116, and elastically supports the valve holding member 42.

[0103] The groove 118 is an arc-shaped groove for guiding the rotational movement of the arc arm 86 of the valve drive lever 82. The groove 118 has an elongated hole 120 formed therein.

[0104] The elongated hole 120 is a through-hole for inserting the connection pin 208 of the lid lock driving part 200 described above. The elongated hole 120 is formed in an arc shape like the elongated hole 96, and is arranged so as to overlap the elongated hole 96.

[0105] The motor mounting portion 122 is a portion for mounting and supporting the motor 102 and gear portion 104 described above. The motor mounting portion 122 has a fixing portion 124 for fixing the main body portion 102A of the motor 102, and a through-hole 126 for inserting the rotating shaft 102B of the motor 102. The gear portion 104 is mounted on the rotating shaft 102B inserted through the through-hole 126.

[0106] Screw receiving portion 160 is a portion (boss portion) for receiving screw 166 shown in Fig. 17. Similarly, screw receiving portion 162 is a portion for receiving screw 168 shown in Fig. 17, and screw receiving portion 164 is a portion for receiving screw 170 shown in Fig. 17. Screws 166, 168, and 170 inserted into screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164, respectively, are fixed to block 172 (Fig. 17) that forms vent hole 16. This allows support plate 84 to be firmly fixed to block 172, and thus fixed to lid 10.

[0107] Screw receivers 160, 162, 164 are provided near valve holder housing 116. When the internal pressure of pot 4 is high, i.e., when cooking space S1 is pressurized above atmospheric pressure, a large repulsive force is generated when pressure reducing valve 26 is pushed down by valve drive lever 82 in valve holder housing 116, which is likely to cause deformation of valve drive lever 82 and support plate 84. In response to this, by providing multiple screw receivers 160, 162, 164 around valve holder housing 116 and fixing support plate 84 to block 172, deformation of valve drive lever 82 and support plate 84 can be suppressed, contributing to improved sliding of valve drive lever 82.

[0108] 17, the screw receiving portions 162 and 164 are positioned on the outside of the valve drive lever 82, whereas the screw receiving portion 160 is positioned on the inside of the valve drive lever 82. By providing and fixing the screw receiving portion 160 not only on the outside but also on the inside of the valve drive lever 82, it is possible to change the configuration from a cantilever beam to a doubly supported beam, and deformation of the valve drive part 40 can be suppressed.

[0109] 24A and 24B, the gear portion 104, the motor attachment portion 122, and the screw receiving portion 160 are arranged in the component arrangement space 99 of the valve drive lever 82. By accommodating multiple components in the component arrangement space 99, the space inside the valve drive lever 82 can be effectively utilized, and the horizontal dimension of the valve drive portion 40 can be prevented from becoming too long in one direction. This leads to a reduction in the size of the valve drive portion 40 and the lid 10 including the valve drive portion 40.

[0110] The size of the component arrangement space 99 is set so that, within the rotation range of the valve drive lever 82 from Figure 24A to Figure 24B, none of the gear portion 104, motor mounting portion 122, and screw receiving portion 160 come into contact with the inner walls of the arms 86, 88 that form the component arrangement space 99. This allows multiple components to be arranged in the component arrangement space 99 without interfering with the operation of the valve drive lever 82.

[0111] By arranging the screw receiving portion 160 in the component arranging space 99, it becomes possible to fix the support plate 84 at a position close to the center thereof, which further enhances the effect of improving the strength.

[0112] 24A and 24B, by rotating valve driver 40 instead of linearly driving it, it is possible to effectively utilize the internal space of lid 10 and position valve driver 40. Compared to a configuration in which the valve driver drives linearly, it is possible to effectively utilize the shape of lid 10, which is circular in plan view, to position valve driver 40, thereby reducing the dimensions of lid 10 mainly in the horizontal and height directions and enabling the size of cooking appliance 2 to be reduced.

[0113] Here, the engagement relationship between first connection pin 208 and elongated hole 96 will be described with reference to Figures 25A and 25B. Figures 25A and 25B are enlarged plan views of first connection pin 208 and elongated hole 96, respectively, with Figure 25A corresponding to the state shown in Figure 24A and Figure 25B corresponding to the state shown in Figure 24B.

[0114] 25A and 25B, the inner wall portion of the arc arm 86 that constitutes the elongated hole 96 has two ends, a first end 240 and a second end 242, that can engage with the first connection pin 208. The first end 240 and the second end 242 each correspond to the terminal end of the elongated hole 96. The first end 240 is the end of the elongated hole 96 in the valve opening direction (arrow R7), and the second end 242 is the end in the valve closing direction (arrow R6).

[0115] According to the configuration shown in Figures 25A and 25B, the engagement relationship between the first connection pin 208 and the valve drive lever 82, i.e., the interlocking relationship between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200, changes depending on (1) whether the main moving element is the first connection pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82, and (2) whether the movement direction is clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0116] For example, when the first connection pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82 operates so that the first connection pin 208 remains in contact with one of the ends 240, 242 of the elongated hole 96, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are interlocked. On the other hand, when the first connection pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82 operates so that the first connection pin 208 moves / moves relatively between the ends 240, 242 of the elongated hole 96, the interlocking between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released.

[0117] As described above, the configuration in which the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked by the engagement between the first connection pin 208 and the elongated hole 96 makes it possible to switch between a linked state and a non-linked state depending on the moving body and the direction of movement. This allows the desired operation to be achieved, and details of this operation will be described later.

[0118] Next, the detailed configuration of the lid lock drive unit 200 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0119] Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the peripheral configuration of the lid lock drive unit 200, Figure 27 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the lid lock drive unit 200, Figure 28 is a perspective view showing the base member 202, Figure 29 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of the lid lock detection means 228 in Figure 28, and Figures 30 and 31 are perspective views showing the main parts of the lid lock drive unit 200 excluding the lock ring 216.

[0120] As shown in FIGS. 26 to 31, the lid lock drive unit 200 is configured to be supported from below by a base member 202, and a lock ring 216 shown in FIG.

[0121] The lid lock drive unit 200 includes a rotating arm 206 , a first connecting pin 208 , a second connecting pin 210 , and a sliding member 212 .

[0122] The rotating arm 206 is a member that rotates integrally (arrow R8) in conjunction with the rotation of the shaft member 203 (arrow R2), and extends in a radial direction D that is perpendicular to the rotation axis Ax. A fixed plate 207 is provided above one side of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The fixed plate 207 is a plate-shaped member fixed to the base member 202, and is disposed above the rotating arm 206 with a gap therebetween, with the shaft member 203 inserted therethrough.

[0123] A first connection pin 208 is erected in the middle of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The first connection pin 208 is a rod-shaped member that is inserted into the elongated hole 96 (FIGS. 24A to 25B) of the valve drive lever 82 described above, and links the valve drive lever 82 and the rotating arm 206 together.

[0124] A connecting portion 220 is provided at the other end of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The connecting portion 220 is a portion that is connected to the sliding member 212, and connects the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 so that they rotate integrally. An elongated hole 224 is formed in the connecting portion 220, and the second connecting pin 210 is inserted through the elongated hole 224. The second connecting pin 210 is a rod-shaped member that is erected on the lock ring 216 shown in FIG. 27, and protrudes upward from the base member 202 through an elongated hole 226 in the base member 202 shown in FIG. 28.

[0125] The slide member 212 is a member that slides on the outer periphery of the base member 202, and rotates together with the rotation arm 206 (arrow R8).

[0126] 30 and 31, first end 212A of slide member 212 is an end that connects to connection part 220, and contact is detected by lid lock detection means 228, which will be described later. Second end 212B of slide member 212 is an end that engages with lid hook 214, shown in FIGS. 26 and 28, to release the lock on lid 10 by lid hook 214.

[0127] 28 and 29, a lid lock detection means 228 is provided near the elongated hole 226. The lid lock detection means 228 is a means for detecting that the lid 10 is in a locked state. In this embodiment, the lid lock detection means 228 is a microswitch that can detect contact with the first end 212A of the sliding member 212.

[0128] 29, the first end 212A of the slide member 212 is indicated schematically by a dotted line. The first end 212A slides in the circumferential direction (arrow R8) between a detection position P1 where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228 and a non-detection position P2 where it does not contact the lid lock detection means 228 (arrow F10). At detection position P1, the first end 212A contacts the lid lock detection means 228 in the radial direction D. Because the contact direction is the radial direction D, no force is applied in the vertical direction to the slide member 212, lock ring 216, etc., even when the first end 212A contacts the lid lock detection means 228. This reduces the effect on the operation of the lid lock driver 200.

[0129] 26, when the lid lock detection means 228 detects contact of the first end 212A, it is determined that the lid 10 is locked by the lock ring 216. The control unit 11 determines that the lid 10 is in the locked state based on the detection signal transmitted from the lid lock detection means 228.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 29, a protrusion 229 is provided near the elongated hole 226. The protrusion 229 is a protrusion provided on the surface of the base member 202, and engages with the first end 212A of the slide member 212. At a rotation position where the first end 212A contacts the protrusion 229 (between the detection position P1 and the non-detection position P2 shown in FIG. 29), a clicking sensation occurs when the user rotates the handle 201. The position of the protrusion 229 is set so that it comes into contact with the first end 212A when the first end 212A starts to move from the locked position where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228 toward the unlocked position. This allows the user to be notified by the clicking sensation that the unlocking operation of the lid 10 has begun.

[0131] 31, the lower end of shaft member 203 is inserted into rotating arm 206 at a position below fixed plate 207. Friction member 230 is provided midway along rotating arm 206, and similarly, friction member 232 is provided on the underside of fixed plate 207. Friction members 230 and 232 are each made of a material with a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber. Normally, there is a gap between friction member 230 and friction member 232 in the vertical direction, so that friction members 230 and 232 do not come into contact with each other, allowing rotating arm 206 to rotate relatively to fixed plate 207 (arrow R8).

[0132] If a user were to lift handle 201, lock drive unit 200, which includes shaft member 203 connected to handle 201, rotating arm 206, and the like, would rise as a unit. Friction member 230 provided on rotating arm 206 rises to come into contact with friction member 232 of fixed plate 207, and high frictional force is generated by the contact between friction members 230 and 232. This restricts the rotation of rotating arm 206, thereby preventing unintended operation of lid lock drive unit 200 when a user lifts handle 201.

[0133] The operation of the lid lock driving unit 200 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to Figures 32A to 32C.

[0134] 32A to 32C are plan views illustrating the operation of the lid lock driving section 200. FIG.

[0135] 32A shows the state in which the lid lock driver 200 has rotated fully counterclockwise. At this time, the lid 10 is locked by the lid hook 214 and also by the lock ring 216. When the user rotates the handle 201 clockwise, the shaft member 203 rotates clockwise (arrow R2), and the rotating arm 206 and sliding member 212 also rotate clockwise together (arrow R8). Because the second connection pin 210 erected on the lock ring 216 is positioned in the elongated hole 224, the rotating arm 206 and sliding member 212 do not engage with the connecting portion 220 for a certain period after they begin to rotate clockwise, and the lock ring 216 does not rotate.

[0136] Here, the engagement relationship between second connection pin 210 and elongated hole 224 will be described with reference to Figures 32D and 32E. Figures 32D and 32E are enlarged plan views of second connection pin 210 and elongated hole 224, respectively, with Figure 32D corresponding to the state shown in Figure 32A and Figure 32E corresponding to the state shown in Figure 32B.

[0137] 32D and 32E, the inner wall portion constituting the elongated hole 224 has a first end 250 and a second end 252 as two ends that can engage with the second connection pin 210. The first end 250 and the second end 252 are each the terminal ends of the elongated hole 224, and are constituted by the inner wall surrounding the elongated hole 224. The first end 250 is the end of the elongated hole 224 in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), and the second end 252B is the end in the locking direction (arrow R20).

[0138] 32D, second connection pin 210 is engaged with first end 250 of elongated hole 224, and therefore, even if rotating arm 206 moves in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), second connection pin 210 only moves relatively within elongated hole 224 from first end 250 toward second end 252, and does not engage with rotating arm 206. As a result, the interlocking between valve driving unit 40 and lid lock driving unit 200 is released, and lock ring 216 connected to second connection pin 210 does not rotate.

[0139] As shaft member 203 further rotates clockwise, as shown in Figure 32B, second connection pin 210 engages with connecting portion 220 that forms elongated hole 224, causing lock ring 216 to begin rotating integrally. In this way, lock ring 216 begins to rotate after rotating arm 206 and slide member 212. As lock ring 216 begins to rotate, the overlapping area between flange portions 60, 217 shown in Figures 9 and 10 decreases, and the state changes from the locked state to the semi-locked state.

[0140] 32E, when second connection pin 210 engages with second end 252 of elongated hole 224, valve drive unit 40 and lid lock drive unit 200 are interlocked. As rotating arm 206 rotates in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), second connection pin 210 is pressed by second end 252, causing lock ring 216 to rotate.

[0141] When shaft member 203 is further rotated clockwise, as shown in Figure 32C, second end 212B of slide member 212 engages with lid hook 214, and the lock on lid 10 by lid hook 214 is released. At the same time, the overlapping area between flange portions 60, 217 shown in Figures 9 and 10 disappears, and the lock on lid 10 by lock ring 216 is also released. In this way, the double lock by lid hook 214 and lock ring 216 is released.

[0142] In the above configuration, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are connected to each other by the engagement of the elongated hole 96 and the connecting pin 208. This allows the operation of one of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 to be linked to the operation of the other. In the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, this linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is used to perform operations that improve the convenience of the cooking appliance 2. Below, operations that utilize the linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 will be described using Figures 33 to 37B.

[0143] (Pressure cooking menu execution) 33 is a flowchart showing the process of executing the pressure cooking menu. The process shown in FIG. 33 is executed by the control unit 11, for example.

[0144] As shown in Fig. 33, control unit 11 determines whether or not the lid closed state has been detected (S1). Specifically, whether or not the lid closed state has been detected is determined based on the detection result of the magnetic force of magnet 152 built into main body 8 by lid open / close detection means 150 shown in Fig. 16. If the lid closed state has not been detected (NO in S1), control unit 11 executes the process of step S1 again.

[0145] When the controller 11 detects that the lid is closed (YES in S1), it notifies the user that cooking is OK (S2). Specifically, the controller 11 displays a message such as "Cooking OK" on the operation display unit 6 shown in Fig. 2, indicating that cooking can be started.

[0146] The control unit 11 accepts the selection of a pressure cooking menu (S3). Specifically, the selection of the pressure cooking menu is accepted in response to the user selecting the pressure cooking menu and pressing the cooking start button on the operation display unit 6 shown in FIG.

[0147] The control unit 11 determines whether or not the lid has been locked (S4). Specifically, when the lid lock detection means 228 shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 detects contact of the first end 212A of the slide member 212, it detects that the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 have achieved a double locking state (YES in S4). Here, "lid locked" refers to the locked state of the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216, which can be confirmed based on the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228. Because the lock ring 216 can be closed even when the lid 10 is open, by checking not only the detection result (S4) of the lid lock detection means 228 but also the detection result (S1) of the lid open / close detection means 150, it is confirmed that the lid 10 is completely locked, i.e., that the lid 10 is closed and both the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 are locked.

[0148] If the lid lock is detected (YES in S4), the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealing position (S5). Specifically, to seal the cooking space S1 in accordance with the pressurized cooking menu, the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealing position.

[0149] If lid lock is not detected (NO in S4), control unit 11 drives valve driver 40 to move pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealing position (S6), and determines whether lid lock is detected (S7). Specifically, in step S6, similar to step S5, valve driver 40 is driven to move pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealing position. When lid lock is not detected, that is, when first end 212A of sliding member 212 is not in contact with lid lock detection means 228 (unlocked or semi-locked), lid lock driver 200 operates in conjunction with the operation of valve driver 40, and as pressure reducing valve 26 moves to the sealing position, lock ring 216 also moves to the locked position. As a result, first end 212A of sliding member 212 also moves to a position where it contacts lid lock detection means 228, and the detection result of lid lock detection means 228 changes from OFF to ON, allowing lid lock to be confirmed (YES in S7). Since the lid is locked by the interlocking of valve drive unit 40 and lid lock drive unit 200, it is possible to determine that pressure reducing valve 26 has moved to the sealed position in addition to the lid being locked. In this way, even if the user forgets to lock lid 10 or the lock is insufficient (i.e., the lid is in a half-locked state), the pressure cooking menu can be made executable.

[0150] If the lid lock cannot be confirmed in step S7 (NO in S7), the control unit 11 notifies an error (S8). Specifically, a message indicating a failure of the valve driving unit 40 is displayed on the operation display unit 6.

[0151] In response to execution of step S5 or determination of YES in step S7, the control unit 11 executes a pressure cooking menu (S9). Specifically, in response to the pressure cooking menu selected in step S3, the control unit 11 controls the operation of the heater 9 and the like according to a predetermined sequence to execute a predetermined pressure cooking.

[0152] Here, the detailed operation of step S6 will be explained using Figures 34A to 34C. Figures 34A to 34C are plan views for explaining the operation of valve driving part 40 and lid lock driving part 200 in step S6.

[0153] 34A shows the state in which the valve driver 40 and the lid lock driver 200 have rotated fully clockwise. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, the lid hook 214 is in the unlocked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the unlocked state.

[0154] From the state shown in Fig. 34A, when the control unit 11 rotationally drives the motor 102 shown in Fig. 18 to rotate the valve drive lever 82 counterclockwise (arrow R9), the state transitions to the state shown in Fig. 34B, and then to the state shown in Fig. 34C. As shown in Figs. 34B and 34C, the position of the depression portion 94 of the valve drive lever 82 changes, the pressure reducing valve 26 moves from the open position to the sealed position, and the cooking space S1 is sealed.

[0155] At this time, the rotating arm 206 also rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the valve drive lever 82. Specifically, the first connection pin 208 disposed in the elongated hole 96 of the valve drive lever 82 rotates counterclockwise in conjunction with the valve drive lever 82, causing the rotating arm 206 having the first connection pin 208 to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R10). As the rotating arm 206 rotates, the slide member 212 connected to the rotating arm 206 also rotates counterclockwise (arrow R11).

[0156] As shown in Figure 34B, when second end 212B of slide member 212 moves away from lid hook 214, lid hook 214 gets caught on hook receiver 215 and enters a locked state. Furthermore, second connection pin 210 inserted through elongated hole 224 of rotating arm 206 also rotates counterclockwise in response to the rotation of rotating arm 206, causing lock ring 216 to move toward the locked state. When valve drive lever 82 moves fully counterclockwise, first connection pin 208 and second connection pin 210 are designed to move to the fully counterclockwise rotated position as shown in Figure 34C. Therefore, when lid hook 214 enters the locked state, lock ring 216 can also be transitioned to the locked state.

[0157] According to the above operation, by linking the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 with the operation of the valve drive unit 40, the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 to lock the lid 10 can be linked with the operation of the valve drive unit 40 to close the pressure reducing valve 26. This allows the lid 10 to be automatically transitioned to the locked state in conjunction with moving the pressure reducing valve 26 to the closed position at the start of cooking, making it possible to perform pressure cooking even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or if the lid 10 is only partially locked. This eliminates the need for the user to lock the lid 10, improving the convenience of using the cooking appliance 2.

[0158] 34C, the lid lock detection means 228 detects contact of the sliding member 212. This confirms that the double lock state created by the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 is in place. Because this locked state is the result of the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 being linked to the operation of the valve drive unit 40, it is also possible to determine that the valve drive lever 82 has moved the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position. This makes it possible to efficiently and accurately confirm that preparations for pressure cooking are complete based solely on the detection results of the lid lock detection means 228.

[0159] 34A to the state of FIG. 34B, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the elongated hole 96 is engaged with the first end 240 (FIGS. 25A and 25B), which is the clockwise end of the elongated hole 96, and therefore rotates integrally with the valve drive lever 82 in response to the counterclockwise rotation of the valve drive lever 82. On the other hand, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the elongated hole 224 is engaged with the second end 252 (FIGS. 32D and 32E), which is the counterclockwise end of the elongated hole 224, and therefore is not interlocked with the counterclockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206 and does not move. As a result, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 does not move.

[0160] 34B, the second connection pin 210 engages with the first end 250, which is the clockwise end of the elongated hole 224, and rotates integrally with the counterclockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206, transitioning to the state shown in FIG. 34C. In this way, the lock ring 216 can be moved to the locked position, even though it operates with a delay relative to the drive of the valve drive lever 82. Furthermore, as will be described later, when the valve drive lever 82 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction, the connection between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 can be released due to the connection between the elongated hole 224 and the second connection pin 210.

[0161] When execution of the pressurized cooking menu is completed, control unit 11 drives valve drive unit 40 to move pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position (S10). At this time, even if valve drive unit 40 is driven from the state shown in Fig. 34C to move pressure reducing valve 26 toward the open position, it is designed not to return to the state shown in Fig. 34A. The specific design and operation will be explained using Figs. 35A and 35B.

[0162] Figure 35A shows the same state as that shown in Figure 34B. Pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position, lid hook 214 is in the locked state, and lock ring 216 is also in the locked state. From this state, when control unit 11 rotationally drives motor 102 shown in Figure 18 to rotationally drive valve drive lever 82 clockwise (arrow R12), the state transitions to that shown in Figure 35B.

[0163] As shown in Figure 35B, the valve drive lever 82 has rotated to the furthest position in the clockwise direction, while the rotating arm 206 has not rotated clockwise and remains in the same state as in Figure 35A. As shown in Figure 35A, the first connection pin 208 disposed in the elongated hole 96 is disposed at the furthest position in the clockwise direction in the elongated hole 96, and even if the valve drive lever 82 including the elongated hole 96 rotates clockwise, the first connection pin 208 does not move and remains disposed halfway in the elongated hole 96.

[0164] Due to this engagement relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the first connecting pin 208, when the valve driving unit 40 operates the pressure reducing valve 26 from the sealed position (Figure 35A) to the open position (Figure 35B), the lid lock driving unit 200 does not move in conjunction with the valve driving unit 40, and the lock on the lid 10 is not released.

[0165] According to the above operation, even if pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the open position when cooking is finished, lid 10 will not be unlocked. Therefore, the user must operate handle 201 to unlock lid 10, further improving safety.

[0166] The control unit 11 notifies the user that cooking is complete (S11). Specifically, a message indicating that pressure cooking is complete is displayed on the operation display unit 6 shown in Fig. 2. When the user realizes that pressure cooking is complete, the user can turn the handle 201 to unlock the lid 10, open the lid 10, and remove the food from the pot 4.

[0167] (During power outages, etc.) While a pressure cooking menu is being executed, the operation of the pressure cooker 2 may stop due to a power outage or other reasons. When the cooking space S1 is at or above a predetermined pressure, the lock ring regulation valve 28 described above operates to regulate the rotation of the lock ring 216. When the pressure drops to a level at which the lock ring regulation valve 28 does not operate, the lid 10 becomes openable. However, if the pressure in the cooking space S1 is at or above atmospheric pressure, the food inside may be scattered.

[0168] Furthermore, if a power outage occurs when a reduced pressure cooking menu is being executed, but not when a pressure cooking menu is being executed, the pressure in the cooking space S1 will be below atmospheric pressure, and the lid 10 will not be able to be opened. It is necessary to wait for the pressure and temperature of the pot 4 to rise until the lid 10 can be opened.

[0169] To solve the above problem, the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment is designed so that the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, so that the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved from the sealed position to the open position in conjunction with the unlocking operation of the lid 10. The specific operation will be described with reference to Figures 36A and 36B.

[0170] 36A and 36B are plan views illustrating the operation of the lid lock driving unit 200. FIG.

[0171] FIG. 36A shows the state in which the valve driver 40 and the lid lock driver 200 have rotated fully counterclockwise. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position, the lid hook 214 is in the locked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the locked state. In this state, when the user rotates the handle 201 and the shaft 203 clockwise (arrow R13), the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 rotate clockwise together (arrow R14). As a result, as shown in FIG. 36B, the second connecting pin 210 abuts against the counterclockwise end of the elongated hole 224 (second end 252 shown in FIGS. 32D and 32E), and the rotating arm 206 and the second connecting pin 210 engage and enter an interlocked state. When the handle 201 and the shaft 203 are further rotated, the lock ring 216 having the second connecting pin 210 also rotates clockwise with a delay (arrow R14), ultimately transitioning to the state shown in FIG. 36C.

[0172] In the state shown in FIG. 36C, the slide member 212 and the lock ring 216 have moved to the position where they have been rotated most clockwise, and the locked state by the lid hook 214 and the locked state by the lock ring 216 are also released.

[0173] In the above operation, the valve drive lever 82 also rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating arm 206. Specifically, because the rotating arm 206 having the elongated hole 96 is engaged with the first connection pin 208, as the first connection pin 208 of the rotating arm 206 disposed in the elongated hole 96 rotates, the valve drive lever 82 forming the elongated hole 96 also rotates clockwise in conjunction with the rotation (arrow R15).

[0174] As shown in FIG. 36B, when the rotating arm 206 has rotated a predetermined angle, the second end 212B of the sliding member 212 is not engaged with the lid hook 214. The second connecting pin 210 inserted through the elongated hole 224 is not engaged until it reaches the counterclockwise end (second end 252) of the elongated hole 224, and does not rotate in conjunction with the rotating arm 206, so the lock ring 216 does not operate. Meanwhile, in conjunction with the rotation of the first connecting pin 208 inserted through the elongated hole 96, the valve drive lever 82 rotates clockwise by approximately the same angle (arrow R15). In the state shown in FIG. 36B, the pressing portion 94 of the valve drive lever 82 begins to contact the valve holding member 42, and the pressure reducing valve 26 moves toward the open position, beginning to open the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure.

[0175] Only when the state shown in FIG. 36C is reached, is the lid 10 released from the locked state by the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216.

[0176] According to the above operation, by linking the operation of the valve drive unit 40 with the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 to unlock the lid 10 can be linked with the operation of the valve drive unit 40 to open the pressure reducing valve 26. As a result, even if the valve drive lever 82 cannot be driven due to a power outage or the like, the user can manually open the pressure reducing valve 26 and release the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure. This allows the lid 10 to be opened safely and quickly, improving the convenience of using the cooking appliance 2.

[0177] Furthermore, after valve drive lever 82 moves pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, lid hook 214 and lock ring 216 are unlocked. This allows cooking space S1 to be opened to atmospheric pressure before lid 10 is unlocked, preventing the food in pot 4 from scattering when pot 4 is pressurized, and ensuring that lid 10 can be opened first when pot 4 is depressurized.

[0178] It is designed so that even if the user rotates the handle 201 counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 36C to operate in the direction to lock the lid 10, it will not return to the state shown in Figure 36A. The specific design and operation will be explained using Figures 37A to 37C.

[0179] FIG. 37A shows the same state as that shown in FIG. 36C. The pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, the lid hook 214 is in the unlocked state, and the lock ring 216 is also in the unlocked state. From this state, when the user rotates the handle 201 to rotate the shaft member 203 counterclockwise (arrow R16), the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 rotate counterclockwise (arrow R17), resulting in a transition to the state shown in FIG. 37B. In the state shown in FIG. 37B, the second connection pin 210 engages with the first end 250 of the elongated hole 224 (FIGS. 32D and 32E), resulting in an interlocking state. The second connection pin 210 and the lock ring 216 also begin to rotate clockwise together (arrow R17). As a result, the rotating arm 206, the sliding member 212, and the lock ring 216 rotate together, resulting in a transition to the state shown in FIG. 37C.

[0180] As shown in Figure 37C, the lid lock drive part 200, such as the rotating arm 206, has rotated counterclockwise to the maximum extent, while the valve drive lever 82 has not rotated counterclockwise and remains in the same state as in Figure 37A.

[0181] In the state shown in Figure 37A, the first connection pin 208 arranged in the elongated hole 96 is arranged at the most clockwise rotated position in the elongated hole 96, so even if the first connection pin 208 rotates counterclockwise, the valve drive lever 82 having the elongated hole 96 does not rotate in conjunction with it.

[0182] Due to this engagement between the elongated hole 96 and the first connecting pin 208, when the lid lock drive unit 200 transitions the lid 10 from the unlocked state (Figure 37A) to the locked state (Figure 37C), the link between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released, and the pressure reducing valve 26 is fixed in the open position.

[0183] According to the above operation, in order to seal the cooking space S1 and make it pressurizable, the control unit 11 must drive the valve drive lever 82, and the pressure reducing valve 26 cannot be moved to the sealed position by manual operation by the user alone. This prevents a dangerous situation caused by manual operation by the user, thereby improving safety.

[0184] Here, the operations explained in FIGS. 34A to 37C will be explained in the tables of FIGS.

[0185] 38 to 41 are tables showing the operation of each member when the handle 201 is operated by manual operation of the handle 201, or when the valve drive lever 82 and the pressure reducing valve 26 are operated by automatic operation of the motor 102.

[0186] Figure 38 shows the operation when the handle 201 is operated to transition from an open state (unlocked state) to a closed state (locked state), and Figure 39 shows the operation when the pressure reducing valve 26 is transitioned from an open state to a closed state by automatic operation of the motor 102. Figure 40 shows the operation when the handle 201 is operated to transition from a closed state (locked state) to an open state (unlocked state), and Figure 41 shows the operation when the motor 102 is operated automatically to transition the pressure reducing valve 26 from a closed state to an open state.

[0187] In FIGS. 38 to 41, the "handle movement angle" (FIGS. 38 and 40) and the "valve drive movement angle" (FIGS. 39 and 41) respectively represent the movement amounts of the handle 201 and the valve drive lever 82 (unit: degrees). "Handle" represents the operation of the handle 201, "lock ring" represents the operation of the lock ring 216, and "valve drive lever" represents the operation of the valve drive lever 82.

[0188] <Open ⇒ Close (Manual operation of the handle)> As shown in FIG. 38, when the handle 201 is shifted from the open state to the closed state by manual operation, the handle 201 rotates from 0° to A° and then rotates from A° to C°. The angles of A and C may be appropriately set as long as the relationship A < C holds. A is, for example, about 10°, and C is, for example, about 30°.

[0189] As shown in FIG. 38, when the handle 201 rotates from 0° to A°, neither the lock ring 216 nor the valve drive lever 82 moves, and the pressure reducing valve 26 remains in the open state. This operation corresponds to the operation of shifting from the state shown in FIG. 37A to the state shown in FIG. 37B.

[0190] As shown in FIG. 37A, since the second connection pin 210 inserted into the long hole 224 abuts against the counterclockwise second end portion 252 (FIGS. 35D and 35E) in the long hole 224, even if the rotary arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the second connection pin 210 does not move in conjunction. That is, the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction with the operation of the handle 201. Since the first connection pin 208 inserted into the long hole 96 abuts against the clockwise first end portion 240 (FIGS. 25A and 25C) in the long hole 96, even if the first connection pin 208 rotates counterclockwise, the valve drive lever 82 does not move in conjunction. That is, the valve drive lever 82 does not move in conjunction with the operation of the handle 201.

[0191] As shown in Figure 38, when the handle 201 rotates from A° to C° (locked position), the lock ring 216 rotates (CA)° and moves to the locked position, the valve drive lever 82 does not move, and the pressure reducing valve 26 remains open. This operation corresponds to the operation of transitioning from the state shown in Figure 37B to the state shown in Figure 37C.

[0192] 37B, the second connection pin 210 is engaged with the clockwise first end 250 of the elongated hole 224, and therefore as the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 moves in the same direction in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating arm 206. Meanwhile, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the elongated hole 96 is still in an intermediate position between the first end 240 and the second end 242 of the elongated hole 96 and is not engaged with the valve drive lever 82, so the valve drive lever 82 does not move in conjunction with the rotation of the first connection pin 210.

[0193] The positional relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the first connection pin 208 is designed so that the first connection pin 208 does not engage with the second end 242 of the elongated hole 96 until the state transitions from that shown in Figure 37A to that shown in Figure 37C. This makes it possible to create a state in which the valve drive lever 82 is not linked to the operation of the handle 201 when the handle 201 is rotated counterclockwise, i.e., a state in which the linkage between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released.

[0194] According to the above operation, the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 can be shifted to the locked state by operating the handle 201, regardless of whether the cooking space S is pressurized or not. This allows the lid 10 and the main body 8 to be locked even when not pressurized, improving safety.

[0195] <Open ⇒ Close (motor automatic)> As shown in FIG. 39, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is shifted from an open state to a closed state by automatic operation of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 rotates from 0° to A°, and then from A° to C°.

[0196] When the valve drive lever 82 rotates from 0° to A°, the handle 201 moves in conjunction with it from 0° to A°, but the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction with it. Note that even when the valve drive lever 82 rotates A°, the pressure reducing valve 26 does not enter a closed state, but remains in an open state. This operation corresponds to the operation of transitioning from the state shown in Figure 34A to the state shown in Figure 34B.

[0197] As shown in Fig. 34A, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the elongated hole 96 is engaged with the clockwise first end 240 of the elongated hole 96 (Figs. 25A and 25B). Therefore, when the valve drive lever 82 begins to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R9), the first connection pin 208 moves in the same direction (arrow R10). On the other hand, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the elongated hole 224 is engaged with the counterclockwise second end 252 of the elongated hole 224 (Figs. 32D and 32E). Therefore, even if the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the second connection pin 210 does not move in conjunction with the rotation. For this reason, the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction with the movement of the valve drive lever 82.

[0198] As shown in Figure 39, when the valve drive lever 82 rotates from A° to C°, the pressure reducing valve 26 transitions from the closed state to the open state. Furthermore, the handle 201 also moves in conjunction with the rotation from A° to C°, and the lock ring 216 also moves in conjunction with the rotation from 0° to (CA)°. As a result, both the handle 201 and the lock ring 216 move to the locked position. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in Figure 34B to the state shown in Figure 34C.

[0199] 34B, the second connection pin 210 inserted through the elongated hole 224 engages with the clockwise first end 250 of the elongated hole 224. As the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 rotates in the same direction in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating arm 206, and the state transitions to the state shown in FIG.

[0200] According to the above operation, when executing the cooking course of pressure cooking, the locking ring 216 can be automatically moved to the locked position. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a situation where the pressure reducing valve 26 is closed in a state where the locking ring 216 has not moved to the locked position (including the semi-locked state). The closing of the pressure reducing valve 26 and the locking of the lid 10 can be carried out simultaneously, improving safety.

[0201] <Closed ⇒ Open (Manual operation of the handle)> As shown in FIG. 40, when shifting from the closed state to the open state by manually operating the handle 201, the handle 201 rotates from C° to B°, and then rotates from B° to 0°. The angles of B and C may be appropriately set as long as B < C. B is, for example, about 20°. In the present embodiment, the relationship of B > A holds.

[0202] When the handle 201 rotates from C° to B°, the valve drive lever 82 moves from C° to B° in conjunction. Thereby, the pressure reducing valve 26 shifts from the closed state to the open state, and the cooking space S is opened to atmospheric pressure. Also, the locking ring 216 does not move in conjunction and maintains the locked state. This operation corresponds to the transition operation from the state shown in FIG. 36A to the state shown in FIG. 36B.

[0203] In the state shown in FIG. 36A, the first connection pin 208 inserted into the long hole 96 is engaged with the clockwise first end portion 240 (FIGS. 25A, 25B) in the long hole 96. Therefore, when the rotary arm 206 and the first connection pin 208 rotate clockwise by operating the handle 201, the valve drive lever 82 engaged with the first connection pin 208 also rotates in the same direction in conjunction. On the other hand, the second connection pin 210 inserted into the long hole 224 is engaged with the clockwise first end portion 250 in the long hole 224. Therefore, even when the rotary arm 206 rotates clockwise, the locking ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 does not operate in conjunction.

[0204] As shown in Figure 40, when handle 201 rotates from B° to 0°, valve drive lever 82 moves in conjunction with it from B° to 0°, and lock ring 216 also moves in conjunction with it from B° to 0°. As a result, both handle 201 and lock ring 216 move to the locked position. Note that pressure reducing valve 26 remains in the open state. This operation corresponds to the operation of transitioning from the state shown in Figure 36B to the state shown in Figure 36C.

[0205] When the state shown in Figure 36B is reached, the second connection pin 210 inserted into the elongated hole 224 engages with the counterclockwise second end 252 of the elongated hole 224, and therefore, as the rotating arm 206 rotates clockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connection pin 210 also rotates in the same direction in conjunction with the clockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206, transitioning to the state shown in Figure 36C.

[0206] According to the above operation, even in the event of a malfunction of the motor 102 or a power outage, the cooking space S can be depressurized from a pressurized state to atmospheric pressure, allowing the contents to be removed quickly.

[0207] <Close ⇒ Open (motor automatic)> As shown in FIG. 41, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is shifted from the closed state to the open state by automatic operation of the motor 102, the valve drive lever 82 rotates from C° to B°, and then from B° to 0°.

[0208] When the valve drive lever 82 rotates from C° to B°, the handle 201 and lock ring 216 do not move together, and the lock ring 216 maintains its locked state. When the valve drive lever 82 moves to B°, the pressure reducing valve 26 transitions from a closed state to an open state, and the cooking space S is opened to atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, when the valve drive lever 82 rotates from B° to 0°, the handle 201 and lock ring 216 do not move together, and the lock ring 216 maintains its locked state. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in FIG. 35A to the state shown in FIG. 35B.

[0209] In the state shown in Figure 35A, the first connection pin 208 inserted through the elongated hole 96 is engaged with the clockwise first end 240 of the elongated hole 96. Therefore, even if the valve drive lever 82 rotates clockwise, the first connection pin 208 does not move in conjunction with it, and the state transitions to the state shown in Figure 35B.

[0210] The positional relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the first connection pin 208 is designed so that the first connection pin 208 does not engage with the second end 242 of the elongated hole 96 until the state transitions from the state shown in Figure 35A to the state shown in Figure 35B. As a result, when the valve drive lever 82 is rotated clockwise (in the valve opening direction) by automatic operation of the motor 102, it is possible to create a state in which the rotating arm 206 connected to the first connection pin 208 is not linked to the operation of the valve drive lever 82, i.e., a state in which the linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released.

[0211] According to the above operation, it is possible to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open state without releasing the locked state of the lock ring 216. This allows the lid 10 and the main body 8 to remain locked together, improving safety.

[0212] (Action / Effect 1) As described above, the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment comprises a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealed position for sealing the cooking space S1 and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, and a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, and the valve drive unit 40 comprises a motor 102 (drive source) and a valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation unit) that rotates due to the driving force of the motor 102.

[0213] According to this cooking appliance 2, the rotational movement of valve driver 40 allows the valve driver 40 to be disposed by effectively utilizing the internal space of lid 10, contributing to a reduction in the product size of cooking appliance 2. In particular, when lid 10 has a roughly circular external shape in a plan view, by rotating valve driver 40 rather than linearly moving it, the internal space of lid 10 can be effectively utilized to provide valve driver 40 without increasing the horizontal dimension of lid 10 in one direction. This allows the horizontal size of lid 10 to be reduced, leading to a reduction in the size of cooking appliance 2.

[0214] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the rotation axis Ax of the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement part) extends along the thickness direction of the lid 10. According to such a cooker 2, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to arrange the valve drive part, and in particular the height of the lid 10 can be reduced.

[0215] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating operation part) has a push-down part 94 for pushing down the pressure reducing valve 26 from the closed position to the open position, and the push-down part 94 moves in an arc between a first position (FIG. 24B) where the pressure reducing valve 26 is pushed down and a second position (FIG. 24A) different from the first position. In this cooker 2, the push-down part 94 moves in an arc, which makes it easier to ensure a longer movement distance than if it moves in a straight line. This allows the position of the push-down part 94 to be adjusted more precisely while effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, thereby improving the accuracy of pressure adjustment.

[0216] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment, the push-down portion 94 has an inclined surface 98 whose height changes along the direction of the arc-shaped movement. According to such a cooking device 2, the push-down portion 94 can be configured with a simple structure.

[0217] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotational operation part) includes an arc arm 86 (first arm) extending in an arc shape, and a connecting arm 88 (second arm) connecting the arc arm 86 and the rotation axis Ax. According to such a cooking device 2, the valve drive part 40 can be configured with a simple structure.

[0218] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotational operation part) has a component arrangement space 99 in an area surrounded by the arc arm 86 (first arm) and the connecting arm 88 (second arm). According to such a cooking device 2, other components can be arranged in the component arrangement space 99, making it possible to make effective use of the space.

[0219] Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, a gear portion 104 (first gear) for transmitting the driving force of the motor 102 (driving source) to the valve drive lever 82 (rotational operation portion) is provided in the component arrangement space 99, and a gear portion 92 (second gear) that meshes with the gear portion 104 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the arc arm 86 (first arm). According to such a cooking appliance 2, the gear portions 92, 104 can be arranged by utilizing the space of the component arrangement space 99, and the valve drive lever 82 can be operated with a simple configuration.

[0220] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the gear unit 104 (first gear) and the gear unit 92 (second gear) are each composed of a spur gear, and the pressure reducing valve 26 moves up and down along the axial direction C of the spur gear. According to this cooking device 2, even when the pressure reducing valve 26 moves up and down and presses the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement part), a pressing force is applied in the axial direction C of the spur gear, so no driving force is transmitted between the gear units 92 and 104. This makes it possible to realize a configuration in which no unnecessary force is applied to the gear unit 104 or the motor 102.

[0221] Moreover, the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment further includes a support plate 84 that rotatably supports the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement portion). According to such a cooking device 2, the movement of the valve drive lever 82 becomes more stable.

[0222] Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement portion) has an arc arm 86 (first arm) that extends in an arc shape, and the support plate 84 has an arc groove portion 118 that guides the arc movement of the arc arm 86 (first arm). According to such a cooking appliance 2, the movement of the valve drive lever 82 can be stabilized.

[0223] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the support plate 84 includes a wall portion 110 (first restriction wall) that blocks movement of the valve drive lever 82 (rotational operating portion) in a first direction (counterclockwise in plan view) and a wall portion 112 (second restriction wall) that blocks movement of the valve drive lever 82 in a second direction (clockwise in plan view), and the valve drive lever 82 is provided rotatably in the area between the wall portions 110 and 112. With this cooker 2, the movement range of the valve drive lever 82 can be easily defined. Furthermore, even if an abnormality occurs in the operation of the valve drive lever 82, the movement can be restricted by contact with the walls 110, 112, so that the load on the gear portions 92, 104, etc. can be alleviated.

[0224] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotational operating portion) has a component arrangement space 99 in an area surrounded by the arc arm 86 (first arm) and the connecting arm 88 (second arm), and the support plate 84 has a screw receiving portion 160 (fixing portion) for fixing the support plate 84 to the lid 10 (block 172), and the screw receiving portion 160 is arranged in the component arrangement space 99. According to such a cooker 2, it becomes possible to fix the support plate 84 to the lid 10 at a position close to the center of the support plate 84, and the strength of the support plate 84 can be improved.

[0225] Moreover, the cooking device 2 of this embodiment is further provided with a cover member 78 that covers the valve drive lever 82 (rotational movement portion), and the valve drive lever 82 has a rib 89 at a location that comes into contact with the cover member 78. With this cooking device 2, friction between the valve drive lever 82 and the cover member 78 can be reduced when the valve drive lever 82 slides, and the movement of the valve drive lever 82 can be stabilized.

[0226] (Action / Effect 2) As described above, the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment includes a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealed position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid lock member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid 10 and an unlocked position that allows the opening, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operating member) for manually operating the lock ring 216 by a user, wherein the valve drive unit 40 has an elongated hole 96 (first engagement portion), and the lid lock drive unit 200 has a first connection pin 208 (second engagement portion) that engages with the elongated hole 96.

[0227] According to this cooking appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 can be engaged with each other to link their respective operations. This allows the pressure reducing valve 26 and the lock ring 216 to be automatically moved to appropriate positions depending on the situation, eliminating the need for manual operation by the user and improving the convenience of using the cooking appliance 2.

[0228] Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are interlocked with each other by the engagement between the long hole 96 and the first connection pin 208. This makes it possible to switch between an interlocked state and a non-interlocked state depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40, 200.

[0229] Note that the configuration is not limited to the case where the valve driver 40 has the elongated hole 96 and the lid lock driver 200 has the pin 208, and the valve driver 40 may have a pin and the lid lock driver 200 may have an elongated hole. In other words, the first engagement part of the valve driver 40 may be either the elongated hole or the pin, and the second engagement part of the lid lock driver 200 may be the other.

[0230] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the lid lock driving unit 200 has a rotating arm 206 (arm member) extending in the horizontal direction B inside the lid 10 so as to connect between the handle 201 (operating member) and the lock ring 216 (lid lock member), the first connection pin 208 (second engagement portion) is a pin provided on the rotating arm 206, and the elongated hole 96 (first engagement portion) is an elongated hole through which the first connection pin 208 is inserted. According to such a cooker 2, the pin 208 and the elongated hole 96 are provided while making effective use of the internal space of the lid 10, and the two driving units 40, 200 can be linked together.

[0231] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 each rotate. With this cooker 2, it is easier to link the operations of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200, and the space in the lateral direction B in the lid 10 can be used effectively, allowing the product size to be reduced.

[0232] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment, the rotation axis Ax of the valve drive unit 40 and the rotation axis Ax of the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) are coaxial. With such a cooking device 2, it is possible to suppress axial misalignment, while simplifying the configuration and reducing the size of the product.

[0233] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the lid 10 is provided with a handle 201 (operating member) that is rotated, and a shaft member 203 that extends in the thickness direction of the lid 10 as the rotation axis Ax of the handle 201, and a through hole 100 is formed in the rotation center 90 of the valve drive unit 40, through which the shaft member 203 is inserted. With this cooking device 2, a coaxial structure can be created with a simple configuration.

[0234] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of this embodiment, the handle 201 (operating member) is rotated about a rotation axis Ax that extends along the thickness direction of the lid 10. Such cooking device 2 can be easily operated by the user.

[0235] Cooker 2 of the present embodiment further includes lock ring restriction valve 28 (movable member) that is provided on inner lid 14 and that is positioned at a first position when the pressure in cooking space S1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure, and at a second position when the pressure is less than the predetermined pressure, lock ring restriction valve 28 selectively engages with lock ring 216 so as to restrict movement of lock ring 216 (lid lock member) in the first position (FIG. 11C) and not restrict movement of lock ring 216 in the second position (FIGS. 11A and 11B). According to such cooker 2, by providing lock ring restriction valve 28, lid 10 cannot be opened when cooking space S1 is in a high-pressure state, thereby improving safety.

[0236] (Action / Effect 3) As described above, the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment comprises a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealed position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that is open to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 and variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid lock member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid 10 and an unlocked position that allows the opening, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operating member) for manually operating the lock ring 216 by the user, and the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0237] According to this cooking appliance 2, by linking the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 with the operation of the valve drive unit 40, the locking / unlocking operation of the lid 10 can be performed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the pressure reducing valve 26, which can be used in place of manual operation by the user. This improves the convenience of using the cooking appliance 2.

[0238] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of the present embodiment, when the valve drive unit 40 operates in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position, the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in a direction to move the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) to the locked position in conjunction with the valve drive unit 40. With this cooker 2, when a pressure cooking menu is selected, even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or the locking is insufficient (for example, a half-locked state), the lid 10 can be automatically transitioned to a locked state, making it possible to start pressure cooking.

[0239] Cooker 2 of the present embodiment further includes an operation display unit 6 (cooking menu selection unit) for selecting a cooking menu, and control unit 11, and control unit 11 operates valve drive unit 40 in a direction that moves pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position in response to the pressure cooking menu being selected on operation display unit 6. With cooker 2 of this kind, when a pressure cooking menu is performed, cooking space S1 of pot 4 can be sealed to enable pressure cooking to begin.

[0240] Cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment further includes lid lock detection means 228 that detects whether lock ring 216 (lid lock member) is in the locked position. According to such cooking appliance 2, by confirming that lock ring 216 is in the locked position, it is possible to confirm that pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position in addition to that lock ring 216 is in the locked position.

[0241] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, when the valve drive unit 40 operates in a direction that moves the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, the interlock between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released. According to this cooker 2, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the open position to return the pot 4 to atmospheric pressure at the end of cooking, the lid lock drive unit 200 is not interlocked and the locked state of the lid is not released, so that the user must manually unlock the lid. This improves safety.

[0242] Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve driver 40 and the lid lock driver 200 are linked to each other by the engagement between the slot 96 and the pin 208. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by linking them through the engagement between the slot 96 and the pin 208, it is possible to switch between an interlocked state and a non-interlocked state depending on the operating direction and position of the drivers 40, 200.

[0243] Moreover, the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment further includes a control unit 11, and the valve driving unit 40 includes a motor 102 (driving source) controlled by the control unit 11, and a valve driving lever 82 (operating unit) operated by the driving force of the motor 102. According to such a cooking device 2, the valve driving unit 40 can be operated automatically.

[0244] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (operating part) rotates. According to such a cooking device 2, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to arrange the valve drive part 40, which contributes to a reduction in the product size.

[0245] (Action / Effect 4) As described above, the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment comprises a pot 4 having a cooking space S1, a heater 9 (heating unit) for heating the pot 4, a lid 10 having an inner lid 14 for sealing the cooking space S1, a pressure reducing valve 26 provided on the inner lid 14 and movable between a sealed position for sealing the cooking space S1 and an open position for opening to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid lock member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a locked position for restricting the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlocked position for enabling the opening operation, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operating member) for manually operating the lock ring 216 by the user, and the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0246] In this cooker 2, by linking the operation of the valve drive unit 40 with the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, the opening and closing of the pressure reducing valve 26 can be performed in conjunction with the locking / unlocking of the lid 10. For example, when unlocking the lid 10, it is possible to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position to return the pressure in the pot 4 to atmospheric pressure. This allows the pressure in the pot 4 to be returned to atmospheric pressure so that the lid 10 can be opened even when the valve drive unit 40 does not operate due to a power outage or the like, improving the convenience of using the cooker 2.

[0247] Furthermore, in cooker 2 of the present embodiment, when lid lock driver 200 operates in a direction to move lock ring 216 (lid lock member) to the unlocked position, valve driver 40 operates in a direction to move pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position in conjunction with lid lock driver 200. With cooker 2 like this, even if valve driver 40 does not operate due to a power outage or the like, the pressure in pot 4 can be made to atmospheric pressure, allowing lid 10 to be opened.

[0248] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of the present embodiment, when the operation of the valve drive unit 40 is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, the pressure reducing valve 26 moves to the open position, and then the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) moves to the unlocked position. According to such a cooker 2, the lid 10 can be opened after the pressure in the cooking space S1 is released, thereby improving safety and convenience.

[0249] Moreover, the cooking appliance 2 of the present embodiment further includes a protrusion 229 that selectively engages with the lid lock drive unit 200 so as to produce a clicking sensation in response to operation of the handle 201 (operating member). Such a cooking appliance 2 can prevent erroneous operation by the user.

[0250] Furthermore, in the cooker 2 of this embodiment, when the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in a direction that moves the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) to the locked position, the interlock between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released. With this cooker 2, when the user manually closes the lid 10, the pressure reducing valve 26 is not moved to the sealed position, so that the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 cannot be put into a sealed state that allows pressurization by manual operation by the user. This improves safety.

[0251] Furthermore, in the cooking appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve driver 40 and the lid lock driver 200 are linked to each other by the engagement between the slot 96 and the pin 208. According to such a cooking appliance 2, by linking them through the engagement between the slot 96 and the pin 208, it is possible to switch between an interlocked state and a non-interlocked state depending on the operating direction and position of the drivers 40, 200.

[0252] Moreover, the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment further includes a control unit 11, and the valve driving unit 40 includes a motor 102 (driving source) controlled by the control unit 11, and a valve driving lever 82 (operating unit) operated by the driving force of the motor 102. According to such a cooking device 2, the valve driving unit 40 can be operated automatically.

[0253] Furthermore, in the cooking device 2 of the present embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 rotates. According to such a cooking device 2, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to arrange the valve drive part 40, which contributes to a reduction in the product size.

[0254] Although the invention of the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiments, the invention of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0255] Although the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications should be understood to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom. Furthermore, changes in the combination and order of elements in each embodiment may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0256] By appropriately combining any of the various modifications of the above embodiment, it is possible to achieve the effects of each of the modifications. [Industrial Applicability]

[0257] The present disclosure is applicable to any cooking device that heats and cooks food or other ingredients. [Explanation of symbols]

[0258] 2 Cooker 4. Hotpot 9 Heater (heating part) 10 Lid 12 Outer lid 14 Inner lid 26 Pressure reducing valve 40 Valve drive unit 82 Valve drive lever (operating part, rotating operating part) 96 Long hole (first engagement part) 102 Motor (drive source) 200 Lid lock drive unit 201 Handle (operating member) 208 First connecting pin (second engaging portion) 214 Lid hook (first lid locking member) 216 Lock ring (second lid locking member) S1 cooking space

Claims

1. a pot having a cooking space; A heating unit that heats the pot; a lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space; a pressure reducing valve provided in the inner lid and movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure; a valve driving unit provided on the lid for variably operating the pressure reducing valve; a lid locking member provided on the lid and movable between a locked position that restricts the lid from opening and an unlocked position that allows the lid to open; a lid lock driving unit provided on the lid and having an operating member for manually operating the lid lock member by a user; The cooking device wherein the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit.

2. 2. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein when the valve drive unit operates in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve to the sealed position, the lid lock drive unit operates in a direction to move the lid locking member to the locked position in conjunction with the valve drive unit.

3. a cooking menu selection section for selecting a cooking menu; a control unit, The cooking device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit operates the valve drive unit in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve to the closed position in response to a pressurized cooking menu being selected by the cooking menu selection unit.

4. 3. The cooking device according to claim 2, further comprising a lid lock detection means for detecting whether the lid lock member is in the locked position.

5. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein when the valve drive unit operates in a direction to move the pressure reducing valve to the open position, the interlock between the valve drive unit and the lid lock drive unit is released.

6. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the valve drive unit and the lid lock drive unit are linked to each other by an engagement relationship between a long hole and a pin.

7. Further comprising a control unit, The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the valve driving unit includes a driving source controlled by the control unit, and an operating unit operated by a driving force of the driving source.

8. The cooking device according to claim 7 , wherein the operating portion is a rotational operating portion that rotates.

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