DESCRIPTION
ELECTRIC COOKER
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an electric cooker including a
container adapted to have food put therein.
BACKGROUND ART
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of conventional electric cooker 501
disclosed in Patent Document 1. Electric cooker 501 include base 101 which
houses electric motor 113, operation switch 116, and safety switch 112, lever
detector 106 coupled to safety switch 112, and container 102 detachably
mounted to base 101. Container 102 includes cutter 111 therein, and has
opening 102A which opens upward. Lid 105 can close opening 102A of
container 102, and has a protrusion 105A detachably affixed onto container
102. Container 102 has locking button 117 for fixing lid 105 and movable
lever 104. When container 102 is mounted to base 101 with lid 105 located
in a predetermined position to close opening 102A of container 102 properly,
protrusion 105A of lid 105 presses down lever 104, causing lever-detector 106
to turn on safety switch 112. Switch 116 is activated while safety switch
112 is turned on so as to rotate cutter 111. When lid 105 is not located in
the predetermined position, spring 109 moves lever 104 upward to deactivate
lever detector 106 so as to prevent lever-detector 106 from pressing safety
switch 112 for turning on, consequently disabling cutter 111 to rotate even if
operation switch 116 is activated.
In conventional electric cooker 501, however, deposits of food, such as
juice, may adhere onto lever 104 and fix lever 104 firmly while container 102
is mounted onto base 101. In this case, lever detector 106 is pressed
continuously by lever 104 even if lid 105 is removed away from container 102.
At this moment, if a user activates operation switch 119, cutter 111 starts
rotating unintentionally.
Patent Document 1: JP2002-526135T
SUMMARY OF THE INVETION
An electric cooker includes an electric motor, an operation switch to
operate the motor upon a user activating the operation switch, a safety
switch to switch between an activated status and a deactivated status, a
container having an opening through which the food can be loaded and
unloaded, a lid attached detachably onto the container so as to cover the
opening of the container, a lever operable to move from an activated position
to a deactivated position upon the lid being attached onto the container, a
lever detector activating the safety switch according to the lever, and a lever
actuator to move the lever. In the activated status, the electric motor
operates when the operation switch is activated. In the deactivated status,
the motor does not operate even when the operation switch is activated.
The lever is operable to move from an activated position to a deactivated
position upon the lid being attached onto the container. The lever detector
is operable to set the safety switch in the deactivated status when the lever
is located at the deactivated position, and to set the safety switch in the
activated status when the lever is located at the activated position. The
lever actuator moves the lever from the activated position to the deactivated
position upon the user activating the lever actuator.
This electric cooker safely prevents the electric motor from rotating
even if deposits of food adhere onto the lever.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric cooker in accordance with
Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker in accordance
with Embodiment 1.
Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 2A.
Fig. 3A shows a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker in accordance
with Embodiment 1.
Fig. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 3A.
Fig. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker in accordance
with Embodiment 1.
Fig. 3D is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 3C.
Fig. 3E is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker in accordance
with Embodiment 1.
Fig. 3F is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 3E.
Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker in accordance
with Embodiment 1.
Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 4A.
Fig. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker in accordance
with Embodiment 1.
Fig. 4D is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 4C.
Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of an electric cooker in accordance with
Exemplary Embodiment 2 of the invention.
Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the electric cooker shown in Fig. 5A.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional electric cooker.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 Base
2 Container
2A Opening
3 Handle
4 Lever
5 Lid
5B Lid Slope
5C Lid Groove
5D Engaging Slope
6 Lever Detector
7 Lever Actuator
7A Lever Actuator Slope
7B Lever-Actuator Protrusion
8 Spring
12 Safety Switch
13 Electric Motor
14 Lever
15 Lever Actuator
16 Operation Switch
25 Lid
1001 Electric Cooker
1002 Electric Cooker
1001C Food
P1 Activated Position
P2 Deactivated Position
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Exemplary Embodiment 1
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of electric cooker 1001 in accordance
with Exemplary Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Electric cooker
1001 according to Embodiment 1 is a food blender. Electric cooker 1001
includes base 1, lever detector 6 coupled to safety switch 12, and container 2
detachably mounted to base 1. Base 1 houses electric motor 13, operation
switch 16, and safety switch 12 therein. Container 2 includes cutter 11
therein, and has opening 2A which open upward. Container 2 is adapted to
have food 1001C put therein. Food 1001C is cooked with electric motor 13
and loaded and unloaded through opening 2A. Lid 5 capable of closing
opening 2A is mounted detachably onto container 2, and has lid protrusion
5A. When container 2 is mounted to base 1 with lid 5 located at in a
predetermined position to close opening 2A of container 2 properly, lid
protrusion 5A presses lever 104 downward to push lever detector 6 so as to
turn on safety switch 12. While safety switch 12 is turned on, a user
activate operation switch 16 to allow electric motor 13 to rotate cutter 11.
When lid 5 is not located at the predetermined position, lever 4 moves lever
detector 6 upward with spring 9 so as not to turn on safety switch 12 to
deactivate safety switch 12, disabling to rotate cutter 11 even if the user
activates operation switch 16.
Electric cooker 1001 includes handle 3 fixed to container 2. Handle 3
includes handle cover 10. Lever 4 is provided inside handle cover 10.
Lever 4 is urged upward with spring 9 to locate lever detector 6 to a position
to turn off safety switch 12. Lever 4 has lever protrusion 4A and lever slope
4B. When lid 5 is located at the predetermined position on container 2, lid
protrusion 5A of lid 5 presses down lever protrusion 4A, causing lever 4 to
press lever detector 6 in an activating direction to activate lever detector 6.
Lever actuator 7 to move lever 4 is provided inside handle cover 10. Lever
actuator 7 has lever-actuator slope 7A facing lever slope 4B in parallel to
lever slope 4B. Lever actuator 7 pushed by return spring 8 moves to cause
lever-actuator slope 7A to remove from lever slope 4B.
Figs. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views of electric cooker 1001.
Lever actuator 7 has lever-actuator protrusion 7B. Lid groove 5C extending
horizontally is formed in lid 5. Lever-actuator protrusion 7B of lever
actuator 7 engages in lid groove 5C. This structure prevents lid 5 from
opening easily during the use of electric cooker 1001, thus providing
electronic cooler 1001 with safety. Lid 5 has lid slope 5B connected to lid
groove 5C. Engaging slope 5D connected to lid groove 5C is provided under
lid groove 5C.
An operation of electric cooker 1001 will be described below. Figs. 3A
to 3F and 4A to 4D are cross-sectional views of electric cooker 1001 for
illustrating the operation of electric cooker 1001. Figs. 3A, 3C, 3E, 4A and
4C illustrate a vicinity of lever actuator 7. Figs. 3B, 3D, 3F, 4B and 4D
illustrate a vicinity of lever-detector 6.
Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate container 2 closed completely with lid 5. Lid
protrusion 5A of lid 5 presses down lever protrusion 4A when lever 4 is
located at activated position P1. At this moment, lever detector 6 is pressed
down in activating direction 12A to turn on safety switch 12 to activate
safety switch 12. Being pushed with return spring 8, lever-actuator
protrusion 7B is inserted into a recess of lid groove 5C to secure lid 5 onto
container 2 and handle 3. At this moment, lever-actuator slope 7A faces
lever slope 4B across clearance 7C in parallel with lever slope 4B instead of
the pushing of lever slope 4B. As safety switch 12 is still turned on, the
user can start activate electric motor 13 by activating operation switch 16 to
rotate cutter 11 for cooking food 1001C.
Figs. 3C and 3D illustrate the status that the user activates lever
actuator 7 to push lever actuator 7 in activating direction 7D in which
lever-actuator slope 7A approaches lever slope 4B. Lever-actuator slope 7A
and lever slope 4B incline in activating direction 7D. When lever actuator 7
is pushed in activating direction 7D, lever-actuator slope 7A contacts lever
slope 4B and pushes lever slope 4B upward in direction 1001B. This
operation moves lever 4 from activated position P1 in deactivating direction
12B, thereby turning off safety switch 12. According to Embodiment 1,
activating direction 12A is opposite to deactivating direction 12B, but is not
limited to this. Lever 4 moves in deactivating direction 12B to move lever
detector 6 in deactivating direction 12B. At this moment, the user can force
lever 4 to move by pushing lever actuator 7 even if lever 4 is fixed on handle
cover 10 or container 2 with deposits of food. When the user pushes lever
actuator 7 in activating direction 7D, lever-actuator protrusion 7B moves
along lid groove 5 C in lid 5. Lever-actuator protrusion 7B moving along lid
groove 5C starts releasing from lid groove 5C. Simultaneously to this,
lever-actuator slope 7A contacts lever slope 4B to move lever 4 in
deactivating direction 12B. Lever 4 moving in deactivating direction 12B
causes lever protrusion 4A to raise lid protrusion 5A in direction 1001B, and
removes lid 5 closing opening 2A of container 2 from opening 2A. Upon
moving in deactivating direction 12B, lever 4 turns off safety switch 12 via
lever detector 6 to deactivate safety switch 12. Since safety switch 12 is
turned off, the user cannot activate electric motor 13 to rotate cutter 11 even
by activating operation switch 16.
Figs. 3E and 3F show the status that the user pushes lever actuator 7
further in activating direction 7D. When the user pushes lever actuator 7
further in the activating direction, lever-actuator protrusion 7B pushes lid
slope 5B to move lid 5 in direction 1001B. This movement causes lever
slope 7A to raise lever slope 4B further in direction 1001B, and moves lever 4
further in deactivating direction 12B to locate lever 4 at deactivated position
P2. At this moment, lever detector 6 is released from being pushed by lever
4. Simultaneously to this, lever protrusion 4A raises lid protrusion 5A
upward in direction 1001B, moves lid 5 further away from opening 2A of
container 5, accordingly allowing lever actuator 7B to release engaging
between lid groove 5C and lid slope 5B.
As described above, safety switch 12 is switched between an activated
status in which electric motor 13 operates when a user activates operation
switch 16 and a deactivated status in which electric motor 13 does not
operate even if the user activates operation switch 16. Lever 4 can move
from activated position P1 to deactivated position P2 with lid 5 being
attached to container 2. Lever detector 6 sets safety switch 12 to the
deactivated status when lever 4 is at deactivated position P2 and to the
activated status when lever 4 is at activated position P1. The user activates
lever actuator 7 to cause lever actuator 7 to move lever 4 from activated
position P1 to deactivated position P2.
Figs. 4A and 4B show statuses that lid 5 is not attached to container 2.
In this status, lever actuator 7 is urged in direction 7E with return spring 8
to be located at a position in direction 7E from the position shown in Fig. 3A.
Direction 7E is opposite to operating direction 7D.
Figs. 4C and 4D show the status that the user pushes lid 5 downward
in direction 1001A so as to cause lid 5 to approach container 2. The user
pushes lid 5 downward in direction 1001A opposite to direction 1001B so as
to place lid 5 on container 2. This operation allows engaging slope 5D of lid
5, contacting lever-actuator protrusion 7B to move lever-actuator protrusion
7B in direction 7D. Additionally, lever actuator 7 moves in direction 7D,
and lever slope 7A contacts lever slope 4B. When lid 5 is pushed down
further in direction 1001A, engaging slope 5D of lid 5 moves lever-actuator
protrusion 7B further in direction 7D, causing lever slope 7A to raise lever
slope 4B up in direction 1001B (deactivating direction 12B). Then, the user
can force lever 4 to move in deactivating direction 12B even if lever 4 is fixed
onto container 2 or handle cover 10 (handle 3) with deposits of food. When
lid 5 is placed on container 2 for closing opening 2A, return spring 8 urges
lever actuator 7 to move in direction 7E, causing lever-actuator protrusion
7B to move along lid groove 5C in direction 7E and to engage with lid groove
5C. This operation locates respective components of electric cooker 1001 to
their original positions shown in Figs. 3A and 3B.
Thus, in electric cooker according to Embodiment 1, lever actuator 7
forces lever 4 to move in both cases that lid 5 is placed on container 2 and is
released away from container 2. Therefore, even if lever 4 is fixed on
container 2 or handle 3 with deposits of food, the user can make lever 4
movable by releasing lever 4 from the deposits. This operation allows safety
switch 12 to be turned off when lid 5 does not close opening 2A of container 2,
so that electric motor 13 does not start if the user activates operation switch
16 carelessly, thus providing electric cooker 1001 with high safety.
Additionally, when the user pushes lever actuator 7 in direction 7D,
lever-actuator protrusion 7B moved along lid groove 5C. This releases
engaging of lever-actuator protrusion 7B with lid groove 5C and
lever-actuator protrusion 7B contacts lid slope 5B, enabling lid 5 to release
from container 2. Therefore electric cooker 1001 is provided with a
capability of releasing lid 5 away from container 2 conveniently as well as a
high safety.
Lever-actuator protrusion 7B engages with lid groove 5C to engage lid 5
with container 2 reliably. This structure maintains clearance 7C between
lever actuator 7 and lever 4, and allows less accurate dimensions of
components, accordingly allowing each component to be designed and
manufactured easily.
Return spring 8 urges lever actuator 7 in direction 7E so as to push
lever-actuator protrusion 7B into the end of lid-groove 5C, thereby holding
lid 5 on container 2 to close opening 2A reliably.
Lever 4 and lever actuator 7 are both housed in handle 3, the user can
move lever 4 in deactivating direction 12B easily while holding handle 3 or
with a single hand to release the adhering of lever 4 simultaneously to
releasing lid 5 from placing.
Exemplary Embodiment 2
Figs. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of electric cooker 1002 in
accordance with Exemplary Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In
Figs. 5A and 5B, components identical to those of electric cooker 1001
according to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and
their description will be omitted. Electric cooker 1002 according to
Embodiment 2 includes lever 14, lever actuator 15, and lid 25 instead of
lever 4, lever actuator 7, and lid 5 of electric cooker 1001 according to
Embodiment 1 shown in Fig. 1.
As shown in Fig. 5A, lever 14 is located inside handle 3 to push lever
detector 6. Lever 14 has lever slope 14B. Lid 25 has lid protrusion 25A.
A user attaches lid 25 to container 2 so as to close opening 2A, when lid
protrusion 25A pushes down the top of lever slope 14B. This operation
moves lever 14 in deactivating direction 12A to turn on safety switch 12 via
lever detector 6. At this moment, the user activates operation switch 16 to
allow the electric motor to rotate cutter 11. Lever slope 14B faces
lever-actuator slope 15A of lever actuator 15 in parallel with lever-actuator
slope 15A. Return spring 8 urges lever-actuator slope 15A in direction 15E
to remove slope 14B away from lever-actuator slope 15A to prevent
lever-actuator slope 15A from pushing lever slope 14B.
As shown in Fig. 5B, the user pushes lever actuator 15 in direction 15D
in which lever-actuator slope 15A approaches lever slope 15B so as to cause
lever-actuator slope 15A to push lid protrusion 25A in upward direction
1002B, thereby removing lid 25 from container 2. Simultaneously to this
operation, lever slope 14B move in direction 1002B as to move lever 14 in
deactivating direction 12B opposite to activating direction 12A. Lever 14
moves in deactivating direction 12B, and turns off and deactivates safety
switch 12. At this moment, the user cannot allow the electric motor to
rotate cutter 11 even if activating operation switch 16. Upon the user
releasing lever actuator 15 from pushing lever actuator 15, return spring 8
moves lever actuator 15 in direction 15E so as to allow lever actuator 15 to
return to position 15F located away from lid protrusion 25A and lever slope
14B.
In electric cooker 1002 according to Embodiment 2, upon the user
pushing lever actuator 15 in direction 15D, lever-actuator slope 15A pushes
lid protrusion 25A of lid 25 to move lid 25 from container 2, and
simultaneously, forces lever 14 to move in deactivating direction 12B via
lever slope 14B. This operation can release lever 14 even if lever 14 is
adhered onto handle 3 or container 2 with deposits of foods.
The present invention is not limited to the above exemplary
embodiments. Electric cooker 1001 is a food blender according to
Embodiment 1, but can be applicable to any electric cooker, such as a food
processor or mill, equipped with an electric motor, or a safety device
activated with a lever.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
An electric cooker, a food blender, according to the present invention
safely prevents an electric motor from rotating even if deposits of food adhere
onto a lever, and can be an electric cooker, such as a food processor or a mill,
including an electric motor or a safety device activated by a lever.
we claim:
1. An electric cooker comprising:
an electric motor;
an operation switch to operate the motor upon a user activating
the operation switch;
a safety switch to switch between an activated status in which the
electric motor operates when the operation switch is activated and a
deactivated status in which the motor does not operate even when the
operation switch is activated;
a container adapted to contain a food cooked by an operation of
the electric motor, the container having an opening through which the food
can be loaded and unloaded;
a lid attached detachably onto the container so as to cover the
opening of the container;
a lever operable to move from an activated position to a
deactivated position upon the lid being attached onto the container;
a lever detector operable to set the safety switch in the
deactivated status when the lever is located at the deactivated position, and
to set the safety switch in the activated status when the lever is located at
the activated position; and
a lever actuator operable to move the lever from the activated
position to the deactivated position upon the user activating the lever
actuator.
2. The electric cooker according to claim 1, further comprising a base
housing the electric motor, wherein the container is mounted detachably
onto the body.
3. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein the lever actuator
moves the lid from the container when the lever moves from the activated
position to the deactivated position.
4. The electric cooker according to claim 3, wherein
the lever actuator has a lever-actuator protrusion,
the lid has a lid-slope, and
the lid is removed from the container when the lever-actuator
protrusion pushes up the lid slope.
5. The electric cooker according to claim 3, wherein the lever actuator is
engaged with the lid.
6. The electric cooker according to claim 5, wherein
the lid has a lid groove therein connected to the lid slope, and
the lever actuator has a lever-actuator protrusion engaged with
the lid groove.
7. The electric cooker according to claim 6, further comprising a return
spring urging the lever actuator.
8. The electric cooker according to claim 6, wherein the lid has an
engaging slope to move the lever-actuator protrusion when the lid is placed
on the container.
9. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein the lever actuator
has a lever-actuator slope to move the lid from the container when the lever
actuator moves.
10. The electric cooker according to claim 1, further comprising a
handle, wherein the handle houses the lever and the lever actuator therein.

An electric cooker includes an electric motor, an operation switch to
operate the motor upon a user activating the operation switch, a safety
switch to switch between an activated status and a deactivated status, a
container having an opening through which the food can be loaded and
unloaded, a lid attached detachably onto the container so as to cover the
opening of the container, a lever operable to move from an activated position
to a deactivated position upon the lid being attached onto the container, a
lever detector activating the safety switch according to the lever, and a lever
actuator to move the lever. In the activated status, the electric motor
operates when the operation switch is activated. In the deactivated status,
the motor does not operate even when the operation switch is activated.
The lever is operable to move from an activated position to a deactivated
position upon the lid being attached onto the container. The lever detector
is operable to set the safety switch in the deactivated status when the lever
is located at the deactivated position, and to set the safety switch in the
activated status when the lever is located at the activated position. The
lever actuator moves the lever from the activated position to the deactivated
position upon the user activating the lever actuator. This electric cooker
safely prevents the electric motor from rotating even if deposits of food
adhere onto the lever.