Patent attributes
Water draining means (a water drain pipe and a water drain valve (54)) is provided that drains water out of a pot. A control device (80) makes the water draining means drain the water inside the pot when one of the following conditions is fulfilled: [1] the retention time counted by a first time counter (101a) has reached a predetermined time; [2] the total time, as counted by a second time counter (101b), that has elapsed after the water started to be fed has reached a predetermined time; [3] the total amount of water, as detected by a fed water amount detector (102), that has been fed into the pot has reached a predetermined amount; [4] the total water feed time, as counted by a third time counter (101c), for which the water has been fed into the pot has reached a predetermined time; and [5] an instruction to drain the water is entered via an operation panel (13). Thus, while the amount of water consumed and the work burden on the user associated with water replenishment are reduced, the water retained inside the steam generating device (pot) is prevented from getting spoilt, and the interior of the steam generating means can be kept sanitary.
