Heating cooker

Abstract

The present invention provides a heating cooker that makes it possible to easily take out a component.　A heating cooker 1000 comprises an outer casing 30, a drain pan 50, and a heater unit 60. The drain pan 50 is disposed in the outer casing 30. The heater unit 60 comprises an electric heater body 611. The heater body 611 is movable between a use position that is located above the drain pan 50 and a non-use position that is not located above the drain pan 50.

Description

heating cooker

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking device.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cooking appliances equipped with an electric heater are known. Patent Document 1 discloses a cooking appliance equipped with an electric heater unit and a water tray.

[0003] JP2008-307217A

[0004] When cleaning a cooking appliance, it is necessary to remove parts such as the drain pan from the outer casing, and the heater unit can get in the way when removing the parts.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a cooking appliance from which parts can be easily removed.

[0006] The present application provides the following aspects of the invention: A cooking device comprising: an outer casing, a drain pan arranged within the outer casing, and a heater unit having an electric heater body that is movable between a use position where the heater body is located above the drain pan and a non-use position where the heater body is not located above the drain pan.

[0007] In the cooking device of the present invention, the heater unit can be moved to a non-use position where the heater main body is not positioned above the drain pan. Therefore, the heater main body does not get in the way when removing the drain pan from the outer casing. This makes it easy to remove the drain pan.

[0008] 10B is a perspective view of a table and a cooking appliance; an exploded perspective view of the cooking appliance; a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIA-IIIA in FIG. 1, showing the cooking appliance and the top plate when the heater unit is in the use position; a cross-sectional view of the cooking appliance and the top plate when the heater unit is in the non-use position; a perspective view of the outer casing; a perspective view of the inner casing; a cross-sectional view of the inner casing supported by the inner support; a perspective view of the drain pan; a perspective view of the heater unit, a rotation mechanism, and a holding member as seen from diagonally above; a perspective view of the heater unit, a rotation mechanism, and a holding member as seen from the rotation mechanism side; a perspective view of the heater unit, a rotation mechanism, and a holding member as seen from the heater unit side; a perspective view of the inner casing, drain pan, heater unit, rotation mechanism, and a holding member as seen from diagonally above; a perspective view of the inner casing, drain pan, heater unit, rotation mechanism, and a holding member as seen from diagonally above; a perspective view of the inner casing, drain pan, protective cover, heater unit, rotation mechanism, and a holding member as seen from diagonally above; a perspective view of the protective cover; a perspective view of the protective cover as seen from an angle different from that of FIG. 10B. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a part of the rotation mechanism, a holding member, and an outer casing. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a heating cooker according to a modified example. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a heating cooker according to a modified example. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a heating cooker according to a modified example.

[0009] The cooking device 1000 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the up-down direction in Fig. 1 is defined as the up-down direction of the cooking device 1000, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is defined as the horizontal direction of the cooking device 1000. When there are multiple identical components, in order to make the drawings easier to understand, only some of the identical components may be labeled with reference numerals.

[0010] 1. Overview of Cooker The cooker 1000 is a device for cooking ingredients. In one embodiment, the cooker 1000 is a cooker for grilling ingredients, such as grilled meat or yakitori.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the cooking device 1000 is a built-in cooking device in which most of the cooking device 1000 can be housed within a housing T2 provided below a top plate T1 of a table T.

[0012] As shown in Figures 2 and 3A, the cooking device 1000 mainly includes a filter casing 10, a filter 20, an outer casing 30, an inner casing 40, a drain pan 50, a heater unit 60, a rotation mechanism 70, a holding member 80, a protective cover 90, a cooking utensil 100, a ring support 110, and a top ring 120.

[0013] The filter 20 is disposed in a filter casing 10. A duct 2000 can be connected to the lower part of the filter casing 10. The duct 2000 can be connected to an exhaust device (not shown) such as a blower.

[0014] The outer casing 30 is disposed above the filter casing 10. The inner casing 40 is disposed within the outer casing 30. The cooking utensil 100 is disposed on the inner casing 40. The cooking utensil 100 is a member for placing food on, such as a grate or a grater. A space S is provided between the outer surface of the inner casing 40 and the inner surface of the outer casing 30, allowing smoke to pass through. The drain pan 50 is disposed within the inner casing 40.

[0015] A portion of the ring support 110 is disposed on the upper surface of the table T1. The top ring 120 is disposed on the ring support 110. The top ring 120 has a plurality of suction ports 121a.

[0016] The heater unit 60 includes an electric heater body 611. When the cooking appliance 1000 is in use, the heater unit 60 is disposed in the use position shown in Fig. 3A. When the heater unit 60 is disposed in the use position, the heater body 611 is disposed above the drain pan 50 and below the cooking appliance 100. The upper surface of the heater body 611 is substantially parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0017] By operating the heater body 611, the cooking utensil 100 and the food on the cooking utensil 100 can be heated. The smoke rising from the food flows into the space S through the suction port 121a of the top ring 120 due to the suction action of the exhaust device, and then flows downward within the space S toward the filter 20. After being filtered by the filter 20, the smoke is exhausted through the duct 2000.

[0018] When cleaning the cooking appliance 1000 after use, the heater unit 60 is moved from the use position shown in Fig. 3A to the non-use position shown in Fig. 3B. When the heater unit 60 is disposed in the non-use position, the heater main body 611 is not positioned above the drain pan 50.

[0019] Each component of the cooking device 1000 will be described in detail below. In this specification, "bonding" is not limited to direct bonding, but also includes indirect bonding. "Indirect bonding" means that a certain member X is bonded to a certain member Y via another member Z.

[0020] <1-1. Filter Casing and Filter> As shown in FIG. 3A, the filter casing 10 includes a bottom wall 11, a peripheral wall 12, and an inclined portion 13.

[0021] The bottom wall 11 is circular and has a circular opening 11a in the center thereof. The opening 11a communicates with the interior of a duct 2000 connected below the bottom wall 11.

[0022] The peripheral wall 12 is cylindrical and extends upward from the bottom wall 11 substantially parallel to the central axis of the filter casing 10.

[0023] The inclined portion 13 is inclined from the upper end of the peripheral wall 12 in a direction away from the central axis of the filter casing 10 as it extends upward.

[0024] The filter 20 filters oil contained in smoke. The central axis of the filter 20 is substantially aligned with the central axis of the filter casing 10. The filter 20 is disposed on the bottom wall 11 so as to cover the opening 11a of the bottom wall 11. The filter 20 is composed of, for example, three metal ring-shaped members stacked one on top of the other. The detailed structure of the filter 20 is disclosed in, for example, JP2011-153722A1, and therefore a detailed description of the structure of the filter 20 will be omitted in this specification.

[0025] 1-2. Outer Casing As shown in Figures 2, 3A, and 4, the outer casing 30 is open at both the top and bottom. The central axis of the outer casing 30 is substantially aligned with the central axis of the filter casing 10. The outer casing 30 has a peripheral wall made of an inclined portion 31 and a cylindrical portion 32. The peripheral wall is preferably made of a material to which a permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force. Examples of such materials include carbon steel and ferritic stainless steel.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3A, the interior of the outer casing 30 communicates with the interior of the filter casing 10 .

[0027] The inclined portion 31 is inclined upward in a direction away from the central axis of the outer casing 30. The inclination angle of the lower portion of the inclined portion 31 is approximately the same as the inclination angle of the inclined portion 13 of the filter casing 10. The lower portion of the inclined portion 31 is disposed inside the inclined portion 13.

[0028] The cylindrical portion 32 extends from the upper end of the inclined portion 31 substantially parallel to the central axis of the outer casing 30. The cylindrical portion 32 has a first opening 30a for allowing the rotation mechanism 70 to pass through.

[0029] A plurality of inner supports 130 for supporting the inner casing 40 are attached to the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 32. The detailed structure of the inner supports 130 will be described later.

[0030] 3A and 5, the inner casing 40 includes a circular bottom wall 41 and peripheral walls (inclined portion 42, first cylindrical portion 43, annular portion 44, and second cylindrical portion 45). The central axis of the inner casing 40 substantially coincides with the central axis of the outer casing 30.

[0031] The peripheral wall is made up of an inclined portion 42 , a first cylindrical portion 43 , an annular portion 44 , and a second cylindrical portion 45 .

[0032] The inclined portion 42 extends from the bottom wall 41 and is inclined in a direction away from the central axis of the inner casing 40 as it extends upward.

[0033] The first cylindrical portion 43 extends from the upper end of the inclined portion 42 substantially parallel to the central axis of the inner casing 40 .

[0034] The annular portion 44 extends radially outward in a substantially horizontal direction from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 43. The upper surface of the annular portion 44 is located higher than the upper surface of the heater body 611 when it is positioned in the use position. The cooking utensil 100 is placed on the upper surface of the annular portion 44. The upper surface of the annular portion 44 is preferably flat so that the cooking utensil 100 can be positioned in the correct position.

[0035] The second cylindrical portion 45 extends upward from the radially outer end of the annular portion 44 in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the inner casing 40 .

[0036] 5, the peripheral wall of the inner casing 40 has a second opening 40a for allowing the rotation mechanism 70 and a protective box 63 (described later) to pass through. The second opening 40a extends from the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 45 to partway along the first cylindrical portion 43.

[0037] A bottom plate 46 and two side plates 47a, 47b are attached to the inner edge of the second opening 40a. The bottom plate 46 extends horizontally through the lower edge of the second opening 40a. Each of the side plates 47a, 47b extends upward from the bottom plate 46. The side plate 47a extends horizontally through one side edge of the second opening 40a. The side plate 47b is spaced apart from the side plate 47a and extends horizontally through the other side edge of the second opening 40a.

[0038] The inner casing 40 is supported within the outer casing 30 by an inner support 130. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the inner support 130 includes an extension portion 131, a support portion 132, and a movement restriction portion 133.

[0039] The extension 131 extends from the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 32 of the outer casing 30 to below the annular portion 44 .

[0040] The support portion 132 is made of a plate material provided at the upper end of the extension portion 131. The annular portion 44 is placed on the support portion 132.

[0041] The movement restricting portion 133 restricts horizontal movement of the inner casing 40. The movement restricting portion 133 is made of a plate member extending upward from the support portion 132. The movement restricting portion 133 is disposed outward from the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 45. When the inner casing 40 moves horizontally, the second cylindrical portion 45 comes into contact with the movement restricting portion 133, preventing the inner casing 40 from moving further horizontally.

[0042] 3A , the ring support 110 supports the top ring 120. The central axis of the ring support 110 substantially coincides with the central axis of the outer casing 30. The ring support 110 includes a first cylindrical portion 111, a first annular portion 112, a second cylindrical portion 113, and a second annular portion 114.

[0043] The first cylindrical portion 111 extends substantially parallel to the central axis of the ring support 110. A lower portion of the first cylindrical portion 111 is disposed radially inward of the cylindrical portion 32 of the outer casing 30.

[0044] The first annular portion 112 extends radially outward in a substantially horizontal direction from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 111. The top ring 120 is placed on the first annular portion 112. The upper surface of the first annular portion 112 is preferably flat so that the top ring 120 can be positioned in the correct orientation.

[0045] The second cylindrical portion 113 extends upward from the radial outer end of the first annular portion 112 in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the ring support 110. The second cylindrical portion 113 restricts the top ring 120 from moving in the horizontal direction.

[0046] The second annular portion 114 extends radially outward substantially horizontally from the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 113. The second annular portion 114 rests on the upper surface of the top plate T1 of the table T.

[0047] The central axis of the top ring 120 substantially coincides with the central axis of the outer casing 30. The top ring 120 includes a first peripheral wall 121, an upper wall 122, and a second peripheral wall 123.

[0048] The first peripheral wall 121 is generally cylindrical and extends substantially parallel to the central axis of the top ring 120. A lower portion of the first peripheral wall 121 is disposed radially inward of the second cylindrical portion 45 of the inner casing 40. The first peripheral wall 121 has a plurality of suction ports 121a. The plurality of suction ports 121a are through-holes that pass through the first peripheral wall 121. The plurality of suction ports 121a are provided above the second cylindrical portion 45. The plurality of suction ports 121a are in communication with the space S. When the cooking appliance 1000 is in use (i.e., when the exhaust device is operating), smoke flows into the space S through the plurality of suction ports 121a.

[0049] The upper wall 122 is inclined downward from the upper end of the first peripheral wall 121 in a direction away from the central axis of the top ring 120 .

[0050] The second peripheral wall 123 is cylindrical and extends downward from the lower end of the upper wall 122 in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the top ring 120. The lower end of the second peripheral wall 123 rests on the upper surface of the second annular portion 114 of the ring support 110.

[0051] 3A, the drain pan 50 is disposed inside the inner casing 40. The central axis of the drain pan 50 substantially coincides with the central axis of the inner casing 40. In order to prevent the drain pan 50 from overheating and to prevent dirt from adhering to the inner surface of the drain pan 50, water is poured into the drain pan 50 when the cooker 1000 is in use.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 7 , the drain pan 50 includes a bottom wall 51 , a peripheral wall (a first inclined portion 52 , a second inclined portion 53 and a cylindrical portion 54 ), and an annular portion 55 .

[0053] The bottom wall 51 is circular and is placed on the bottom wall 41 of the inner casing 40 .

[0054] The peripheral wall is made up of a first inclined portion 52 , a second inclined portion 53 , and a cylindrical portion 54 .

[0055] The first inclined portion 52 is inclined in a direction away from the central axis of the drain pan 50 as it extends upward from the bottom wall 51 .

[0056] The second inclined portion 53 is inclined from the upper end of the first inclined portion 52 in a direction away from the central axis of the drain pan 50 as it extends upward. The inclination angle of the second inclined portion 53 with respect to the central axis of the drain pan 50 is greater than the inclination angle of the first inclined portion 52 with respect to the central axis of the drain pan 50. The second inclined portion 53 has a removal portion that makes it easy for a user to remove the drain pan 50 from inside the inner casing 40. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7 , the second inclined portion 53 has at least one through hole 53 a, preferably a plurality of through holes 53 a. A user can lift the drain pan 50 by inserting a removal gripper into the through hole 53 a, hooking the gripper onto the second inclined portion 53, and lifting the gripper.

[0057] The cylindrical portion 54 extends upward from the upper end of the second inclined portion 53 substantially parallel to the central axis of the drain pan 50 .

[0058] The annular portion 55 extends radially outward in a substantially horizontal direction from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 54. A second end of a heater support 62 (described later) is placed on the upper surface of the annular portion 55 (see FIG. 3A ). The upper surface of the annular portion 55 is preferably flat so that the heater support 62 can be positioned in the correct orientation. The upper surface of the annular portion 55 is located lower than the upper surface of the annular portion 44 of the inner casing 40. The radially outer end of the annular portion 55 is located slightly radially inward from the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 43 of the inner casing 40.

[0059] The drain pan 50 has a third opening 50a for passing the rotation mechanism 70. The third opening 50a extends from the upper end of the annular portion 55 to the middle of the second inclined portion 53.

[0060] 1-6. Heater Unit As shown in FIG. 3A and FIGS. 8A to 8C, the heater unit 60 includes a heater 61, a heater support 62, and a protection box 63.

[0061] The heater 61 includes a heater body 611 and two connection portions 612 .

[0062] The heater body 611 is an electric heater (i.e., a resistance heater). The heater body 611 has a spirally wound sheathed heater including a heating wire such as a nichrome wire. The central axis of the heater body 611 substantially coincides with the central axis of the drain pan 50.

[0063] As shown in Figures 8A to 8C, the heater body 611 is supported by the heater support 62. In one embodiment, the heater support 62 is made up of three plates. Adjacent plates are spaced 120 degrees apart. First ends of the three plates are joined to each other. As shown in Figure 3A, the second end of each plate rests on the top surface of the annular portion 55 of the drain pan 50.

[0064] 8A to 8C , the heater support 62 includes a plurality of fixing portions 621 for fixing the heater body 611 to the heater support 62. By including the fixing portions 621 in the heater support 62, the heater support 62 can be moved together with the heater body 611 between the use position and the non-use position. In one embodiment, the fixing portions 621 are a plurality of protrusions that grip the heater body 611. The plurality of protrusions extend upward from at least one plate member that constitutes the heater support 62. The plurality of protrusions enter the gaps between the linear sheathed heaters and hold the sheathed heaters from both sides.

[0065] The two connection portions 612 extend downward from both ends of the spiral heater body 611 and extend outward through the third opening 50a of the drain pan 50. Lead wires (not shown) are electrically connected to the tips of the two connection portions 612, respectively. The lead wires are electrically connected to a power source (not shown). The heater body 611 generates heat due to the current supplied from the power source.

[0066] The cooking appliance 1000 may further include a control device that controls the value of the current supplied to the heater body 611. The heat generation temperature of the heater body 611 can be changed by changing the magnitude of the current supplied from the power supply to the heater body 611 using the control device.

[0067] 3A, the tips of the two connection parts 612 are disposed inside a protective box 63. That is, the connection parts between the two connection parts 612 and the lead wires are surrounded by the protective box 63. The protective box 63 prevents dirt such as oil dropped from the food from adhering to the connection parts.

[0068] 8A to 8C, the protective box 63 has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape. As shown in Fig. 9, the protective box 63 is disposed within the third opening 50a and between the side plates 47a and 47b.

[0069] 8A to 8C , the protective box 63 includes a bottom plate 631, two side plates 632, a top plate 633, an outward extending portion 634, and a front plate 635. The rear end of the protective box 63 is open. The lead wires extend from the rear end of the protective box 63.

[0070] 3A and 8C, outward extending portion 634 extends outward from upper plate 633 through the gap between shaft 73 (described later) and mounting portion 711 of fixing member 71, and through first opening 30a. This structure of outward extending portion 634 prevents dirt such as oil dropped from food ingredients from scattering outward through the gap between shaft 73 and mounting portion 711.

[0071] 3A and 10A, protective cover 90 is disposed above protective box 63. Protective cover 90 prevents dirt such as oil that has fallen from ingredients from adhering to protective box 63 and from entering protective box 63.

[0072] 3A and 10A to 10C, the protective cover 90 is made of a plate material and includes a first cover portion 91, two first side portions 92a and 92b, a second cover portion 93, two second side portions 94a and 94b, and a closing portion 95.

[0073] The first cover portion 91 is disposed above a portion of the outward extending portion 634 and above the upper plate 633. The first cover portion 91 prevents the sucked air from taking a shortcut when the exhaust device is operating. The first cover portion 91 extends horizontally outward from within the second opening 40a of the inner casing 40, and is located above the upper ends of the side plates 47a, 47b.

[0074] The two first side portions 92a, 92b each extend downward from the first cover portion 91. The first side portion 92a is disposed on the outer side of the side plate 47a. The first side portion 92b is disposed on the outer side of the side plate 47b. By providing the protective cover 90 with the two first side portions 92a, 92b, it is possible to prevent the protective cover 90 from moving in the opposing direction of the two first side portions 92a, 92b.

[0075] The second cover portion 93 is inclined diagonally downward and inward from the first cover portion 91. The second cover portion 93 passes between the side plates 47a and 47b and extends into the drain pan 50. The second cover portion 93 covers the upper plate 633 and front plate 635 of the protective box 63 and prevents dirt from adhering to the upper plate 633 and front plate 635. The second cover portion 93 has an opening 93a at its lower end for allowing the connection portion 612 to pass through.

[0076] The two second side portions 94a, 94b each extend downward from the second cover portion 93. The two second side portions 94a, 94b are disposed between the side plates 47a and 47b and within the inner casing 40, respectively.

[0077] The closing portion 95 closes a notch (part of the second opening 40a) provided in the second cylindrical portion 45 of the inner casing 40. The closing portion 95 extends upward from the upper surface of the first cover portion 91. The closing portion 95 is positioned outward from the second cylindrical portion 45. It is curved with approximately the same curvature as the second cylindrical portion 45. The length of the closing portion 95 is longer than the circumferential length of the notch provided in the second cylindrical portion 45. By closing this notch with the closing portion 95, it is possible to prevent dirt from scattering outward through the notch.

[0078] 1-8. Rotation mechanism and holding member The rotation mechanism 70 is a mechanism that rotates the heater unit 60 between an in-use position and a non-use position. As shown in Figures 8A to 8C and 11, the rotation mechanism 70 includes a fixed member 71, a movable member 72, and a shaft 73.

[0079] 11 , the fixing member 71 includes a mounting portion 711 and two extending portions 712. The mounting portion 711 is plate-shaped and extends along the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 32. The mounting portion 711 is fixed to the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 32 with screws or the like. The two extending portions 712 are each plate-shaped and extend downward from the mounting portion 711.

[0080] The movable member 72 rotates relative to the fixed member 71 around the shaft 73. As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C , the movable member 72 includes a bottom plate 721, two side plates 722, and two arms 723. The bottom plate 721 is disposed below the bottom plate 631 of the protective box 63 and is fixed to the bottom plate 631 with screws or the like. The two side plates 722 each extend upward from the bottom plate 721. The two side plates 722 are each located outward from the two side plates 632 of the protective box 63. The two arms 723 each have a plate shape. The two arms 723 extend outward from the two side plates 722, passing below the mounting portion 711 and between the two extension portions 712. As shown in FIG. 11 , the two arms 723 pass through the first opening 30a and extend outward from the cylindrical portion 32.

[0081] The shaft 73 passes through the two arms 723 and the two extensions 712. As shown in Figure 3A, the shaft 73 is disposed outside the drain pan 50.

[0082] The holding member 80 holds the heater unit 60 in the non-use position by contacting the outer casing 30. The holding member 80 rotates together with the movable member 72 around the shaft 73.

[0083] 8A to 8C , the holding member 80 is fixed to the outer ends of the two arms 723. The holding member 80 is located on the opposite side of the central axis of the shaft 73 from the heater unit 60. In other words, the holding member 80 is disposed outward from the central axis of the shaft 73, and the heater unit 60 is disposed inward from the central axis of the shaft 73.

[0084] In one embodiment, the holding member 80 includes a cover member 81 and at least one permanent magnet 82. The holding member 80 preferably includes a plurality of (e.g., two) permanent magnets 82. The permanent magnets 82 are, for example, plate-shaped. The plurality of permanent magnets 82 extend downward from the cover member 81. When the heater unit 60 is moved to the non-use position, the plurality of permanent magnets 82 adhere to the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 32 by their magnetic force.

[0085] 2. Movement of Heater Unit and Function of Holding Member> A method for moving heater unit 60 from the use position to the non-use position and the function of holding member 80 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0086] As shown in Figure 3A, when the cooking appliance 1000 is in use, the heater unit 60 is positioned in the use position. When the heater unit 60 is positioned in the use position, the heater body 611 is positioned within the inner casing 40 and above the drain pan 50. The upper surface of the heater body 611 is approximately parallel to the horizontal plane. The upper surface of the heater body 611 is positioned below the upper surface of the annular portion 44 of the inner casing 40 and the cooking appliance 100.

[0087] After using the cooking appliance 1000, the drain pan 50 needs to be removed from the outer casing 30 in order to clean the cooking appliance 1000. To remove the drain pan 50, the heater unit 60 needs to be moved from above the drain pan 50. To move the heater unit 60, the top ring 120, the cooking utensil 100, and the protective cover 90 are first removed.

[0088] Next, when the user lifts the heater main body 611, the heater unit 60 and the members connected to the heater unit 60 rotate around the shaft 73. More specifically, the heater unit 60, heater support 62, and portions of the movable member 72 that are located inward from the central axis of the shaft 73 rotate upward. Furthermore, the portions of the movable member 72 that are located outward from the central axis of the shaft 73 and the holding member 80 rotate downward.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 3B , when the permanent magnets 82 of the holding member 80 are magnetically attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 32 of the outer casing 30, the heater unit 60 is held in the non-use position. When the heater unit 60 is in the non-use position, the heater body 611 and the heater support 62 are not positioned above the drain pan 50. More specifically, when the heater unit 60 is in the non-use position, the heater body 611 and the heater support 62 are in an upright position, positioned horizontally outward from the drain pan 50 and above the second annular portion 114 of the ring support 110. The top surface of the heater body 611 is approximately perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Furthermore, when the heater unit 60 is in the non-use position, the protective box 63 is also in an upright position. The protective box 63 is completely protruding from the third opening 50a of the drain pan 50. The protective box 63 passes through the space between the outer casing 30 and the inner casing 40 and extends up to near the upper end of the ring support 110. Therefore, by moving the heater unit 60 to the non-use position, the heater unit 60 does not get in the way when removing the drain pan 50.

[0090] When returning the heater unit 60 from the non-use position to the use position, the heater unit 60 is rotated in the reverse direction. When the heater unit 60 is rotated toward the use position, the permanent magnet 82 comes off the cylindrical portion 32 of the outer casing 30, and the heater unit 60 returns to the use position.

[0091] <3. Effects> In the cooking device 1000 of the present invention, the heater unit 60 can be moved to the non-use position. When the heater unit 60 is disposed in the non-use position, the heater main body 611 is not positioned above the drain pan 50. Therefore, when removing the drain pan 50, the heater main body 611 does not get in the way, and the drain pan 50 can be easily removed.

[0092] When the heater unit 60 is disposed in the non-use position, the heater unit 60 is not disposed within the third opening 50a of the drain pan 50. Therefore, when removing the drain pan 50, the heater unit 60 does not get in the way, and the drain pan 50 can be easily removed.

[0093] The shaft 73 is disposed outside the drain pan 50. Therefore, the shaft 73 does not get in the way when removing the drain pan 50, making it possible to easily remove the drain pan 50. Furthermore, because the shaft 73 is disposed outside the drain pan 50, the heater unit 60, which is disposed inside the shaft 73, can be rotated to the outside of the drain pan 50.

[0094] By rotating the heater unit 60, the heater unit 60 can be easily switched between the use position and the non-use position.

[0095] Because the heater unit 60 can be held in the non-use position by the holding member 80, the heater main body 611 will not unintentionally tip over toward the use position when the drain pan 50 is removed from inside the outer casing 30. Therefore, there is no risk of the user being injured or burned by the heater main body 611 having fallen over.

[0096] Since the holding member 80 is provided with the permanent magnet 82, the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 82 can be used to firmly hold the heater unit 60 in the non-use position. By using the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 82, the heater unit 60 can be held in the non-use position and can be returned from the non-use position to the use position with a simple one-touch operation. By using the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 82, the heater unit 60 can be held in the non-use position even if the angle α (see FIG. 3B ) between the top surface of the heater body 611 and the horizontal plane is greater than 90 degrees. Therefore, the rotation angle (rotational movement distance) from the use position to the non-use position can be reduced.

[0097] The holding member 80 is disposed on the opposite side of the heater unit 60 with respect to the central axis of the shaft 73. When the heater unit 60 is disposed in the use position, a counterclockwise moment acts on the holding member 80. This moment also acts to rotate the heater unit 60 counterclockwise (i.e., toward the non-use position). Therefore, when a user lifts the heater main body 611 from the use position to the non-use position, the user can lift the heater main body 611 with less force than if the holding member 80 were not present.

[0098] The outer casing 30 is made of a material to which the permanent magnets 82 adhere by their magnetic force. This allows the permanent magnets 82 to adhere directly to the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30 without the need to attach a separate member made of a magnetic material to the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30. Because there is no need to attach a separate member to the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30 for adhering the permanent magnets 82, it is possible to prevent the outer casing 30 from interfering with the top plate T1 when the outer casing 30 is inserted into the opening in the top plate T1 of the table T.

[0099] The protective cover 90 covers the top plate 633 of the protective box 63. This prevents dirt from adhering to the top plate 633 of the protective box 63. Furthermore, providing the protective cover 90 prevents dirt from entering the protective box 63, which in turn prevents dirt from adhering to the connection parts 612 and lead wires arranged inside the protective box 63. This prevents poor contact between the connection parts 612 and the lead wires.

[0100] 4. Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Modifications of the present invention are described below. The modifications described below can be applied to the above-described embodiment alone or in appropriate combinations without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0101] (4-1) An embodiment in which the permanent magnet 82 is directly attached to the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30 is a preferred embodiment of the cooking device 1000 of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12 , a member 140 made of a material to which a permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force may be attached to the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30, and the permanent magnet 82 of the holding member 80 may be attached to the member 140. The member 140 may be made of, for example, carbon steel or ferritic stainless steel. Alternatively, the member 140 may be made of a permanent magnet, as described below. In this modification, the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30 may be made of a material to which a permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, or it may not be made of such a material.

[0102] (4-2) The member 140 may be made of a permanent magnet, and the permanent magnet 82 of the holding member 80 may be attached to the member 140. Alternatively, the member 140 may be a permanent magnet, the holding member 80 may not include the permanent magnet 82, and the cover member 81 may be attached to the member 140 by magnetic force, as shown in FIG.

[0103] (4-3) The non-use position of the heater unit 60 is not limited to a position where the upper surface of the heater body 611 is approximately perpendicular to the horizontal plane, but may be any position where the heater body 611 and heater support 62 do not get in the way when removing the drain pan 50.

[0104] (4-4) An embodiment in which the heater unit 60 is held in the non-use position using the magnetic force of a permanent magnet is preferable because it can firmly hold the heater unit 60. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The present invention also includes an embodiment in which the heater unit 60 can be held in the non-use position without using the magnetic force of a permanent magnet. In this modification, the holding member 80 does not include a permanent magnet 82. Furthermore, the member 140 is not provided. When the center of gravity of the series of components consisting of the heater unit 60, the rotation mechanism 70, and the holding member 80 is located closer to the heater unit 60 than the central axis of the shaft 73, as shown in FIG. 14 , if the heater unit 60 is rotated to a position where the angle α between the top surface of the heater body 611 and the horizontal plane is less than 90 degrees, a counterclockwise moment acts on the heater unit 60. In other words, the heater unit 60 attempts to tip over counterclockwise. However, because the cover member 81 is in contact with the peripheral wall of the outer casing 30, the heater unit 60 cannot rotate further counterclockwise. Therefore, the heater unit 60 is held in the non-use position. In this manner, the heater unit 60 can be held in the non-use position without using the magnetic force of a permanent magnet.

[0105] (4-5) The heater body 611 is not limited to a spiral shape. The heater body 611 may have a shape in which a plurality of U-shapes are connected together.

[0106] (4-6) The bottom wall 51 or the lower part of the first inclined portion 52 of the drain pan 50 may have a through-hole. Water may be placed not only in the drain pan 50 but also in the inner casing 40. In this way, even if the water in the drain pan 50 evaporates and decreases, water in the inner casing 40 is supplied into the drain pan 50 through the through-hole in the bottom wall 51 or the lower part of the first inclined portion 52.

[0107] (4-7) The removal portion for making it easier to remove the drain pan 50 may be a handle extending from the inner surface of the second inclined portion 53 instead of the through hole 53a.

[0108] (4-8) In the above embodiment, the filter casing 10, the outer casing 30, the inner casing 40, the drain pan 50, the cooking utensil 100, the ring support 110, and the top ring 120 are generally circular in cross section perpendicular to their central axes. However, the cooking device 1000 of the present invention is not limited to an embodiment in which the shapes of its components are generally circular. Each component of the cooking device 1000 may be rectangular in appearance, such as a cube or rectangular parallelepiped, as disclosed in FIG. 3 of JP2023-046513A, and may have a generally rectangular shape in cross section perpendicular to the central axis of each component.

[0109] 5. Disclosure of the Invention The present application also provides the following aspects of the invention: (Item 1) A cooking device comprising: an outer casing, a drain pan arranged in the outer casing, and a heater unit having an electric heater main body, the heater main body being movable between a use position located above the drain pan and a non-use position not located above the drain pan.

[0110] (Item 2) The cooking device according to Item 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism that rotates the heater unit between the use position and the non-use position.

[0111] (Item 3) The cooking device according to Item 1, further comprising a holding member that holds the heater unit in the non-use position.

[0112] (Item 4) The cooking device according to Item 1, further comprising: a rotation mechanism that rotates the heater unit between the use position and the non-use position; and a holding member that holds the heater unit at the non-use position.

[0113] (Item 5) The heating cooker according to item 3 or 4, wherein the holding member is linked to the heater unit, and when the heater unit is placed in the use position, the holding member is separated from the outer casing, and the heater unit is held in the non-use position by being fixed to the outer casing.

[0114] (Item 6) A cooking device according to any one of items 3 to 5, wherein the holding member comprises a permanent magnet, the outer casing is made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, or the outer casing comprises a member made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, and the permanent magnet of the holding member is attached to the outer surface of the outer casing or the member by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet, thereby holding the heater unit in the non-use position.

[0115] (Item 7) A cooking device according to any one of items 3 to 5, wherein the outer casing comprises a permanent magnet, the holding member is made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, or the holding member comprises a member made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, and the heater unit is held in the non-use position by the holding member or the member being attached to the permanent magnet by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet.

[0116] (Item 8) The cooking device according to Item 4, wherein the holding member is located on the opposite side of the center of rotation from the heater unit.

[0117] (Item 9) The heating cooker described in Item 8, wherein the rotation mechanism comprises: a fixed member connected to the outer casing; a movable member connected to the heater unit; and a shaft inserted into the movable member and the fixed member and positioned outward from the drain pan; the holding member is connected to the movable member; the holding member is positioned on the opposite side of the central axis of the shaft from the heater unit; and the heater unit, the movable member, and the holding member rotate relative to the fixed member with the shaft as the center of rotation.

[0118] (Item 10) The cooking device according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the drain pan has an opening extending downward from an upper end of the drain pan, and when the heater unit is disposed in the use position, a portion of the heater unit is disposed within the opening, and when the heater unit is disposed in the non-use position, the heater unit is not disposed within the opening.

[0119] (Item 11) The cooking device according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein the heater unit includes a connection portion coupled to the heater body, the cooking device includes a protective cover, the protective cover includes an inclined portion that slopes inward and diagonally downward, and the inclined portion is disposed above the connection portion.

[0120] 1000 Cooking appliance 30 Outer casing 50 Drain pan 50a Third opening (opening) 60 Heater unit 611 Heater body 612 Connection part 63 Protective box 70 Rotation mechanism 71 Fixed member (part of the rotation mechanism) 72 Movable member (part of the rotation mechanism) 73 Shaft (part of the rotation mechanism) 80 Holding member 81 Cover member 82 Permanent magnet 90 Protective cover 93 Second cover part (inclined part) 140 Member

Claims

1. A cooking device comprising: an outer casing; a drain pan disposed within the outer casing; and a heater unit having an electric heater body, the heater body being movable between a use position located above the drain pan and a non-use position not located above the drain pan.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism for rotating the heater unit between the use position and the non-use position.

3. The cooking device according to claim 2, further comprising a holding member for holding the heater unit in the non-use position.

4. The heating cooker of claim 3, wherein the retaining member is linked to the heater unit, and when the heater unit is disposed in the use position, the retaining member is separated from the outer casing, and the heater unit is retained in the non-use position by fixing the retaining member to the outer casing.

5. The heating cooker of claim 4, wherein the holding member comprises a permanent magnet, the outer casing is made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, or comprises a member made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, and the heater unit is held in the non-use position by the permanent magnet of the holding member being attached to the outer surface of the outer casing or to the member by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet.

6. The heating cooker of claim 4, wherein the outer casing comprises a permanent magnet, the holding member is made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, or the holding member comprises a member made of a material to which the permanent magnet can be attached by its magnetic force, and the heater unit is held in the non-use position by the holding member or the member being attached to the permanent magnet by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet.

7. The cooking device according to claim 3, wherein the holding member is located on the opposite side of the heater unit with respect to the center of rotation.

8. The heating cooker described in claim 7, wherein the rotation mechanism comprises: a fixed member connected to the outer casing; a movable member connected to the heater unit; and a shaft inserted into the movable member and the fixed member and positioned outwardly of the drain pan, wherein the holding member is connected to the movable member, and the holding member is positioned on the opposite side of the central axis of the shaft to the heater unit, and the heater unit, the movable member and the holding member rotate relative to the fixed member with the shaft as the center of rotation.

9. A cooking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the drain pan has an opening extending downward from an upper end of the drain pan, when the heater unit is disposed in the use position, a portion of the heater unit is disposed within the opening, and when the heater unit is disposed in the non-use position, the heater unit is not disposed within the opening.

10. A cooking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the heater unit has a connection portion connected to the heater body, the cooking device has a protective cover, the protective cover has an inclined portion that slopes inwardly and diagonally downward, and the inclined portion is positioned above the connection portion.

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