A food processor

Abstract

This invention relates to small kitchen appliances, specifically a food processing machine, comprising a pulping container, a drain pipe, a drain valve controlling the connection between the pulping container and the drain pipe, a receiving cup and a wastewater box located below the drain pipe. The drain pipe has a first predetermined position above the receiving cup and a second predetermined position above the wastewater box. The drain valve connects the pulping container and the drain pipe only after the drain pipe moves to either the first or second predetermined position. After draining is completed at either the first or second predetermined position, the drain valve simultaneously closes the connection between the pulping container and the drain pipe, and the drain pipe moves synchronously from its current position to the other predetermined position. This food processing machine effectively prevents consumers from being scalded during the draining process. Furthermore, this food processing machine significantly improves the safety and reliability of human-machine operation, and has a higher degree of intelligence, enabling completely unmanned operation and freeing up consumers' hands.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to small kitchen appliances, and in particular to a food processing machine. Background Technology

[0002] The applicant previously applied for a utility model patent with patent number CN201620511374.4, entitled "An Automatic Cleaning Soymilk Maker". This patent discloses that, in a soymilk maker with only one drain hole at the bottom of the grinding chamber, the outlet end of the drain pipe can be controlled to rotate to either the soymilk discharge position or the wastewater discharge position when the connecting pipe and the drain pipe are connected. This achieves automatic soymilk discharge and wastewater discharge functions, simplifying the structure of the grinding chamber and enabling automatic cleaning of the soymilk maker, greatly simplifying operation for consumers and improving convenience.

[0003] This soy milk maker features an external receiving container and a wastewater box to collect the soy milk or cleaning water discharged from the drain pipe. Since the receiving container and wastewater box are separate containers, there will inevitably be installation gaps between them during assembly. In the aforementioned patent, the drain pipe's outlet end is connected to the connecting pipe before rotating to the soy milk discharge position or the wastewater discharge position. This can lead to the drain pipe discharging soy milk or cleaning water before it reaches the wastewater discharge position. Consequently, the discharged soy milk or cleaning water may spill onto the outside of the receiving cup or wastewater box, resulting in beverage waste, staining of tabletops and floors, and potentially scalding consumers, posing a safety hazard.

[0004] Meanwhile, the rotary valve of this soymilk maker has a connecting hole for liquid to pass through, and the rear end of the drain pipe has a drain outlet, the size of which corresponds to the size of the connecting hole, generally Φ = 10mm~20mm. When the rotary valve moves to the point where the drain outlet and the connecting hole are partially overlapped and fully overlapped, the liquid flow rate discharged from the drain pipe increases. Furthermore, the rotary valve motor drives the outlet end of the drain pipe to rotate simultaneously with the rotary valve. Therefore, even if the drain pipe has not fully rotated to the predetermined position, there is still a possibility that the connecting hole and the drain outlet are partially connected, resulting in the drain pipe starting to discharge soymilk or water during rotation, and potentially causing burns to consumers during use.

[0005] Based on this, the applicant has made improvements to address the shortcomings of the previous patent solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a food processing machine that is ergonomic, can effectively prevent consumers from being scalded during the liquid discharge process, and features automatic pulping, automatic pulp discharge, automatic cleaning, automatic wastewater discharge, high level of intelligence, high reliability, and requires no consumer intervention.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a food processing machine, comprising a pulping container, a drain pipe, a drain valve for controlling the connection and disconnection between the pulping container and the drain pipe, a receiving cup and a wastewater box located below the drain pipe, characterized in that: the drain pipe has a first predetermined position above the receiving cup and a second predetermined position above the wastewater box; the drain valve connects the pulping container and the drain pipe only after the drain pipe moves to the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position; wherein, after the drain pipe completes draining at the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position, the drain valve simultaneously closes the connection between the pulping container and the drain pipe, and the drain pipe simultaneously moves from the current position to the other predetermined position.

[0008] Furthermore, during the drainage process, the drainage valve is activated, causing the pulping container to connect and disconnect from the drainage pipe multiple times, thus enabling the drainage pipe to drain multiple times while remaining stationary.

[0009] Furthermore, the food processing machine also includes a stirring device, which is installed inside the pulping container. Each time the drain valve is activated to shut off the pulping container from the drain pipe, the stirring device stirs the liquid inside the pulping container.

[0010] Furthermore, the food processing machine also includes a water inlet device, which is connected to the pulping container. Each time the drain valve is activated to shut off the pulping container from the drain pipe, the water inlet device introduces water into the pulping container.

[0011] Furthermore, the water inlet device flushes water into the inner wall of the pulping container;

[0012] Furthermore, the drainage process is a slurry drainage process, and the water inlet device first introduces water into the slurry container to mix the slurry, and then the stirring device stirs and homogenizes the mixed slurry.

[0013] Furthermore, after the drain pipe completes the discharge of slurry at the first predetermined position, the drain valve shuts off the slurry container from the drain pipe, and the drain pipe moves synchronously from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position and then stops. The food processing machine automatically cleans the slurry container. After cleaning, the drain valve starts to operate to connect the slurry container with the drain pipe, and the drain pipe remains at the second predetermined position to discharge wastewater.

[0014] Furthermore, the drain valve is fixed to the bottom of the pulping container;

[0015] Alternatively, the drain valve may be a planar rotary valve;

[0016] Alternatively, the drain pipe and the drain valve can be integrally formed;

[0017] Alternatively, the drain pipe may be connected separately from the drain valve.

[0018] Furthermore, the drain valve is equipped with a detection device to detect whether the drain pipe has moved into place;

[0019] Alternatively, the drain valve may be equipped with a detection device to detect whether the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe.

[0020] Furthermore, the time from when the drain pipe stops moving to its position until the liquid in the pulping container flows out of the drain pipe is t, where 0.2s≤t.

[0021] The drain pipe of the food processing machine of this invention can switch between two predetermined positions: a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position. The drain valve connects the drain pipe to the pulping container only after the drain pipe has moved to either the first or second predetermined position. This allows the drain pipe to discharge pulp at the first predetermined position or wastewater at the second predetermined position. Before the drain pipe switches to the corresponding predetermined position, the drain valve remains closed, effectively preventing the drain pipe from starting to discharge pulp or wastewater during the switching process. This avoids beverage waste and environmental pollution, and also prevents consumers from being scalded during the discharge process. Simultaneously, after the drain pipe completes discharge, the liquid in the pulping container is completely drained. The drain pipe can operate synchronously with the drain valve, allowing it to move to another predetermined position while the drain valve is closed. For example, after pulp discharge is complete, the drain pipe automatically moves to the second predetermined position for wastewater discharge, or after the wastewater from cleaning is discharged, the drain pipe automatically returns to the first predetermined position for pulp discharge, facilitating automatic pulp discharge after the next pulping cycle in the food processing machine. Therefore, the liquid discharge logic of this invention greatly improves the safety and reliability of human-machine operation. Moreover, the food processing machine of this invention has a higher degree of intelligence and can realize unmanned operation of automatic pulping, automatic pulp discharge, automatic cleaning, and automatic wastewater discharge, completely freeing consumers' hands. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the food processing machine of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Working principle diagram of a food processing machine;

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 1Flowchart of the steps of the mid-drainage method;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first embodiment of the drain valve assembly for a food processing machine according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first driving device driving the driven component;

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 4 Exploded view of the central drain valve assembly;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second embodiment of the drain valve assembly for a food processing machine according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Exploded view of the central drain valve assembly;

[0031] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the slurry discharge status of the intermediate drain valve assembly;

[0032] Figure 10 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the valve closed position of the drain valve assembly;

[0033] Figure 11 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the wastewater discharge status of the central drain valve assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0034] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the food processing machine of the present invention includes a base 1, a pulping container 6 disposed on the base 1, and a drain valve assembly fixedly installed at the bottom of the pulping container 6. The drain valve assembly includes a drain valve 8 and a drain pipe 2. The drain pipe 2 is located outside the base 1, and a receiving cup 3 and a wastewater box 4 are disposed below the drain pipe 2. The drain valve 8 is used to control the connection or disconnection between the pulping container 6 and the drain pipe 2. The drain valve assembly also includes a first driving device 51 and a second driving device 52. The first driving device 51 drives the drain pipe 2 to rotate between the receiving cup 3 and the wastewater box 4. The second driving device 52 drives the drain valve 8 to work so that the pulping container 6 is connected or disconnected from the drain pipe 2. The drain pipe 2 has a first predetermined position above the receiving cup 3 and a second predetermined position above the wastewater box 4. After the drain pipe 2 rotates to the corresponding predetermined position, the drain valve 8 connects the pulping container 6 and the drain pipe 2.

[0035] like Figure 3As shown, for the food processing machine of the present invention, whether it is draining slurry or draining wastewater, the draining method has the following operating steps:

[0036] Drainage pipe rotation: The drainage pipe rotates between a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position under the drive of the first driving device;

[0037] Drain valve connection: When the drain pipe is rotated to the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position, the drain valve, driven by the second driving device, connects the pulping container with the drain pipe.

[0038] Drainage pipe discharge: After the pulping container is connected to the drainage pipe, the drainage pipe discharges pulp at the first predetermined position or discharges wastewater at the second predetermined position.

[0039] In the applicant's previous patent application (CN201620511374.4), the outlet end of the drain pipe is connected to the connecting pipe before being rotated to the slurry discharge position or the wastewater discharge position. This results in the drain pipe starting to discharge slurry before it reaches the slurry discharge position, or vice versa. This causes the discharged slurry, beverage, or cleaning water to easily spill onto the outside of the receiving cup or wastewater container, not only wasting beverages and polluting tables and floors, but also posing a serious safety hazard, potentially scalding consumers.

[0040] The drain pipe of the food processing machine of this invention can rotate between two positions, a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position. The drain valve only connects the pulping container to the drain pipe after the drain pipe has rotated to either the first or second predetermined position, allowing the drain pipe to discharge pulp at the first predetermined position or wastewater at the second predetermined position. This ensures that the drain valve remains closed until the drain pipe reaches the corresponding predetermined position, effectively preventing the drain pipe from starting to discharge pulp or wastewater during rotation. This avoids problems such as pulp leakage, water leakage, beverage waste, and environmental pollution, and significantly reduces the risk of burns to consumers during the discharge process. Furthermore, the food processing machine of this invention fully considers the logic of human-machine operation, greatly improving the user experience and offering high safety and reliability. In addition, the food processing machine of this invention has automatic pulping and discharge, and automatic cleaning and waste removal functions, enabling fully automated, unmanned operation and greatly improving the intelligence level of the food processing machine.

[0041] For the food processing machine of the present invention, after the drain pipe has finished draining, there is also a step of shutting off the drain valve. That is, after the drain pipe has drained, the second drive device needs to drive the drain valve to shut off the pulping container from the drain pipe. Then, the first drive device drives the drain pipe to rotate to another predetermined position (first predetermined position or second predetermined position) so that the drain pipe can perform normal draining again. This is because after the drain pipe has drained, the food processing machine may add materials and water back to the pulping container. If the pulping container is not shut off from the drain pipe first, the newly added materials and water may be directly discharged through the drain pipe. Of course, the steps for closing the drain valve can also be as follows: after the drain pipe drains, the second drive device drives the drain valve to close the pulping container and the drain pipe. At the same time, the first drive device can also drive the drain pipe to rotate to another predetermined position (the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position). This is because at this time, the drain pipe has already finished draining. Even if the pulping container and the drain pipe are in a connected state during the rotation of the drain pipe, no liquid will be discharged from the drain pipe.

[0042] For the food processing machine of the present invention, the structure and operation method of the drain valve assembly are key factors in achieving the purpose of the present invention. The specific structure and operation method of the drain valve assembly will be described in detail below. It should be noted that the food processing machine of the present invention can also be equipped with a water tank, which is connected to the pulping container through a water pipe and a water pump to realize the supply of water from the water tank to the pulping container. This is beneficial to realize the functions of automatic pulping, automatic pulp discharge, automatic water intake, automatic cleaning, and automatic wastewater discharge of the food processing machine, achieving completely unmanned operation.

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the first embodiment of the drain valve assembly for a food processing machine according to the present invention.

[0045] In this embodiment, the drain valve assembly further includes a driven component 7 that drives the drain pipe 2 to rotate. The driven component 7 includes an intermediate gear 71 and a driven gear 72. The intermediate gear 71 is driven by a first driving device 51, and the driven gear 72 is driven to rotate by the intermediate gear 71. The drain pipe 2 passes through the driven gear 72 and is connected to it as a single unit. The drain pipe 2 rotates following the rotation of the driven gear 72. The drain valve 8 includes a valve core with a connecting hole 80, which is driven by a second driving device 52. The connecting hole 80 is used to connect the pulping container and the drain pipe 2 during the rotation of the valve core.

[0046] In this embodiment, the drain valve is a planar rotary valve, the valve core is a planar movable valve plate 81, and the drain valve 8 also includes an upper stationary valve plate 82 and a lower stationary valve plate 83, and both the upper and lower stationary valve plates are provided with stationary valve holes 84 facing each other. The rear end of the drain pipe 2 is connected to the stationary valve hole 84 on the lower stationary valve plate 83, and the stationary valve hole 84 on the upper stationary valve plate 82 is connected to the pulping container. The planar movable valve plate 81 is installed between the upper stationary valve plate 82 and the lower stationary valve plate 83, and is positioned on the same rotating shaft as the upper stationary valve plate 82 and the lower stationary valve plate 83. The planar movable valve plate 81 rotates relative to the upper and lower stationary valve plates. When the planar movable valve plate 81 rotates to the point that the connecting hole 80 gradually coincides with the stationary valve hole 84 on the upper and lower stationary valve plates, the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe 2, and the drain pipe 2 can perform a drain operation.

[0047] Meanwhile, the drain valve assembly in this embodiment also includes a mounting housing 5. The first drive device 51, the second drive device 52, the driven component 7, and the drain valve 8 are all installed inside the mounting housing 5. The front end of the drain pipe 2 is located outside the mounting housing 5, and the drain pipe 2 can rotate relative to the mounting housing 5. The mounting housing 5 is fixed to the bottom of the pulping container. Sealing is required between the upper static valve plate 82, the lower static valve plate 83 and the mounting housing 5, between the mounting housing 5 and the pulping container, and between the lower static valve plate 83 and the drain pipe 2 to prevent leakage during the draining process.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first driving device 51 and the second driving device 52 are integrally formed, and both the first driving device 51 and the second driving device 52 are driven by the same motor 50. The first driving device 51 is a first incomplete gear, and the second driving device 52 is a second incomplete gear. The planar moving valve plate 81 has two connecting holes 80, including a slurry discharge hole 801 and a wastewater discharge hole 802 that are spaced apart from each other. During the rotation of the planar moving valve plate 81, the drain pipe 2 selectively connects or disconnects with either the slurry discharge hole 801 or the wastewater discharge hole 802. At the same time, in this embodiment, the teeth of the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear are staggered and do not overlap (as shown in Figure 3). Therefore, the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear do not drive the driven component 7 and the planar moving valve plate 81 to work at the same time.

[0049] In this embodiment, the first incomplete gear drives the intermediate gear first. After the driven gear drives the drain pipe to rotate to a predetermined position, the first incomplete gear disengages from the intermediate gear and stops driving it. The drain pipe also stops rotating accordingly. At this time, the second incomplete gear begins to mesh with the planar moving valve plate and drives the planar moving valve plate to rotate. When the slurry discharge hole or wastewater discharge hole on the planar moving valve plate coincides with the static valve hole on the upper and lower static valve plates, the slurry container is connected to the drain pipe. This ensures that the drain valve connects the slurry container to the drain pipe only after the drain pipe rotates to the predetermined position. This avoids the problem of slurry or wastewater being discharged during the rotation of the drain pipe, greatly improving the safety and reliability of the food processing machine.

[0050] To better understand the inventive concept of this invention, the working process of the drain valve assembly during the discharge of slurry and wastewater from the food processing machine is described here:

[0051] Slurry discharge process: When the slurry in the slurry preparation container has been prepared and needs to be discharged, since the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear are an integral structure, the motor drives the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear to rotate simultaneously. At the same time, since the teeth on the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear are axially staggered and do not overlap, the first incomplete gear first meshes with the driven component and drives the discharge pipe to rotate. During the rotation of the discharge pipe, since the second incomplete gear does not mesh with the planar moving valve plate, the planar moving valve plate remains stationary. When the discharge pipe rotates to the first predetermined position above the slurry receiving cup, the first incomplete gear just disengages from the driven component, and the discharge pipe stops rotating. At this time, the second incomplete gear just rotates to begin meshing with the planar moving valve plate and drives the planar moving valve plate to rotate. When the planar moving valve plate rotates until its discharge hole gradually coincides with the static valve hole on the upper and lower static valve plates, the slurry preparation container is connected to the discharge pipe, and the discharge pipe performs the slurry discharge operation in the slurry preparation container.

[0052] Valve closing process: After the slurry is discharged, the motor drives the second incomplete gear to rotate the planar moving valve plate in the opposite direction, so that the slurry discharge hole and the static valve hole are closed, realizing the shut-off of the slurry container and the drain pipe. According to the program setting, at this time, the motor stops working, and the food processing machine can automatically perform water intake and cleaning operations on the slurry container.

[0053] Waste Discharge Process: After the pulping container is cleaned, according to the program settings, the motor will start again and continue to drive the second incomplete gear to rotate the planar moving valve plate until the second incomplete gear disengages from the planar moving valve plate. At the same time, the first incomplete gear just engages with the driven component and drives the drain pipe to rotate in the opposite direction. When the drain pipe rotates to the second predetermined position above the wastewater box, the first incomplete gear just disengages from the driven component and the drain pipe stops rotating. At this time, the second incomplete gear also just rotates to re-engage with the planar moving valve plate and drives the planar moving valve plate to continue rotating. When the planar moving valve plate rotates until the wastewater discharge hole on it gradually coincides with the static valve hole on the upper and lower static valve plates, the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe, and the drain pipe performs waste discharge operation on the cleaning water in the pulping container.

[0054] It should be noted that the inventive concept of this embodiment is that the drain pipe and the drain valve do not work simultaneously. The drain valve is only driven by the second driving device after the drain pipe rotates to the corresponding predetermined position (the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position) until the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe. The principle behind this embodiment is as follows: the first driving device drives the driven component to rotate the drain pipe, and the second driving device drives the planar moving valve plate to rotate relative to the upper and lower stationary valve plates. The first driving device and the driven component, as well as the second driving device and the moving valve plate, form two sets of intermittent transmission mechanisms. These two sets of intermittent transmission mechanisms effectively avoid the problem of the valve opening and draining before the drain pipe has rotated to the correct position.

[0055] In this embodiment, during the slurry discharge or waste discharge process, the second driving device can also drive the drain valve multiple times, so that the slurry container and the drain pipe are connected and disconnected multiple times, thereby realizing multiple discharges from the drain pipe. Moreover, during this discharge process, the drain pipe always remains stationary at the corresponding predetermined position. For the food processing machine of this embodiment, if multiple slurry discharges are performed during the slurry discharge process, and each time the drain valve is closed, the water tank or water inlet device can first add water to the slurry container for mixing, and then the stirring device in the slurry container can stir and mix the slurry evenly before discharging, the food processing machine can produce slurry drinks for multiple people even with a small-capacity slurry container. If multiple waste discharges are performed during the waste discharge process, and the cleaning water in the pulping container is agitated by a stirring device each time the drain valve is closed before waste discharge, the food processing machine can be automatically cleaned more thoroughly. Alternatively, water can be introduced into the pulping container through a water inlet device each time the drain valve is closed to flush the inner wall of the pulping container before waste discharge, which can also achieve automatic cleaning of the food processing machine.

[0056] It should also be noted that, in this embodiment, the driven component may not require an intermediate gear, but only have a driven gear structure, forming a system where the first driving device directly drives the driven gear to rotate the drain pipe. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connection between the driven gear and the drain pipe can be either integrally formed or connected as a single unit through a separate installation and fixing method.

[0057] Of course, in this embodiment, the first driving device and the second driving device can also be driven by different motors. The first motor is controlled by a program to drive the first driving device to rotate the drain pipe to a predetermined position and then stop rotating. Then, the second motor drives the second driving device to rotate the planar moving valve plate to connect the pulping container with the drain pipe. However, this driving method is more expensive than using a single motor and requires more installation space. Meanwhile, to improve the reliability of the drain pipe rotation, a detection device can be installed inside the mounting housing to detect whether the drain pipe has rotated to the correct position or whether the planar moving valve plate has rotated to connect the pulping container with the drain pipe. When connection is detected, the motor is controlled to stop working, thus stopping the rotation of the planar moving valve plate and achieving continuous draining.

[0058] Furthermore, to prevent manual rotation of the drain pipe, anti-rotation ribs can be provided on the driven component. For example, in this embodiment, the first incomplete gear has a first driving tooth and an arc portion offset vertically from the first driving tooth. The intermediate gear is provided with anti-rotation ribs. Since the anti-rotation ribs have an arc surface corresponding to the contour of the arc portion, when the arc surface engages with the side of the arc portion, the arc portion can move along the surface of the arc surface as the motor drives the first incomplete gear to rotate. This achieves intermittent transmission of the driven component by the first incomplete gear. However, since the anti-rotation ribs and the arc portion form an anti-rotation structure, if an external force is applied to rotate the drain pipe, the driven component still cannot rotate actively, thus effectively avoiding accidental rotation of the drain pipe during the draining process and preventing the risk of burns to consumers. Of course, in this embodiment, there can be multiple arc portions and first driving teeth on the first incomplete gear. When there are multiple arc portions and first driving teeth, they need to be arranged at intervals, and adjacent arc portions and first driving teeth need to be offset. Of course, in this embodiment, arcuate portions can also be provided on both the upper and lower end faces of the first incomplete gear. In this case, two anti-rotation ribs opposite to the arcuate portions need to be provided on the upper and lower end faces of the intermediate gear. This arrangement can strengthen the locking strength of the driven gear and prevent the anti-rotation ribs from breaking due to excessive external force. Furthermore, the inventors have found through research that the arc length of a single arcuate portion is generally not less than 8mm. This is because if the arc length of a single arcuate portion is too small, less than 8mm, the anti-rotation ribs can still bypass the arcuate portion by actively applying external force to the drain pipe, thus allowing the driven component to still rotate. Based on this, for the structure of this embodiment, the arc length of both the arcuate portion and the anti-rotation ribs is generally required to be not less than 8mm. In addition, in this embodiment, since the drain pipe has two drain states, slurry drain state and wastewater drain state, two symmetrical anti-rotation ribs need to be provided on the intermediate gear to achieve anti-rotation by cooperating with different anti-rotation ribs when draining at different positions.

[0059] It should also be noted that the structural changes described in this embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments of the present invention.

[0060] Example 2:

[0061] like Figure 7 , Figure 8The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a second embodiment of the drain valve assembly of the food processing machine of the present invention. In this embodiment, the first driving device 51 and the second driving device 52 are also driven by the same motor 50. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the first driving device 51 is a first incomplete gear, the second driving device 52 is a second complete gear, the planar moving valve plate 81 is driven by the second complete gear, and there is only one connecting hole 80 on the planar moving valve plate 81. The drain pipe 2 is connected to and disconnected from the connecting hole 80. While the first incomplete gear drives the driven component, the second complete gear also synchronously drives the planar moving valve plate 81 to work. When the first incomplete gear rotates to disengage from the driven component, the second complete gear continues to drive the planar moving valve plate 81 to rotate until the connecting hole 80 connects with the drain pipe 2.

[0062] To better understand the inventive concept of this invention, the working process of the drain valve assembly during the discharge of slurry and wastewater from the food processing machine is described here:

[0063] Slurry discharge process: such as Figure 9 As shown, before slurry discharge, the drain pipe is at the second predetermined position above the wastewater box. When the slurry container has prepared the slurry and needs to be discharged, since the first incomplete gear and the second complete gear are also an integral structure, the motor drives the first incomplete gear and the second complete gear to rotate simultaneously in a clockwise direction. The first incomplete gear meshes with the driven component and drives the driven component to rotate, and the second complete gear meshes with the planar moving valve plate and drives the planar moving valve plate to rotate. When the first incomplete gear drives the driven component to rotate the drain pipe to the first predetermined position above the slurry receiving cup ( Figure 9 The position indicated by the dashed line is the location of the drain pipe. Since the first incomplete gear and the driven component are intermittently driven by incomplete gears, after the drain pipe rotates to the first predetermined position, the first incomplete gear just disengages from the driven component, and the drain pipe stops rotating. However, the second complete gear will still drive the planar moving valve plate to rotate. When the planar moving valve plate rotates until its connecting hole gradually coincides with the static valve hole on the upper and lower static valve plates, the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe, and the drain pipe performs the slurry discharge operation in the pulping container.

[0064] Valve closing process: such as Figure 10As shown, after the slurry discharge is completed, the second fully gear rotates counterclockwise, driving the planar moving valve plate to rotate, thereby closing the connecting hole and the stationary valve hole, thus shutting off the slurry container and the discharge pipe. Simultaneously, the second fully gear continues to drive the planar moving valve plate in the opposite direction. Since the first incomplete gear and the second fully gear are an integrated structure and driven by the same motor, when the second fully gear rotates to the point where the first incomplete gear re-engages with the driven component, the first incomplete gear will drive the driven component to rotate in the opposite direction. When the driven component drives the discharge pipe to the second predetermined position above the wastewater box, the first incomplete gear just disengages from the driven component. According to the program settings, when the discharge pipe rotates to the second predetermined position above the wastewater box and remains stationary (…), Figure 10 The position indicated by the dotted line is the waste discharge position where the drain pipe is above the wastewater box. The second complete gear will still drive the planar moving valve plate to rotate until the planar moving valve plate rotates to about 3 / 4 turn, and the pulping container is still in the closed state with the drain pipe. At this time, the control device controls the motor to stop working. At this time, the food processing machine starts to automatically perform water intake and cleaning operations on the pulping container.

[0065] Waste discharge process: such as Figure 11 As shown, after the pulping container is cleaned, the motor will restart according to the program settings, driving the first incomplete gear and the second complete gear to continue rotating counterclockwise. At this time, the first incomplete gear and the driven component are still disengaged, and the drain pipe remains stationary at the second predetermined position above the wastewater box for waste discharge. Figure 11 The position indicated by the dotted line is the waste discharge position where the drain pipe is above the wastewater box. The second complete gear will continue to drive the planar moving valve plate to rotate. When the connecting hole on the planar moving valve plate gradually connects with the static valve hole, the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe, and the drain pipe performs waste discharge operation on the cleaning water in the pulping container.

[0066] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the drain valve assembly is also equipped with a detection device for detecting when the planar moving valve plate rotates to the point where the connecting hole and the stationary valve hole are connected. When the detection device detects a signal, it will transmit the signal to the control device to control the motor to stop rotating, so as to realize continuous slurry or waste discharge from the drain pipe. At the same time, the detection device can also be used to detect when the planar moving valve plate rotates to the point where the connecting hole and the stationary valve hole are closed. When the valve is in the closed state, the control device controls the motor to stop rotating, and the food processing machine can perform a cleaning operation on the slurry container.

[0067] It should also be noted that the inventive concept of this embodiment is that the drain pipe and the drain valve work simultaneously. After the drain pipe rotates to the corresponding predetermined position, the drain valve continues to be driven by the second driving device until the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe. The principle behind this concept in this embodiment is mainly as follows: the first driving device drives the driven component to rotate the drain pipe, and the second driving device drives the planar moving valve plate to rotate relative to the upper and lower stationary valve plates. The first driving device and the driven component form an intermittent transmission mechanism, while the second driving device and the planar moving valve plate form a fully geared rotation mechanism. The first intermittent transmission mechanism effectively avoids the problem of the valve opening and draining before the drain pipe has rotated to the correct position.

[0068] In this embodiment, the intermittent transmission between the first driving device and the driven component can be an intermittent transmission mechanism of a Geneva wheel, in addition to intermittent transmission of an incomplete gear and a complete gear. For example, the first driving device is a cylindrical pin that rotates periodically, and the driven component is a Geneva wheel driven by the cylindrical pin. The Geneva wheel drives the drain pipe to rotate, and the cylindrical pin and the Geneva wheel form an intermittent transmission Geneva wheel mechanism. Of course, the intermittent transmission between the first driving device and the driven component in this embodiment is not limited to intermittent gear transmission and Geneva wheel transmission, but can also be other intermittent transmission mechanisms with the same function.

[0069] It should be noted that in this embodiment, after the drain pipe rotates to the corresponding predetermined position, it will stop moving for time t. Only after time t does the liquid in the slurry container begin to drain from the drain pipe. Research has shown that t is generally at least 0.2 seconds, which ensures that drainage only begins after the drain pipe has rotated to the correct position, further improving the safety and reliability of the food processor. Furthermore, during the period between the drain pipe stopping rotation and the start of drainage, the food processor can perform other functions. For example, in this embodiment, when the drain pipe rotates from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position and then stops rotating, the food processor first introduces water into the slurry container, then controls the pulverizing device to agitate the cleaning water in the slurry container to clean it. After cleaning, the second drive device then drives the drain valve until wastewater begins to drain. During this process, the cleaning time required from water intake to cleaning completion is T, while the time required from the drain pipe stopping rotation to the start of wastewater drainage is t. Obviously, t > T.

[0070] It should be noted that the above-described structure and variations of this embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments of the present invention.

[0071] Those skilled in the art will understand that this invention includes, but is not limited to, the contents described in the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments above. Any modifications that do not depart from the functional and structural principles of this invention will be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A food processing machine, comprising a pulping container, a drain pipe, a drain valve for controlling the connection and disconnection between the pulping container and the drain pipe, a pulp receiving cup located below the drain pipe, and a wastewater box, characterized in that: The drain pipe has a first predetermined position above the receiving cup and a second predetermined position above the wastewater box. After the drain pipe moves to the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position, the drain valve connects the pulping container to the drain pipe. After the drain pipe completes the draining at the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position, the drain valve closes the pulping container and the drain pipe, and the drain pipe moves synchronously from the current position to the other predetermined position.

2. The food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the drainage process, the drainage valve is activated, causing the pulping container to connect and disconnect from the drainage pipe multiple times, thus enabling multiple drainage operations while the drainage pipe remains stationary.

3. The food processing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The food processing machine also includes a stirring device, which is installed inside the pulping container. Each time the drain valve is activated to shut off the pulping container from the drain pipe, the stirring device stirs the liquid inside the pulping container.

4. The food processing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The food processing machine also includes a water inlet device, which is connected to the pulping container. Each time the drain valve is activated to shut off the pulping container from the drain pipe, the water inlet device introduces water into the pulping container.

5. The food processing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The water inlet device flushes water into the inner wall of the pulping container.

6. The food processing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The draining process is a slurry draining process, and the water inlet device first introduces water into the slurry container to mix the slurry, and then the stirring device stirs and homogenizes the mixed slurry.

7. The food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the drain pipe completes the discharge of slurry at the first predetermined position, the drain valve shuts off the slurry container from the drain pipe, and the drain pipe moves synchronously from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position and then stops. The food processing machine automatically cleans the slurry container. After cleaning, the drain valve starts to operate to connect the slurry container with the drain pipe, and the drain pipe remains at the second predetermined position to discharge wastewater.

8. The food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drain valve is fixed to the bottom of the pulping container; Alternatively, the drain valve may be a planar rotary valve; Alternatively, the drain pipe and the drain valve can be integrally formed; Alternatively, the drain pipe may be connected separately from the drain valve.

9. The food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drain valve is equipped with a detection device to detect whether the drain pipe has moved into place; Alternatively, the drain valve may be equipped with a detection device to detect whether the pulping container is connected to the drain pipe.

10. The food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The time from when the drain pipe stops moving to its position until the liquid in the pulping container flows out of the drain pipe is t, where 0.2s≤t.

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