Steam cleaning system, range hood and steam cleaning method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances, in particular to a steam cleaning system, a range hood and a steam cleaning method. The steam cleaning system comprises a water tank, a heater and a nozzle. The heater is communicated with the water tank and used for heating water. The water tank is provided with a highest liquid level line, and the position height of the highest liquid level line is larger than or equal to that of the heater. The nozzle communicates with the heater. The one-way valve is arranged between the water tank and the heater and used for preventing water in the heater from flowing back into the water tank. The heater is arranged at the position lower than the highest liquid level line of the water tank, so that water in the water tank can automatically flow into the heater under the action of gravity so as to stably supply water to the heater, noise in the using process of the system can be reduced, and user experience is improved; meanwhile, the failure rate of the steam cleaning system can be reduced, and the maintenance cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances, and in particular to a steam cleaning system, a range hood and a steam cleaning method. Background Art

[0002] Range hoods can quickly collect and discharge the fumes generated during cooking to the outside, thus purifying the kitchen air environment. After a range hood has been used for a period of time, a large amount of viscous oil often adheres to its internal parts, affecting the operation of the range hood and increasing the noise during use. Manual cleaning of the interior of the range hood requires disassembling the range hood structure, which is difficult, time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0003] Existing range hoods automatically clean their interior by spraying steam. For range hood steam cleaning, water is usually sucked in by a water pump. After the water enters the heating body, it is heated and vaporized into steam, and then sprayed from the nozzle onto the impeller blades to achieve the self-cleaning function of the range hood. Among them, the water pump starts making too much noise, which leads to a poor user experience. In addition, the water pump is a consumable part with a high failure rate, and the overall material and maintenance costs are also relatively high. In addition, the water supply is volatile through the water pump, which affects the steam function. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a steam cleaning system, a range hood and a steam cleaning method, which are used to solve the defects of the steam cleaning system in the prior art, such as high noise, high failure rate, high maintenance cost, and large fluctuations in water supply caused by passive water supply of the steam water purification device, so as to reduce the noise of the steam cleaning system, reduce the failure rate of the steam cleaning system to reduce maintenance costs, and stabilize the water volume to improve the cleaning effect.

[0005] The present application provides a steam cleaning system, comprising:

[0006] Water tank;

[0007] A heater, wherein the heater forms a heating chamber, the heating chamber is communicated with the water tank, the heater is used to heat the water in the heating chamber, and the height of the highest liquid level line of the water tank is higher than the height of the heating chamber;

[0008] A nozzle is connected to the heater.

[0009] The steam cleaning system provided according to the present application further includes a one-way valve, which is arranged between the water tank and the heater, and is used to prevent the fluid in the heater from flowing back into the water tank.

[0010] According to the steam cleaning system provided in the present application, the position height of the nozzle is greater than the position height of the highest liquid level line.

[0011] According to the steam cleaning system provided in the present application, the lowest liquid level line of the water tank is located at a height higher than the height of the heating chamber.

[0012] According to the steam cleaning system provided by the present application, the nozzle is connected to the heater through a hose;

[0013] Alternatively, the water tank is connected to the heater via a hose.

[0014] The present application also provides a range hood, comprising:

[0015] a first shell;

[0016] A second shell, the second shell is connected to the first shell and is located at the bottom of the first shell;

[0017] an impeller, the impeller being rotatably disposed in the first housing;

[0018] A steam cleaning system, wherein the steam cleaning system is the steam cleaning system as described above, and at least the nozzle of the steam cleaning system is arranged in the first shell.

[0019] According to the range hood provided in the present application, the heater is arranged in the second shell, the nozzle is arranged in the first shell, and is suitable for spraying cleaning fluid toward the impeller; the water tank is arranged in the first shell or the second shell, and the vertical distance between the water tank and the bottom of the second shell is greater than the vertical distance between the heater and the bottom of the second shell.

[0020] According to the range hood provided in the present application, the water tank is arranged on the top of the second shell.

[0021] The range hood provided according to the present application further includes a fixing base, which is installed on the second shell, one end of the fixing base is detachably connected to and communicated with the water tank, and the other end of the fixing base is connected to and communicated with the heater.

[0022] According to the range hood provided in the present application, the water tank is arranged on the inner side of the first shell;

[0023] The first shell has a front plate, and a water inlet is provided on the front plate. The water inlet of the water tank is connected to the water inlet through a connecting pipe.

[0024] According to the range hood provided in the present application, the water tank is arranged on the outside of the first shell, the water tank is provided with a pipe joint, the pipe joint is connected with the heater through a connecting pipe, a one-way valve is provided between the water tank and the heater, and the one-way valve is arranged in the pipe joint.

[0025] The present application also provides a steam cleaning method, the steam cleaning method using the range hood as described above, the steam cleaning method comprising:

[0026] supplying water to the heater;

[0027] The heater heats water and generates steam to spray the steam toward the impeller.

[0028] According to the steam cleaning method provided by the present application, in the step of the heater heating water and generating steam to spray steam toward the impeller, the heater always maintains a heating state.

[0029] According to the steam cleaning method provided by the present application, in the step of the heater heating water and generating steam to spray steam toward the impeller, the heater is heated intermittently.

[0030] According to the steam cleaning method provided in the present application, the single heating time of the heater is A, and the single heating stop time of the heater is B, wherein A≥B.

[0031] According to the steam cleaning method provided in the present application, in the step of the heater heating water and generating steam to spray steam toward the impeller, the heater first heats continuously and then heats intermittently.

[0032] According to the steam cleaning method provided in the present application, the continuous heating time of the heater is T. In the intermittent heating stage, the single heating time of the heater is A, and the single heating stop time of the heater is B, wherein A≥B, A<T.

[0033] According to the steam cleaning system of the embodiment of the present application, by setting the heater at a position lower than the highest liquid level line of the water tank, the water in the water tank can automatically flow into the heater under the action of gravity, so as to stably supply water to the heater, reduce the noise during the use of the system, and improve the user experience; at the same time, the failure rate of the steam cleaning system can be reduced and the maintenance cost can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0035] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steam cleaning system provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the range hood provided in the embodiment of the present application, wherein the water tank is not shown;

[0037] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional view from the bottom perspective of the range hood provided by an embodiment of the present application, wherein a side panel of the second housing is not shown;

[0038] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Partial magnification Figure I ;

[0039] Figure 5 It is one of the cross-sectional schematic diagrams of the range hood provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional diagram from the top perspective of the range hood provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 7 This is the second cross-sectional schematic diagram of the range hood provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Partial magnification Figure II ;

[0043] Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of a water tank provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Fig.10 It is one of the heating state change diagrams of the heater provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Fig.11 This is the second heating state change diagram of the heater provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Fig.12 This is the third heating state change diagram of the heater provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Reference numerals:

[0048] 100. Range hood;

[0049] 110, first housing; 1101, front plate; 1102, back plate; 111, impeller; 112, second housing;

[0050] 120, water tank; 1201, connecting part; 121, heater; 122, nozzle; 123, one-way valve; 124, water inlet; 125, end cover; 126, pipe joint;

[0051] 130. Fixed seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in further detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0053] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0054] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0055] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0056] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0057] Combine the following Figure 1-Figure 12 The steam cleaning system, range hood and steam cleaning method of the present application are described. It is understandable that the range hood can quickly collect the fumes generated during cooking and discharge them to the outside to purify the kitchen air environment. After the range hood has been used for a period of time, a large amount of viscous oil is often attached to its internal parts, which affects the operation of the range hood, increases power consumption, and increases noise during use. Manual cleaning of the interior of the range hood requires disassembly of the range hood structure, which is difficult, time-consuming and labor-intensive to clean. In the related art, the range hood automatically cleans its interior by spraying steam. Steam cleaning of the range hood usually uses a water pump to supply water. After the water enters the heating body, it is heated and vaporized into steam, and then sprayed from the nozzle onto the impeller blades to realize the self-cleaning function of the range hood. However, this cleaning device has the problems of high noise and unstable water volume.

[0058] For the above questions, see Figure 1 As described above, the steam cleaning system according to the embodiment of the present application includes a water tank 120 , a heater 121 and a nozzle 122 .

[0059] Specifically, the water tank 120 is used to store cleaning liquid, such as clean water. The heater 121 is connected to the water tank 120, and the heater 121 is used to heat water. The nozzle 122 is connected to the heater 121. The water tank 120 can provide water to the heater 121, and the water is heated in the heater 121 and converted into steam with a certain pressure. The steam is sprayed from the nozzle 122, and the air outlet of the nozzle 122 is directed toward the surface to be cleaned, so that the steam contacts the surface to be cleaned for cleaning.

[0060] The water tank 120 and the heater 121, and the heater 121 and the nozzle 122 may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate structure. For example, the nozzle 122 and the heater 121 may be connected through a hose, so that the flexibility of installing the nozzle 122 can be improved; the water tank 120 may be directly connected to the heater 121. In some embodiments, a switch valve may be provided between the nozzle 122 and the heater 121 to prevent the water in the heating chamber from overflowing from the nozzle 122 in a non-working state.

[0061] Steam plays a role in soaking and softening the stains on the surface to be cleaned. Steam condenses on the surface to be cleaned. When the condensed water on the surface to be cleaned accumulates to a certain amount, the condensed water gathers into a stream and flows relative to the surface to be cleaned, thereby removing the oil stains on the surface to be cleaned. When the cleaning object of the steam cleaning system is a movable part, the cleaning object can be rotated or swung during the cleaning process to throw out the stains and sewage, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0062] The water tank 120 has a maximum liquid level line, and a heating chamber is formed inside the heater 121. The heating chamber is connected to the water tank 120, and the heater 121 is used to heat the water in the heating chamber and generate steam. The height of the maximum liquid level line is higher than the height of the heating chamber. Figure 1 As shown, the vertical distance between the highest liquid level line and the heater 121 is h1, h1 ≥ 0. In this way, when the liquid level in the water tank 120 is at the highest liquid level line, the liquid in the water tank 120 can automatically flow to the heating chamber, thereby realizing automatic water supply.

[0063] The side wall of the water tank 120 may be made of a transparent material, or a communicating vessel may be provided on the side wall of the water tank 120 so as to observe the liquid level in the water tank 120 from the outside. The highest liquid level line may be provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the water tank 120, or may be provided on the communicating vessel. The water tank 120 is provided with a water outlet, and the heater 121 is provided with a water supply port. The water outlet and the water supply port may be connected by a hose, and the water in the water tank 120 flows out of the water tank 120 through the water outlet and flows into the heater 121 from the water inlet. It is understandable that the height of the water outlet is lower than the height of the highest liquid level line, so that the water in the water tank 120 can automatically flow out of the water tank 120 under the action of gravity.

[0064] In this way, as long as the liquid level in the water tank 120 is at the highest liquid level line, the water in the water tank 120 can automatically flow to the heater 121 under pressure, avoiding the use of a water pump to supply water to the heater 121 and generating noise, and the steam cleaning system has a low failure rate and low maintenance cost. A throttle valve can also be provided between the water tank 120 and the heater 121 to adjust the flow of water flowing to the heater 121 to adapt to the heating power of the heater 121. In some embodiments, the lowest liquid level line of the water tank 120 is located at a height higher than the height of the heating chamber, so that when the liquid level in the water tank 120 is lower than the highest liquid level line, water can also be automatically supplied to the heating chamber, thereby improving the utilization rate of the water in the water tank 120.

[0065] According to the steam cleaning system of the embodiment of the present application, by setting the heater 121 at a position lower than the highest liquid level line of the water tank 120, the water in the water tank 120 can automatically flow into the heater 121 under the action of gravity, so as to stably supply water to the heater 121, and can reduce the noise during the use of the system to improve the user experience; at the same time, the failure rate of the steam cleaning system can be reduced and the maintenance cost can be reduced.

[0066] In some embodiments, the steam cleaning system further includes a one-way valve 123, which is disposed between the water tank 120 and the heater 121. The one-way valve 123 is used to prevent the fluid in the heater 121 from flowing into the water tank 120. The heating of the heater increases the pressure in the heating chamber. Under the action of pressure, the hot water or steam in the heater can flow back into the water tank through the connecting channel between the water tank and the heater, which can easily damage the water tank and cause safety problems. By arranging the one-way valve 123 between the water tank 120 and the heater 121, water and steam can only flow from the water tank 120 to the heater 121, thereby preventing the water or steam with a higher temperature from flowing back into the water tank 120 and causing damage to the water tank 120; at the same time, the pressure in the heater 121 can be prevented from decreasing, so that the steam pressure ejected from the nozzle 122 is greater, so as to facilitate the removal of stains on the surface to be cleaned and improve the cleaning effect of the steam.

[0067] According to some embodiments of the present application, the height of the nozzle 122 is greater than the height of the highest liquid level. The nozzle 122 is installed above the highest liquid level, which can prevent the nozzle 122 from being lower than the water level in the water tank 120 and causing water to overflow from the nozzle 122. Figure 1 As shown, the vertical distance between the nozzle 122 and the highest liquid level line is h2, and h2>0.

[0068] See also Figure 2 As shown, the range hood 100 according to the embodiment of the present application includes a first shell 110, a second shell 112, an impeller 111 and a steam cleaning system.

[0069] Specifically, the second housing 112 is connected to the first housing 110 and is located at the bottom of the first housing 110. The impeller 111 is rotatably disposed in the first housing 110, and the oil smoke is sucked into the first housing 110 and the second housing 112 by driving the impeller 111 to rotate, and the oil smoke is discharged out of the room by the power provided by the impeller 111. In some embodiments, the first housing 110 and the second housing 112 are both provided with flow channels for gas circulation, and the first housing 110 and the second housing 112 are connected, and the second housing 112 is located at the bottom of the first housing 110, and the oil smoke can enter the first housing 110 from the second housing 112 and be discharged from the first housing 110 through the impeller 111.

[0070] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the first shell 110 and the second shell 112 are both in a cubic shape, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second shell 112 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first shell 110, and the middle of the bottom plate of the second shell 112 protrudes toward the first shell 110, so that a groove is formed at the bottom of the second shell 112. The first shell 110 is connected to the bottom plate of the second shell 112, and the interior of the first shell 110 is connected to the bottom groove of the second shell 112, and the oil smoke enters the first shell 110 through the groove at the bottom of the second shell 112 and is discharged to the outside.

[0071] The steam cleaning system is the steam cleaning system as described above, and at least the nozzle 122 of the steam cleaning system is disposed in the first housing 110, for example, the nozzle 122 of the steam cleaning system can be disposed in the first housing 110. The steam cleaning system can clean the inner wall of the first housing 110, the inner wall of the second housing 112, or the impeller 111. It can be understood that during the process of exhausting oil smoke from the range hood 100, the oil smoke contacts the impeller 111, and the oil droplets in the oil smoke adhere to the impeller 111. After long-term use, the oil stains attached to the surface of the impeller 111 make the impeller 111 heavier, which on the one hand will increase the power consumption of the range hood 100; on the other hand, it will cause the vibration of the impeller 111 to be strengthened during the rotation process, affecting the service life of the impeller 111 and generating noise.

[0072] Water is supplied to the heater 121 through the water tank 120, and the heater 121 heats the water and generates steam. The nozzle 122 of the steam cleaning system is arranged in the first shell 110 or the second shell 112 to spray steam to the surface to be cleaned for cleaning, thereby realizing automatic cleaning, saving manpower and improving cleaning efficiency. Among them, the position of the highest liquid level line on the water tank 120 is higher than the position of the heater 121, and the water in the water tank 120 is automatically supplied to the heater 121 under the action of gravity, thereby ensuring the stability of the water volume in the heater 121, reducing the use of power components, and reducing the noise during the operation of the steam cleaning system.

[0073] According to the range hood 100 of the embodiment of the present application, the range hood 100 is automatically cleaned in the steam cleaning system, which saves manpower and improves the cleaning efficiency. In the steam cleaning system, the height of the heater 121 is lower than the height of the highest liquid level line of the water tank 120, and the water in the water tank 120 is automatically supplied to the heater 121 under the action of gravity, ensuring the stability of the water volume in the heater 121, and this water supply method reduces the use of power components and reduces the noise of the steam cleaning system during operation.

[0074] According to some embodiments of the present application, the heater 121 is arranged in the second housing 112, that is, the heater 121 is located at a low position on the range hood 100, so that the space available for the water tank 120 and the nozzle 122 can be increased. The nozzle 122 is arranged in the first housing 110 and is suitable for spraying a cleaning fluid toward the impeller 111 to clean the impeller 111. It is understood that the cleaning fluid may include hot water and steam that is atomized after heating. As shown in 2, the top plate of the second housing 112 is not shown, and one side plate of the first housing 110 is not shown. The heater 121 is embedded in the second housing 112 and is located on the side wall of the second housing 112. In some embodiments, the heater 121 can also be arranged at the bottom of the second housing 112. The nozzle 122 is located in the first housing 110, and the outlet of the nozzle 122 faces the impeller 111. The nozzle 122 can be installed on the side wall of the first housing 110. The nozzle 122 is connected to the heater 121 via a hose, and the steam generated in the heater 121 is transported to the nozzle 122 via the hose and sprayed out from the nozzle 122 .

[0075] The water tank 120 is disposed on the first housing 110, and the water tank 120 is detachably disposed on the first housing 110, or the water tank 120 is integrally formed with the first housing 110. The vertical distance between the water tank 120 and the bottom of the second housing 112 is greater than the vertical distance between the heater 121 and the bottom of the second housing 112, so that the water in the water tank 120 automatically flows to the heater 121 under the action of gravity, so that the water replenishment amount of the heater 121 remains stable. In some embodiments, the water tank 120 can also be disposed on the second housing 112.

[0076] See also Figure 3 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the water tank 120 is disposed on the top of the second housing 112, which facilitates the routing of the pipeline. The water tank 120 and the heater 121 can be disposed adjacent to each other, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the water tank 120 and the heater 121 are both located on a side wall of the second housing 112, wherein the side wall is hidden to facilitate the display of the connection structure between the heater 121 and the water tank 120. The water tank 120 and the heater 121 are connected by a pipe, and the pipe is arranged in the second housing 112.

[0077] like Figure 3As shown, in some embodiments, the range hood 100 further includes a fixing base 130, which is mounted on the second shell 112. Specifically, the fixing base 130 can be fixedly connected to the top plate of the second shell 112. One end of the fixing base 130 is detachably connected to and communicates with the water tank 120. For example, the water tank 120 can be plugged into the fixing base 130, or the water tank 120 can be connected to the fixing base 130 through a threaded structure; the other end of the fixing base 130 is connected to and communicates with the heater 121. Figure 4 In the example, one end of the fixing base 130 is directly connected to the bottom of the water tank 120, and the other end of the fixing base 130 is connected to the heater 121 through a pipe. This makes it easy to disassemble the water tank 120, which can be a plug-in water cup, eliminating the need to connect the tap water pipe, improving the applicability of the steam cleaning system, and simplifying the structure of the range hood 100.

[0078] See also Figure 5 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the water tank 120 is disposed in the first housing 110. Figure 5 In the example, the end of the impeller 111 faces the inner wall of the first housing 110, and the oil smoke enters the impeller 111 from the end of the impeller 111. The water tank 120 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the first housing 110 and is located below the impeller 111 (such as Figure 5 ), so as to prevent the water tank 120 from blocking the flow of oil smoke.

[0079] See also Figure 5 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the first shell 110 has a front plate 1101 and a back plate 1102 opposite to the front plate 1101. It can be understood that after the range hood 100 is installed in a kitchen or a specific space, the side facing the front plate 1101 has a space for user operation. One end of the impeller 111 faces the front plate 1101, and the other end of the impeller 111 faces the back plate 1102. A water inlet 124 is provided on the front plate 1101, and the water inlet of the water tank 120 is connected to the water inlet 124 through a connecting pipe, so that the user can add water to the water tank 120. In some embodiments, the water tank 120 can be provided on the back plate 1102 and located below the impeller 111 (such as Figure 5 111) to prevent the water tank 120 from affecting the impeller 111 in sucking oil smoke. The water inlet 124 can be arranged on the upper side of the water inlet of the water tank 120 (as shown in FIG. Figure 5 ). The water inlet 124 can be connected to the municipal water supply system, and the water tank 120 is replenished with water through the receiving port. This makes it easy to replenish water to the water tank 120, and a solenoid valve can be set between the water tank 120 and the municipal water supply system to automatically replenish water to the water tank 120 according to the amount of water in the water tank 120 during the cleaning process, thereby improving the automation of the steam cleaning system.

[0080] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, an end of the water inlet 124 located outside the first housing 110 may be provided with an end cap 125, and the end cap 125 is movable relative to the water inlet 124. The end cap 125 is used to cover the water inlet 124 and serves as a device. The user can fill water into the water tank 120 from the water inlet 124 through a hose or a capillary bottle.

[0081] See also Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the water tank 120 is disposed outside the first housing 110. Figure 7 In the example of the present invention, the water tank 120 is disposed on a side wall of the first housing 110, and the water tank 120 and the first housing 110 are detachably connected, or the water tank 120 and the first housing 110 are integrally formed. In some embodiments, the water tank 120 is detachably disposed on the first housing 110. Fig. 9 As shown, the water tank 120 is provided with a plurality of spaced connection parts 1201, and the connection parts 1201 are detachably connected to the first housing 110. The connection parts 1201 may be cylinders, and a blind hole is provided on the first housing 110, and the cylinders may be embedded in the blind holes to fix the water tank 120; or, the connection parts 1201 may be sliders, and a slide groove matching the slider is provided on the first housing 110, and the slider and the slide groove are connected in cooperation to fix the water tank 120.

[0082] See also Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, a pipe joint 126 is provided on the water tank 120, and the pipe joint 126 is connected to the heater 121 through a connecting pipe. Figure 8 As shown, the pipe joint 126 is located on the side wall where the water tank 120 is connected to the first shell 110, and one end of the pipe joint 126 is extended to the bottom wall inside the water tank 120 and is spaced from the bottom wall inside the water tank 120. It can be understood that when the water level in the water tank 120 is lower than the position of the pipe joint 126, the steam generated by the heater 121 is sprayed out through the nozzle 122, the pressure in the heater 121 is reduced, and a pressure difference is formed between the water tank 120 and the heater 121, and the water in the water tank 120 is sucked into the heater 121. In some embodiments, the one-way valve 123 can be arranged in the pipe joint 126.

[0083] According to the steam cleaning method of the embodiment of the present application, applied to the range hood 100 as described above, the steam cleaning method includes:

[0084] S10: supply water to the heater 121;

[0085] S20 : ​​The heater 121 heats water and generates steam to spray the steam toward the impeller 111 .

[0086] In step S10, the water in the water tank 120 automatically supplies water to the heater 121 under the action of gravity, so that the amount of water in the heater 121 remains stable. In some embodiments, a throttle valve is provided between the heater 121 and the water tank 120, and the amount of water supplied from the water tank 120 to the heater 121 can be controlled by adjusting the opening of the throttle valve, or the water tank 120 can be controlled to start supplying water to the heater 121.

[0087] In step S20, the heater 121 heats the water in the heating chamber and generates steam. The heater 121 can be heated according to a certain rule by the heating power and heating time of the heater 121 to obtain the expected cleaning effect. The steam generated in the heater 121 is ejected from the nozzle 122 under the pressure.

[0088] In some embodiments, a plurality of nozzles 122 may be provided, and the plurality of nozzles may be spaced apart along the circumference of the impeller 111 so as to spray steam from multiple directions to the surface to be cleaned for cleaning; alternatively, steam may be sprayed from the nozzle 122 toward the impeller 111, and during the process of the nozzle 122 spraying steam, the impeller 111 may keep rotating, so that the steam is evenly sprayed onto the impeller 111, and the oil and sewage on the impeller 111 may be thrown out by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the impeller 111, thereby improving the cleaning effect; moreover, in this way, the number of nozzles 122 provided may be reduced, and the structure of the range hood 100 may be simplified.

[0089] According to the steam cleaning method of the embodiment of the present application, water is supplied to the heater 121 through the water tank 120, the heater 121 heats the water in the heating chamber to generate steam, and the nozzle 122 sprays steam toward the surface to be cleaned, thereby realizing automatic cleaning of the interior of the range hood 100, simplifying the cleaning steps, improving the cleaning efficiency, and saving manpower.

[0090] See also Fig.10 According to some embodiments of the present application, in the step of heating water and generating steam by the heater 121 to spray steam to the impeller 111, that is, in step S20, the heater 121 is always kept in a heating state. Figure 10-12 In the figure, the state of the heater 121 is shown as a function of time. The vertical axis "off" indicates that the heater 121 is in a stopped heating state, and the vertical axis "on" indicates that the heater 121 is in a heating state. The heating power of the heater 121 is not limited. Fig.10 In the example, the state curve of the heater 121 is a horizontal straight line, that is, during the cleaning process, the heater 121 always maintains a heating state. In this way, the steam can reach a higher temperature during continuous heating, which is beneficial to soften the oil stains on the surface of the impeller 111 and improve the cleaning effect.

[0091] See also Fig.11As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, in the step of heating water and generating steam in the heater 121 to spray steam to the impeller 111, the heater 121 is heated intermittently. In this way, the water in the heater 121 can be prevented from being overheated, so that the cleaning liquid sprayed from the nozzle 122 contains steam and liquid water. The oil stains on the surface of the impeller 111 are softened by steam, and the surface of the impeller 111 is flushed by liquid water, thereby improving the cleaning effect. For example, the heater 121 stops heating after heating for a period of time, and maintains the stopped heating state until the end of a predetermined cycle, wherein the single heating time length and the single heating stop time length of the heater 121 may be the same or different.

[0092] See also Fig.11 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the heater 121 stops heating after heating for a period of time, and then continues heating for a period of time before stopping heating. The single heating time of the heater 121 is A, and the single stopping time of the heater 121 is B, where A≥B. In this way, it can be ensured that the steam generated by the heater 121 reaches a sufficient pressure to be ejected from the nozzle 122, and the steam can be continuously provided during the time period when the heater 121 stops heating.

[0093] According to some embodiments of the present application, in the step of heating water and generating steam by the heater 121 to spray steam to the impeller 111, that is, in step S20, the heater 121 first heats continuously and then heats intermittently. Fig.12 As shown, the heater 121 first heats continuously for a period of time, and then the heater 121 alternates between the stop heating state and the heating state. It can be understood that during the intermittent heating period, the number of times the heater 121 is adjusted to the heating state and the number of times the heater 121 is adjusted to the stop heating state can be set according to actual needs; and after a period of intermittent heating, continuous heating can be performed again, and then intermittent heating can be performed, that is, the above heating steps can be cyclically performed.

[0094] See also Fig.12 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the heater 121 continues to heat for a time period of T, and in the intermittent heating stage, the single heating time period of the heater 121 is A, and the single stopping time period of the heater 121 is B, wherein A≥B, A<T. In this way, the heater 121 first performs continuous heating to generate high-temperature steam (the "high temperature" mentioned here and below refers to the temperature of the steam generated within a predetermined period, and the steam generated in the intermittent heating stage can be referred to as "low-temperature steam"). The high-temperature steam has a good softening effect on the oil stains on the impeller 111, so as to facilitate the removal of the oil stains; the low-temperature steam generated in the intermittent heating stage contains liquid water, which can wash the oil stains on the impeller 111, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0095] exist Fig.12 In the example, the heater 121 first continues to heat for T time, and then the heater 121 first stops heating for B time, and then heats for A time, and repeats the intermittent heating in this cycle. In the intermittent heating process, the single stop heating time B of the heater 121 is less than or equal to the single heating time A of the heater 121, so as to ensure that the heater 121 can provide continuous steam during the stop heating period; the continuous heating time T of the heater 121 is greater than the single heating time A in the intermittent heating stage, so that the heater 121 can fully heat the water to generate steam with a higher temperature and pressure, and can fully soften the oil stains in the T period, so as to remove the oil stains on the surface to be cleaned in the intermittent heating stage, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0096] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications or equivalent substitutions of the technical solutions of the present invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steam cleaning system, characterized in that: include: Water tank (120); A heater (121), the heater (121) forming a heating chamber, the heating chamber being in communication with the water tank (120), the heater (121) being used to heat water in the heating chamber, the highest liquid level of the water tank being at a height higher than the height of the heating chamber; A nozzle (122), wherein the nozzle (122) is connected to the heater (121).

2. The steam cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also comprises a one-way valve (123), wherein the one-way valve (123) is arranged between the water tank (120) and the heater (121), and the one-way valve (123) is used to prevent the fluid in the heater (121) from flowing back into the water tank (120).

3. The steam cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height of the nozzle (122) is greater than the height of the highest liquid level line.

4. The steam cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lowest liquid level of the water tank is located at a height higher than the heating chamber.

5. The steam cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nozzle (122) is connected to the heater (121) via a hose; Alternatively, the water tank (120) and the heater (121) are connected via a hose.

6. A range hood (100), characterized in that: include: A first housing (110); A second shell (112), the second shell (112) is connected to the first shell (110) and is located at the bottom of the first shell (110); an impeller (111), the impeller (111) being rotatably disposed in the first housing (110); A steam cleaning system, wherein the steam cleaning system is the steam cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and at least the nozzle (122) of the steam cleaning system is arranged in the first shell (110).

7. The range hood (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The heater (121) is arranged in the second shell (112), and the nozzle (122) is arranged in the first shell (110) and is suitable for spraying cleaning fluid toward the impeller (111); the water tank (120) is arranged in the first shell (110) or the second shell (112), and the vertical distance between the water tank (120) and the bottom of the second shell (112) is greater than the vertical distance between the heater (121) and the bottom of the second shell (112).

8. The range hood (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The water tank (120) is arranged on the top of the second shell (112).

9. The range hood (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a fixing seat (130), which is installed on the second shell (112), one end of the fixing seat (130) is detachably connected to and communicated with the water tank (120), and the other end of the fixing seat (130) is connected to and communicated with the heater (121).

10. The range hood (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The water tank (120) is arranged on the inner side of the first shell (110); The first shell (110) has a front plate, a water inlet (124) is provided on the front plate, and the water inlet of the water tank (120) is connected to the water inlet (124) via a connecting pipe.

11. The range hood (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The water tank (120) is arranged on the outside of the first shell (110), and the water tank (120) is provided with a pipe joint (126). The pipe joint (126) is connected to the heater (121) through a connecting pipe. A one-way valve (123) is provided between the water tank (120) and the heater (121), and the one-way valve (123) is arranged in the pipe joint (126).

12. A steam cleaning method, characterized in that: The steam cleaning method is applied to the range hood (100) according to any one of claims 6 to 11, and the steam cleaning method comprises: supplying water to the heater (121); The heater (121) heats water and generates steam to spray the steam toward the impeller (111).

13. The steam cleaning method according to claim 12, characterized in that: In the step of the heater (121) heating water and generating steam to spray the steam toward the impeller (111), the heater (121) is always kept in a heating state.

14. The steam cleaning method according to claim 12, characterized in that: In the step of the heater (121) heating water and generating steam to spray the steam toward the impeller (111), the heater (121) is heated intermittently.

15. The steam cleaning method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The single heating duration of the heater (121) is A, and the single heating stop duration of the heater (121) is B, wherein A≥B.

16. The steam cleaning method according to claim 12, characterized in that: In the step of the heater (121) heating water and generating steam to spray the steam toward the impeller (111), the heater (121) first performs continuous heating and then performs intermittent heating.

17. The steam cleaning method according to claim 16, characterized in that: The duration of continuous heating by the heater (121) is T. In the intermittent heating stage, the duration of a single heating by the heater (121) is A, and the duration of a single heating stop by the heater (121) is B, wherein A≥B, A<T.

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