Easy-to-clean electric rice cooker

Abstract

This invention discloses an easy-to-clean rice cooker, comprising a cooker body, a lid attached to the cooker body, and an inner pot disposed within the cooker body for cooking rice. The cooker body is equipped with a heating device that heats the inner pot to cook rice. The inner pot comprises a metal outer layer and a stainless steel inner layer. The inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer has hydrophilic textures, which are used to absorb moisture from the rice during the cooking process and form a water film to wet the rice and the inner wall of the inner pot. This invention, by creating hydrophilic textures on the surface of the stainless steel inner layer, gives it good hydrophilicity. Compared to a smooth stainless steel surface, it can absorb small amounts of water from the inner wall of the inner pot and water vapor from the gaps between the rice grains. This causes the water vapor to form small water droplets that adhere to the surface of the stainless steel inner layer, forming a water film. This water film wets the rice, reducing the adhesion between the rice and the inner pot, preventing the rice from sticking to the inner wall of the inner pot, thus ultimately achieving a non-stick, coating-free effect.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application filed on December 5, 2022, with application number 202211545517.X and invention title "An Easy-to-Clean Rice Cooker". Technical Field

[0002] This invention belongs to the field of household appliances, and in particular relates to an easy-to-clean rice cooker. Background Technology

[0003] Cooking appliances such as rice cookers generally consist of a pot body and a lid. The pot body contains an inner pot and a heating element such as a heating plate or IH coil. The inner pot is typically made of metal. When the heating element is powered on, it transfers heat to the inner pot, cooking the rice. However, rice cookers often experience rice sticking during the cooking process, making the inner pot difficult to clean afterward and negatively impacting the user experience. To address this technical problem, existing technologies mainly offer the following solutions:

[0004] One type involves applying a non-stick coating to the inner wall of the inner pot. However, this non-stick coating is prone to peeling off during long-term cooking, especially under high-temperature cooking and dry-heating conditions. This not only affects its non-stick effect but also poses a certain risk to human health. To address this, existing technologies also involve creating grooves on the surface of the inner wall of the inner pot, with the non-stick coating only applied within these grooves. This aims to reduce the area of ​​the coating and minimize the probability of it peeling off due to scratches or other factors. However, this solution still carries the risk of the coating peeling off.

[0005] One type is an anti-stick surface disclosed in patent CN201710759378.3, which uses a rough surface with a roughness on the order of micrometers to reduce surface energy and improve surface hydrophobicity. The contact surface between the contacted substance and the anti-stick surface becomes a composite contact surface, which effectively reduces the contact area between the contacted substance and the anti-stick surface. The adsorption force between the contacted substance and the anti-stick surface is significantly reduced, so the substance cannot adhere and accumulate on the anti-stick surface, thus achieving anti-sticking. However, when this structure is applied to the surface of the inner pot of a rice cooker, the starch released from the rice during cooking will fill the depressions between the protrusions and the depressions in the pits. The starch gelatinization is even more viscous, which makes this structure unsuitable for the surface of the inner pot of a rice cooker and unable to achieve the effect of no coating and no sticking. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention provides an easy-to-clean rice cooker to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the specific technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0008] An easy-to-clean rice cooker includes a cooker body, a cooker lid covering the cooker body, and an inner pot disposed within the cooker body for cooking rice. The cooker body is equipped with a heating device that heats the inner pot to cook rice. The inner pot includes a metal outer layer and a stainless steel inner layer. The inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer is provided with hydrophilic textures, which are used to absorb moisture during the rice cooking process and form a water film to wet the rice and the inner wall of the inner pot.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the hydrophilic texture includes a plurality of independent water-retaining grooves formed by the indentation of the inner wall of the inner liner and a support texture formed between adjacent water-retaining grooves. The water-retaining grooves and the support texture work together to adsorb water vapor and form a water film.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the radius of the water-retaining groove is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, and the ratio of the width of the support pattern to the radius of the water-retaining groove is between 1 / 2 and 2.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the radius of the water-retaining groove is 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, so that the rice covers at least two or more of the water-retaining grooves.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the height difference between the bottom of the water storage groove and the top of the water storage groove is greater than or equal to 0.02 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of water-retaining grooves are distributed in a dot matrix or ring array, and the density of the water-retaining grooves is not less than 30 per square centimeter.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the outer metal layer includes a middle thermally conductive layer and an outer stainless steel layer, and the water-retaining groove is located in the inner stainless steel layer and recessed towards the middle thermally conductive layer.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner pot includes a bottom wall and a side wall extending upward from the bottom wall, the hydrophilic ripples are distributed on the bottom wall and at least a portion of the side wall, the easy-to-clean rice cooker has a maximum cooking capacity, and the height of the rice corresponding to the maximum cooking capacity is less than the distribution height of the hydrophilic ripples on the side wall.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the hydrophilic texture is provided with a metal film, which is used to improve the hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic texture.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pot body includes an inner cover and an outer cover, a cooling fan is provided between the inner cover and the outer cover, and an air outlet channel is provided in the inner cover corresponding to the cooling fan, the air outlet channel being disposed towards the inner pot.

[0018] After adopting the above technology, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0019] During the rice cooking process, the rice has gelatinized, and most of the water in the inner pot has been absorbed by the rice or vaporized into water vapor. This invention, by creating hydrophilic textures on the surface of the stainless steel inner layer, alters the geometric structure of the stainless steel surface, thereby changing the water contact angle and improving the wettability of the stainless steel surface. This gives it excellent hydrophilicity. Compared to a smooth stainless steel surface, it can absorb a small amount of water from the inner wall of the inner pot and water vapor from the gaps between the rice grains. This causes water and vapor to form small droplets that adhere to the surface of the stainless steel inner layer and form a water film. This water film wets the rice and the inner wall of the inner pot, reducing the adhesion between the rice and the inner pot, preventing the rice from sticking to the inner wall. Furthermore, due to the hydrophilicity of the stainless steel inner layer surface, even if the starch released from the rice fills the hydrophilic textures, it can still be wetted by the remaining small amount of water in the inner pot and the formed water film, maintaining the water film and moisture. This prevents the water film in the heated parts of the inner pot from disappearing too quickly, ensuring that the rice remains non-stick during long-term heat preservation. Ultimately, this achieves a non-stick, coating-free effect, making it convenient for users to clean the inner pot.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hydrophilic texture includes multiple independent water-retaining grooves formed by the indentation of the inner wall of the inner liner and a support texture formed between adjacent water-retaining grooves. The water-retaining grooves and the support texture work together to absorb water vapor and form a water film. In the early stages of rice cooking, the water-retaining grooves, being closer to the heating element, allow for three-dimensional heating of the rice grains through their bottom and walls. This enables the heating element to better transfer heat to the rice grains, improving the cooking speed and quality. Towards the end of cooking, the support texture reduces the direct contact area between the rice and the inner pot, decreasing the heat transferred directly to the rice and preventing it from burning or sticking due to excessive heat. The water-retaining grooves, working in conjunction with the support textures, increase the contact area between water and steam and the inner wall of the pot, providing more adhesion points and enhancing the hydrophilicity of the stainless steel surface. This facilitates the adhesion of small water droplets to the surface of the stainless steel inner layer, forming a water film. Furthermore, because the water-retaining grooves are independent and unconnected, the water droplets are trapped within them by the support textures under surface tension. This allows the droplets, either alone or together with the soaked starch, to continuously wet the rice and the inner wall of the pot, increasing the water film's wetting time and improving the non-stick effect of the uncoated design.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the radius of the water-retaining groove is 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, so that the rice covers at least two of the water-retaining grooves. This arrangement allows some of the water-retaining grooves to form an anti-stick cavity with the rice grains, enabling the rice grains to retain some water in the anti-stick cavity under their own weight and the pressure of other rice grains. Towards the end of the rice cooking process, the water in the anti-stick cavity vaporizes into steam, which, together with the heated and expanding air, slightly lifts the rice grains. This steam, combined with the water film formed in other water-retaining grooves, further reduces the adhesion between the rice and the inner pot, preventing the rice from sticking to the inner wall of the inner pot. This makes it easier for the user to remove the rice and clean the inner pot after cooking.

[0022] These features and advantages of the present invention will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the easy-to-clean rice cooker according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the inner liner structure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the inner liner according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the inner liner according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the inner liner according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of the inner liner according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of the inner liner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Reference numerals: lid 100; body 200; inner cover 201; outer shell 202; cooling fan 203; inner pot 210; bottom wall 211; side wall 212; rim 213; stainless steel inner layer 214; middle heat-conducting layer 215; outer stainless steel layer 216; water storage groove 220; support pattern 221; protrusion 222; anti-stick cavity 300; rice grain 400. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To better understand the purpose, structure, and function of this invention, the invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the technical solutions and embodiments provided by this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0032] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0033] refer to Figures 1 to 7 This embodiment provides an easy-to-clean rice cooker, including a cooker body 200, a cooker lid 100 covering the cooker body 200, and an inner pot 210 disposed inside the cooker body 200 for cooking rice. The cooker body 200 is provided with a heating device, which heats the inner pot 210 to cook rice. The inner pot 210 includes a metal outer layer and a stainless steel inner layer 214. The inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214 is provided with hydrophilic textures, which are used to absorb moisture during the rice cooking process and form a water film to wet the rice and the inner wall of the inner pot.

[0034] Specifically, the top of the cooker body 200 has an openable lid 100, which can be hinged to the cooker body 200 or separate from it. The cooker body 200 has a cylindrical accommodating space, and the inner pot 210 can be freely placed into or removed from the accommodating space for easy cleaning. The inner pot 210 is an uncoated inner pot, usually with a circular opening at the top for holding the materials to be heated, such as rice or soup. It can be a spherical pot with outward-protruding side walls or a straight pot with vertical side walls. When the inner pot 210 is placed into the accommodating space and the lid 100 is closed on the cooker body 200, the lid 100 and the inner pot 210 together define the cooking cavity. The easy-to-clean rice cooker also includes a heating device for heating the inner pot 210, which can be a heating plate or an electromagnetic coil. It is located at the bottom or side of the accommodating space and heats the food in the cooking cavity by heating the inner pot.

[0035] During the final stage of rice cooking, the rice has gelatinized, and most of the water in the inner pot 210 has been absorbed by the rice or vaporized into water vapor. If a structure similar to that in the existing technology is adopted, due to its hydrophobicity, the small amount of water remaining in the inner pot and the water vapor in the gaps between the rice cannot be effectively utilized. As a result, the starch released from the rice during cooking cannot be moistened, resulting in high viscosity. This provides a sticky point for the rice, ultimately causing the rice to stick to the pot.

[0036] This embodiment alters the surface geometry of the stainless steel inner layer 214 by creating hydrophilic textures, thereby changing the water contact angle and improving the wettability of the stainless steel surface. This results in excellent hydrophilicity, allowing it to absorb small amounts of water from the inner wall of the inner pot and water vapor from the gaps between rice grains, forming small water droplets that adhere to the surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214 and create a water film. This water film then wets the rice and the inner wall of the inner pot, reducing the risk of water loss. The adhesion between the rice and the inner pot 210 prevents the rice from sticking to the inner wall of the inner pot. Furthermore, due to the hydrophilicity of the stainless steel inner layer 214 surface, even if the starch released from the rice fills the hydrophilic patterns, it can be moistened by the small amount of water remaining in the inner pot 210 or other water films formed in areas that are not completely filled. This helps maintain the water film and keep the pot moist, preventing the water film on the heated parts of the inner pot 210 from disappearing too quickly. This ensures that the rice remains non-stick during long-term heat preservation, ultimately achieving a non-stick effect without coating, making it convenient for users to clean the inner pot.

[0037] It should be noted that the stage of rice cooking completion refers to the stage after the rice has boiled and the water has almost evaporated. This stage can be the simmering stage, the heat preservation stage, a combination of the two, or other stages after the boiling stage.

[0038] It should also be noted that the hydrophilic texture refers to a pattern that enables the water contact angle on the surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214 to be less than or equal to 90°. This invention does not specifically limit the form of the hydrophilic texture. For example, it can be an independently set concave-convex pattern. For instance, in one specific embodiment, the hydrophilic texture is a protrusion on the inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214, with each protrusion and the inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer forming several independent grooves. This increases the contact area between the stainless steel surface and water vapor, and uses surface tension to lock water droplets within the grooves, ultimately forming a water film. In another specific embodiment, the hydrophilic texture is a scattered distribution of pits on the stainless steel inner layer 214, with each pit not connected to the others. The surface tension of water locks water droplets within the pits. Of course, the hydrophilic texture can also be other patterns, which are not specifically limited here.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hydrophilic texture includes a plurality of independent water-retaining grooves 220 formed from the recess of the inner wall of the inner liner and a support texture 221 formed between adjacent water-retaining grooves 220. The water-retaining grooves 220 and the support texture 221 work together to adsorb water vapor and form a water film.

[0040] In the early stages of rice cooking, because the water-retaining groove 220 is closer to the heating device, the bottom and walls of the groove can provide three-dimensional heating to the rice grains, allowing the heating device to better transfer heat to the rice grains, thus improving the cooking speed and quality. In the later stages of rice cooking, the support texture 221 reduces the direct contact area between the rice and the inner pot, decreasing the heat transferred directly from the inner pot to the rice and preventing it from burning or sticking due to excessive temperature. Meanwhile, the water-retaining groove 220, in conjunction with the support texture 221, increases the contact area between water and steam and the inner wall of the inner pot, providing more adhesion points for water and steam. This enhances the hydrophilicity of the stainless steel surface, facilitating the adhesion of small water droplets to the surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214 and the formation of a water film. Furthermore, because the water-retaining grooves 220 are independently set and not interconnected, the water droplets are locked within the water-retaining grooves 220 by the support texture 221 under the action of surface tension (see reference). Figure 3 The area shown by the dotted line in the groove allows the water film to continuously moisten the rice and the inner pot, either alone or together with the soaked starch, thereby increasing the soaking time of the rice and improving the non-stick effect of the uncoated layer.

[0041] It should be noted that "independent" means that the two water-retaining grooves 220 are not interconnected, and there is a solid support pattern 221 between adjacent water-retaining grooves 220. It should also be noted that the shape of the water-retaining grooves 220 is not specifically limited in this invention. For example, in one specific embodiment, the water-retaining groove 220 is circular, and the groove diameter D refers to the diameter of the circle; in another specific embodiment, the water-retaining groove 220 is a regular hexagon, and the groove diameter D refers to the diameter of the circumcircle of the regular hexagon; in yet another specific embodiment, the water-retaining groove 220 is rectangular, and the groove diameter D refers to the width between the two shorter sides of the rectangle. Of course, those skilled in the art can also set the water-retaining grooves 220 into triangles, squares, or fan shapes, etc., depending on the specific requirements of the processing technology, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0042] Optionally, the water storage groove 220 can be formed by chemical etching or by laser etching, etc., without specific limitations.

[0043] In one specific embodiment, the radius of the water-retaining groove 220 is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, and the ratio of the width of the support texture 221 to the radius of the water-retaining groove is between 1 / 2 and 2. In other words, referring to... Figure 4 The diameter of the water storage groove is D, the radius is R, 0.1mm≤R≤0.5mm, and the width of the support pattern is L, 1 / 2≤L / R≤2.

[0044] By limiting the radius of the water-retaining groove 220 to the range of 0.1mm to 0.5mm, such as 0.1mm, 0.3mm, 0.5mm, etc., and limiting the ratio of the width of the support pattern 221 to the radius of the water-retaining groove to between 1 / 2 and 2, such as 1 / 2, 1, 3 / 2, 2, etc., the non-stick properties and machinability of the stainless steel inner layer can be balanced. This avoids the problem of reduced or even lost hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic pattern due to the radius of the water-retaining groove 220 and the width of the support pattern 221 being too small, as well as the problem of difficulty in processing. It also avoids the problem of rice grains getting stuck in the water-retaining groove 220 and being directly heated by the groove wall and bottom and becoming scorched and sticky due to the radius of the water-retaining groove 220 being too large, and the problem of the water film not being able to fully wet the rice grains and the non-stick effect being obvious due to the distance between the two water-retaining grooves being too far due to the width of the support pattern 221 being too large.

[0045] refer to Figure 4 and 5 In one specific embodiment, the radius of the water-retaining groove 220 is 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, so that the rice covers at least two or more of the water-retaining grooves 220. Since the rice grains have different shapes in the inner pot 210, it cannot be guaranteed that all the water-retaining grooves 220 can communicate with the rice grains and absorb moisture. However, by reasonably controlling the radius of the water-retaining grooves 220, some of the water-retaining grooves 220 can form an anti-stick cavity 300 with the rice grains 400. This allows the rice grains 400 to seal some water in the anti-stick cavity 300 under their own weight and the pressure of other rice grains. Towards the end of the rice cooking process, the water contained in the anti-stick cavity 300 vaporizes into steam, which, together with the heated and expanding air, slightly lifts the rice grains. This, combined with the water film formed at other water-retaining grooves, further reduces the adhesion between the rice and the inner pot. Even if some of the water-retaining grooves 220 cannot effectively absorb moisture, it still promotes non-stick properties of the rice, improving the non-stick effect of the uncoated rice.

[0046] refer to Figure 4 In one specific embodiment, the height difference H between the bottom and top of the water-retaining groove 220 is greater than or equal to 0.02 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm. This design balances the non-stick properties of the inner pot and ease of cleaning: if H is less than 0.02 mm, the water-retaining groove 220 cannot form an effective hydrophilic texture, resulting in it only absorbing a small amount or even not being able to hold water or steam, ultimately leading to ineffective wetting of the rice and failure to reduce the adhesion between the rice and the inner pot; if H is greater than 1 mm, although the water-retaining groove 220 can be guaranteed to have a certain volume to ensure its water absorption effect, the excessive depth can easily lead to foreign matter remaining in the water-retaining groove 220, which is not conducive to user cleaning and reduces the user experience.

[0047] In one specific embodiment, the plurality of water-retaining grooves 220 are distributed in a dot matrix or ring array, and the density of the water-retaining grooves 220 is not less than 30 per square centimeter. This arrangement ensures that the inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214 has a suitable groove-to-solid ratio, ensuring that an effective hydrophilic texture is formed on the surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214. It also prevents the distribution of the water-retaining grooves 220 from being too sparse, which would result in them only being able to absorb a small amount of water vapor or not absorbing water vapor at all, thus preventing the rice from being effectively moistened and failing to achieve the non-stick effect without coating.

[0048] refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments of the present invention, the outer metal layer includes a middle heat-conducting layer 215 and an outer stainless steel layer 216, and the water-retaining groove 220 is located in the inner stainless steel layer 214 and recessed towards the middle heat-conducting layer 215. The inner and outer stainless steel layers can protect the middle heat-conducting layer 215 at a lower cost, while the middle heat-conducting layer 215 can achieve the effects of heat uniformity and heat storage. Its heat uniformity improves the thermal uniformity of the inner pot 210, avoiding excessively high local temperatures that cause rice to burn and stick to the inner pot, further improving the non-stick effect of the uncoated layer. The heat storage effect allows the water-retaining groove 220 recessed towards the middle heat-conducting layer 215 to better receive heat from the heating device, better perform three-dimensional heating of the rice grains, and improve the cooking speed and quality of the rice.

[0049] Furthermore, the ratio of the distance from the bottom of the water storage groove 220 to the middle heat-conducting layer 215 to the thickness of the stainless steel inner layer 214 is no greater than 0.95. If this value is greater than 0.95, the water storage groove 220 will not be as effective as the surface of the stainless steel inner layer 214 in receiving heat from the middle heat-conducting layer 215, resulting in poor three-dimensional heating of the rice grains and reduced cooking speed.

[0050] Optionally, the ratio of the distance from the bottom of the water storage groove 220 to the middle heat-conducting layer 215 to the thickness of the stainless steel inner layer 214 is not less than 0.2, so as to ensure the protective effect of the stainless steel inner layer 214 on the middle heat-conducting layer 215.

[0051] Furthermore, the middle heat-conducting layer 215 is an aluminum layer, which can improve the heat conduction performance while reducing the weight of the inner liner 210, making it easier for users to take it out and put it in.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inner pot 210 includes a bottom wall 211 and a side wall 212 extending upward from the bottom wall 211. The hydrophilic ripples are distributed on the bottom wall 211 and at least a portion of the side wall 212. The easy-to-clean rice cooker has a maximum cooking capacity, and the height of the rice corresponding to the maximum cooking capacity is less than the distribution height of the hydrophilic ripples on the side wall 212. This maximizes the probability of rice grains corresponding to the hydrophilic ripples during rice cooking, allowing as many rice grains as possible to be wetted by the formed water film, ensuring a non-stick effect and expanding the applicability of the rice cooker.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, the hydrophilic texture includes a plurality of independent water-retaining grooves 220 formed from the recesses of the inner wall of the inner liner and a support texture 221 formed between adjacent water-retaining grooves 220, wherein the water-retaining grooves 220 are distributed on the bottom wall 211 and at least a portion of the side wall 212.

[0054] Optionally, the water-retaining groove 220 has a higher distribution density at the bottom of the side wall than at the top. During the cooking process of rice, the temperature of the side wall 212 is generally lower than that of the bottom wall 211, and the temperature is relatively lower closer to the edge of the inner pot. Therefore, the probability of rice sticking to the side wall is lower than that of rice sticking to the bottom wall, and the closer the rice is to the edge of the inner pot, the less likely it is to stick. The above settings can reduce production costs while ensuring a non-stick effect.

[0055] Furthermore, the top of the side wall 212 has a liner 213, and the liner 213 is also provided with a water-retaining groove 220, which serves as an anti-slip function and makes it convenient for users to put in and take out the inner liner 210.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present invention, a metal film is provided on the surface of the hydrophilic texture, the metal film being used to improve the hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic texture. This arrangement can further improve the hydrophilicity of the stainless steel inner layer, prevent the hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic texture from decreasing due to prolonged scratching, and also change the gloss of the inner surface of the inner liner 210, improving the aesthetics of the inner liner 210.

[0057] Optionally, in one specific embodiment, the metal film is a titanium metal layer disposed on the support texture 221. It can be formed by electroplating or lamination, and is not specifically limited here. Titanium has good abrasion resistance, and the above-mentioned arrangement can effectively protect the water storage groove 220, preventing damage to the water storage groove 220 and thus preventing the inner liner from losing its hydrophilic effect. It also has a certain antibacterial property, which is beneficial to improving the hygiene of the inner liner 210. Of course, the metal film can also be a metal or alloy such as chromium, or its oxides, etc., and is not specifically limited here.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1The pot body 200 includes an inner cover 201 and an outer cover 202. A cooling fan 203 is provided between the inner cover 201 and the outer cover 202. The inner cover 201 is provided with an air outlet channel corresponding to the cooling fan 203. The air outlet channel is arranged towards the inner pot 210.

[0059] During the final stage of cooking, the cooling fan 210 blows cool air systematically to the bottom of the inner pot 210, which rapidly reduces the temperature of the inner pot 210. This promotes better liquefaction of water vapor in the gaps of the rice and allows it to adhere to the hydrophilic texture, which is more conducive to the formation of a water film. This improves the non-stick effect of the uncoated design, making it easier for users to serve the rice after cooking and also making it easier for users to clean the inner pot.

[0060] For details, please refer to Figure 1 The pot body 200 includes an outer shell 202 and an inner cover 201 arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside. The outer shell 202 is generally made of metal or a combination of metal and plastic. The inner cover 201 can be formed by a heat insulation cover alone, or it can be formed by a combination of a heat insulation cover and an electromagnetic coil. There is a certain space between the inner cover 201 and the outer shell 202, in which components such as a cooling fan 203 and a circuit board can be installed.

[0061] It should be noted that the present invention does not specifically limit the location of the cooling fan and the air outlet duct. For example, in one specific embodiment, refer to... Figure 1 The cooling fan 203 is located on the side of the pot body 200, with the air outlet channel angled towards the bottom of the inner pot 210; in another specific embodiment, the cooling fan 203 is located at the bottom of the pot body 200, with the air outlet channel facing the bottom wall of the inner pot 210, thereby directly cooling the hot bottom wall of the inner pot, which has a better effect.

[0062] It is understood that the easy-to-clean rice cooker may also not use the above-mentioned air-cooling solution, but may use natural cooling or other cooling methods, which are not limited here.

[0063] It is understood that the present invention has been described through some embodiments, and those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes or equivalent substitutions can be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, under the teachings of the present invention, these features and embodiments can be modified to adapt to specific situations and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An easy-to-clean rice cooker, comprising a cooker body, a cooker lid covering the cooker body, and an inner pot disposed within the cooker body for cooking rice, wherein a heating device is provided within the cooker body to heat the inner pot for cooking rice, and the inner pot comprises a metal outer layer and a stainless steel inner layer, characterized in that, The inner surface of the stainless steel inner layer is provided with hydrophilic textures, which include multiple independent water-retaining grooves formed by the indentation of the inner wall of the inner pot and support textures formed between adjacent water-retaining grooves. The water-retaining grooves and support textures cooperate to absorb water vapor during the rice cooking stage to form a water film and maintain the water film to moisten the rice and the inner wall of the inner pot. The cooker body is provided with a cooling fan and a corresponding air outlet channel. The air outlet channel is set towards the bottom wall of the inner pot with independent water-retaining grooves. The cooling fan is used to blow cold air to the bottom of the inner pot at the end of cooking to promote the liquefaction of water vapor and adhere to the hydrophilic textures to form a moist film. The water-retaining grooves can form an anti-stick cavity between the rice grains.

2. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radius of the water-retaining groove is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, and the ratio of the width of the support pattern to the radius of the water-retaining groove is between 1 / 2 and 2.

3. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radius of the water-retaining groove is 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, so that the rice covers at least two of the water-retaining grooves.

4. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height difference between the bottom and the top of the water storage groove is greater than or equal to 0.02 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm.

5. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of water-retaining grooves are distributed in a dot matrix or ring array, and the density of the water-retaining grooves is not less than 30 per square centimeter.

6. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer metal layer includes a middle thermally conductive layer and an outer stainless steel layer, and the water storage groove is located in the inner stainless steel layer and is recessed towards the middle thermally conductive layer.

7. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner pot includes a bottom wall and a side wall extending upward from the bottom wall. The hydrophilic ripples are distributed on the bottom wall and at least a portion of the side wall. The easy-to-clean rice cooker has a maximum cooking capacity of rice, and the height of the rice corresponding to the maximum cooking capacity is less than the distribution height of the hydrophilic ripples on the side wall.

8. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling fan is located at the bottom of the pot body, with the air outlet facing the bottom wall of the inner pot.

9. The easy-to-clean rice cooker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pot body includes an inner cover and an outer cover, with a cooling fan provided between the inner cover and the outer cover. The inner cover has an air outlet channel corresponding to the cooling fan, and the air outlet channel is oriented towards the inner pot.

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