Rice cooker

Abstract

The present invention provides an electric rice steamer comprising an upper pot, a lower pot, a grate, a lid, a heating element, a sealing cover, a diversion throat, and an exhaust assembly. The grate is disposed within the upper pot and divides the upper pot into a storage chamber and a steaming chamber, with an airflow channel defined between the steaming chamber and the lower pot. The lid, which can be opened or closed on the upper pot, has exhaust holes. The heating element is disposed within the lower pot and heats water within the lower pot to generate steam. The sealing cover is disposed between the upper and lower pots and seals the cover over the lower pot. The diversion throat is disposed within the sealing cover. The upper end of the diversion throat communicates with the steaming chamber of the upper pot, while the lower end extends into the lower pot, forming a water flow gap with the inner bottom wall of the lower pot. The exhaust assembly includes a first exhaust valve that opens or closes the airflow channel. The exhaust assembly modulates the air pressure within the lower pot, allowing water to be transferred back and forth between the upper and lower pots through the diversion throat, thereby transferring steam from the lower pot to the steaming chamber of the upper pot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to an electric rice cooker. Background Art

[0002] The common way of cooking rice, whether using an electric rice cooker, earthen stove, pressure cooker, or steamer, is to heat rice and water in the same container. This cooking process has two major drawbacks: uneven heating and uneven water absorption. In the existing cooking method, the heat source is outside the rice, and heat is transferred from the outside to the inside to gradually cook the rice. Therefore, there is a problem of uneven heating, with the outer layer cooking quickly and the inner layer cooking slowly. Furthermore, in the existing cooking method, the water level gradually drops during the cooking process, the upper layer has a shorter soaking time and absorbs less water, while the lower layer absorbs more water, resulting in uneven water absorption. The inconsistent doneness of the inner and outer layers and the inconsistent water absorption of the upper and lower layers result in only a small part of a pot of rice being cooked just right, while the rest is either undercooked or burnt, or dry and mushy, making it difficult for users to operate.

[0003] Furthermore, existing cooking methods also suffer from excessive gelatinization of the rice surface. When rice and water are boiled together, the starch hydrolyzes and gelatinizes, resulting in a sticky, sticky texture that's difficult to digest and absorb. This not only makes the rice less filling but also impairs blood sugar control.

[0004] A rice steamer is a traditional Chinese cooking tool, a barrel-shaped container with a hollow bottom. The use of rice steamers for cooking dates back to the Yellow Emperor's reign. According to records in Gushi Kao and the Book of Zhou, "Yellow Emperor first invented the steamer" and "He steamed grain into rice and cooked it into porridge." Being able to cook grain into porridge meant being able to cook grain into rice simply by reducing the amount of water, making it very convenient. The Yellow Emperor went to such great lengths to create the steamer, bypassing the traditional boiling method, which required more time and effort. This was likely due to food scarcity at the time. People discovered that boiling rice made it less filling; the softer it was, the faster it digested, making it less filling. This led to the need for steaming. Compared to conventionally boiled rice, rice cooked in a steamer, using a non-boiling method, has a fluffier appearance, a lighter texture, and slows digestion, making it more filling and helping to control postprandial blood sugar levels.

[0005] In recent years, a number of drain rice cookers have appeared on the market. Their principle is to first boil rice in a large amount of water, drain it after the rice has absorbed enough water, and then steam it. This method of boiling first and then steaming dissolves the reducing sugars in the rice in the water and removes them as the water is drained. Drain rice cookers reduce the reducing sugar content in rice and are therefore also called low-sugar rice cookers, blood sugar-lowering rice cookers, or sugar-free rice cookers. Compared to conventional electric rice cookers, these rice cookers shorten the cooking time and can be considered an intermediate product between electric rice cookers and electric rice steamers. However, these drain rice cookers still use boiling water to cook rice, and the problem of rice gelatinization still exists.

[0006] Furthermore, existing rice cookers with drain valves typically use a power pump or drain valve for draining, which is complex and energy-inefficient. Furthermore, the drain valve becomes contaminated by the large amount of starch in the water after cooking rice, and is difficult to clean. Consequently, these rice cookers with drain valves are not only inconvenient to use but also lack cleanability. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the problems of poor rice cooking uniformity and easy gelatinization of rice in existing rice cooking utensils, the present invention provides an electric rice cooker which does not require rice cooking and has very good rice uniformity after cooking.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides an electric rice cooker, comprising an upper pot body, a lower pot body, a grate, a pot lid, a heating element, a sealing cover, a diversion throat, and an exhaust assembly. The grate is disposed within the upper pot body, dividing the upper pot body into a storage chamber and a degassing chamber, with an airflow channel being provided between the degassing chamber and the lower pot body. The pot lid is opened or closed on the upper pot body, and has an exhaust hole. The heating element is disposed within the lower pot body, heating water within the lower pot body to generate steam. The sealing cover is disposed between the upper pot body and the lower pot body, and the sealing cover is closed on the lower pot body. The diversion throat is disposed within the sealing cover, with the upper end of the diversion throat communicating with the degassing chamber of the upper pot body, and the lower end extending into the lower pot body, forming a water flow gap between the diversion throat and the inner bottom wall of the lower pot body. The exhaust component includes a first exhaust valve that opens or closes the air flow channel. The exhaust component changes the air pressure in the lower pot body so that water is transferred back and forth between the upper pot body and the lower pot body through the guide throat and the steam in the lower pot body is transferred to the leaching chamber of the upper pot body.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air flow channel is formed in the sealing cover, and the first exhaust valve is disposed in the sealing cover.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sealing cover has a mounting groove protruding toward the side where the lower pot body is located and is used to install the first exhaust valve. The upper end of the mounting groove is connected to the upper pot body. The side wall or bottom wall of the mounting groove has a plurality of steam holes connected to the lower pot body. The mounting groove and the plurality of steam holes form an airflow channel.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first exhaust valve is a solenoid valve, which includes a valve body, an elastic member detachably connected to the valve body, and a sealing member connected to the end of the valve body to open or block the air flow channel.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an exhaust port is provided on the side wall of the lower pot body, and an air inlet is provided on the side wall where the steaming chamber of the upper pot body is located. The two ends of the first exhaust valve are respectively connected to the exhaust port and the air inlet through an air guide pipe, and the exhaust port, the air guide pipe and the air inlet form an air flow channel.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust assembly further includes a second exhaust valve, one end of the second exhaust valve is connected to the lower pot body, and the other end thereof is connected to the upper pot body or the external atmosphere;

[0014] When draining, the second exhaust valve opens to reduce the pressure in the lower pot body, and water is transferred from the upper pot body to the lower pot body through the diversion throat;

[0015] During steaming, the second exhaust valve is closed and the first exhaust valve is opened to allow steam to enter the steaming chamber through the air flow channel.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper end of the diversion throat does not extend into the leaching chamber, and the rice soaking water, steam condensed water and bubbles carried by the steam in the leaching chamber all fall back into the lower pot body through the diversion throat.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sealing cover and the upper pot body are split structures, the sealing cover is sealed and connected to the lower pot body or is formed integrally with the lower pot body, and the bottom of the upper pot body has a flanged throat hole extending downward, and the flanged throat hole is sealed and sleeved on the diversion throat pipe.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the air flow channel is formed in the sealing cover, the bottom of the upper pot body also has an air flow output hole connected to the air flow channel, and the air flow in the lower pot body is transmitted to the leaching chamber of the upper pot body through the air flow channel and the air flow output hole.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sealing cover is connected to the upper pot body or is formed integrally with the upper pot body, and the sealing cover serves as a bottom sealing cover of the upper pot body and is fitted to the lower pot body.

[0020] In summary, in the electric rice cooker provided by the present invention, a sealing cover is provided between the upper pot body and the lower pot body, and the sealing cover is engaged with the lower pot body; when the end of the diversion throat is sealed by water, the lower pot body forms a closed space. The heating element heats the water in the lower pot body to increase the pressure in the lower pot body, thereby realizing the transfer of water from the lower pot body to the upper pot body for soaking rice. When draining, the pressure in the lower pot body can be reduced by controlling one or two exhaust valves in the exhaust assembly, thereby transferring the water in the upper pot body to the lower pot body to drain the rice. The electric rice cooker provided by the present invention can realize the reciprocating transfer of water between the upper pot body and the lower pot body by simply controlling one or two exhaust valves and a heating element with simple structures. Compared with the pressure regulating structure composed of a power pump and a pressure relief valve in the existing draining rice cooker, this arrangement not only greatly simplifies the overall structure of the electric rice cooker, but also greatly reduces the manufacturing cost.

[0021] In order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, preferred embodiments are given below with reference to the accompanying drawings for detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the decomposition.

[0024] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 Schematic cross-section diagram.

[0025] Figure 4 Shown Figure 3 Enlarged schematic diagram of point A in the middle.

[0026] Figure 5 Shown Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the structure of the rice cooker shown is when soaking rice.

[0027] Figure 6 Shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the electric rice cooker when draining rice.

[0028] Figure 7 Shown Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the structure of the electric rice cooker during steaming is shown.

[0029] Figure 8 Shown is a structural schematic diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 9 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 10 Shown Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure in the draining state.

[0032] Figure 11 Shown Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure during the steaming stage.

[0033] Figure 12 Shown is a structural schematic diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 13 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 14 Shown Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the decomposition.

[0036] Figure 15 Shown Figure 13 The schematic diagram of the structure of the rice cooker shown is when soaking rice.

[0037] Figure 16 Shown Figure 13The diagram shows the structure of the rice cooker after draining the rice.

[0038] Figure 17 Shown Figure 13 The schematic diagram of the structure of the electric rice cooker during steaming is shown.

[0039] Figure 18 Shown is a structural schematic diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 19 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 20 Shown is a structural schematic diagram of an electric rice cooker provided in another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Example 1

[0043] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment includes an upper pot body 1, a lower pot body 2, a grate 3, a lid 4, a heating element 5, a sealing cover 6, a diversion throat 7, and an exhaust assembly 8. The grate 3 is disposed within the upper pot body 1 and has an arched appearance to evacuate the rice layer. The grate 3 divides the upper pot body 1 into a storage chamber 101 and a steaming chamber 102. An air flow channel 10 is defined between the steaming chamber 102 and the lower pot body 2. The lid 4 can be opened or closed on the upper pot body 1 and has an exhaust hole 41. The heating element 5 is disposed in the lower pot body 2 to heat the water in the lower pot body 2 to generate steam. The sealing cover 6 is disposed between the upper pot body 1 and the lower pot body 2 and sealably covers the lower pot body 2. The diversion throat 7 is mounted within the sealing cover 6. Its upper end communicates with the upper pot's deionizing chamber 102, while its lower end extends into the lower pot 2, forming a water flow gap 20 with the inner bottom wall of the lower pot 2. The exhaust assembly 8 includes a first exhaust valve 81 that opens or closes the airflow channel. This assembly modulates the air pressure within the lower pot 2, allowing water to reciprocate between the upper and lower pots 1 and 2 through the diversion throat 7 and the water flow gap 20, transferring steam from the lower pot 2 to the upper pot's deionizing chamber 102.

[0044] The electric rice cooker provided by the present invention is a multifunctional electrical appliance. This embodiment uses rice making as an example to explain the working principle of the electric rice cooker in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the electric rice cooker provided by the present invention can also be used directly as a steamer or steam hot pot.

[0045] In this embodiment, the spacing H of the water flow gap 20 is 12 mm. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the water flow gap can also be other values ​​within the range of 5 mm to 15 mm.

[0046] In this embodiment, if Figures 1 to 3As shown, the exhaust assembly 8 only includes the first exhaust valve 81; the first exhaust valve 81 not only regulates the pressure within the lower pot 2 but also facilitates steam transfer. Specifically, when soaking rice, the first exhaust valve 81 is closed, ensuring that the pressure within the lower pot 2 is greater than that within the steaming chamber 102. When draining water, the first exhaust valve 81 opens the airflow channel 10, connecting the steaming chamber 102 and the lower pot 2, allowing water to transfer from the upper pot 1 to the lower pot 2 under the action of gravity. During steaming, the first exhaust valve 81 is opened, allowing steam within the lower pot to enter the steaming chamber 102 through the airflow channel 10.

[0047] The electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment can adjust the pressure in the lower pot body 2 simply by controlling the first exhaust valve 81 and the heating element 5, thereby restoring the three steps of soaking, draining and steaming required for the traditional rice cooker production process; and the rice is not cooked during soaking, and the rice grains are intact and not gelatinized. The electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment uses intelligent control to restore the traditional rice cooker production process. The rice obtained after cooking has a loose appearance, a refreshing taste and very good uniformity. However, the present invention does not impose any restrictions on this. In other embodiments, two exhaust valves can also be provided to respectively achieve air pressure regulation and steam transmission.

[0048] In this embodiment, if Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the airflow channel 10 is formed in the sealing cover 6, and the first exhaust valve 81 is provided in the sealing cover 6. Specifically, the sealing cover 6 has a mounting groove 61 protruding toward the side where the lower pot body 2 is located and used to install the first exhaust valve. The upper end of the mounting groove 61 is connected to the leaching chamber 102 of the upper pot body 1, and the side wall of the mounting groove 61 has a plurality of steam holes 62 connected to the lower pot body 2. The mounting groove 61 and the plurality of steam holes 62 form the airflow channel 10. However, the present invention does not impose any limitation on this. In other embodiments, the first exhaust valve can also open or block the airflow channel by means of horizontal sliding. Alternatively, in other embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, an exhaust port 21 is provided on the side wall of the lower pot body 2, and an air inlet 13 is provided on the side wall where the leaching chamber 102 of the upper pot body is located. The two ends of the first exhaust valve 81 are respectively connected to the exhaust port 21 and the air inlet 13 through the air guide pipe 30. The exhaust port 21, the air guide pipe 30 and the air inlet 11 form an air flow channel 10.

[0049] In this embodiment, steam is transmitted from bottom to top within the lower pot body 2. When it reaches the location of the steam hole 62, it changes its transmission direction and penetrates the steam hole 62 radially along the mounting groove 61 to enter the mounting groove 61. The change in transmission direction causes interception, thereby blocking a large number of bubbles from penetrating the steam hole 62, thereby achieving the purpose of debubbling. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first exhaust valve 81 is a solenoid valve, which includes a valve body 811 fixed within the mounting groove 61, an elastic member 812 detachably connected to the valve body 811, and a sealing member 813 connected to the end of the valve body 811 to open or block the airflow channel 10. The steam hole 62 provided on the side wall of the mounting groove 61 also prevents the impact of steam and starch bubbles on the valve body 811, thereby extending the service life of the valve body. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, steam holes can also be provided on both the side wall and the bottom wall of the mounting groove.

[0050] In this embodiment, the elastic member 812 is a spring sleeved on the valve body 811, and the sealing member 813 is a silicone sealing gasket. The sealing member 813 opens or closes the air flow channel 10 under the drive of the valve body 811. The detachable elastic member 812 and sealing member 813 greatly facilitate cleaning by the user.

[0051] The cooking process of the electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment is as follows: soak rice → drain → steam → soak and drain at least once → steam until cooked. During the steaming stage, since the water in the lower pot body 2 is the water from soaking the rice, it contains starch. When the starch-containing water is heated and boiled, a large number of bubbles are generated. These bubbles overflow from the airflow channel and follow the steam into the upper pot body 1. Because the starch-containing bubbles overflow to a very high height, after entering the steaming chamber 102, a large number of bubbles will continuously overflow upward and soak the rice grains on the bottom layer of the grate 3, thereby moistening and gelatinizing the rice grains on the bottom layer of the grate 7. In this embodiment, the upper end of the diversion throat 7 does not extend into the steaming chamber 102. The steam condensate and the bubbles carried by the steam in the steaming chamber 102 are returned to the lower pot body 2 through the diversion throat 7 (i.e., the diversion throat 7 provides a return channel for the condensate and starch bubbles). This effectively solves the problem of starch bubble overflow and greatly simplifies the structure of the electric rice cooker.

[0052] In this embodiment, the sealing cover 6 and the upper pot body 1 are separate structures, and the sealing cover 6 is sealed to the lower pot body 2. Specifically, the sealing cover 6 and the lower pot body 2 are integrally stamped and formed using a metal mold. The sealing cover 6 is punched and flanging to form the diversion throat 7. The peripheral wall of the sealing cover 6 is welded to the lower pot body 2 using a girth weld to achieve a sealed connection between the two. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the sealing cover and the lower pot body can also be formed as one piece, and the diversion throat can also be connected to the sealing cover by welding.

[0053] In order to achieve the connection between the diversion throat pipe 7 and the upper pot body 1, the bottom wall of the upper pot body 1 has a flanged throat hole 11 extending downward, and the flanged throat hole 11 is sealed and sleeved on the diversion throat pipe 7. Specifically, Figure 3 As shown, the flange throat hole 11 and the diversion throat pipe 7 are sealed and connected by a first sealing ring 91. Correspondingly, in order to connect the air flow channel 10 to the steaming chamber 102, the bottom wall of the upper pot body 1 also has a steam output hole 12 connected to the mounting groove 61. However, the present invention does not impose any limitation on this. Figure 8 As shown, when the first exhaust valve is connected to the lower pot body and the steaming chamber through the air guide pipe, there is no need to set a steam output hole on the sealing cover.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the steam output hole 12 is a flange structure and is sleeved inside the mounting groove 321. In order to achieve the sealing of the lower pot body 2 and prevent gas from leaking between the steam output hole 12 and the mounting groove 61, the steam output hole 12 and the mounting groove 61 are provided with a sealing connection through a second sealing ring 92. Specifically, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the second sealing ring 92 is disposed between the outer bottom wall of the upper pot body 1 and the sealing cover 62. The thickness of the second sealing ring 92 creates a hand-held space 40 between the upper pot body 1 and the sealing cover 62 for separating the two. In other words, the second sealing ring 92 not only seals the connection between the steam outlet 12 and the mounting groove 61, but also greatly facilitates separation of the upper pot body 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the second sealing ring can also be disposed in the assembly gap between the inner wall of the mounting groove and the outer wall of the steam outlet, just like the first sealing ring.

[0055] The following will be combined Figures 5 to 7 The working principle of the electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment is introduced in detail, wherein arrow a represents the airflow from the lower pot body into the upper pot body during draining; arrow c represents the steam during steaming; arrow d represents the falling condensed water and starch bubbles.

[0056] First, put the washed rice grains onto the grate 3 in the upper pot body 1, snap the upper pot body 1 onto the lower pot body 2 and close the first exhaust valve 81. Pour water into the upper pot body 1. At the initial moment, the water will gradually fall into the lower pot body 2 along the diversion throat 7 under the action of gravity. The water in the diversion throat 7 enters the lower pot body 2 through the water flow gap 20, and the liquid level 3 in the lower pot body 2 rises. When the liquid level in the lower pot body 2 seals the bottom end of the diversion throat 7, the lower pot body 2 becomes a closed space. The water entering the lower pot body 2 compresses the air in the lower pot body 2, causing the air pressure in the lower pot body 2 to gradually increase. When the pressure in the lower pot body 2 is balanced with the gravity of the water in the upper pot body 1, the water no longer falls through the diversion throat 7, and the rice layer in the upper pot body 1 completely submerges the grate 3 and the water level remains unchanged. Cover the pot lid 4 and let it stand for a while to allow the rice layer to fully absorb water. Figure 5 shown.

[0057] When the soaking time reaches the set time, the first exhaust valve 81 is opened, the lower pot body 2 and the leaching chamber 102 are connected, and the air flow enters the upper pot body from the lower pot body (such as Figure 6 As shown by the arrow a in the middle, the pressure in the lower pot body 2 decreases. Under the action of gravity, the water in the upper pot body 1 gradually falls back into the pot body 2 through the air flow channel 10 composed of the guide throat 7, the installation groove 61 and the steam hole 62, and the rice layer and the water are separated to achieve drainage. Figure 6 shown.

[0058] After draining is completed, the heating element 5 is turned on, the water in the lower pot body 2 is heated by the heating element 5 and generates steam, the steam enters the installation groove 61 through the steam hole 62, and then enters the upper pot body 1 through the steam output hole 12, and the steam penetrates the rice layer on the grate 3 from bottom to top, uniformly heating the rice layer (such as Figure 7 The starch bubbles carried by the steam and the condensed water produced during the transmission process drop to the inner bottom wall of the upper pot body 1 and fall back into the lower pot body 2 through the flange throat hole 11 and the guide throat pipe 7 (as shown in FIG. Figure 7 The problem of gelatinization of the bottom rice caused by the overflow of starch bubbles is effectively solved.

[0059] In order to increase the moisture content of the rice, the rice layer needs to be replenished with water after steaming for a period of time. At this time, the first exhaust valve 81 is closed, the sealing member 813 blocks the steam output hole 12, and the lower pot body 2 is in a sealed structure. The steam generated by the heating element 5 gradually increases the air pressure in the lower pot body 2, and the water in the lower pot body 2 gradually enters the guide throat 7 through the water flow gap 20 and enters the upper pot body 1 through the flanged throat hole 11; the water in the lower pot body 2 gradually transfers to the upper pot body 1 and completely submerges the rice layer on the grate 3, and stands for a period of time to soak and replenish water, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 shown.

[0060] After the water replenishment meets the set time, the first exhaust valve 81 opens, the pressure in the lower pot body 2 drops, and the water in the upper pot body 1 falls back into the lower pot body 2 through the guide throat 7 and the air flow channel 10 (i.e., the air hole 62 and the installation groove 61), and the rice layer and the water are separated to achieve drainage. Figure 6 shown.

[0061] After draining is complete, the heating element 5 continues to operate, and steam enters the upper pot body 1 through the air flow channel 10 to continue steaming the rice layer until it is cooked. However, the rice production process of the present invention is not limited in any way. In other embodiments, the rice can be soaked twice or more during the steaming process.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] like Figure 9As shown, this embodiment is basically the same as embodiment 1 and its variations, with the difference being that the exhaust assembly 8 further includes a second exhaust valve 82 , one end of which is connected to the lower pot body 2 , and the other end of which is connected to the upper pot body 1 .

[0064] The rice cooker provided in Example 1 simultaneously regulates the air pressure within the lower pot 2 and transmits steam by simply controlling the first exhaust valve 81, resulting in a very simple structure. However, because the first exhaust valve 81 is located within the sealing cover 6, during draining, the soaked rice water flows through the open first exhaust valve 81 into the airflow channel 10, and then back into the lower pot 2. Because the soaked rice water contains a certain amount of starch, the first exhaust valve 81 and the mounting groove 62 require regular cleaning.

[0065] In this embodiment, by adding a second exhaust valve 82, the first exhaust valve 81 and the second exhaust valve 82 are both closed when soaking rice to ensure that the lower pot body 2 is in a sealed state. Figure 10 As shown, the first exhaust valve 81 is closed and the second exhaust valve 82 is opened to connect the lower pot body 2 and the upper pot body 1. The pressure in the lower pot body 2 drops, and water is transferred from the upper pot body 1 to the lower pot body 2 only through the diversion throat 7. Water will not enter the first exhaust valve 81.

[0066] When steaming, Figure 11 As shown, the second exhaust valve 82 is closed and the first exhaust valve 81 is opened to allow steam to enter the leaching chamber 102 through the air flow channel 10.

[0067] The rice cooker provided in this embodiment regulates the pressure within the lower pot 2 via the second exhaust valve 82, while the first exhaust valve 81 is used solely to control steam transmission. During the entire cooking process, water from soaking the rice does not enter the first exhaust valve 81 or the air flow passage 10, ensuring high cleanliness. However, this is not a limitation of the present invention. In other embodiments, to increase the draining speed, both the first and second exhaust valves may be opened simultaneously.

[0068] Alternatively, in other embodiments, Figure 12 As shown, when the first exhaust valve 81 is connected to the lower pot body 2 and the dewatering chamber 102 via the air guide pipe 30, a second exhaust valve 82 can also be provided. In this case, the exhaust end of the second exhaust valve 82 is connected to the external atmosphere. When draining, opening the first exhaust valve 81 and the second exhaust valve 82 simultaneously can achieve rapid draining.

[0069] Example 3

[0070] like Figures 13 to 17As shown, this embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment and its variations, except that the sealing cover 6 is integrally formed with the upper pot body 1, and the sealing cover 6 serves as the bottom sealing cover of the upper pot body 1 and is attached to the lower pot body 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the sealing cover can also be connected to the upper pot body by welding. Specifically, Figure 13 As shown, the sealing cover 6 and the lower pot body 2 are sealed and connected via a pot body sealing ring 93 .

[0071] like Figures 15 and 16 As shown, the rice making principle and steps of the electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. Figure 17 The arrow c in the middle indicates the transmission direction of steam, while the arrow d indicates the reflux direction of starch bubbles and condensed water.

[0072] The same structure as in the first embodiment, the first exhaust valve 81 is arranged in the mounting groove 61 on the sealing cover 6, and the air hole 62 on the side wall of the mounting groove 61 and the mounting groove 61 form an air flow channel 10. However, the present invention does not make any limitation to this. In other embodiments, such as Figure 18 As shown, an exhaust port 21 is provided on the side wall of the lower pot body 2, and an air inlet 13 is provided on the side wall where the leaching chamber 102 of the upper pot body is located. The two ends of the first exhaust valve 81 are respectively connected to the exhaust port 21 and the air inlet 13 through the air guide pipe 30. The exhaust port 21, the air guide pipe 30 and the air inlet 13 form an air flow channel 10.

[0073] The electric rice cooker provided in this embodiment can achieve pressure regulation in the lower pot body 2 and steam transmission from the lower pot body 2 to the upper pot body 1 simply by controlling the first exhaust valve 81 and the heating element 5. The structure is very simple and the control is very convenient.

[0074] Example 4

[0075] This embodiment is basically the same as the third embodiment and its variations. Figure 19 As shown, the difference is that the exhaust assembly 8 also includes a second exhaust valve 82, one end of which is connected to the lower pot body 2 and the other end is connected to the atmosphere outside the rice cooker. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the exhaust end of the second exhaust valve can also be connected to the upper pot body.

[0076] When soaking rice, both the first and second exhaust valves 81 and 82 are closed to ensure a sealed lower pot 2. During draining, the first exhaust valve 81 is closed and the second exhaust valve 82 is opened to connect the lower pot 2 to the atmosphere 1. This reduces the pressure within the lower pot 2, allowing water to transfer from the upper pot 1 to the lower pot 2 solely through the diversion throat 7 and the water flow gap 20, preventing it from entering the first exhaust valve 81 and the air flow passage 10, thereby improving the cleanliness of both. During steaming, the second exhaust valve 82 is closed and the first exhaust valve 81 is opened to allow steam to enter the steaming chamber 102 through the air flow passage 10. However, this is not a limitation of the present invention. In other embodiments, to increase the draining speed, the first and second exhaust valves may be opened simultaneously.

[0077] Alternatively, in other embodiments, Figure 20 As shown, a second exhaust valve 82 may also be provided when the first exhaust valve 81 is in communication with the lower pot body 2 and the steaming chamber 102 via the air guide pipe 30. When draining, opening the first exhaust valve 81 and the second exhaust valve 82 simultaneously can achieve rapid draining.

[0078] In summary, in the electric rice cooker provided by the present invention, a sealing cover is provided between the upper pot body and the lower pot body, and the sealing cover is engaged with the lower pot body; when the end of the diversion throat is sealed by water, the lower pot body forms a closed space. The heating element heats the water in the lower pot body to increase the pressure in the lower pot body, thereby realizing the transfer of water from the lower pot body to the upper pot body for soaking rice. When draining, the pressure in the lower pot body can be reduced by controlling one or two exhaust valves in the exhaust assembly, thereby transferring the water in the upper pot body to the lower pot body to drain the rice. The electric rice cooker provided by the present invention can realize the reciprocating transfer of water between the upper pot body and the lower pot body by simply controlling one or two exhaust valves and a heating element with simple structures. Compared with the pressure regulating structure composed of a power pump and a pressure relief valve in the existing draining rice cooker, this arrangement not only greatly simplifies the overall structure of the electric rice cooker, but also greatly reduces the manufacturing cost.

[0079] Although the present invention has been disclosed above by means of preferred embodiments, this is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may make slight changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of protection required by the claims.

Claims

1. An electric rice cooker, characterized in that: include: Upper pot body and lower pot body; A grate is provided in the upper pot body, and the grate divides the upper pot body into a storage chamber and a decanting chamber, and an air flow channel is provided between the decanting chamber and the lower pot body; A pot lid, which is opened or closed on the upper pot body and has an exhaust hole; A heating element is provided in the lower pot body and heats water in the lower pot body to generate steam; A sealing cover is provided between the upper pot body and the lower pot body and is sealingly covered on the lower pot body; A diversion throat pipe is provided in the sealing cover, wherein the upper end of the diversion throat pipe is connected to the decanting chamber of the upper pot body, and the lower end of the diversion throat pipe extends into the lower pot body and forms a water flow gap with the inner bottom wall of the lower pot body; An exhaust assembly includes a first exhaust valve for opening or closing an air flow passage, wherein the exhaust assembly changes the air pressure in the lower pot body so that water is transferred back and forth between the upper pot body and the lower pot body through the guide throat and the steam in the lower pot body is transferred to the steaming chamber of the upper pot body; After steaming for a period of time, the first exhaust valve is closed to make the lower pot body into a sealed structure. The steam generated by the heating element gradually increases the air pressure in the lower pot body. The water in the lower pot body gradually enters the diversion throat through the water flow gap and enters the upper pot body to replenish water to the rice layer.

2. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that The air flow channel is formed in the sealing cover, and the first exhaust valve is arranged in the sealing cover.

3. The electric rice cooker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing cover has an installation groove protruding toward the side where the lower pot body is located and used to install the first exhaust valve. The upper end of the installation groove is connected to the upper pot body. The side wall or bottom wall of the installation groove has multiple steam holes connected to the lower pot body. The installation groove and the multiple steam holes form an air flow channel.

4. The electric rice cooker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first exhaust valve is a solenoid valve, which includes a valve body, an elastic member detachably connected to the valve body, and a sealing member connected to the end of the valve body to open or block the air flow channel.

5. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that An exhaust port is provided on the side wall of the lower pot body, and an air inlet is provided on the side wall where the steaming chamber of the upper pot body is located. Both ends of the first exhaust valve are respectively connected to the exhaust port and the air inlet through an air guide pipe, and the exhaust port, the air guide pipe and the air inlet form an air flow channel.

6. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that The exhaust assembly further includes a second exhaust valve, one end of which is connected to the lower pot body, and the other end of which is connected to the upper pot body or the external atmosphere; When draining, the second exhaust valve opens to reduce the pressure in the lower pot body, and water is transferred from the upper pot body to the lower pot body through the diversion throat; During steaming, the second exhaust valve is closed and the first exhaust valve is opened to allow steam to enter the steaming chamber through the air flow channel.

7. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that The upper end of the diversion throat does not extend into the steaming chamber, and the rice soaking water, steam condensed water and bubbles carried by the steam in the steaming chamber all fall back into the lower pot body through the diversion throat.

8. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing cover and the upper pot body are split structures. The sealing cover is sealed and connected to the lower pot body or is formed integrally with the lower pot body. The bottom of the upper pot body has a flanged throat hole extending downward, and the flanged throat hole is sealed and sleeved on the diversion throat pipe.

9. The electric rice cooker according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the air flow channel is formed in the sealing cover, the bottom of the upper pot body also has an air flow output hole connected to the air flow channel, and the air flow in the lower pot body is transmitted to the leaching chamber of the upper pot body through the air flow channel and the air flow output hole.

10. The electric rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing cover is connected to the upper pot body or is formed integrally with the upper pot body. The sealing cover serves as a bottom sealing cover of the upper pot body and is fitted on the lower pot body.

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