Cooking device

Abstract

A cooking device (400), the cooking device (400) comprising: a liquid storage tank (410); the refrigerating assembly (420) is used for refrigerating the liquid in the liquid storage tank (410); the heating assembly (430) is used for heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank (410); a common element (440) is arranged between the refrigerating assembly (420) and the heating assembly (430).

Description

A cooking device Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to the technical field of cooking equipment, and in particular to a cooking device. Background Art

[0002] Modernist cuisine has given rise to a new way of cooking and preserving food – sous vide. Sous vide allows chefs or users to store their food and reheat it later without losing any of the delicate flavors and textures. Using sous vide, users can heat food to the exact temperature they want and for the precise time they desire. Just as importantly, the heating can be very even, so every part of the food reaches the same temperature, which requires precise control of the core temperature, thereby controlling the flavor and texture of the food.

[0003] The principles of sous vide cooking outlined above indicate that temperature and time are key factors influencing food flavor and texture. To achieve the desired flavor and texture, while ensuring repeatable cooking results, it is crucial to ensure that the sous vide cooking device provides a stable and uniform low-temperature cooking environment and maintains this temperature stability and uniformity over an extended period. This has long been a technical challenge for sous vide cooking devices.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] An embodiment of the present specification provides a cooking device, which includes: a liquid storage tank; a refrigeration component for cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank; and a heating component for heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank; the refrigeration component and the heating component have common elements.

[0006] In some embodiments, the refrigeration component includes a refrigeration pipeline, and the heating component includes a heating pipeline; the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline are used to lead the liquid in the liquid storage tank out of the liquid storage tank, and return the liquid to the liquid storage tank after the liquid is refrigerated and heated.

[0007] In some embodiments, there is a common pipeline between the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline; the common element at least includes the common pipeline.

[0008] In some embodiments, the common element further comprises a heat conductor in communication with the common pipeline; a through groove is provided on the heat conductor, and the through groove forms at least a portion of the common pipeline.

[0009] In some embodiments, one end of the heat conductor is connected to the common pipeline, and the other end is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

[0010] In some embodiments, the common element includes a pump body, which is used to drive the flow of liquid in the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline.

[0011] In some embodiments, a common pipeline is provided between the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline, and the pump body is connected to the common pipeline.

[0012] In some embodiments, the common pipeline includes a pump inlet pipe and a pump outlet pipe; the pump inlet pipe is connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the pump outlet pipe is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

[0013] In some embodiments, the pump outlet pipe is connected to one end of the heat conductor, and the other end of the heat conductor is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

[0014] In some embodiments, the shape of the heat conductor includes a cube or a column.

[0015] In some embodiments, the through grooves are distributed in a serpentine or spiral shape in the heat conductor.

[0016] In some embodiments, the inlet and the outlet of the through slot are arranged on both sides of the heat conductor.

[0017] In some embodiments, the heat conductor includes a first surface and a second surface; the first surface is provided with a heating element, and the second surface is provided with a cooling element.

[0018] In some embodiments, the heating element includes a heating sheet, and the heating sheet is attached to the first surface.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cooling element includes a cooling fin, a heat sink, and a fan; the cooling fin is attached to the second surface, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling fin, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first surface faces the fluid reservoir and the second surface faces away from the fluid reservoir.

[0021] In some embodiments, the cooking device further includes a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe disposed in the liquid storage tank; the liquid inlet pipe is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank, and the liquid outlet pipe is connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank.

[0022] In some embodiments, the ends of the liquid inlet pipe and / or the liquid outlet pipe are arranged below the minimum liquid level line of the liquid storage tank.

[0023] In some embodiments, the liquid inlet and / or liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank is arranged above the maximum liquid level line of the liquid storage tank.

[0024] In some embodiments, the cooking device further includes a host, and the refrigeration component and the heating component are arranged on the host.

[0025] In some embodiments, the cooking device further includes a control component for controlling the refrigeration component and / or the heating component to heat or cool the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

[0026] In some embodiments, the cooking device further includes a temperature sensor disposed in the liquid storage tank for detecting the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank; the control component controls the refrigeration component and the heating component according to the detection result of the temperature sensor.

[0027] An embodiment of this specification also provides a pipeline assembly, including a common pipeline and a heat conductor; the heat conductor is connected to the common pipeline, and a through groove is provided inside the heat conductor, and the through groove forms at least a part of the common pipeline; the outer surface of the heat conductor is provided with a heating element and / or a cooling element.

[0028] In some embodiments, the pipeline assembly includes a pump body, and the pump body is used to drive the flow of liquid in the common pipeline.

[0029] In some embodiments, the common pipeline includes a pump inlet pipe and a pump outlet pipe, and the pump inlet pipe and the pump outlet pipe are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump body.

[0030] In some embodiments, the heat conductor includes a first surface and a second surface; a heating element is disposed on the first surface, and a cooling element is disposed on the second surface.

[0031] In some embodiments, the heating element includes a heating fin, which is attached to the first surface; the cooling element includes a cooling fin, a heat sink and a fan; the cooling fin is attached to the second surface, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling fin, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink.

[0032] Some embodiments of the present specification also provide a cooking device, which includes a liquid storage tank, a circulation pipeline, a heating device and a refrigeration device; both ends of the circulation pipeline are connected to the liquid storage tank, the heating device is used to heat the liquid in the circulation pipeline, and the refrigeration device is used to cool the liquid in the circulation pipeline; the cooking device has a reservation mode and a cooking mode; when the cooking device is in the reservation mode, the refrigeration device cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank through the circulation pipeline; when the cooking device is in the cooking mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank through the circulation pipeline.

[0033] In some embodiments, the reservation mode and cooking mode of the cooking device are set through an interactive interface of the cooking device; when the preset reservation mode reaches a preset time, the cooking device switches from the reservation mode to the cooking mode.

[0034] In some embodiments, the circulation pipeline includes a through groove arranged inside the heat conductor, one end of the through groove is connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the other end of the channel is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

[0035] In some embodiments, the heat conductor includes a first surface and a second surface; the heating device includes a heating element disposed on the first surface, and the cooling device includes a cooling element disposed on the second surface.

[0036] In some embodiments, the heating element includes a heating sheet, and the heating sheet is attached to the first surface.

[0037] In some embodiments, the cooling element includes a cooling fin, a heat sink, and a fan; the cooling fin is attached to the second surface, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling fin, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink.

[0038] In some embodiments, the circulation pipeline, heating device and refrigeration device are arranged outside the liquid storage tank. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The present application will be further described in the form of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting, and in these embodiments, like numbers represent like structures, wherein:

[0040] FIG1 is an exemplary framework diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0041] FIG2 is a diagram illustrating exemplary hardware and / or software of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0042] FIG3 is another exemplary framework diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0043] FIG4 is an exemplary structural diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0044] FIG5 is an exemplary assembly diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0045] FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a heat conductor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this specification, the following briefly describes the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely examples or embodiments of this specification. Those skilled in the art can apply this specification to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without inventive effort. Unless otherwise apparent from the context or otherwise noted, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.

[0047] It should be understood that the terms "system," "device," "unit," and / or "module" used herein are a method for distinguishing different components, elements, parts, portions, or assemblies at different levels. However, if other terms can achieve the same purpose, the terms may be replaced by other expressions.

[0048] As used in this specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not refer to the singular but also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprises" and "include" only indicate the inclusion of the steps and elements specifically identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. A method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0049] Flowcharts are used throughout this specification to illustrate the operations performed by systems according to embodiments of this specification. It should be understood that preceding or following operations do not necessarily need to be performed in exact order. Instead, the steps may be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. Furthermore, other operations may be added to these processes, or one or more operations may be removed from these processes.

[0050] The cooking device in one or more embodiments of this specification may be a cooking device that performs cooking operations according to a preset cooking program and controllably adjusts cooking parameters to cook ingredients. In some embodiments, the cooking device may include, but is not limited to, a low-temperature slow cooker, a steaming device, an electric rice cooker, or any combination thereof. The low-temperature slow cooker may include, but is not limited to, a low-temperature slow cooker stick, a low-temperature slow cooker, or the like. In some embodiments, the low-temperature slow cooker may refer to a cooking device that uses a low-temperature cooking method to cook ingredients. For example, a vacuum bag containing ingredients may be evacuated using a vacuum evacuator. The evacuated bag, containing the ingredients, is then placed into a liquid storage tank, and the liquid in the storage tank is heated by a heating component, thereby achieving low-temperature slow cooking of the ingredients. Low-temperature slow cooking of ingredients may refer to cooking the ingredients at a low temperature (e.g., approximately 60°C) for an extended period of time (e.g., more than two hours). The following uses a low-temperature slow cooker as an example to illustrate one or more embodiments of this specification.

[0051] FIG. 1 is an exemplary framework diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0052] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can be used alone. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can also be used in conjunction with a temperature probe, a vacuum machine, a vacuum bag, or other cooking device. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can also be used in conjunction with a portable device (e.g., a mobile phone, a watch, or a computer) to control the cooking device 100 from the portable device. For example, the cooking device 100 can be connected to other cooking devices or portable devices via a cloud server to transmit or synchronize data, thereby achieving data sharing. The shared data can be displayed on the display component of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can also send device information related to the operation of the cooking device 100 to a device management platform, which can monitor whether the cooking device 100 is capable of normal operation. The device information can include one or more of device status information (e.g., device power-on time, device power-off time, device usage frequency), hardware status information (e.g., hardware failure information), communication status information (e.g., communication failure information), and battery status information (e.g., battery charge level). In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can be connected to the Internet. The networked cooking device 100 can obtain recipes from a server, a portable device, or other cooking devices and browse them on the cooking device 100. When the cooking device 100 is disconnected from the Internet, the locally stored recipes can be browsed.

[0053] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may include a liquid storage module 110 , a heating module 121 , a cooling module 122 , a processing control module 130 , a detection module 140 , an information input / output module 150 , and a memory 160 .

[0054] The liquid storage module 110 can be used to store liquid. In some embodiments, the liquid storage module 110 may include a liquid storage tank, in which the liquid is stored. The liquid storage tank may be a box with a top opening, through which the liquid is injected into the liquid storage tank. The top of the liquid storage tank may also be provided with a box cover that matches the top opening to achieve a sealed liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may include a liquid circulation system (also referred to as the cooking device 100's large circulation system) disposed between the liquid storage module 110 and the heating module 121 and / or the cooling module 122. The cooking device 100's large circulation system may be composed of the liquid circulation system of the liquid storage module 110 and the circulation pipelines of the heating module 121 and / or the cooling module 122. The cooking device 100's large circulation system enables liquid circulation between the liquid storage tank and the main unit of the cooking device 100 (in which the heating module 121 and / or the cooling module 122 are disposed). In some embodiments, the liquid reservoir may include a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the liquid reservoir are respectively connected to the outlet and inlet of the main unit, and are connected to the circulation pipelines of the heating module 121 and / or the cooling module 122, thereby achieving a circulation flow of liquid between the liquid reservoir and the main unit. In some embodiments, the liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the liquid reservoir may be located on the same and / or different side walls of the liquid reservoir. In some embodiments, the liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the liquid reservoir may be located above the maximum liquid level line of the liquid reservoir to prevent the liquid in the liquid reservoir from overflowing from the liquid inlet and / or liquid outlet of the liquid reservoir.

[0055] In some embodiments, the liquid in the liquid storage tank may include, but is not limited to, water or other liquids. Other liquids may include edible liquids (e.g., beverages such as beverages and coffee). In some embodiments, the liquid storage module 110 may be connected to other modules of the cooking device 100. For example, the liquid storage module 110 may be connected to the heating module 121 and / or the cooling module 122 to achieve heating and / or cooling of the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

[0056] The heating module 121 can be used to heat the liquid. In some embodiments, the heating module 121 may include a heating component. The heating component may refer to a component that can heat the liquid and / or the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the heating module 121 may include a heating component (for example, a heating base) that directly heats the liquid storage tank. For example, the heating module 121 may include a heating base disposed at the bottom of the liquid storage tank, and the heating base can directly heat the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the heating module 121 may also include a heating component (for example, a heating tube, a heating wire, a heating rod, etc.) that directly heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank. For example, the heating module 121 may include a heating rod disposed in the liquid storage tank, and the heating rod can directly heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

[0057] In some embodiments, in order to make the heating of the liquid in the liquid storage tank more uniform, the heating module 121 may include a heating pipeline. In some embodiments, the heating pipeline may include a pipeline connected between the liquid storage module 110 and the heating module 121. In some embodiments, the heating pipeline may also include a pipeline arranged in the host. In some embodiments, the heating module 121 may be arranged in the host, and the heating pipeline of the heating module 121 serves as part of the liquid circulation system of the host. In some embodiments, when the heating module 121 includes a heating pipeline, the heating component of the heating module 121 may be a heating pipe arranged in the heating pipe. When the liquid flows through the heating pipe in the heating pipe, the heating pipe generates heat and transfers the heat to the liquid. Then the liquid brings the heat back to the liquid storage tank. The liquid in the liquid storage tank circulates between the heating pipeline and the liquid storage tank, thereby achieving the heating of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. Specifically, one end of the heating line (the inlet of the heating line) is connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the other end of the heating line (the outlet of the heating line) is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank. The liquid in the liquid storage tank flows from the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank through the inlet of the heating line into the heating line, and flows from the outlet of the heating line back to the liquid storage tank through the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank, thereby realizing the circulation of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, when the heating module 121 includes a heating line, the heating component of the heating module 121 can also be a heating element arranged in the heating line. In some embodiments, the heating component can directly heat the liquid in the heating line, and a part of the pipe in the heating line is a heating pipe. During the circulation process, the liquid in the heating pipe section is always in a heated state, and the heat is brought back to the liquid storage tank under the action of the circulation. In some embodiments, the heating component can also heat the liquid in the heating pipeline by heating the wall of the heating pipeline. The heating component can be a heat sink provided on the wall of a certain portion of the heating pipeline. The heat dissipated by the heat sink is transferred to the liquid in the pipeline through the pipeline. In some embodiments, the heating component can directly transfer heat to the liquid in the heating pipeline, and the liquid carries the energy back to the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the heating component can also indirectly transfer heat to the liquid in the heating pipeline. For example, the heating component can transfer energy to a heat conductor, and the heat conductor acts as a heat transfer element to transfer the heat of the heating component to the liquid in the heating pipeline.

[0058] The liquid is heated through the heating pipeline, and the heated liquid flows back to the liquid storage tank and can fully exchange heat with the liquid in the liquid storage tank. During the circulation and heat exchange process of the liquid, the heating power of the heating module 121 (i.e., the heat generated by the heating module 121) can be stably released into the liquid, thereby improving the stability of the liquid temperature in the liquid storage tank.

[0059] In some embodiments, the heating module 121 and the processing control module 130 can be communicatively connected to implement the transmission of information instructions between the processing control module 130 and the heating module 121. The information instructions here may include, but are not limited to, control instructions (e.g., start instructions and stop instructions for the heating component), data instructions (e.g., heating power of the heating component), etc.

[0060] The refrigeration module 122 can be used to cool the liquid. In some embodiments, the refrigeration module 122 may include a refrigeration assembly. The refrigeration assembly may refer to a component that can cool the liquid and / or the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the refrigeration module 122 may include a refrigeration component (e.g., a refrigeration base) that directly cools the liquid storage tank. For example, the refrigeration module 122 may include a refrigeration base disposed at the bottom of the liquid storage tank, and the refrigeration base can directly cool the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the refrigeration module 122 may also include a refrigeration component (e.g., a refrigeration plate, etc.) that directly cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank. For example, the refrigeration module 122 may include a refrigeration plate disposed in the liquid storage tank, and the refrigeration plate can directly cool the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

[0061] In some embodiments, when the refrigeration module 122 cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank, the refrigeration module 122 may include a refrigeration circuit. In some embodiments, the refrigeration circuit may be a pipe connecting the liquid storage module 110 and the refrigeration module 122. In some embodiments, the refrigeration circuit may also include a pipe located in the host computer. In some embodiments, the refrigeration module 122 may be located in the host computer, with the refrigeration circuit of the refrigeration module 122 serving as part of the host computer's liquid circulation system. In some embodiments, when the refrigeration module 122 includes a refrigeration circuit, the refrigeration assembly may be a refrigeration pipe located in the refrigeration pipe. The liquid is cooled as it flows through the refrigeration pipe, and the cooled liquid flows back to the liquid storage tank through the refrigeration pipe, thereby cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, when the refrigeration module 122 includes a refrigeration circuit, the refrigeration assembly may be a refrigeration component located in the refrigeration pipe. In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly may directly heat the liquid in the refrigeration pipe. A portion of the refrigeration pipe serves as the refrigeration pipe. During the circulation process, the liquid in the refrigeration pipe section remains cooled, and the circulating flow transfers heat back to the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly can also cool the liquid in the refrigeration pipeline by cooling the wall of the refrigeration pipeline. The refrigeration assembly can be a refrigeration plate installed on the wall of a certain part of the refrigeration pipeline. The heat dissipated by the refrigeration plate is transferred to the liquid in the pipeline through the pipeline. In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly can directly transfer heat to the liquid in the refrigeration pipeline, and the liquid carries the energy back to the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the refrigeration assembly can also indirectly transfer heat to the liquid in the refrigeration pipeline. For example, the refrigeration assembly can transfer energy to a heat conductor, and the heat conductor acts as a heat transfer element to transfer the heat of the refrigeration assembly to the liquid in the refrigeration pipeline.

[0062] In some embodiments, the refrigeration module 122 can enable the cooking device 100 to preserve the food in the liquid storage tank by refrigerating the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the user may not start the cooking device 100 to cook immediately after placing the food in the liquid storage tank, but may start the cooking process after a certain period of time (for example, 5 hours, 8 hours, or 1 day). During this period of time, the food in the liquid storage tank needs to be refrigerated to prevent the food from spoiling or losing nutrients. Based on this, in order to ensure the freshness of the food in the liquid storage tank, the refrigeration module 122 can refrigerate the liquid in the liquid storage tank so that the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is at a refrigerated temperature suitable for preservation. In some embodiments, the refrigerated temperature suitable for preservation can be between 2° and 10°. Preferably, the refrigerated temperature suitable for preservation can be between 2° and 5°.

[0063] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may have a reservation mode. The reservation mode enables the cooking device 100 to have a reservation function. The reservation function may refer to a function that pre-sets the device mode. Parameters related to the reservation function of the cooking device 100 may include a reservation time, a reservation temperature, and the like. In some embodiments, when the cooking device 100 has a reservation mode, the cooking device 100 may include a refrigeration module 122. The user may enter reservation information through an interactive interface (e.g., a mobile phone interface, a host interface of the cooking device 100), and after the reservation information is entered, the cooking device 100 begins operating in the reservation mode. In some embodiments, the reservation information may include, but is not limited to, a reservation time and a reservation temperature (e.g., a cooking temperature during cooking, a refrigeration temperature before cooking, etc.). After the user enters the reservation information through the interactive interface, the cooking device 100 begins the reservation mode. In the reservation mode, the processing control module 130 may control the refrigeration module 122 to begin operating, and the refrigeration component cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank to keep the liquid temperature at a refrigeration temperature. When the detection module 140 detects that the cooling time of the cooling component has reached the preset time, the processing control module 130 can control the cooling component to stop working. At the same time, the processing control module 130 can also control the heating component of the heating module 121 to start working, and the heating component heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank, and the cooking device 100 begins the cooking process.

[0064] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may have a reservation mode and a cooking mode. When the cooking device 100 is in the reservation mode, the refrigeration module 122 is in operation and the heating module 121 is in non-operational state; when the cooking device 100 is in the cooking mode, the refrigeration module 122 is in non-operational state and the heating module 121 is in operation. In some embodiments, when the cooking device 100 is in the reservation mode, the refrigeration component refrigerates the liquid in the liquid storage tank; when the cooking device 100 is in the cooking mode, the heating component heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, when the refrigeration time of the refrigeration component has not reached the reservation time, the processing control module 130 may control the cooking device 100 to operate in the reservation mode; when the refrigeration time of the refrigeration component reaches the reservation time, the processing control module 130 may control the cooking device 100 to switch its operating mode from the reservation mode to the cooking mode.

[0065] In some embodiments, when the cooking device 100 includes a reservation mode, the cooking device 100 may include the heating module 121 but not the cooling module 122. For example, after the user enters reservation information through the interactive interface, the cooking device 100 begins the reservation mode. In the reservation mode, the heating module 121 is inactive. When the detection module 140 detects that the current time has reached the reservation time, the processing and control module 130 can control the heating component of the heating module 121 to start operating, and the heating component heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank, and the cooking device 100 begins the cooking process.

[0066] In some embodiments, the cooling module 122 and the processing control module 130 may be in communication connection to implement the transmission of information instructions between the processing control module 130 and the cooling module 122. The information instructions here may include but are not limited to start instructions, stop instructions, etc.

[0067] The processing and control module 130 can be connected to other modules in the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can control the operating status of other modules in the cooking device 100 (e.g., the heating module 121, the cooling module 122, the detection module 140, and the information input / output module 150). For example, the processing and control module 130 can send control instructions to the heating module 121 (and / or the cooling module 122) to control the heating module 121 (and / or the cooling module 122). Taking the processing and control module 130 controlling the heating module 121 as an example, the processing and control module 130 can control the operating status of the heating module 121. The operating status of the heating module 121 may include, but is not limited to, starting or stopping the heating device, the heating power of the heating module 121, etc. For example, the processing and control module 130 can send a start instruction (or stop instruction) to the heating module 121 to cause the heating module 121 to start (or stop) heating. In some embodiments, the process control module 130 may send a control instruction to the heating module 121 to start the heating circuit of the heating module 121 (ie, to start liquid circulation).

[0068] In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can be used to control the operating state of the cooking device 100. For example, the processing and control module 130 can send a start command (or a stop command) to the cooking device 100 to start (or stop) the cooking process. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can also be used to control the operating mode of the cooking device 100. For example, the processing and control module 130 can control the operating mode of the cooking device 100 by controlling the operating states of the heating module 121 and the cooling module 122, thereby switching the operating mode of the cooking device 100 between a reservation mode and a cooking mode. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can also be used to control the operating time of the cooking device 100. For example, when the operating time of the cooking device 100 reaches a preset operating time, the processing and control module 130 can send a control command to the cooking device 100 to shut down the cooking device 100, thereby preventing the cooking process from being too long.

[0069] In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can be used to control data communication between the various modules of the cooking device 100. For example, the processing control module 130 can control access to the memory 160 by other modules. In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can process data from other modules of the cooking device 100 (e.g., the detection module 140 and the information input / output module 150). For example, the processing control module 130 can process the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the detection module 140. In some embodiments, the data processed by the processing control module 130 can be stored in the memory 160. In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can also process instructions or operations from the information input / output module 150.

[0070] The detection module 140 can be used to detect information related to the cooking device 100. The information related to the cooking device 100 can include information related to the various modules of the cooking device 100 and / or information related to the cooking process of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the information related to the cooking device 100 can include, but is not limited to, one or more of temperature information, location information, status information, time information, input / output information, and the like. Temperature information can include the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage module 110. Location information can include the location information of components included in the various modules of the cooking device 100 (e.g., the liquid storage tank, circulation pipeline, liquid in the liquid storage tank, etc.). Status information can include communication status information and operating status information of the various modules of the cooking device 100. Time information can include time-related parameter information, such as the operating time of the cooking device 100, the cooking time in a cooking mode, and the reservation time in a reservation mode. Input / output module information can include information input by the user (or information obtained by the cooking device 100 from other devices) and information output by the cooking device 100 via a display device.

[0071] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 and the processing control module 130 may be in communication with each other. Information related to the cooking device 100 detected by the detection module 140 may be transmitted to the processing control module 130 for data processing.

[0072] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include sensors. These sensors can detect information related to the cooking device 100. For example, a temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. Another example is a position sensor that can detect the position of a detected object. The information related to the cooking device 100 detected by the sensors can be transmitted to the processing and control module 130 for data processing, enabling the processing and control module 130 to better control the operating status of other modules.

[0073] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include a temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may detect the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank of the cooking device 100 operating in the reservation mode. When the cooking device 100 is in the reservation mode, the refrigeration module 122 refrigerates the liquid in the liquid storage tank, and the temperature sensor may detect the current temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank (that is, the refrigeration temperature of the liquid) and transmit the detection result to the processing control module 130. The processing control module 130 analyzes and processes the refrigeration temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor and sends corresponding control instructions to the refrigeration module 122 based on the analysis result. For example, if the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank detected by the temperature sensor is high and the food in the liquid storage tank cannot be kept fresh at this temperature, the processing control module 130 may send corresponding control instructions to the refrigeration module 122 to adjust the working state or power of the refrigeration component.

[0074] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can also detect the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank of the cooking device 100 when operating in cooking mode. When the cooking device 100 is in cooking mode, the heating module 121 heats the liquid in the liquid tank. The temperature sensor can detect the current temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank (i.e., the cooking temperature of the liquid) and transmit the detection result to the processing and control module 130. The processing and control module 130 can analyze and process the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor and send corresponding control instructions to the heating module 121 based on the processing results. For example, if the cooking temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank detected by the temperature sensor is too high, the processing and control module 130 can send a corresponding control instruction to the heating module 121 to reduce the heating power of the heating component.

[0075] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can detect the pressure value of the object being measured. The object being measured here can be a power unit (for example, a pump body), a liquid storage tank, a heating / cooling pipeline, etc. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor can detect the internal pressure of the power unit, the internal pressure of the pipeline through which the liquid flows, the hydraulic pressure in the liquid storage tank, etc. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor can also detect the in-place status of the object being measured (for example, a liquid storage tank or other accessories). For example, the pressure sensor can be used to detect whether the inside of the pipeline through which the liquid flows is blocked, or to detect whether the pipeline through which the liquid flows is leaking. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor can be one or more of a resistance strain gauge pressure sensor, a semiconductor strain gauge pressure sensor, a piezoresistive pressure sensor, an inductive pressure sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, a resonant pressure sensor, an optical fiber pressure sensor, a capacitive acceleration sensor, etc.

[0076] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include a position sensor. The position sensor can detect the position information of the object being measured. The object being measured may include a liquid tank, the liquid in the liquid tank, a main unit, the connection structure between the liquid tank and the main unit (e.g., heating / cooling lines), etc. In some embodiments, the position sensor may be a contact sensor that generates a signal when two objects come into contact and squeeze each other. For example, the position sensor may be a limit switch or a two-dimensional matrix position sensor. In some embodiments, the position sensor may also be a proximity sensor that generates a signal when two objects approach a preset distance. For example, the position sensor may be an electromagnetic, photoelectric, differential transformer, eddy current, capacitive, reed switch, ultrasonic, Hall effect, or other proximity sensor. In some embodiments, a photoelectric position sensor may be used to detect whether the liquid tank is positioned at a preset position. In some embodiments, a photoelectric position sensor may be used to detect the liquid level in the liquid tank. In some embodiments, the liquid level in the liquid tank may be below the maximum liquid level to prevent the liquid from overflowing. In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may also include multiple different types of sensors, such as a flow sensor and a flow velocity sensor.

[0077] The information input / output module 150 can be used to input or output signals, data, or information. The information input / output module 150 can connect to or communicate with other modules in the cooking device 100. Other modules in the cooking device 100 can connect to or communicate with each other through the information input / output module 150. The information input / output module 150 can be a wired USB interface, a serial communication interface, a parallel communication port, or a wireless Bluetooth, infrared, radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless local area network authentication and privacy infrastructure (WAPI), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the information input / output module 150 can be connected to a network and obtain information through the network. For example, the information input / output module 150 can obtain the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor from the detection module 140 through the network and output the liquid temperature. In some embodiments, the information input / output module 150 may include VCC, GND, RS-232, RS-485 (e.g., RS485-A, RS485-B), and a universal network interface, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the information input / output module 150 may encode the transmitted signal using one or more encoding schemes. The encoding schemes may include phase encoding, non-return-to-zero encoding, differential Manchester encoding, or any combination thereof.

[0078] The memory 160 can store data / information related to the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the memory 160 can store preset information related to the cooking device 100 (e.g., preset temperatures, preset times, etc.). In some embodiments, the memory 160 can store reservation mode information for the cooking device 100. This reservation mode information may include, but is not limited to, preset refrigeration temperatures and reservation times in the reservation mode. In some embodiments, the memory 160 can also store cooking mode information for the cooking device 100. This cooking mode information may include cooking times, cooking temperatures, temperature thresholds, etc. in the cooking mode. In some embodiments, the memory 160 can include high-speed random access memory, non-volatile memory, etc. The non-volatile memory can be one or more disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state storage devices. In some embodiments, the memory 160 can also include memory remote from the processor, such as a network attached memory (NAS) accessed via the RF circuitry or external ports of the cooking device 100 and a communication network. In some embodiments, the communication network can be the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WLAN), a storage area network (SAN), etc., or a combination thereof.

[0079] It should be noted that the above description of the cooking device is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the one or more embodiments of this specification to the scope of the embodiments described. It is understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the principles of the system, may make various modifications or changes to the various modules without departing from these principles. However, such modifications and changes remain within the scope of this specification.

[0080] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating exemplary hardware and / or software of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification.

[0081] In some embodiments, cooking device 100 may include a control component 210 , a processor 220 , a sensor 230 , an input / output component 240 , a display component 250 , a power supply component 260 , and an internal communication bus 270 .

[0082] The control component 210 can be used to control data communication between the various components of the cooking device 100. For example, the control component 210 can control access to memory (e.g., memory 160) by other components. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can control the operating status of the components of the cooking device 100 (e.g., sensor 230, display component 250, power supply component 260, cooling component, heating component). For example, the control component 210 can control the cooling component and / or heating component to cool or heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can also control the operating mode of the cooking device 100. For example, the control component 210 can control the cooking device 100 to switch between a reservation mode and a cooking mode. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can be located in a processing control module (e.g., processing control module 130) of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can include a peripheral device interface. The peripheral device interface can be used to connect the control component 210 and peripheral devices to enable communication between the control component 210 and the peripheral devices.

[0083] The processor 220 can process data from other modules / components in the cooking device 100. For example, the processor can process relevant data detected by sensors in the detection module 140 (e.g., the liquid temperature detected by a temperature sensor, the position data of the liquid level line in the liquid storage tank detected by a position sensor). In some embodiments, the processing control module (e.g., the processing control module 130) of the cooking device 100 can be the processor 220. In some embodiments, the processor 220 can include a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP), a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a physical processing unit (PPU), a microcontroller unit, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an advanced reduced instruction set computer (ARM), a programmable logic device, and any circuit and processor capable of performing one or more functions, or any combination thereof.

[0084] The sensor 230 can be used to detect information of the object being measured (for example, liquid, liquid storage tank, pipeline, etc.). The sensor 230 can be set in the detection module (for example, detection module 140) of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the sensor 230 may include one or more different types of sensors, for example, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a position sensor, etc. Different types of sensors can detect type information corresponding to different objects being measured (for example, temperature information, pressure information, position information, etc.). The information of the object being measured detected by the sensor can be converted into an electrical signal that can be detected and sent to the processor 220 for processing. The result of the data processing can be transmitted to the control component 210 so that the control component 210 can control the operating status of other modules / components of the cooking device 100 according to the processing results. For more information about the sensor, please refer to Figure 1 and its related description.

[0085] The input / output assembly (I / O assembly) 240 can be used to input or output signals, data, or information. The I / O assembly 240 can be located in an information input / output module (e.g., information input / output module 150) of the cooking device 100. The I / O assembly 240 can provide an interface between the input / output peripherals of the cooking device 100 and the peripheral device interface of the control assembly 210. In some embodiments, the input / output peripherals can include the display assembly 250, a position sensor, a lighting assembly, and other input / control devices. In some embodiments, the I / O assembly 240 can include controllers corresponding to the input / output peripherals, such as a display controller, a position sensor controller, a lighting controller, and one or more other input controllers. In some embodiments, one or more controllers in the I / O assembly 240 can receive and send electrical signals to and from the input / output peripherals. Furthermore, one or more other input controllers can receive and send electrical signals to and from other input / control devices. In some embodiments, the other input / control devices can include physical buttons (e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, or touch buttons), slider switches, joysticks, and the like. In some embodiments, other input / control devices may also include a physical button for emergency cooking stop. In some embodiments, other input / control devices may also include a self-locking key, such as a child lock or other key to prevent misoperation.

[0086] The display assembly 250 can display information / data related to the cooking device 100. For example, the display assembly 250 can display recipe information for the cooking device 100. Another example is that the display assembly 250 can display temperature information of the liquid in the cooking device 100 (e.g., refrigeration temperature, cooking temperature). In some embodiments, the display assembly 250 can include a display screen. The display screen can provide an output interface between the cooking device 100 and the user. The display screen can display electronic files on the screen via a specific transmission device and then reflect them to the human eye. In some embodiments, the display screen can also serve as an interactive interface for information exchange between the user and the cooking device 100. The user can enter information related to the cooking device 100 on the interactive interface, such as reservation information in the reservation mode and cooking information in the cooking mode. In some embodiments, the display screen can be located on the main unit of the cooking device 100. For example, the display screen can be located at the highest position of the main unit, with the plane of the display screen at a certain angle (e.g., 40 degrees) to the central axis of the main unit to facilitate user operation (e.g., inputting information) and receiving information. In some embodiments, the display screen can include a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasma display (PDP), a liquid crystal display (LCD), etc. In some embodiments, the display assembly 250 may also include a touch screen, which may provide an input / output interface between the device and the user. In some embodiments, the touch screen may include a resistive screen, a surface acoustic wave screen, an infrared touch screen, an optical touch screen, a capacitive screen, or a nanofilm-based inductive display device.

[0087] The power supply assembly 260 can provide power to various components of the cooking device 100 (e.g., the display assembly 250, the lighting assembly, etc.). In some embodiments, the power supply assembly 260 can include a power management system, one or more power sources (e.g., batteries or alternating current (AC)), a charging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)), etc. In some embodiments, the power supply assembly 260 can also include any other components associated with power generation, management, and distribution.

[0088] The internal communication bus 270 enables data communication between various components in the cooking device 100. For example, the processor 220 can send data to other hardware such as the memory 160 or the input / output component 240 via the internal communication bus 270. In some embodiments, the internal communication bus 270 may be an Industrial Standard (ISA) bus, an Extended Industrial Standard (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standard (VESA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or the like.

[0089] In some embodiments, cooking device 100 may also include other hardware / software devices, such as a lighting component, a touch component, and a haptic feedback component. The lighting component may be a visual element. In some embodiments, the lighting component may include visual elements for indicating the cooking status and device status of cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the lighting component may also include indicator lights or fault status warning lights to indicate the status of components such as the power supply, CPU, liquid flow through pipes, heating (or cooling), etc. In some embodiments, the lighting component may also include visual lighting elements to facilitate observation of the structure or component status of cooking device 100 in low ambient light conditions. The touch component may detect user contact with display component 250 or other touch-sensitive devices (e.g., touch buttons, touchpad). For example, when a user enters reservation information for cooking device 100 on the display screen, the touch component may detect the user's contact with the display screen. The haptic feedback component may include software components for generating instructions in response to user interaction with cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the haptic feedback component may include one or more tactile output generators capable of generating tactile outputs at one or more locations on cooking device 100.

[0090] It should be noted that the hardware and / or software components included in cooking device 100 are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit this specification to the illustrated embodiments. It is understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the principles of the system, may add, delete, or combine various hardware and / or software components without departing from these principles. For example, cooking device 100 may include a text input component for entering cooking parameters (e.g., target temperature, heating power, temperature threshold, etc.), and such modifications are within the scope of this specification.

[0091] In some embodiments, a refrigeration module 122 (e.g., a refrigeration component) is provided in the cooking device 100, and the refrigeration component can refrigerate the liquid in the liquid storage tank, so that the cooking device 100 can refrigerate the ingredients before the cooking process begins to ensure the freshness of the ingredients.

[0092] In some embodiments, when cooking device 100 utilizes cooling module 122 and / or heating module 121 to cool or heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank, cooling module 122 and heating module 121 may be independent modules. For example, the cooling circuit of the cooling assembly and the heating circuit of the heating assembly may be independent circuits. Cooling module 122 cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank via the cooling circuit. Heating module 121 heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank via the heating circuit.

[0093] In some embodiments, when the cooking device 100 utilizes the cooling module 122 and / or the heating module 121 to cool or heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank, the cooling module 122 and the heating module 121 may also share common components. Common components may be components that function in both the cooling and heating processes. Common components can be used for heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank by the heating component and for cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank by the cooling component. In some embodiments, the common components may include circulation piping, pumping devices, heat conductors, heat sinks, and the like. For example, if the common components include a circulation piping, the circulation piping can serve as a common pipeline, allowing the heating and cooling components to heat or cool the liquid in the liquid storage tank through the common pipeline. In some embodiments, the common components between the heating and cooling components can simplify the components in the cooking device 100 and optimize the structural design of the cooking device 100, while also improving the utilization of the internal space of the cooking device 100. For more information on the common components, please refer to Figures 3-6 and the related descriptions.

[0094] FIG3 is another exemplary framework diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG3 , cooking device 300 may include a liquid storage tank 310, a cooling assembly 320, and a heating assembly 330. Liquid storage tank 310 may be connected to cooling assembly 320 and heating assembly 330, respectively. For example, liquid storage tank 310 may be connected to cooling assembly 320 and heating assembly 330, respectively, via corresponding pipelines (e.g., cooling pipelines and heating pipelines). In some embodiments, liquid storage tank 310 may store liquid. Cooling assembly 320 may cool the liquid in liquid storage tank 310. Heating assembly 330 may heat the liquid in liquid storage tank 310. In some embodiments, a shared component 340 may be provided between cooling assembly 320 and heating assembly 330. Shared component 340 may function both in the cooling process of cooling assembly 320 and in the heating process of heating assembly 330. In some embodiments, shared component 340 may include one or more of shared pipelines, heat conductors, pumps, heat sinks, and the like.

[0095] In some embodiments, the cooling assembly 320 and the heating assembly 330 can cool and heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 by cooling and heating the liquid storage tank 310. In some embodiments, the cooling assembly 320 can include a cooling device capable of cooling the liquid storage tank 310, and the heating assembly 330 can include a heating device capable of heating the liquid storage tank 310. The cooling device and the heating device can share a common element 340. In some embodiments, the common element 340 can include a heat sink. In some embodiments, the heating device can include a heat sink that heats the liquid storage tank 310 by dissipating heat. The liquid storage tank 310 then transfers the heat to the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310, thereby heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310. The cooling device can include cooling fins, a heat sink, and a fan. The cooling fins cool the liquid storage tank 310, and the cooled liquid storage tank 310 transfers heat to the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310, thereby cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310. As the cooling fins cool the liquid storage tank 310, the heat sinks dissipate heat from the cooling fins, and the fan assists the heat sinks in dissipating heat from the cooling fins, thereby accelerating the heat dissipation rate of the cooling fins. Therefore, based on the above description, it can be seen that the heat sinks can both dissipate heat during the cooling process of the cooling assembly 320 and heat during the heating process of the heating assembly 330. Therefore, the heat sinks can serve as a common component 340.

[0096] In some embodiments, the cooling assembly 320 and / or the heating assembly 330 may also utilize liquid circulation to cool or heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310. In some embodiments, the cooling assembly 320 may include a cooling line that is connected to the liquid storage tank 310. The liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 may be pumped into the cooling line by a pumping device, cooled in the cooling line, and then pumped back into the liquid storage tank 310. In some embodiments, the liquid storage tank 310 may have a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310 are respectively disposed on the sidewalls of the liquid storage tank 310, and the interior space of the liquid storage tank 310 is connected to the exterior of the liquid storage tank 310 through the liquid inlet and liquid outlet. In some embodiments, one end of the cooling line may be connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310, and the other end of the cooling line may be connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 310. The liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 flows into the refrigeration pipeline from one end of the refrigeration pipeline through the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310 and is refrigerated in the refrigeration pipeline. The refrigerated liquid flows back to the liquid storage tank from the other end of the refrigeration pipeline through the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 310, thereby realizing the refrigeration of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310.

[0097] Similarly, the heating assembly 330 may include a heating pipeline that is connected to the liquid storage tank 310. The liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 can be pumped out to the heating pipeline by a pumping device, and after being heated in the heating pipeline, it can be pumped back to the liquid storage tank 310. In some embodiments, one end of the heating pipeline can be connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310, and the other end of the heating pipeline can be connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 310. The liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 flows from one end of the heating pipeline into the heating pipeline through the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310 and is heated in the heating pipeline. The heated liquid then flows from the other end of the heating pipeline back to the liquid storage tank through the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 310, thereby heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310.

[0098] In some embodiments, the refrigeration component 320 and / or the heating component 330 utilizes a liquid circulation method to cool or heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310, and a common pipeline may be provided between the refrigeration line and the heating line. The common element 340 may include at least a common pipeline. The common pipeline may be a pipeline that plays a role in both the refrigeration process of the refrigeration component 320 and the heating process of the heating component 330. In some embodiments, the refrigeration pipeline of the refrigeration component 320 and the heating pipeline of the heating component 330 may be the same pipeline. In this case, the entire refrigeration pipeline / heating pipeline may be considered a common pipeline. The liquid can be cooled or heated in the common pipeline (also, the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline).

[0099] In some embodiments, the cooling line and the heating line may also be different lines with a shared line. It can also be understood that the cooling line / heating line is composed of a shared line and a non-shared line. In some embodiments, the shared line may be a portion of the cooling line / heating line that is connected to the liquid inlet and / or liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310 (also called an end line). At this time, the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 can flow out through the shared line and then flow to the non-shared line of the cooling line / heating line, and / or the liquid in the non-shared line of the cooling line / heating line can flow to the shared line and flow back to the liquid storage tank 310 through the shared line. In some embodiments, the shared line may also be a portion of the line that is not connected to the liquid inlet and / or liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 310 (also called a non-end line). At this time, the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310 can flow out through the non-shared pipeline of the cooling line (or heating line) and then flow to the shared pipeline, and / or the liquid in the shared pipeline can flow to the non-shared pipeline of the cooling line (or heating line) and flow back to the liquid storage tank 310 through the non-shared pipeline. When the cooling line and the heating line are different pipelines with a shared pipeline, the end of the shared pipeline can have two through ports, and the two through ports are respectively connected to the cooling line and the heating line. In some embodiments, when the cooling line and the heating line are different pipelines with a shared pipeline, the liquid can be cooled or heated in the shared pipeline. In some embodiments, when the cooling line and the heating line are different pipelines with a shared pipeline, the liquid can also be cooled or heated in the non-shared pipeline of the cooling line and the heating line.

[0100] In some embodiments, when the cooling assembly 320 and / or heating assembly 330 utilizes a liquid circulation method to cool or heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310, the cooling and heating lines may not share a common line; that is, the cooling and heating lines are independent lines. In this case, a common element 340 may be disposed between the cooling and heating lines. In some embodiments, the cooling assembly 320 may include a first heat conductor connected to the cooling line and a cooling device for cooling the first heat conductor. The cooling device cools the first heat conductor, and the cooled first heat conductor transfers heat to the liquid in the cooling line, thereby cooling the liquid in the cooling line and cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310. The heating assembly 330 may include a second heat conductor connected to the heating line and a heating device for cooling the second heat conductor. The heating device heats the second heat conductor, and the heated second heat conductor transfers heat to the liquid in the heating line, thereby heating the liquid in the heating line and heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank 310. In some embodiments, the common element 340 may be disposed between the first heat conductor and the second heat conductor. As an example only, the common element 340 may include a heat sink disposed between the first heat conductor and the second heat conductor.

[0101] In some embodiments, when the cooling and heating circuits do not share a common line, the common element 340 may include a pump. The pump is used to pump liquid from the liquid reservoir 310 to the cooling or heating circuits, driving the flow of liquid in the cooling or heating circuits. In some embodiments, the pump can be connected to the cooling or heating circuits, selectively pumping liquid from the liquid reservoir to either the cooling or heating circuits. For example, when the cooling assembly 320 is cooling the liquid in the liquid reservoir 310, the pump can pump the liquid from the liquid reservoir 310 to the cooling circuit. The cooled liquid is then pumped back to the liquid reservoir 310 under the action of the pump, thereby cooling the liquid in the liquid reservoir 310. For another example, when the heating assembly 330 is heating the liquid in the liquid reservoir 310, the pump can pump the liquid from the liquid reservoir 310 to the heating circuit. The heated liquid is then pumped back to the liquid reservoir 310 under the action of the pump, thereby heating the liquid in the liquid reservoir 310.

[0102] Figure 4 is an exemplary structural diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification. Figure 5 is an exemplary assembly diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification. Figure 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a heat conductor according to some embodiments of the present specification.

[0103] 4-5 , cooking device 400 may include a liquid storage tank 410, a cooling assembly 420, and a heating assembly 430. Cooling assembly 420 may cool liquid in liquid storage tank 410. Heating assembly 430 may heat liquid in liquid storage tank 410. A common component 440 may be provided between cooling assembly 420 and heating assembly 430. In some embodiments, common component 440 may include at least a common pipeline 441.

[0104] Referring to Figures 4-6, in some embodiments, the shared element 440 may further include a heat conductor 442 connected to the shared pipeline 441. The heat conductor 442 may be a conductor capable of heat transfer. The cooling assembly 420 and the heating assembly 430 may cool or heat the liquid in the heat conductor 442 via the heat conductor 442. The cooling assembly 420 (or heating assembly 430) cools (or heats) the heat conductor 442, and the cooled (or heated) heat conductor 442 transfers heat with the liquid in the heat conductor 442, thereby cooling (or heating) the liquid in the heat conductor 442. In some embodiments, the heat conductor 442 may be connected to the shared pipeline 441. Liquid drawn from the liquid storage tank 410 may flow into the heat conductor 442 via a pipeline (e.g., the shared pipeline 441), where it may be cooled or heated. Furthermore, the cooled or heated liquid may be returned to the liquid storage tank 410 via the pipeline. In some embodiments, the interior of the thermal conductor 442 may be provided with a through groove 4421 (as shown in FIG6 ), with the through groove 4421 forming at least a portion of the common pipeline 441. In some embodiments, the through groove 4421 may be a pipeline provided within the thermal conductor 442. For example, the through groove 4421 may be a pipeline having a curved structure. The pipeline may form at least a portion of the common pipeline 441, that is, the common pipeline 441 may include the through groove 4421.

[0105] In some embodiments, one end of the heat conductor 442 is connected to the common pipeline 441, and the other end is connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, the through groove 4421 within the heat conductor 442 may have a through groove inlet 4422 and a through groove outlet 4423. The through groove inlet 4422 is connected to the common pipeline 441, and the through groove outlet 4423 is connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410. Liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 can flow into the common pipeline 441 through the liquid outlet 412, and then into the through groove 4421 through the through groove inlet 4422. The liquid is cooled or heated in the through groove 4421. Furthermore, the cooled or heated liquid flows back to the liquid storage tank 410 through the through groove outlet 4423 and the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410, thereby cooling or heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410.

[0106] In some embodiments, the inlet 4422 and outlet 4423 of the through-slot 4421 can be disposed on both sides of the thermal conductor 442. The two sides of the thermal conductor 442 can refer to two sidewalls perpendicular to the height direction of the thermal conductor 442 (the z-direction in FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, the inlet 4422 and outlet 4423 of the through-slot 4421 can be disposed on two opposing sidewalls of the thermal conductor 324. For example, the inlet 4422 and outlet 4423 of the through-slot 4421 can be disposed on two sidewalls of the thermal conductor 324 perpendicular to the height direction of the thermal conductor 324 (the z-direction in FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, the inlet 4422 and outlet 4423 of the through-slot 4421 can also be disposed at other locations of the thermal conductor 442, for example, both the inlet 4422 and outlet 4423 can be disposed on one sidewall (e.g., the upper side) of the thermal conductor 442 perpendicular to its height direction (the z-direction in FIG. 4 ).

[0107] In some embodiments, to facilitate the provision of through-slots 4421 within the thermal conductor 442, the shape of the thermal conductor 442 may include, but is not limited to, a cube or a column. In some embodiments, when the through-slots 4421 are not provided within the thermal conductor 442, the thermal conductor 442 may also be in the form of a sheet. For example, the thermal conductor 442 may be a metal sheet disposed on the wall of the pipeline.

[0108] In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the provision of the through groove 4421 inside the heat conductor 442, the heat conductor 442 may have a certain thickness. The thickness of the heat conductor 442 may refer to the length of the heat conductor 442 along the x-axis direction (as shown in FIG4 ). In some embodiments, in order to ensure that the through groove 4421 has an appropriate total length inside the heat conductor 324, the heat conductor 442 may have a certain cross-sectional area. The cross-sectional area of ​​the heat conductor 442 may refer to the area of ​​the surface of the heat conductor 442 that is perpendicular to its thickness direction (x direction in FIG4 ) (the surface parallel to the yz plane in FIG4 ). In some embodiments, the thickness and / or cross-sectional area of ​​the heat conductor 442 may be set according to actual needs and are not further defined herein.

[0109] In some embodiments, the material of the thermal conductor 442 may affect the efficiency of heat transfer between the thermal conductor 442 and the liquid, thereby affecting the cooling / heating effect of the liquid in the thermal conductor 442. In some embodiments, the material of the thermal conductor 442 may include metal (e.g., copper, aluminum, iron), alloy (e.g., aluminum alloy), stainless steel, and the like.

[0110] In some embodiments, referring to FIG6 , the through-slots 4421 may be arranged in a serpentine pattern within the heat conductor 442. This arrangement allows the through-slots 4421 to have a longer total length, thereby increasing the time the liquid spends cooling or heating within the through-slots 4421, thereby increasing the heat transfer energy between the liquid and the heat conductor 442. Furthermore, the serpentine or spiral arrangement of the through-slots 4421 within the heat conductor 442 can also improve the utilization of the internal structure of the heat conductor 442. In some embodiments, the through-slots 4421 may be arranged in other suitable practical arrangements within the heat conductor 442, such as a spiral arrangement. When the through-slots 4421 are arranged in a spiral pattern within the heat conductor 442, the spiral may have a spiral axis, with the through-slots 4421 rotating around the spiral axis along the direction in which the spiral axis extends to form the spiral shape. The spiral axis may extend in a direction parallel to any of the height (z-direction in FIG4 ), thickness (x-direction in FIG4 ), or width (y-direction in FIG4 ) directions of the heat conductor 442.

[0111] In some embodiments, the common pipeline 441 may include a pump inlet pipe 4411 and a pump outlet pipe 4412. The pump inlet pipe 4411 is connected to the liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410, and the pump outlet pipe 4412 is connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410.

[0112] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the pump outlet pipe 4412 can be connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410 through a thermal conductor 442. In this case, the thermal conductor 442 can be arranged between the pump outlet pipe 4412 and the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410 in terms of the direction of liquid flow. In some embodiments, the pump outlet pipe 4412 can be connected to one end of the thermal conductor 442 (the end having the through-slot inlet 4422), and the other end of the thermal conductor 442 (the end having the through-slot outlet 4423) can be connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410. The pump outlet pipe 4412 is connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410 through the through-slot inlet 4422 and the through-slot outlet 4423 on the thermal conductor 442.

[0113] In some embodiments, the pump outlet pipe 4412 may also be directly connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410. For example, when the cooking device 400 does not include the heat conductor 442, the pump outlet pipe 4412 may be directly connected to the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410. When the cooking device 400 does not include the heat conductor 442, certain pipes of the common pipeline 441 may be configured as cooling pipes and heating pipes, so that the liquid flowing through the cooling pipes or heating pipes can be cooled or heated, thereby cooling or heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410.

[0114] In some embodiments, the pump inlet pipe 4411 and the pump outlet pipe 4412 can be connected to the pump body 450, respectively. The pump inlet pipe 4411 and the pump outlet pipe 4412 are connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump body 450, respectively. The pump body 450 can be used to pump liquid out of the liquid storage tank 410 and drive the liquid to flow in the pipeline. In some embodiments, the pump body 450 can be arranged outside the liquid storage tank 410. For example, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in terms of the direction of liquid flow, the pump body 450 can be arranged between the liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410 and the heat conductor 442. In some embodiments, the pump body 450 can also be arranged inside the liquid storage tank 410. For example, when the pump body 450 is arranged inside the liquid storage tank 410, the pump body 450 can act on the liquid inlet pipe 413 and the liquid outlet pipe 414 in the liquid storage tank 410, respectively, to achieve circulation of the liquid in the pipeline. In some embodiments, the liquid inlet pipe 413 and the liquid outlet pipe 414 in the liquid storage tank 410 are respectively connected to the liquid inlet 411 and the liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410. For more description of the liquid inlet pipe 413 and the liquid outlet pipe 414 in the liquid storage tank 410, please refer to other places in this specification.

[0115] In some embodiments, with continued reference to Figures 4-5, the common element 440 may include a pump body 450. The pump body 450 may be used to drive the flow of liquid in the refrigeration circuit of the refrigeration assembly 420 and the heating circuit of the heating assembly 430. For example, a pump inlet pipe 4411 and a pump outlet pipe 4412, respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump body 450, may be connected to the liquid outlet 412 and the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410 through the refrigeration circuit (and / or the heating circuit), respectively, thereby pumping the liquid out of the liquid storage tank 410 and driving the liquid to flow in the refrigeration circuit (and / or the heating circuit).

[0116] In some embodiments, a shared pipeline 441 may be provided between the cooling circuit of the cooling assembly 420 and the heating circuit of the heating assembly 430. The pump body 450 may be in communication with the shared pipeline 441. The communication between the pump body 450 and the shared pipeline 441 may be sealed communication. In this case, the pump body 450 and the shared pipeline 441 both serve as a shared element 440 between the cooling assembly 420 and the heating assembly 430. In some embodiments, one end of the shared pipeline 441 may be in communication with the liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410, and the other end of the shared pipeline 441 may be in communication with the pump body 450. For example, the other end of the shared pipeline 441 may be in communication with the pump body 450 via the pump inlet 4411. When the pump body 450 is in operation, it can pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 through the liquid outlet 412 to the common pipeline 441, and drive the liquid to flow in the common pipeline 441. The liquid can be cooled and / or heated during the flow process, and the cooled and / or heated liquid is pumped back to the liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, the cooling and / or heating process of the liquid during the flow process can be carried out in the common pipeline 441. In some embodiments, the cooling and / or heating process of the liquid during the flow process can also be carried out in the heat conductor 442.

[0117] In some embodiments, when the common element 440 includes a pump body 450, there may or may not be a common pipeline 441 between the cooling pipeline and the heating pipeline (that is, the cooling pipeline and the heating pipeline are two independent pipelines). In some embodiments, when the cooling pipeline and the heating pipeline are two independent pipelines, the pump body 450 can be connected to the cooling pipeline and the heating pipeline respectively. In some embodiments, the pump body 450 can include a first liquid inlet pipe and a first liquid outlet pipe, and a second liquid inlet pipe and a second liquid outlet pipe, wherein the first liquid inlet pipe and the first liquid outlet pipe are respectively connected to the liquid outlet 412 and the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410 through the cooling pipeline, and the second liquid inlet pipe and the second liquid outlet pipe are respectively connected to the liquid outlet 412 and the liquid inlet 411 of the liquid storage tank 410 through the heating pipeline. The pump body 450 can selectively pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 into the cooling pipeline or the heating pipeline. In some embodiments, when the cooling assembly 420 cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410, the pump body 450 can pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 into the cooling line. The cooled liquid is then pumped back into the liquid storage tank 410 by the pump body 450. By way of example only, a cooling element, such as a cooling tube, can be provided in the cooling line to cool the liquid in the cooling line, thereby cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, when the heating assembly 420 heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410, the pump body 450 can pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 into the heating line. The heated liquid is then pumped back into the liquid storage tank 410 by the pump body 450. By way of example only, a heating element, such as a heating tube, can be provided in the heating line to heat the liquid in the heating tube, thereby heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410.

[0118] In some embodiments, with continued reference to Figures 4-5, when the liquid is cooled or heated in the heat conductor 442, the cooling element of the cooling assembly 420 and the heating element of the heating assembly 430 can be disposed on the surface of the heat conductor 442. The cooling element and the heating element are in direct contact with the surface of the heat conductor 442 (for example, attached to the surface of the heat conductor 442). When the cooling element is operating, the energy (or heat) output by the cooling element is transferred to the liquid through the heat conductor 442, thereby cooling the liquid in the heat conductor 442. When the heating element is operating, the energy (or heat) output by the heating element is transferred to the liquid through the heat conductor 442, thereby heating the liquid in the heat conductor 442.

[0119] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5 , heat conductor 442 may include a first surface 4424 and a second surface 4425. First surface 4424 may be provided with a heating element, while second surface 4425 may be provided with a cooling element. In some embodiments, first surface 4424 and second surface 4425 of heat conductor 442 may be opposing surfaces. For example, first surface 4424 and second surface 4425 may be surfaces of heat conductor 442 perpendicular to the thickness direction of heat conductor 442 (the x-direction in FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, when cooking device 400 includes liquid storage tank 410, first surface 4424 may face liquid storage tank 410, while second surface 4425 faces away from liquid storage tank 410.

[0120] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4-5 , the heating element may include a heating sheet 431 attached to a first surface 4424 of a heat conductor 442. When the cooking device 400 needs to heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 (e.g., when the cooking device 400 is in cooking mode), the heating sheet 431 may be energized to generate heat, and the heat conductor 442 transfers the heat generated by the heating sheet 431 to the liquid, thereby heating the liquid in the heat conductor 442. In some embodiments, the heating sheet 431 may have electrodes 4311 for energizing the liquid.

[0121] In some embodiments, the cooling element may include a cooling fin 421, a heat sink 422, and a fan 423. In some embodiments, the cooling fin 421 may be a semiconductor refrigeration fin. When the semiconductor refrigeration fin is energized, one side of the semiconductor refrigeration fin (also referred to as the cooling surface) may cool while the other side (also referred to as the heating surface) may heat. Thus, the semiconductor refrigeration fin can use the cooling surface to cool an object (e.g., thermal conductor 442) in contact with the cooling surface. In some embodiments, the cooling surface of the cooling fin 421 may be attached to the second surface 4425 of the thermal conductor 442. When the cooking device 400 needs to cool the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 (e.g., when the cooking device 400 is in a preset mode), the cooling fin 421 may be energized to operate, and the cooling surface of the cooling fin 421 cools the thermal conductor 442. The thermal conductor 442 transfers heat from the cooling fin 421 to the liquid, thereby cooling the liquid in the thermal conductor 442. In some embodiments, the cooling fin 421 may have electrodes 4211 for energizing.

[0122] In some embodiments, during the cooling process, the heat transfer surface of the cooling fin 421 accumulates a significant amount of heat. Heat sink 422 can be used to dissipate heat from the heat transfer surface of the cooling fin 421, thereby ensuring the proper function of the cooling fin 421. Fan 423 can assist heat sink 422 in dissipating heat from the cooling fin 421, dissipating heat from the heat transfer surface of the cooling fin 421. In some embodiments, heat sink 422 can be positioned outside the cooling fin 421, and fan 423 can be positioned outside the cooling fin 422. The outside of the cooling fin 421 can be the side where the heat transfer surface of the cooling fin 421 is located. The outside of the heat sink 422 can be the side facing away from the cooling fin 421. The cooling fin 421, heat sink 422, and fan 423 are positioned on the second surface 4425 of the heat conductor 442, in a direction perpendicular to and extending outward from the second surface 4425. In some embodiments, when the cooking device 400 includes the liquid storage tank 410 , the outer side of the cooling fin 421 may be the side of the cooling fin 421 facing away from the liquid storage tank 410 . The outer side of the heat sink 422 may be the side of the heat sink 422 facing away from the liquid storage tank 410 .

[0123] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4 , cooking device 400 may further include a liquid inlet pipe 413 and a liquid outlet pipe 414 disposed within liquid storage tank 410. Liquid inlet pipe 413 communicates with liquid inlet 411 of liquid storage tank 410, while liquid outlet pipe 414 communicates with liquid outlet 412 of liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, one end of liquid inlet pipe 413 communicates with liquid inlet 411 of liquid storage tank 410, while the other end (also called the distal end) can extend into the liquid in liquid storage tank 410. Liquid outlet pipe 414 communicates with liquid outlet 412 of liquid storage tank 410, while the other end (also called the distal end) can extend into the liquid in liquid storage tank 410. When pump body 450 of cooking device 400 is in operation, it can pump liquid from liquid storage tank 410 into the pipeline through liquid outlet pipe 414 and pump liquid from the pipeline back into liquid storage tank 410 through liquid inlet pipe 413.

[0124] In some embodiments, to ensure that liquid can be pumped out / back between the liquid storage tank 410 and the pipeline, the ends of the liquid inlet pipe 413 and / or the liquid outlet pipe 414 can be set below the minimum liquid level line of the liquid storage tank 410.

[0125] In some embodiments, in order to prevent the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 from overflowing from the liquid inlet 411 and / or liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410, the liquid inlet 411 and / or liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410 can be set above the maximum liquid level line of the liquid storage tank 410.

[0126] In some embodiments, the piping assembly (e.g., heating piping, cooling piping, common piping 441) can be disposed on the side of the liquid storage tank 410. For example, referring to FIG4 , the piping assembly is disposed on the side of the surface of the liquid storage tank 410 parallel to the height direction (z direction) of the liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, the cooking device 400 may further include a host, and the cooling assembly 420 and the heating assembly 430 may be disposed on the host. In some embodiments, the host and the liquid storage tank 410 may be connected in a detachable manner. In some embodiments, the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 may enter the host under the action of the pump body 450, and be cooled / heated in the cooling assembly 420 / heating assembly 430 of the host, and then the cooled / heated liquid is returned to the liquid storage tank 410 by the pump body 450, and the cooled / heated liquid is mixed with the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410, thereby achieving cooling / heating of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410.

[0127] In some embodiments, the main unit and the liquid storage tank 410 can be arranged in a front-to-back arrangement or a left-to-right arrangement. For example, when the main unit and the liquid storage tank 410 are arranged in a front-to-back arrangement, the main unit can be docked on the larger side of the liquid storage tank 410 (e.g., the side parallel to the yz plane in FIG. 4 ), and the liquid inlet 411 and the liquid outlet 412 of the liquid storage tank 410 can be provided on the docking surface of the liquid storage tank 410.

[0128] In some embodiments, cooking device 400 may further include a control assembly, such as control assembly 210. In some embodiments, control assembly 210 may control cooling assembly 420 and / or heating assembly 430 to cool or heat the liquid in liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, control assembly 210 may include a control panel that can be used to control the operating states of cooling assembly 420 and heating assembly 430. The control panel may include connectors for connecting electrodes 4211 of a cooling element (e.g., cooling fins 421) and connectors for connecting electrodes 4311 of a heating element (e.g., heating fins 431). Control assembly 210 can energize cooling fins 421 by controlling the connectors on the control panel corresponding to electrodes 4211, thereby controlling cooling fins 421 to cool the liquid in liquid storage tank 410. Control assembly 210 can also energize heating fins 431 by controlling the connectors on the control panel corresponding to electrodes 4311, thereby controlling heating fins 431 to heat the liquid in liquid storage tank 410. In some embodiments, when the cooling plate 421 is powered on, the heating plate 431 is powered off; and when the heating plate 431 is powered on, the cooling plate 421 is powered off. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can also control the operating mode of the cooking device 400. For example, the control component 210 can control the cooking device 400 to switch between the reservation mode and the cooking mode. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can also control the operating time of the cooking device 400 in different operating modes, for example, the reservation time in the reservation mode, the cooking time in the cooking mode, etc. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can also control the temperature of the liquid in the cooking device 400 in different operating modes, for example, the cooling temperature in the reservation mode, the cooking temperature in the cooking mode, etc. For more description of the control component 210, please refer to Figure 2 and its related content.

[0129] In some embodiments, the cooking device 400 may further include a temperature sensor disposed in the liquid storage tank 410, the temperature sensor being used to detect the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410. The control component 210 may control the refrigeration component 420 and the heating component 430 based on the detection result of the temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may detect the temperature of the liquid in the cooking device 400 in the reservation mode, and the control component 210 may control the refrigeration component 420 based on the detection result of the temperature sensor. For example, when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 detected by the temperature sensor is high (for example, higher than 5 degrees), it may indicate that the food cannot be preserved or the preservation effect is poor in the liquid environment of the liquid storage tank 410, which may reduce the user's experience of the reservation mode. In this case, the control component 210 may control the refrigeration component 420 to continue working or to work at a higher power.

[0130] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can also detect the temperature of the liquid in the cooking device 400 in the cooking mode, and the control component 210 controls the heating component 430 based on the detection result of the temperature sensor. For example, if the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410 detected by the temperature sensor is low (e.g., lower than a preset cooking temperature), the control component 210 can control the heating component 430 to continue operating.

[0131] In some embodiments, to ensure that the temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor is more accurate, the temperature sensor may be disposed inside the liquid storage tank 410. Preferably, to ensure that the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor is closer to the average temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410, the temperature sensor may be located at the center of the liquid in the liquid storage tank 410. In other embodiments, the temperature sensor may be located at other locations, such as the liquid outlet 412, liquid inlet 411, liquid inlet pipe 413, liquid outlet pipe 414, or the water inlet / outlet of the common pipeline 441 of the liquid storage tank 410.

[0132] Some embodiments of the present specification also provide a pipeline assembly. The pipeline assembly can be applied to cooking devices and other devices. Other devices may include but are not limited to water dispensers, water heaters, and other liquid storage or pumping devices. In some embodiments, the pipeline assembly may include a common pipeline and a heat conductor. The heat conductor is connected to the common pipeline, and a through groove may be provided inside the heat conductor, and the through groove forms at least part of the common pipeline. The heat conductor can be connected to the common pipeline through the through groove. For example, the heat conductor is connected to the common pipeline through the inlet and / or outlet of the through groove. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the heat conductor may be provided with a heating element and / or a cooling element. The heating element and the cooling element may be located on the same surface or different surfaces of the heat conductor (for example, two surfaces arranged opposite to each other). The heat conductor can transfer the heat output by the heating element / cooling element to the liquid inside the heat conductor, thereby enabling the heating element and / or cooling element to heat / cool the liquid in the pipeline assembly. In some embodiments, more information about the heat conductor and the through groove in the heat conductor can be found elsewhere in this specification.

[0133] In some embodiments, the pipeline assembly may further include a pump body, which is used to drive the flow of liquid in the common pipeline. For example, the pump body can drive the liquid to circulate between the heat conductor and the common pipeline. In some embodiments, the common pipeline may include a pump inlet pipe and a pump outlet pipe, which are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump body. The pump body acts on the pump inlet pipe and the pump outlet pipe through the inlet and outlet of the pump body, respectively, thereby driving the flow of liquid in the pipeline assembly. In some embodiments, more information about the pump body, pump inlet pipe, and pump outlet pipe can be found elsewhere in this specification.

[0134] In some embodiments, the heat conductor may include a first surface and a second surface. A heating element may be provided on the first surface, and a cooling element may be provided on the second surface. The first surface and the second surface may be two surfaces arranged opposite to each other on the heat conductor. In some instances, the heating element may include a heating plate, which is attached to the first surface of the heat conductor. The cooling element may include a cooling plate, a heat sink, and a fan. The cooling plate is attached to the second surface of the heat conductor, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling plate, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink. In some embodiments, more information about the heating element and the cooling element can be found elsewhere in this specification.

[0135] In some embodiments, a cooking device may include a liquid storage tank, a circulation line, a heating device, and a cooling device. The circulation line, heating device, and cooling device may be located outside the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, both ends of the circulation line may be connected to the liquid storage tank. For example, one end of the circulation line may be connected to the liquid storage tank via the liquid inlet, and the other end may be connected to the liquid storage tank via the liquid outlet. The heating device may be used to heat the liquid in the circulation line. The heating device may include components capable of heating the liquid in the circulation line (e.g., a heating plate or heating tube). The cooling device may be used to cool the liquid in the circulation line. The cooling device may include components capable of cooling the liquid in the circulation line (e.g., a cooling plate or cooling tube). In some embodiments, the cooking device may have a preset mode and a cooking mode. When the cooking device is in the preset mode, the cooling device cools the liquid in the liquid storage tank via the circulation line; when the cooking device is in the cooking mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank via the circulation line.

[0136] In some embodiments, a cooking device's reservation mode and cooking mode can be set via an interactive interface of the cooking device; when a preset reservation mode reaches a preset time, the cooking device can switch from the reservation mode to the cooking mode. For example, when a preset reservation mode reaches a preset time, the control component can control the cooking device to switch from the reservation mode to the cooking mode.

[0137] In some embodiments, the circulation pipeline may include a through groove arranged inside the heat conductor, one end of the through groove (also called the inlet of the through groove) is connected to the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the other end of the through groove (also called the outlet of the through groove) is connected to the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the heat conductor may include a first surface and a second surface; the heating device includes a heating element arranged on the first surface, and the cooling device includes a cooling element arranged on the second surface. In some embodiments, the heating element may include a heating plate, and the heating plate is attached to the first surface of the heat conductor. The cooling element may include a cooling plate, a heat sink and a fan; the cooling plate is attached to the second surface of the heat conductor, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling plate, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink. In some embodiments, the cooking device and the structure, components, etc. of the cooking device have been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0138] While the basic concepts have been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the detailed disclosure is merely illustrative and does not limit this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, various modifications, improvements, and revisions to this specification may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications, improvements, and revisions are suggested in this specification and remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this specification.

[0139] This specification also uses specific terms to describe the embodiments of this specification. For example, "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of this specification. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" two or more times in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments of this specification may be appropriately combined.

[0140] In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various aspects of this specification may be illustrated and described by a number of patentable categories or situations, including any new and useful process, machine, product or combination of substances, or any new and useful improvements thereto. Accordingly, various aspects of this specification may be performed entirely by hardware, entirely by software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or by a combination of hardware and software. The above hardware or software may be referred to as "data blocks", "modules", "engines", "units", "components" or "systems". In addition, various aspects of this specification may be represented as a computer product located in one or more computer-readable media, which includes computer-readable program code.

[0141] A computer storage medium may include a propagated data signal embodying the computer program code, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The propagated signal may be in a variety of forms, including electromagnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer storage medium may be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device to communicate, propagate, or transfer the program for use. The program code on the computer storage medium may be transmitted via any suitable medium, including radio, cable, fiber optic cable, RF, or similar media, or any combination of these.

[0142] The computer program code required for the operation of the various parts of this specification can be written in any one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, JADE, Emerald, C++, C#, VB.NET, Python, etc., conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C, Visual Basic, Fortran 2003, Perl, COBOL 2002, PHP, ABAP, dynamic programming languages ​​such as Python, Ruby and Groovy, or other programming languages. The program code can be run entirely on the user's computer, or as a stand-alone software package on the user's computer, or partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any network, such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet), or in a cloud computing environment, or used as a service such as software as a service (SaaS).

[0143] In addition, unless expressly stated in the claims, the order of the processing elements and sequences, the use of alphanumeric characters, or the use of other names described in this specification are not intended to limit the order of the processes and methods of this specification. Although the above disclosure discusses some of the invention embodiments currently considered useful through various examples, it should be understood that such details are for illustrative purposes only, and the appended claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the claims are intended to cover all modifications and equivalent combinations that are consistent with the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this specification. For example, although the system components described above can be implemented by hardware devices, they can also be implemented only by software solutions, such as installing the described system on an existing server or mobile device.

[0144] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the presentation of this specification and thus facilitate understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments of this specification sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of this specification requires more features than those recited in the claims. In fact, an embodiment may have fewer features than all of the features of a single disclosed embodiment.

[0145] In some embodiments, numbers are used to describe the quantity of components and attributes. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of the embodiments are modified by the modifiers "about", "approximately" or "substantially" in some examples. Unless otherwise stated, "about", "approximately" or "substantially" indicate that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the description and claims are approximate values, which may change according to the required characteristics of individual embodiments. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should take into account the specified significant digits and adopt the general method of retaining digits. Although the numerical domains and parameters used to confirm the breadth of their range in some embodiments of this specification are approximate values, in specific embodiments, the settings of such numerical values ​​are as accurate as possible within the feasible range.

[0146] Each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other materials, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, and documents, cited in this specification is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This includes application history documents that are inconsistent with or conflict with the content of this specification, as well as documents (currently or subsequently attached to this specification) that limit the broadest scope of the claims of this specification. It should be noted that if the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in the accompanying materials are inconsistent or conflicting with the content of this specification, the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in this specification will control.

[0147] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification are intended only to illustrate the principles of the embodiments of this specification. Other variations may also fall within the scope of this specification. Therefore, by way of example and not limitation, alternative configurations of the embodiments of this specification may be considered consistent with the teachings of this specification. Accordingly, the embodiments of this specification are not limited to the embodiments explicitly described and illustrated in this specification.

Claims

1. A cooking device, characterized in that: The cooking device comprises: liquid storage tank; a refrigeration component for cooling the liquid in the liquid storage tank; A heating component, for heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank; The cooling assembly and the heating assembly have common elements.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein: The refrigeration component includes a refrigeration pipeline, and the heating component includes a heating pipeline. The refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline are used to lead the liquid in the liquid storage tank out of the liquid storage tank and return the liquid to the liquid storage tank after the liquid is refrigerated and heated.

3. The cooking device according to claim 2, wherein: There is a common pipeline between the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline; the common element at least includes the common pipeline.

4. The cooking device according to claim 3, wherein: The common element further comprises a heat conductor in communication with the common pipeline; a through groove is provided on the heat conductor, and the through groove forms at least a part of the common pipeline.

5. The cooking device according to claim 4, wherein: One end of the heat conductor is communicated with the common pipeline, and the other end is communicated with the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

6. The cooking device according to claim 2, wherein: The common element includes a pump body, which is used to drive the liquid in the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline to flow.

7. The cooking device according to claim 6, characterized in that A common pipeline is provided between the refrigeration pipeline and the heating pipeline, and the pump body is communicated with the common pipeline.

8. The cooking device according to claim 4, wherein: The common pipeline includes a pump inlet pipe and a pump outlet pipe; the pump inlet pipe is communicated with the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the pump outlet pipe is communicated with the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

9. The cooking device according to claim 8, wherein The pump outlet pipe is connected to one end of the heat conductor, and the other end of the heat conductor is communicated with the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

10. The cooking device according to claim 4, wherein The shape of the heat conductor includes a cube or a column. The cooking device according to claim 4 , wherein the through grooves are distributed in a serpentine or spiral shape in the heat conductor.

12. The cooking device according to claim 4, wherein: The inlet and the outlet of the through slot are arranged on both sides of the heat conductor.

13. The cooking device according to claim 4, wherein: The heat conductor includes a first surface and a second surface; the first surface is provided with a heating element, and the second surface is provided with a cooling element.

14. The cooking device according to claim 13, wherein: The heating element includes a heating sheet, and the heating sheet is attached to the first surface.

15. The cooking device according to claim 13, wherein The cooling element includes a cooling fin, a heat sink and a fan; the cooling fin is attached to the second surface, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling fin, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink.

16. The cooking device according to claim 13, wherein The first surface faces the liquid tank, and the second surface faces away from the liquid tank.

17. The cooking device according to claim 2, wherein The cooking device further comprises a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe arranged in the liquid storage tank; the liquid inlet pipe is communicated with the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank, and the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank.

18. The cooking device according to claim 17, wherein The ends of the liquid inlet pipe and / or the liquid outlet pipe are arranged below the minimum liquid level line of the liquid storage tank.

19. The cooking device according to claim 2, wherein: The liquid inlet and / or liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank is arranged above the maximum liquid level line of the liquid storage tank.

20. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein The cooking device further comprises a host, and the refrigeration component and the heating component are arranged on the host.

21. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein The cooking device further includes a control component for controlling the refrigeration component and / or the heating component to heat or cool the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

22. The cooking device according to claim 21, wherein The cooking device further includes a temperature sensor disposed in the liquid storage tank for detecting the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank; the control component controls the refrigeration component and the heating component according to the detection result of the temperature sensor.

23. A pipeline assembly, characterized in that: including common piping and heat conductors; The heat conductor is in communication with the common pipeline, and a through groove is provided inside the heat conductor, and the through groove forms at least a portion of the common pipeline; The outer surface of the heat conductor is provided with a heating element and / or a cooling element.

24. The pipe assembly according to claim 23, wherein: The pipeline assembly includes a pump body, and the pump body is used to drive the liquid in the common pipeline to flow.

25. The pipe assembly according to claim 24, wherein: The common pipeline includes a pump liquid inlet pipe and a pump liquid outlet pipe, and the pump liquid inlet pipe and the pump liquid outlet pipe are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump body.

26. The pipe assembly according to claim 23, wherein: The heat conductor includes a first surface and a second surface; a heating element is provided on the first surface, and a cooling element is provided on the second surface.

27. The pipe assembly according to claim 26, wherein: The heating element includes a heating plate, which is attached to the first surface; the cooling element includes a cooling plate, a heat sink and a fan; the cooling plate is attached to the second surface, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling plate, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink.

28. A cooking device, characterized in that: The cooking device includes a liquid storage tank, a circulation pipeline, a heating device, and a refrigeration device; both ends of the circulation pipeline are connected to the liquid storage tank, the heating device is used to heat the liquid in the circulation pipeline, and the refrigeration device is used to cool the liquid in the circulation pipeline; The cooking device has a reservation mode and a cooking mode; When the cooking device is in a reservation mode, the refrigeration device refrigerates the liquid in the liquid storage tank through a circulation pipeline; When the cooking device is in a cooking mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank through the circulation pipeline.

29. The cooking device according to claim 28, wherein The reservation mode and cooking mode of the cooking device are set through the interactive interface of the cooking device; when the preset reservation mode reaches a preset time, the cooking device switches from the reservation mode to the cooking mode.

30. The cooking device according to claim 28, wherein The circulation pipeline includes a through groove arranged inside the heat conductor, one end of the through groove is communicated with the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the other end of the channel is communicated with the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank.

31. The cooking device according to claim 30, wherein The heat conductor includes a first surface and a second surface; the heating device includes a heating element disposed on the first surface; and the cooling device includes a cooling element disposed on the second surface.

32. The cooking device according to claim 31, wherein The heating element includes a heating sheet, and the heating sheet is attached to the first surface.

33. The cooking device according to claim 31, wherein The cooling element includes a cooling fin, a heat sink and a fan; the cooling fin is attached to the second surface, the heat sink is attached to the outside of the cooling fin, and the fan is arranged on the outside of the heat sink.

34. The cooking device according to claim 28, wherein The circulation pipeline, the heating device and the refrigeration device are arranged outside the liquid storage tank.

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