Oil fume sensor and kitchen appliance

Abstract

The application discloses an oil fume sensor and a kitchen appliance. The oil fume sensor comprises a shell, the shell is provided with a containing cavity, a detection cavity is formed at a position where the containing cavity contacts with oil fume, the detection cavity is provided with a guide slope, a through hole is arranged on a lower cavity wall of the detection cavity, and the guide slope is used for guiding oil drops so that the oil drops are discharged from the detection cavity through the through hole. A sensor assembly is arranged in the containing cavity. According to the oil fume sensor, the guide slope is arranged in the detection cavity, the oil drops move on the guide slope, the oil drops are guided to the through hole and discharged from the detection cavity, the oil drops are prevented from gathering in the detection cavity and hindering the sensor assembly from detecting the oil fume, and therefore, the accuracy of detection of the sensor assembly is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to an oil fume sensor and a kitchen appliance. Background Technology

[0002] In order to enable kitchen appliances to react to the amount of cooking fumes, more and more kitchen appliances are equipped with fume sensors.

[0003] Understandably, fume sensors need to be placed in locations where fumes pass through to detect them. However, fumes easily condense into oil droplets that adhere to the sensor. The continuous accumulation of these oil droplets not only corrodes the sensor but also affects its detection performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an oil fume sensor and a kitchen appliance.

[0005] The oil fume sensor of the present invention includes: a housing, wherein the housing has a receiving cavity, the receiving cavity forms a detection cavity at the position where it contacts the oil fume, the detection cavity has a guiding slope, and the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity has a through hole, the guiding slope is used to guide oil droplets so that the oil droplets are discharged from the detection cavity through the through hole;

[0006] The sensor assembly is located within the receiving cavity.

[0007] In some embodiments, the through hole includes a first through hole, the housing is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet and the air outlet are respectively connected to the detection cavity, the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity is formed with the guide slope, and the air inlet serves as the first through hole.

[0008] In some embodiments, the through hole further includes a second through hole, which is disposed in the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity and spaced apart from the first through hole.

[0009] In some embodiments, the guide ramp has an inclination angle of 10° or greater than or equal to the horizontal plane.

[0010] In some embodiments, the guiding ramp includes a first guiding ramp, and the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity is formed with the first guiding ramp.

[0011] In some embodiments, the housing is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet and the air outlet are respectively connected to the detection cavity, the guide slope includes a second guide slope, the air outlet is located on the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity, a guide boss is provided on the periphery of the air outlet, and the second guide slope is formed on the periphery of the guide boss, the inclination angle of the second guide slope is greater than the inclination angle of the first guide slope.

[0012] In some embodiments, the sensor assembly includes a light emitting component and a light receiving component, the receiving cavity is provided with a mounting portion, the mounting portion and the housing surround to form a receiving cavity, the light emitting component and / or the light receiving component are installed in the receiving cavity, and the lower cavity wall of the receiving cavity is provided with an opening, the opening serving as the through hole.

[0013] In some embodiments, the housing includes a plurality of fins, which are spaced apart in the receiving cavity along the optical axis of the light emitting component and / or the optical axis of the light receiving component. Each fin has a light-transmitting hole and a liquid-passing groove communicating with the light-transmitting hole, and the wall of the liquid-passing groove is formed with the guiding slope. In some embodiments,

[0014] In some embodiments, the light emitting assembly includes a light emitter and an emitting lens, the emitting lens being mounted in several intervals between the plurality of fins, the receiving cavity including a first cavity and a second cavity, the emitting lens separating the first cavity and the second cavity, the light emitter being mounted in the second cavity, and the opening including a first opening formed in the lower cavity wall of the first cavity, and / or...

[0015] The light receiving assembly includes a light receiver and a receiving lens. The receiving lens is installed in several intervals between the plurality of fins. The receiving cavity includes a third cavity and a fourth cavity. The receiving lens separates the third cavity and the fourth cavity. The light receiver is installed in the fourth cavity. The opening includes a second opening, which is formed in the lower cavity wall of the third cavity.

[0016] This invention also provides a kitchen appliance, the kitchen appliance comprising:

[0017] Box;

[0018] The fan assembly is installed inside the housing;

[0019] The fume sensor described in any of the above embodiments.

[0020] The oil fume sensor and kitchen appliance of the present invention, by setting a guide slope in the detection cavity, allow oil droplets to move on the guide slope and be guided to the through hole and discharged from the detection cavity, thus avoiding the accumulation of oil droplets in the detection cavity and preventing the sensor assembly from detecting oil fumes, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the sensor assembly's detection.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the oil fume sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the oil fume sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the oil fume sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the housing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a kitchen appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Key features (reference numerals):

[0029] Oil fume sensor 100, housing 10, receiving cavity 11, detection cavity 12, guide slope 13, first guide slope 131, second guide slope 132, through hole 14, first through hole 141, second through hole 142, air inlet 15, air outlet 16, guide boss 17, fins 18, light-transmitting hole 181, liquid-passing groove 182, sensor assembly 30, light emitting assembly 31, light emitting device 311, emitting lens 312, light receiving assembly 32, light receiving device 321, receiving lens 322, mounting part 40, receiving cavity 50, opening 51, first opening 511, second opening 512, third opening 513, fourth opening 514, first cavity 52, second cavity 53, third cavity 54, fourth cavity 55, kitchen appliance 1000, cabinet 200, fan assembly 300. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0031] In the description of this invention, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows for communication; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This invention provides an oil fume sensor 100, which includes a housing 10 and a sensor assembly 30. The housing 10 has a receiving cavity 11, and a detection cavity 12 is formed at the position where the receiving cavity 11 contacts the oil fume. The detection cavity 12 has a guiding slope 13, and a through hole 14 is provided in the lower wall of the detection cavity 12. The guiding slope 13 guides oil droplets, allowing the oil droplets to exit from the detection cavity 12 through the through hole 14. The sensor assembly 30 is located within the receiving cavity 11.

[0036] The oil fume sensor 100 of this invention provides a guide slope 13 in the detection cavity 12, which allows oil droplets to move on the guide slope 13 and be guided to the through hole 14 and discharged from the detection cavity 12. This avoids oil droplets accumulating in the detection cavity 12 and hindering the sensor assembly 30 from detecting oil fumes, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the sensor assembly 30's detection.

[0037] Specifically, the shell 10 can have many shapes, such as cuboid, sphere, cone, etc., and no specific limitation is made here. In one embodiment, the shell 10 is spindle-shaped, that is, the outer diameter of the shell 10 gradually increases from top to bottom and then gradually decreases from top to bottom. In this way, the oil droplets condensed on the outer wall of the shell 10 can drip off naturally under the action of gravity, reducing the speed at which the outer wall of the shell 10 is contaminated by oil.

[0038] The shape of the receiving cavity 11 can be various, such as cuboid, sphere, or cone. The shape of the receiving cavity 11 can be adapted to the shape of the housing 10, and no specific limitation is made here. The receiving cavity 11 may include a position that comes into contact with the oil fumes, that is, the receiving cavity 11 may include a detection cavity 12; the receiving cavity 11 may also include a position that is separated from the oil fumes, which can be used to install the sensor assembly 30, protect the sensor assembly 30 from contact with the oil fumes, or it can simply be used to modify the shape of the detection cavity 12, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0039] Since the detection chamber 12 comes into contact with the oil fumes, the oil fumes easily condense into oil droplets within it. Therefore, a guide slope 13 is provided within the detection chamber 12 to guide the oil droplets away. It is worth noting that the detection chamber 12 refers to a location that is designed to come into contact with oil fumes. For example, if the portion of the housing 11 containing the sensor assembly 30 is designed not to come into contact with oil fumes, then that location is not considered a detection chamber 12. Conversely, if the portion of the housing 11 containing the sensor assembly 30 is designed to potentially fail in its seal and ultimately come into contact with oil fumes, then that location can also be considered a detection chamber 12. In this case, a guide slope 13 and a through hole 14 can also be provided to guide the oil fumes out.

[0040] The guide slope 13 is used to guide the oil droplet. There are many possible positions for the guide slope 13. The guide slope 13 can be set on the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity 12, the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12, or the side cavity wall of the detection cavity 12. As long as the guide slope 13 can guide the oil droplet toward the through hole 14, no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0041] The guide slope 13 can have various inclination angles. It simply needs to form a certain angle with the horizontal plane. The angle between the guide slope 13 and the horizontal plane can be many degrees, such as 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 50°, 70°, and 90°, etc., which will not be listed here. It is worth noting that the guide slope 13 can extend vertically, meaning the through hole 14 can be located directly below the guide slope 13. In this case, the guide slope 13 extending vertically can guide oil droplets into the through hole 14, thereby discharging them into the detection chamber 12 along the through hole 14.

[0042] There are many types of structures for the guide ramp 13. The guide ramp 13 can be flat, or it can have several oil-guiding grooves extending toward the through hole 14. No specific limitation is made here. There are many types of guide ramps 13. The detection cavity 12 can have 1, 2, 3, 10, 20, etc. The number of guide ramps 13 can be adjusted according to factors such as the size of the guide ramps 13 and ease of production. No specific limitation is made here.

[0043] There are many types of through holes 14. The lower wall of the detection cavity 12 can have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, etc., which will not be listed here. It is worth noting that the through holes 14 are set in the lower wall of the detection cavity 12 so that oil droplets can drip from the through holes 14 under the action of gravity.

[0044] The through-hole 14 and the guide slope 13 can be in a one-to-one correspondence; or multiple through-holes 14 can correspond to one guide slope 13. For example, multiple through-holes 14 can be provided on the guide slope 13, and the heights of the multiple through-holes 14 are different, so that a small amount of oil droplets can be discharged from the higher through-hole 14, while a larger amount of oil droplets will gather in the lower through-hole 14 and be discharged. Alternatively, one through-hole 14 can correspond to multiple guide slopes 13. For example, a guide slope 13 can be provided on the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 to guide the oil droplets on the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 to the through-hole 14 for discharge, and a guide slope 13 corresponding to the through-hole 14 can also be provided on the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 to guide the oil droplets on the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 to the through-hole 14 for discharge.

[0045] The through hole 14 has many shapes, and its cross-section can be circular, triangular, elliptical, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0046] The fume sensor 100 can be an infrared detection sensor or a laser detection sensor, etc., and is not specifically limited here. The following embodiments use an infrared detection sensor as the fume sensor for detailed explanation.

[0047] The sensor assembly 30 may include a light emitting assembly 31 and a light receiving assembly 32. The light emitting assembly 31 can be used to emit light into the detection cavity 12, and the light receiving assembly 32 is used to receive the light emitted by the light emitting assembly 31. The light receiving assembly 32 can also output an electrical signal based on the received light. Typically, the particle size of oil fume particles ranges from 100 nm to 10 μm. In one embodiment, when oil fume particles pass through the optical path of the infrared light emitted by the light emitting assembly 31, they can block, scatter, and diffract the infrared light. That is, the oil fume particles in the detection cavity 12 will affect the intensity of the light emitted by the light emitting assembly 31 received by the light receiving assembly 32, thus causing a change in the light received by the light receiving assembly 32. The concentration of oil fume particles can be determined based on this change.

[0048] In some embodiments, the sensor assembly 30 further includes a main control board, to which the light receiving assembly 32 can be connected, outputting electrical signals based on the received light. The main control board can be equipped with a communication module, which can connect to mobile terminals such as mobile phones, tablets, and computers, facilitating user control of the fume sensor 100. The communication module can also be electrically or communicatively connected to other components of the kitchen appliance 1000, enabling the fume sensor 100 to be turned on or off based on the status of the switching components of the kitchen appliance 1000, and the fan assembly 300 to be turned on or off, or its power increased or decreased, based on the detection results of the fume sensor 100. In one example, the relationship between fume concentration and fan airflow can be established by simulating the actual use of the kitchen appliance 1000, and the fume concentration can be calibrated using the electrical signals output by the light receiving assembly 32. Adjusting the rotation speed of the fan assembly 300 to achieve the corresponding airflow can improve the fume extraction effect.

[0049] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 The through hole 14 includes a first through hole 141. The housing 10 is provided with an air inlet 15 and an air outlet 16. The air inlet 15 and the air outlet 16 are respectively connected to the detection chamber 12. The lower cavity wall of the detection chamber 12 is formed with a guide slope 13. The air inlet 15 serves as the first through hole 141.

[0050] With this configuration, the air inlet 15 can also function as a through hole 14 while allowing air to enter, so that oil droplets can be discharged from the detection chamber 12 through the air inlet 15. The structure is relatively simple.

[0051] Specifically, airflow enters the detection chamber 12 through the air inlet 15. The air outlet 16 is used to allow airflow from the detection chamber 12 to exit. The location of the air outlet 16 is flexible; it can be located on the upper wall of the detection chamber 12, the lower wall of the detection chamber 12, or even on the left or right wall of the detection chamber 12. No specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0052] The air inlet 15 and the air outlet 16 can be located at the upper and lower ends of the detection chamber 12, with the air inlet 15 located directly below the air outlet 16. Since oil fume particles usually move upward, the oil fume particles entering the detection chamber 12 from the air inlet 15 can naturally move to the air outlet 16 for discharge, further reducing the probability of oil fume particles escaping from the detection chamber 12. In addition, this arrangement makes the movement position of the oil fume particles relatively concentrated, which is more conducive to the sensor assembly 30 detecting oil fume particles.

[0053] It is worth noting that the height of the air inlet 15 can be lower than the height of the lowest point of the guide slope 13. For example, the air inlet 15 can be located at the lowest point of the guide slope 13, where the guide slope 13 guides the oil droplets to the lowest point of the guide slope 13, and the oil droplets slide down to the air inlet 15 under the action of gravity. Alternatively, the height of the air inlet 15 can be higher than the height of the lowest point of the guide slope 13. For example, the air inlet 15 can be located at the lowest point of the guide slope 13, where the guide slope 13 guides the oil droplets to the lowest point of the guide slope 13, where the oil droplets gather and finally overflow the air inlet 15, thus being discharged from the detection chamber 12 through the air inlet 15.

[0054] Furthermore, the through hole 14 also includes a second through hole 142, which is disposed in the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 and spaced apart from the first through hole 141.

[0055] With this configuration, the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 142 together allow oil droplets to be discharged from the detection chamber 12, reducing the distance that the oil droplets need to travel and enabling them to be discharged nearby, thus reducing the probability of oil droplets adhering to the guide slope 13.

[0056] Specifically, if the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 is provided with only one air inlet 15 for oil droplets to be discharged from the detection cavity 12, then oil droplets that are far away from the air inlet 15 need to flow a long distance to enter the air inlet 15, which increases the probability of oil droplets adhering in the guide slope 13. Therefore, a first through hole 141 and a second through hole 142 are provided in the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 to reduce the distance between the oil droplets and the through holes 14.

[0057] In some embodiments, the guide ramp 13 is tilted at an angle greater than or equal to 10° relative to the horizontal plane.

[0058] This configuration allows the guide slope 13 to effectively guide the movement of oil droplets.

[0059] Specifically, oil droplets have a high viscosity, so a larger tilt angle is needed to better guide their movement.

[0060] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The guide slope 13 includes a first guide slope 131, and the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 is formed with the first guide slope 131.

[0061] This configuration guides the oil droplets on the upper wall of the detection chamber 12, allowing them to be discharged from the detection chamber 12 through the through hole 14.

[0062] Specifically, the lowest point of the first guiding slope 131 can be directly opposite the through hole 14, that is, the oil droplet drips from the lowest point of the first guiding slope 131 from the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 and falls into the through hole 14, and is discharged from the detection cavity 12 through the through hole 14; the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 can also be provided with a guiding slope 13, then the lowest point of the first guiding slope 131 can also correspond to the guiding slope 13 provided on the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12, that is, after the oil droplet drips from the lowest point of the first guiding slope 131 from the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity 12, it falls onto the guiding slope 13 on the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12, and is then guided by the guiding slope 13 on the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity 12 to be discharged from the detection cavity 12 through the through hole 14. The details will not be elaborated here.

[0063] For further details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The housing 10 is provided with an air inlet 15 and an air outlet 16, which are respectively connected to the detection chamber 12. The guide slope 13 includes a second guide slope 132. The air outlet 16 is located on the upper cavity wall of the detection chamber 12. A guide boss 17 is protruding from the periphery of the air outlet 16. A second guide slope 132 is formed on the periphery of the guide boss 17. The inclination angle of the second guide slope 132 is greater than the inclination angle of the first guide slope 131.

[0064] With this configuration, oil droplets are more likely to fall onto the second guide slope 132, which has a larger tilt angle, thereby reducing the problem of oil droplets adhering to the first guide slope 131 or the second guide slope 132.

[0065] Specifically, there are many ways to form the guide boss 17. The guide boss 17 can be integrally formed with the housing 10, such as by injection molding the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 together, or by machining the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 together. With this configuration, the production of the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 is relatively simple. In addition, there are no gaps between the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 due to their connection relationship, which prevents oil droplets from entering between the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 and making them difficult to clean.

[0066] The guide boss 17 can also be separately set from the housing 10. For example, the guide boss 17 can be detachably connected to the housing 10 by means of bolts, snap-fit, etc. This setting makes it convenient to replace the guide boss 17 and also makes it convenient to adjust the production sequence and production method of the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 according to production needs. Alternatively, the guide boss 17 can also be fixedly connected to the housing 10 by means of adhesive bonding, welding, etc. This setting makes it convenient to adjust the production sequence and production method of the guide boss 17 and the housing 10 according to production needs.

[0067] It is worth noting that the inner edge of the guide boss 17 can also form a guide slope 13 to guide the oil droplets flowing out from the air outlet 16.

[0068] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 The sensor assembly 30 includes a light emitting assembly 31 and a light receiving assembly 32. The receiving cavity 11 is provided with a mounting part 40. The mounting part 40 and the housing 10 surround to form a receiving cavity 50. The light emitting assembly 31 and / or the light receiving assembly 32 are installed in the receiving cavity 50. The lower cavity wall of the receiving cavity 50 is provided with an opening 51, which serves as a through hole 14.

[0069] With this configuration, the mounting part 40 can protect the light emitting component 31 and / or the light receiving component 32, reducing the probability of the light emitting component 31 and / or the light receiving component 32 coming into contact with oil fumes. In addition, the opening 51 provided in the receiving cavity 50 as a through hole 14 also facilitates the dripping of oil droplets condensed in the receiving cavity 50.

[0070] Specifically, there are many ways to form the mounting part 40. The mounting part 40 can be assembled from multiple mounting plates, or it can be formed by machining on the material. No specific restrictions are made here.

[0071] The light emitting component 31 can be installed inside the receiving cavity 50, or the light receiving component 32 can be installed inside the receiving cavity 50, or the light emitting component 31 and the light receiving component 32 can be installed inside the receiving cavity 50 respectively. No specific restrictions are made here.

[0072] There are many types of structures for the containment cavity 50. The containment cavity 50 can be a single unit or it can be formed by several separate parts. No specific restrictions are made here.

[0073] For further details, please refer to Figures 1 to 4 The housing 10 includes a plurality of fins 18, which are arranged at intervals in the housing cavity 50 along the optical axis of the light emitting assembly 31 and / or the optical axis of the light receiving assembly 32. Each fin 18 is provided with a light-transmitting hole 181 and a liquid-passing groove 182 communicating with the light-transmitting hole 181. The groove wall of the liquid-passing groove 182 is formed with a guide slope 13.

[0074] With this configuration, the inner diameter of the receiving cavity 50 changes continuously due to the multiple fins 18, so that the oil fume particles entering the receiving cavity 50 will be adsorbed on the multiple fins 18, reducing the probability of the oil fume particles contacting the light emitting component 31 and / or the light receiving component 32. In addition, the overnight groove is formed with a guiding slope 13, which facilitates the oil droplets on the multiple fins 18 to enter the through hole 14 and be discharged from the detection cavity 12.

[0075] Specifically, the light-transmitting holes 14 of the fins 18 can be circular to shape the light emitted or received by the light emitting assembly 31 and / or the light receiving assembly 32.

[0076] The housing 10 may include an upper housing and an exhaust pipe passing through the upper housing, and a lower housing and an intake pipe passing through the lower housing. The upper and lower housings enclose a receiving cavity 11. The intake port 15 is located in the intake pipe, and the exhaust port 16 is located in the exhaust pipe. The mounting part 40 can be fixedly connected to the lower housing. The mounting part 40, the lower housing, and the upper housing together enclose a receiving cavity 50. When the upper and lower housings are assembled, the receiving cavity 50 is relatively sealed, protecting the sensor assembly 30 installed in the receiving cavity 50. When the upper and lower housings are separated, the receiving cavity 50 is connected to the outside, facilitating the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the sensor assembly 30.

[0077] The lower housing and intake pipe can be integrally injection molded, or they can be machined together. This simplifies the production of the lower housing and intake pipe. The lower housing can have various shapes, such as cuboids or hemispheres, without specific limitations. The intake pipe can extend vertically, horizontally, or at any angle to the vertical. In one embodiment, the intake pipe extends vertically. This design allows condensed oil droplets inside the intake pipe to drip off under gravity, reducing the rate at which the intake pipe becomes contaminated with oil and increasing its lifespan. The intake pipe can also have various shapes, such as squares or circles, without specific limitations. The upper housing and exhaust pipe are similar to the lower housing and intake pipe, and will not be described in detail here.

[0078] Multiple fins 18 can all be connected to the mounting part 40, multiple fins 18 can all be connected to the lower shell, multiple fins 18 can all be connected to the upper shell, and multiple fins 18 can also be partially connected to the upper shell and partially connected to the lower shell. In this way, multiple fins 18 can cooperate with each other as the upper shell and the lower shell are assembled.

[0079] The fin 18 can be an upper fin and a lower fin. One end of the upper fin is connected to the upper shell, and the other end of the upper fin is provided with a first groove. One end of the lower fin is connected to the lower shell, and the other end of the lower fin is provided with a second groove. The first groove and the second groove are joined together to form a light-transmitting through hole 14.

[0080] With this configuration, the upper and lower pieces are joined together to form a light-transmitting hole 14. During production, the upper piece with the first groove and the lower piece with the second groove are produced separately to facilitate demolding.

[0081] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4The light emitting assembly 31 includes a light emitter 311 and an emitting lens 312. The emitting lens 312 is installed in several intervals between multiple fins 18. The receiving cavity 50 includes a first cavity 52 and a second cavity 53. The emitting lens 312 separates the first cavity 52 and the second cavity 53. The light emitter 311 is installed in the second cavity 53. The opening 51 includes a first opening 511, which is formed in the lower cavity wall of the first cavity 52.

[0082] Thus, the emitting lens 312 separates the first cavity 52 and the second cavity 53 to protect the light emitter 311 installed in the second cavity 53 and prevent the light emitter 311 from coming into contact with oil fumes. In addition, the light emitter 311 emits parallel light rays into the detection cavity 12 through the emitting lens 312.

[0083] Specifically, since the emitting lens 312 protects the second cavity 53, the second cavity 53 is basically not in contact with the oil fumes. Therefore, the opening 51 is opened in the lower cavity wall of the first cavity 52 so that the oil droplets condensed in the first cavity 52 can be discharged from the first opening 511.

[0084] It is understandable that the emitting lens 312 is a convex lens, and the light emitter 311 is mounted at the focal point of the emitting lens 312.

[0085] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 The light receiving assembly 32 includes a light receiver 321 and a receiving lens 322. The receiving lens 322 is installed in several intervals between multiple fins 18. The receiving cavity 50 includes a third cavity 54 and a fourth cavity 55. The receiving lens 322 separates the third cavity 54 and the fourth cavity 55. The light receiver 321 is installed in the fourth cavity 55. The opening 51 includes a second opening 512, which is formed in the lower cavity wall of the third cavity 54.

[0086] Thus, the receiving lens 322 separates the third cavity 54 and the fourth cavity 55 to protect the light receiver 321 installed in the fourth cavity 55 and prevent the light receiver 321 from coming into contact with oil fumes. In addition, the light receiver 321 receives the light in the detection cavity 12 through the receiving lens 322.

[0087] Specifically, since the receiving lens 322 protects the fourth cavity 55, the fourth cavity 55 is basically not in contact with the oil fumes. Therefore, the opening 51 is opened in the lower cavity wall of the third cavity 54 so that the oil droplets condensed in the third cavity 54 can be discharged from the second opening 512.

[0088] It is understandable that the receiving lens 322 is a convex lens, and the light receiver 321 is mounted at the focal point of the receiving lens 322.

[0089] For further details, please refer to Figure 4 The opening 51 includes a third opening 513, which is located on the lower wall of the second cavity 53.

[0090] With this configuration, in the event that the seal of the second cavity 53 fails and it comes into contact with oil fumes, the oil droplets inside the second cavity 53 can be discharged from the third opening 513.

[0091] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 4 The opening 51 includes a fourth opening 514, which is located on the lower wall of the fourth cavity 55.

[0092] With this configuration, in the event that the seal of the fourth chamber 55 fails and it comes into contact with oil fumes, the oil droplets inside the fourth chamber 55 can be discharged from the fourth opening 514.

[0093] This invention provides a kitchen appliance 1000, including a housing 200, a fan assembly 300, and a fume sensor 100. The fan assembly 300 is installed inside the housing 200.

[0094] The kitchen appliance 1000 of this invention provides a guide slope 13 in the detection cavity 12, which allows oil droplets to move on the guide slope 13 and be guided to the through hole 14 and discharged from the detection cavity 12. This prevents oil droplets from accumulating in the detection cavity 12 and hindering the sensor assembly 30 from detecting oil fumes, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the sensor assembly 30's detection.

[0095] Specifically, in Figure 5 In this example, kitchen appliance 1000 is a top-mounted kitchen appliance 1000. It is understood that in other embodiments, kitchen appliance 1000 can be a bottom-mounted kitchen appliance 1000 or a side-mounted kitchen appliance 1000, etc., and no specific limitation is made here. The following detailed description uses the example of kitchen appliance 1000 being a top-mounted kitchen appliance 1000. Specifically, kitchen appliance 1000 includes, but is not limited to, range hoods, integrated cooktops, and other appliances with fume extraction functions. The example of kitchen appliance 1000 being a range hood will be used for illustration. The range hood can be a variable frequency range hood.

[0096] The kitchen appliance 1000 of this application includes, but is not limited to, a baffle assembly and a check valve. A housing 200 is mounted on the baffle assembly. The baffle assembly has a smoke collection chamber and multiple function buttons. The smoke collection chamber contains an oil filter and a top plate. The function buttons allow users to input operating commands. A fan assembly 300 is housed inside the housing 200. The fan assembly 300 includes a volute, a fan, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The fan is housed within the volute, which forms a volute air duct. The air inlet allows oil fumes to enter the fan assembly 300, and the air outlet connects to the volute air duct to exhaust the oil fumes from the fan assembly 300. A check valve is connected to the top of the housing 200, and a check valve air duct is formed within the check valve. It is understood that a check valve is a valve whose opening and closing element is a circular valve disc that relies on its own weight and the pressure of the medium to prevent backflow of the medium. The check valve can be a lift check valve or a swing check valve.

[0097] The fume sensor 100 should be installed in a location in the kitchen appliance 1000 where the gas containing oil fumes will pass through, such as the center of the deflector plate or the air inlet of the fan assembly 300, so that the gas containing oil fumes can enter the fume sensor 100 for detection.

[0098] In some embodiments, the fume sensor 100 is located at the air inlet of the fan assembly 300.

[0099] As a result, the airflow here is relatively concentrated, and the oil fume particles are not removed by the centrifugal action of the fan assembly 300, resulting in a high concentration, which reduces the resolution of the oil fume sensor 100. In addition, this setting allows for closer sampling of the oil fume particles.

[0100] The air inlet of the fan assembly 300 is located on the volute. The airflow enters the volute air duct from the air inlet located on the volute, and the airflow in the volute air duct is discharged from the air outlet under the action of the fan.

[0101] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0102] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil fume sensor, characterized in that, include: The housing has a receiving cavity, and the position of the receiving cavity in contact with the oil fume forms a detection cavity. The detection cavity has a guiding slope, and the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity has a through hole. The guiding slope is used to guide the oil droplets so that the oil droplets are discharged from the detection cavity through the through hole. A sensor assembly is located within the receiving cavity; the through hole includes a first through hole; the housing is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet and the air outlet are respectively connected to the detection cavity; the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity forms the guiding inclined surface; the air inlet serves as the first through hole; the guiding inclined surface includes a first guiding inclined surface; the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity forms the first guiding inclined surface; the guiding inclined surface includes a second guiding inclined surface; the air outlet is located on the upper cavity wall of the detection cavity; a guiding boss is protruding from the periphery of the air outlet; the periphery of the guiding boss forms the second guiding inclined surface; the inclination angle of the second guiding inclined surface is greater than the inclination angle of the first guiding inclined surface.

2. The oil fume sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The through hole also includes a second through hole, which is disposed in the lower cavity wall of the detection cavity and spaced apart from the first through hole.

3. The oil fume sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle of inclination of the guide ramp relative to the horizontal plane is greater than or equal to 10°.

4. The oil fume sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor assembly includes a light emitting component and a light receiving component. The receiving cavity is provided with a mounting part. The mounting part and the housing surround to form a receiving cavity. The light emitting component and / or the light receiving component are installed in the receiving cavity. The lower cavity wall of the receiving cavity is provided with an opening, which serves as the through hole.

5. The oil fume sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The housing includes multiple fins, which are arranged at intervals in the receiving cavity along the optical axis of the light emitting component and / or the optical axis of the light receiving component. Each fin is provided with a light-transmitting hole and a liquid-passing groove communicating with the light-transmitting hole. The groove wall of the liquid-passing groove is formed with the guiding slope.

6. The oil fume sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The light emitting assembly includes a light emitter and an emitting lens. The emitting lens is mounted in several intervals between the plurality of fins. The receiving cavity includes a first cavity and a second cavity. The emitting lens separates the first cavity and the second cavity. The light emitter is mounted in the second cavity. The opening includes a first opening, which is formed in the lower cavity wall of the first cavity. The light receiving assembly includes a light receiver and a receiving lens. The receiving lens is installed in several intervals between the plurality of fins. The receiving cavity includes a third cavity and a fourth cavity. The receiving lens separates the third cavity and the fourth cavity. The light receiver is installed in the fourth cavity. The opening includes a second opening, which is formed in the lower cavity wall of the third cavity.

7. The oil fume sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The opening includes a third opening, which is formed in the lower cavity wall of the second cavity wall, and / or The opening includes a fourth opening, which is located in the lower cavity wall of the fourth cavity wall.

8. A kitchen appliance, characterized in that, The kitchen appliances include: Box; A fan assembly, wherein the fan assembly is installed inside the housing; The oil fume sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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