An air fryer with reduced overall height

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of air fryer technology, specifically disclosing an air fryer with reduced overall height. It includes an air fryer body, with a cooking cavity defined inside the body, and a frying basket removably disposed within the cooking cavity. A wind source cavity is defined on the side of the air fryer body. A hot air channel connecting to the wind source cavity is defined at the bottom of the air fryer body, and the hot air channel is configured to surround the bottom periphery of the cooking cavity. The bottom periphery of the frying basket has spaced-apart air inlets configured to connect to the hot air channel, allowing hot air from the hot air channel to enter the frying basket through the air inlets and heat the food. By placing the hot air channel at the bottom of the air fryer body, the overall height of the air fryer is reduced, while simultaneously improving the uniformity of heating the bottom of the food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air fryer technology, and in particular to an air fryer with a reduced overall height. Background Technology

[0002] In today's fast-paced life, air fryers have become a popular kitchen appliance due to their ability to achieve a frying-like cooking effect using hot air circulation without requiring large amounts of cooking oil, offering both health benefits and convenience. As consumers increasingly demand efficient kitchen space utilization and greater portability and storage convenience, the overall height of air fryers is gradually becoming a crucial factor influencing their market competitiveness. Simultaneously, the evenness of heat distribution during food cooking directly affects cooking results and user experience. Therefore, how to reduce the overall height of air fryers while maintaining cooking performance and improving the evenness of heat distribution has become a pressing technical challenge for the industry.

[0003] Current air fryers typically have the hot air duct located at the top of the main body. This layout results in a significant vertical space requirement, leading to a relatively tall unit. This height not only takes up excessive kitchen space during storage, affecting the overall kitchen layout, but also causes considerable inconvenience during transport and storage. This is especially true for users with limited kitchen space or those who frequently need to move and store kitchen appliances, making tall air fryers unsuitable for their needs.

[0004] Furthermore, traditional air fryers have certain shortcomings in their hot air circulation path regarding heating principles and food heating effects. Because the hot air duct is located at the top, the hot air blows downwards onto the food. During this process, the contact between the hot air and the food is insufficient, especially at the bottom, where it's difficult to receive adequate and even heat. This easily leads to uneven heating, with the top cooked while the bottom remains raw, severely impacting cooking quality. For example, when grilling chicken wings or French fries, the bottom often requires a longer cooking time to achieve the same cooking effect as the top, and may even result in the bottom being undercooked while the top is burnt.

[0005] To address these issues, some existing technologies attempt to improve the structure of air fryers. Some improve hot air circulation by optimizing the shape of the hot air channels or adding airflow guides, but these improvements are not significant in reducing the overall height of the machine. Others improve the evenness of food heating by adjusting the internal structure of the frying basket, but this often increases the design complexity and manufacturing cost of the product, and it is difficult to fundamentally solve the problem of unreasonable hot air circulation. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air fryer with a reduced overall height. By setting the hot air channel at the bottom of the fryer body, the overall height is reduced, while improving the heat uniformity of the food at the bottom.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0008] An air fryer with a reduced overall height includes an air fryer body, an interior of which defines a cooking cavity, and a detachable frying basket disposed within the cooking cavity; a side portion of the air fryer body defines an air source cavity; the bottom of the air fryer body defines a hot air channel communicating with the air source cavity, the hot air channel being configured to surround the bottom periphery of the cooking cavity; the bottom periphery of the frying basket is provided with spaced-apart air inlets, the air inlets being configured to communicate with the hot air channel, so that hot air in the hot air channel enters the frying basket through the air inlets and heats the food.

[0009] Furthermore, a frying plate for placing food to be cooked is removably suspended inside the frying basket. The frying plate is configured to divide the frying basket into a first space located on the upper side of the frying plate and a second space located on the lower side of the frying plate. The air inlet is located on the side wall of the second space so that the hot air in the hot air channel enters the frying basket through the air inlet and heats the food from bottom to top.

[0010] Furthermore, an air inlet channel is provided between the hot air channel and the air inlet to connect the two.

[0011] Furthermore, the opening of the frying basket has an outwardly extending flange, and a plurality of air vents are arranged at intervals on the flange, the air vents being configured to connect the interior of the frying basket with the cooking cavity.

[0012] Furthermore, the side wall of the cooking cavity is provided with a return air vent that connects to the air source cavity, and the return air vent is configured to guide the hot air in the cooking cavity into the air source cavity for circulation.

[0013] Furthermore, the top of the cooking cavity has a cover plate, and a heat insulation plate is provided above the cover plate, defining a heat insulation cavity between the heat insulation plate and the cover plate.

[0014] Furthermore, a ventilation cavity is defined on the side of the fryer body, and a second centrifugal fan is provided in the ventilation cavity to provide airflow power. A heat dissipation cavity communicating with the ventilation cavity is defined on the top of the fryer body.

[0015] Furthermore, the fryer body has a circumferential gap that communicates with the heat dissipation cavity on its periphery, and the bottom of the fryer body is provided with a bottom gap and an exhaust vent. The heat dissipation cavity is connected to the bottom gap through the circumferential gap and to the exhaust vent.

[0016] Furthermore, the air source cavity is equipped with a first centrifugal fan that provides airflow power, and the second centrifugal fan shares a drive motor with the first centrifugal fan.

[0017] Furthermore, a heating tube is provided in the air source cavity and / or the hot air channel.

[0018] Due to the adoption of the above technical solutions, this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. This utility model's air fryer places the hot air duct at the bottom of the main body of the fryer and surrounds the bottom perimeter of the cooking cavity, reducing the utilization of the top space and lowering the top height of the air fryer. Furthermore, placing the hot air duct at the bottom of the air fryer lowers the center of gravity while reducing the top height, which improves the stability of the air fryer during placement and transportation. In addition, arranging the hot air duct around the bottom perimeter of the cooking cavity utilizes the perimeter space of the bottom cooking cavity, further reducing the overall height of the air fryer. In practical use, for the increasingly compact kitchen environment of modern homes, the reduced overall height allows it to easily adapt to various cabinet and countertop storage spaces, greatly improving the utilization efficiency of kitchen space.

[0020] 2. This utility model of an air fryer uses air inlets around the bottom of the frying basket to heat food from bottom to top with hot air. During cooking, the bottom of the food can directly and fully contact the hot air, effectively avoiding uneven heating caused by poor airflow. Especially for larger or thicker foods, such as whole chickens or multi-layered stacks of French fries, traditional air fryers often result in the top being overcooked or even burnt while the bottom remains uncooked, thus improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below only involve some embodiments of this utility model, and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the air fryer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the air fryer according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the frying basket according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0025] Figure label:

[0026] 100. Fryer body;

[0027] 110. Cooking cavity; 111. Return air vent;

[0028] 120. Air source chamber; 121. First centrifugal fan; 122. Drive motor;

[0029] 130. Hot air duct; 131. Air inlet duct; 132. Heating element;

[0030] 140. Exhaust chamber; 141. Second centrifugal fan;

[0031] 150. Insulated cavity; 151. Cover plate; 152. Insulated board; 153. Decorative ring; 154. Transparent panel; 155. Inner transparent panel;

[0032] 160. Heat dissipation cavity; 161. Bottom gap; 162. Exhaust vent;

[0033] 170. Basket failure; 171. Air inlet; 172. Plate failure; 173. First space; 174. Second space; 175. Flip-up edge; 176. Air outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0035] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this utility model pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this utility model patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" indicate that the element or object preceding "comprising" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0037] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0038] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0039] Example:

[0040] See Figures 1 to 3 The air fryer of this embodiment includes an air fryer body 100, which serves as the outer shell and supporting structure of the entire air fryer. An internal cooking chamber 110 is defined within the air fryer body 100, and a removable frying basket 170 is disposed inside the cooking chamber 110 for cooking food. An air source chamber 120 is defined on the side of the air fryer body 100.

[0041] In this embodiment, the fryer body 100 defines a hot air channel 130 at the bottom, which connects to the air source cavity 120 and surrounds the bottom periphery of the cooking cavity 110. This layout breaks away from the traditional air fryer model where the hot air channel is located at the top, effectively reducing the overall height of the machine by making full use of the bottom space. It also lowers the overall center of gravity of the air fryer, making it more stable during handling. In addition, air inlets 171 are arranged at intervals on the bottom periphery of the frying basket 170, which connect to the hot air channel 130. A first centrifugal fan 121 is provided in the air source cavity 120 to provide airflow power. During operation, the first centrifugal fan 121 pushes the airflow from the air source cavity 120 into the hot air channel 130. During this process, the air is heated to form hot air, which enters the frying basket 170 through the air inlets 171 to heat the food.

[0042] In some embodiments, a frying plate 172 is removably suspended inside the frying basket 170. The frying plate 172 divides the frying basket 170 into a first space 173 located on the upper side of the frying plate 172 and a second space 174 located on the lower side of the frying plate 172. An air inlet 171 is located on the side wall of the second space 174. This design allows hot air to heat the food from bottom to top, ensuring that the bottom of the food is also fully heated, effectively improving the uniformity of heating of the food.

[0043] In some embodiments, an air inlet channel 131 is provided between the hot air channel 130 and the air inlet 171, connecting the two. The air inlet channel 131 optimizes the flow path of the hot air, ensuring that the hot air can smoothly and efficiently enter the frying basket 170 from the hot air channel 130. In actual manufacturing, the air inlet channel 131 can be made of high-temperature resistant and low-wind-resistance materials, such as stainless steel or specific engineering plastics, to ensure the stability and safety of hot air transmission.

[0044] In some embodiments, the opening of the frying basket 170 has an outwardly extending flange 175, and a plurality of air outlets 176 are arranged at intervals on the flange 175. The air outlets 176 connect the interior of the frying basket 170 with the cooking chamber 110. After the hot air heats the food, it is discharged from the air outlets 176, enters the cooking chamber 110, and is discharged through the cooking chamber 110 or enters the circulation.

[0045] In some embodiments, the side wall of the cooking cavity 110 is provided with a return air vent 111 connecting to the air source cavity 120. The function of the return air vent 111 is to guide the hot air in the cooking cavity into the air source cavity 120 for circulation, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the hot air and reducing heat loss. After the hot air heats the food, it is discharged from the air outlet 176, enters the cooking cavity 110, and then returns to the air source cavity 120 through the return air vent 111, forming a complete hot air circulation path.

[0046] In some embodiments, the top of the cooking cavity 110 has a cover plate 151, and a heat insulation plate 152 is provided above the cover plate 151, defining a heat insulation cavity 150 between the two. The heat insulation cavity 150 can effectively block the upward transfer of heat, which on the one hand protects the components on the top of the fryer body 100 from damage due to high temperature, and on the other hand reduces the surface temperature of the product, improving the safety of use.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, the cover plate 151 defines an opening in the middle, and a decorative ring 153 is provided above the opening. The decorative ring 153 defines a viewing window for viewing the cooking cavity 110 in the middle. A transparent panel 154 is provided at the upper opening of the viewing window, and an inner viewing plate 155 is installed at the lower part. The edge of the inner viewing plate 155 is adapted to the opening of the cover plate 151, so that the user can easily observe the cooking status of the food in the cooking cavity.

[0048] In some embodiments, an exhaust cavity 140 is defined on the side of the fryer body 100, and a second centrifugal fan 141 is provided in the exhaust cavity 140. A heat dissipation cavity 160 communicating with the exhaust cavity 140 is defined on the top of the fryer body 100. The power generated by the second centrifugal fan 141 pushes air into the heat dissipation cavity 160 to remove the heat from the top of the fryer body 100.

[0049] In some embodiments, the air fryer body 100 defines a circumferential gap communicating with the heat dissipation cavity 160 on its periphery, and has a bottom gap 161 and an exhaust vent 162 at its bottom. The heat dissipation cavity 160 is connected to the bottom gap 161 through the circumferential gap and finally to the exhaust vent 162. During the operation of the air fryer, the second centrifugal fan 141 operates, dissipating the heat generated inside the device through the heat dissipation cavity 160, the circumferential gap, and the bottom gap 161, and expelling it from the exhaust vent 162. This ensures that all components inside the air fryer operate at a suitable temperature, extending the device's service life.

[0050] In some embodiments, the second centrifugal fan 141 and the first centrifugal fan 121 share a single drive motor 122. This design not only reduces the number of motors, lowers costs and structural complexity, but also ensures the airflow power requirements of each chamber.

[0051] In some embodiments, a heating element 132 is provided within the air source cavity 120 and / or the hot air channel 130. The heating element 132 serves as a heat source, providing heating for the air fryer. In practical applications, the heating element 132 can be made of common stainless steel or quartz materials, selected according to different heating requirements and cost budgets. The power of the heating element 132 can be rationally configured according to the overall design of the air fryer and cooking requirements. For example, for smaller capacity air fryers, the power of the heating element 132 can be set to 1200-1500W; for larger capacity models, the power can be appropriately increased to 1500-2000W to ensure that the ideal cooking temperature is reached within a specified time.

[0052] The air fryer workflow in this embodiment:

[0053] (I) Preheating Stage

[0054] When the user starts the air fryer, the drive motor 122 starts working, driving the first centrifugal fan 121 and the second centrifugal fan 141 to operate. Simultaneously, the heating element 132 in the air source chamber 120 and / or the hot air channel 130 is energized and heats the air. The heated air, under the action of the first centrifugal fan 121, passes through the hot air channel 130 and the air inlet channel 131, and enters the frying basket 170 through the air inlet 171 on the bottom periphery of the basket. At this time, since no food is placed in the frying basket 170, the hot air circulates within the basket 170, then enters the cooking chamber 110 through the air outlet 176 on the flange 175 at the opening of the basket 170, and then returns to the air source chamber 120 through the return air inlet 111 on the side wall of the cooking chamber 110. This cycle repeats, bringing the air fryer to the preset cooking temperature and completing the preheating process.

[0055] (II) Cooking Stage

[0056] The user places the food to be cooked in the first space 173 above the frying plate 172 inside the frying basket 170. At this time, hot air, still under the action of the first centrifugal fan 121, passes through the hot air channel 130 and the air inlet channel 131, and enters the second space 174 of the frying basket 170 from the air inlet 171 on the bottom periphery of the frying basket 170. Then, it passes through the food from bottom to top, heating the food. The hot air makes full contact with the food, removing the moisture from the surface of the food, achieving a cooking effect similar to deep-frying. The hot air after heating the food is discharged from the air outlet 176 on the flange 175 at the opening of the frying basket 170, enters the cooking chamber 110, and then returns to the air source chamber 120 through the return air vent 111. After being reheated by the heating tube 132, it continues to enter the hot air channel 130 to participate in the circulation, continuously heating the food until the food is cooked.

[0057] During the operation of the air fryer, the second centrifugal fan 141 continuously operates, dissipating the heat generated inside the device due to the operation of the heating element 132 and the motor through the heat dissipation chamber 160, the circumferential gap, and the bottom gap 161, and then expelling it from the exhaust port 162. Even after cooking is finished, the second centrifugal fan 141 can continue to operate for a period of time to further reduce the internal temperature of the device and ensure its safety.

[0058] The application of the air fryer in a home kitchen according to this embodiment:

[0059] In a home kitchen environment, the advantages of this air fryer are fully demonstrated. Its lower overall height easily adapts to various cabinet and countertop spaces, especially for small apartments or users with limited kitchen space, eliminating the hassle of storing the air fryer. During cooking, the bottom-up hot air heating method ensures more even heating of food. For example, when roasting a whole chicken, a traditional air fryer might result in the skin being burnt while the inside remains uncooked, while this air fryer ensures the chicken is heated evenly from the inside out, producing a golden-brown, crispy skin and a tender, juicy interior. Simultaneously, the transparent viewing window design allows users to easily observe the cooking process without frequently opening the basket, preventing heat loss and ensuring optimal cooking results.

[0060] The application of the air fryer in a commercial kitchen according to this embodiment:

[0061] In commercial kitchens such as fast food restaurants and snack bars, the efficiency and stability of air fryers are crucial. This air fryer, with its rationally designed hot air circulation and heat dissipation systems, can operate continuously for extended periods. Its high hot air circulation efficiency allows for the rapid cooking of large quantities of food while ensuring the quality of each serving. For example, when making French fries, it can evenly fry multiple stacks of fries in a short time, improving serving efficiency. The shared drive motor design reduces potential points of failure, lowers maintenance costs, and brings significant economic benefits to commercial users.

[0062] In summary, this utility model of an air fryer with reduced overall height has significant advantages in reducing overall height, improving the uniformity of food heating, and optimizing hot air circulation and heat dissipation through innovative design and optimized layout of various components. It has good market application prospects and promotional value.

[0063] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air fryer with reduced overall height, comprising an air fryer body, wherein a cooking cavity is defined inside the air fryer body, and a frying basket is removably disposed within the cooking cavity; an air source cavity is defined on the side of the air fryer body; characterized in that: The bottom of the fryer body defines a hot air channel that connects to the air source cavity, and the hot air channel is configured to surround the bottom periphery of the cooking cavity. The bottom perimeter of the frying basket is provided with spaced air inlets, which are configured to connect to the hot air channel so that the hot air in the hot air channel enters the frying basket through the air inlets and heats the food.

2. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, A frying plate for placing food to be cooked is removably suspended inside the frying basket. The frying plate is configured to divide the frying basket into a first space located on the upper side of the frying plate and a second space located on the lower side of the frying plate. The air inlet is located on the side wall of the second space so that the hot air in the hot air channel enters the frying basket through the air inlet and heats the food from bottom to top.

3. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, An air inlet channel is provided between the hot air channel and the air inlet to connect the two.

4. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening of the frying basket has an outwardly extending flange, and several air vents are arranged at intervals on the flange. The air vents are configured to connect the interior of the frying basket with the cooking cavity.

5. The air fryer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cooking cavity has a return air inlet on its side wall that connects to the air source cavity. The return air inlet is configured to guide the hot air in the cooking cavity into the air source cavity for circulation.

6. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooking cavity has a cover plate at the top, and a heat insulation plate is provided above the cover plate, defining a heat insulation cavity between the heat insulation plate and the cover plate.

7. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side of the fryer body also defines an exhaust cavity, and a second centrifugal fan is provided in the exhaust cavity to provide airflow power. The top of the fryer body defines a heat dissipation cavity that communicates with the exhaust cavity.

8. The air fryer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fryer body has a circumferential gap that communicates with the heat dissipation cavity on its periphery. The bottom of the fryer body is provided with a bottom gap and an exhaust vent. The heat dissipation cavity is connected to the bottom gap through the circumferential gap and to the exhaust vent.

9. The air fryer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The air source cavity is equipped with a first centrifugal fan that provides airflow power, and the second centrifugal fan shares a drive motor with the first centrifugal fan.

10. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Heating pipes are provided in the air source cavity and / or the hot air channel.

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