A steam valve structure and a cooking appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of cooking appliances, and particularly relates to a steam valve structure and a cooking appliance. The steam valve structure includes: a base assembly, which is formed with an air inlet passage therethrough; an upper cover assembly, which is movably arranged on the base assembly and is adapted to selectively cover the air inlet passage; a lifting drive structure is further arranged on the base assembly, and the lifting drive structure is adapted to drive the upper cover assembly to move away from or close to the air inlet passage, and to switch between the states of opening and closing the air inlet passage, and is adapted to adjust the opening area S in the state of opening the air inlet passage. The steam valve structure provided by the present invention, by arranging the upper cover assembly on the base assembly and through the action of the lifting drive structure, enables the upper cover assembly to move away from or close to the air inlet passage, so that the size of the air outlet area of the evaporation valve structure is adjustable, thereby adjusting the steam output, improving the adjustment performance of the steam valve structure, and improving the adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cooking appliances, and particularly relates to a steam valve structure and a cooking appliance. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, the outlet area of the steam valve of a rice cooker is fixed. The fixed outlet area of the steam valve will cause it to be unable to match the heating power. During the process of cooking rice or porridge, the rice soup often overflows, affecting the user experience. Usually, in order to avoid the overflow phenomenon, generally, the rice cooker cannot use high power to cook porridge or rice, resulting in too long cooking time for cooking rice or porridge, reduced efficiency, and long waiting time for users. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect that the outlet area of the steam valve in the prior art cannot be adjusted, so as to provide a steam valve structure capable of adjusting the outlet area of the steam valve.

[0004] Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect that the outlet area of the steam valve structure in the prior art cannot be adjusted, so as to provide a cooking appliance capable of adjusting the outlet area of the steam valve structure.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, a steam valve structure provided by the present invention includes:

[0006] A base assembly, which is formed with an intake passage therethrough;

[0007] An upper cover assembly, which is movably arranged on the base assembly and is adapted to selectively cover the intake passage;

[0008] The base assembly is further provided with a lifting drive structure, which is adapted to drive the upper cover assembly to move away from or close to the intake passage, and switch between the states of opening and closing the intake passage, and is adapted to adjust the opening area S in the state of opening the intake passage.

[0009] Optionally, the lifting drive structure includes: at least one lifting member, which is adapted to jack up the upper cover assembly under the drive of the lifting drive structure.

[0010] Optionally, the lifting drive structure further includes: a swivel seat, and the outer surface of the swivel seat is inclined with guide ribs in the circumferential direction, and the guide ribs are adapted to drive the lifting member to perform a lifting movement under the rotational movement of the swivel seat.

[0011] Optionally, the base assembly further includes: a lifting member guide groove, which is in transitional fit or clearance fit with the lifting member and is adapted to guide the lifting member to move along the through direction of the lifting member guide groove.

[0012] Optionally, the through direction of the lifting member guide groove is parallel to the movement direction of the upper cover assembly.

[0013] Optionally, the lifting member guide groove is adapted to guide the lifting member to move along the vertical direction.

[0014] Optionally, at least a part of the lifting member is formed with an inclined slideway, and the inclined slideway is in sliding fit with the guiding rib.

[0015] Optionally, the opening area S of the steam valve structure changes with the lifting height H of the upper cover assembly, and the opening area S of the steam valve structure is S = H×C, where H is the lifting height of the upper cover assembly and C is the perimeter of the air intake passage.

[0016] Optionally, it further includes: a motor, which is adapted to drive the swivel base to make a rotational movement.

[0017] Optionally, it further includes: a gear, which meshes with the follower teeth arranged along the circumferential direction on the swivel base and is adapted to drive the follower teeth to move under the drive of the motor.

[0018] Optionally, the upper cover assembly includes: a sealing member, on which a sealing cover plate adapted to cover the air intake passage is provided; and a through hole, which is adapted to communicate with the air intake passage when the upper cover assembly is in the lifted state.

[0019] Optionally, the upper cover assembly further includes: a guiding member, on which a wind guiding plate adapted to guide steam to move along a preset direction is provided.

[0020] Optionally, several of the wind guiding plates are arranged in a fan shape around the central axis, and the air outlet direction of the steam is guided along the vertically upward direction or the inclined upward direction between two adjacent wind guiding plates.

[0021] Optionally, the upper cover assembly includes a first magnetic member, and a second magnetic member is correspondingly provided on the lifting member. The first magnetic member and the second magnetic member are adapted to attract each other in the close state and fix the lifting member and the upper cover assembly together.

[0022] Optionally, a magnetic member installation position is provided on the lifting member, and the second magnetic member is arranged in the magnetic member installation position.

[0023] Optionally, one of the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member is a magnet, and the other is a ferromagnetic metal.

[0024] Optionally, at least two of the first magnetic members are provided on the upper cover assembly, and correspondingly, at least two of the second magnetic members are provided on the lifting member.

[0025] Optionally, a handle is further provided on the upper cover assembly, and the handle is adapted to release the fixation between the lifting member and the upper cover assembly in a tensioned state.

[0026] The cooking appliance provided by the present invention includes: an inner lid, an air outlet is formed on the inner lid, and a steam valve structure as described above is conductively connected to the air outlet.

[0027] Optionally, a face cover is further provided on the cooking appliance; the height difference between the lowest horizontal plane height of the water vapor discharged through the steam valve structure and the upper surface of the face cover in the vertical direction is greater than or equal to 20 mm.

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0029] 1. For the steam valve structure provided by the present invention, by providing an upper cover assembly on the base assembly and through the action of the lifting drive structure, the upper cover assembly is moved away from or close to the intake passage, so that the outlet area of the evaporation valve structure is adjustable, thereby adjusting the steam outlet volume, improving the adjustment performance of the steam valve structure, and improving the adaptability.

[0030] 2. For the steam valve structure provided by the present invention, by providing a lifting member guiding groove on the base assembly, the lifting member can be driven by the guiding rib and move along the through direction of the lifting member guiding groove under the guidance of the lifting member guiding groove, converting the rotational movement into a lifting movement, achieving a continuous lifting effect, and being able to achieve fine adjustment of the lifting height.

[0031] 3. For the steam valve structure provided by the present invention, the guiding rib is inclined, and the rotational movement is converted into a translational movement. By extending the control path, the smaller the inclination angle of the guiding rib, the higher the adjustment accuracy of the lifting height of the lifting member, improving the control effect.

[0032] 4. For the steam valve structure provided by the present invention, by providing the guiding member in the steam flow direction, the guiding member can guide the steam to move along a preset direction, ensuring the controllability of the steam flow direction and avoiding a large amount of condensed water on the face cover of the rice cooker.

[0033] 5. The steam valve structure provided by the present invention arranges several of the air guiding plates in a fan blade shape around the central axis, and the air outlet direction of the steam is guided along the vertically upward direction or the inclined upward direction by two adjacent air guiding plates, so that the water vapor is discharged from the steam valve structure in a volcanic eruption form, thereby ensuring the rising height of the water vapor and avoiding the condensation of the water vapor into water droplets when contacting the rice cooker lid.

[0034] 6. The steam valve structure provided by the present invention correspondingly sets a first magnetic member and a second magnetic member that attract each other on the upper cover assembly and the lifting member, thereby magnetically adsorbing the upper cover assembly and the base assembly together, facilitating the taking and cleaning of the upper cover assembly; and the upper cover assembly can be automatically positioned on the base assembly by relying on the magnet, without the need to find the correct alignment, ensuring the covering effect of the upper cover assembly on the air inlet channel and avoiding air leakage.

[0035] 7. The steam valve structure provided by the present invention correspondingly sets at least two first magnetic members and second magnetic members that attract each other on the upper cover assembly and the lifting member, thereby relying on two points to determine a unique straight line to ensure the positioning of the upper cover assembly on the base assembly, without the need to find the correct alignment, ensuring the covering effect of the upper cover assembly on the air inlet channel and avoiding air leakage.

[0036] 8. The cooking appliance provided by the present invention, when used in cooperation with the steam valve structure, can adjust the size of the air outlet area of the cooking appliance, avoiding the problem that the air outlet area of the cooking appliance is too small and easy to overflow; and when the air outlet area is enlarged, with the increase of the power of the cooking appliance, it can still ensure that no overflow phenomenon occurs, solving the problem that the cooking appliance has a long cooking time for cooking rice and porridge with low power heating; at the same time, the adjustment of the size of the air outlet area by the steam valve structure can follow the power change for follow-up adjustment, solving the problem that the air outlet area of the steam valve structure of the cooking appliance does not match the power, improving the user experience and accelerating the cooking efficiency.

[0037] 9. The cooking appliance provided by the present invention is provided with the steam valve structure on the cooking appliance, and due to the presence of the air guiding plates on the steam valve structure, the steam ejected from the pot can move along the vertically upward direction or the inclined upward direction under the guiding action of the air guiding plates. At this time, the steam moves in a volcanic eruption form, so that a large amount of water vapor can be discharged upward from the middle channel. When the steam valve structure rises, the distance between the lowest horizontal plane of the discharged water vapor and the rice cooker lid exceeds 20 mm. This height avoids the condensation of the water vapor into water droplets when contacting the rice cooker lid. Even in the case of wind around, this height will form a cliff-like blockage, avoiding the influence of the wind on the condensation of the water vapor on the rice cooker lid and preventing a large amount of water vapor from generating a large amount of water droplets on the rice cooker lid, keeping the lid clean. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the installation state of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of the installation state of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 Three-dimensional schematic diagram of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 Top view of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the disassembled state of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the open state of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the closed state of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the handle;

[0047] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the guide member;

[0048] Figure 10 Top view of the guide member;

[0049] Figure 11 Bottom view of the guide member;

[0050] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the sealing member;

[0051] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the lifting member;

[0052] Figure 14 Cross-sectional view of the lifting member;

[0053] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the fixed seat;

[0054] Figure 16 Top view of the fixed seat;

[0055] Figure 17 Front view of the fixed seat;

[0056] Figure 18 Bottom view of the fixed seat;

[0057] Figure 19 Schematic diagram of the steering seat;

[0058] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of the mounting seat;

[0059] Figure 21 Top view of the mounting seat;

[0060] Figure 22 Schematic diagram of the opening state of the steam valve structure of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 23 Schematic diagram of the closing state of the steam valve structure of the present invention.

[0062] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0063] 10 - face cover, 11 - inner cover, 12 - heat preservation cover plate, 13 - air outlet;

[0064] 20 - steam valve structure, 210 - handle, 211 - screw; 220 - guide member, 221 - air guiding plate, 222 - first receiving groove, 223 - screw through hole, 224 - buckle, 225 - screw mounting cavity;

[0065] 230 - first magnetic member; 240 - sealing member, 241 - sealing cover plate, 242 - through hole, 243 - second receiving groove, 244 - clamping groove;

[0066] 250 - lifting member, 251 - second magnetic member, 252 - magnetic member mounting position, 253 - inclined slideway;

[0067] 260 - fixed seat, 261 - air inlet channel, 262 - lifting member guiding groove, 263 - sealing ring, 264 - first locking portion;

[0068] 270 - steering seat, 271 - guiding rib, 272 - follower gear; 280 - motor, 281 - gear;

[0069] 290 - mounting seat, 291 - motor receiving chamber, 292 - second locking portion, 293 - positioning portion, 294 - steering seat mounting cavity. Detailed implementation manners

[0070] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0071] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0072] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0073] In addition, the technical features involved in different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0074] Embodiment 1

[0075] Combined Figures 1 - 23 As shown, the steam valve structure 20 provided in this embodiment includes:

[0076] A base assembly, which is formed with an intake passage 261 therethrough;

[0077] An upper cover assembly, which is movably arranged on the base assembly and is adapted to selectively cover the intake passage 261;

[0078] A lifting drive structure is further arranged on the base assembly. The lifting drive structure is adapted to drive the upper cover assembly away from or close to the intake passage 261 to switch between the states of opening and closing the intake passage 261, and is adapted to adjust the opening area S in the state of opening the intake passage 261.

[0079] Preferably, the intake passage 261 is adapted to allow steam to flow through. In this embodiment, the base assembly can be disposed on the cooking appliance, so that the steam inside the cooking appliance flows out through the intake passage 261.

[0080] In the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment, by providing an upper cover assembly on the base assembly and through the action of the lifting drive structure, the upper cover assembly is moved away from or close to the intake passage 261, so that the area of the air outlet of the evaporation valve structure can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the steam output volume, improving the adjustment performance of the steam valve structure, and enhancing the adaptability.

[0081] Specifically, when the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment is used in cooperation with the cooking appliance, it can adjust the area of the air outlet of the cooking appliance, avoiding the problem that the area of the air outlet of the cooking appliance is too small and easy to overflow; and when the area of the air outlet is enlarged, with the increase of the power of the cooking appliance, it can still ensure that no overflow phenomenon occurs, solving the problem that the cooking time of cooking rice and porridge is too long during low-power heating of the cooking appliance; at the same time, the adjustment of the area of the air outlet by the steam valve structure can be adjusted following the power change, solving the problem that the area of the air outlet of the steam valve structure of the cooking appliance does not match the power; that is, it can adjust the area of the air outlet of the steam valve structure to prevent overflow; and it can also allow the rice cooker to use high power for heating, shortening the cooking time of cooking rice and porridge, accelerating the cooking efficiency, and improving the user experience.

[0082] Specifically, the lifting drive structure includes: at least one lifting member 250, and the lifting member 250 is adapted to lift the upper cover assembly under the drive of the lifting drive structure.

[0083] Preferably, in this embodiment, the lifting member 250 can specifically be a lifting column, which adopts a columnar structure. The top of the lifting column is used to contact the upper cover assembly, so that through the movement of the lifting column, the upper cover assembly is driven to move.

[0084] The lifting member 250 is driven by the lifting drive structure. In some implementation forms, the lifting drive structure can be in the form of a hydraulic rod, a pneumatic cylinder, a lead screw, a form of a gear driving a straight rack, or a crank and connecting rod form, etc. The above forms are all conventional selections for those skilled in the art, and their specific structural forms will not be elaborated here.

[0085] Specifically, the lifting drive structure further includes: a swivel base 270, and guiding ribs 271 are inclinedly arranged on the outer surface of the swivel base 270 in the circumferential direction. The guiding ribs 271 are adapted to drive the lifting member 250 to perform a lifting movement under the rotational movement of the swivel base 270.

[0086] Preferably, the steering seat 270 is configured as a substantially cylindrical structure. Guide ribs 271 are disposed on the outer surface of the steering seat 270 in an inclined manner in the circumferential direction. The guide ribs 271 rise obliquely from the bottom of one side of the cylinder, such that the guide ribs 271 show an effect of gradually climbing along the outer surface of the steering seat 270. When the steering seat 270 rotates, the guide ribs 271 present a state of gradually rising or falling along the same tangent plane.

[0087] Specifically, the base assembly further includes: a lifting member guide groove 262, which is in transitional fit or clearance fit with the lifting member 250 and is adapted to guide the lifting member 250 to move along the penetrating direction of the lifting member guide groove 262.

[0088] In this embodiment, the base assembly includes a fixed seat 260. The lifting member guide groove 262 is provided on the fixed seat 260. Preferably, the lifting member guide groove 262 is provided at the circumferential edge position of the fixed seat 260. An air intake passage 261 is formed through the middle of the fixed seat 260, and the lifting member guide groove 262 is disposed around the air intake passage 261.

[0089] For the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment, by providing the lifting member guide groove 262 on the base assembly, the lifting member 250 can be driven by the guide ribs 271 and guided by the lifting member guide groove 262 to move along the penetrating direction of the lifting member guide groove 262, converting rotational motion into lifting motion, achieving a continuous lifting effect, and enabling fine adjustment of the lifting height.

[0090] For the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment, the guide ribs 271 are inclined to convert rotational motion into translational motion. By extending the control path, the smaller the inclination angle of the guide ribs 271, the higher the adjustment accuracy of the lifting height of the lifting member 250, improving the control effect.

[0091] Preferably, a sealing ring 263 is further provided in the lifting member guide groove 262. The sealing ring 263 is assembled in the lifting member guide groove 262, and the sealing ring 263 is in interference fit with the lifting member guide groove 262, playing a role in sealing and preventing friction, ensuring the service life of the lifting member guide groove 262, and facilitating the use of the sealing ring 263 as a consumable part to reduce the maintenance cost.

[0092] Specifically, the penetrating direction of the lifting member guide groove 262 is parallel to the movement direction of the upper cover assembly.

[0093] Specifically, the lifting member guide groove 262 is adapted to guide the lifting member 250 to move in the vertical direction.

[0094] Specifically, at least a part of the lifting member 250 is formed with an inclined slideway 253, and the inclined slideway 253 is in sliding fit with the guiding rib 271.

[0095] Preferably, the inclined slideway 253 is configured as an inclined structure matching the shape of the guiding rib 271. As a specific implementation form, the inclined slideway 253 is in the form of a groove, and the guiding rib 271 is in the form of a convex rib. Through the sliding fit between the inclined slideway 253 and the guiding rib 271, the driving of the lifting member 250 by the swivel base 270 is realized, so as to convert the circular motion of the swivel base 270 into the linear motion of the lifting member 250.

[0096] Specifically, the opening area S of the steam valve structure changes with the lifting height H of the upper cover assembly. The opening area S of the steam valve structure is S = H×C, where H is the lifting height of the upper cover assembly and C is the perimeter of the air inlet passage 261.

[0097] Preferably, since the perimeter C of the air inlet passage 261 is a fixed value, the opening area S of the steam valve structure is proportional to the lifting height H of the upper cover assembly. As the lifting height H of the upper cover assembly increases, the opening area S of the steam valve structure continuously increases. As a specific implementation form, the maximum lifting height H of the upper cover assembly is 17 mm, and the maximum outlet area of the steam valve is 3600 mm2; conversely, as the lifting height H of the upper cover assembly decreases, the opening area S of the steam valve structure continuously shrinks, and when it drops to the lowest point, the entire opening area is closed.

[0098] Specifically, it further includes: a motor 280, and the motor 280 is adapted to drive the swivel base 270 to perform a rotational motion. The motor 280, as a power element, provides power for the rotational motion of the swivel base 270.

[0099] Specifically, it further includes: a gear 281, and the gear 281 meshes with a follower tooth 272 arranged along the circumferential direction on the swivel base 270 and is adapted to drive the follower tooth 272 to move under the drive of the motor 280. The gear 281 is connected to the motor 280, and under the drive of the motor 280, the gear 281 rotates to drive the follower tooth 272 to move, thereby causing the swivel base 270 to rotate.

[0100] Preferably, the steam valve structure further includes a mounting base 290, on which a motor receiving chamber 291 is formed, and the motor receiving chamber 291 is adapted to mount and fix the motor 280; a steering seat mounting cavity 294 is also formed on the mounting base 290, and the steering seat mounting cavity 294 is adapted to accommodate the steering seat 270. When both the motor 280 and the steering seat 270 are mounted on the mounting base 290, the gear 281 meshes with the follower gear 272.

[0101] Preferably, at least one first locking portion 264 is provided on the fixing base 260, and at least one second locking portion 292 is provided on the mounting base 290. The first locking portion 264 and the second locking portion 292 are cooperatively installed to achieve the mounting and fixing of the fixing base 260 and the mounting base 290.

[0102] Preferably, at least one positioning portion 293 is further formed on the mounting base 290, and the positioning portion 293 is adapted to be at least partially communicated with the lifting member guiding groove 262, so as to ensure the smooth movement of the lifting member 250 between the fixing base 260 and the mounting base 290 and avoid jamming.

[0103] Preferably, the follower gear 272 can be a rack structure matching the shape of the gear 281. In this embodiment, an arc-shaped rack structure is preferably adopted, so as to ensure that it can always mesh with the gear 281 during the rotation of the steering seat 270 and avoid disengaging.

[0104] Specifically, the upper cover assembly further includes a guiding member 220, and a plurality of air guiding plates 221 adapted to guide steam to move in a preset direction are provided on the guiding member 220.

[0105] In the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment, by providing the guiding member 220 in the steam flow direction, the guiding member 220 can guide steam to move in a preset direction, ensuring the controllability of the steam flow direction and avoiding a large amount of condensed water on the rice cooker top cover.

[0106] Specifically, the plurality of air guiding plates 221 are arranged in a fan blade shape around the central axis, and the air outlet direction of the steam is guided in a vertically upward direction or an inclined upward direction between adjacent two air guiding plates 221.

[0107] In the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment, by arranging the plurality of air guiding plates 221 in a fan blade shape around the central axis, and guiding the air outlet direction of the steam in a vertically upward direction or an inclined upward direction between adjacent two air guiding plates 221, the water vapor is discharged from the steam valve structure in a form like a volcanic eruption, thus ensuring the rising height of the water vapor and avoiding the water vapor contacting the rice cooker top cover and condensing into water droplets.

[0108] Preferably, by arranging the air guide plate 221 in a fan blade shape around the central axis, water vapor can be discharged from the middle in the form of a volcanic eruption; in this embodiment, through a large number of experiments, when the steam valve structure rises, the height of the horizontal plane where the water vapor is discharged from the rice cooker lid exceeds 20 mm. This height avoids the contact between the water vapor and the rice cooker lid and condensation into water droplets. Even in the presence of wind, this height will form a cliff-like blockage, preventing the water vapor from being affected by the wind and generating condensed water on the rice cooker lid, ensuring the cleanliness of the rice cooker lid.

[0109] Specifically, the upper cover assembly includes: a sealing member 240, on which a sealing cover plate 241 adapted to cover the air intake passage 261 is provided; and a through hole 242 adapted to communicate with the air intake passage 261 in the state where the upper cover assembly is lifted.

[0110] In this embodiment, the covering of the air intake passage 261 by the upper cover assembly is achieved by using the sealing cover plate 241; when the upper cover assembly is in the lowered state, the sealing cover plate 241 covers the air intake passage 261. The outer shape of the sealing cover plate 241 is adapted to the outer shape of the air intake passage 261, and the outer dimension of the sealing cover plate 241 is larger than the outer dimension of the air intake passage 261, so as to completely cover the air intake passage 261 and prevent air leakage.

[0111] The sealing member 240 forms a through hole 242 around the sealing cover plate 241. In the state where the upper cover assembly is lifted, the sealing cover plate 241 cannot completely cover the air intake passage 261. At this time, the steam will successively pass through the air intake passage 261 and the through hole 242 and be discharged to the outside.

[0112] Preferably, the guiding member 220 is arranged at a position relatively above the sealing member 240. When the steam passes through the through hole 242, it will further flow through the guiding member 220 and be discharged upward under the guidance of the guiding member 220.

[0113] Preferably, the guiding member 220 is fixedly connected to the sealing member 240. In this embodiment, a buckle 224 is provided on one of the guiding member 220 and the sealing member 240, and a clamping groove 244 is provided on the other. Through the cooperation of the buckle 224 and the clamping groove 244, the guiding member 220 is fixedly connected to the sealing member 240.

[0114] Specifically, the upper cover assembly includes a first magnetic member 230, and a second magnetic member 251 is correspondingly arranged on the lifting member 250 opposite to the first magnetic member 230. The first magnetic member 230 and the second magnetic member 251 are adapted to attract each other in the proximity state and fix the lifting member 250 to the upper cover assembly.

[0115] For the steam valve structure provided in this embodiment, by correspondingly arranging a mutually attracting first magnetic member 230 and a second magnetic member 251 on the upper cover assembly and the lifting member 250, the upper cover assembly and the base assembly are magnetically adsorbed together, which is convenient for taking the upper cover assembly and for cleaning; moreover, the upper cover assembly can be automatically positioned on the base assembly by means of the magnet, without the need to find the correct alignment, ensuring the covering effect of the upper cover assembly on the air inlet passage 261 and avoiding air leakage.

[0116] Preferably, the first magnetic member 230 is arranged on the upper cover assembly, and specifically, it can be arranged at the middle position between the guiding member 220 and the sealing member 240. Through the cooperative installation of the guiding member 220 and the sealing member 240, the fixation of the first magnetic member 230 is realized.

[0117] Preferably, a first receiving groove 222 is arranged on the guiding member 220, and a second receiving groove 243 is arranged on the sealing member 240. The first receiving groove 222 and the second receiving groove 243 are buckled to define a receiving space for the first magnetic member 230.

[0118] Specifically, a magnetic member installation position 252 is arranged on the lifting member 250, and the second magnetic member 251 is arranged in the magnetic member installation position 252.

[0119] Specifically, one of the first magnetic member 230 and the second magnetic member 251 is a magnet, and the other is a ferromagnetic metal. The ferromagnetic metal can specifically be iron, cobalt, nickel, etc.

[0120] Preferably, in this embodiment, the first magnetic member 230 is a magnet, and the second magnetic member 251 is a ferromagnetic metal.

[0121] Specifically, at least two of the first magnetic members 230 are arranged on the upper cover assembly. Correspondingly, at least two of the second magnetic members 251 are arranged on the lifting member 250.

[0122] The steam valve structure provided in this embodiment ensures the positioning of the upper cover assembly on the base assembly by correspondingly arranging at least two mutually attracting first magnetic members 230 and second magnetic members 251 on the upper cover assembly and the lifting member 250. By relying on two points to determine a unique straight line, it is not necessary to find the exact alignment, ensuring the covering effect of the upper cover assembly on the air intake passage 261 and avoiding air leakage.

[0123] Specifically, a handle 210 is further provided on the upper cover assembly. The handle 210 is adapted to release the fixation between the lifting member 250 and the upper cover assembly in a state of being subjected to tension.

[0124] The handle 210 is fixed to the guiding member 220 by screws 211. A screw through-hole 223 is formed on the guiding member 220, and a screw installation cavity 225 is further formed at the middle position between the guiding member 220 and the sealing member 240. The lower surface of the screw installation cavity 225 is in contact with the upper surface of the sealing cover plate 241, thereby ensuring the isolation of the screw installation cavity 225 from water and gas and preventing the screws 211 from rusting or corroding after long-term use.

[0125] Embodiment Two

[0126] Combined with Figure 1 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a cooking appliance, including: an inner lid 11, an air outlet 13 formed on the inner lid 11, and a steam valve structure as described in the above Embodiment One that is conductively connected to the air outlet 13.

[0127] The cooking appliance provided in this embodiment can adjust the size of the air outlet area of the cooking appliance by cooperating with the steam valve structure, avoiding the problem that the air outlet area of the cooking appliance is too small and easy to overflow; and when the air outlet area is enlarged, even with the increase in the power of the cooking appliance, it can still ensure that no overflow phenomenon occurs, solving the problem of too long cooking time for cooking rice and porridge during low-power heating of the cooking appliance; at the same time, the adjustment of the air outlet area by the steam valve structure can be adjusted accordingly with the power change, solving the problem of mismatch between the air outlet area and the power of the steam valve structure of the cooking appliance, improving the user experience and accelerating the cooking efficiency.

[0128] Preferably, a heat preservation cover plate 12 is further provided in the cooking appliance, and the air outlet 13 is arranged on the heat preservation cover plate 12.

[0129] Specifically, a face cover 10 is further provided on the cooking appliance; the height difference between the lowest horizontal plane of the water vapor discharged through the steam valve structure and the upper surface of the face cover 10 in the vertical direction is greater than or equal to 20 mm.

[0130] This embodiment provides a cooking appliance. By providing the steam valve structure on the cooking appliance, and due to the presence of the air guide plate 221 on the steam valve structure, the steam ejected from the pot can move in the vertically upward direction or the inclined upward direction under the guiding action of the air guide plate 221. At this time, the steam moves like a volcanic eruption, enabling a large amount of water vapor to be discharged upward through the middle channel. When the steam valve structure rises, the distance between the lowest water level plane where the water vapor is discharged and the rice cooker lid exceeds 20 mm. This height prevents the water vapor from contacting the rice cooker lid and condensing into water droplets. Even in the presence of wind around, this height will form a cliff-like blockage, preventing the water vapor from being affected by the wind and condensing on the rice cooker lid, and preventing a large amount of water vapor from generating a large number of water droplets on the rice cooker lid, thus keeping the lid 10 clean.

[0131] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples given for clear illustration and not limitations on the implementation manners. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other different forms of changes or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all the implementation manners here. The obvious changes or modifications derived therefrom still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steam valve structure, characterized in that, Comprising: A base assembly, which is formed with an air intake passage (261) therethrough; An upper cover assembly, which is movably arranged on the base assembly and is adapted to selectively cover the air intake passage (261); A lifting drive structure is further arranged on the base assembly, and the lifting drive structure is adapted to drive the upper cover assembly to move away from or close to the air intake passage (261), so as to switch between the states of opening and closing the air intake passage (261), and is adapted to adjust the opening area S in the state of opening the air intake passage (261); The upper cover assembly further includes: a guiding member (220), and a plurality of air guiding plates (221) adapted to guide steam to move along a preset direction are arranged on the guiding member (220); the plurality of air guiding plates (221) are arranged in a fan blade shape around the central axis, and the air outlet direction of the steam is guided along the vertically upward direction or the obliquely upward direction by two adjacent air guiding plates (221).

2. The steam valve structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting drive structure includes: at least one lifting member (250), and the lifting member (250) is adapted to lift the upper cover assembly under the drive of the lifting drive structure.

3. The steam valve structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting drive structure further includes: a steering seat (270), and guiding ribs (271) are arranged on the outer surface of the steering seat (270) in a circumferential direction and are inclined, and the guiding ribs (271) are adapted to drive the lifting member (250) to perform a lifting movement under the rotational movement of the steering seat (270).

4. The steam valve structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base assembly further includes: a lifting member guiding groove (262), and the lifting member guiding groove (262) is in transitional fit or clearance fit with the lifting member (250) and is adapted to guide the lifting member (250) to move along the through direction of the lifting member guiding groove (262).

5. The steam valve structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The through direction of the lifting member guiding groove (262) is parallel to the movement direction of the upper cover assembly.

6. The steam valve structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lifting member guiding groove (262) is adapted to guide the lifting member (250) to move along the vertical direction.

7. The steam valve structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, At least a partial area of the lifting member (250) is formed with an inclined slideway (253), and the inclined slideway (253) is in sliding fit with the guiding ribs (271).

8. The steam valve structure according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that, The opening area S of the steam valve structure changes with the lifting height H of the upper cover assembly, and the opening area S of the steam valve structure is S = H×C, where H is the lifting height of the upper cover assembly and C is the perimeter of the air intake passage (261).

9. The steam valve structure according to any one of claims 3-7, characterized in that, Further comprising: A motor (280), and the motor (280) is adapted to drive the steering seat (270) to perform a rotational movement.

10. The steam valve structure according to claim 9, characterized in that, Further comprising: A gear (281), and the gear (281) is meshed with a follower tooth (272) arranged on the steering seat (270) in a circumferential direction and is adapted to drive the follower tooth (272) to move under the drive of the motor (280).

11. The steam valve structure according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The upper cover assembly includes: a sealing member (240), and a sealing cover plate (241) adapted to cover the air intake passage (261) is arranged on the sealing member (240); and a through hole (242) adapted to be communicated with the air intake passage (261) in the state where the upper cover assembly is lifted.

12. The steam valve structure according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that, The upper cover assembly includes a first magnetic member (230), and a second magnetic member (251) is provided on the lifting member (250) corresponding to the first magnetic member (230). The first magnetic member (230) and the second magnetic member (251) are adapted to attract each other in the close state and fix the lifting member (250) to the upper cover assembly.

13. The steam valve structure according to claim 12, characterized in that, A magnetic member mounting position (252) is provided on the lifting member (250), and the second magnetic member (251) is disposed within the magnetic member mounting position (252).

14. The steam valve structure according to claim 12, characterized in that, One of the first magnetic member (230) and the second magnetic member (251) is a magnet, and the other is a ferromagnetic metal.

15. The steam valve structure according to claim 12, characterized in that, At least two of the first magnetic members (230) are provided on the upper cover assembly. Correspondingly, at least two of the second magnetic members (251) are provided on the lifting member (250).

16. The steam valve structure according to claim 12, characterized in that, A handle (210) is further provided on the upper cover assembly, and the handle (210) is adapted to release the fixation between the lifting member (250) and the upper cover assembly in a state of being subjected to a tensile force.

17. A cooking appliance, characterized in that, It includes an inner cover (11), an air outlet (13) is formed on the inner cover (11), and a steam valve structure as described in any one of claims 1-16 above that is conductively connected to the air outlet (13).

18. The cooking appliance according to claim 17, wherein, A face cover (10) is further provided on the cooking appliance; the height difference in the vertical direction between the lowest horizontal plane of the water vapor discharged through the steam valve structure and the upper surface of the face cover (10) is greater than or equal to 20 mm.

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