rice cooker

Abstract

To provide a rice cooker including a rice container storing rice, and capable of estimating an amount of rice stored in the rice container.SOLUTION: A rice cooker includes: a pot; a housing storing the pot; a rice container 70 storing rice; a rice feed part feeding the rice in the rice container 70 into the pot; and a capacitance detection part 90 installed on the outer face of the rice container 70. The capacitance detection part 90 includes: a detection electrode 91 forming capacitance with the rice stored in the rice container 70; and a reference electrode 92 forming capacitance with a part different from a part where the rice is stored, of the rice container 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice cooker. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional rice cooker is a fully automatic rice cooker that integrates the processes of storing, washing, and cooking rice. The conventional rice cooker includes a rice storage section for storing rice, a rice washing space for washing the rice, and a rice cooking section (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 5-220047 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] With conventional rice cookers, it is not possible to know how much rice is stored in the rice storage compartment, making it impossible to determine how many cups of rice can be cooked at the time of cooking, and there is room for improvement in terms of usability.

[0005] Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a rice cooker equipped with a rice container for storing rice, which can estimate the amount of rice stored in the rice container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. A rice cooker according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: A pot and A housing that accommodates the pot; a rice container for storing rice; a rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot; a capacitance detection unit provided on the outer surface of the rice container and having a detection electrode that forms capacitance with the rice contained in the rice container; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, in a rice cooker equipped with a rice container for storing rice, the amount of rice stored in the rice container can be estimated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view of line II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rice cooker according to the embodiment with the rice container lid open. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the rice cooker according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rice container and a capacitance detection unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rice container and a capacitance detection unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a cross section taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view of the capacitance detection unit according to the embodiment, viewed from a direction intersecting the outer surface of the second side wall. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the rice cooker according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Findings that form the basis of the present invention) The present inventors conducted extensive research to estimate the amount of rice contained in a rice container and came to the following findings.

[0010] The following methods can be used to estimate the amount of rice contained in a rice container.

[0011] For example, it is possible to install an optical sensor in a rice container and estimate the amount of rice contained in the container. However, with this method, the optical sensor detects dirt (e.g., rice powder) attached to the rice container, reducing the accuracy of estimating the amount of rice. In other words, there are problems specific to estimating the amount of rice, making it difficult to accurately estimate the amount of rice contained in a rice container using an optical sensor.

[0012] Another possible approach is to install a mechanical sensor in a rice container to estimate the amount of rice in the container. However, this method requires that the mechanical sensor be in contact with the rice in the container, and therefore that the mechanical sensor be installed inside the container. If the mechanical sensor is installed inside the container, it is difficult to keep the inside of the container hygienic, and if the mechanical sensor were to fall off, there is a risk that the mechanical sensor could become a foreign object and become mixed into the container.

[0013] The inventors therefore discovered a configuration in which the amount of rice contained in a rice container is detected using a capacitance detection unit. Compared to optical sensors, a capacitance detection unit (e.g., a capacitance sensor) can detect the presence or absence of rice in the rice container without being affected by dirt such as rice flour inside the container. Furthermore, since the capacitance detection unit can detect the presence or absence of rice even when installed on the outer surface of the rice container, it does not need to be installed inside the rice container. In other words, using a capacitance detection unit keeps the inside of the rice container hygienic, and even if the capacitance detection unit falls off the rice container, it will not become a foreign object and become mixed into the rice container. Based on these novel findings, the inventors arrived at the following invention.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, A pot and A housing that accommodates the pot; a rice container for storing rice; a rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot; a capacitance detection unit provided on the outer surface of the rice container and having a detection electrode that forms capacitance with the rice contained in the rice container; To provide a rice cooker comprising:

[0015] With this configuration, the presence or absence of rice at the position of the detection electrode in the rice container can be detected by the change in capacitance of the detection electrode, thereby allowing the amount of rice contained in the rice container to be estimated.

[0016] In addition, the presence or absence of rice at the location of the rice container where the detection electrode is attached can be detected non-contact by changing the capacitance of the detection electrode, so the inside of the rice container can be kept hygienic, unlike when using a contact-type sensor.

[0017] Furthermore, since the detection electrode is attached to the outer surface of the rice container, even if the detection electrode is peeled off from the rice container, the detection electrode can be prevented from getting inside the rice container.

[0018] The capacitance detection unit may include a plurality of the detection electrodes, and the plurality of detection electrodes may be arranged side by side at intervals from each other in the height direction of the rice container.

[0019] With this configuration, multiple detection electrodes are aligned in the height direction of the rice container, making it possible to detect the presence or absence of rice at multiple positions in the height direction of the rice container, thereby enabling more accurate estimation of the amount of rice contained in the rice container.

[0020] The rice container may be formed so that the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the height direction decreases from the top to the bottom of the rice container, and the plurality of detection electrodes may be three or more detection electrodes arranged so that the spacing between them increases from the top to the bottom of the rice container.

[0021] If the cross-sectional area of ​​the rice container perpendicular to the height direction decreases from top to bottom, and three or more detection electrodes are arranged in a row at equal intervals in the height direction of the rice container, the amount of rice contained between the detection electrodes decreases from top to bottom of the rice container, making it impossible to detect rice at a constant rate.In contrast, with this configuration, three or more detection electrodes are arranged so that the intervals between the detection electrodes increase from top to bottom of the rice container, which reduces the variation in the amount of rice contained between the detection electrodes compared to when three or more detection electrodes are arranged in a row at equal intervals in the height direction of the rice container.

[0022] When viewed from a direction intersecting the outer surface to which the detection electrode is attached, the dimension of the detection electrode in the horizontal direction may be larger than the dimension of the detection electrode in the height direction of the rice container.

[0023] If rice is unevenly distributed inside the rice container, even if the same amount of rice is contained inside the rice container, the capacitance of the detection electrode will vary depending on the distribution of rice, and the presence or absence of rice at the height position of the rice container where the detection electrode is attached may not be accurately detected. In contrast, with this configuration, the horizontal dimension of the detection electrode is larger than the height position of the rice container, so the presence or absence of rice can be detected by the detection electrode over a wider horizontal range than when the horizontal dimension of the detection electrode is smaller than the height position of the rice container. Therefore, even if rice is unevenly distributed inside the rice container, a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the height position of the rice container where the detection electrode is attached can be suppressed.

[0024] The rice container may have a first side wall facing the pot and a second side wall facing the first side wall and located on the opposite side of the pot from the first side wall, and the detection electrode may be attached to the second side wall.

[0025] Because the capacitance of the detection electrode changes with the ambient temperature, the presence or absence of rice at the location of the detection electrode in the rice container may not be accurately detected due to the influence of heat generated when the pot is heated. In contrast, with this configuration, the detection electrode is attached to the outer surface of the second side wall, which is located on the opposite side of the first side wall from the pot. Therefore, compared to when the detection electrode is attached to the first side wall, the detection electrode is less affected by heat generated when the pot is heated. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the location of the detection electrode in the rice container.

[0026] The rice container may have a thin-walled portion that is thinner than an adjacent portion, and the detection electrode may be attached to the thin-walled portion.

[0027] The shorter the distance between the detection electrode and the object to be detected, the easier it is to detect the presence or absence of the object to be detected. With this configuration, the detection electrode is attached to a thinner portion that is thinner than the adjacent portion, so the distance between the detection electrode and the rice is shorter than when the detection electrode is attached to the adjacent portion. As a result, the presence or absence of rice at the position of the rice container where the detection electrode is attached can be detected with high accuracy.

[0028] The capacitance detection unit may include wiring connected to the detection electrode, the rice container may include a thick portion that is thicker than the portion where the detection electrode is provided, and at least a portion of the wiring may be in contact with the outer surface of the thick portion.

[0029] The capacitance detected by the capacitance detection unit includes not only the capacitance formed between the detection electrode and the rice, but also the parasitic capacitance formed between the rice and the wiring connected to the detection electrode. Therefore, an increase in parasitic capacitance can reduce the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the location where the detection electrode is attached. In contrast, with this configuration, at least a portion of the wiring is in contact with the outer surface of the thick-walled portion, which is thicker than the area where the detection electrode is attached, so the distance between the rice contained in the rice container and the wiring can be increased. This reduces the parasitic capacitance formed between the wiring and the rice, preventing a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the location where the detection electrode is attached in the rice container.

[0030] The capacitance detection unit may include a reference electrode, and the reference electrode may be provided so as to face a portion of the rice container that is different from a portion in which rice is stored.

[0031] Because the capacitance of the detection electrode changes due to environmental factors such as the temperature around the detection electrode, it may not be possible to accurately detect the presence or absence of rice at the location of the detection electrode in the rice container. In contrast, this configuration improves detection accuracy by positioning the reference electrode so that it faces a different part of the rice container from the part containing rice. More specifically, because the reference electrode faces a different part of the rice container from the part containing rice, capacitance is less likely to occur between the rice contained in the rice container and the reference electrode compared to when the reference electrode faces the part containing rice. Therefore, by detecting the capacitance of the reference electrode, fluctuations in capacitance due to environmental factors (e.g., the temperature around the detection electrode and reference electrode) can be detected. Therefore, for example, by calculating the difference between the capacitance of the detection electrode and the capacitance of the reference electrode, noise components due to environmental factors can be removed. As a result, a decrease in the detection accuracy of the presence or absence of rice at the location of the detection electrode in the rice container can be suppressed.

[0032] The rice cooker may include an estimation unit that estimates the remaining amount of rice contained in the rice container, and a supply amount setting unit that sets the supply amount of rice to be supplied from the rice container to the pot by the rice supply unit, wherein the estimation unit may estimate the remaining amount of rice based on the capacitance of the detection electrode, and then, when the supply amount setting unit sets the supply amount, estimate the amount of rice contained in the rice container by subtracting the supply amount set by the supply amount setting unit from the estimated remaining amount of rice.

[0033] According to this configuration, by subtracting the supply amount set by the supply amount setting unit from the remaining rice amount estimated based on the capacitance of the detection electrode, the remaining rice amount can be continuously estimated even if the rice container contains an amount of rice that cannot be detected by the detection electrode.

[0034] The rice container may include a rice container lid that opens and closes the rice container inlet, and the estimation unit may estimate the remaining amount of rice based on the capacitance of the detection electrode when the rice container lid is opened or closed.

[0035] When the estimation unit determines that no capacitance is formed between the rice contained in the rice container and the detection electrode, it may estimate the remaining amount of rice based on the capacitance of the detection electrode when capacitance was formed between the rice contained in the rice container and the detection electrode.

[0036] The rice cooker may include a rice container lid that opens and closes the rice container inlet of the rice container, a water container that stores water, a water supply unit that supplies water from the water container into the pot, a timing unit that measures the time during which the rice container lid is not opened or closed, and a control unit that controls the amount of water supplied, and when the time measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain time, the control unit may control the water supply unit to supply an amount of water into the pot that is greater than the amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked.

[0037] After rice is placed in the rice container and a certain amount of time has passed, the rice may dry out (i.e., the moisture content of the rice may decrease). In this case, if the rice is cooked with an amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked, the desired rice may not be cooked (for example, the rice may become harder than desired). Also, if the rice container lid is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, the rice placed in the rice container may dry out. With this configuration, if the rice container lid is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, an amount of water greater than the amount of rice appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked is supplied to the pot, so even if the rice supplied from the rice container to the pot is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of moisture. As a result, the desired rice can be cooked.

[0038] The rice cooker includes a rice container lid that opens and closes the rice container inlet of the rice container, a water container that stores water, a water supply unit that supplies water from the water container into the pot, a timing unit that measures the time during which the rice container lid is not opened or closed, and a control unit that executes a soaking process, a temperature increasing process, a boiling maintaining process, and a steaming process, and when the time measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain time, the control unit may execute the soaking process for a time longer than that appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process.

[0039] With this configuration, if the rice container lid has not been opened or closed for a certain period of time, the soaking process is carried out for a longer period of time than is appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked, so even if the rice supplied from the rice container to the pot is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of water, resulting in the desired rice being cooked.

[0040] The rice cooker includes a rice container lid that opens and closes the rice container inlet of the rice container, a water container that stores water, a water supply unit that supplies water from the water container into the pot, a timing unit that measures the time during which the rice container lid is not opened or closed, and a control unit that executes a soaking process, a temperature increase process, a boiling maintenance process, and a steaming process, and when the time measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain time, the control unit may execute the soaking process at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process.

[0041] Dry rice is prone to cracking, and when cracked rice is cooked, starch dissolves from the rice into the water during the soaking process, making the cooked rice sticky. As a result, the rice may not be cooked to the desired consistency. With this configuration, if the rice container lid is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, the soaking process is carried out at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked. Therefore, even if the rice supplied from the rice container to the pot is dry and cracked, starch is less likely to dissolve from the rice into the water during the soaking process, preventing the cooked rice from becoming sticky and allowing the desired rice to be cooked.

[0042] The rice cooker may include a water container for storing water, a water supply unit for supplying the water in the water container into the pot, a timing unit for measuring the time during which the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit remains unchanged, and a control unit for controlling the amount of water supplied, and when the time measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain period of time, the control unit may control the water supply unit to supply an amount of water into the pot that is greater than the amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked.

[0043] If the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detector remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the rice contained in the rice container may be dry. With this configuration, if the rice container lid is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, a quantity of water greater than the amount appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked is supplied to the pot. Therefore, even if the rice supplied from the rice container to the pot is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of water. As a result, the desired rice can be cooked.

[0044] The cooking pot comprises a water container for storing water, a water supply unit for supplying the water in the water container into the pot, a timing unit for measuring the time during which the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit remains unchanged, and a control unit for executing a soaking process, a heating process, a boiling maintenance process, and a steaming process, and if the time measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain time, the control unit may execute the soaking process for a time longer than that appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process.

[0045] With this configuration, if the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detector remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the soaking process is continued for a longer period than is appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked, so that even if the rice supplied from the rice container to the pot is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of water, resulting in the desired rice being cooked.

[0046] The cooking pot includes a water container for storing water, a water supply unit for supplying the water in the water container into the pot, a timing unit for measuring the time during which the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit remains unchanged, and a control unit for executing a soaking process, a heating process, a boiling maintenance process, and a steaming process, and when the time measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain period of time, the control unit may execute the soaking process at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process.

[0047] With this configuration, if the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the soaking process is carried out at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked.As a result, even if the rice supplied from the rice container to the pot is dry and cracked, the starch is less likely to dissolve from the rice into the water during the soaking process, preventing the cooked rice from becoming sticky and allowing you to cook the rice to the desired consistency.

[0048] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, substantially the same components in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0049] In addition, for the sake of convenience, the following uses terms indicating directions such as "up," "down," "front," and "rear," assuming the state of normal use, but this does not mean to limit the state of use of the rice cooker according to the present invention.

[0050] (Embodiment) The overall configuration of a rice cooker according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rice cooker according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. The rice cooker 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called fully automatic rice cooker, which can automatically perform all processes from supplying rice and water to the pot to cooking the rice. Furthermore, in this embodiment, rice that does not need to be washed, so-called no-wash rice, is used as the rice to be cooked. Note that the rice to be cooked is not limited to no-wash rice, and may also be polished rice.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 1, the rice cooker 1 according to this embodiment comprises a housing 10, a main body lid 11 that covers the top of the housing 10, and a rice storage section 20 that is arranged on the side of the housing 10 and that stores rice.

[0052] 2, the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment includes a cylindrical pot 30 with a bottom. The pot 30 is housed in the housing 10. Rice is placed in the pot 30 during cooking.

[0053] Hinge portion 10a is provided at the upper rear portion of housing 10. Body lid 11 is attached to hinge portion 10a. Body lid 11 rotates about hinge portion 10a to cover the opening of pot 30 in an openable and closable manner.

[0054] The rice cooker 1 of this embodiment includes a heating unit 40 that heats the pot 30. The heating unit 40 of this embodiment is an induction heating coil that inductively heats the pot 30 when current is applied. The heating unit 40 is disposed inside the housing 10. More specifically, the heating unit 40 is disposed inside the housing 10 so as to face the bottom surface of the pot 30 and the lower part of the side surface of the pot 30.

[0055] The rice cooker 1 of this embodiment includes a water storage unit 50 that stores water. The water storage unit 50 is disposed inside the housing 10. The water storage unit 50 is in fluid communication with the inside of the pot 30 through a water supply pipe (not shown). A water supply pump (not shown) is provided in the water supply pipe. When the water supply pump is driven, water in the water storage unit 50 is supplied into the pot 30 through the water supply pipe. The water storage unit 50 of this embodiment is an example of a water container according to the present invention. Furthermore, the water supply pipe and the water supply pump of this embodiment constitute an example of a water supply unit according to the present invention.

[0056] The rice cooker 1 of this embodiment includes a main body control unit 60 that controls the overall operation of the rice cooker 1.

[0057] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rice cooker according to this embodiment with the rice container lid open, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the rice cooker according to this embodiment.

[0058] 3 and 4, the rice containing section 20 includes a rice container 70 for containing rice, a cylindrical section 21, an outer cover 22, and a rice container lid 23.

[0059] The rice container 70 is box-shaped and stores rice in its internal space. The height direction of the rice container 70 coincides with the vertical direction Z.

[0060] As shown in Figure 4, the rice container 70 is in fluid communication with the inside of the pot 30 (shown in Figure 2) through a rice delivery pipe 80. The rice delivery pipe 80 is connected to the rice container 70 via a rice measuring unit 81. The rice measuring unit 81 measures the amount of rice supplied from the rice container 70 and supplies the specified amount of rice to the rice delivery pipe 80. A rice delivery fan (not shown) is provided in the rice delivery pipe 80. When the rice delivery fan is driven, the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the rice delivery pipe 80 is supplied into the pot 30 through the rice delivery pipe 80. The rice delivery pipe 80, rice measuring unit 81, and rice delivery fan of this embodiment constitute an example of a rice supply unit according to the present invention.

[0061] The cylindrical portion 21 has a cylindrical shape that extends in the height direction of the rice container 70. The cylindrical portion 21 forms the upper part of the rice storage portion 20. The cylindrical portion 21 is attached to the upper end of the rice container 70.

[0062] The outer cover 22 covers the sides of the rice container 70, thereby preventing the rice container 70 from being exposed to the outside. On the other hand, the outer cover 22 is located below the tubular portion 21 and does not cover the tubular portion 21. The outer cover 22 is made of ABS resin, which has a relative dielectric constant of 2.4 to 4.1.

[0063] The rice container lid 23 is attached to a hinge 21a provided at the rear of the tube 21. The rice container lid 23 rotates around the hinge 21a to cover a rice container inlet 70a (described later) of the rice container 70 in an openable and closable manner.

[0064] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a rice container and a capacitance detection unit according to this embodiment. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a rice container and a capacitance detection unit according to this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rice container seen from the pot side, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rice container seen from the opposite side to the pot. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a cross section taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6.

[0065] 5 and 6, the rice container 70 is box-shaped and open at the top. The material of the rice container 70 in this embodiment is polypropylene. The relative dielectric constant of polypropylene is 2.0 to 2.6. In other words, the relative dielectric constant of the rice container 70 is higher than that of air (approximately 1.0) and lower than that of rice (3.5 to 3.7).

[0066] The rice container 70 has a rice container inlet 70a into which rice is put and a rice container outlet 70b for supplying rice to a rice measuring section 81 (shown in FIG. 4).

[0067] The rice container inlet 70a is provided at the upper end of the rice container 70. The rice container inlet 70a is an opening that opens upward. The internal space of the rice container 70 and the internal space of the tubular portion 21 (shown in Figure 3) are in communication with each other via the rice container inlet 70a.

[0068] The rice container outlet 70b is provided at the bottom end of the rice container 70. The rice container outlet 70b is an opening that opens toward the rear. A rice measuring unit 81 (shown in FIG. 4) is connected to the rice container outlet 70b.

[0069] The rice container 70 includes a front wall 71, a rear wall 72, a first side wall 73, and a second side wall 74. The front wall 71, the rear wall 72, the first side wall 73, and the second side wall 74 form the portion of the rice container 70 in which rice is stored.

[0070] The front wall 71 forms one side (front side) of the rice container 70 in the front-rear direction Y. The front wall 71 extends along the lateral direction X and the vertical direction Z. The lateral direction X, the front-rear direction Y, and the vertical direction Z are perpendicular to one another.

[0071] The rear wall 72 forms the other side (rear side) of the rice container 70 in the front-rear direction Y, and is disposed at a distance from the front wall 71 in the front-rear direction Y. The rear wall 72 includes a vertical wall portion 72a and an inclined wall portion 72b that is continuous with the lower end of the vertical wall portion 72a.

[0072] The vertical wall portion 72a extends along the lateral direction X and the up-down direction Z. More specifically, the vertical wall portion 72a is disposed parallel to the front wall 71.

[0073] The inclined wall portion 72b extends downward at an angle so as to approach the front wall 71. As a result, in the range where the inclined wall portion 72b is provided, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the height direction of the rice container 70 decreases from the top to the bottom of the rice container 70. In other words, in the range where the inclined wall portion 72b is provided, the volume per unit height of the rice container 70 decreases from the top to the bottom of the rice container 70.

[0074] The first side wall 73 forms one side of the rice container 70 in the lateral direction X (the side facing the paper in FIG. 6). The first side wall 73 extends along the front-rear direction Y and the up-down direction Z. The first side wall 73 is disposed opposite the housing 10 (shown in FIG. 2). More specifically, the first side wall 73 is disposed opposite the pot 30 (shown in FIG. 2) housed in the housing 10.

[0075] The second side wall 74 forms the other side of the rice container 70 in the lateral direction X (the far side of the paper in FIG. 6). The second side wall 74 extends along the front-rear direction Y and the up-down direction Z. The second side wall 74 is disposed at a distance from the first side wall 73 in the lateral direction X. The second side wall 74 faces the first side wall 73 and is disposed on the opposite side of the pot 30 (shown in FIG. 2) from the first side wall 73. In other words, the distance between the second side wall 74 and the pot 30 (more specifically, the distance in the lateral direction X) is longer than the distance between the first side wall 73 and the pot 30 (more specifically, the distance in the lateral direction X).

[0076] 5, a first mounting portion 75 to which a detection electrode 91 (described later) is attached, and ribs 76A and 76B are formed on the second side wall 74. The first mounting portion 75 is located rearward of the center of the second side wall 74 in the front-to-rear direction, that is, closer to the rear wall 72. In the following description, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the ribs 76A and 76B, one of these may be simply referred to as the rib 76.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 7 , the first mounting portion 75 is recessed toward the first side wall 73 on the outer surface of the second side wall 74 (i.e., toward the internal space of the rice container 70). The outer surface of the first mounting portion 75 in this embodiment is flat. The first mounting portion 75 is thinner than adjacent portions (e.g., the adjacent portion 74a or the portion of the second side wall 74 where the rib 76A is provided). Specifically, the thickness t1 of the first mounting portion 75 (dimension in the horizontal direction X in this embodiment) is 1.5 mm. The thickness t2 of the adjacent portion 74a (dimension in the horizontal direction X in this embodiment) is 2.3 mm. Furthermore, the thickness t3 of the portion of the second side wall 74 where the rib 76 is provided is 3.0 mm. The first mounting portion 75 in this embodiment is an example of a thin-walled portion according to the present invention.

[0078] The rib 76 protrudes in the lateral direction X from the outer surface of the second side wall 74 and extends in the up-down direction Z. The ribs 76A and 76B are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction Y. The rib 76A is disposed adjacent to the first mounting portion 75. The ribs 76A and 76B of this embodiment are an example of a thick portion according to the present invention. The height (dimension in the lateral direction X) of the rib 76 of this embodiment, i.e., the amount of protrusion D from the outer surface of the second side wall 74, is 0.7 mm.

[0079] 5 and 6, a rice-transporting blade (not shown) is disposed at the bottom of the interior space of the rice container 70. The rice-transporting blade rotates by receiving driving force from a motor. As a result, rice contained in the interior space of the rice container 70 is supplied to the rice measuring unit 81 (shown in FIG. 4) through the rice container outlet 70b.

[0080] The rice container 70 of this embodiment has a substantially semi-cylindrical storage section 77 that houses the rice-transporting blade. The storage section 77 is provided in the lower part of the rice container 70. The rice container outlet 70b is provided behind the storage section 77.

[0081] As shown in Figure 5, the rice container 70 of this embodiment has a second mounting portion 78 to which a reference electrode 92 (described later) is attached. The second mounting portion 78 is a different portion of the rice container 70 from the portion where rice is stored (specifically, the portion formed by the front wall 71, rear wall 72, first side wall 73, and second side wall 74). The second mounting portion 78 is provided on the side of the storage portion 77 and below the second side wall 74 (more specifically, the first mounting portion 75). The second mounting portion 78 of this embodiment consists of three ribs that protrude in the lateral direction X from the outer surface of the storage portion 77 and extend in the up-down direction Z. The three ribs are spaced apart from one another in the front-to-back direction Y.

[0082] 5 and 6, the rice cooker 1 of this embodiment includes a capacitance detection unit 90 attached to the rice container 70. The capacitance detection unit 90 of this embodiment is a capacitance sensor.

[0083] FIG. 8 is a side view of the capacitance detection unit according to this embodiment as seen from a direction intersecting the outer surface of the second side wall.

[0084] The capacitance detection unit 90 includes a plurality of (five in this embodiment) detection electrodes 91A to 91E, a reference electrode 92, and a sensor control unit 93. In the following description, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the five detection electrodes 91A to 91E, one of the five detection electrodes 91A to 91E may be simply referred to as a detection electrode 91.

[0085] The detection electrode 91 is provided on the outer surface of the rice container 70 (shown in FIG. 5). More specifically, the detection electrode 91 is attached to the first mounting portion 75 (shown in FIG. 5) of the second side wall 74. In other words, the detection electrode 91 is attached to the portion of the rice container 70 that contains rice. The detection electrode 91 forms a capacitance with the rice contained in the rice container 70.

[0086] The detection electrode 91 in this embodiment has a rectangular shape. The detection electrode 91 is attached to the second side wall 74 (shown in FIG. 6) of the rice container 70 so that its long sides extend in the front-to-rear direction Y and its short sides extend in the up-to-down direction Z. In this embodiment, when viewed from a direction intersecting the outer surface of the second side wall 74 (shown in FIG. 6), the horizontal dimension L of the detection electrode 91 (i.e., the front-to-rear direction Y) is greater than the height dimension H of the detection electrode 91 (i.e., the up-to-down direction Z). In other words, the length of the long sides of the detection electrode 91 is longer than the length of the short sides. The horizontal dimension L of the detection electrode 91 is, for example, 45 mm. The height dimension H of the detection electrode 91 is, for example, 5 mm.

[0087] The detection electrodes 91A-91E are arranged side by side at intervals in the height direction (i.e., the vertical direction Z). The detection electrodes 91A-91E are also arranged to extend parallel to one another. More specifically, the detection electrodes 91A-91E are arranged so that the distance between the detection electrodes 91 (the distance in the height direction between the detection electrodes 91) increases from the top to the bottom of the rice container 70. Specifically, the distance S1 between the detection electrodes 91A and 91B is wider than the distance S2 between the detection electrodes 91B and 91C. The distance S2 between the detection electrodes 91B and 91C is wider than the distance S3 between the detection electrodes 91C and 91D. The distance S3 between the detection electrodes 91C and 91D is wider than the distance S4 between the detection electrodes 91D and 91E. These distances are set so that the amount of rice contained between the detection electrodes 91 is approximately two cups (360 ml). In other words, the detection electrodes 91A to 91E are arranged so as to detect the amount of rice contained in the rice container 70 every two cups.

[0088] The reference electrode 92 has a square shape. When viewed from a direction intersecting the outer surface of the second side wall 74 (shown in FIG. 6 ), the horizontal dimension (front-back direction Y) of the reference electrode 92 in this embodiment is equal to the height dimension (up-down direction Z) of the reference electrode 92. The area of ​​the reference electrode 92 is equal to the area of ​​the detection electrode 91.

[0089] The reference electrode 92 is attached to the outer surface of the rice container 70 (shown in FIG. 5). More specifically, the reference electrode 92 is attached to the second attachment portion 78 of the rice container 70. In other words, the reference electrode 92 is attached to a portion of the rice container 70 that is different from the portion where rice is contained. This prevents the reference electrode 92 from forming capacitance with the rice contained in the rice container 70. In other words, the reference electrode 92 is positioned so as not to detect the rice in the rice container 70. The attachment position of the reference electrode 92 is not limited to this. In other words, the reference electrode 92 may be attached at any position as long as it does not detect the rice in the rice container 70.

[0090] The detection electrodes 91A-91E and the sensor control unit 93 are connected to each other via wires 94A-94E. The reference electrode 92 and the sensor control unit 93 are connected to each other via wire 94F. In the following description, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the wires 94A-94F, one of these may be simply referred to as wire 94.

[0091] In this embodiment, the capacitance detection unit 90 is disposed so that at least a portion of the wiring 94 is attached to the outer surfaces of the ribs 76A and 76B (shown in FIG. 5). More specifically, the capacitance detection unit 90 is attached to the rice container 70 so that the portions of the wiring 94A to 94F extending in the height direction of the rice container 70 (shown by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 8) are positioned above the ribs 76A and 76B.

[0092] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the rice cooker 1 according to this embodiment.

[0093] 9, the main body control unit 60 is electrically connected to the heating unit 40, the supply amount setting unit 61, the rice measuring unit 81, the opening / closing sensor 62 that detects the opening / closing state of the rice container lid 23 (shown in FIG. 3), and the sensor control unit 93 of the capacitance detection unit 90. Although not shown, the main body control unit 60 is also electrically connected to the rice measuring unit 81 and the rice feeding fan of the rice supply unit (more specifically, the rice feeding pipe 80, the rice measuring unit 81, and the rice feeding fan), and the water feeding pump of the water supply unit (more specifically, the water feeding pipe and the water feeding pump).

[0094] The main body control unit 60 controls the overall operation of the rice cooker 1. The main body control unit 60 is composed of hardware such as a computer and input / output circuits, and software implemented in the computer. The main body control unit 60 controls the heating unit 40 during rice cooking. The main body control unit 60 also controls the heating unit 40 to perform a submersion process, a temperature increase process, a boiling maintenance process, and a steaming process. The main body control unit 60 of this embodiment is an example of a control unit according to the present invention.

[0095] The soaking process is a process in which the rice is pre-soaked in water that is lower than the gelatinization temperature (for example, 55°C) while the heating unit 40 heats the pot 30, thereby allowing the rice to absorb water. The temperature-raising process is a process in which the heating unit 40 heats the pot 30 and brings the inside of the pot 30 to a boiling state. The boiling maintenance process is a process in which the heating unit 40 heats the pot 30 and maintains the boiling state inside the pot 30. The steaming process is a process in which the inside of the pot 30 is kept at a high temperature so that the rice gelatinizes all the way to the core.

[0096] The main body control unit 60 controls the rice measuring unit 81 and the rice feeding fan to control the amount of rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30. The main body control unit 60 also controls the water pump to control the amount of water supplied from the water storage unit 50 to the pot 30.

[0097] The supply amount setting unit 61 sets the amount of rice to be supplied to the pot 30 during cooking according to the amount of rice to be cooked input by the user through an input unit (not shown) such as a touch panel provided on the top surface of the main body lid 11 or an information terminal device such as a smartphone.

[0098] The main body control unit 60 controls the rice measuring unit 81 (shown in FIG. 4) so ​​that the amount of rice set by the supply amount setting unit 61 is supplied to the rice supply pipe 80.

[0099] The sensor control unit 93 is electrically connected to the detection electrodes 91A to 91E and the reference electrode 92.

[0100] The sensor control unit 93 is composed of hardware such as a computer and input / output circuits, and software installed on the computer.

[0101] The sensor control unit 93 drives the detection electrode 91 and the reference electrode 92. More specifically, the sensor control unit 93 applies a measurement potential to the detection electrode 91 and the reference electrode 92 via wiring 94 (shown in FIG. 8 ). The capacitance of the corresponding detection electrode 91 changes depending on the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70. The sensor control unit 93 measures the change in capacitance of the detection electrode 91 based on the change in the measured potential of the detection electrode 91. The sensor control unit 93 detects the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70 (shown in FIG. 5 ) based on the change in capacitance of the detection electrode 91. Specifically, the sensor control unit 93 of this embodiment detects the presence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70 when the difference between the capacitance of the detection electrode 91 and the capacitance of the reference electrode 92 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. On the other hand, when the capacitance of the detection electrode 91 minus the capacitance of the reference electrode 92 is less than a predetermined threshold, it is detected that there is no rice at the position of the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached. The predetermined threshold is, for example, the capacitance value of the detection electrode 91 when 50% of the area of ​​the detection electrode 91 is in indirect contact with rice via the rice container 70. The sensor control unit 93 outputs the detection result as to whether there is rice at the position of the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached to the main body control unit 60. More specifically, the sensor control unit 93 outputs the detection result of "rice present" or "rice absent" at the position of the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached to the main body control unit 60.

[0102] The main body control unit 60 includes an estimation unit 60a, a storage unit 60b, and a timing unit (not shown).

[0103] The estimation unit 60a estimates the amount of rice contained in the rice container 70 (shown in FIG. 5) from the detection results regarding the presence or absence of rice input from the sensor control unit 93 to the main body control unit 60. More specifically, when the detection results for the detection electrodes 91A-91E indicate "rice present," the estimation unit 60a estimates that the rice container 70 contains 10 cups of rice. Furthermore, when the detection result for the detection electrode 91A indicates "rice absent" and the detection results for the detection electrodes 91B-91E indicate "rice present," the estimation unit 60a estimates that the rice container 70 contains 8 cups of rice. When the detection result for the detection electrodes 91A-91B indicates "rice absent" and the detection results for the detection electrodes 91C-91E indicate "rice present," the estimation unit 60a estimates that the rice container 70 contains 6 cups of rice. When the detection results for detection electrodes 91A-91C indicate "no rice" and the detection results for detection electrodes 91D-91E indicate "rice present," the estimation unit 60a estimates that four cups of rice are stored in the rice container 70. When the detection results for detection electrodes 91A-91D indicate "no rice" and the detection result for detection electrode 91E indicates "rice present," the estimation unit 60a estimates that two cups of rice are stored in the rice container 70.

[0104] The memory unit 60b is a recording medium that records various information, including programs and data necessary to realize the functions of the rice cooker 1. The memory unit 60b may be realized, for example, by a semiconductor memory device such as a flash memory, an SSD (Solid State Drive), a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk, or other storage devices, either alone or in combination. The memory unit 60b stores the amount of rice contained in the rice container 70 estimated by the estimation unit 60a (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the estimated remaining amount). The memory unit 60b continues to store the estimated remaining amount even if the rice cooker 1 loses power from an external power source (not shown).

[0105] The timer in this embodiment measures the time during which the rice container lid 23 (shown in FIG. 3) is not opened or closed. In other words, the timer measures the time elapsed since the opening / closing sensor 62 last detected that the rice container lid 23 was closed.

[0106] Furthermore, the timing unit of this embodiment measures the time during which there is no change in the amount of rice detected by the detection electrodes 91. In other words, the timing unit measures the time during which there is no change in the detection result (i.e., "rice present" or "rice absent") for any of the detection electrodes 91A to 91E. In yet other words, the timing unit measures the elapsed time since the last change in the detection result for any of the detection electrodes 91A to 91E.

[0107] The estimation unit 60a of this embodiment performs an update process to update the estimated remaining capacity stored in the storage unit 60b.

[0108] In this embodiment, when the opening / closing sensor 62 detects that the rice container lid 23 is closed, the estimation unit 60a newly estimates the amount of rice contained in the rice container 70 from the capacitance of the detection electrode 91. Then, the estimation unit 60a updates the estimated remaining amount stored in the memory unit 60b with the newly estimated remaining amount. In other words, the memory unit 60b stores the newly estimated remaining amount.

[0109] Furthermore, when the detection result for the detection electrode 91E changes from "rice present" to "rice absent," the estimation unit 60a of this embodiment newly estimates that the rice container 70 contains two cups of rice. In other words, when the estimation unit 60a determines that no capacitance is formed between the rice contained in the rice container 70 and the detection electrode 91E, it newly estimates the estimated remaining amount based on the capacitance of the detection electrode 91 when capacitance was formed between the rice contained in the rice container 70 and the detection electrode 91E. The estimation unit 60a updates the estimated remaining amount stored in the memory unit 60b with the newly estimated estimated remaining amount. In other words, the memory unit 60b stores the newly estimated estimated remaining amount.

[0110] When the supply amount setting unit 61 sets the amount of rice to be supplied to the pot 30, the estimation unit 60a estimates a new estimated remaining amount by subtracting the above supply amount from the estimated remaining amount stored in the memory unit 60b. Thereafter, the estimation unit 60a updates the estimated remaining amount stored in the memory unit 60b with the newly estimated estimated remaining amount. In other words, the memory unit 60b stores the newly estimated estimated remaining amount.

[0111] In this embodiment, the main body control unit 60 controls the water supply unit (more specifically, the water pump) to supply more water than is appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked into the pot 30 when the time measured by the timer unit during which the rice container lid 23 (shown in FIG. 3) has not been opened or closed exceeds a certain period of time (for example, 2 or 3 days). Here, the amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked is determined based on the amount of rice to be cooked, the hardness of the rice, and other factors input by the user via an input unit (not shown) or the like.

[0112] Additionally or alternatively, the main body control unit 60 of this embodiment may execute the soaking process for a longer time than that appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked when the time measured by the timer unit during which the rice container lid 23 (shown in FIG. 3) has not been opened or closed exceeds a certain period of time (e.g., 2 or 3 days). Here, the soaking time appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process is a soaking time determined based on the amount of rice to be cooked, hardness, etc., input by the user via an input unit (not shown) or the like.

[0113] Additionally or alternatively, the main body control unit 60 of this embodiment may perform the soaking process at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked when the time measured by the timer during which the rice container lid 23 (shown in FIG. 3) has not been opened or closed exceeds a certain period (e.g., 2 or 3 days). More specifically, when the time measured by the timer during which the rice container lid 23 has not been opened or closed exceeds a certain period, the main body control unit 60 controls the heating unit 40 so that the temperature inside the pot 30 is maintained at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked. Here, the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process is a soaking temperature determined based on the amount of rice to be cooked, hardness, etc., input by the user via an input unit (not shown) or the like.

[0114] In addition, the main body control unit 60 of this embodiment controls the water supply unit to supply an amount of water into the pot 30 that is greater than the amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked when the time period during which there is no change in the amount of rice detected by the detection electrode 91 measured by the timing unit exceeds a certain period of time (e.g., 2 or 3 days).

[0115] Additionally or alternatively, the main body control unit 60 of this embodiment may execute the soaking process for a longer time than is appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking process if the time during which the amount of rice detected by the detection electrode 91 measured by the timing unit does not change exceeds a certain period of time (e.g., 2 or 3 days).

[0116] Additionally or alternatively, the main body control unit 60 of this embodiment may perform the soaking step at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked in the soaking step when the time during which the amount of rice detected by the detection electrode 91 measured by the timer unit remains unchanged exceeds a certain period of time (for example, 2 or 3 days). More specifically, when the time during which the amount of rice detected by the detection electrode 91 measured by the timer unit remains unchanged exceeds a certain period of time, the main body control unit 60 controls the heating unit 40 so that the temperature inside the pot 30 in the soaking step is maintained at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked.

[0117] According to this embodiment, the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is provided in the rice container 70 can be detected by the change in capacitance of the detection electrode 91. This makes it possible to estimate the amount of rice contained in the rice container 70.

[0118] Furthermore, the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70 can be detected non-contact by changes in the capacitance of the detection electrode 91, so that the inside of the rice container 70 can be kept hygienic, unlike when a contact-type sensor is used.

[0119] Furthermore, since the detection electrode 91 is attached to the outer surface of the rice container 70, even if the detection electrode 91 is peeled off from the rice container 70, the detection electrode 91 can be prevented from getting inside the rice container 70.

[0120] According to this embodiment, the five detection electrodes 91A to 91E are arranged in a row in the height direction of the rice container 70 (i.e., the vertical direction Z), making it possible to detect the presence or absence of rice at multiple positions in the height direction of the rice container 70. This allows for even more accurate estimation of the amount of rice contained in the rice container 70.

[0121] In the present embodiment, when the cross-sectional area of ​​the rice container 70 perpendicular to the height direction is formed so that it decreases from the top to the bottom of the rice container 70, and the detection electrodes 91A-91E are arranged in a line at equal intervals in the height direction of the rice container 70, the amount of rice contained between the detection electrodes 91 decreases from the top to the bottom of the rice container 70, and rice cannot be detected at a constant amount. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the detection electrodes 91A-91E are arranged so that the intervals between the detection electrodes 91 become narrower from the top to the bottom of the rice container 70, which reduces the variation in the amount of rice contained between the detection electrodes 91 compared to when three or more detection electrodes 91 are arranged in a line at equal intervals in the height direction of the rice container 70.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 6, if rice (denoted by reference symbol R in FIG. 6) is unevenly distributed inside the rice container 70, the capacitance of the detection electrode 91 will vary depending on the distribution of rice, even if the same amount of rice is contained inside the rice container 70. This may prevent accurate detection of the presence or absence of rice at the height where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the dimension L of the detection electrode 91 in the horizontal direction (i.e., the front-to-back direction Y) is greater than the dimension H of the detection electrode 91 in the height direction of the rice container 70 (i.e., the up-to-down direction Z). Therefore, the presence or absence of rice can be detected by the detection electrode 91 over a wider range in the horizontal direction than when the dimension of the detection electrode 91 in the horizontal direction is smaller than the dimension of the detection electrode 91 in the height direction of the rice container 70. Therefore, even if rice is unevenly distributed inside the rice container 70, a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the height where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70 can be suppressed.

[0123] Because the capacitance of the detection electrode 91 changes with the ambient temperature, the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70 may not be accurately detected due to the influence of heat generated when the pot 30 is heated. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the detection electrode 91 is attached to the outer surface of the second side wall 74, which is located on the opposite side of the first side wall 73 from the pot 30. Therefore, compared to when the detection electrode 91 is attached to the first side wall 73, the detection electrode 91 is less affected by the heat generated when the pot 30 is heated. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70.

[0124] The shorter the distance between the detection electrode 91 and the object to be detected, the easier it is to detect the presence or absence of the object to be detected. According to this embodiment, the detection electrode 91 is attached to the first mounting portion 75, which is thinner than the adjacent portion (for example, the adjacent portion 74a or the portion of the second side wall 74 where the rib 76A is provided). Therefore, the distance between the detection electrode 91 and the rice is shorter than when the detection electrode 91 is attached to the adjacent portion. As a result, the presence or absence of rice at the position in the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached can be detected with high accuracy.

[0125] The capacitance detected by the capacitance detection unit 90 includes not only the capacitance formed between the detection electrode 91 and the rice, but also the parasitic capacitance formed between the rice and the wiring 94 connected to the detection electrode 91 and reference electrode 92. Therefore, an increase in parasitic capacitance can reduce the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached. In contrast, according to this embodiment, at least a portion of the wiring 94 is in contact with the outer surfaces of the ribs 76A, 76B, which are thicker than the portion where the detection electrode 91 is attached, so the distance between the rice contained in the rice container 70 and the wiring 94 can be increased. This reduces the parasitic capacitance formed between the wiring 94 and the rice, and prevents a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the position where the detection electrode 91 is attached in the rice container 70.

[0126] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thick-walled portion according to the present invention is composed of ribs 76A, 76B spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction Y. This allows air to exist in the space between the ribs 76A, 76B. This allows an air layer with a lower dielectric constant than the rice container 70 to be formed between the portion of the wiring 94 attached to the ribs 76A, 76B and the rice contained in the rice container 70. As a result, the parasitic capacitance formed between the wiring 94 and the rice can be reduced, and a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the position of the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached can be suppressed.

[0127] The capacitance of the detection electrode 91 changes due to environmental factors such as the temperature around the detection electrode 91, which can make it difficult to accurately detect the presence or absence of rice at the location of the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached. In contrast, with this configuration, the reference electrode 92 is positioned facing the second mounting portion 78, which is a portion of the rice container 70 different from the portion where rice is stored, thereby improving detection accuracy. More specifically, because the reference electrode 92 is positioned facing the second mounting portion 78, which is a portion of the rice container 70 different from the portion where rice is stored, capacitance is less likely to occur between the rice stored in the rice container 70 and the reference electrode 92, compared to when the reference electrode 92 is positioned facing the portion of the rice container 70 where rice is stored. Therefore, by detecting the capacitance of the reference electrode 92, it is possible to detect fluctuations in capacitance due to environmental factors (e.g., the temperature around the detection electrode 91 and the reference electrode 92) that both the detection electrode 91 and the reference electrode 92 are exposed to. Therefore, for example, noise components due to environmental factors can be removed by calculating the difference between the capacitance of the detection electrode 91 and the capacitance of the reference electrode 92. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of rice at the position in the rice container 70 where the detection electrode 91 is attached.

[0128] According to this embodiment, by subtracting the supply amount set by the supply amount setting unit 61 from the remaining rice amount estimated based on the capacitance of the detection electrode 91, the remaining rice amount can be continuously estimated even if the rice container 70 contains an amount of rice that cannot be detected by the detection electrode 91.

[0129] After rice is stored in the rice container 70, it may dry out (i.e., its moisture content may decrease) after a certain period of time. In this case, if the rice is cooked with an amount of water appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked, regardless of the rice's dryness, the desired rice may not be cooked (for example, the rice may become harder than desired). Furthermore, if the rice container lid 23 is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, the rice stored in the rice container 70 may dry out. According to this embodiment, if the rice container lid 23 is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, an amount of water greater than the amount of rice appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked is supplied to the pot 30. Therefore, even if the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30 is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of moisture. As a result, the desired rice can be cooked.

[0130] According to this embodiment, if the rice container lid 23 is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, the soaking process is carried out for a longer period of time than is appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked, so that even if the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30 is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of water. As a result, the desired rice can be cooked.

[0131] Dry rice is prone to cracking, and if cracked rice is cooked, starch dissolves from the rice into the water during the soaking process, making the cooked rice sticky. As a result, the rice may not be cooked to the desired quality. According to this embodiment, if the rice container lid 23 is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, the soaking process is carried out at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked. Therefore, even if the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30 is dry and cracked, starch is less likely to dissolve from the rice into the water during the soaking process, preventing the cooked rice from becoming sticky and allowing the desired rice to be cooked.

[0132] If the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit 90 remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the rice contained in the rice container 70 may be dry. According to this embodiment, if the rice container lid 23 is not opened or closed for a certain period of time, an amount of water greater than the amount of rice appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked is supplied to the pot 30. Therefore, even if the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30 is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of water. As a result, the desired rice can be cooked.

[0133] According to this embodiment, if the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit 90 remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the soaking process is continued for a longer period of time than is appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked, so that even if the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30 is dry, the rice can absorb a sufficient amount of water. As a result, the desired rice can be cooked.

[0134] According to this embodiment, if the amount of rice detected by the capacitance detection unit 90 remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the soaking process is carried out at a temperature lower than the soaking temperature appropriate for the amount of rice to be cooked. Therefore, even if the rice supplied from the rice container 70 to the pot 30 is dry and cracked, the starch is less likely to dissolve from the rice into the water during the soaking process, preventing the cooked rice from becoming sticky and allowing the desired rice to be cooked.

[0135] In this embodiment, the thick portions according to the present invention are the ribs 76A and 76B, but are not limited to this.

[0136] Any of the various embodiments described above may be combined appropriately to achieve the effects of each of them.

[0137] Although the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments, with appropriate reference to the drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom. [Explanation of symbols]

[0138] 1 rice cooker 10. Cabinet 10a Hinge part 11 Main body lid 20 US Detention Center 21 Cylinder part 21a Hinge part 22 Outer cover 23 Rice container lid 30 Hot Pot 40 Heating section 50 Water storage section 60 Main unit control section 60a Estimation section 60b Storage section 61 Supply amount setting section 62 Open / close sensor 70 rice container 70a Rice container entrance 70b Rice container outlet 71 Front wall 72 Back wall 72a Vertical wall section 72b Slanted wall section 73 First side wall 74 Second side wall 75 First mounting part (thin part) 76, 76A, 76B Rib (thick part) 77 Storage section 78 Second mounting part 80 Rice feeding tube 81 Rice Measuring Department 90 Capacitance detection unit 91, 91A to 91E Detection electrodes 92 Reference electrode 93 Sensor control unit 94, 94A~94F wiring

Claims

1. A pot and A housing that accommodates the pot; a rice container for storing rice; a rice supply unit that supplies rice from the rice container into the pot; a capacitance detection unit provided on the outer surface of the rice container; Equipped with The capacitance detection unit a detection electrode that forms a capacitance with the rice contained in the rice container; a reference electrode that forms a capacitance with a portion of the rice container other than the portion where rice is stored; Wiring connected to the detection electrode; Equipped with the rice container includes at least one first rib disposed on an outer surface of the rice container; At least a portion of the wiring is attached to an outer surface of the at least one first rib.

2. The at least one first rib includes a plurality of first ribs arranged at intervals from each other, The rice cooker according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the wiring is attached to outer surfaces of the plurality of first ribs.

3. The at least one first rib extends in the height direction of the rice container, 3. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance detection unit is attached to the rice container so that a portion of the wiring extending in a height direction of the rice container is positioned on the at least one first rib.

4. The rice cooker according to claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode is provided so as to face a portion of the rice container that is different from a portion in which rice is stored.

5. The rice container is a first side wall facing the pot; a second side wall facing the first side wall and positioned on the opposite side of the pot with respect to the first side wall; Equipped with The rice cooker according to claim 1 , wherein the detection electrode is attached to the second side wall.

6. The rice container has an attachment portion that is a portion of the rice container different from a portion in which rice is stored, the attachment portion being disposed on an outer surface of the rice container and having a plurality of second ribs that are spaced apart from one another; The rice cooker according to claim 5 , wherein the reference electrode is attached to the attachment portion.

7. The rice cooker according to claim 1 , wherein an area of ​​the reference electrode is equal to an area of ​​the detection electrode.

8. an estimation unit that estimates the amount of rice remaining in the rice container; a supply amount setting unit that sets the amount of rice to be supplied from the rice container to the pot by the rice supply unit; Equipped with 8. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates the remaining amount of rice based on the difference between the capacitance of the detection electrode and the capacitance of the reference electrode, and then, when the supply amount setting unit sets the supply amount, estimates the amount of rice contained in the rice container by subtracting the supply amount set by the supply amount setting unit from the estimated remaining amount of rice.

9. A rice container lid is provided to open and close the rice container inlet of the rice container, The rice cooker according to claim 8, wherein the estimation unit estimates the remaining amount of rice based on a difference between the capacitance of the detection electrode and the capacitance of the reference electrode when the rice container lid is opened or closed.

10. 10. The rice cooker according to claim 8, wherein when it is determined that no capacitance is formed between the rice contained in the rice container and the detection electrode, the estimation unit estimates the remaining amount of rice based on the difference between the capacitance of the detection electrode when capacitance is formed between the rice contained in the rice container and the detection electrode and the capacitance of the reference electrode.

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