Seal and cooking appliance having the same

Abstract

The application discloses a sealing element and a cooking utensil with the same. The cooking utensil comprises a box body, a cover body and a first cooking function component. The box body defines a cooking cavity. The cover body is arranged outside the box body and defines a hot air cavity in communication with the cooking cavity. At least a part of the first cooking function component is arranged in the hot air cavity. The sealing element is arranged between the first cooking function component and the cover body. At least a part of the sealing element is movable and is configured to adjust the cooperation state of the sealing element with the first cooking function component and / or the cover body according to the operation state of the first cooking function component. According to the cooking utensil, at least a part of the sealing element is movable. Thus, the sealing element can adjust the cooperation state of the sealing element with the first cooking function component and / or the cover body according to the operation state of the first cooking function component. The effective sealing of the sealing element is ensured, and the mutual friction between the first cooking function component and / or the cover body and the sealing element is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of kitchen cooking appliance technology, specifically to a sealing element and a cooking appliance having the same. Background Technology

[0002] To enhance the functionality of cooking appliances, integrated steam and oven appliances have emerged on the market. These appliances combine the functions of a steam oven and a regular oven, offering both hot air and steam heating modes. In hot air mode, a motor on the outside of the cavity drives a centrifugal fan inside to accelerate airflow and speed up food cooking. In steam mode, a large amount of steam is generated inside the appliance, entering the cooking cavity to heat the food. However, because the cavity has openings on the side walls to allow the motor shaft to pass, steam can overflow from these openings, resulting in poor sealing.

[0003] In existing technologies, to improve the sealing performance of cooking appliances and prevent steam leakage, some products directly add a silicone ring at the gap between the motor shaft and the cavity through-hole. This silicone ring can prevent steam leakage. However, when the hot air heating mode is activated, the motor shaft will wear the silicone ring during rotation, which will not only cause the silicone ring to fail to seal but also produce a harsh noise, reducing the user experience. Some products add a bearing at the opening of the cavity, with the motor shaft passing through the bearing and having an interference fit with it. When the motor shaft rotates, the outer ring of the bearing does not move. In this case, a silicone sealing ring is added between the outer ring of the bearing and the cavity for sealing. Although the above structure can prevent the motor shaft from wearing the silicone ring, the bearing will significantly increase the manufacturing cost of the cooking appliance and make the overall structure of the cooking appliance complex. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a cooking appliance that improves the sealing performance of the sealing element while effectively preventing wear of the sealing element on the motor shaft, reduces the production cost of the cooking appliance, and simplifies its structure.

[0005] A cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a housing defining a cooking cavity; a cover disposed outside the housing, the cover and the housing defining a hot air cavity communicating with the cooking cavity; a first cooking functional component, at least a portion of the first cooking functional component being disposed within the hot air cavity; wherein a sealing member is provided between the first cooking functional component and the cover, at least a portion of the sealing member being movable and configured to adjust its engagement state with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover according to the operating state of the first cooking functional component.

[0006] According to embodiments of the present invention, a cooking appliance is provided with a sealing element, and at least a portion of the sealing element is made movable. This ensures effective sealing when the sealing element engages with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover; and effectively prevents friction between the first cooking functional component and / or the cover when the sealing element disengages from the first cooking functional component and / or the cover. In other words, the cooking appliance of this application utilizes only one sealing element to effectively seal the appliance and prevent friction between the first cooking functional component and / or the cover. This extends the service life of the sealing element, prevents noise during operation, reduces production costs, and simplifies the structure of the cooking appliance.

[0007] In some examples, the cooking appliance has a hot air heating mode and a steam heating mode. In the hot air heating mode, the first cooking function component is activated and the seal is disengaged from either the first cooking function component or the cover. In the steam heating mode, the first cooking function component is deactivated and the seal is engaged with both the first cooking function component and the cover.

[0008] In some examples, in the hot air heating mode, the seal is adapted to deform under the action of heat, suction, or electromagnetic force to disengage from one of the first cooking functional components and the cover.

[0009] In some examples, the first cooking function component includes: a heating element disposed within the hot air cavity; a fan assembly including a fan and a drive member for driving the fan to rotate, the fan being disposed within the hot air cavity and the drive member being disposed on the side of the cover facing away from the hot air cavity, wherein the sealing member is disposed between the drive member and the cover.

[0010] In some examples, the seal has a through-hole through which the output shaft of the drive unit passes to connect to the fan, wherein one end of the seal is sealed to the housing and the other end of the seal is detachably engaged with the drive unit.

[0011] In some examples, the wall of the through hole is spaced apart from the output shaft.

[0012] In some examples, the seal comprises, along its axial direction, a first sealing portion fixedly connected to the cover; a second sealing portion, one end of which is connected to the first sealing portion, and the other end of which extends obliquely away from the first sealing portion and is adapted to be separably engaged with the drive member.

[0013] In some examples, the thickness of the second seal gradually decreases in the direction away from the first seal.

[0014] In some examples, the second seal is adapted to be heated and deformed in the hot air heating mode to disengage from the drive element.

[0015] In some examples, the second seal is made of a heat-deformable material, and the amount of heat deformation of the second seal in the hot air heating mode is greater than the amount of heat deformation of the second seal in the steam heating mode.

[0016] In some examples, the heat-deformation material is a shape memory alloy.

[0017] In some examples, in the hot air heating mode, the second seal is adapted to deform under the suction force generated when the fan rotates to disengage from the drive element.

[0018] In some examples, the projection of the seal onto a plane perpendicular to the output shaft lies within the area swept by the fan during rotation.

[0019] In some examples, the second seal is made of an elastic material.

[0020] In some examples, the drive component is provided with a first magnet, and the second sealing part is provided with a second magnet. In the hot air heating mode, the second magnet is adapted to cause the second sealing part to deform under the action of the electromagnetic force generated by the first magnet so as to disengage from the drive component.

[0021] In some examples, the seal is movably disposed on the other of the drive member and the housing, and in the hot air heating mode, the seal is moved to a position disengaged from the drive member and the housing, and in the steam heating mode, the seal is moved to a position abutting against the drive member and the housing.

[0022] In some examples, the enclosure includes: a cover plate disposed on the housing, defining the hot air cavity between the cover plate and the housing; a heat insulation plate disposed on the side of the cover plate opposite to the housing, forming a heat insulation cavity between the heat insulation plate and the cover plate; and a sealing element disposed on the heat insulation plate and sealingly engaging with the cover plate.

[0023] In some examples, the cover plate has a first perforation, the heat insulation plate has a second perforation corresponding to the position of the first perforation, and the output shaft of the drive unit passes through the first perforation and the second perforation in sequence to extend into the hot air cavity and connect to the fan.

[0024] In some examples, the outer peripheral wall of the seal has a limiting groove, and the hole edge of the second perforation is limited within the limiting groove.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the seal is adapted to be installed between the cover of the cooking appliance and the first cooking functional component, and at least a portion of the seal is adapted to move according to the operating state of the first cooking functional component to adjust its engagement state with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover.

[0026] According to the embodiments of the present invention, by making at least a portion of the seal movable, the seal can effectively achieve sealing while avoiding friction between the first cooking functional component and the seal during movement, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of the seal and extending its service life.

[0027] In some examples, at least a portion of the seal is adapted to deform under heat, suction, or electromagnetic force to adjust its fit with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover.

[0028] In some examples, the seal includes: a first sealing portion; a second sealing portion, one end of which is connected to the first sealing portion, and the other end of which extends obliquely away from the first sealing portion, wherein the first sealing portion is adapted to be mounted on the cover and the second sealing portion is adapted to be separably engaged with the first cooking function component.

[0029] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0030] 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:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention from another angle.

[0034] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention from another angle.

[0035] Figure 5This is a top view of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A sectional view along line AA.

[0037] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion of region I.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a partial schematic diagram of the seal and drive component being separated and engaged in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0039] Figure label:

[0040] 1000. Cooking utensils;

[0041] 100. Cabinet body; 110. Cooking cavity; 120. Air vent;

[0042] 200. Cover body;

[0043] 210. Cover plate; 211. First perforation;

[0044] 220. Insulation board; 221. Second perforation;

[0045] 300. Heating element;

[0046] 400. Fan assembly;

[0047] 410. Fan;

[0048] 420. Drive component; 421. Output shaft;

[0049] 500. Seals;

[0050] 510, First sealing part; 520, Second sealing part; 530, Through hole; 540, Limiting groove;

[0051] 600. Hot air chamber;

[0052] 700. Insulation cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments 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.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "inner", "outer", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0055] The cooking appliance 1000 of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] like Figures 1-6 As shown, the cooking appliance 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a housing 100, a cover 200, and a first cooking function component.

[0057] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, a cooking cavity 110 is defined within the housing 100. The cooking cavity 110 is used to place the food to be cooked in preparation for subsequent cooking.

[0058] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the cover 200 is disposed outside the housing 100. The cover 200 and the housing 100 define a hot air cavity 600 that communicates with the cooking cavity 110. At least a portion of the first cooking functional component is disposed within the hot air cavity 600. This means that the cover 200 and the housing 100 cooperate to define the hot air cavity 600, and the hot air cavity 600 communicates with the cooking cavity 110. The hot air cavity 600 is used to limit the direction of heat flow, ensuring that heat can be transferred to the cooking cavity 110, preventing heat loss, and thus improving heating efficiency.

[0059] In some examples, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, multiple air outlets 120 are provided on one side wall of the housing 100 near the cover 200. The air outlets 120 are arranged through the side wall of the housing 100 to realize the connection between the cooking cavity 110 and the hot air cavity 600, so as to ensure that the heat in the hot air cavity 600 can be transferred to the cooking cavity 110, thereby heating the food in the cooking cavity 110 and improving the heating efficiency.

[0060] A sealing element 500 is provided between the first cooking function component and the cover 200. The sealing element 500 mainly serves to seal, thereby improving the cooking efficiency of the cooking appliance 1000 and enhancing the user experience.

[0061] At least a portion of the seal 500 is movable and configured to adjust its engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component. That is, at least a portion of the seal 500 provided in this application is movable, and the at least partially movable seal 500 can adjust its engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component. Thus, when the movable seal 500 adjusts its sealing engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component, the seal 500 can effectively perform its function to achieve the purpose of sealing; when the movable seal 500 adjusts its engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component, the seal 500 can effectively perform its function to achieve the purpose of sealing. When the functional components and / or the cover 200 are disengaged, this effectively prevents the seal 500 from rubbing against the first cooking functional component and / or the cover 200 during the movement of the first cooking functional component. In other words, the seal 500 of this application not only ensures effective sealing but also prevents the first cooking functional component from rubbing against the seal 500 during operation, thereby preventing wear of the seal 500 and extending its service life. Correspondingly, it also prevents the first cooking functional component from rubbing against the seal 500 during movement and generating noise, thus improving the user experience.

[0062] It is understandable that, compared with the prior art, the cooking appliance 1000 of this application only needs to set a sealing element 500 to solve the technical problems of poor sealing effect, failure of sealing structure after long-term use, easy noise generation when the first cooking function component moves, high cost and complex structure of cooking appliance 1000. The cooking appliance 1000 of this application has good sealing effect, long service life and low cost.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cooking appliance 1000 has a hot air heating mode and a steam heating mode. In the hot air heating mode, the first cooking functional component is activated and the sealing member 500 is disengaged from either the first cooking functional component or the cover 200. In the steam heating mode, the first cooking functional component is deactivated and the sealing member 500 is sealed to both the first cooking functional component and the cover 200. In other words, the sealing member 500 of this application can adjust its engagement with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover 200 according to different heating modes of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0064] When the cooking appliance 1000 activates the hot air heating mode to heat the food to be cooked in the cooking cavity 110, the first cooking function component works to accelerate the air flow in the hot air cavity 600, ensuring that the air heated by the first cooking function component in the hot air cavity 600 can be delivered to the cooking cavity 110 through the air outlet 120. The heated air fully contacts the food to be cooked in the cooking cavity 110, thereby achieving the purpose of cooking and improving cooking efficiency and cooking quality.

[0065] When the cooking appliance 1000 activates the steam heating mode to heat the food to be cooked in the cooking chamber 110, steam can be generated by the second cooking function component. The steam enters the cooking chamber 110 to heat the food to be cooked. The second cooking function component may include a heating element and a heating water tank. The heating element heats the water in the water tank (not shown in the figure) to vaporize the water and form steam. The second cooking function component may also include a steam generator to generate steam.

[0066] The hot air heating mode here can be understood as the baking mode in an existing oven, and the steam heating mode can be understood as the steaming mode in an existing steam oven. The heating principles of the baking mode and the steaming mode for heating the food to be cooked are existing technologies well known to those skilled in the art, and will not be elaborated here.

[0067] It should be noted that, because a large amount of steam is generated in the cooking cavity 110 of the cooking appliance 1000 when it is in steam heating mode, and the steam is ubiquitous, this application provides a sealing element 500 between the first cooking function component and the cover 200. The sealing element 500 is used to prevent the steam in the cooking cavity 110 from being transmitted to the outside of the cooking cavity 110, thereby sealing the steam inside the cooking cavity 110 and preventing steam loss, thus improving the cooking quality. However, when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the operation of the first cooking function component will cause friction between the first cooking function component or the cover 200 and the sealing element 500. This friction can cause the sealing element 500 to fail, shorten its service life, and generate noise, thus reducing the user experience.

[0068] Therefore, this application controls the cooperation relationship between the sealing element 500 and the first cooking functional component and the cover 200 based on the heating mode of the cooking appliance 1000. Specifically, when the cooking appliance 1000 is in the hot air heating mode, the first cooking functional component is working. However, because the sealing element 500 is provided between the first cooking functional component and the cover 200, the first cooking functional component will inevitably interact with the sealing element 500 and generate friction during operation. Therefore, when the cooking appliance 1000 is in the hot air heating mode, the sealing element 500 is disengaged from either the first cooking functional component or the cover 200, avoiding friction between the first cooking functional component and the sealing element 500 during operation. This prevents wear on the sealing element 500, extends its service life, and ensures that the sealing element 500 can effectively achieve a sealing fit between the first cooking functional component and the cover 200. Furthermore, the first cooking functional component and the sealing element 500 do not rub against each other, which also avoids noise caused by the first cooking functional component rubbing against the sealing element 500 during operation, thus improving the user experience.

[0069] When the cooking appliance 1000 is in steam heating mode, the first cooking function component stops working. At this time, the sealing element 500 is sealed with both the first cooking function component and the cover 200. Thus, the first cooking function component stops working, and there will be no friction between the first cooking function component and the sealing element 500, resulting in no noise. Furthermore, the sealing element 500's seal with both the first cooking function component and the cover 200 ensures that the steam inside the cover 200 is not transferred to the outside of the cover 200, thereby preventing steam loss and improving cooking quality.

[0070] Therefore, this application utilizes the heating mode of the cooking appliance 1000 to control the cooperation between the seal 500 and the first cooking function component and the cover 200. While ensuring effective sealing of steam, it can also prevent the first cooking function component from rubbing against the seal 500 during rotation, thereby extending the service life of the seal 500 and preventing the cooking appliance 1000 from generating noise during operation.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, in hot air heating mode, the seal 500 is adapted to disengage from one of the first cooking functional component and the cover 200 under heat. For example, the seal 500 is fixedly connected to the first cooking functional component, and the seal 500 is separably connected to the cover 200. In hot air heating mode, the seal 500 deforms under heat, thereby disengaging from the cover 200. Alternatively, the seal 500 is fixedly connected to the cover 200, and the seal 500 is separably connected to the first cooking functional component. In hot air heating mode, the seal 500 deforms under heat, thereby disengaging from the first cooking functional component.

[0072] In other embodiments of the invention, in hot air heating mode, the seal 500 is adapted to deform under suction to disengage from one of the first cooking functional component and the cover 200. For example, the seal 500 is fixedly connected to the cover 200, and the seal 500 is separably engaged with the first cooking functional component. In hot air heating mode, the first cooking functional component operates and generates relative suction, and the seal 500 deforms under suction, thereby disengaging from the first cooking functional component. In steam heating mode, the first cooking functional component stops operating, and the seal 500 returns to its original shape to seal with the first cooking functional component.

[0073] In some other embodiments of the present invention, in the hot air heating mode, the seal 500 is adapted to deform under the action of electromagnetic force, thereby ensuring that in the hot air heating mode, the seal 500 can disengage from one of the first cooking functional component and the cover 200, avoiding friction between the first cooking functional component and the seal 500 during operation, thereby extending the service life of the seal 500 and preventing the cooking appliance 1000 from making noise when the first cooking functional component is working, thus improving the user experience.

[0074] It should be noted that the first cooking function component and the cover 200 are sealed together by a sealing element 500. In some examples, one end of the sealing element 500 can be connected to the cover 200, while the other end of the sealing element 500 is sealed together with the first cooking function component. In this way, the position of the sealing element 500 remains unchanged during the operation of the first cooking function component. At this time, the sealing element 500 deforms under the action of heat, attraction or electromagnetic force to disengage from the first cooking function component, thereby avoiding friction between the sealing element 500 and the first cooking function component, thus improving the sealing effect of the sealing element 500 and avoiding noise.

[0075] Of course, in other examples, one end of the seal 500 can be connected to the first cooking function component, and the other end of the seal 500 is sealed to the cover 200. In this way, during the operation of the first cooking function component, the first cooking function component drives the seal 500 to rotate relative to the cover 200. At this time, the seal 500 deforms under the action of heat, attraction or electromagnetic force to disengage from the cover 200, thereby avoiding friction between the seal 500 and the cover 200, thus improving the sealing effect of the seal 500 and avoiding noise.

[0076] Optionally, the first cooking function component includes a heating element 300 and a fan assembly 400. The heating element 300 is disposed within a hot air cavity 600, which provides space for the heating element 300, ensuring that the heating element 300 can be placed between the cover 200 and the housing 100. This facilitates subsequent heating of food using the heating element 300. Furthermore, placing the heating element 300 within the hot air cavity 600, in conjunction with the cover 200 and the housing 100, also protects the heating element 300, thereby extending its service life.

[0077] Optionally, the heating element 300 may be a heating tube, which is positioned directly opposite the air outlet 120 and surrounds the fan 410 described below. This ensures that the air heated by the heating tube can be delivered into the cooking cavity 110 in a short time, preventing heat loss and increasing the temperature of the air entering the cooking cavity 110, thereby improving the cooking quality.

[0078] Optionally, the fan assembly 400 includes a fan 410 and a drive unit 420. The fan 410 is located inside the hot air chamber 600, and the drive unit 420 is located on the side of the cover 200 facing away from the hot air chamber 600. The drive unit 420 is used to drive the fan 410 to rotate. Because the fan 410 is located inside the hot air chamber 600, the rotation of the fan 410 is used to accelerate the airflow inside the hot air chamber 600, ensuring that the air heated by the heating element 300 inside the hot air chamber 600 can be delivered to the cooking chamber 110 through the air outlet 120. The heated air comes into full contact with the food to be cooked inside the cooking chamber 110, thereby achieving the purpose of cooking and improving cooking efficiency and quality.

[0079] It should be noted that because the temperature inside the cooking cavity 110 is high when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, and there is a lot of steam inside the cooking cavity 110 when the steam heating mode is activated, this application places the drive component 420 on the side of the cover 200 away from the hot air cavity 600. This can also be understood as the drive component 420 being located on one side of the cover 200 and away from the cooking cavity 110. Figure 5 As shown, the drive unit 420 is located outside the housing 100. This arrangement serves two purposes: firstly, it prevents the high temperature inside the cooking cavity 110 of the cooking appliance 1000 in hot air heating mode from being transferred to the drive unit 420 and causing damage; secondly, it also prevents the steam inside the cooking cavity 110 of the cooking appliance 1000 in steam heating mode from damaging the drive unit 420, thereby extending the service life of the drive unit 420 and improving its safety.

[0080] Optionally, the drive unit 420 may be a drive motor, specifically a rotary motor, with the output end of the rotary motor connected to the fan 410 to drive the fan 410 to rotate.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 7 As shown, the seal 500 has a through hole 530 through which the output shaft 421 of the drive member 420 passes to connect with the fan 410. The through hole 530 is used to avoid the output shaft 421 of the drive member 420, thereby ensuring that the fan 410 can be connected to the output shaft 421 of the drive member 420, so that the fan 410 can be driven to rotate when the drive member 420 is working.

[0082] Optionally, one end of the seal 500 is sealed to the cover 200, and the other end of the seal 500 is separably fitted to the drive member 420. In other words, this application effectively seals steam and prevents the drive member 420 from rubbing against the seal 500 during rotation by using the seal 500 in conjunction with the drive member 420. Thus, in hot air heating mode, when the drive member 420 is working, the overall position of the seal 500 remains unchanged. At this time, the other end of the seal 500 deforms under the influence of heat, the suction force generated by the fan 410, or the electromagnetic force generated by the drive member 420, disengaging from the drive member 420. This prevents the seal 500 and drive member 420 from rubbing against each other, thereby improving the sealing effect of the seal 500 and preventing noise.

[0083] Optionally, the sealing fit between one end of the seal 500 and the cover 200 can be achieved by directly connecting one end of the seal 500 to the cover 200. Connecting the seal 500 to the cover 200 also allows the cover 200 to support the seal 500, thereby improving the positional stability of the seal 500.

[0084] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the wall of the through hole 530 is spaced apart from the output shaft 421. This prevents the output shaft 421 from contacting the seal 500 during rotation, thus effectively preventing the output shaft 421 from rubbing against the seal 500. This extends the service life of the seal 500 and also avoids noise generated by the rotation of the output shaft 421, improving the user experience. At the same time, it also ensures smooth rotation of the output shaft 421, which means that the drive component 420 can effectively drive the fan 410 to rotate.

[0085] Optionally, the inner diameter of the through hole 530 on the seal 500 is larger than the outer diameter of the output shaft 421. This way, when the output shaft 421 of the drive 420 passes through the through hole 530, the hole wall of the through hole 530 and the output shaft 421 are spaced apart, thereby effectively preventing the output shaft 421 from rubbing against the seal 500 when rotating.

[0086] Optionally, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the sealing element 500 includes a first sealing portion 510 and a second sealing portion 520 along its axial direction. The first sealing portion 510 is fixedly connected to the cover 200. The axial direction mentioned here can also be understood as the extension direction of the output shaft 421 of the drive element 420. By fixing the first sealing portion 510 to the cover 200, a sealing fit is achieved between one end of the sealing element 500 and the cover 200, thereby fixing the sealing element 500, improving the positional stability of the sealing element 500, and preventing steam in the cooking cavity 110 from escaping from the connection between the first sealing portion 510 and the cover 200, thus improving the sealing quality.

[0087] In the description of this invention, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features, used to distinguish and describe features, without any order or importance.

[0088] Optionally, the first sealing part 510 is bonded to the cover 200. By bonding, the first sealing part 510 is fixedly connected to the cover 200, while the connection strength between the first sealing part 510 and the cover 200 is improved. At the same time, the sealing part 500 and the cover 200 are sealed together, preventing steam from overflowing from the connection between the first sealing part 510 and the cover 200.

[0089] Optionally, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, one end of the second sealing part 520 is connected to the first sealing part 510. Since the first sealing part 510 is stably connected to the cover 200, the first sealing part 510 can be used to support the second sealing part 520, thereby improving the structural stability of the second sealing part 520.

[0090] Optionally, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the other end of the second sealing portion 520 extends obliquely away from the first sealing portion 510 and is adapted to be separably engaged with the driving member 420. This allows the other end of the sealing member 500 to be separably engaged with the driving member 420. Furthermore, by configuring the second sealing portion 520 to be separably engaged with the driving member 420, when the cooking appliance 1000 activates different heating modes (hot air heating mode, steam heating mode), the other end of the sealing member 500 can be separably engaged with the driving member 420 by controlling the deformation of the second sealing portion 520, without changing the overall shape of the sealing member 500. This makes the deformation of the sealing member 500 simpler and easier to achieve.

[0091] It should be noted that this application forms an inclined second sealing portion 520 by setting the second sealing portion 520 to extend obliquely in a direction away from the first sealing portion 510. This further ensures that the deformation of the second sealing portion 520 is simpler and easier to achieve, thereby enabling the second sealing portion 520 and the drive member 420 to be separably coupled.

[0092] Optionally, the seal 500 is made using an integral molding process. This process eliminates the need to connect the first sealing part 510 and the second sealing part 520, thus preventing the seal 500 from breaking at the connection between the first sealing part 510 and the second sealing part 520. It also simplifies the manufacturing process of the seal 500 and improves its production efficiency.

[0093] Optionally, the thickness of the second sealing portion 520 gradually decreases in the direction away from the first sealing portion 510. This further reduces the difficulty of deformation of the second sealing portion 520, ensuring that the second sealing portion 520 can effectively deform under the action of heat, the suction force generated when the fan 410 rotates, or the electromagnetic force generated when the drive member 420 rotates, thereby achieving a separable fit between the second sealing portion 520 and the drive member 420.

[0094] It should be noted that, compared to reducing the width of the second sealing part 520, reducing the thickness of the second sealing part 520 ensures that the second sealing part 520 is prone to deformation without reducing the contact area between the second sealing part 520 and the driving member 420. In this way, when the second sealing part 520 is not deformed, it can be ensured that the second sealing part 520 can fit tightly against the driving member 420, thereby preventing steam from escaping from the contact point between the second sealing part 520 and the driving member 420 and improving the sealing effect of the sealing member 500.

[0095] Optionally, the second sealing part 520 is adapted to deform under heat in hot air heating mode to disengage from the drive member 420. This means that when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the temperature inside the cooking cavity 110 is high. At this time, the second sealing part 520 deforms due to the high temperature, thus disengaging from the drive member 420. Since there is no steam inside the cooking cavity 110 when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, and the drive member 420 needs to drive the fan 410 to rotate, disengaging the sealing part 500 from the drive member 420 prevents steam leakage and avoids friction between the drive member 420 and the sealing part 500 during rotation. This extends the service life of the sealing part 500 and ensures that the drive member 420 does not generate noise during operation, improving the user experience. Figure 8 A schematic diagram is shown showing the second sealing part 520 after deformation and disengagement from the driving member 420.

[0096] Optionally, the second sealing part 520 is made of a heat-deformable material. This ensures that the second sealing part 520 can deform normally to disengage from the drive component 420 during hot air heating mode.

[0097] Optionally, the thermal deformation of the second sealing part 520 in the hot air heating mode is greater than that in the steam heating mode. When the thermal deformation of the second sealing part 520 is large, the second sealing part 520 deforms towards the first sealing part 510 to disengage from the driving member 420; when the thermal deformation of the second sealing part 520 is small, the second sealing part 520 undergoes slight deformation, but it still adheres to the driving member 420 to achieve a sealing fit with the driving member 420.

[0098] In other words, when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the seal 500 of this application deforms to disengage from the drive component 420. Therefore, there is no steam in the cooking cavity 110 at this time, thus ensuring that the cooking appliance 1000 will not experience steam leakage, nor will the drive component 420 wear the seal 500 during operation. When the cooking appliance 1000 is in steam heating mode, the seal 500 of this application does not deform or undergoes slight deformation but still seals with the drive component 420. Therefore, the drive component 420 does not need to drive the fan 410 to rotate, thus ensuring that the cooking appliance 1000 will not experience steam leakage, nor will the drive component 420 wear the seal 500.

[0099] Therefore, by setting a deformable seal 500, this application not only solves the problem of steam leakage, but also avoids wear and noise during the rotation of the output shaft 421 of the drive component 420, without significantly increasing the cost of the cooking appliance 1000, and ensures the simplicity of the structure of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0100] It should be noted that this application does not require special setting of the thermal deformation amount of the second sealing part 520. Since the temperature inside the cooking cavity 110 of the cooking appliance 1000 in the hot air heating mode is much higher than the temperature inside the cooking cavity 110 of the cooking appliance 1000 in the steam heating mode, by making the second sealing part 520 with a heat-deformable material, it can be ensured that the thermal deformation amount of the second sealing part 520 in the hot air heating mode is greater than the thermal deformation amount of the second sealing part 520 in the steam heating mode.

[0101] Optionally, the heat-deformable material is a shape memory alloy. The second sealing part 520 made of this shape memory alloy can ensure that the second sealing part 520 can be deformed by heat and disengage from the drive member 420 in the hot air heating mode, and can restore its original shape and seal with the drive member 420 in the steam heating mode.

[0102] Optionally, in hot air heating mode, the second sealing part 520 is adapted to deform under the suction force generated when the fan 410 rotates, thereby disengaging from the drive member 420. This means that when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the fan 410 needs to rotate to accelerate heat exchange. At this time, the second sealing part 520 deforms under the suction force generated when the fan 410 rotates, thus disengaging from the drive member 420. Since there is no steam in the cooking cavity 110 when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, disengaging the sealing part 500 from the drive member 420 will not cause steam leakage. It also prevents the drive member 420 from rubbing against the sealing part 500 when rotating, extending the service life of the sealing part 500 while ensuring that the drive member 420 does not generate noise during operation, thus improving the user experience.

[0103] Optionally, the projection of the seal 500 onto a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 421 lies within the area swept by the fan 410 during rotation. This can also be understood as follows: in a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 421, the projection of the seal 500 on the plane is located within the projection of the fan 410 on the plane. If the projection of the seal 500 on the plane is located outside the projection of the fan 410 on the plane, it may be that the seal 500 is offset from the fan 410, or it may be that the size of the seal 500 is too large. Both of these settings will cause the suction force generated by the fan 410 when it rotates to be unable to drive the second seal 520 to deform. Therefore, by setting the projection of the seal 500 on the plane to be located within the projection of the fan 410 on the plane, it is possible that the seal 500 is facing the fan 410, while also ensuring that the overall size of the seal 500 does not exceed the size of the fan 410. This ensures that the fan 410 can smoothly drive the second seal 520 to deform during rotation, thus ensuring that the second seal 520 disengages from the drive member 420 when the fan 410 rotates, and preventing the drive member 420 from rubbing against the seal 500 when it rotates.

[0104] Optionally, the second sealing part 520 is made of an elastic material. This allows the second sealing part 520 to deform under external force and quickly return to its original shape after the external force is removed. That is, when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the second sealing part 520 can deform under the suction force generated by the fan 410 rotating. When the cooking appliance 1000 is in steam heating mode, the fan 410 stops rotating, and the second sealing part 520 can return to its original shape and seal with the drive component 420.

[0105] Optionally, the second sealing part 520 may be made of silicone or rubber to achieve a separable fit between the second sealing part 520 and the driving member 420. Since the silicone or rubber material itself has a certain weight, the second sealing part 520 can still be tightly attached to the driving member 420 after it returns to its original shape, thereby improving the sealing quality of the sealing member 500.

[0106] Optionally, the first sealing part 510 is also made of an elastic material. On the one hand, this ensures that the first sealing part 510 can be sealed and fitted onto the cover 200, preventing steam from escaping from the connection between the first sealing part 510 and the cover 200. On the other hand, it ensures that the first sealing part 510 and the second sealing part 520 are made of the same material. In this way, an integral molding process can be used in the manufacturing process of the sealing element 500, which reduces the manufacturing difficulty of the sealing element 500 and also prevents the sealing element 500 from breaking at the connection between the first sealing part 510 and the second sealing part 520, thereby improving the reliability of the sealing element 500.

[0107] It should be noted that this application creatively sets the shape of the sealing element 500 and the material of the second sealing part 520, so that the deformation of the second sealing part 520 can be achieved by simply using the original structure of the cooking appliance 1000 (fan 410), without the need to set other structural components to drive the deformation of the sealing element 500, thereby reducing the production cost of the cooking appliance 1000 and making the structure of the cooking appliance 1000 simple.

[0108] Optionally, the drive member 420 is provided with a first magnet, and the second sealing part 520 is provided with a second magnet. In the hot air heating mode, the second magnet is adapted to drive the second sealing part 520 to deform under the action of the electromagnetic force generated by the first magnet so as to disengage from the drive member 420 (not shown in the example figure). This refers to the following: When the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the drive component 420 needs to be activated to drive the fan 410 to rotate. Therefore, a first magnet is provided on the drive component 420. During operation, the first magnet generates electromagnetic force. Since the second sealing part 520 is provided with a second magnet that cooperates with the first magnet, under the action of the first magnet, the second magnet causes the second sealing part 520 to deform, thereby disengaging from the drive component 420. Because there is no steam in the cooking cavity 110 when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, and the drive component 420 needs to drive the fan 410 to rotate, disengaging the sealing part 500 from the drive component 420 will not cause steam to overflow. It also prevents the drive component 420 from rubbing against the sealing part 500 when rotating. This extends the service life of the sealing part 500 and ensures that the drive component 420 does not generate noise during operation, thus improving the user experience.

[0109] In some examples, a first magnet is provided on the drive unit 420, and the electromagnetic force generated by the first magnet is controlled by starting and stopping the drive unit 420. For example, when the drive unit 420 is powered on and drives the fan 410 to rotate, the first magnet generates an electromagnetic force. When the drive unit 420 is powered off and stops driving the fan 410 to rotate, the electromagnetic force on the first magnet disappears. This ensures that when the cooking appliance 1000 is in hot air heating mode, the second sealing part 520 can deform to disengage from the drive unit 420.

[0110] Optionally, the first magnet and the second magnet generate a repulsive magnetic force. When the drive member 420 is working, due to the repulsive magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet, the second magnet can move away from the first magnet, that is, move away from the drive member 420, thereby causing the second sealing part 520 to deform and disengage from the drive member 420.

[0111] Optionally, when the second sealing part 520 is provided with a second magnet, the second sealing part 520 can also be made of an elastic material. In this way, when the driving member 420 stops working and the electromagnetic force of the first magnet disappears, the repulsive magnetic force generated between the first and second magnets also disappears. The second sealing part 520 can then use its own elastic restoring force to drive the second magnet to move towards the driving member 420, and the sealing part 500 returns to its original shape to seal with the driving member 420. The elastic material mentioned here can also be either rubber or silicone.

[0112] In some embodiments of the present invention, the seal 500 is movably disposed on the other of the drive member 420 and the cover 200. This means that when the heating member 300 and the drive member 420 are operating and the seal 500 is disengaged from either the drive member 420 or the cover 200, the seal 500 is movably disposed on the other of the drive member 420 and the cover 200. For example, when the seal 500 is disengaged from the drive member 420, the seal 500 is movably disposed on the cover 200; when the seal 500 is disengaged from the cover 200, the seal 500 is movably disposed on the drive member 420.

[0113] In a specific example, such as Figure 8 As shown, the seal 500 is adapted to disengage from the drive 420 and is adapted to be movably disposed on the cover 200.

[0114] Optionally, in hot air heating mode, the seal 500 moves to a position disengaged from either the drive member 420 or the cover 200. That is, in hot air heating mode, the seal 500 moves to disengage from either the drive member 420 or the cover 200, preventing wear on the seal 500 during operation, extending the seal 500's service life, and avoiding noise generated by friction between the drive member 420 and the seal 500 during operation, thus improving the user experience.

[0115] In a specific example, during hot air heating mode, the seal 500 moves to a position disengaged from the drive member 420. This disengages the seal 500 from the drive member 420, extending the service life of the seal 500 and reducing noise.

[0116] Optionally, in steam heating mode, the seal 500 moves to a position that abuts against one of the drive member 420 and the cover 200. That is, in steam heating mode, the seal 500 moves to abut against one of the drive member 420 and the cover 200, thereby achieving a sealing effect, preventing steam loss, improving cooking quality, and also preventing steam from damaging the drive member 420, thus extending its service life.

[0117] In a specific example, in steam heating mode, the seal 500 moves to the position of abutting the drive 420. This allows the seal 500 to seal against the drive 420, effectively sealing the steam and preventing steam leakage, thereby improving the cooking performance of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0118] Therefore, it can be seen that the seal 500 of this application achieves disengagement or sealing engagement between the seal 500 and one of the drive member 420 and the cover 200 through the deformation of the second sealing part 520 and the movement of the seal 500 itself, thereby extending the service life of the seal 500, increasing the sealing performance, and effectively preventing the cooking appliance 1000 from generating noise during operation.

[0119] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the enclosure 200 includes a cover plate 210 and a heat insulation plate 220. The cover plate 210 is disposed on the housing 100, and a hot air cavity 600 is defined between the cover plate 210 and the housing 100. The hot air cavity 600 is used to house a heating element 300 and a fan 410. The heating element 300 and the fan 410 cooperate to heat the air inside the hot air cavity 600. Since the hot air cavity 600 is connected to the cooking cavity 110, the temperature inside the cooking cavity 110 is increased to facilitate heating of the food to be cooked inside the cooking cavity 110.

[0120] Optionally, the cover plate 210 forms a first flange (not shown in the figure) extending toward the housing 100 in the circumferential direction. The cover plate 210 is connected to the housing 100 through the first flange. At this time, the side wall of the cover plate 210 is spaced apart from the housing 100 to form a hot air cavity 600.

[0121] Optionally, combined Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the heat insulation plate 220 is located on the side of the cover plate 210 facing away from the housing 100, and a heat insulation cavity 700 is formed between the heat insulation plate 220 and the cover plate 210. The heat insulation plate 220 and the heat insulation cavity 700 work together to block some of the heat and prevent heat loss. On the one hand, this prevents excessive heat from acting on the drive component 420, thus extending the service life of the drive component 420; on the other hand, it confines the heat within the cooking cavity 110, improving the cooking quality.

[0122] Optionally, the heat insulation plate 220 forms a second flange (not shown in the figure) extending toward the cover plate 210 in the circumferential direction. The heat insulation plate 220 is connected to the cover plate 210 through the second flange. At this time, the side wall of the heat insulation plate 220 is spaced apart from the cover plate 210 to form a heat insulation cavity 700. The heat insulation cavity 700 is used to block the transfer of heat toward the outside of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0123] Optionally, the insulation board 220 can be made directly from insulation materials, such as fiberglass, asbestos, rock wool, etc., to improve the insulation performance of the insulation board 220.

[0124] Of course, in other examples, the insulation board 220 can also be made of conventional materials, such as stainless steel plates, and then an insulating coating is applied to the surface of the stainless steel plates. This arrangement ensures that the insulation board 220 has good insulation performance while also improving the structural strength of the insulation board 220 and extending the service life of the insulation board 220.

[0125] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the sealing element 500 is disposed on the heat insulation plate 220, and the sealing element 500 is in sealing fit with the cover plate 210. This means that the sealing element 500 is disposed on the heat insulation plate 220 and in sealing fit with the cover plate 210. The heat insulation plate 220 provides space for the sealing element 500 to improve its positional stability. Furthermore, by simultaneously contacting the sealing element 500 with both the heat insulation plate 220 and the cover plate 210, the contact area between the sealing element 500 and the cover 200 is increased, further improving the positional stability of the sealing element 500 and ensuring that the sealing element 500 can effectively seal steam.

[0126] Optionally, such as Figure 4As shown, the cover plate 210 has a first through hole 211, and the heat insulation plate 220 has a second through hole 221 corresponding to the position of the first through hole 211. The output shaft 421 of the drive member 420 passes through the first through hole 211 and the second through hole 221 in sequence to extend into the hot air cavity 600 and connect with the fan 410. Since the drive member 420 and the fan 410 are respectively located on opposite sides of the cover 200, the first through hole 211 and the second through hole 221 can avoid the output shaft 421 of the drive member 420, ensuring that the output shaft 421 of the drive member 420 can pass through the cover 200 and connect to the fan 410, so as to drive the fan 410 to rotate.

[0127] Optionally, the fan 410 is detachably connected to the output shaft 421 of the drive unit 420 by fasteners, which ensures that the output shaft 421 of the drive unit 420 can drive the fan 410 to rotate while reducing the difficulty of assembling and disassembling the fan 410. This makes it easier to replace or repair the fan 410 when it is damaged, and reduces the operating cost of the fan assembly 400.

[0128] Optionally, the fasteners mentioned herein may be screws or bolts, which pass through the fan 410 and connect to the output shaft 421 of the drive unit 420 to achieve a fixed connection between the fan 410 and the drive unit 420.

[0129] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the outer peripheral wall of the seal 500 has a limiting groove 540, and the edge of the second through hole 221 is limited within the limiting groove 540. This effectively limits a portion of the structure of the heat insulation plate 220 within the limiting groove 540. At this time, the sidewall of the limiting groove 540 cooperates with the heat insulation plate 220 to limit the position of the seal 500, preventing the seal 500 from wobbling significantly relative to the heat insulation plate 220, thereby improving the positional stability of the seal 500.

[0130] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the opening of the limiting groove 540 is larger than the wall thickness of the heat insulation plate 220. This limits the hole edge of the second through hole 221 within the limiting groove 540, ensuring that the heat insulation plate 220 can move relative to the sealing member 500, that is, ensuring that the sealing member 500 is movable, thereby achieving the sealing or separation engagement between the sealing member 500 and the driving member 420 or the cover 200.

[0131] The sealing element 500 of an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0132] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the seal 500 is adapted to be installed between the cover 200 of the cooking appliance 1000 and the first cooking functional component, and at least a portion of the seal 500 is adapted to move according to the operating state of the first cooking functional component to adjust its engagement state with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover 200.

[0133] As can be seen from the above structure, at least a portion of the sealing member 500 in this application is made movable, and at least a portion of the movable sealing member 500 can adjust its engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component. Thus, when the movable sealing member 500 adjusts its sealing engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component, the sealing member 500 can effectively perform its function to achieve the purpose of sealing; when the movable sealing member 500 adjusts its engagement with the first cooking function component and / or the cover 200 according to the operating state of the first cooking function component, the sealing member 500 can effectively perform its function to achieve the purpose of sealing. When the cooking function component and / or cover 200 are disengaged, the seal 500 can be effectively prevented from rubbing against the first cooking function component and / or cover 200 during operation. In other words, the seal 500 of this application can not only ensure effective sealing, but also prevent the first cooking function component from rubbing against the seal 500 during operation, thereby avoiding wear of the seal 500 and extending its service life. Correspondingly, it also avoids noise caused by friction between the first cooking function component and the seal 500 during operation, thus improving the user experience.

[0134] In some embodiments of the present invention, at least a portion of the seal 500 is adapted to deform under heat to adjust its engagement with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover 200. This disengages the seal 500 from either the first cooking functional component or the cover 200, thereby preventing friction between the seal 500 and the first cooking functional component during operation and extending the service life of the seal 500.

[0135] In other examples, at least a portion of the seal 500 is adapted to deform under suction to adjust its fit with the first cooking function component and / or the housing 200. This also effectively prevents the first cooking function component from rubbing against the seal 500 during operation, thereby extending the service life of the seal 500.

[0136] In other examples, at least a portion of the seal 500 is adapted to deform under electromagnetic force to adjust its fit with the first cooking functional component and / or the housing 200. This prevents friction between the first cooking functional component and the seal 500 during operation, thereby extending the service life of the seal 500 and preventing noise from the first cooking functional component during movement, thus improving the user experience.

[0137] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the seal 500 includes a first sealing portion 510 and a second sealing portion 520. One end of the second sealing portion 520 is connected to the first sealing portion 510, and the other end of the second sealing portion 520 extends obliquely away from the first sealing portion 510. This obliquely positioned second sealing portion 520 allows for deformation of the seal 500 and ensures that deformation of the second sealing portion 520 is simpler and easier to achieve. Therefore, when the first cooking function component is in operation, the seal 500 can deform smoothly to avoid mutual friction with the first cooking function component.

[0138] Optionally, the first sealing portion 510 is adapted to be installed on the cover 200 and the second sealing portion 520 is adapted to be detachably engaged with the first cooking functional component. This allows at least a portion of the sealing member 500 to be detachably engaged with the first cooking functional component. Furthermore, by configuring the second sealing portion 520 to be detachably engaged with the first cooking functional component, when the cooking appliance 1000 activates different heating modes (hot air heating mode, steam heating mode), the detachable engagement of at least a portion of the sealing member 500 with the first cooking functional component can be achieved by controlling the deformation of the second sealing portion 520, without changing the overall shape of the sealing member 500. This makes the deformation of the sealing member 500 simpler and easier to implement.

[0139] Several embodiments of the cooking appliance 1000 of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The cooking appliance 1000 may be a standalone steam oven or an integrated cooktop that incorporates both a steam oven and a grill.

[0140] Example 1

[0141] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the cooking appliance 1000 has a hot air heating mode and a steam heating mode, and includes a housing 100, a cover 200, a heating element 300, a fan assembly 400, and a sealing element 500.

[0142] The housing 100 defines a cooking cavity 110. The cover 200 includes a cover plate 210 and a heat insulation plate 220. The cover plate 210 is located on one side of the housing 100 and defines a hot air cavity 600 with the housing 100. The hot air cavity 600 is connected to the cooking cavity 110. The heat insulation plate 220 is located on the side of the cover plate 210 facing away from the housing 100. A heat insulation cavity 700 is formed between the heat insulation plate 220 and the cover plate 210.

[0143] The heating element 300 is located inside the hot air cavity 600.

[0144] like Figure 7As shown, the sealing element 500 includes a first sealing part 510 and a second sealing part 520 in sequence along its axial direction. The first sealing part 510 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 210. One end of the second sealing part 520 is connected to the first sealing part 510, and the other end of the second sealing part 520 extends obliquely away from the first sealing part 510. The thickness of the second sealing part 520 gradually decreases away from the first sealing part 510.

[0145] The fan assembly 400 includes a fan 410 and a drive member 420 for driving the fan 410 to rotate. The fan 410 is located inside the hot air chamber 600, and the drive member 420 is located on the side of the heat insulation plate 220 facing away from the heat insulation chamber 700. The cover plate 210 has a first through hole 211, and the heat insulation plate 220 has a second through hole 221 corresponding to the position of the first through hole 211. The sealing member 500 passes through the second through hole 221 and is connected to the cover plate 210. The sealing member 500 has a through hole 530. The output shaft 421 of the drive member 420 passes through the through hole 530 and the first through hole 211 in sequence and extends into the hot air chamber 600 to connect with the fan 410.

[0146] The output shaft 421 of the drive component 420 is spaced apart from the wall of the through hole 530.

[0147] The second sealing part 520 is made of shape memory alloy. The second sealing part 520 is adapted to be deformed by heat in hot air heating mode to disengage from the drive member 420, and to be sealed with the drive member 420 in steam heating mode.

[0148] Example 2

[0149] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the cooking appliance 1000 has a hot air heating mode and a steam heating mode, and includes a housing 100, a cover 200, a heating element 300, a fan assembly 400, and a sealing element 500.

[0150] The housing 100 defines a cooking cavity 110. The cover 200 includes a cover plate 210 and a heat insulation plate 220. The cover plate 210 is located on one side of the housing 100 and defines a hot air cavity 600 with the housing 100. The hot air cavity 600 is connected to the cooking cavity 110. The heat insulation plate 220 is located on the side of the cover plate 210 facing away from the housing 100. A heat insulation cavity 700 is formed between the heat insulation plate 220 and the cover plate 210.

[0151] The heating element 300 is located inside the hot air cavity 600.

[0152] like Figure 7As shown, the sealing element 500 includes a first sealing part 510 and a second sealing part 520 in sequence along its axial direction. The first sealing part 510 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 210. One end of the second sealing part 520 is connected to the first sealing part 510, and the other end of the second sealing part 520 extends obliquely away from the first sealing part 510. The thickness of the second sealing part 520 gradually decreases away from the first sealing part 510.

[0153] The fan assembly 400 includes a fan 410 and a drive member 420 for driving the fan 410 to rotate. The fan 410 is located inside the hot air chamber 600, and the drive member 420 is located on the side of the heat insulation plate 220 facing away from the heat insulation chamber 700. The cover plate 210 has a first through hole 211, and the heat insulation plate 220 has a second through hole 221 corresponding to the position of the first through hole 211. The sealing member 500 passes through the second through hole 221 and is connected to the cover plate 210. The sealing member 500 has a through hole 530. The output shaft 421 of the drive member 420 passes through the through hole 530 and the first through hole 211 in sequence and extends into the hot air chamber 600 to connect with the fan 410.

[0154] The output shaft 421 of the drive component 420 is spaced apart from the wall of the through hole 530.

[0155] The second sealing part 520 is made of silicone material. In a plane perpendicular to the output shaft 421, the projection of the sealing member 500 on the plane is located within the projection of the fan 410 on the plane. In the hot air heating mode, the second sealing part 520 is adapted to deform when the fan 410 rotates to disengage from the drive member 420. In the steam heating mode, the fan 410 stops rotating and seals with the drive member 420.

[0156] Example 3

[0157] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the cooking appliance 1000 has a hot air heating mode and a steam heating mode, and includes a housing 100, a cover 200, a heating element 300, a fan assembly 400, and a sealing element 500.

[0158] The housing 100 defines a cooking cavity 110. The cover 200 includes a cover plate 210 and a heat insulation plate 220. The cover plate 210 is located on one side of the housing 100 and defines a hot air cavity 600 with the housing 100. The hot air cavity 600 is connected to the cooking cavity 110. The heat insulation plate 220 is located on the side of the cover plate 210 facing away from the housing 100. A heat insulation cavity 700 is formed between the heat insulation plate 220 and the cover plate 210.

[0159] The heating element 300 is located inside the hot air cavity 600.

[0160] like Figure 7As shown, the sealing element 500 includes a first sealing part 510 and a second sealing part 520 in sequence along its axial direction. The first sealing part 510 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 210. One end of the second sealing part 520 is connected to the first sealing part 510, and the other end of the second sealing part 520 extends obliquely away from the first sealing part 510. The thickness of the second sealing part 520 gradually decreases away from the first sealing part 510.

[0161] The fan assembly 400 includes a fan 410 and a drive member 420 for driving the fan 410 to rotate. The fan 410 is located inside the hot air chamber 600, and the drive member 420 is located on the side of the heat insulation plate 220 facing away from the heat insulation chamber 700. The cover plate 210 has a first through hole 211, and the heat insulation plate 220 has a second through hole 221 corresponding to the position of the first through hole 211. The sealing member 500 passes through the second through hole 221 and is connected to the cover plate 210. The sealing member 500 has a through hole 530. The output shaft 421 of the drive member 420 passes through the through hole 530 and the first through hole 211 in sequence and extends into the hot air chamber 600 to connect with the fan 410.

[0162] The output shaft 421 of the drive component 420 is spaced apart from the wall of the through hole 530.

[0163] The second sealing part 520 is made of silicone material. The driving member 420 is provided with a first magnet, and the second sealing part 520 is provided with a second magnet. In the hot air heating mode, when the driving member 420 is working, it causes the first magnet to generate electromagnetic force. The second magnet is adapted to drive the second sealing part 520 to deform under the action of the electromagnetic force generated by the first magnet so as to disengage from the driving member 420. In the steam heating mode, the electromagnetic force on the first magnet disappears, and the second sealing part 520 moves towards the driving member 420 by its own elastic restoring force to seal with the driving member 420.

[0164] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" 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 or an electrical connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0165] Other components of the cooking appliance 1000 according to embodiments of the present invention, such as the driving principle of the drive member 420, are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0166] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "embodiment," "example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, 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.

[0167] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cooking utensil, characterized in that, include: The housing defines a cooking cavity; A cover body is disposed outside the box body, and the cover body and the box body define a hot air cavity that communicates with the cooking cavity; A first cooking functional component, at least a portion of which is disposed within the hot air cavity; Wherein, a sealing member is provided between the first cooking function component and the cover body, at least a portion of the sealing member is movable and configured to adjust its engagement state with the first cooking function component and / or the cover body according to the operating state of the first cooking function component; The cooking appliance has a hot air heating mode and a steam heating mode. In the hot air heating mode, the first cooking function component is working and the sealing member is disengaged from either the first cooking function component or the cover. In the steam heating mode, the first cooking function component stops working and the sealing member is sealed to both the first cooking function component and the cover. The first cooking function component includes: A heating element, wherein the heating element is disposed within the hot air cavity; A fan assembly, comprising a fan and a drive component for driving the fan to rotate, wherein the fan is disposed within the hot air chamber and the drive component is disposed on the side of the cover facing away from the hot air chamber. The sealing element is disposed between the driving element and the cover; The seal has a through hole through which the output shaft of the drive unit passes to connect with the fan. Wherein, one end of the sealing element is sealed to the cover and the other end of the sealing element is detachably fitted to the driving element; The sealing element comprises, along its axial direction, the following components in sequence: The first sealing part is fixedly connected to the cover; A second sealing part, one end of which is connected to the first sealing part, and the other end of which extends obliquely away from the first sealing part and abuts against the side wall of the drive member, the second sealing part being adapted to be separably engaged with the drive member; In the hot air heating mode, the second sealing part is adapted to deform under the suction force generated when the fan rotates so as to disengage from the drive member.

2. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the hot air heating mode, the seal is adapted to deform under the action of heat, suction or electromagnetic force to disengage from one of the first cooking functional components and the cover.

3. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wall of the through hole is spaced apart from the output shaft.

4. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the second sealing portion gradually decreases in the direction away from the first sealing portion.

5. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second sealing part is adapted to be deformed by heat in the hot air heating mode to disengage from the drive member.

6. The cooking utensil according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second sealing part is made of a heat-deformable material, and the amount of heat deformation of the second sealing part in the hot air heating mode is greater than the amount of heat deformation of the second sealing part in the steam heating mode.

7. The cooking utensil according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heat-deformation material is a shape memory alloy.

8. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The projection of the seal onto a plane perpendicular to the output shaft lies within the area swept by the fan during rotation.

9. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second sealing part is made of an elastic material.

10. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving component is provided with a first magnet, and the second sealing part is provided with a second magnet. In the hot air heating mode, the second magnet is adapted to cause the second sealing part to deform under the action of the electromagnetic force generated by the first magnet so as to disengage from the driving component.

11. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seal is movably disposed on the other of the drive member and the cover. In the hot air heating mode, the seal moves to a position disengaged from either the drive member or the cover. In the steam heating mode, the seal moves to a position that abuts against one of the drive member and the cover.

12. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The cover includes: A cover plate is disposed on the housing, and the hot air cavity is defined between the cover plate and the housing; A heat insulation plate is provided on the side of the cover plate facing away from the housing, forming a heat insulation cavity between the heat insulation plate and the cover plate, and a sealing element is provided on the heat insulation plate and is sealed to the cover plate.

13. The cooking utensil according to claim 12, characterized in that, The cover plate has a first through hole, the heat insulation plate has a second through hole corresponding to the position of the first through hole, and the output shaft of the drive unit passes through the first through hole and the second through hole in sequence to extend into the hot air cavity and connect to the fan.

14. The cooking utensil according to claim 13, characterized in that, The outer peripheral wall of the seal has a limiting groove, and the edge of the second through hole is limited within the limiting groove.

15. A seal for use in a cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seal is adapted to be installed between the cover of the cooking appliance and the first cooking functional component, and at least a portion of the seal is adapted to move according to the operating state of the first cooking functional component to adjust its engagement state with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover. At least a portion of the seal is adapted to deform under heat, suction, or electromagnetic force to adjust its fit with the first cooking functional component and / or the cover.

16. The seal according to claim 15, characterized in that, The sealing element includes: First sealing part; A second sealing part has one end connected to the first sealing part, and the other end extending obliquely away from the first sealing part. The first sealing portion is adapted to be installed on the cover, and the second sealing portion is adapted to be detachably engaged with the first cooking function component.

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