A zoned air fryer

Abstract

The present invention provides a partitioned air fryer, which includes a motor, a motor cover, a cooling assembly, a heating assembly, and a frying barrel assembly. The cooling assembly includes a heat dissipation fan blade, and the heating assembly includes a volute upper cover plate, a volute fan blade, a volute lower cover plate, and a heating tube connected in sequence. The frying barrel assembly includes a frying basket and a frying barrel. The volute lower cover plate has a central hole for inhaling air, and the volute upper cover plate and the volute lower cover plate together constitute a volute. The volute fan blade is placed in the volute and pushes air into the inner cavity of the frying barrel. The volute is also provided with a volute tongue turning structure, and the volute air outlet at the end of the volute tongue turning structure is located on the lower cover plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an air fryer, in particular to a zoned wind-throwing type air fryer. Background Art

[0002] An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that uses an air heating component and the hot air circulation airflow it generates to bake food.

[0003] Typically, an air fryer has a heating component and a cooling component.

[0004] The heating component is used to heat the air in the fry basket to 100-200℃ and form airflow in the fry basket to heat the food in the fry basket. The cooling component is used to generate cold air and emit it to the outside. This can maintain the temperature of electronic components such as motors from being too high to avoid damaging electronic components and reduce the temperature of the fryer shell.

[0005] The air fryers currently on the market usually consist of a motor, a motor cover, a heat dissipation blade, a hot air pipe cover, a hot air blade, a heating pipe, and a box from top to bottom. The hot air blades are arranged in a horizontal direction, and the hot air is blown out along the four sides of the hot air blades, passes through the heating pipe, and diffuses to the four sides of the box, and then returns from the middle of the box to form a hot air cycle. In this hot air cycle, the hot air sometimes moves upward before reaching the bottom of the fryer box. This is something that users do not want to see.

[0006] The above shortcomings affect the normal use of the air fryer and reduce the user experience. Therefore, the present application aims to solve the above-mentioned hot air circulation heating problem, so that the food is heated evenly and the food processing quality and efficiency are improved. Summary of the invention

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a partitioned wind-shaking air fryer, which includes a motor, a motor cover, a cooling component, a heating component, and a frying barrel component; wherein the cooling component includes a heat dissipation fan blade; the heating component includes a volute upper cover plate, a volute wheel fan blade, a volute lower cover plate, and a heating tube connected in sequence; the frying barrel component includes a frying basket and a frying barrel, and the volute lower cover plate has a central hole for inhaling air; the volute upper cover plate and the volute lower cover plate together constitute a volute, and the volute wheel fan blade is placed in the volute and pushes air into the inner cavity of the frying barrel; the volute is also provided with a volute tongue turning structure, and the volute air outlet at the end of the volute tongue turning structure is located on the lower cover plate.

[0008] In one embodiment, the width of the volute air outlet is less than or equal to the width of its corresponding air guide groove.

[0009] In one embodiment, the bottom of the frying tub is an air-guiding bottom surface to guide hot air to flow from low to high.

[0010] In one embodiment, the volute is an eccentric volute.

[0011] In one embodiment, the turbine blades are straight blades or arc-shaped blades.

[0012] In one embodiment, a front air guide slot serving as an air inlet is provided on the frying basket, wherein the front air guide slot corresponds to the volute tongue turning structure, so that air enters the front air guide slot from the volute tongue turning structure.

[0013] In one embodiment, the fry vat bottom has at least one supporting rib, the supporting rib being in contact with the fry basket bottom.

[0014] In one embodiment, the frying basket is provided with frying basket air guide holes in at least two different regions, and the frying basket air guide holes in the two different regions have different sizes or distributions.

[0015] In one embodiment, an isolation rack is provided in the frying tub, and the isolation rack further comprises a bottom surface with air guide holes and a partition perpendicular to the bottom surface; the bottom surface with air guide holes is provided with at least two different regions of isolation rack air guide holes, and the sizes or distributions of the isolation rack air guide holes in the two different regions are different; after the isolation rack air guide holes are superimposed on the frying tub air guide holes, the isolation rack air guide holes can partially cover or not cover the frying tub air guide holes.

[0016] In one embodiment, the isolation rack is provided with an isolation rack air guide groove corresponding to the front air guide groove of the frying vat.

[0017] The present invention provides at least the following technical effects:

[0018] The hot air circulation fan blade is a worm wheel fan blade, which is pressurized by the worm wheel and supplies air to the frying barrel through the worm tongue turning structure. The pressurized hot air flows downward. The pressurized hot air can flow downward to the air guide groove formed on the outer wall of the frying barrel, and flow upward along the air guide bottom surface of the frying barrel through the food. Different types of air guide holes are provided on the frying basket and the isolation rack. By setting the distribution and number of air guide holes, the flow direction and distribution of hot air can be adjusted to fry and roast different types of food. After flowing through the food, the air is sucked into the worm wheel fan blade from the center hole of the volute lower cover plate in the middle of the volute lower cover plate below the worm wheel fan blade under the action of the pressure difference. Before being sucked in, the air has passed through the heating tube and has therefore been heated, thereby forming a circulating flow of hot air.

[0019] Other features and advantages of the present application will be set forth in the following description or may be understood through implementation of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings are used to provide further understanding of the technical solution of the present application and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present application, they are used to explain the technical solution of the present application and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solution of the present application.

[0021] Figure 1A It is a schematic diagram of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0022] Figure 1B It is an exploded schematic diagram of a motor, a motor cover, a cooling assembly and a heating assembly in an upper shell of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0023] Figure 1C It is a schematic diagram of the partitions of the partitioned air fryer of the wind-shaking type involved in the present application;

[0024] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a motor and a motor cover of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0025] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the upper cover plate of the volute of the partitioned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0026] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the worm wheel fan blade of the zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0027] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the lower cover plate of the volute of the partitioned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0028] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a frying basket of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0029] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of a frying barrel of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0030] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of an isolation rack of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0031] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of a combination of a frying basket, a frying barrel and an isolation rack of a zoned air fryer involved in the present application.

[0032] Description of reference numerals:

[0033] 1-motor cover; 2-motor; 3-control system;

[0034] 4-volute upper cover plate; 4a-volute upper cover plate curved surface;

[0035] 5-screw blade; 5a-screw blade;

[0036] 6-volute lower cover plate; 6a-volute lower cover plate curved surface; 6b-volute lower cover plate center hole; 6c-volute air outlet;

[0037] 7-heating tube;

[0038] 8- frying basket; 8a- front air guide slot; 8b- rear air guide slot; 8c- front air guide hole of frying basket; 8d- rear air guide hole of frying basket;

[0039] 9- frying barrel; 9a- supporting ribs; 9b- air guide bottom surface;

[0040] 10- heat dissipation blades;

[0041] 11- Door assembly;

[0042] 12-isolation frame; 12a-front air guide slot of isolation frame; 12b-rear air guide slot of isolation frame; 12c-front air guide hole of isolation frame; 12d-rear air guide hole of isolation frame; 12e-partition plate of isolation frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] See also Figure 1A and 1B , showing an exploded view of the partitioned wind-shaking air fryer and the upper shell of the present application. The air fryer at least comprises a motor 2, a motor cover 1, a cooling assembly, a heating assembly, and a frying bucket assembly, which are arranged in sequence from top to bottom. The cooling assembly comprises a heat dissipation fan blade 10. The heating assembly comprises a volute upper cover plate 4, a worm wheel fan blade 5, a volute lower cover plate 6, and a heating pipe 7, which are arranged in sequence from top to bottom.

[0044] The volute upper cover plate 4 and the volute lower cover plate 6 together form a closed volute-shaped hot air passage, and the volute fan blades 5 are placed in the hot air passage.

[0045] The following will introduce each component and its connection relationship in turn.

[0046] See also Figure 2 , showing a schematic diagram of a motor and a motor cover of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application;

[0047] The motor 2 is provided with a motor shaft. The motor shaft on the motor 2 passes through the motor shaft hole on the motor cover 1, and the motor 2 is fixed to the motor cover 1 by screws, bolts or other methods.

[0048] The motor cover 1 has a cooling component and a heating component built therein in sequence.

[0049] The motor cover 1, the heat dissipation fan blade 10, the volute upper cover plate 4, and the worm wheel fan blade 5 all have corresponding shaft holes at their central positions, namely, the motor shaft hole, the heat dissipation fan blade shaft hole, the volute upper cover plate shaft hole, and the worm wheel fan blade shaft hole. Thus, the motor shaft on the motor 2 can pass through the above shaft holes in sequence to connect the heat dissipation fan blade 10 and the worm wheel fan blade 5, so that the motor 2 drives the heat dissipation fan blade 10 and the worm wheel fan blade 5 to rotate.

[0050] The motor cover 1 is provided with an air inlet and a cold air outlet. The air inlet allows the heat dissipation fan blades 10 to inhale cold air when working. It should be noted that the air inlet is not necessary, and the upper part of the motor cover 1 can be completely hollow in the shape of a ring, rectangle, square, etc. to increase the air intake area. The cold air outlet is connected to the exhaust hood on the upper shell of the air fryer to exhaust cold air.

[0051] The motor cover 1 is also provided with a control system 3 which can control the motor, thereby controlling the rotation direction and rotation speed of the heat dissipation fan blades 10 and the worm wheel fan blades 5 .

[0052] See also Figure 3-5 , showing the volute upper cover plate 4, volute fan blades 5, and volute lower cover plate 6 in the heating assembly of the partitioned wind-shaking air fryer involved in the present application.

[0053] The upper cover plate 4 of the volute is generally mirror-symmetrical to the lower cover plate 6 of the volute. The two are installed together and have concentric axes. They are fixed together for use to form a closed hot air channel. The upper cover plate curved surface 4a of the volute upper cover plate 4 and the lower cover plate curved surface 6a of the volute lower cover plate 6 form a volute curve hot air channel. There is a tongue-shaped structure at the outlet of the volute of the centrifugal fan, which is generally called a volute tongue. The volute tongue can prevent the gas from circulating in the volute. The volute curve of the present application is provided with a volute tongue turning structure, and the end of the volute tongue turning structure is the air outlet.

[0054] Therefore, the hot air channel is arc-shaped, with an air inlet located on the volute lower cover plate 6 and a volute air outlet 6c located on the volute lower cover plate 6. The volute air outlet 6c discharges air downward and flows to the air guide groove on the frying basket 8.

[0055] The worm gear fan blade 5 is placed in the volute curved hot air channel formed by the volute upper cover plate 4 and the volute lower cover plate 6. The worm gear fan blade 5 can be a worm gear fan blade made of metal material. The worm gear fan blade 5 is provided with a worm gear fan blade shaft hole and a worm gear fan blade 5a. The worm gear fan blade 5 can be made of two metal fan blades with a surrounding edge by welding or riveting, so that a variety of fan blade shapes are formed by superposition. The size and curvature of the blades of the two metal fan blades with a surrounding edge can be different, and the blades can be vertical or have a curvature. Such a double-layer blade solves the problem of insufficient flanging material of a single-layer blade, which can not only improve the overall strength, but also has a low manufacturing cost. The worm gear fan blade 5 can also be integrally formed. The blades of the worm gear fan blade can be straight inserts or arc inserts to control the size of the air outlet.

[0056] The worm blades, i.e., the worm blades 5, are driven to rotate by the motor 2. The advantage of the worm blades is that they have a strong wind force and can output a large wind force in a small space, thereby increasing the amount of air guided. The worm blades 5 are driven by the motor 2 to rotate the impeller. The rotation of the blades in the impeller causes the air to rotate and do work on the air, thereby increasing the momentum of the air. Under the action of centrifugal force, the air is thrown out to the surroundings of the impeller.

[0057] Preferably, the internal space of the volute formed by the volute upper cover plate 4 and the volute lower cover plate 6 is an eccentric volute.

[0058] The upper cover plate 4 of the volute is sleeved with the lower cover plate 6 of the volute, and a heating pipe 7 is installed below. The heating pipe 7 can be a heating plate, which passes through and is fixed to the lower cover plate 6 and the upper cover plate 4 of the volute from bottom to top.

[0059] See also Figure 6-9 , showing a frying basket 8, a frying barrel 9 and an isolation frame 12 in a frying barrel assembly of a zoned wind-throwing air fryer involved in the present application, and a schematic diagram of the three after being assembled.

[0060] The lower shell of the air fryer is provided with a frying basket 8 and a frying barrel 9, which can be movably connected together. The connection method of the frying basket 8 and the frying barrel 9 is common, for example, the frying basket 8 can be snap-fitted to the frying barrel 9. The isolation frame 12 can be placed in the frying basket 8.

[0061] The frying basket 8 is provided with two air guide slots, which are divided into a front air guide slot 8a as an air inlet and a rear air guide slot 8b as an air outlet according to the order of upstream and downstream air flow. The frying basket 8 is also provided with a front air guide hole 8c and a rear air guide hole 8d. The frying basket 8 is provided with food to be baked or fried.

[0062] The front air guide slot 8a on the frying basket 8 is matched with the volute air outlet 6c on the volute lower cover plate 6. The width of the volute air outlet 6c on the volute lower cover plate 6 is less than or equal to the width of the front air guide slot 8a on the frying basket 8, and the distance between the volute air outlet 6c and the air inlet of the front air guide slot 8a is short, so that all the air flowing out of the volute air outlet 6c can enter the front air guide slot 8a on the frying basket 8.

[0063] The frying barrel 9 is composed of a barrel body and a door assembly 11, which are connected and easy for users to use. The barrel body is provided with at least one supporting rib 9a, such as Figure 7 As shown, there may be at least two supporting ribs 9a, which play a role in supporting the frying basket 8. The supporting ribs divide the gap channel formed between the bottom of the frying basket 8 and the bottom of the frying barrel 9 into several sub-channels. The bottom of the frying barrel 9 is provided with an air guiding bottom surface 9b. The air guiding bottom surface 9b is inclined, and it can be an inclined surface composed of a curved surface or a flat surface. Figure 1AAs shown, the air guide bottom surface 9b extends from low to high in the direction from near the front air guide slot 8a to near the rear air guide slot 8b. The support ribs 9a may be in contact with the bottom of the frying basket 8, or not, as long as the sub-channels can guide the airflow upward. Preferably, the support ribs 9a are in contact with the bottom of the frying basket 8 to isolate the hot air into different zones, so that each zone is heated evenly.

[0064] The hot air duct is surrounded by the volute air outlet 6 c on the volute lower cover plate 6 , the front air guide groove 8 a , the rear air guide groove 8 b on the frying basket 8 , and the inner side wall of the frying barrel 9 .

[0065] As shown in the figure, the frying barrel assembly also includes an isolation rack 12. On the isolation rack 12, according to the order of airflow, there are arranged the isolation rack front air guide slot 12a, the isolation rack front air guide hole 12c, the isolation rack rear air guide hole 12d, and the isolation rack rear air guide slot 12b. When the isolation rack 12 is placed in the frying basket 8, the frying basket 8 is divided into at least two areas to meet the mandarin duck partition effect of working at the same time, similar to the mandarin duck pot of hot pot, forming a relatively low-temperature and less-wind area in the rear area and a high-temperature and more-wind area in the front area. The low-temperature and less-wind area in the rear area is used for frying and roasting thin vegetables; the high-temperature and more-wind area in the front area is used for frying and roasting thick meat food.

[0066] The isolation frame 12 is provided with numerous air guide holes. By setting the distribution and number of the holes, the flow direction and distribution of the hot air are adjusted. The air guide holes on the isolation frame 12 overlap with the air guide holes of the frying basket to control the distribution and degree of the hot air. Optionally, the isolation frame front air guide groove 12a on the isolation frame 12 is matched with the front air guide groove 8a on the frying basket 8 or the rear air guide groove 8b on the frying basket 8; the isolation frame rear air guide groove 12b on the isolation frame 12 is matched with the rear air guide groove 8b on the frying basket 8 or the front air guide groove 8a on the frying basket 8.

[0067] The isolation frame 12 may be composed of three boards that can be plugged or spliced, namely, two boards with air guide holes and a partition 12e. The distribution and number of air guide holes on the two boards with air guide holes may be the same or different. The partition 12e may have air guide holes or not. Preferably, the partition 12e does not have air guide holes to prevent different types of food on both sides from mixing with each other.

[0068] How it works

[0069] The working principle of the air fryer involved in this application is briefly described below.

[0070] When in working state, the air fryer is divided into the cold air generation and discharge process and the hot air generation and discharge process. It should be understood that these two processes occur substantially at the same time. For the sake of clarity, the two are described separately.

[0071] Cold air generation and exhaust process

[0072] Air is sucked into the shell of the air fryer from the air suction port on the shell of the air fryer. The air suction port can be set at any position of the air fryer, such as directly above, obliquely above, to the side, or at the rear, as long as the air suction port can ensure the connection between the shell and the outside air.

[0073] A cold air cavity is formed between the upper surface of the volute upper cover plate 4 and the motor cover 1. The heat dissipation blades 10 are placed in the cold air cavity. The cold air cavity is directly connected to the cold air outlet on the motor cover 1, and then connected to the cold air outlet 2a of the exhaust hood. Under the action of the motor 2, a negative pressure is formed around the heat dissipation blades 10, and the cold air outside is sucked into the shell and the motor cover, and fully exchanges heat with the shell, effectively reducing the temperature rise of the shell. The heat dissipation blades 10 discharge excess cold air from the cavity to ensure that the temperature inside the machine does not rise too high, prevent scalding the user, and ensure that the temperature of the machine is normal when working.

[0074] Hot air generation and exhaust process

[0075] The arrows in FIG1 show the hot air flow path of the zoned wind-shaking air fryer involved in the present application.

[0076] A volute shape is formed between the volute upper cover plate 4 and the volute lower cover plate 6, preferably an eccentric volute shape. The worm wheel fan blade 5 is placed in the volute curved hot air channel formed by the volute upper cover plate 4 and the volute lower cover plate 6.

[0077] When working, the worm wheel blade 5 is driven to rotate by the motor 2. The air is thrown out around the impeller under the action of centrifugal force, and is sent to the volute air outlet 6c through the volute, so that the air is pressurized and discharged. When the air in the impeller is discharged, the pressure in the impeller is lower than the pressure at the air inlet, and new air is sucked in from the center hole 6b of the volute lower cover plate in the middle of the volute lower cover plate 6 below the worm wheel blade 5 under the action of the pressure difference. And this new air has passed through the heating pipe 7 before being sucked in, so it has been heated.

[0078] The worm turbine blade 5 pressurizes the heated air and blows the hot air to the lower shell of the fryer, i.e., the frying bucket assembly, through the volute air outlet 6c of the volute lower cover plate 6. The hot air vertically reaches the bottom of the frying basket 8 along the front air guide groove 8a on the outside of the frying basket 8 and contacts the bottom of the frying bucket 9. Those skilled in the art will understand that the worm turbine blade 5 as a worm turbine blade can provide sufficient power to enable the hot air to be blown downward to the bottom of the frying bucket, or a position very close to the bottom of the frying bucket.

[0079] The hot air reaching the bottom of the frying vat 9 diffuses upward along the air guide bottom surface 9b at the bottom layer between a plurality of sub-channels divided by a gap between the bottom of the frying basket 8 and the bottom of the frying vat 9 by a plurality of supporting ribs 9a, and then heats the food in the frying basket 8 through the front air guide holes 8c and the rear air guide holes 8d at the bottom of the frying basket 8.

[0080] The isolation rack 12 is provided with numerous air guide holes. By setting the distribution and number of the holes, the flow direction and distribution of the hot air can be adjusted. The air guide holes on the isolation rack 12 overlap with the air guide holes of the frying basket to control the flow direction and distribution of the hot air. By selecting two boards with air guide holes that constitute the isolation rack 12 and splicing them together with the partition, the isolation rack is modularly formed. This makes the size and range of the hot air flow entering the front and rear zones adjustable, which is suitable for the processing needs of different dishes.

[0081] The air moves upward through the air guide holes and passes through the food to heat the food. The hot air diffused upward is sucked into the central hole 6b of the lower cover plate of the volute through the heating pipe 7. In this way, the hot air forms a reciprocating cycle in the air fryer and evenly heats the food.

[0082] Although the embodiments disclosed in this application are as described above, the contents described are only embodiments adopted for facilitating the understanding of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any technician in the field to which this application belongs can make any modifications and changes in the form and details of implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A zoned air fryer, comprising a motor, a motor cover, a cooling assembly, a heating assembly, and a frying barrel assembly; wherein: The cooling assembly includes a heat dissipation fan blade; the heating assembly includes a volute upper cover plate, a volute turbine fan blade, a volute lower cover plate, and a heating pipe connected in sequence; the frying barrel assembly includes a frying basket and a frying barrel, the volute lower cover plate has a central hole for inhaling air; the volute upper cover plate and the volute lower cover plate together constitute a volute, the volute turbine fan blade is placed in the volute and pushes air into the inner cavity of the frying barrel; the volute is also provided with a volute tongue turning structure, the volute air outlet at the end of the volute tongue turning structure is located on the lower cover plate, the frying basket is provided with a front air guide slot as an air inlet, the volute tongue turning structure is adapted to the front air guide slot, all air flowing out through the volute air outlet can enter the front air guide slot, and the hot air flows along the front guide slot The wind trough reaches the bottom of the frying basket vertically, and then enters the frying basket through the frying basket air guide holes at the bottom of the frying basket; the frying basket is provided with at least two different areas of frying basket air guide holes, and the sizes or distributions of the frying basket air guide holes in the at least two different areas are different; the frying barrel assembly also includes an isolation frame, the isolation frame includes a bottom surface with air guide holes and a partition plate perpendicular to the bottom surface, and the bottom surface with air guide holes is provided with at least two different areas of isolation frame air guide holes, and the sizes or distributions of the isolation frame air guide holes in the at least two different areas are different. The isolation frame air guide holes are superimposed on the frying basket air guide holes, so that the isolation frame air guide holes partially cover or do not cover the frying basket air guide holes, so as to control and adjust the size and range of the hot air flow entering the two areas before and after the partition plate.

2. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the volute air outlet is less than or equal to the width of its corresponding air guide groove.

3. The air fryer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the frying barrel is an air guiding bottom surface to guide the hot air to flow from low to high.

4. The air fryer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The volute is an eccentric volute.

5. The air fryer according to claim 4, characterized in that: The worm wheel fan blades are straight blades or arc blades.

6. The air fryer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom of the frying barrel is provided with at least one supporting rib, and the supporting rib is in contact with the bottom of the frying basket.

7. The air fryer according to claim 6, characterized in that: The isolation frame is provided with an isolation frame air guide groove corresponding to the front air guide groove of the frying barrel.

Images