Water replenishing device, cooking equipment and water replenishing steaming method

Abstract

The invention relates to a water replenishing device, cooking equipment and a water replenishing and steaming method, which can automatically replenish water in a microgravity environment so as to continuously generate steam to steam food and meet the taste and taste requirements of passengers. The water supplementing device comprises a water storage bag which comprises a flexible bag body used for storing water, an exhaust connector arranged on the flexible bag body and a water outlet connector arranged on the flexible bag body; the exhaust assembly comprises an exhaust pipe connected with the exhaust connector and an air pump arranged on the exhaust pipe; the water absorption piece is provided with a porous structure, and the water absorption piece is provided with a first end part which is inserted into the water outlet interface, a second end part which is arranged in the steaming tool, and a middle part which extends from the first end part to the second end part; and the flexible bag body is used for conveying water stored in the flexible bag body into the steaming tool under the capillary action.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of cooking technology, and in particular, to a water replenishing device, a cooking apparatus, and a water replenishing steaming method. Background Art

[0002] As a special group, astronauts work in a microgravity environment. Not only is the diversity of their food greatly restricted, but the food cooking methods are even more restricted. Currently, there is no food steaming device in the microgravity environment, and there is only a low-temperature and low-pressure evaporation process. However, there is a need to enrich the recipes of the crew members, improve the taste of food, and enhance the cooking experience.

[0003] In addition, in household products on the ground (such as steam and microwave integrated machines, steam and grill integrated machines, or steam, microwave, and grill integrated machines), the following two methods are usually adopted for steaming food: The first is the steam generator method, that is, a heating tube and a water pipe are die-cast in an aluminum block. First, the aluminum block is heated at a high temperature by the heating tube, and then the heat is transferred from the aluminum block to the water pipe, so that the water in the pipe evaporates to heat the food; the second is to directly add water through a water pump, so that the water flows to the heating plate at the bottom of the product cavity and is then heated into water vapor.

[0004] However, the above two methods have many problems in the microgravity environment: Without gravity, the water in the water pipe (or on the heating plate) will not adhere to the pipe wall (or the plate surface), but will float in groups in the water pipe (or in the cavity), resulting in the water being affected by heat and having a very low evaporation efficiency. Eventually, a large amount of liquid water will be contained in the generated steam; when the water adhering to the pipe wall (or the plate surface) generates bubbles when heated, the bubbles will not float due to the lack of gravity, and will not only not break away from the water surface, but will also accumulate at the pipe wall (or the plate surface), thereby seriously affecting the direct transfer of heat to the liquid water. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, in view of the problem that the existing food steaming method cannot be used in the space station due to the non-adhesion of water to the wall in the microgravity environment, the present application provides a water replenishing device, a cooking apparatus, and a water replenishing steaming method, which can automatically replenish water in the microgravity environment to continuously generate steam for steaming food, meeting the taste and texture requirements of the crew members.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application provides a water replenishing device, including:

[0007] A water storage bag, including a flexible bag body for storing water, an exhaust interface provided on the flexible bag body, and a water outlet interface provided on the flexible bag body;

[0008] An exhaust assembly, including an exhaust pipe connected to the exhaust interface and an air pump provided on the exhaust pipe; and

[0009] A water absorbent member, wherein the water absorbent member has a porous structure, and the water absorbent member has a first end inserted into the water outlet interface, a second end for being placed inside a cooking utensil, and an intermediate portion extending from the first end to the second end, for transporting the water stored in the flexible bag body to the inside of the cooking utensil under capillary action.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, the water replenishing device further includes a water outlet pipe covering the intermediate portion, wherein one end of the water outlet pipe is connected to the water outlet interface of the water storage bag, and the other end of the water outlet pipe is for connecting to the cooking utensil.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present application, the water outlet pipe is a flexible pipe; the water replenishing device further includes a pipe clamp valve provided on the water outlet pipe; the pipe clamp valve is an electric pipe clamp valve communicably connected to the air pump.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, the water absorbent member is a porous polymer part.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present application, the water outlet interface and the exhaust interface are located on the same side of the flexible bag body.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, the length that the first end of the water absorbent member extends into the flexible bag body is less than or equal to one-third of the size of the flexible bag body in the extending direction of the first end.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present application, the exhaust assembly further includes a waterproof and breathable member provided at the exhaust interface.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present application, the water storage bag further includes a water inlet interface provided on the flexible bag body; the water replenishing device further includes a water tank, a water inlet pipe with two ends respectively connected to the water tank and the water inlet interface, a water pump provided on the water inlet pipe, and a solenoid valve provided on the water inlet pipe.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, the water inlet interface and the exhaust interface are respectively located on different sides of the flexible bag body.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application further provides a cooking device, including:

[0019] A cooking utensil for holding food; and

[0020] The water replenishing device according to any one of the above, the water replenishing device is connected to the cooking utensil for replenishing water to the cooking utensil under capillary action.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present application, the cooking device further includes a microwave generator, and the steaming device is disposed on the microwave emission side of the microwave generator.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present application, an embodiment of the present application further provides a water replenishing steaming method, including the steps of:

[0023] Controlling an air pump of the water replenishing device to extract air from the flexible bag body, so that the flexible bag body shrinks to squeeze the water in the flexible bag body into contact with the first end of the water absorbent member;

[0024] Through the capillary action of the water absorbent member, conveying the water in the flexible bag body to the inside of the steaming device; and

[0025] Heating the water within the second end of the water absorbent member to generate steam within the steaming device for steaming food located within the steaming device.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present application, the step of controlling an air pump of the water replenishing device to extract air from the flexible bag body, so that the flexible bag body shrinks to squeeze the water in the flexible bag body into contact with the first end of the water absorbent member, includes the steps of:

[0027] When the air pump starts to extract air, controlling the electric pinch valve of the water replenishing device to open synchronously; and

[0028] When the air pump starts to inject air, controlling the electric pinch valve to close with a delay, where the delay closing time of the electric pinch valve is greater than the preset time threshold of the air pump.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present application, the water replenishing steaming method further includes the steps of:

[0030] Real-time monitoring of the humidity within the steaming device to obtain the amount of steam per minute within the steaming device;

[0031] Judging whether the amount of steam per minute within the steaming device is less than a set value: if so, controlling the air pump to extract air; if not, controlling the air pump to stop extracting air; and

[0032] After a predetermined time, judging again whether the amount of steam per minute within the steaming device is still less than the set value: if so, controlling the water pump and solenoid valve of the water replenishing device to open to replenish water to the flexible bag body.

[0033] In summary, before or during the steaming process, the water replenishing device of the present application can extract the gas inside the flexible bag body (pump air) through the air pump, causing the flexible bag body to contract and squeeze the water floating inside the flexible bag body to contact the first end of the water absorbing member; at this time, the first end of the water absorbing member will automatically absorb water under capillary action and transport the water from the first end to the second end through the middle part, so that the water stored inside the flexible bag body is transported to the inside of the steaming tool only under capillary action, realizing automatic water replenishment without the need for the user to manually replenish water, reducing the user's cooking operations and improving the cooking efficiency.

[0034] In addition, during the steaming process, as the water vaporizes inside the second end of the water absorbing member, the middle part of the water absorbing member will continuously transport water from the first end to the second end, ensuring that the second end of the water absorbing member always maintains uniform water absorption, so as to generate steam evenly, which is beneficial to improving the food cooking effect. Description of the Drawings

[0035] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagram of a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2 Schematic flow chart of a water replenishing steaming method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 3 Schematic flow chart showing the valve control step in the water replenishing steaming method according to the above embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Description of the main component symbols:

[0039] 1, cooking device; 10, water replenishing device; 11, water storage bag; 111, flexible bag body; 112, exhaust interface; 113, water outlet interface; 114, water inlet interface; 12, exhaust assembly; 121, exhaust pipe; 122, air pump; 123, waterproof and breathable member; 13, water absorbing member; 131, first end; 132, second end; 133, middle part; 14, water outlet pipe; 15, pinch valve; 16, water tank; 17, water inlet pipe; 18, water pump; 19, solenoid valve; 20, steaming tool; 201, steaming cavity; 202, evaporation cavity; 21, pot body; 22, cover body; 23, pressure relief valve; 24, humidity sensor; 30, microwave generator; 31, plate microwave oven; 32, microwave heating cover; 40, microwave shielding plate.

[0040] The above description of the main component symbols further elaborates on the present application in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments. Detailed Embodiments

[0041] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present application more apparent and understandable, the following describes the specific embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0042] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation of the present application.

[0043] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically and clearly defined.

[0044] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, terms such as "mounted", "connected", "coupled", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0045] Considering that the existing food steaming solutions not only will not adhere to the pipe wall (or disk surface) in a microgravity environment, but will float in groups in the water pipe (or inner cavity), resulting in the influence of water heating and very low evaporation efficiency, and finally the generated steam will contain a large amount of liquid water; moreover, even if there is some water adhering to the pipe wall (or disk surface), the bubbles generated by heating will not float due to the absence of gravity and are prone to accumulate at the pipe wall (or disk surface), thus seriously affecting the direct transfer of heat to the liquid water; therefore, the present application provides a water replenishing device, a cooking device, and a water replenishing steaming method, which can automatically replenish water in a microgravity environment so as to continuously generate steam to steam food and meet the taste and texture requirements of the crew members.

[0046] Specifically, referring to the Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a cooking device 1, which may include a water replenishing device 10 and a steamer 20 for holding food W. The water replenishing device 10 is connected to the steamer 20 and is used to replenish water to the steamer 20 under capillary action to generate steam in the steamer 20 to steam the food W located within the steamer 20.

[0047] More specifically, as Figure 1 shown, the water replenishing device 10 may include a water storage bag 11, an exhaust assembly 12, and a water absorbing member 13 having a porous structure. The water storage bag 11 includes a flexible bag body 111 for storing water, an exhaust interface 112 provided on the flexible bag body 111, and a water outlet interface 113 provided on the flexible bag body 111. The exhaust assembly 12 includes an exhaust pipe 121 connected to the exhaust interface 112 and an air pump 122 provided on the exhaust pipe 121. The water absorbing member 13 has a first end 131 inserted into the water outlet interface 113, a second end 132 placed within the steamer 20, and an intermediate portion 133 extending from the first end 131 to the second end 132.

[0048] In this way, before or during the steaming process, the water replenishing device 10 of the present application can extract the gas (air extraction) within the flexible bag body 111 through the air pump 122, so that the flexible bag body 111 shrinks to squeeze the water floating within the flexible bag body 111 to contact the first end 131 of the water absorbing member 13; at this time, the first end 131 of the water absorbing member 13 will automatically absorb water under capillary action and transport the water from the first end 131 to the second end 132 through the intermediate portion 133, so that the water stored within the flexible bag body 111 is transported to the inside of the steamer 20 only under capillary action, realizing automatic water replenishment without manual water replenishment by the user, reducing the cooking operation of the user, and improving the cooking efficiency.

[0049] In addition, when the air pump 122 inputs gas (injects air) into the flexible bag body 111, the flexible bag body 111 expands to make the water inside the flexible bag body 111 float and separate from the first end 131 of the water absorbing member 13, thereby completing the water replenishment.

[0050] It is worth noting that although water vapor can be generated by directly heating water in an environment with gravity such as the ground, in a microgravity environment such as space, when a group of water is heated, the friction between water molecules in the floating water group will generate high heat locally. In addition, the surface tension of the water group is too large, resulting in the steam gathering in a group and being unable to be released in time, and then bursting and splashing when it accumulates to a certain extent. However, the cooking device 1 of the present application can solve this problem well by using the porous structure of the water absorbing member 13; specifically, when the water in the second end 132 of the water absorbing member 13 is heated in the steamer 20, the bubbles will float upward along the pore wall of the porous structure, and the liquid water is distributed on the entire material of the water absorbing member 13, and its local surface tension is very small (compared to a large water group), so that the steam will leave the second end 132 of the water absorbing member 13 under the volume expansion effect when it changes from liquid to gas, and then fill the steamer 20 to steam the food W in a microgravity environment, so as to meet the taste and taste requirements of the occupants.

[0051] In addition, during the steaming process, as the water in the second end 132 of the water absorbing member 13 vaporizes, the middle portion 133 of the water absorbing member 13 will continuously transfer water from the first end 131 to the second end 132, ensuring that the second end 132 of the water absorbing member 13 always absorbs water evenly, so as to evenly generate steam, which is beneficial to improving the cooking effect of food. It is understandable that if the second end 132 of the water absorbing member 13 is not replenished with water during the heating process, the water content therein will gradually decrease, which will affect the efficiency of steam generation and further affect the cooking effect.

[0052] For example, the water absorbing member 13 may be, but is not limited to, implemented as a porous polymer member such as a steaming cloth, a cotton strip or a cotton core, so as to obtain extremely strong water absorption by utilizing the capillary action of the porous medium. It is understood that in other examples of the present application, the water absorbing member 13 mentioned in the present application may be implemented as a ceramic member such as alumina ceramic, silicon carbide ceramic or zirconium oxide ceramic, as long as it can absorb water by capillary action while being heat-resistant, and the present application will not repeat it in detail.

[0053] Alternatively, if Figure 1As shown, the water replenishing device 10 further includes a water outlet pipe 14 covering the middle part 133. One end of the water outlet pipe 14 is connected to the water outlet interface 113 of the water storage bag 11, and the other end of the water outlet pipe 14 is connected to the steaming appliance 20. This can not only prevent dripping / volatilization of the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13, but also improve the connection strength between the steaming appliance 20 and the water storage bag 11, and avoid the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13 from being torn off.

[0054] Optionally, as Figure 1 shown, the water outlet pipe 14 is implemented as a flexible pipe; the water replenishing device 10 further includes a pinch valve 15 provided on the water outlet pipe 14 to ensure that the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13 can pass through the pinch valve 15 without being cut off, ensuring the water absorption continuity of the water absorption member 13. In this way, when the pinch valve 15 is closed to clamp the flexible pipe, the flexible pipe shrinks to press the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13 for intercepting the flow; when the pinch valve 15 is opened to release the flexible pipe, the flexible pipe resumes its original state, enabling the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13 to resume its water conveyance function. It can be understood that when the air pump 122 injects air into the water storage bag 11, the pinch valve 15 is closed to clamp the flexible pipe for intercepting the flow, preventing the water in the water absorption member 13 from flowing from the second end portion 132 to the first end portion 131, and avoiding the water from flowing back into the water storage bag 11.

[0055] Optionally, as Figure 1 shown, the pinch valve 15 is located at a position of the middle part 133 adjacent to the first end portion 131. In this way, when the air pump 122 injects air, only the water in the first end portion 131 of the water absorption member 13 will flow back under the action of the pinch valve 15, and the water in the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13 will not flow back and will maintain a relatively high water content for rapid water replenishment next time.

[0056] Optionally, the pinch valve 15 is implemented as an electric pinch valve communicably connected to the air pump 122. In this way, when the air pump 122 starts to pump air, the electric pinch valve is synchronously opened to ensure that the middle part 133 of the water absorption member 13 is not squeezed, realizing continuous water replenishment; when the air pump 122 starts to inject air, the electric pinch valve can be delayed in closing to exclude some abnormal situations, such as the situation where the air pump 122 briefly acts in the reverse direction to briefly inject air to prevent water from flowing into the air pump 122.

[0057] Optionally, as Figure 1As shown, the water outlet interface 113 and the exhaust interface 112 are located on the same side of the flexible bag body 111. In this way, when the air pump 122 injects air, the air will enter the flexible bag body 111 from the exhaust interface 112, and the air flow will blow the water mass away from the side where the exhaust interface 112 and the water outlet interface 113 are located, so that the water mass can better separate from the first end 131 of the water absorption member 13 to end the water replenishment.

[0058] Optionally, as Figure 1 shown, the length of the first end 131 of the water absorption member 13 extending into the flexible bag body 111 is less than or equal to one-third of the size of the flexible bag body 111 in the extending direction of the first end 131, so as to better control the water mass to contact or separate from the first end 131 through the air extraction or injection of the air pump 122, thereby realizing the state switching of starting and ending water replenishment. For example, if both the water outlet interface 113 and the exhaust interface 112 are located on the upper side of the flexible bag body 111, the extending direction of the first end 131 corresponds to the height direction of the flexible bag body 111, that is, the length of the first end 131 of the water absorption member 13 extending into the flexible bag body 111 is less than or equal to one-third of the height of the flexible bag body 111.

[0059] It should be noted that when the air pump 122 extracts air, the water mass in the flexible bag body 111 is likely to flow out from the exhaust interface 112 and interfere with the operation of the air pump 122. To solve this problem, as Figure 1 shown, the exhaust assembly 12 of the present application further includes a waterproof and breathable member 123 provided at the exhaust interface 112 to block the water mass while allowing the gas to pass through, and prevent the water mass from entering the air pump 122 and affecting the normal operation of the air pump 122. It can be understood that the waterproof and breathable member 123 mentioned in the present application can be but is not limited to being implemented as a waterproof and breathable membrane or a mesh plate with small holes, as long as it can block the water mass to a certain extent, and the present application will not elaborate on this.

[0060] In addition, since the working current of the air pump 122 will increase when the water mass blocks the waterproof and breathable member 123 and affects its air permeability; therefore, when the working current of the air pump 122 is greater than the preset current threshold, it indicates that the air extraction operation of the air pump 122 has been significantly affected; at this time, the air pump 122 of the present application can work in the reverse direction for a preset time threshold to inject air briefly, so that the water mass separates from the waterproof and breathable member 123 to ensure that the waterproof and breathable member 123 has good air permeability.

[0061] Preferably, the delay closing time of the electric pinch valve is greater than the preset time threshold of the air pump 122 to ensure that the water replenishment device 10 can accurately eliminate this abnormal situation of brief air injection.

[0062] Optionally, as Figure 1As shown, the water replenishing device 10 further includes a water tank 16, a water inlet pipe 17, a water pump 18 disposed on the water inlet pipe 17, and a solenoid valve 19 disposed on the water inlet pipe 17. The water storage bag 11 further includes a water inlet interface 114 disposed on the flexible bag body 111; both ends of the water inlet pipe 17 are respectively connected to the water tank 16 and the water inlet interface 114. In this way, when the amount of water in the flexible bag body 111 of the water storage bag 11 is insufficient, the solenoid valve 19 is opened and the water pump 18 is turned on to convey the water in the water tank 16 to the flexible bag body 111 through the water inlet pipe 17, so as to quickly replenish water to the water storage bag 11 without affecting the operation process of the air pump 122. It can be understood that the water pump 18 mentioned in the present application can be, but is not limited to, implemented as a peristaltic pump, so as to accurately control the water replenishment amount and achieve the purpose of saving water.

[0063] Preferably, as Figure 1 shown, the water inlet interface 114 and the exhaust interface 112 are respectively located on different sides of the flexible bag body 111, so that the water mass input through the water inlet interface 114 is as far away as possible from the exhaust interface 112 and the water outlet interface 113, avoiding affecting the operation process of the air pump 122. For example, the water inlet interface 114 is located at the lower side of the flexible bag body 111.

[0064] According to the above embodiments of the present application, as Figure 1 shown, the cooking device 1 further includes a microwave generator 30 for emitting microwaves; the steaming device 20 is disposed on the microwave emitting side of the microwave generator 30, so that the second end portion 132 of the water absorbing member 13 located within the steaming device 20 is in the microwave heating area of the microwave generator 30, and is used to generate water vapor under the action of microwave heating to steam the food W located within the steaming device 20. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, the cooking device 1 may not include a microwave generator 30, but directly use an electric heating wire wound around the second end portion 132 for heating, which will not be elaborated in the present application.

[0065] In addition, as Figure 1As shown, the cooking device 1 may further include a microwave shielding plate 40, which is disposed within the steaming device 20 to divide the internal space of the steaming device 20 into a mutually communicating steaming cavity 201 and an evaporation cavity 202; the steaming cavity 201 is used to hold food W; the evaporation cavity 202 is located between the steaming cavity 201 and the microwave emission area of the microwave generator 30, and the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13 is located within the evaporation cavity 202. In this way, the microwave shielding plate 40 can separate the food W from the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13, ensuring that most of the microwaves heat the water in the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13 in the evaporation cavity 202 to form water vapor, so that the water vapor enters the steaming cavity 201 to steam the food W; and only a small part of the microwaves will enter the steaming cavity 201 to heat the food W, ensuring that the speed of steam generation is always greater than the speed at which the food is heated, so as to obtain a better food steaming effect.

[0066] Optionally, the microwave shielding plate 40 is implemented as a metal plate with openings to achieve a better microwave shielding effect while allowing steam to pass through.

[0067] Optionally, the opening ratio of the microwave shielding plate 40 is between 5% and 10% to allow part of the microwaves to enter the steaming cavity 201 to directly heat the food W, which is beneficial to improving the ripening speed of the food W. It can be understood that the opening ratio mentioned in this application refers to the cross-sectional area ratio of all openings on the metal plate.

[0068] Optionally, as Figure 1 shown, the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13 is laid on the inner wall of the evaporation cavity 202 to increase the surface area of the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13, facilitating the better detachment of steam from the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13, which is beneficial to ensuring a sufficient amount of steam to achieve a good steaming effect.

[0069] Optionally, as Figure 1 shown, the steaming device 20 includes a pot body 21 with the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13 laid on its inner wall and a lid body 22 detachably covering the pot body 21; the microwave shielding plate 40 is clamped between the pot body 21 and the lid body 22 to form the evaporation cavity 202 between the microwave shielding plate 40 and the pot body 21 and form the steaming cavity 201 between the microwave shielding plate 40 and the lid body 22, so as to flexibly place or take out the food W or clean the second end portion 132 of the water-absorbing member 13.

[0070] Optionally, as Figure 1As shown, the steamer 20 further includes a pressure relief valve 23 installed on the cover 22, so that the internal space of the steamer 20 has a micro-pressure environment during the steaming process, which is conducive to the rapid maturation of the food W; at the same time, it can also make full use of the steam energy and reduce steam leakage. It can be understood that, unlike the steam overflow phenomenon during the steaming process of household products, the energy must be fully utilized in the microgravity environment. The pressure relief valve 23 of the present application can avoid steam leakage as much as possible and improve energy utilization.

[0071] Optionally, the pressure relief threshold of the pressure relief valve 23 is implemented as 10KPa; when the internal pressure of the steamer 20 exceeds 10KPa, the pressure relief valve 23 starts to automatically exhaust and relieve pressure; and when the internal pressure of the steamer 20 is less than 10KPa, the pressure relief valve 23 automatically closes.

[0072] Alternatively, if Figure 1 As shown, the steamer 20 further includes a humidity sensor 24 installed on the cover 22 and communicatively connected to the microwave generator 30, which is used to monitor the humidity in the steaming cavity 201 in real time, so as to feed back to the control unit to adjust the power of the microwave generator 30 in real time, and ensure that the humidity of the steaming cavity 201 is always maintained at a set level, so as to obtain a good steaming effect. It can be understood that since the food W absorbs steam at different speeds and amounts at the beginning and end of the steaming process, and of course there will be other situations where the amount of steam is reduced, the cooking device 1 of the present application can adjust the power of the microwave generator 30 in real time based on the real-time monitoring results of the humidity sensor 24, so that a sufficient amount of steam is maintained in the steaming cavity 201, so as to achieve a good steaming effect.

[0073] In addition, the air pump 122 can be communicatively connected to the humidity sensor 24 so as to control the air pump 122 according to the amount of steam in the steamer 20. For example, when cooking starts, the microwave generator 30 is not started, and the air pump 122 is activated to start pumping air so as to continuously replenish water to the water absorbing member 13 in advance; after a period of time, the air pump 122 stops, and the microwave generator 30 is pneumatically activated to start heating to generate steam; during the cooking process, when the humidity sensor 24 detects that the amount of steam per minute in the steaming cavity 201 is less than the set value, the program determines that the amount of water in the water absorbing member 13 is insufficient; at this time, the air pump 122 is activated again to pump air and replenish water; if after a period of time, the amount of steam per minute in the steaming cavity 201 is still less than the set value, it indicates that the amount of water in the water storage bag 11 is insufficient, and the water pump 18 and the solenoid valve 19 can be controlled to open to quickly replenish water to the water storage bag 11.

[0074] It is worth noting that Figure 1As shown, the microwave generator 30 may include a plate - type microwave oven 31 and a microwave heating cover 32. The microwave heating cover 32 is detachably covered on the emission side of the plate - type microwave oven 31 to form a microwave heating cavity for accommodating the steaming device 20. The steaming device 20 is fixedly installed within the microwave heating cover 32, and the evaporation cavity 202 of the steaming device 20 is located adjacent to the plate - type microwave oven 31.

[0075] For example, as Figure 1 shown, for the microwave generator 30 of the lower - emission type, the microwave heating cover 32 is located above the plate - type microwave oven 31; the evaporation cavity 202 of the steaming device 20 is located below the steaming cavity 201 of the steaming device 20 to be arranged adjacent to the plate - type microwave oven 31. In this way, the microwave emitted by the plate - type microwave oven 31 will first heat the water absorbed by the second end 132 of the water - absorbing member 13 within the evaporation cavity 202 to form steam, and then heat the food W within the steaming cavity 201 after the microwave attenuation. It can be understood that in other examples of the present application, the microwave generator 30 can also adopt the upper - emission type or the side - emission type. At this time, only the placement direction of the steaming device 20 needs to be adjusted correspondingly to ensure that the microwave first contacts and heats the water within the second end 132 of the water - absorbing member 13, and the present application will not elaborate on this anymore.

[0076] It is worth mentioning that according to another aspect of the present application, as Figure 2 shown, an embodiment of the present application further provides a water - replenishing steaming method, which may include the steps:

[0077] S100: Control the air pump of the water - replenishing device to pump air from the flexible bag body, so that the flexible bag body shrinks to squeeze the water within the flexible bag body to contact the first end of the water - absorbing member;

[0078] S200: Through the capillary action of the water - absorbing member, convey the water within the flexible bag body to the inside of the steaming device; and

[0079] S300: Heat the water within the second end of the water - absorbing member to generate steam within the steaming device for steaming the food within the steaming device.

[0080] It should be noted that in the above - mentioned embodiment of the present application, as Figure 3 shown, step S100 of the water - replenishing steaming method may include the steps:

[0081] S110: When the air pump starts to pump air, control the electric pinch - off valve of the water - replenishing device to open synchronously; and

[0082] S120: When the air pump starts to inject air, control the electric pinch - off valve to close with a delay, where the delay closing time of the electric pinch - off valve is greater than the preset time threshold of the air pump.

[0083] In addition, when steaming different foods, the amount of water to be replenished for the steaming appliance is different; and during the process of steaming food, the amount of steam required in different cooking stages is also different. To meet the steam amount required for food steaming, in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application, as Figure 2 shown, the water replenishing and steaming method may further include the steps:

[0084] S400: Monitor the humidity inside the steaming appliance in real time to obtain the amount of steam per minute inside the steaming appliance;

[0085] S500: Determine whether the amount of steam per minute inside the steaming appliance is less than the set value: if so, control the air pump to pump air; if not, control the air pump to stop pumping air; and

[0086] S600: After a predetermined time, determine again whether the amount of steam per minute inside the steaming appliance is still less than the set value: if so, control the water pump and solenoid valve of the water replenishing device to open to replenish water to the flexible bag body.

[0087] It can be understood that based on the humidity information monitored in real time, the water replenishing and steaming method of the present application can obtain the amount of steam per minute through methods such as integration, and compare it with the set value in the corresponding cooking stage, so as to ensure that there is sufficient steam inside the steaming appliance to meet the food steaming requirements in the microgravity environment.

[0088] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of concise description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combinations of these technical features do not conflict, they should be considered as the scope recorded in this specification.

[0089] The above embodiments only represent several implementation manners of the present application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, several deformations and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. Water replenishing device, characterized in that, Comprising: A water storage bag, including a flexible bag body for storing water, an exhaust interface provided on the flexible bag body, and a water outlet interface provided on the flexible bag body; An exhaust assembly, including an exhaust pipe connected to the exhaust interface and an air pump provided on the exhaust pipe; and A water absorption member, wherein the water absorption member has a porous structure, and the water absorption member has a first end inserted into the water outlet interface, a second end for being placed inside a cooking utensil, and an intermediate portion extending from the first end to the second end, for transporting the water stored in the flexible bag body to the inside of the cooking utensil under capillary action.

2. The water replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein The water replenishing device further includes a water outlet pipe covering the intermediate portion, wherein one end of the water outlet pipe is connected to the water outlet interface of the water storage bag, and the other end of the water outlet pipe is used for connecting to the cooking utensil.

3. The water replenishing device according to claim 2, wherein, The water outlet pipe is a flexible pipe; the water replenishing device further includes a pipe clamp valve provided on the water outlet pipe; the pipe clamp valve is an electric pipe clamp valve communicably connected to the air pump.

4. The water replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The water absorption member is a porous polymer part.

5. The water replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The water outlet interface and the exhaust interface are located on the same side of the flexible bag body.

6. The water replenishing device according to claim 5, wherein The length of the first end of the water absorption member extending into the flexible bag body is less than or equal to one-third of the size of the flexible bag body in the extending direction of the first end.

7. The water replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The exhaust assembly further includes a waterproof breathable member provided at the exhaust interface.

8. The water replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The water storage bag further includes a water inlet interface provided on the flexible bag body; the water replenishing device further includes a water tank, a water inlet pipe with two ends respectively connected to the water tank and the water inlet interface, a water pump provided on the water inlet pipe, and a solenoid valve provided on the water inlet pipe.

9. The water replenishing device according to claim 8, wherein, The water inlet interface and the exhaust interface are located on different sides of the flexible bag body respectively.

10. Cooking device, characterized in that Comprising: A cooking utensil for holding food; And The water replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the water replenishing device being connected to the cooking utensil for replenishing water to the cooking utensil under capillary action.

11. The cooking device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The cooking device further includes a microwave generator, and the cooking utensil is arranged on the microwave emitting side of the microwave generator.

12. The water replenishing steaming method is characterized in that, Including steps: Controlling the air pump of the water replenishing device to pump air from the flexible bag body, so that the flexible bag body shrinks to squeeze the water in the flexible bag body to contact the first end of the water absorption member; Through the capillary action of the water absorption member, transporting the water in the flexible bag body to the inside of the cooking utensil; and Heating the water inside the second end of the water absorption member to generate steam inside the cooking utensil for steaming the food inside the cooking utensil.

13. The water replenishing and steaming method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The step of controlling the air pump of the water replenishing device to pump air from the flexible bag body, so that the flexible bag body shrinks to squeeze the water in the flexible bag body to contact the first end of the water absorption member, includes the steps of: When the air pump starts to pump air, controlling the electric pipe clamp valve of the water replenishing device to open synchronously; and When the air pump starts to inject air, controlling the electric pipe clamp valve to close with a delay, wherein the delay closing time of the electric pipe clamp valve is greater than the preset time threshold of the air pump.

14. The water replenishing and steaming method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The water replenishing and steaming method further includes the step of: Real-time monitoring the humidity inside the cooking utensil to obtain the amount of steam per minute inside the cooking utensil; Determine whether the amount of steam per minute inside the steaming device is less than the set value: if so, control the air pump to pump air; if not, control the air pump to stop pumping air; and After a predetermined time, determine again whether the amount of steam per minute inside the steaming device is still less than the set value: if so, control the water pump and solenoid valve of the water replenishing device to open to replenish water to the flexible bag body.

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