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 valve driving part is interlocked with operation of the lid lock driving part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

Technical Field

[0006] ,

[0007] , ,

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a cooking appliance that accommodates cooked foods such as food in a pot and cooks them by heating has been known (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) for controlling the pressure in the pot, and when predetermined conditions such as during cooking or at the end of cooking are satisfied, the pressure in the pot is released to atmospheric pressure by operating the pressure reducing valve.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] It is required to improve the convenience when a user uses a cooking appliance, 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 Problems

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the heating cooker 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 sealing position that seals the cooking space and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, a valve drive unit provided on the lid for variably operating the position of the pressure reducing valve, a lid locking member provided on the lid and movable between a locking position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocking position that enables the opening of the lid, and a lid lock drive unit provided on the lid and having an operating member for manually operating the lid locking member by the user, wherein the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to improve the convenience of using a heating appliance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the heating appliance of the embodiment (with the lid closed) [Figure 2] Perspective view of the heating appliance of the embodiment (with the lid closed) [Figure 3] Perspective view of the heating appliance of the embodiment (with the lid open) [Figure 4A] Front view showing the inside of the lid of the embodiment [Figure 4B] Front view showing the inside of the main body of the embodiment [Figure 5] Longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heating appliance of the embodiment (viewpoint of arrow AA in Figure 1) [Figure 6A] A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the peripheral configuration of the pressure reducing valve in the embodiment (with the pressure reducing valve in a sealed state). [Figure 6B] A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the peripheral configuration of the pressure reducing valve in the embodiment (with the pressure reducing valve in the open state). [Figure 7] A perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lid of the embodiment with a portion of the outer lid omitted. [Figure 8] A perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lid of the embodiment with a portion of the outer lid omitted. [Figure 9] Exploded perspective view of the locking ring and the pot of the embodiment [Figure 10A] Diagram showing the overlapping state of the flange portions of the pot and the locking ring of the embodiment (locking release state where the flange portions do not overlap) [Figure 10B] Diagram showing the overlapping state of the flange portions of the pot and the locking ring of the embodiment (locking state where the flange portions overlap maximally) [Figure 10C] Diagram showing the overlapping state of the flange portions of the pot and the locking ring of the embodiment (half-locking state where the flange portions partially overlap) [Figure 11A] Perspective view of the peripheral configuration of the locking ring regulating valve of the embodiment as seen from above [Figure 11B] Perspective view of the peripheral configuration of the locking ring regulating valve of the embodiment as seen from above [Figure 11C] Perspective view of the peripheral configuration of the locking ring regulating valve of the embodiment as seen from above [Figure 12] Perspective view of the cooking heater with the handle of the embodiment omitted [Figure 13] Perspective view showing an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 12 [Figure 14] Perspective view showing a state where a part of the outer lid of the lid of the embodiment is omitted [Figure 15] Perspective view showing a state where a part of the outer lid and the cover member of the lid of the embodiment are omitted [Figure 16] Plan view showing a state where a part of the outer lid and the cover member of the lid of the embodiment are omitted [Figure 17] Enlarged plan view of the valve drive part of the embodiment [Figure 18] Exploded perspective view showing the main components of the valve drive part of the embodiment [Figure 19] Exploded perspective view showing the main components of the valve drive part of the embodiment [Figure 20] Top view of the valve drive lever of the embodiment [Figure 21] Bottom view of the valve drive lever of the embodiment [Figure 22] Top view of the support plate of the embodiment [Figure 23] Bottom view of the support plate of the embodiment [Figure 24A] Plan view illustrating the schematic operation of the valve drive unit of the embodiment (pressure reducing valve in sealed position) [Figure 24B] Plan view illustrating the schematic operation of the valve drive unit of the embodiment (pressure reducing valve in the open position) [Figure 25A] Enlarged plan view of the first connecting pin and elongated hole of the embodiment (corresponding to Figure 24A) [Figure 25B] Enlarged plan view of the first connecting pin and elongated hole of the embodiment (corresponding to Figure 24B) [Figure 26] Perspective view showing the peripheral configuration of the lid lock drive unit of the embodiment. [Figure 27] Perspective view showing the main part of the lid lock drive unit of the embodiment. [Figure 28] Perspective view showing the base member of the embodiment [Figure 29] Figure 28 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the area surrounding the lid lock detection means. [Figure 30] A perspective view showing the main parts of the lid lock drive unit, excluding the lock ring of the embodiment. [Figure 31] A perspective view showing the main parts of the lid lock drive unit, excluding the lock ring of the embodiment. [Figure 32A] Plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit of the embodiment. [Figure 32B] Plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit of the embodiment. [Figure 32C] Plan view illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit of the embodiment. [Figure 32D] Enlarged plan view of the second connecting pin and elongated hole of the embodiment (corresponding to Figure 32A) [Figure 32E] Enlarged plan view of the second connecting pin and elongated hole of the embodiment (corresponding to Figure 32B) [Figure 33] Flowchart of the process when executing the pressure cooking menu of the embodiment [Figure 34A] A plan view showing how the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment. [Figure 34B]A plan view showing how the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment. [Figure 34C] A plan view showing how the operation of the lid lock drive unit is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment. [Figure 35A] A plan view showing that the operation of the lid lock drive unit is not linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment. [Figure 35B] A plan view showing that the operation of the lid lock drive unit is not linked to the operation of the valve drive unit in the embodiment. [Figure 36A] 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] 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] 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] Plan view showing the 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] Plan view showing the 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] Plan view showing the 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] Table showing the operation of each component when the handle of the embodiment is moved from the open state (unlocked state) to the closed state (locked state) by manual operation of the handle. [Figure 39] Table showing the operation of each component when the pressure reducing valve transitions from the open state to the closed state during automatic operation of the motor in the embodiment. [Figure 40] Table showing the operation of each component when the handle of the embodiment is manually operated to transition from the closed state (locked state) to the open state (unlocked state). [Figure 41] Table showing the operation of each component when the pressure reducing valve transitions from the closed state to the open state during automatic operation of the motor in the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a pot having a cooking space, A heating section for heating the aforementioned pot, A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, A pressure reducing valve is provided in the inner lid and is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, A valve drive unit is provided on the lid and moves the position of the pressure reducing valve to be variable, A lid locking member is provided on the lid and is movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocked position that enables the opening of the lid. The lid is provided with a lid lock drive unit having an operating member for operating the lid locking member by manual operation by the user, The present invention provides a cooking appliance in which the operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the lid lock drive unit moves the lid lock member to the unlocked position, the valve drive unit moves in conjunction with the lid lock drive unit to move the pressure reducing valve to the open position, providing a heating appliance as described in the first aspect.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a heating appliance is provided as described in the second aspect, wherein, during the interlocking, the pressure reducing valve moves to the open position before the lid locking member moves to the unlocked position.

[0013] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a heating appliance according to the second or third aspect, further comprising a protrusion that selectively engages with the lid lock drive unit to produce a click sensation when the operating member is operated.

[0014] A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a cooking appliance according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein when the lid lock drive unit operates in a direction that moves the lid lock member to the locked position, the interlocking between the lid lock drive unit and the valve drive unit is released.

[0015] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the valve drive unit and the lid lock drive unit are interlocked with each other by an engagement relationship between an elongated hole and a pin, thereby providing a heating cooker according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.

[0016] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the invention further comprises a control unit, The present invention provides a heating cooker according to any one of the first to sixth embodiments, wherein the valve drive unit comprises a drive source controlled by the control unit and an operating unit that operates by the driving force of the drive source.

[0017] According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the heating appliance is provided according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the operating part is a rotating operating part that performs rotational operation.

[0018] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the heating appliance relating to this disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. This disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations of the embodiments described below, but includes configurations based on similar technical ideas.

[0019] (Embodiment) First, a heating appliance according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0020] Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views of the heating appliance 2 according to the 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 arrow AA in Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 show the lid 10 in a closed state, and Figure 3 shows the lid 10 in an open state.

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

[0022] When a user uses the heating appliance 2 as an automatic cooker, they place the food to be cooked (not shown) in the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 shown in Figure 3, and then operate the operation display unit 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 to select a cooking menu and decide to proceed with heating. The heating appliance 2 operates to heat the food according to a predetermined program, depending on the dish (such as a stew or curry) of the selected cooking menu.

[0023] The following describes the case in this embodiment where the heating appliance 2 is used as an automatic cooking appliance.

[0024] The heating appliance 2 of this embodiment has a "pressure cooking function" that cooks while the cooking space S1 is pressurized to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. In order to perform the pressure cooking function, a pressure cooking menu can be selected on the operation display unit 6 shown in Figure 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 "reduced pressure cooking function" that cooks while the cooking space S1 is reduced to a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure may also be selectable.

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

[0026] Pot 4 is a cylindrical container with an open top and a bottom. Pot 4 forms a cooking space S1, and stirring blades 5 are provided in the cooking space S1.

[0027] The main body 8 is a cylindrical member with an open top and a bottom. The main body 8 houses various components for operating the cooking appliance 2. As shown in Figure 4B, a magnet 152, which serves as a lid opening / closing detection means 150 for detecting the opening and closing of the lid 10, is built into the upper end of the main body 8. As shown in Figure 5, a heater 9, which serves as a heating element for heating the pot 4, is built into the bottom side of the main body 8.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the main body 8 pivotally supports the lid 10 so that it can rotate from a nearly horizontal position to a nearly vertical position (arrow R1). This allows the lid 10 to rotate in the vertical and depth directions.

[0029] The lid 10 is a component for opening and closing the main body 8 and the pot 4. The lid 10 contains various components for operating the heating appliance 2, and for example, as shown in Figure 5, it contains a control unit 11. The control unit 11 is shown in a simplified form.

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

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer cover 12 is equipped with a vent 16 and a handle 201.

[0032] The vent 16 is an opening for venting the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 to the outside. The vent 16 can be switched between a connected state, where it communicates with the cooking space S1, and a disconnected state, by a pressure reducing valve 26, which will be described later. In the connected state, the pressure in the cooking space S1 is atmospheric pressure, and in the disconnected state, the cooking space S1 is sealed by the inner lid 14 and has a pressure independent of atmospheric pressure.

[0033] The handle 201 is a component used by the user to rotate to switch the locked / unlocked state of the lid 10. The handle 201 is rotated around a rotation axis Ax that extends in the thickness direction of the lid 10 (arrow R2). The thickness direction of the lid 10 is roughly aligned vertically when the lid 10 is closed (Figures 1 and 2), and roughly aligned horizontally when the lid 10 is open (Figure 3).

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

[0035] The inner lid body portion 20 corresponds to the main body portion of the inner lid 14 and has a roughly disc-like shape. A packing 22 is attached to the outer circumference of the inner lid body portion 20. The packing 22 is a roughly annular member attached to the outer circumference of the inner lid body portion 20 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the lid 10 is closed, the packing 22 comes into contact with the upper end portion 4A of the pot 4 and seals the cooking space S1.

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

[0037] The safety valve 24, pressure reducing valve 26, and lock ring regulating valve 28 are all valves attached to the inner lid body 20 and are positioned to be exposed to the cooking space S1. As shown in Figure 5, a ventilation space S2 communicating with the vent 16 is provided on the upper side of the inner lid body 20. The safety valve 24 and pressure reducing valve 26 operate to switch between a connected state and a disconnected state between the cooking space S1 and the ventilation space S2, respectively.

[0038] The safety valve 24 is a valve that operates spontaneously 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 when the pressure in the cooking space S1 rises 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. In this embodiment, the pressure reducing valve 26 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 its 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 controls the position of the pressure reducing valve 26 by driving the valve drive unit 40. The pressure reducing valve 26 may also be called a "pressure release valve" or "pressure release valve".

[0040] The lock ring regulating valve 28, like the safety valve 24, is a valve that operates spontaneously in response to a rise in pressure in the cooking space S1. The lock ring regulating valve 28 is provided to automatically restrict the rotational movement of the lock ring 216 (lid locking member), which will be described later. The lock ring regulating valve 28 moves from an unrestricted position, which allows the rotational movement of the lock ring 216, to a regulated position, which restricts the rotational movement of the lock ring 216, in response to the pressure in the cooking space S1 rising to a predetermined pressure or higher. Here, the unrestricted position of the lock ring regulating valve 28 is lower in height than the regulated position. Unlike the safety valve 24 and the pressure reducing valve 26, the position of the lock ring regulating valve 28 does not affect the pressure in the cooking space S1.

[0041] Here, the detailed configuration of the pressure reducing valve 26 will be explained using Figures 6A and 6B. Figures 6A and 6B are longitudinal cross-sectional views that schematically show the surrounding configuration of the pressure reducing valve 26. Figure 6A shows the sealed state in which the cooking space S1 is sealed, and Figure 6B shows the open state in which the cooking space S1 is opened to atmospheric pressure.

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

[0043] The valve body 30 is a movable part that moves between a sealing position (Figure 6A) that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position (Figure 6B), and is a rod-shaped member that extends in the vertical direction. The valve body 30 is inserted through the opening 37 of the valve receiving portion 36 which is erected on the inner lid body portion 20.

[0044] The central part of the valve body 30 is provided with an enlarged diameter portion 38 that is positioned in the cooking space S1. The enlarged diameter portion 38 is the part for attaching a sealing packing 32. When the packing 32 comes into contact with the lower surface 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 sealed position, and applies a biasing force F3 toward the ventilation space S2 to the valve body 30.

[0046] Above the valve body 30, the aforementioned valve drive unit 40 is provided. The valve drive unit 40 comprises a valve retaining member 42, a support member 44, and a valve drive lever 82.

[0047] The valve retaining member 42 is positioned above the valve body 30 and engages to selectively press against the valve body 30, and is elastically supported by a support member 44. The support member 44 is locked to a valve retaining housing 116 (Figure 18, etc.), which will be described later. The valve drive lever 82 is positioned above the valve retaining member 42 and is driven along the lateral direction B (circumferential direction in a plan view) in the front view of Figures 6A and 6B to change the height position of the valve retaining member 42. The valve drive lever 82 has a bottom surface 48 that contacts the upper end of the valve retaining member 42, and the height position of the valve retaining member 42 is changed by the bottom surface 48 forming an inclined surface 98 that is inclined along the driving direction.

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

[0049] Next, the lid locking mechanism for locking the opening and closing of the lid 10 will be explained using Figures 7 to 11.

[0050] Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged perspective views showing the lid 10 with a portion of the outer cover 12 omitted. Figures 7 and 8 show the same state viewed from different angles.

[0051] The heating appliance 2 of this embodiment is equipped 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] The lid hook 214 is a hook-shaped member provided on the lid 10, with its tip bent inward. When the lid 10 is closed, the lid hook 214 catches on the hook receiving portion 215 provided on the main body portion 8. This locks the lid 10, restricting its opening movement.

[0053] The lock ring 216 is a ring-shaped member provided on the lid 10, which is locked onto the flange portion 60 (Figure 9) of the pot 4 (described later) to restrict the opening operation of the lid 10, more specifically, the operation of the inner lid 14 relative to the pot 4. The lock ring 216 is connected to the handle 201 inside the lid 10 and is provided to rotate integrally with the rotation operation of the handle 201 (arrow R2) (arrow R3).

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

[0055] As shown in Figure 9, multiple flange portions 217 are provided on the lower surface of the lock ring 216. The flange portions 217 are projections that protrude toward the center of the lock ring 216 and are arranged at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction (arrow R4).

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

[0057] Figures 10A to 10C are plan views showing the relative positions of the pot 4 and the 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, the pot 4 is shown with a solid line, and the lock ring 216 is shown schematically with a dotted line.

[0058] When closing the lid 10, as shown in Figure 10A, the flange portion 217 of the lock ring 216 and the flange portion 60 of the pot 4 are in positions where they do not overlap in a plan view. Therefore, the flange portion 217 passes between adjacent flange portions 60 and is positioned below the flange portions 60. By rotating the handle 201 in this state to rotate the lock ring 216 relative to the pot 4, it is possible to switch between a locked state where the flange portions 60 and 217 overlap in a plan view, as shown in Figure 10C, and an unlocked state where they do not overlap, as shown in Figure 10A. As shown in Figure 10B, the rotation position where the flange portions 60 and 217 partially overlap is a "semi-locked state". In the semi-locked state, the lid 10 is not fully locked, and it is preferable to achieve a fully locked state as shown in Figure 10C.

[0059] To release the lock on the lid 10, simply rotate the handle 201 in the opposite direction.

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

[0061] As shown in Figure 8, the slide member 212 has a first end 212A and a second end 212B. The second end 212B of the slide member 212 contacts the upper end 214A of the lid hook 214, causing the lower end 214B to detach from the hook receiving portion 215, thereby unlocking the lid hook 214. The slide member 212 and the lock ring 216 are connected to each other via an elongated hole and a pin, which will be described later, and the lock ring 216 rotates in the same direction as the slide member 212 rotates. This allows the lock ring 216 to be unlocked.

[0062] As described above, the locking / unlocking state by the lid hook 214 and the locking / unlocking state by the lock ring 216 can be switched by rotating the handle 201.

[0063] Next, the configuration and operation of the lock ring restricting valve 28 will be explained using Figures 11A to 11C. Figures 11A to 11C are perspective views from above showing the surrounding configuration of the lock ring restricting valve 28. Figure 11A shows the state before the 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 the rotation of the lock ring 216 is restricted.

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

[0065] A regulating pin 70 is provided near the lock ring regulating valve 28. The regulating 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 toward the lock ring regulating valve 28 along axis Y (arrow F6).

[0066] The lock ring 216 has a pin receiving portion 74 for receiving a regulating pin 70. When the regulating pin 70 moves toward the pin receiving portion 74, the regulating pin 70 comes into contact with the pin receiving portion 74, restricting the rotational movement of the lock ring 216.

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

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

[0069] According to the above operation, when the cooking space S1 becomes pressurized to a predetermined pressure or higher, the lock ring regulating valve 28 operates spontaneously to restrict the rotational movement 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 predetermined pressure or higher.

[0070] Next, the configuration of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 will be explained using Figures 12 to 32C.

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

[0072] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the lid 10 has a shaft member 203 built into it. The shaft member 203 is an axial member that is 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] Figures 14 to 16 are perspective and plan views showing the lid 10 with a portion of the outer lid 12 omitted. As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the lid 10 has a valve drive unit 40 and a lid lock drive unit 200 built inside.

[0074] The valve drive unit 40 has a cover member 78 as shown in Figure 14, while Figures 15 and 16 show the state with the cover member 78 omitted.

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

[0076] As shown in Figures 14 to 16, a substrate case 80 is provided adjacent to the valve drive unit 40. The substrate case 80 is a case for housing a substrate (not shown), and the substrate placed in the substrate case 80 constitutes the control unit 11 shown in Figure 5.

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

[0078] Since the detection result of the magnetic force detected by the Hall element changes depending on the open / closed state of the lid 10, the control unit 11 can determine the open / closed state of the lid 10 by transmitting the detection result from the substrate 154 to the control unit 11.

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

[0080] As shown in Figures 17 to 19, the valve drive unit 40 includes a valve drive lever 82 and a support plate 84.

[0081] The valve drive lever 82 is a component (rotating 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 moving the position of the pressure reducing valve 26 variably and is supported by a support plate 84. The support plate 84 is a plate-shaped component that supports the valve drive lever 82 from below in a movable state.

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

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

[0084] The gear section 92 has a gear shape for transmitting the rotational driving force of the motor 102 shown in Figure 18 to the valve drive lever 82, and the gear section 104 meshes with it. In this embodiment, the gear sections 92 and 104 are each composed of spur gears. The axial direction C of the teeth in the gear sections 92 and 104 is in the thickness direction of the cover 10, i.e., the vertical direction.

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

[0086] The elongated hole 96 is a space for inserting the connecting pin 208 of the lid lock drive unit 200, which will be described later. The elongated hole 96 extends in an arc shape along the direction in which the arc arm 86 extends. When the connecting pin 208 is inserted through the elongated hole 96, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 can be operated in conjunction.

[0087] The multiple connecting arms 88 are portions that extend to connect the arc arm 86 and the center of rotation 90. A member placement space 99 is formed in the region enclosed by the arc arm 86 and the connecting arms 88, where other members can be placed.

[0088] Annular ribs 89 are provided on the upper surfaces of the arc arm 86 and the connecting arm 88. The ribs 89 are projections provided to contact the cover member 78 (Figure 14) which is positioned above the valve drive lever 82. The contact of the ribs 89 with the cover member 78 reduces friction when the valve drive lever 82 slides against the cover member 78, thereby stabilizing the operation of the valve drive lever 82. Note that the ribs 89 only contact the cover member 78 when the cooking space S1 is depressurized from a pressurized state higher than atmospheric pressure, and there is a gap between the ribs 89 and the cover member 78 in all other states.

[0089] The center of rotation 90 is the part located at the center of rotation of the valve drive lever 82. The center of rotation 90 has a through hole 100 through which the aforementioned shaft member 203 is inserted. The axis of rotation Ax of the valve drive unit 40, including the valve drive lever 82, and the axis of rotation 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 being coaxial, axial misalignment can be suppressed. Furthermore, by being coaxial, the width of the elongated hole 96 can be reduced compared to the case where they are not coaxial, and space saving can be achieved by omitting the movable parts of the valve drive lever 82 and the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0090] The valve drive unit 40 further comprises 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 is gear-shaped and rotationally driven by the motor 102, and meshes with the gear unit 92 of the valve drive lever 82 described above.

[0091] Figures 24A and 24B are plan views illustrating the schematic operation of the valve drive unit 40. Figure 24A corresponds to the sealed state of the pressure reducing valve 26 (not shown), and Figure 24B corresponds to the open state of the pressure reducing valve 26.

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

[0093] As shown in Figure 24B, when the gear section 104 rotates clockwise by the rotational drive of the motor 102 (arrow R21), the valve drive lever 82 is driven to rotate clockwise (arrow R7). In the process of the valve drive lever 82 rotating to its most clockwise position, the push-down section 94 comes into contact with the valve retaining member 42, pushing the valve retaining member 42 downward. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, which opens the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure (Figure 6B).

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

[0095] Furthermore, the pressure reducing valve 26 and the valve retaining member 42 move up and down in accordance with the pressure in the cooking space S1. Accordingly, the valve drive lever 82 is also pushed up and down by the valve retaining member 42, but as mentioned above, the axial direction C (Figure 18) of the teeth of the gear sections 92 and 104 extends up and down along the direction of movement of the valve retaining member 42. Therefore, even when an up and down force is applied to the valve drive lever 82, no force is applied from the gear section 92 to the gear section 104, and no unnecessary force is applied to the motor 102.

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

[0097] As shown in Figure 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, 112 that surround the outer circumference of the valve drive lever 82.

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

[0099] The wall portion 108 is provided at a position opposite the outer circumference of the arc arm 86, and the wall portions 110 and 112 are provided at positions opposite one end and the other end of the arc arm 86, respectively. Wall portion 110 restricts the counterclockwise rotation (arrow R6) of the valve drive lever 82, and wall portion 112 restricts the clockwise rotation (arrow R7) of the valve drive lever 82. The valve drive lever 82 is rotatable within the section enclosed by wall portions 110 and 112.

[0100] The support plate 84 further includes a through hole 114, a valve retainer housing 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 aforementioned shaft member 203, and it overlaps with the through-hole 100 provided in the rotation center 90 of the valve drive lever 82.

[0102] The valve retainer housing 116 is a space for housing the valve retainer member 42. A support member 44 (not shown), as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, is locked into the valve retainer housing 116, elastically supporting the valve retainer member 42.

[0103] The groove 118 is an arc-shaped groove that guides the rotational movement of the arc-shaped arm 86 of the valve drive lever 82. An elongated hole 120 is formed in the groove 118.

[0104] The elongated hole 120 is a through-hole for inserting the connecting pin 208 of the lid lock drive unit 200 described above. The elongated hole 120 is formed in an arc shape, similar to the elongated hole 96, and is positioned so as to overlap with the elongated hole 96.

[0105] The motor mounting section 122 is the part for mounting and supporting the motor 102 and gear section 104 described above. The motor mounting section 122 has a fixing section 124 for fixing the main body 102A of the motor 102 and a through hole 126 for inserting the rotating shaft 102B of the motor 102. The gear section 104 is attached to the rotating shaft 102B inserted through the through hole 126.

[0106] The screw receiving portion 160 is a boss portion for receiving the screw 166 shown in Figure 17. Similarly, the screw receiving portion 162 is a portion for receiving the screw 168 shown in Figure 17, and the screw receiving portion 164 is a portion for receiving the screw 170 shown in Figure 17. The screws 166, 168, and 170, which are inserted through the screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164 respectively, are fixed to the block 172 (Figure 17) that forms the ventilation opening 16. This allows the support plate 84 to be firmly fixed to the block 172 and then fixed to the lid 10.

[0107] The screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164 are provided near the valve retaining housing portion 116. In the valve retaining housing portion 116, when the internal pressure of the pot 4 is high, that is, when the cooking space S1 is under a pressurized state higher than atmospheric pressure, a large repulsive force is generated when the pressure reducing valve 26 is pushed down by the valve driving lever 82, which can easily cause deformation of the valve driving lever 82 and the support plate 84. In contrast, by providing multiple screw receiving portions 160, 162, and 164 around the valve retaining housing portion 116 and fixing the support plate 84 to the block 172, deformation of the valve driving lever 82 and the support plate 84 can be suppressed, contributing to improved sliding performance of the valve driving lever 82.

[0108] In the installed state shown in Figure 17, the screw receiving parts 162 and 164 are located on the outside of the valve drive lever 82, while the screw receiving part 160 is located on the inside of the valve drive lever 82. By providing the screw receiving part 160 not only on the outside but also on the inside of the valve drive lever 82 for fixing, the configuration can be changed from a cantilever beam to a double-supported beam, thereby suppressing deformation of the valve drive unit 40.

[0109] As shown in Figures 24A and 24B, the component arrangement space 99 of the valve drive lever 82 houses the gear section 104, the motor mounting section 122, and the screw receiving section 160. By housing 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 unit 40 can be prevented from becoming elongated in one direction. This leads to a reduction in the size of the valve drive unit 40 and the cover 10 including the valve drive unit 40.

[0110] The size of the component placement space 99 is set such that, within the rotational range of the valve drive lever 82 as shown in Figures 24A to 24B, the gear section 104, motor mounting section 122, and screw receiving section 160 do not come into contact with the inner walls of the arms 86 and 88 that constitute the component placement space 99. This allows multiple components to be placed in the component placement space 99 without interfering with the operation of the valve drive lever 82.

[0111] By positioning the screw receiving portion 160 in the component placement space 99, it becomes possible to fix the support plate 84 closer to its center, further enhancing the effect of improving strength.

[0112] In the above configuration, as shown in Figures 24A and 24B, by making the valve drive unit 40 rotate rather than move linearly, the internal space of the lid 10 can be effectively utilized to position the valve drive unit 40. Compared to a configuration in which the valve drive unit moves linearly, the circular shape of the lid 10 in plan view can be effectively utilized to position the valve drive unit 40, mainly reducing the horizontal and height dimensions of the lid 10, thereby enabling a more compact cooking appliance 2.

[0113] Here, the engagement relationship between the first connecting pin 208 and the elongated hole 96 will be explained using Figures 25A and 25B. Figures 25A and 25B are enlarged plan views of the first connecting pin 208 and the elongated hole 96, respectively. Figure 25A corresponds to the state shown in Figure 24A, and Figure 25B corresponds to the state shown in Figure 24B.

[0114] As shown in Figures 25A and 25B, the inner wall portion of the arc arm 86 constituting the elongated hole 96 has two ends, a first end 240 and a second end 242, which are engageable with the first connecting pin 208. The first end 240 and the second end 242 each correspond to the 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 sealing direction (arrow R6).

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

[0116] For example, if the first connecting pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82 operates in such a way that the first connecting pin 208 remains in contact with either end 240 or 242 of the elongated hole 96, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 become interlocked. On the other hand, if the first connecting pin 208 or the valve drive lever 82 operates in such a way that the first connecting pin 208 moves / relatively between the ends 240 and 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 interlocked by the engagement relationship between the first connecting pin 208 and the elongated hole 96 allows switching between an interlocked state and an uninterlocked state depending on the moving body and direction of movement. This makes it possible to achieve the desired operation, and the details of the operation will be described later.

[0118] Next, the detailed configuration of the lid lock drive unit 200 will be explained using Figures 26 to 31.

[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 part 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 area around the lid lock detection means 228 in Figure 28, and Figures 30 and 31 are perspective views showing the main part of the lid lock drive unit 200 excluding the lock ring 216.

[0120] As shown in Figures 26 to 31, the lid lock drive unit 200 is supported from below by a base member 202, and the lock ring 216 shown in Figure 27 is rotatably positioned below the base member 202.

[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 with the rotation of the shaft member 203 (arrow R2) (arrow R8), and extends in the radial direction D perpendicular to the rotation axis Ax. A fixing plate 207 is provided above one side of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The fixing plate 207 is a plate-shaped member fixed to the base member 202, and is positioned above the rotating arm 206 at a distance, through which the shaft member 203 is inserted.

[0123] A first connecting pin 208 is erected in the middle of the rotating arm 206 in the radial direction D. The first connecting pin 208 is a rod-shaped member that is inserted through the elongated hole 96 (Figures 24A to 25B) of the valve drive lever 82, and it causes the valve drive lever 82 and the rotating arm 206 to interlock with each other.

[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 the part that connects to the slide member 212, and connects the rotating arm 206 and the slide member 212 so that they rotate together as a single unit. An elongated hole 224 is formed in the connecting portion 220, and a second connecting pin 210 is inserted through the elongated hole 224. The second connecting pin 210 is a rod-shaped member erected on the lock ring 216 shown in Figure 27, and protrudes upward from the base member 202 through the elongated hole 226 of the base member 202 shown in Figure 28.

[0125] The sliding member 212 is a member that slides on the outer circumference of the base member 202 and rotates together with the rotating arm 206 (arrow R8).

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

[0127] As shown in Figures 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 capable of detecting contact with the first end 212A of the slide member 212.

[0128] In Figure 29, the first end portion 212A of the slide member 212 is schematically shown by a dotted line. The first end portion 212A slides along the circumferential direction (arrow R8) (arrow F10) between a detection position P1 in contact with the lid lock detection means 228 and a non-detection position P2 in which it does not contact the lid lock detection means 228. At the detection position P1, the first end portion 212A contacts the lid lock detection means 228 in the radial direction D. Because the contact direction is radial direction D, even when the first end portion 212A contacts the lid lock detection means 228, no vertical force acts on the slide member 212 or the lock ring 216, etc. This reduces the influence on the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0129] As shown in Figure 26, when the lid lock detection means 228 detects contact with 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 is locked based on the detection signal transmitted from the lid lock detection means 228.

[0130] As shown in Figure 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 the rotation position where the first end 212A contacts the protrusion 229 (between the detection position P1 and the non-detection position P2 shown in Figure 29), a click sensation is generated when the user rotates the handle 201. The position of the protrusion 229 is set such that it contacts the first end 212A when it begins to move from the locked position, where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228, towards the unlocked position. This allows the user to be notified by a click sensation that the unlocking operation of the lid 10 has begun.

[0131] As shown in Figure 31, the lower end of the shaft member 203 is inserted into the rotating arm 206 at a position below the fixed plate 207. A friction member 230 is provided in the middle of the rotating arm 206, and a similar friction member 232 is provided on the underside of the fixed plate 207. The 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 in the vertical direction between the friction members 230 and 232, and the friction members 230 and 232 do not come into contact with each other, allowing the rotating arm 206 to rotate relative to the fixed plate 207 (arrow R8).

[0132] If the user lifts the handle 201, the lock drive unit 200, including the shaft member 203 connected to the handle 201 and the rotating arm 206, will lift up as a whole. The friction member 230 provided on the rotating arm 206 will rise to contact the friction member 232 on the fixing plate 207, and a high frictional force will be generated by the contact between the friction members 230 and 232. As a result, the rotation of the rotating arm 206 is restricted, preventing unintended operation of the lid lock drive unit 200 when the user lifts the handle 201.

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

[0134] Figures 32A to 32C are plan views illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200.

[0135] Figure 32A shows the lid lock drive unit 200 in its most counterclockwise rotation state. At this time, the lid 10 is locked by the lid hook 214 and also locked 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 the sliding member 212 also rotate clockwise together (arrow R8). Since the second connecting pin 210 erected on the lock ring 216 is positioned in the elongated hole 224, the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 do not engage with the connecting part 220 for a certain section after they begin to rotate clockwise, and the lock ring 216 does not rotate.

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

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

[0138] In the state shown in Figure 32D, the second connecting pin 210 is engaged with the first end 250 of the elongated hole 224. Therefore, even if the rotating arm 206 moves in the unlocking direction (arrow R8), the second connecting pin 210 only moves relative to the first end 250 from the second end 252 inside the elongated hole 224 and does not engage with the rotating arm 206. As a result, the interlocking between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released, and the lock ring 216 connected to the second connecting pin 210 does not rotate.

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

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

[0141] As the shaft member 203 rotates further clockwise, the second end 212B of the slide member 212 engages with the lid hook 214, as shown in Figure 32C, and the lock on the lid 10 by the lid hook 214 is released. At the same time, the overlapping area of ​​the flange portions 60 and 217 shown in Figures 9 and 10 disappears, and the lock on the lid 10 by the lock ring 216 is also released. In this way, the double lock by the lid hook 214 and the 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 relationship between 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, the operation and functionality of the cooking appliance 2 are improved by utilizing this linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200. The operation and functionality utilizing the linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 will be explained below with reference to Figures 33 to 37B.

[0143] (Executing a pressure cooking menu) Figure 33 shows a flowchart of the processes involved when executing a pressure cooking menu. Each process shown in Figure 33 is executed, for example, by the control unit 11.

[0144] As shown in Figure 33, the control unit 11 determines whether or not it has detected that the lid is closed (S1). Specifically, it determines whether or not it has detected that the lid is closed based on the detection result of the magnetic force of the magnet 152 built into the main body 8 by the lid opening / closing detection means 150 shown in Figure 16. If it does not detect that the lid is closed (NO in S1), the control unit 11 repeats the process of step S1.

[0145] If the lid is detected to be closed (YES in S1), the control unit 11 notifies that cooking is OK (S2). Specifically, the operation display unit 6 shown in Figure 2 displays a message such as "Cooking OK" to indicate that cooking can begin.

[0146] The control unit 11 accepts the selection of a pressure cooking menu (S3). Specifically, in the operation display unit 6 shown in Figure 2, the control unit accepts the selection of a pressure cooking menu when the user selects a pressure cooking menu and presses the start cooking button.

[0147] The control unit 11 determines whether or not it has detected a lid lock (S4). Specifically, the lid lock detection means 228 shown in Figures 28 and 29 detects contact with the first end 212A of the slide member 212, and detects that the lid is in a double-lock state with the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 (YES in S4). Here, "lid lock" 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. Since the lock ring 216 can be closed even when the lid 10 is open, the control unit 11 confirms that the lid 10 is in a complete lock state, that is, the lid 10 is closed and both the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216 are locked, by checking not only the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228 (S4) but also the detection result of the lid opening / closing detection means 150 (S1).

[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 sealed position (S5). Specifically, in order to seal the cooking space S1 in accordance with the pressure cooking menu, the valve drive unit 40 is driven to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position.

[0149] If the lid lock is not detected (NO in S4), the control unit 11 drives the valve drive unit 40 to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position (S6) and determines whether or not the lid lock has been detected (S7). Specifically, in step S6, similar to step S5, the valve drive unit 40 is driven to move the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position. If the lid lock is not detected, that is, if the first end 212A of the slide member 212 is not in contact with the lid lock detection means 228 (unlocked or semi-locked), the lid lock drive unit 200 operates in conjunction with the operation of the valve drive unit 40, so that the pressure reducing valve 26 moves to the sealed position and the lock ring 216 also moves to the locked position. As a result, the first end 212A of the slide member 212 also moves to a position where it contacts the lid lock detection means 228, and the lid lock can be confirmed in accordance with the change in the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228 from OFF to ON (YES in S7). The valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 work together to lock the lid, so in addition to the lid being locked, it is also possible to determine that the pressure reducing valve 26 has moved to the sealed position. In this way, even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or if the lock is insufficient (i.e., in a semi-locked state), the system can transition to a state where a pressure cooking menu can be executed.

[0150] If the lid lock cannot be confirmed in step S7 (NO in S7), the control unit 11 will notify an error (S8). Specifically, the operation display unit 6 will display a message indicating a malfunction of the valve drive unit 40.

[0151] Depending on whether step S5 is executed or whether YES is determined in step S7, the control unit 11 executes the pressure cooking menu (S9). Specifically, according to the pressure cooking menu selected in step S3, the control unit 11 executes the predetermined pressure cooking by controlling the operation of the heater 9 and other components according to a predetermined sequence.

[0152] Here, the detailed operation of step S6 will be explained using Figures 34A to 34C. Figures 34A to 34C are plan views illustrating the operation of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 in step S6, respectively.

[0153] Figure 34A shows the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 in their most clockwise rotational positions. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, the lid hook 214 is unlocked, and the lock ring 216 is also unlocked.

[0154] From the state shown in Figure 34A, the control unit 11 rotates the motor 102 shown in Figure 18 to rotate the valve drive lever 82 counterclockwise (arrow R9), transitioning to the state shown in Figure 34B, and then to the state shown in Figure 34C. As shown in Figures 34B and 34C, the position of the push-down 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 rotational movement of the valve drive lever 82. Specifically, the first connecting pin 208, which is positioned 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 connecting 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 the second end 212B of the slide member 212 separates from the lid hook 214, the lid hook 214 catches on the hook receiving portion 215, resulting in a locked state. Also, the second connecting pin 210, which is inserted through the elongated hole 224 of the rotating arm 206, rotates counterclockwise in accordance with the rotation of the rotating arm 206, causing the lock ring 216 to move toward the locked state. The valve drive lever 82 is designed to move to the position where it is rotated most counterclockwise, as shown in Figure 34C, when it is moved to its most counterclockwise position. Therefore, the lock ring 216 can be moved to the locked state in conjunction with the locked state of the lid hook 214.

[0157] 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 sealing operation of the pressure reducing valve 26 by the valve drive unit 40 can be linked with the locking operation of the lid 10 by the lid lock drive unit 200. As a result, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the sealed position at the start of cooking, the lid 10 can be automatically moved to the locked state, and even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or if it is in a partially locked state, pressure cooking can be performed. Therefore, the user's operation of locking the lid 10 can be omitted, improving the convenience when using the cooking appliance 2.

[0158] When the state changes from the state shown in Figure 34A to the state shown in Figure 34C, the lid lock detection means 228 detects contact with the sliding member 212. This confirms that the lid is in a double-locked state with the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216. Since 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 can also be determined that the valve drive lever 82 has moved the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position. This allows for efficient and accurate confirmation that the lid is ready for pressurized cooking based solely on the detection result of the lid lock detection means 228.

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

[0160] When the state shown in Figure 34B is reached, the second connecting pin 210 engages with the first end 250, which is the clockwise end of the elongated hole 224. As a result, it rotates integrally with the counterclockwise rotation of the rotating arm 206, transitioning to the state shown in Figure 34C. In this way, the lock ring 216 can be moved to the locked position, albeit with a delay in operation 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 elongated hole 224 and the second connecting pin 210 makes it possible to release the linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200.

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

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

[0163] As shown in Figure 35B, the valve drive lever 82 is rotated most clockwise, while the rotating arm 206 is not rotating clockwise and remains in the same state as in Figure 35A. As shown in Figure 35A, the first connecting pin 208 located in the elongated hole 96 is positioned at the most clockwise rotational position in the elongated hole 96, and even when the valve drive lever 82 including the elongated hole 96 rotates clockwise, the first connecting pin 208 does not move and remains positioned in the middle of the elongated hole 96.

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

[0165] According to the above operation, even if the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the open position at the end of cooking, the lock on the lid 10 will not be released. Therefore, the user must operate the handle 201 to release the lock on the lid 10, which further improves safety.

[0166] The control unit 11 notifies the user that cooking is complete (S11). Specifically, the operation display unit 6 shown in Figure 2 displays a message indicating that pressure cooking is complete. Upon recognizing that pressure cooking is complete, the user rotates the handle 201 to unlock the lid 10, thereby opening the lid 10 and removing the food from the pot 4.

[0167] (During power outages, etc.) During a pressure cooking menu, the operation of the pressure cooker 2 may stop due to a power outage or other reasons. If the cooking space S1 is above a predetermined pressure, the aforementioned lock ring regulating valve 28 will operate and restrict the rotation of the lock ring 216. When the pressure drops to a level where the lock ring regulating valve 28 does not operate, the lid 10 can be opened. However, if the pressure in the cooking space S1 is above atmospheric pressure at that time, there is a risk that the food being cooked inside may splatter.

[0168] Furthermore, if the appliance has a vacuum cooking menu that reduces the pressure in the cooking space S1 to below atmospheric pressure, and a power outage occurs while the vacuum cooking menu is being executed (rather than the pressurized cooking menu), the pressure in the cooking space S1 will be below atmospheric pressure, and the lid 10 cannot be opened. It will be necessary to wait for the pressure and temperature of the pot 4 to rise until the lid 10 can be opened.

[0169] To resolve the above problem, the heating cooker 2 of this 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, and the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved from the sealed position to the open position when the lid 10 is unlocked. The specific operation will be explained using Figures 36A and 36B.

[0170] Figures 36A and 36B are plan views illustrating the operation of the lid lock drive unit 200, respectively.

[0171] Figure 36A shows the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 in their most counterclockwise rotation state. At this time, the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position, the lid hook 214 is locked, and the lock ring 216 is also locked. In this state, when the user rotates the handle 201 and shaft 203 clockwise (arrow R13), the rotating arm 206 and the sliding member 212 rotate together clockwise (arrow R14). As a result, as shown in Figure 36B, the second connecting pin 210 comes into contact with the counterclockwise end of the elongated hole 224 (the second end 252 shown in Figures 32D and 32E), and the rotating arm 206 and the second connecting pin 210 engage and become interlocked. When the handle 201 and shaft 203 are further rotated, the lock ring 216 with the second connecting pin 210 also rotates clockwise with a delay (arrow R14), finally transitioning to the state shown in Figure 36C.

[0172] In the state shown in Figure 36C, the slide member 212 and the lock ring 216 have moved to their most clockwise rotated position, releasing the lock state of the lid hook 214 and the lock state of the lock ring 216.

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

[0174] As shown in Figure 36B, when the rotating arm 206 has rotated by 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, which is inserted through the elongated hole 224, is also 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 is not operating. On the other hand, in conjunction with the rotation of the first connecting pin 208, which is 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 Figure 36B, the push-down portion 94 of the valve drive lever 82 has begun to contact the valve retaining member 42, and the pressure reducing valve 26 is moving toward the open position, beginning to open the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure.

[0175] Only after transitioning to the state shown in Figure 36C is the locking state of the lid 10 by the lid hook 214 and lock ring 216 released.

[0176] 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 release operation of the lid 10 by the lid lock drive unit 200 can be linked with the opening operation of the pressure reducing valve 26 by the valve drive unit 40. As a result, even if the valve drive lever 82 cannot be driven due to a power outage or the like, the pressure reducing valve 26 can be opened by the user's manual operation, releasing the cooking space S1 to atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the lid 10 can be opened safely and quickly, improving the convenience when using the cooking appliance 2.

[0177] Furthermore, the valve drive lever 82 moves the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, and only then does it release the lock on the lid hook 214 and the lock ring 216. This allows the cooking space S1 to be opened to atmospheric pressure before the lid 10 is released. If the pot 4 is under pressure, this prevents food from splashing out of the pot 4. If the pot 4 is under depressurization, this ensures that the lid 10 can be opened beforehand.

[0178] Even if the user rotates the handle 201 counterclockwise to lock the lid 10 from the state shown in Figure 36C, the design prevents it from returning to the state shown in Figure 36A. The specific design and operation will be explained using Figures 37A to 37C.

[0179] Figure 37A shows the same state as shown in Figure 36C. The pressure reducing valve 26 is in the open position, the lid hook 214 is unlocked, and the lock ring 216 is also unlocked. 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 slide member 212 rotate counterclockwise (arrow R17), transitioning to the state shown in Figure 37B. In the state shown in Figure 37B, the second connecting pin 210 engages with the first end 250 of the elongated hole 224 (Figures 32D and 32E), creating an interlocking state, and the second connecting pin 210 and the lock ring 216 also begin to rotate clockwise together (arrow R17). As a result, the rotating arm 206, the slide member 212, and the lock ring 216 rotate together, transitioning to the state shown in Figure 37C.

[0180] As shown in Figure 37C, the lid lock drive unit 200, including the rotating arm 206, rotates most counterclockwise, while the valve drive lever 82 does not rotate counterclockwise and remains in the same state as in Figure 37A.

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

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

[0183] According to the above operation, in order to seal and pressurize the cooking space S1, 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 dangerous situations from occurring due to manual operation by the user and improves safety.

[0184] Here, the operations described in Figures 34A to 37C are summarized and explained in the tables in Figures 38 to 41.

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

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

[0187] In FIGS. 38 to 41, the "handle movement angle" (FIGS. 38 and 40) and the "valve drive movement angle" (FIGS. 39 and 41) represent the movement amounts of the handle 201 and the valve drive lever 82 (unit: degrees), respectively. "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 is satisfied. 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 operate in conjunction. That is, the lock ring 216 does not operate 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 operate in conjunction. That is, the valve drive lever 82 does not operate 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)° to the locked position, the valve drive lever 82 does not move, and the pressure reducing valve 26 remains in the open state. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in Figure 37B to the state shown in Figure 37C.

[0192] In the state shown in Figure 37B, the second connecting pin 210 engages with the first end 250 of the elongated hole 224 in a clockwise direction. As the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connecting pin 210 moves in the same direction in conjunction with it. On the other hand, the first connecting pin 208, which is 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. Therefore, the valve drive lever 82 does not operate in conjunction with it.

[0193] The positional relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the first connecting pin 208 is designed such that the first connecting pin 208 does not engage with the second end 242 of the elongated hole 96 when transitioning from the state shown in Figure 37A to the state shown in Figure 37C. This makes it possible to create a state in which the valve drive lever 82 is not linked to the movement of the handle 201 when the handle 201 is rotated counterclockwise, that is, 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, regardless of whether the cooking space S is pressurized or not, the lid hook 214 and lock ring 216 can be moved to the locked state by operating the handle 201. This allows the lid 10 and the main body 8 to be locked even in a non-pressurized state, thereby improving safety.

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

[0196] When the valve drive lever 82 rotates from 0° to A°, the handle 201 moves in conjunction from 0° to A°, but the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction. Even when the valve drive lever 82 rotates by A°, the pressure reducing valve 26 does not become closed, but remains open. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in Figure 34A to the state shown in Figure 34B.

[0197] As shown in Figure 34A, the first connecting pin 208, inserted through the elongated hole 96, is engaged with the first clockwise end 240 of the elongated hole 96 (Figures 25A and 25B). Therefore, when the valve drive lever 82 begins to rotate counterclockwise (arrow R9), the first connecting pin 208 moves in conjunction with it in the same direction (arrow R10). On the other hand, the second connecting pin 210, inserted through the elongated hole 224, is engaged with the second counterclockwise end 252 of the elongated hole 224 (Figures 32D and 32E). Therefore, even when the rotating arm 206 rotates counterclockwise, the second connecting pin 210 does not move in conjunction with it. For this reason, the lock ring 216 does not move in conjunction with the operation 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 a closed state to an open state. Furthermore, the handle 201 also moves in conjunction from A° to C°, and the lock ring 216 also moves in conjunction 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] When the state shown in Figure 34B is reached, the second connecting pin 210, which is 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 connecting pin 210 rotates in the same direction in conjunction, transitioning to the state shown in Figure 34C.

[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 been 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 performed simultaneously, improving safety.

[0201] <Closed ⇒ Opened (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 set as appropriate as long as the relationship of B < C holds. 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 and 25B) in the long hole 96. Therefore, when the rotation 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 rotation 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 the handle 201 rotates from B° to 0°, the valve drive lever 82 moves in conjunction from B° to 0°, and the lock ring 216 also moves in conjunction from B° to 0°. As a result, both the handle 201 and the lock ring 216 move to the locked position. The pressure reducing valve 26 remains in the open state. This operation corresponds to the transition 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 connecting pin 210 inserted through the elongated hole 224 engages with the counterclockwise second end 252 in the elongated hole 224. As the rotating arm 206 rotates clockwise, the lock ring 216 connected to the second connecting pin 210 also rotates in the same direction, transitioning to the state shown in Figure 36C.

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

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

[0208] When the valve drive lever 82 rotates from C° to B°, the handle 201 and the lock ring 216 do not move in conjunction, and the lock ring 216 remains locked. 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. Subsequently, when the valve drive lever 82 rotates from B° to 0°, the handle 201 and the lock ring 216 do not move in conjunction, and the lock ring 216 remains locked. This operation corresponds to the transition from the state shown in Figure 35A to the state shown in Figure 35B.

[0209] In the state shown in Figure 35A, the first connecting pin 208 inserted through the elongated hole 96 is engaged with the clockwise first end 240 in the elongated hole 96. Therefore, even if the valve drive lever 82 rotates clockwise, the first connecting 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 connecting pin 208 is designed such that the first connecting pin 208 does not engage with the second end 242 of the elongated hole 96 when transitioning from the state shown in Figure 35A to the state shown in Figure 35B. This makes it possible to create a state in which the rotating arm 206 connected to the first connecting pin 208 does not move in conjunction with the operation of the valve drive lever 82 when the motor 102 is in automatic operation, i.e., the linkage between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released.

[0211] According to the above operation, the pressure reducing valve 26 can be moved to the open state without releasing the locking state of the locking ring 216. This allows the lid 10 and the main body 8 to remain locked, thereby improving safety.

[0212] (Effect 1) As described above, the heating cooker 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 that is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space S1 and an open position that opens to atmospheric pressure, and a valve drive unit 40 provided on the lid 10 that moves the position of the pressure reducing valve 26 variably. The valve drive unit 40 comprises a motor 102 (drive source) and a valve drive lever 82 (rotating unit) that rotates by the driving force of the motor 102.

[0213] With this type of cooking appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 rotates, allowing the internal space of the lid 10 to be effectively utilized for its placement, thus contributing to a smaller product size for the cooking appliance 2. In particular, when the lid 10 has a roughly circular outer shape in plan view, rotating the valve drive unit 40 instead of moving it linearly allows the internal space of the lid 10 to be effectively utilized for its placement without increasing the horizontal dimensions of the lid 10 in one direction. This reduces the horizontal size of the lid 10, leading to a smaller overall size for the cooking appliance 2.

[0214] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the rotation axis Ax of the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) extends along the thickness direction of the lid 10. With such a heating appliance 2, the valve drive part can be arranged by effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, and in particular, the height of the lid 10 can be reduced.

[0215] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) has a pressing part 94 for pushing down the pressure reducing valve 26 from the sealed position to the open position, and the pressing part 94 moves in an arc shape between a first position (Figure 24B) that pushes down the pressure reducing valve 26 and a second position (Figure 24A) that is different from the first position. With this heating appliance 2, the arc shape movement of the pressing part 94 makes it easier to secure a longer movement distance than when it moves in a straight line. As a result, the position of the pressing part 94 can be adjusted more precisely while making effective use of the internal space of the lid 10, and the accuracy of pressure adjustment can be improved.

[0216] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the pressing portion 94 has an inclined surface 98 whose height changes along the arc-shaped direction of movement. With such a heating appliance 2, the pressing portion 94 can be constructed with a simple structure.

[0217] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) includes an arc-shaped extending arc arm 86 (first arm) and a connecting arm 88 (second arm) that connects the arc arm 86 and the rotation axis Ax. With such a heating appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be constructed with a simple structure.

[0218] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heating appliance 2 has a component placement space 99 in the region enclosed by the arc arm 86 (first arm) and the connecting arm 88 (second arm) of the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part). With such a heating appliance 2, other components can be placed in the component placement space 99, and the space can be used effectively.

[0219] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, a gear section 104 (first gear) for transmitting the driving force of the motor 102 (drive source) to the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) is provided in the component arrangement space 99, and a gear section 92 (second gear) that meshes with the gear section 104 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the arc arm 86 (first arm). With this heating appliance 2, the gear sections 92 and 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 this embodiment, the heating appliance 2 has gear section 104 (first gear) and gear section 92 (second gear) each composed of spur gears, and the pressure reducing valve 26 moves up and down along the axial direction C of the spur gear. With this heating appliance 2, even when the pressure reducing valve 26 moves up and down and presses the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part), the pressing force is applied in the axial direction C of the spur gear, so no driving force is transmitted between gear sections 92 and 104. This makes it possible to realize a configuration in which no unnecessary force is applied to gear section 104 or motor 102.

[0221] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment is further equipped with a support plate 84 that supports the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) in a rotatable state. With such a heating appliance 2, the operation of the valve drive lever 82 becomes more stable.

[0222] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heating appliance 2 has a valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) which has an arc-shaped arm 86 (first arm) that extends in an arc shape, and the support plate 84 has an arc-shaped groove 118 that guides the arc-shaped movement of the arc-shaped arm 86 (first arm). With such a heating appliance 2, the operation of the valve drive lever 82 can be stabilized.

[0223] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the support plate 84 includes a wall portion 110 (first restricting wall) that obstructs the movement of the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) in a first direction (counterclockwise in a plan view), and a wall portion 112 (second restricting wall) that obstructs the movement of the valve drive lever 82 in a second direction (clockwise in a plan view), and the valve drive lever 82 is rotatably mounted in the region between the wall portion 110 and the wall portion 112. With such a heating appliance 2, the range of movement of the valve drive lever 82 can be easily defined. In addition, even if an abnormality occurs in the operation of the valve drive lever 82, its movement can be restricted by contact with the walls 110 and 112, thereby reducing the load on the gear portions 92 and 104, etc.

[0224] Furthermore, in the heating cooker 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part) has a component placement space 99 in the 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 part 160 (fixing part) for fixing the support plate 84 to the lid 10 (block 172), and the screw receiving part 160 is located in the component placement space 99. With this heating cooker 2, it is possible to fix the support plate 84 to the lid 10 at a position close to the center of the support plate 84, thereby improving the strength of the support plate 84.

[0225] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment is further equipped with a cover member 78 that covers the valve drive lever 82 (rotating part), and the valve drive lever 82 has ribs 89 at the part that contacts the cover member 78. With such a heating appliance 2, friction with the cover member 78 can be reduced when the valve drive lever 82 slides, and the operation of the valve drive lever 82 can be stabilized.

[0226] (Effect / Mechanism 2) As described above, the heating cooker 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 sealing 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 locking member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a lock position that restricts the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlock position that enables the opening operation, and a lid lock drive unit 200 provided on the lid 10 and having a handle 201 (operating member) for operating the lock ring 216 by manual operation by the user, wherein the valve drive unit 40 has an elongated hole 96 (first engaging part), and the lid lock drive unit 200 has a first connecting pin 208 (second engaging part) that engages with the elongated hole 96.

[0227] With this type of cooking appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 can be engaged with each other, allowing their operations to be linked. This enables the pressure reducing valve 26 and the lock ring 216 to be automatically moved to the appropriate position 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 heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 are linked by the engagement relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the first connecting pin 208. This makes it possible to switch between linked and unlinked states depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40 and 200.

[0229] Furthermore, the valve drive unit 40 is not limited to the case where it has an elongated hole 96 and the lid lock drive unit 200 has a pin 208; the valve drive unit 40 may have a pin and the lid lock drive unit 200 may have an elongated hole. In other words, the first engaging portion of the valve drive unit 40 may be either an elongated hole or a pin, and the second engaging portion of the lid lock drive unit 200 may be the other.

[0230] Furthermore, in the heating cooker 2 of this embodiment, the lid lock drive unit 200 has a rotating arm 206 (arm member) that extends laterally B inside the lid 10 to connect the handle 201 (operating member) and the lock ring 216 (lid locking member), the first connecting pin 208 (second engaging part) is a pin provided on the rotating arm 206, and the elongated hole 96 (first engaging part) is an elongated hole through which the first connecting pin 208 is inserted. With such a heating cooker 2, the pin 208 and the elongated hole 96 can be provided while effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, and the two drive units 40 and 200 can be linked.

[0231] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 each rotate. With such a heating appliance 2, it becomes easier to synchronize the operation of the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200, and the lateral space B on the lid 10 can be effectively utilized, allowing for a reduction in product size.

[0232] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this 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 heating appliance 2, it is possible to simplify the structure and miniaturize the product while suppressing axial misalignment.

[0233] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 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. 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 such a heating appliance 2, a coaxial structure can be created with a simple configuration.

[0234] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the handle 201 (operating member) is rotated around a rotation axis Ax that extends along the thickness direction of the lid 10. With such a heating appliance 2, the user can easily operate it.

[0235] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment is further equipped with a lock ring regulating valve 28 (movable member) provided on the inner lid 14, which is located in a first position when the pressure in the cooking space S1 is above a predetermined pressure and in a second position when the pressure is below the predetermined pressure. The lock ring regulating valve 28 selectively engages with the lock ring 216 so as to restrict the movement of the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) in the first position (Figure 11C) and not restrict the movement of the lock ring 216 in the second position (Figures 11A and 11B). With such a heating appliance 2, by providing the lock ring regulating valve 28, it is possible to prevent the lid 10 from being opened when the cooking space S1 is under high pressure, thereby improving safety.

[0236] (Effects / Mechanisms 3) As described above, the heating cooker 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 sealing 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 that variably operates the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid locking member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a lock position that restricts the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlock position that enables 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 lid lock drive unit 200 is linked to the operation of the valve drive unit 40.

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

[0238] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, when the valve drive unit 40 moves the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position, the lid lock drive unit 200 moves in conjunction with the valve drive unit 40 to move the lock ring 216 (lid lock member) to the locked position. With this heating appliance 2, even if the user forgets to lock the lid 10 or if the lock is insufficient (for example, in a half-locked state) when a pressure cooking menu is selected, the lid 10 can be automatically moved to the locked state, and pressure cooking can be started.

[0239] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment further includes an operation display unit 6 (cooking menu selection unit) for selecting a cooking menu and a control unit 11. The control unit 11 operates a valve drive unit 40 in a direction that moves the pressure reducing valve 26 to the sealed position in response to the selection of a pressure cooking menu on the operation display unit 6. With such a heating appliance 2, when executing a pressure cooking menu, the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 can be sealed, allowing pressure cooking to begin.

[0240] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment is further equipped with a lid lock detection means 228 that detects whether or not the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) is in the locked position. With such a heating appliance 2, by confirming that the lock ring 216 is in the locked position, it is possible to confirm that the pressure reducing valve 26 is in the sealed position in addition to the lock ring 216 being in the locked position.

[0241] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, when the valve drive unit 40 moves in the direction of moving the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position, the interlocking between the valve drive unit 40 and the lid lock drive unit 200 is released. With such a heating appliance 2, when the pressure reducing valve 26 is moved to the open position and the pot 4 is returned to atmospheric pressure at the end of cooking, the lid lock drive unit 200 is not interlocked and the lid is not released, so that the lid lock is not released, requiring manual operation by the user. This improves safety.

[0242] Furthermore, in the heating 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 relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the pin 208. With this type of heating appliance 2, by interlocking them through the engagement relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the pin 208, it is possible to switch between an interlocked state and an uninterlocked state depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40 and 200.

[0243] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 11, and the valve drive unit 40 includes a motor 102 (drive source) controlled by the control unit 11 and a valve drive lever 82 (operating part) that operates by the driving force of the motor 102. With such a heating appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be operated automatically.

[0244] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 (operating part) rotates. With this type of heating appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be positioned by effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, which contributes to miniaturization of the product size.

[0245] (Effect / Effect 4) As described above, the heating cooker 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 sealing 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 that variably operates the position of the pressure reducing valve 26, a lock ring 216 (lid locking member) provided on the lid 10 and movable between a lock position that restricts the opening operation of the lid 10 and an unlock position that enables 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] According to such a cooking heater 2, by interlocking the operation of the valve driving unit 40 with the operation of the lid locking driving unit 200, the opening and closing operation of the pressure reducing valve 26 can be accompanied according to the locking / unlocking operation of the lid 10. For example, when unlocking the lid 10, an operation such as moving the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position to return the pressure in the pot 4 to atmospheric pressure becomes possible. Thereby, even when the valve driving unit 40 does not operate due to a power failure or the like, the pressure in the pot 4 can be set to atmospheric pressure so that the lid 10 can be opened, and the convenience when using the cooking heater 2 can be improved.

[0247] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the lid locking driving unit 200 operates in the direction of moving the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) to the unlock position, the valve driving unit 40 operates in the direction of moving the pressure reducing valve 26 to the open position in conjunction with the lid locking driving unit 200. According to such a cooking heater 2, even when the valve driving unit 40 does not operate due to a power failure or the like, the pressure in the pot 4 can be set to atmospheric pressure so that the lid 10 can be opened.

[0248] Further, in the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment, when the operation of the valve driving unit 40 is interlocked with the operation of the lid locking driving unit 200, after the pressure reducing valve 26 moves to the open position, the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) moves to the unlock position. According to such a cooking heater 2, by enabling the lid 10 to be opened after releasing the pressure in the cooking space S1, safety and convenience can be improved.

[0249] Further, the cooking heater 2 of the present embodiment further includes a convex portion 229 that selectively engages with the lid locking driving unit 200 so as to generate a click feeling when the handle 201 (operating member) is operated. According to such a cooking heater 2, erroneous operations by the user can be suppressed.

[0250] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, when the lid lock drive unit 200 moves in the direction that moves the lock ring 216 (lid locking member) to the locked position, the interlocking between the lid lock drive unit 200 and the valve drive unit 40 is released. With such a heating appliance 2, when the user manually closes the lid 10, the pressure reducing valve 26 is not moved to the sealing position, so that the cooking space S1 of the pot 4 cannot be made into a pressurized, sealed state by the user's manual operation. This improves safety.

[0251] Furthermore, in the heating 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 relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the pin 208. With this type of heating appliance 2, by interlocking them through the engagement relationship between the elongated hole 96 and the pin 208, it is possible to switch between an interlocked state and an uninterlocked state depending on the operating direction and position of the drive units 40 and 200.

[0252] Furthermore, the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 11, and the valve drive unit 40 includes a motor 102 (drive source) controlled by the control unit 11 and a valve drive lever 82 (operating part) that operates by the driving force of the motor 102. With such a heating appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be operated automatically.

[0253] Furthermore, in the heating appliance 2 of this embodiment, the valve drive lever 82 rotates. With this type of heating appliance 2, the valve drive unit 40 can be positioned by effectively utilizing the internal space of the lid 10, which contributes to miniaturizing the product size.

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

[0255] While this disclosure is adequately described in relation to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications should be understood as being included within the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. Furthermore, variations in combinations and sequences of elements in each embodiment can be realized without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[0256] By appropriately combining any of the various modifications of the above embodiment, the effects of each can be achieved. [Industrial applicability]

[0257] This disclosure is applicable to any cooking appliance used to heat and cook food and other prepared foods. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0258] 2 Cooker 4 Pot 9. Heater (heating section) 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 Elongated hole (first engagement portion) 102 Motor (Drive Source) 200 Lid lock drive unit 201 Handle (operating component) 208 First connecting pin (second engaging portion) 214 Lid hook (first lid locking member) 216 Locking ring (second lid locking member) S1 cooking space

Claims

1. A pot with a cooking space, A heating section for heating the aforementioned pot, A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, A pressure reducing valve is provided in the inner lid and is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space to enable pressurized cooking and an open position that releases to atmospheric pressure, A valve drive unit is provided on the lid and moves the position of the pressure reducing valve to be variable, A lid locking member is provided on the lid and is movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocked position that enables the opening of the lid. The lid is provided with a lid lock drive unit having an operating member for operating the lid locking member by manual operation by the user, The operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit. A cooking appliance having a pressurized cooking function, wherein when the lid lock drive unit moves the lid lock member in the direction of moving it to the unlocked position, the valve drive unit moves in conjunction with the lid lock drive unit in the direction of moving the pressure reducing valve to the open position.

2. The heating appliance according to claim 1, wherein, during the aforementioned interlocking, the pressure reducing valve moves to the open position, and then the lid locking member moves to the unlocked position.

3. The heating appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a protrusion that selectively engages with the lid lock drive unit so as to produce a click sensation when the operating member is operated.

4. A pot having a cooking space, A heating section for heating the aforementioned pot, A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, A pressure reducing valve is provided in the inner lid and is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space to enable pressurized cooking and an open position that releases to atmospheric pressure, A valve drive unit is provided on the lid and moves the position of the pressure reducing valve to be variable, A lid locking member is provided on the lid and is movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocked position that enables the opening of the lid. The lid is provided with a lid lock drive unit having an operating member for operating the lid locking member by manual operation by the user, The operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit. A cooking appliance having a pressure cooking function, wherein when the lid lock drive unit moves in a direction that moves the lid lock member to the locked position, the interlocking between the lid lock drive unit and the valve drive unit is released.

5. A pot having a cooking space, A heating section for heating the aforementioned pot, A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, A pressure reducing valve is provided in the inner lid and is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space to enable pressurized cooking and an open position that releases to atmospheric pressure, A valve drive unit is provided on the lid and moves the position of the pressure reducing valve to be variable, A lid locking member is provided on the lid and is movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocked position that enables the opening of the lid. The lid is provided with a lid lock drive unit having an operating member for operating the lid locking member by manual operation by the user, The operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit. The valve drive unit and the lid lock drive unit are interconnected by the engagement relationship between the elongated hole and the pin, and the heating appliance has a pressurized cooking function.

6. A pot having a cooking space, A heating section for heating the aforementioned pot, A lid having an inner lid for sealing the cooking space, A pressure reducing valve is provided in the inner lid and is movable between a sealing position that seals the cooking space to enable pressurized cooking and an open position that releases to atmospheric pressure, A valve drive unit is provided on the lid and moves the position of the pressure reducing valve to be variable, A lid locking member is provided on the lid and is movable between a locked position that restricts the opening of the lid and an unlocked position that enables the opening of the lid. The lid is provided with a lid lock drive unit having an operating member for operating the lid locking member by manual operation by the user, The operation of the valve drive unit is linked to the operation of the lid lock drive unit. It further includes a control unit, The valve drive unit comprises a drive source controlled by the control unit and an operating unit that operates by the driving force of the drive source, and is a heating cooker having a pressurized cooking function.

7. The heating appliance according to claim 6, wherein the operating part is a rotating operating part that performs rotational operation.

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