An air fryer and self-cleaning control method

Abstract

The application discloses an air fryer and a self-cleaning control method. The air fryer comprises a pot body, a cooking cavity for accommodating food materials and a heat source assembly for providing high-temperature airflow into the cooking cavity are arranged in the pot body, and an exhaust port in communication with a space where the heat source assembly is arranged is arranged on the outer wall of the pot body. The pot body is externally provided with a cleaning assembly which is detachably connected to the pot body. The cleaning assembly is arranged to allow the liquid outlet end of the cleaning assembly to extend into the pot body through the exhaust port and spray cleaning solution towards the space where the heat source assembly is arranged. The control method comprises automatically starting the self-cleaning program according to the connection of the power line of the cleaning assembly after the cleaning assembly is installed on the pot body. The application provides an air fryer and a self-cleaning control method which can clean the space where the heat source assembly is arranged in the air fryer without disassembling the air fryer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of air fryers, specifically to an air fryer and a self-cleaning control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of air fryer technology and accessories, air fryers have gradually become an essential home appliance. However, during use, air fryers inevitably encounter the problem of grease accumulating on the heat source components, which are difficult to clean. These components mainly include the hot air fan, heat insulation plate, and heating element. In particular, grease on the back of the heating element and hot air fan is often impossible to clean. Even visible grease, such as on the large flat surface of the heat insulation plate and the fan, is difficult to reach with a towel due to the obstruction of the heating element and fan. Therefore, simply wiping with a towel is insufficient to completely remove grease from existing air fryers during cleaning.

[0003] Existing technologies also consider designing the heating element and fan as detachable structures, such as the air fryer with patent publication number CN214281693U. While this design allows for better cleaning of grease, the air fryer is typically turned upside down during disassembly. Wiping it with a damp towel at this time could easily cause liquid water to enter the machine through the gaps between the components, potentially leading to a water or electrical accident. Furthermore, if the heating fan is not installed correctly or is installed backwards after disassembly and cleaning, it can violently impact the heating element or heat insulation plate, also posing a safety hazard. Therefore, this method of thoroughly cleaning grease by disassembling components is not widely accepted.

[0004] In addition, existing technologies have considered how to achieve cleaning without disassembly. For example, those skilled in the art have considered using steam to clean oil stains. However, it should be noted that existing air fryers do not have reliable internal seals, and steam can easily enter electrical components. Moreover, steam cleaning requires the steam to form a strong impact force. Existing devices for providing steam generally spray steam through small pipes to form a steam flow. However, as mentioned above, the heating elements, hot air fan, and heat insulation plates in an air fryer block each other, so it is difficult for the steam flow to cover the entire surface, resulting in incomplete cleaning and poor effect. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to at least partially solve one of the technical problems in the related art: to provide an air fryer that can clean the space where the heat source components are located inside the air fryer without disassembling the air fryer.

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an air fryer comprising a pot body, wherein the pot body is provided with a cooking cavity for containing food and a heat source component for providing high-temperature airflow into the cooking cavity, and the outer wall of the pot body has an exhaust port communicating with the space where the heat source component is located, characterized in that: a cleaning component is provided outside the pot body and detachably connected to the pot body, the cleaning component being configured to allow the liquid outlet end of the cleaning component to extend into the pot body through the exhaust port and spray cleaning solution into the space where the heat source component is located.

[0007] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: First, it makes full use of the exhaust port already present on the body of the existing air fryer. Only an external cleaning component capable of spraying cleaning solution is needed. The liquid outlet of the cleaning component is inserted into the body of the air fryer through the exhaust port and sprays the cleaning solution into the space where the heat source component is located to achieve rinsing of the space where the heat source component is located. The heat source component of the air fryer does not need to be removed during the entire rinsing process. At the same time, the solution is directly directed towards the heat source component through the exhaust port, so the rinsing effect is good.

[0008] According to one example of the invention, the cleaning assembly includes a seal disposed on the liquid outlet end, the seal being configured to seal the assembly gap between the liquid outlet end and the vent when the cleaning assembly is mounted on the pot body.

[0009] According to an example of the present invention, the cleaning assembly includes a water tank, a water pump, a water pipe, and a nozzle. The water tank is detachably connected to the pot body, the water pump is mounted on the water tank and the water inlet of the water pump is connected to the water tank, the nozzle and the seal are both disposed on the liquid outlet end of the water tank, and the nozzle is connected to the water outlet of the water pump through the water pipe.

[0010] When the water tank is connected to the pot body, the nozzle extends into the pot body through the vent, and the seal seals the assembly gap between the nozzle and the vent.

[0011] According to one example of the present invention, a nozzle mounting bracket is provided on the outlet end of the water tank, the nozzle mounting bracket is fixedly connected to the water tank, and the nozzle and the seal are both mounted on the nozzle mounting bracket.

[0012] According to one example of the present invention, the pot body is provided with a controller, and the water pump is electrically connected to the controller.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water tank has a clean water chamber for containing water and a cleaning liquid chamber for containing cleaning liquid, and the clean water chamber and the cleaning liquid chamber are respectively connected to the nozzle through their respective water pumps.

[0014] According to one example of the invention, the heat source assembly includes a heating tube suspended above the cooking cavity, a hot air fan located above the heating tube, and a heat shield covering the hot air fan, the heat shield having an internal exhaust port corresponding to the exhaust port, the tip of the nozzle extending into the pot body through the internal exhaust port.

[0015] According to one example of the invention, the nozzle is configured to face the heat shield in an upward oblique direction.

[0016] The present invention aims to at least partially solve one of the technical problems in the related art: to provide a self-cleaning control method for an air fryer, which can clean the space where the heat source components are located inside the air fryer without disassembling the air fryer, making the self-cleaning process simple and the cleaning effect good.

[0017] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a self-cleaning control method for an air fryer, comprising the aforementioned air fryer, wherein the water tank of the cleaning assembly has a clean water chamber for containing water and a cleaning liquid chamber for containing cleaning liquid, wherein the clean water chamber and the cleaning liquid chamber are respectively connected to a nozzle via their respective water pumps, characterized in that the control method includes:

[0018] Pour sufficient cleaning solution and water into the corresponding cleaning solution chamber and clean water chamber, respectively.

[0019] The water tank is installed outside the boiler body so that the nozzle on the water outlet end of the water tank extends into the boiler body, while the sealing component seals the assembly gap between the nozzle and the vent.

[0020] Connect the power cord on the cleaning component's water pump to the controller on the pot body;

[0021] After the controller detects the signal that the power cord of the cleaning component is connected to the controller, it starts the self-cleaning program. The controller controls the corresponding water pump to draw clean water and / or cleaning fluid and spray it out from the nozzle according to the self-cleaning program. The last control command before the end of the self-cleaning program is to control the water pump corresponding to the clean water chamber to draw clean water and spray it out from the nozzle.

[0022] After the self-cleaning process is complete, disconnect the power cord from the controller and disassemble the cleaning component.

[0023] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: First, it has the beneficial effect of having a cleaning component itself. Second, the controller can automatically detect the signal of the power cord of the cleaning component and automatically start the self-cleaning program. The self-cleaning program can make the nozzle alternately spray clean water and cleaning fluid, which can not only better remove oil stains, but also wash away the cleaning fluid remaining on the heat source component after rinsing with clean water, reducing the residue of cleaning fluid.

[0024] According to an example of the present invention, the heat source assembly in the air fryer includes a heating tube suspended above the cooking chamber, a hot air fan located above the heating tube, and a heat shield covering the hot air fan, the heat shield having an internal exhaust port corresponding to the exhaust port, and the front end of the nozzle in the cleaning assembly extending into the body of the fryer through the internal exhaust port.

[0025] The self-cleaning procedure includes: the controller controlling the hot fan to turn on, and turning the heating element on or off according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air fryer of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is an explosion diagram of the air fryer of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air fryer of the present invention in a semi-sectional state.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cleaning component.

[0031] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the cleaning components.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the cleaning component and the heat source component.

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the flow direction of the solution sprayed from the cleaning components within the heat shield.

[0034] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the flow direction of the solution sprayed from the cleaning components as it falls back from the heat shield.

[0035] Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing the overall flow direction of the solution sprayed from the cleaning component within the heat source component.

[0036] Among them, 100 is the pot body; 200 is the cleaning components;

[0037] 1. Cooking cavity; 2. Heat source assembly; 3. Exhaust vent; 4. Heating element; 5. Hot air fan; 6. Heat insulation cover; 7. Motor; 8. Internal exhaust vent; 9. Water tank; 10. Water pump; 11. Nozzle; 12. Water pipe; 13. Nozzle mounting bracket; 14. Seal; 15. Controller; 15.1. Wiring interface; 16. Purified water chamber; 17. Cleaning liquid chamber; 18. Locking groove; 19. Guide column; 20. Lower limit lock; 21. Upper limit lock. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated 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 intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0039] The air fryer and self-cleaning control method according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] This invention provides an air fryer, as shown in the figure, which includes a pot body 100. The pot body 100 has a cooking cavity 1 for containing food and a heat source component 2 for providing high-temperature airflow into the cooking cavity 1. The outer wall of the pot body 100 has an exhaust port 3 that communicates with the space where the heat source component 2 is located. The invention is characterized in that: a cleaning component 200 is provided on the outside of the pot body 100 and is detachably connected to the pot body 100. The cleaning component 200 is configured to allow the liquid outlet end of the cleaning component 200 to extend into the pot body 100 through the exhaust port 3 and spray cleaning solution into the space where the heat source component 2 is located.

[0041] In this embodiment, the pot body 100, the cooking cavity 1 located within the pot body 100, and the heat source component 2 constitute the basic components of a conventional air fryer. Conventional pot bodies 100 typically have an exhaust port 3, which serves to release pressure. This embodiment utilizes an external cleaning component 200, allowing it to be detachably installed outside the pot body 100. When installed, the liquid outlet of the cleaning component 200 extends into the pot body 100 through the exhaust port 3, thus cleaning the space containing the heat source component. In conventional air fryers, the presence of heating elements, fans, and other components at the heat source component location makes it difficult to thoroughly clean the grease and grime adhering to the space during regular hand washing. The advantage of this embodiment is the full utilization of the exhaust port 3, enabling efficient and thorough cleaning of the space containing the heat source component without disassembly.

[0042] In some embodiments, when the cleaning component 200 is installed outside the pot body 100 to be cleaned, although its liquid outlet extends into the pot body 100 through the exhaust port to rinse the space where the heat source components are located inside the pot body 100, during the rinsing process, sewage or sewage-containing mist generated during the rinsing process will leak out from the gap between the liquid outlet and the exhaust port. The leaked sewage not only contaminates the outer surface of the pot body 100, but the overflowing sewage may also contaminate electronic buttons and other objects on the outer surface of the pot body 100. Therefore, the improvement of this embodiment is that the cleaning component 200 includes a sealing member 14 arranged on the liquid outlet, and the sealing member 14 is configured to seal the assembly gap between the liquid outlet and the exhaust port 3 when the cleaning component 200 is installed on the pot body 100. The seal 14 is located on the liquid outlet of the cleaning assembly 200. When the cleaning assembly 200 is fixedly installed on the pot body 100, the seal 14 moves close to the vent along with the liquid outlet. After the liquid outlet extends into the vent, the seal 14 can seal the assembly gap between the liquid outlet and the vent, thus effectively preventing sewage or water vapor containing sewage from flowing out through the assembly gap during the self-cleaning process. Therefore, the sewage flowing out after rinsing and cleaning the space where the heat source assembly is located during the entire self-cleaning process can flow into the cooking cavity of the pot body 100 under its own gravity, allowing the user to easily pour out the sewage.

[0043] Based on the preferred embodiment of the cleaning component 200 in the above embodiments: the cleaning component 200 includes a water tank 9, a water pump 10, a water pipe 12, and a nozzle 11. The water tank 9 is configured to be detachably connected to the outer wall of the pot body 100. The water pump 10 is fixedly installed on the water tank 9, and the inlet of the water pump 10 is connected to the inner cavity of the water tank 9 for drawing the solution in the water tank 9. The water tank 9 is provided with an outlet for spraying out the solution. The nozzle 11 and the sealing member 14 are both provided on the outlet of the water tank 9. The nozzle 11 is connected to the outlet of the water pump 10 through the water pipe 12. The sealing member 14 is configured such that when the water tank 9 is connected to the pot body 100, the nozzle 11 extends into the pot body 100 through the vent 3, and the sealing member 14 seals the assembly gap between the nozzle 11 and the vent 3. In this embodiment, the water pump 10 can automatically extract the solution in the water tank 9 and pump it to the nozzle 11 through the water pipe. Finally, the solution is sprayed towards the heat source component in the pot body 1 through the nozzle 11 to achieve the purpose of rinsing and cleaning.

[0044] Furthermore, in order to keep the liquid outlet of the water tank 9 stably at the vent position of the pot body 100, the improvement of this embodiment is as follows: a nozzle mounting bracket 13 is provided on the liquid outlet of the water tank 9, the nozzle mounting bracket 13 is fixedly connected to the water tank 9, and the nozzle 11 and the sealing member 14 are both installed on the nozzle mounting bracket 13.

[0045] Preferably, the nozzle mounting bracket 13 and the water tank 9 can be an integrally formed structure, or the nozzle mounting bracket 13 and the water tank 9 can be fixed by means of snap-fit, riveting, threaded connection, etc. The nozzle mounting bracket 13 and the water tank 9 adopt a separate structure and are fixedly connected to each other, which can facilitate the installation of the nozzle and the seal 14.

[0046] In some embodiments, to achieve a detachable connection between the cleaning component and the pot body 100, specifically, a recessed locking groove 18 is provided on the outer side wall of the pot body 100 near the bottom, and a guide post 19 matching the locking groove 18 is provided on the outer side wall of the water tank 9 in the cleaning component, the guide post 19 being inserted into the locking groove 18. Preferably, a lower limit buckle 20 is provided on the guide post 19, and a slot matching the lower limit buckle 20 is provided in the locking groove 18.

[0047] Furthermore, to ensure a more secure and stable connection between the cleaning components and the pot body 100, the nozzle mounting bracket 13 is provided with an upper limit buckle 21, and the exhaust port 3 has a slot that matches the upper limit buckle 21. Thus, when the nozzle mounting bracket 13 is inserted into the exhaust port 3, the snap-fit ​​connection between the upper limit buckle 21 and the slot allows the nozzle mounting bracket 13 to remain within the exhaust port 3.

[0048] In some embodiments, the pot body 100 is provided with a controller 15, and the water pump 10 is electrically connected to the controller 15. Specifically, the cleaning assembly has a power cord electrically connected to the water pump 10, and the pot body 100 is provided with a line interface 15.1 electrically connected to the controller 15. The plug of the power cord is plugged into the line interface 15.1, thereby enabling the controller 15 to receive signals from the power cord of the water pump 10. At the same time, the controller 15 can also control the battery module inside the pot body 100 to provide power for the water pump 10 to operate.

[0049] In some embodiments, since the space where the heat source components of the air fryer are located accumulates a lot of oil stains during daily cooking, rinsing with clean water alone is not very effective at removing the oil stains. Furthermore, rinsing with only an oil-removing cleaning solution leaves some cleaning solution residue inside the air fryer body 100. Therefore, the improvement in this embodiment is that the water tank 9 has a clean water chamber 16 for containing pure water and a cleaning solution chamber 17 for containing cleaning solution. The clean water chamber 16 and the cleaning solution chamber 17 are respectively connected to the nozzle 11 via their respective water pumps 10. Specifically, the bottom of the water tank 9 has two water pumps 10, the inlets of which are respectively connected to their respective clean water chambers 16 and cleaning solution chambers 17. The outlets of the two water pumps 10 are respectively connected to the nozzles via water pipes, which are T-shaped pipes connected to the outlets of the two water pumps 10 and the nozzles.

[0050] like Figure 3 As shown, the heat source assembly 2 includes a heating tube 4 suspended above the cooking cavity 1, a hot air fan 5 located above the heating tube 4, and a heat insulation cover 6 covering the hot air fan 5. The heat insulation cover 6 has an internal exhaust port 8 corresponding to the exhaust port 3. The exhaust port 3 and the internal exhaust port 8 form a channel that can extend from the outside of the pot body 100 into the heat insulation cover 6. The nozzle 11 on the liquid outlet end of the cleaning assembly extends into the heat insulation cover 6 through this channel to spray a cleaning solution into the heat insulation cover, thereby completing the cleaning of the heat insulation cover and the hot air fan 5 and heating tube 4 below the heat insulation cover. In this embodiment, the nozzle 11 extending into the heat insulation cover 6 through the channel can be either the front end of the nozzle 11 with the spray nozzle extending into the pot body 100 through the internal exhaust port 8, or the entire nozzle 11 extending into the pot body 100.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, the pot body 100 has an equipment mounting cavity located above the heat insulation cover 6. A motor 7 is installed within this cavity, and the output shaft of the motor 7 passes through the heat insulation cover 6 and is connected to a hot air fan 5 to drive the fan 5. The controller 15 is located within this mounting cavity, thereby reducing the impact of the heat from the heating element 4 on the controller 15 through the heat insulation effect of the heat insulation cover 6. Both the heating element 4 and the motor 7 are electrically connected to the controller 15. The pot body 100 is equipped with an external power supply or a built-in power supply that is electrically connected to the controller 15.

[0052] Preferably, such as Figure 9As shown, the nozzle 11 is configured to face the heat insulation cover 6 at an angle upwards. Specifically, the internal exhaust port 8 on the heat insulation cover 6 is located on one side of the heat insulation cover 6 in the horizontal direction. The nozzle 11 extends into the heat insulation cover 6 through the internal exhaust port 8 and sprays the cleaning solution in an angle upwards in the vertical direction and inclined in the horizontal direction. At this time, the solution sprayed from the nozzle 11 can first rinse the inner surface of the heat insulation cover 6. Under the action of its own gravity and the downward rebound force after impacting the heat insulation cover 6, the solution drips downwards onto the hot air fan 5. As the hot air fan 5 rotates slowly, the oil stains attached to the hot air fan 5 are washed away from top to bottom by the solution, achieving the cleaning effect of removing dirt from the hot air fan 5. Finally, the solution dripping from the hot air fan 5 further drips onto the heating tube 4, finally completing the cleaning of the heat insulation cover 6, the hot air fan 5 and the heating tube 4.

[0053] Based on the structure of the cleaning component in the above embodiments, a self-cleaning control method for an air fryer is further provided, including the air fryer in the above embodiments, wherein the water tank 9 in the cleaning component 200 of the air fryer is configured to have two inner cavities, one inner cavity being a clean water cavity 16 for containing water, and the other inner cavity being a cleaning liquid cavity 17 for containing cleaning liquid, wherein the clean water cavity 16 and the cleaning liquid cavity 17 are respectively connected to the nozzle 11 through their respective water pumps 10, characterized in that the control method includes:

[0054] Step S1: Pour sufficient cleaning solution and water into the corresponding cleaning solution chamber 17 and clean water chamber 16 respectively;

[0055] Step S2: Install the water tank 9, which is filled with cleaning solution and water, outside the pot body 100, so that the nozzle 11 on the water outlet end of the water tank 9 extends into the pot body 100, and at the same time, the sealing component 14 seals the assembly gap between the nozzle 11 and the exhaust port 3.

[0056] Step S3: Connect the power cord on the cleaning component to the controller 15 on the pot body 100, thereby connecting the water pump to the controller 15 via the power cord.

[0057] Step S4: After the controller 15 detects the signal that the power cord of the cleaning component is connected to the controller 15, it starts the self-cleaning program in the controller 15. The controller 15 controls the corresponding water pump 10 to draw clean water and / or cleaning liquid and spray it out from the nozzle 11 according to the self-cleaning program. The last control command before the end of the self-cleaning program is to control the water pump 10 corresponding to the clean water chamber 16 to draw clean water and spray it out from the nozzle 11.

[0058] Step S5: After the self-cleaning program is completed, disconnect the power cord from the controller 15 and disassemble the cleaning component 200.

[0059] In this embodiment, the self-cleaning program refers to the control program input into the controller 15. The controller generates several control commands based on the self-cleaning program, and each control command is executed sequentially according to the time axis to automatically complete the self-cleaning process. Preferably, the control commands of the self-cleaning program can control the two water pumps 10 to alternately draw clean water or cleaning fluid, thereby achieving alternating rinsing of the space where the heat source component is located with clean water and cleaning fluid. Of course, in order to maintain a high temperature in the space where the heat source component is located, thereby improving the cleaning performance of the cleaning fluid, the self-cleaning program has at least one pause time for stopping the nozzle 11 from working. In addition, in order to minimize the amount of cleaning fluid remaining on the heat source component after cleaning, the last control command of the self-cleaning program should control the water pump 10 to draw clean water to rinse the space where the heat source component is located, thereby minimizing the amount of cleaning fluid residue. In this embodiment, the parameters involved in the self-cleaning program, such as the water output of the nozzle 11, pause time, pause interval, and rinsing time, can be obtained by those skilled in the art through a limited number of experiments inspired by this embodiment. Therefore, the specific values ​​of each parameter are not described in detail in this embodiment.

[0060] Based on the preferred embodiment described above, the cleaning fluid chamber 17 within the water tank 9 for containing the cleaning fluid can be one or more. The cleaning fluid is preferably a sodium bicarbonate solution, vinegar, or other cleaning fluid whose degreasing ability increases with higher temperatures.

[0061] Further improvements to the above control method: The heat source component 2 in the air fryer includes a heating tube 4 suspended above the cooking chamber 1, a hot air fan 5 located above the heating tube 4, and a heat insulation cover 6 covering the hot air fan 5. The heat insulation cover 6 has an internal exhaust port 8 corresponding to the exhaust port 3. The front end of the nozzle 11 in the cleaning component 200 extends into the pot body 100 through the internal exhaust port 8. A temperature sensor is provided inside the pot body 100.

[0062] The self-cleaning procedure includes: the controller 15 controls the hot air fan 5 to turn on, and controls the heating element 4 to turn on or off according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor rises to the set upper temperature limit, the controller controls the heating element 4 to turn off; when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor drops to the set lower temperature limit, the controller controls the heating element 4 to turn on. The upper temperature limit X is 60℃ ≤ X < 100℃. When the ambient temperature of the heat source component exceeds 100℃, the cleaning solution and purified water in the rinsing process easily evaporate, generating a large amount of steam. This steam not only poses a safety hazard but can also easily seep through the gaps in the equipment into the air fryer controller and the motor, causing equipment malfunction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the upper temperature limit for controlling the heating element 4 to turn off in the self-cleaning procedure is less than 100℃. Preferably, the upper temperature limit X is any one of 70℃, 75℃, 80℃, 85℃, 90℃, and 95℃.

[0063] In some embodiments, the flow path of the solution ejected from the nozzle 11 in the region where the heat source component 2 is located is as follows: Figures 7-9 As shown, the heat insulation cover 6 has an inverted bowl-shaped structure. The inner surface of the heat insulation cover 6 includes an inner top surface and an inner side surface. After the solution is sprayed from the nozzle 11, it moves obliquely upward along path C1 toward the inner top surface of the heat insulation cover 6, and spreads along path C2 on the inner top surface of the heat insulation cover 6. As a large amount of solution accumulates on the inner top surface of the heat insulation cover 6, it forms large droplets and drips downward from the inner top surface of the heat insulation cover 6, that is, the solution drips from top to bottom along path C3. Then the solution drips onto the hot air fan 5, and as the hot air fan 5 rotates... Part of the solution is thrown out radially outward, that is, along path C4 onto the inner side of the heat insulation cover 6 and then drips down along path C6. Another part of the solution drips down along path C5 onto the heating tube 4. Finally, the solution dripping down along path C5 onto the heating tube 4, as well as the solution dripping down along path C6 from the inner side of the heat insulation cover 6, all flow into the bottom of the pot located at the bottom of the cooking cavity 1. The cleaning personnel only need to disassemble the cleaning components and pour out the wastewater that has accumulated at the bottom of the pot in the air fryer after the self-cleaning program is completed.

[0064] It should be noted that the solution in this embodiment refers to a medium that can clean the air fryer. It includes liquids such as pure water, solutions containing various solutes, and solutions sprayed out in a gaseous or gas-liquid mixture manner. All substances that can be sprayed out by the nozzle 11 to rinse the heat source components inside the air fryer should fall within the scope of the solution in this embodiment.

[0065] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0066] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0067] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0068] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0069] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," 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 present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0070] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0071] For those skilled in the art, various changes and modifications will undoubtedly be apparent after reading the above description. Therefore, the appended claims should be construed as covering all changes and modifications that encompass the true intent and scope of the invention. Any and all equivalent scope and content within the scope of the claims should be considered to remain within the intent and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning control method for an air fryer, wherein the air fryer includes a pot body (100), the pot body (100) having a cooking cavity (1) for containing food and a heat source component (2) for providing high-temperature airflow into the cooking cavity (1), and the outer wall of the pot body (100) having an exhaust port (3) communicating with the space where the heat source component (2) is located, characterized in that: The pot body (100) is provided with a cleaning component (200) that is detachably connected to the pot body (100). The cleaning component (200) is configured to allow the liquid outlet end of the cleaning component (200) to extend into the pot body (100) through the exhaust port (3) and spray cleaning solution toward the space where the heat source component (2) is located. The cleaning component (200) includes a water tank (9), a water pump (10), a water pipe (12), a nozzle (11), and a seal (14). The water tank (9) is detachably connected to the pot body (100). The water pump (10) is installed on the water tank (9) and the inlet of the water pump (10) is connected to the water tank (9). The nozzle (11) and the seal (14) are both located on the liquid outlet of the water tank (9), and the nozzle (11) is connected to the outlet of the water pump (10) through the water pipe (12). When the water tank (9) is connected to the pot body (100), the nozzle (11) extends into the pot body (100) through the exhaust port (3) and causes the seal (14) to seal the assembly gap between the nozzle (11) and the exhaust port (3). The pot body (100) is equipped with a controller (15), and the water pump (10) is electrically connected to the controller (15); The water tank (9) in the cleaning assembly (200) has a water purification chamber (16) for holding water and a cleaning liquid chamber (17) for holding cleaning liquid. The water purification chamber (16) and the cleaning liquid chamber (17) are respectively connected to the nozzle (11) through their respective water pumps (10). The control method is characterized by comprising: Pour sufficient cleaning solution and water into the corresponding cleaning solution chamber (17) and water purification chamber (16) respectively; Install the water tank (9) outside the pot body (100) so that the nozzle (11) on the water outlet end of the water tank (9) extends into the pot body (100), while the sealing component (14) seals the assembly gap between the nozzle (11) and the exhaust port (3). Connect the power cord on the cleaning component water pump (10) to the controller (15) on the pot body (100); After the controller (15) detects the signal that the power cord of the cleaning component is connected to the controller (15), it starts the self-cleaning program. The controller (15) controls the corresponding water pump (10) to draw clean water and / or cleaning liquid and spray it out from the nozzle (11) according to the self-cleaning program. The last control command before the end of the self-cleaning program is to control the water pump (10) corresponding to the clean water chamber (16) to draw clean water and spray it out from the nozzle (11). After the self-cleaning process is complete, disconnect the power cord from the controller (15) and remove the cleaning assembly (200).

2. The self-cleaning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water tank (9) is provided with a nozzle mounting bracket (13) at the liquid outlet end. The nozzle mounting bracket (13) is fixedly connected to the water tank (9). The nozzle (11) and the seal (14) are both installed on the nozzle mounting bracket (13).

3. The self-cleaning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water tank (9) has a water purification chamber (16) for holding water and a cleaning liquid chamber (17) for holding cleaning liquid. The water purification chamber (16) and the cleaning liquid chamber (17) are respectively connected to the nozzle (11) through their respective water pumps (10).

4. The self-cleaning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat source assembly (2) includes a heating tube (4) suspended above the cooking cavity (1), a hot fan (5) located above the heating tube (4), and a heat shield (6) covering the hot fan (5). The heat shield (6) has an internal exhaust port (8) corresponding to the exhaust port (3). The front end of the nozzle (11) extends into the pot body (100) through the internal exhaust port (8).

5. The self-cleaning control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The nozzle (11) is configured to face the heat shield (6) in an upward direction.

6. The self-cleaning control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: A temperature sensor is installed inside the pot body (100); The self-cleaning procedure includes: the controller (15) controlling the hot fan (5) to turn on, and turning the heating tube (4) on or off according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

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