Rice storage device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a rice storage device, comprising a accommodating unit with an accommodating space, a material taking unit and a decompression unit. The bottom of the accommodating space is provided with a material outlet. The material taking unit comprises a feed inlet, a material taking port, a material taking cavity and a sealing member. The feed inlet is connected with the material outlet and is sealed by a feed inlet sealing ring. The material taking cavity is located above the material taking port and can move between a first position connected with the material outlet and a second position connected with the material taking port. The sealing member can move between a sealing position for sealing the material taking port and an opening position for opening the material taking port. The decompression unit is connected with the accommodating space and is used to make the pressure in the accommodating space lower than a predetermined pressure. According to the present invention, a negative pressure environment can be formed in the accommodating space by the decompression unit, the air content can be reduced, and the respiration of the food can be slowed down. By taking out the food in the accommodating space by the material taking unit, the frequency and degree of the connection between the accommodating space and the external environment can be reduced, which is conducive to the long-term preservation of the food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of kitchen utensils, and in particular to a rice storage device. Background Art

[0002] In daily life, people are accustomed to buying a large amount of food materials such as rice at one time, and use rice storage devices such as plastic rice buckets, hardware rice buckets, and ceramic rice buckets to store them. Most of the above-mentioned rice storage devices simply isolate the space used to store rice from the external space, and cannot control various parameters such as temperature and humidity of the rice storage space. For example, rice will breathe during long-term storage and generate more heat. In a closed storage space, heat is not easy to dissipate, and a high temperature environment easily causes food materials to corrupt. In addition, when taking rice from the rice storage device, the storage space is connected to the external environment, and its temperature, humidity, etc. are easily affected by the external environment. Long-term storage is prone to problems such as moisture, mildew, aging, and insects, so it is difficult to keep fresh for a long time, which brings a bad experience to users.

[0003] To this end, the present invention provides a rice storage device to at least partially solve the problems in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0004] A series of simplified concepts are introduced in the Summary of the Invention, which will be further described in detail in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The Summary of the Invention does not mean to attempt to define the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor does it mean to attempt to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] In order to at least partially solve the above problems, the present invention provides a rice storage device, the rice storage device comprising:

[0006] A containing unit, wherein the containing unit has a containing space for storing materials, and a discharge port is provided at the bottom of the containing space;

[0007] A material taking unit, the material taking unit is arranged below the material discharge port, and the material taking unit comprises:

[0008] A feed inlet, the feed inlet is connected to the discharge port of the accommodating space and is sealed relative to the outside world through a feed inlet sealing ring;

[0009] Feeding port;

[0010] A material taking cavity, wherein the material taking cavity is movable between a first position communicating with the material feed port and a second position communicating with the material taking port, wherein the material taking port is located below the material taking cavity; and

[0011] a sealing member, wherein the sealing member can move between a sealing position for sealing the material taking opening and an opening position for opening the material taking opening, wherein when the material taking cavity is located at the second position, the sealing member is located at the opening position, and when the material taking cavity is located outside the second position, the sealing member is located at the sealing position, so that the accommodating space and the material taking unit form a closed space relative to the outside world; and

[0012] A decompression unit is communicated with the accommodating space and is used to reduce the pressure in the accommodating space to a value lower than a predetermined pressure.

[0013] According to the present invention, the storage space for food can be evacuated by the decompression unit to form a negative pressure environment in the storage space, reduce the air content therein, and thus slow down the respiration of food during storage. On the other hand, by taking out food from the storage space through the material taking unit, the frequency and degree of connection between the storage space and the external environment can be greatly reduced, and the storage space can be kept relatively independent, thereby reducing the adverse effects of the external environment on the storage space, which is conducive to the long-term preservation of food.

[0014] Optionally, the material taking unit comprises:

[0015] An outer shell, wherein the outer shell has a cylindrical recessed portion, the recessed portion includes a bottom wall and a side wall, and the material taking port is arranged on the bottom wall;

[0016] A rotating member, the rotating member is arranged in the recessed portion and is rotatable around the axis of the cylinder, the rotating member has a partition extending along the radial direction of the cylinder, the partition includes at least two and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cylinder, and the area between adjacent partitions defines one material taking cavity; and

[0017] The cover plate covers the recessed portion, the feed port is arranged on the cover plate, and the feed port sealing ring is installed on the cover plate. Thus, the structure of the material taking unit is relatively simple and easy to implement.

[0018] Optionally, the material taking unit further comprises a scraping structure, which is made of a flexible material and is arranged at the position of the material inlet and extends downward to below the upper edge of the partition. Thus, the scraping structure can sweep away food particles spilled on the upper surface of the partition to prevent food particles from getting stuck between the rotating member and the cover plate, causing the rotating member to get stuck.

[0019] Optionally, the lower edge of the scraping structure is 2-5 mm lower than the upper edge of the partition. Thus, the scraping structure has a better scraping effect.

[0020] Optionally, the scraping and sweeping structure is integrally formed with the feed inlet sealing ring, thereby making the scraping and sweeping mechanism easy to manufacture and convenient to install.

[0021] Optionally, the scraping and sweeping structure is integrally formed and arranged on the cover plate in a non-detachable form, thereby the scraping and sweeping structure can be installed integrally with the cover plate, and the installation method is simple.

[0022] Optionally, the scraping structure is constructed as a separately formed structure and connected to the cover plate, thereby allowing for flexible selection of a desired manufacturing method and installation method.

[0023] Optionally, the scraping structure surrounds the feed inlet in a circumferential direction, thereby the scraping structure can guide the food into the feed taking cavity.

[0024] Optionally, the cover plate is provided with a vertical wall surrounding the feed port and extending upward, the upper edge of the vertical wall is provided with a flange extending outward, and the feed port sealing ring has a mounting portion, and the mounting portion mounts the feed port sealing ring to the cover plate by wrapping the flange. In this way, the feed port sealing ring can be conveniently and firmly mounted.

[0025] Optionally, the rice storage device comprises a base and a storage bin detachably connected to the base, the storage bin constitutes the storage unit, and the material taking unit is arranged on the base, thereby the storage bin can be conveniently removed for cleaning or maintenance.

[0026] Optionally, the base has a top plate, and at least a portion of the top plate constitutes the outer shell. Thus, the material taking unit can be arranged using the top plate of the base, which is conducive to making the overall structure more compact. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The following drawings of the present invention are used to understand the present invention as part of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and the description thereof is used to explain the principle of the present invention.

[0028] In the attached figure:

[0029] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a rice storage device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A vertical cutaway view of the rice storage device shown;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a storage bin of the rice storage device shown;

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 1A perspective view of the base of the rice storage device shown;

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An exploded view of the base shown;

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a sealing ring of a feed inlet of a material taking unit of a rice storage device shown;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a cover plate of a material taking unit of a rice storage device shown;

[0036] Figure 8 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a seal of a material taking unit of a rice storage device shown; and

[0037] Fig. 9 for Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of part A in the middle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In the following description, a large number of specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented without one or more of these details. In other examples, in order to avoid confusion with the embodiments of the present invention, some technical features well known in the art are not described.

[0039] In order to fully understand the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed structure will be presented in the following description. Obviously, the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art.

[0040] The present invention provides a rice storage device, which can be used to store granular food materials such as rice, beans, etc. However, it can be understood that the rice storage device according to the present invention can also store fruits or vegetables in the accommodating space. Therefore, the rice storage device can also be called a food storage device.

[0041] The rice storage device according to the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0042] Accommodation Unit

[0043] According to the present invention, the rice storage device includes a housing unit having a housing space. Figures 1 to 3 The storage bin 10 is shown as an example of a storage unit. In addition, the rice storage device 1 further includes a base 20. The storage bin 10 is configured as a structure separate from the base 20 and is detachably connected to the base 20.

[0044] The storage bin 10 includes a bin body 11 and a bin cover 12. The bin body 11 is generally configured in the shape of a rounded rectangular parallelepiped, having a space located inside and an opening formed at the top thereof that communicates with the internal space. The bin cover 12 covers the top of the bin body 11 to close the opening. Thus, a storage space 14 for storing food is formed between the bin cover 12 and the bin body 11.

[0045] For example, the storage space 14 can be set to a larger volume so that it can store 5-10 kg of food. The detachable setting allows the user to remove the storage bin 10 for cleaning, so that the inside of the storage bin remains clean and hygienic, which is conducive to long-term storage of food. Figure 1 As shown, a viewing window 17 may be provided on the side wall of the bin body 11 to facilitate the user to observe the amount of food stored in the storage bin 10 .

[0046] The bin cover 12 can be fixedly connected to the bin body 11, for example, by ultrasonic welding or the like. The bin cover 12 is provided with an additional cover 13 that can be opened and closed. The food can be placed in the storage space 14 by opening the additional cover 13. In this way, the additional cover 13 is smaller in size, and it is more convenient to open and close. In addition, the opening corresponding to the additional cover 13 is smaller, which can reduce the possibility of dust or debris falling into the storage space 14 through the opening when the additional cover 13 is opened. The additional cover 13 can be opened by, for example, pivoting around a pivot axis, pushing and pulling along a slide groove, or directly removing it.

[0047] As an alternative embodiment, the bin cover 12 can also be configured to be able to open and close as a whole relative to the bin body 11. For example, the bin cover 12 can be pivotally connected to the bin body 11 via a pivot shaft, or directly buckled on the bin body 11, or connected to the bin body 11 in a push-pull manner via a slide groove. In this case, the additional cover 13 can be retained or omitted as needed.

[0048] The bottom of the silo 11 is provided with a discharge port 15 connected to the storage space 14. The food stored in the storage space 14 can automatically flow out from the discharge port 15 under the action of gravity, which is convenient for users to take out. Therefore, the rice storage device 1 according to the present invention is particularly suitable for storing granular food with fluidity such as rice and beans. Preferably, the bottom of the silo 11 can be constructed as a bottom wall including an inclined inner side surface. The inner side surface can be composed of at least one inclined surface. And the discharge port 15 is set at the lowest position of the inclined surface. For example Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom of the silo 11 is roughly constructed as an inverted cone structure of a quadrangular pyramid. The discharge port 15 is arranged at the top of the inverted cone (that is, the lowest position of the silo 11). As a result, the bottom of the silo 11 has a slope, which can avoid food residue. As an alternative embodiment, the inner side surface of the bottom wall of the silo 11 can also be constructed as an arc-shaped inclined surface. And it can be understood that the inner side surface of the above-mentioned bottom wall can be a combination of an inclined surface and a plane.

[0049] Accordingly, the top plate 21 of the base 20 is arranged to be offset downwardly by a predetermined distance from the upper edge of the side wall of the base 20. In this way, a space can be formed above the top plate 21 to avoid the bottom of the storage bin 10 protruding downward when the storage bin 10 is installed to the base 20.

[0050] Preferably, one of the storage compartment 10 and the base 20 may be provided with a latching position, and the other may be provided with a buckle. When the storage compartment 10 is mounted to the base 20, the buckle engages with the latching position, so that the two are locked. Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the receiving compartment 10 is provided with a locking position 16, and the base 20 is provided with a buckle 22. Of course, as an alternative embodiment, the receiving compartment 10 and the base 20 can also be locked by connecting with fasteners such as screws.

[0051] Pressure reducing unit

[0052] The rice storage device 1 according to the present invention further includes a decompression unit 30. The decompression unit 30 is communicated with the accommodating space 14, and is used to reduce the pressure in the accommodating space 14 to or below a predetermined pressure value. For example, the pressure in the accommodating space 14 can be made lower than the atmospheric pressure by evacuating the accommodating space 14. The state in which the pressure in the accommodating space 14 is lower than the atmospheric pressure can be called a negative pressure state. Under the negative pressure state, the air content in the accommodating space 14, especially the oxygen content, is low, which can significantly reduce the respiration of the stored food, which is beneficial to the preservation of the food during long-term storage.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, the decompression unit 30 includes a vacuum pump 31. The air inlet of the vacuum pump 31 is connected to the accommodating space 14 to evacuate the accommodating space 14. In this embodiment, the vacuum pump 31 is arranged in the base 20. Such an arrangement can avoid directly arranging the vacuum pump 31 on the accommodating bin 10, which is conducive to reducing the weight of the accommodating bin 10 and making it more lightweight.

[0054] Specifically, Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, a portion of the top plate 21 is recessed downward to form a vacuum pump mounting portion 23 for mounting a vacuum pump 31. That is, the vacuum pump 31 is disposed directly below the storage bin 10. Accordingly, a first vacuum pumping portion 33 protruding downwardly in a columnar shape is disposed at the bottom of the storage bin 10, which has a gas passage connected to the storage space 14. The first vacuum pumping portion 33 is fluidly connected to the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31. Thus, the storage space 14 can be evacuated by the vacuum pump 31. It can be understood that the storage space 14 is constructed as a sealed environment as a whole so as to maintain a negative pressure state after evacuation.

[0055] Preferably, in this embodiment, the vacuum pump 31 is not completely buried in the base 20, but is arranged to protrude upward from the top plate 21 to reduce the distance between the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31 and the first air pumping part 33. In addition, an air extraction sealing ring 32 is arranged between the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31 and the first air extraction part 33, one end of which is sleeved on the air inlet, and the end facing the first air extraction part 33 is configured as a gradually expanding umbrella-shaped part. When the accommodating chamber 10 is installed to the base 20, the first air extraction part 33 is aligned with the air extraction sealing ring 32 and received in the umbrella-shaped part. The protruding length of the first air extraction part 33 is reasonably set so that it applies an extrusion force to the air extraction sealing ring 32. Thereby, the fluid communication between the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31 and the first air extraction part 33 is achieved and kept sealed relative to the outside world. Thus, the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31 and the first air exhaust part 33 can be directly fluidically connected when the containing chamber 10 is installed on the base 20, and can be directly separated when the containing chamber 10 is removed from the base 20, which facilitates the disassembly and assembly operations.

[0056] Preferably, although not shown in the figure, a biasing member such as a spring may be provided in the vacuum pump mounting portion 23. The biasing member applies a biasing force to the vacuum pump 31 toward the accommodating chamber 10 to ensure that there is a squeezing force between the first air pumping portion 33 and the umbrella-shaped portion of the air pumping sealing ring 32 to maintain sealing.

[0057] As an alternative embodiment, a silicone hose may be provided between the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31 and the first air extraction part 33 to achieve fluid communication. Alternatively, a sealing ring may be provided around the air inlet of the vacuum pump 31, and the air inlet may be directly inserted into the gas passage of the first air extraction part 33 to achieve fluid communication. In this case, the columnar structure used to form the first air extraction part 33 may be provided on the outer side of the bottom wall of the storage bin 10 and extend downward, or may be provided on the inner side of the bottom wall of the storage bin 10 and extend upward (i.e., similar to the structure of the second air extraction part 34).

[0058] Generally, when storing granular food such as rice and beans, food debris with very small particle size or dust is easily generated in the storage space 14. In order to prevent food debris or dust from clogging the gas flow path of the decompression unit 30, preferably, as Figure 2As shown, the inlet of the gas flow path of the decompression unit 30 is disposed at the top of the accommodating space 14 .

[0059] Specifically, a second air extraction portion 17 corresponding to the first air extraction portion 33 is provided on the inner side of the bottom of the storage bin 10. The gas passage of the first air extraction portion 33 simultaneously passes through the second air extraction portion 34. An air extraction pipe 35 is also provided in the storage bin 10, one end of which is connected to the second air extraction portion 34 and communicates with the gas passage, and the other end extends to the top of the storage space 14. Preferably, a columnar third air extraction portion 36 is provided at the top of the storage space 14, and a gas passage that passes through the axial direction is provided inside the columnar third air extraction portion 36. The air extraction pipe 35 can be connected to the third air extraction portion 36 to keep it fixed. Preferably, the air extraction pipe 35 is arranged to extend along the inner surface of the side wall of the storage bin 10 to avoid interference with the stored food.

[0060] Although not shown in the figure, preferably, the gas flow path of the decompression unit 30 can be set to face downward or sideways at the inlet located at the top of the accommodating space 14 to prevent food debris or dust from entering therein under the action of gravity. Figure 2 As shown, a filter screen 37 may be provided at the inlet of the gas flow path of the decompression unit 30 to further prevent foreign matter from entering and blocking the gas flow path.

[0061] The arrangement of the decompression unit of the rice storage device according to the present invention may be a combination of several technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0062] Reclaiming unit

[0063] In order to conveniently and smoothly take out the food from the accommodating space 14, the rice storage device 1 according to the present invention further includes a material taking unit 40. Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Fig. 9 As shown, the material taking unit 40 is arranged below the material outlet 15 of the accommodating space 14, and has a material taking cavity 43 and a material taking port 44. The material taking cavity 43 can move between a first position communicating with the material outlet 15 of the accommodating space 14 and a second position communicating with the material taking port 44. In the first position, the material taking cavity 43 can receive a predetermined amount of food from the material outlet 15. When the material taking cavity 43 moves from the first position to the second position, the received predetermined amount of food can be taken out through the material taking port 44.

[0064] Preferably, the material taking port 44 is arranged below the material taking cavity 43, and when the two are connected, gravity can be used to make the food in the material taking cavity 43 automatically fall down, making it convenient for users to take it.

[0065] Preferably, if Figure 2As shown, the rice storage device 1 also includes a material receiving box 60 arranged below the material taking port 44. The material receiving box 60 is arranged in a removable manner. After the material taking unit 40 completes the material taking operation, the user can collect the taken out food from the material receiving box 60.

[0066] In addition, in order to ensure the sealing of the storage space 14, the material taking unit 40 further includes a sealing member 45. The sealing member 45 can move between a sealing position for sealing the material taking port 44 and an open position for opening the material taking port 44. Moreover, the material taking unit 40 is configured such that when the material taking chamber 43 is located at the second position and connected with the material taking port 44, the sealing member 45 is located at the open position to facilitate the user to take out the food; and when the material taking chamber 43 is located at a position other than the second position, the sealing member 45 is located at the sealing position to seal the material taking port 44. In this way, when it is not necessary to take out the food, although the storage space 14 is connected with the material taking unit 40 through the discharge port 15, the two remain sealed relative to the outside world, ensuring that the storage space 14 can form an independent space to maintain a negative pressure state.

[0067] In this embodiment, the material taking unit 40 is arranged in the base 20. Such an arrangement is conducive to reducing the weight of the storage bin 10, making it more portable. Figure 4 and Fig. 9 As shown, the top plate 21 of the base 20 is recessed downward at a position corresponding to the discharge port 15 to form a recessed portion 25 with a circular cross section to set the material taking unit 40. The recessed portion 25 has a bottom wall 251 and a side wall 252. The material taking port 44 is set on the bottom wall 251.

[0068] The material taking unit 40 further includes a rotating member 42 for forming a movable material taking chamber 43. The rotating member 42 is disposed in the recessed portion 25 and is rotatable around its axis AX. Fig. 9 As shown, the material taking unit 40 includes a driving member 46, such as a motor, which provides a driving force for the rotation of the rotating member 42. The rotating member 42 includes at least two partitions 421 extending along the radial direction of the circle and spaced apart along the circumferential direction. In addition, the rotating member 42 also includes an outer peripheral portion 422 connecting two adjacent partitions 421. Thus, the area surrounded by the two adjacent partitions 421 and the outer peripheral portion 422 therebetween defines a material taking cavity 43. When the rotating member 42 rotates around the axis AX, the material taking cavity 43 moves between the first position and the second position.

[0069] As an alternative embodiment, the outer peripheral portion 422 may not be provided, and the partition portion 421 may extend radially to abut against the side wall 252 of the recessed portion 25. The side wall 252 replaces the outer peripheral portion 422 and defines a material taking cavity 43 together with the adjacent partition portion 421.

[0070] In the illustrated embodiment, the partition 421 is configured as an arm extending in the radial direction. The rotating member 42 includes four arms evenly spaced in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the rotating member 42 includes four material taking cavities 43. It can be understood that the lower surface of the partition 421 is closely attached to the upper surface of the bottom wall 251 of the recessed portion 25 to prevent the food entering the material taking cavity 43 from leaking, and to prevent the food from getting stuck under the partition 421 and affecting the rotation of the rotating member 42. Of course, the partition 421 can also be configured in the form of a partition plate with a smaller thickness.

[0071] Preferably, taking rice as an example, the amount of rice that each feeding cavity 43 can hold can be set to about 50-150g, so that the user can take it quantitatively according to the number of people eating. The capacity of the feeding cavity 43 can be set to 75g, 90g, 100g, 120g or any value within the above range. According to design requirements, in other embodiments, the number of partitions 421 can be set to two, three, five or more to define two, three, five or more feeding cavities 43 respectively. Among them, each feeding cavity 43 can have an equal volume, or can be set to have volumes of different sizes.

[0072] The recessed portion 25 is configured as an open space to facilitate the installation of the rotating member 42, etc. Therefore, the material taking unit 40 further includes: Figure 7 and Figure 8 The cover plate 41 is shown. The cover plate 41 covers the recessed portion 25 and is provided with a cover plate sealing ring 47 for sealing. The cover plate 41 is provided with a feed port 411 for communicating with the discharge port 15 of the accommodating space 14. Thus, the internal space of the material taking unit 40 is sealed relative to the outside world except that it can communicate with the accommodating space 14 through the feed port 411 and with the outside world through the material taking port 44.

[0073] The cover plate 41 is also provided with a feed port sealing ring 48 to keep the feed port 411 and the discharge port 15 sealed from the outside when the feed port 411 and the discharge port 15 are connected. Figure 5 As shown, the side of the cover plate 41 facing the receiving bin 10 is provided with a vertical wall 412 surrounding the feed opening 411. The upper edge of the vertical wall 412 has a flange 413 extending outward laterally. Figure 6 As shown, the feed port seal ring 48 includes a mounting portion 481 and a sealing portion 482. The mounting portion 481 is configured to be mounted and fixed on the flange 413 in a wrapping manner. The sealing portion 482 extends along the circumference of the feed port 411. Fig. 9 As shown, when the storage bin 10 is mounted to the base 20, the edge of the discharge port 15 abuts against the extrusion sealing portion 482 to achieve sealing. The above arrangement can conveniently install the feed port sealing ring 48 in place, and the installation is firm.

[0074] As an alternative embodiment, an insertion portion extending downward and surrounding the discharge port 15 of the storage bin 10 may be provided, and the discharge port 15 and the feed port 411 may be connected by inserting the insertion portion into the feed port 411. Similarly, a sealing ring may be provided between the insertion portion and the feed port 411. In this arrangement, the insertion portion and the feed port 411 squeeze the sealing ring in the lateral direction to achieve sealing.

[0075] like Figure 6 As shown, preferably, the feed port sealing ring 48 further includes a scraping portion 483. The scraping portion 483 is arranged on the mounting portion 481 on the opposite side of the sealing portion 482, and surrounds the feed port 411 along the circumference thereof and extends in the opposite direction to the sealing portion 482. Figure 7 and Fig. 9 When the feed port sealing ring 48 is installed in place, the scraping portion 483 extends through the feed port 411 to the bottom of the cover plate 41. Preferably, in the installed state, the lower edge of the scraping portion 483 is 2-5 mm lower than the upper surface or upper edge of the partition 421 of the rotating member 42.

[0076] During the rotation of the rotating member 42, the scraping portion 483 moves relative to the partition 421, and can scrape the upper surface of the partition 421. In this way, the food spilled on the upper surface of the partition 421 can be removed to avoid jamming. It can be understood that the feed port sealing ring 48 is usually made of a flexible material such as silicone. Therefore, the scraping portion 483 can produce elastic deformation to avoid interference with the partition 421. In addition, the scraping portion 483 extends downward from the feed port 411, and can also guide the food passing through the feed port 411, so that the food can accurately enter the material collection chamber 43.

[0077] In this embodiment, the scraping portion 483 and the feed inlet sealing ring 48 are constructed as an integrated structure, which is convenient for installation. As an alternative embodiment, the scraping portion 483 can also be a separately molded structure and fixedly arranged at the feed inlet 411, or the scraping portion 483 can also be constructed to be integrally molded with the cover plate 41, for example, the scraping portion 483 is separately manufactured and molded and is set as an integral and non-detachable structure with the cover plate 41 by secondary injection molding.

[0078] Figure 5 and Figure 8 The sealing member 45 of the material taking unit 40 is shown. Fig. 9 As shown, the sealing member 45 is disposed below the bottom wall 251 of the recessed portion 25. Thus, the sealing member 45 and the rotating member 42 are respectively located on both sides of the bottom wall 251, and the two will not interfere with each other.

[0079] Furthermore, the seal 45 can be driven by the driving member 46 to move between the sealing position and the open position in a manner of rotating around the axis AX. In addition, the setting position of the seal 45 along the axis AX corresponds to the partition 421 of the rotating member 42. When the partition 421 moves to the position corresponding to the feeding port 44, there is no feeding cavity 43 connected to the feeding port 44. At this time, the seal 45 is also located below the feeding port 44 to seal the feeding port 44, that is, it is located in the sealing position. When the feeding cavity 43 is connected to the feeding port 44, the partition 421 is staggered from the feeding port 44, and the seal 45 is also deviated from the position of the feeding port 44 accordingly, that is, it is located in the open position. According to the above setting method, the seal 45 moves synchronously with the rotating member 42 that defines the feeding cavity 43, so that the accuracy of the linkage between the two can be improved and the control procedure can be simplified.

[0080] In this embodiment, the sealing member 45 includes a mounting arm 451 coaxially mounted with the rotating member 42 and a sealing pad 452 sleeved on the mounting arm 451. Sleeving the sealing pad 452 on the mounting arm 451 can ensure the fixing strength of the sealing pad 452. It can prevent the sealing pad 452 from falling off from the mounting arm 451 due to friction with the bottom wall 251 during the rotation of the mounting arm 451.

[0081] Preferably, if Figure 5 As shown, the end of the mounting arm 451 away from the axis AX is provided with a protrusion 453 protruding downward. Correspondingly, a laterally extending pressing plate 253 is provided below the bottom wall 251 of the recessed portion 25 at a position corresponding to the material taking port 44. When the mounting arm 451 moves to the bottom of the material taking port 44, the pressing plate 253 acts on the protrusion 453 to bias the mounting arm 451 toward the material taking port 44, so that the sealing gasket 452 tightly covers the material taking port 44, thereby enhancing the sealing effect. Preferably, the surface (i.e., the upper surface) of the pressing plate 253 facing the material taking port 44 can be constructed as an arc-shaped surface protruding toward the material taking port 44. The arc-shaped surface can further reduce the distance between the pressing plate 253 and the material taking port 44, which is beneficial to the biasing effect on the seal 45. On the other hand, the arc-shaped surface has a smooth transition, which is beneficial to the relative movement between the seal 45 and the pressing plate 253. Among them, the pressing plate 253 and the protrusion 453 can be called a biasing structure. As an alternative embodiment, a cam structure may also be provided to achieve the above-mentioned biasing.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the portion of the top plate 21 of the base 20 used to form the recessed portion 25 can be regarded as an outer shell for accommodating the material taking unit 40. As an alternative embodiment, the material taking unit 40 may not be arranged in the base 20, and a separate component may be used to form an outer shell with a cylindrical recessed portion. For example, the rotating member 42 and the sealing member 45 may be arranged on the separate component, and then the outer shell may be sealedly connected to the bottom of the storage bin 10 in a manner that the discharge port 15 is connected to the cylindrical recessed portion. In other words, the outer shell is buckled on the bottom of the storage bin 10. In this way, the above-mentioned cover plate 41 can be omitted, and the storage bin 10 and the material taking unit 40 are arranged in an integrated structure.

[0083] In addition, as an alternative embodiment, one or two feeding cavities 43 may be provided. For example, when only one feeding cavity 43 is provided, a sealing portion that moves integrally with the feeding cavity 43 may be provided, and as the feeding cavity 43 moves away from the first position, the sealing portion moves to a position that blocks the material outlet 15 to prevent the food from spilling, and after the feeding cavity 43 moves to the first position, the sealing portion moves away from the material outlet 15. Alternatively, the feeding cavity 43 may also be provided to move between the first position and the second position in a linear reciprocating motion.

[0084] The arrangement of the material taking unit of the rice storage device according to the present invention may be a combination of several technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0085] Control unit

[0086] For ease of control, preferably, the rice storage device 1 according to the present invention may further include a control unit 50. Figure 5 As shown, the control unit 50 includes a control board 53 electrically connected to the decompression unit 30 and the material taking unit 40, respectively. Specifically, the control board 53 is electrically connected to the vacuum pump 31 and the driving member 46, respectively, to control the operation of the two, respectively. The control board 53 is arranged in the base 20. On the one hand, it is convenient to wire between the various components to achieve electrical connection. On the other hand, the electrically connected components are all arranged in the base 20, and there is no electrical connection between the storage bin 10 and the base 20 and the components arranged on the base 20, which can facilitate the disassembly and assembly operation of the storage bin 10 relative to the base 20.

[0087] After the user places the food in the storage space 14, the control panel 53 can automatically control the vacuum pump 31 to perform the vacuum operation. It can be understood that at this time, the bin cover 12 and the additional cover 13 of the storage bin 10 are kept closed, and the sealing member 45 of the material taking unit 40 is located in a sealed position. The decompression unit 30 may also include a pressure sensing member (not shown) electrically connected to the control panel 53, which is used to sense the pressure in the storage space 14 and generate a corresponding electrical signal to transmit to the control panel. When the pressure in the storage space 14 sensed by the pressure sensing member drops to a predetermined pressure value, the control panel 53 controls the vacuum pump 31 to stop working, so that a negative pressure environment is formed and maintained in the storage space 14. Exemplarily, the predetermined pressure value may range from -30kPa to -5kPa, such as -10kPa, -20kPa or any value within the above range.

[0088] In addition, the storage space 14 may leak due to poor sealing during long-term storage of food, thereby affecting the vacuum environment. Therefore, during long-term storage, the control board 53 can be configured to sense the pressure value in the storage space through the pressure sensing element in real time or periodically, and when the sensed pressure value exceeds the preset value and the material removal operation is not performed, control the vacuum pump 31 to evacuate air so that the pressure in the storage space 14 is reduced to the above-mentioned preset pressure value.

[0089] For example, when food is continuously stored in a negative pressure environment for more than a predetermined time (e.g., 1 hour), the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor is higher than -5 kPa (or the pressure value is 50% of the predetermined pressure value) and there is no material removal operation at the same time, the vacuum pump 31 can be started to evacuate the containing space 14 to reduce its pressure.

[0090] In addition, the rice storage device 1 may also be provided with a prompt unit (not shown), which is electrically connected to the control board 53. When the food is continuously stored in a negative pressure environment for less than a predetermined time (e.g., 1 hour), the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensing component is higher than -5kPa (or the pressure value is 50% of the predetermined pressure value) and there is no material taking operation at the same time, the control board 53 may control the prompt unit to send a prompt message, such as a light signal, voice message or other sound message, etc., to remind the user that there is a problem with the sealing of the accommodation space 14 and that inspection and maintenance are required. Accordingly, the prompt unit may include an indicator light, a speaker or a buzzer, etc.

[0091] As an alternative embodiment, the rice storage device 1 may not be provided with a prompting unit, but may remind the user in other ways. For example, the control panel 53 may also directly communicate with the user's smart phone, or may directly send a notification to the user through a server or directly to an APP installed in the user's smart phone. The present invention does not limit the reminder method, as long as the reminder effect can be achieved.

[0092] When the user needs to take out materials, he can input a material taking instruction to the control panel 53 through the operable components. After receiving the material taking instruction, the control panel 53 controls the driving member 46 to drive the material taking bin 43 to move between the first position and the second position, and the sealing member 45 moves between the sealing position and the open position accordingly, so as to achieve material taking. After taking out materials, the user can collect the ingredients in the material receiving box 60 and perform cooking or other desired operations.

[0093] It is understood that when the material taking operation is performed, the receiving space 14 is connected to the outside through the material taking port 44 of the material taking unit 40, and the negative pressure environment therein is destroyed. Therefore, after the material taking is completed, the control panel 53 can also control the decompression unit 30 to evacuate air in the above manner, so that the negative pressure environment is formed again in the receiving space 14.

[0094] like Figure 1 As shown, preferably, the control unit 50 may include a knob 51 (operable component) having an indicator and a display panel 52. The knob 51 is mounted on the display panel 52 and is electrically connected to the control panel 53. The display panel 52 is provided with information indicating the amount of food taken. The information may be displayed as an integer multiple of the capacity of a single material taking cavity 43, or may be displayed as a specific value according to the specific capacity of a single material taking cavity 43. It can be understood that the indication information substantially corresponds to the cumulative number of times the material taking cavity 43 passes through the material taking port 44 in one material taking operation.

[0095] Preferably, the display panel 52 may also include a display module, such as a display screen, etc., for displaying user selection information, the pressure value in the accommodating space 14 or other desired information.

[0096] The user can rotate the knob 51 to align its indicator with the desired amount of food, and send a corresponding electrical signal to the control board 53. The control board 53 obtains the cumulative number of times the material taking cavity 43 passes through the material taking port 44 according to the electrical signal, and then controls the rotation of the rotating member 42, and when the number of material taking cavities 43 passing through the material taking port 44 reaches the cumulative number, controls the rotation of the rotating member 42 to stop rotating. At this time, the amount of food collected in the receiving box 60 is the amount desired by the user.

[0097] In this embodiment, each material taking cavity 43 has an equal volume and is evenly arranged around the axis AX. Therefore, the control panel 53 can control the number of times the material taking cavity 43 passes through the material taking port 44 by controlling the angle through which the rotating member 42 rotates. For example, the number of material taking cavities 43 arranged around the axis AX is N. When the user indicates through the knob 51 that the amount of food that needs to be taken is n times the capacity of a single material taking cavity 43, the control panel 53 can calculate the angle that the rotating member 42 needs to rotate according to the formula α=360*n / N, and control the driving member 46 to stop working after the rotating member 42 rotates the angle α.

[0098] As an alternative embodiment, the control board 53 can also control the number of times the material taking cavity 43 passes through the material taking port 44 by providing a sensor unit (not shown). The sensor unit is configured to send a signal of arrival to the control board 53 in a wired or wireless manner when the material taking cavity 43 moves to the second position. The control board 53 determines the number of times the current material taking cavity 43 passes through the material taking port 44 by the number of received arrival signals.

[0099] Specifically, the sensing unit may include a signal emitting element and a plurality of triggering elements. The plurality of triggering elements correspond to the material taking bins 43 one by one. One of the signal emitting element and the plurality of triggering elements is fixedly arranged, and the other rotates integrally with the rotating member 42. When a material taking cavity 43 moves to the second position and communicates with the material taking port 44, the triggering element corresponding to the material taking cavity 43 triggers the signal emitting element to emit a position arrival signal.

[0100] When the user indicates through the knob 51 that the amount of food to be taken is n times the capacity of the single material taking cavity 43, the control panel 53 controls the driving member 46 to drive the rotating member 42 to rotate, and controls the driving member 46 to stop working when the number of received arrival signals is n. The sensing unit can be a combination of a micro switch or a photoelectric switch and a corresponding trigger element.

[0101] Of course, there may be one trigger element, and multiple signal-emitting elements corresponding one-to-one to the material taking chamber 43, so as to achieve the same technical effect as above; or there may be multiple signal-emitting elements and trigger elements corresponding one-to-one to each other and corresponding one-to-one to the material taking chamber 43, so as to achieve the same technical effect as above.

[0102] The configuration of the control unit of the rice storage device according to the present invention may be a combination of several technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0103] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art in the technical field of the present invention. The terms used herein are only for describing specific implementation purposes and are not intended to limit the present invention. Terms such as "setting" and the like appearing in this article can mean that one component is directly attached to another component, or that one component is attached to another component through an intermediate. Features described in this article in one embodiment may be applied to another embodiment alone or in combination with other features, unless the feature is not applicable in the other embodiment or otherwise specified.

[0104] The present invention has been described through the above-mentioned embodiments, but it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are only for the purpose of example and illustration, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the described embodiments. It can be understood by those skilled in the art that more variations and modifications can be made according to the teachings of the present invention, and these variations and modifications all fall within the scope of the protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A rice storage device, characterized in that: The rice storage device comprises: A containing unit, the containing unit having a containing space (14), the bottom of the containing space (14) having a discharge port (15); A material taking unit (40), the material taking unit (40) is arranged below the material discharge port (15), and the material taking unit (40) comprises: A feed port (411), the feed port (411) being in communication with the discharge port (15) of the accommodating space (14) and being sealed relative to the outside world via a feed port sealing ring (48); A material taking port (44); a material taking cavity (43), the material taking cavity (43) being movable between a first position communicating with the material feed port (411) and a second position communicating with the material taking port (44), the material taking port (44) being located below the material taking cavity (43); and a sealing member (45), the sealing member (45) being movable between a sealing position for sealing the material taking opening (44) and an opening position for opening the material taking opening (44), wherein when the material taking cavity (43) is located at the second position, the sealing member (45) is located at the opening position, and when the material taking cavity (43) is located outside the second position, the sealing member (45) is located at the sealing position, so that the accommodating space (14) and the material taking unit (40) form a closed space relative to the outside world; and A decompression unit (30), the decompression unit (30) being in communication with the accommodating space (14) and being used to make the pressure in the accommodating space (14) lower than a predetermined pressure, the decompression unit (30) comprising a vacuum pump (31), an air inlet of the vacuum pump (31) being in communication with the accommodating space (14) so ​​as to evacuate the accommodating space (14).

2. The rice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material taking unit (40) comprises: An outer shell, the outer shell having a cylindrical recessed portion (25), the recessed portion (25) comprising a bottom wall (251) and a side wall (252), the material taking port (44) being arranged on the bottom wall (251); a rotating member (42), the rotating member (42) being arranged in the recessed portion (25) and rotatable around the axis of the cylinder, the rotating member (42) having a partition (421) extending along the radial direction of the cylinder, the partition (421) comprising at least two and spaced apart along the circumference of the cylinder, the area between adjacent partitions (421) defining one material taking cavity (43); and A cover plate (41), wherein the cover plate (41) covers the recessed portion (25), the feed port (411) is arranged on the cover plate (41), and the feed port sealing ring (48) is installed on the cover plate (41).

3. The rice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The material taking unit (40) further comprises a scraping structure, the scraping structure being made of a flexible material, the scraping structure being arranged at the position of the material feeding port (411) and extending downward to below the upper edge of the partition (421).

4. The rice storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lower edge of the scraping structure is 2-5 mm lower than the upper edge of the partition (421).

5. The rice storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The scraping and sweeping structure is integrally formed with the feed inlet sealing ring (48).

6. The rice storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The scraping structure is integrally formed and arranged on the cover plate (41) in a non-detachable manner.

7. The rice storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The scraping and sweeping structure is constructed as a separately formed structure and is connected to the cover plate (41).

8. The rice storage device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that: The scraping structure surrounds the feed port (411) in a circumferential direction.

9. The rice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cover plate (41) is provided with a vertical wall (412) surrounding the feed port (411) and extending upward, and the upper edge of the vertical wall (412) is provided with a flange (413) extending outward, and the feed port sealing ring (48) has a mounting portion (481), and the mounting portion (481) mounts the feed port sealing ring (48) to the cover plate (41) by wrapping the flange (413).

10. The rice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rice storage device comprises a base (20) and a storage bin (10) detachably connected to the base (20), the storage bin (10) constituting the storage unit, and the material taking unit (40) is arranged on the base (20).

11. The rice storage device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The base (20) has a top plate (21), and at least a portion of the top plate (21) constitutes the outer shell.

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