Control method of food processor for boiling heating and food processor

Abstract

The application provides a food processor boiling heating control method and a food processor, which are used to solve the problem of the industry inertia operation of stopping boiling heating immediately after detecting the overflow of slurry and foam, which is not conducive to the heating boiling extraction and sufficient release of nutrients of food materials. In the food material boiling heating stage, the fixed heating power is used to heat the food material slurry, the heating is not stopped when the first overflow detection capacitor electrode detects the overflow signal of the food material slurry and foam, the interval length of the overflow signal of the food material slurry and foam detected by the second overflow detection capacitor electrode and the overflow signal of the food material slurry and foam detected by the first overflow detection capacitor electrode is obtained, and the heating is stopped after the interval length is greater than or equal to the first length and the fixed heating power continues to heat the food material slurry for a fixed time. The application makes the boiling upsurge and the undulating range of the slurry as large as possible, the falling difference is as large as possible, the undulating effect is better, and the heating extraction and nutrient release of the food material are further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, specifically to a control method for cooking and heating in a food processing machine, and the food processing machine itself. Background Technology

[0002] Existing heating-type food processors, such as soymilk makers that grind soybeans to make soymilk, high-speed blenders that grind various ingredients to make multigrain hot drinks, and health pots that make mung bean soup and white fungus soup without grinding, all require a certain amount of cooking and heating to complete the final preparation process. Many ingredients produce foam during the cooking and heating process, and as the food processor continues to cook and heat, the foam, along with the liquid, can easily overflow.

[0003] To address the issue of slurry and foam overflow during the cooking and heating process in food processing machines, the industry has long proposed solutions for detecting slurry and foam overflow. For example, electrode-type metal detectors activate the circuit when slurry or foam touches the metal detector, triggering an overflow signal and immediately stopping the cooking process. Other solutions utilize capacitor plates to detect overflow signals. These plates are placed on the outer wall of the food processing container. When slurry or foam reaches a certain location, the capacitance value detected by the capacitor plate changes, and if a set condition is met, overflow is detected, prompting an immediate halt to the cooking process.

[0004] Of course, the most significant problem with the early solutions in the industry was that they focused more on the safety risks of slurry and foam overflow. Therefore, they would immediately stop cooking and heating when slurry or foam overflow was detected. This could easily lead to an inconsistent boiling state during the cooking process and insufficient extraction of nutrients from the ingredients.

[0005] To address these issues, the industry has proposed two main solutions: one is to use cooling methods, such as air cooling or water cooling of the outer wall of the food processing machine container, or directly dripping water into the slurry. However, air cooling and water cooling require additional components and are cumbersome, while dripping water can affect the final processing effect of the food. Neither of these solutions is a good one.

[0006] Another major solution involves controlling the heating power during the cooking process. For example, the temperature of the slurry is monitored during cooking, and the heating power is dynamically adjusted based on this temperature, aiming to maintain constant heating of the slurry. However, in reality, the slurry temperature is not perfectly uniform during cooking, leading to a discrepancy between the detected and actual temperatures. Furthermore, food processors often employ low-cost solutions like silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) for heating control, making it difficult to achieve extremely low heating power (e.g., adjustment accuracy less than 10 watts). This makes it practically impossible to maintain continuous heating of the slurry, limiting its application to theoretical engineering concepts. In fact, no manufacturer has ever actually sold this type of food processor. Even if it were possible to maintain the heating of the food slurry, the heating power would have to be conservatively applied to prevent the slurry and foam from overflowing, as the primary goal is to prevent the slurry and foam from overflowing. When continuously heating the food slurry, it is very likely that the slurry will not boil, or even if it is in a state of slight boiling, the boiling and bubbling effect of the slurry will be poor, and the extraction and release of nutrients from the food during cooking and heating will be insufficient.

[0007] Of course, there are many other solutions being explored in the industry for controlling heating (stopping heating) during the cooking process. For example, the industry's earlier application CN201710034748.7 discloses a method and device for controlling overflow heating. This method uses a capacitive foam detection device to continuously detect the time (interval) of steam foam to calculate the time to stop heating and the heating power to be applied after resuming heating. This method is similar to the aforementioned method of dynamically adjusting the heating power to keep the food processor in a heated state. On the one hand, precise power adjustment itself is difficult for food processors. On the other hand, although objectively, if the time (interval) of continuously detected steam foam is long, shortening the time to stop heating may increase the proportion of time maintained in the heated state during the entire cooking process, as with the aforementioned solutions, the food slurry cannot be in a state of large-scale boiling and bubbling, which is also very detrimental to the extraction and full release of nutrients during the cooking process.

[0008] In conclusion, the food processing machine industry has moved beyond simply addressing the risks of spilled slurry and foam. The shared goal of food processing machine manufacturers and consumers, like the applicant, is to ensure the full release of nutrients through proper cooking and heating. However, the current industry practice of immediately stopping cooking and heating upon detecting spilled slurry or foam is detrimental to the full release of nutrients from food that has only just begun to rise and swirl. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a control method for cooking and heating in a food processing machine and a food processing machine in general, so as to solve the problem that the industry inertia of existing food processing machines immediately stops cooking and heating when they detect the overflow of slurry or foam. This makes it difficult for the food to be in a boiling state with a large amount of bubbling and surging, which is not conducive to the extraction and full release of nutrients from the food.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the first part of this invention provides a method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine. The food processing machine includes a heating container for heating food ingredients, and the heating container has multiple capacitor plates arranged at height intervals for detecting the food ingredient slurry and foam.

[0011] Based on the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position detected before pulping, the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and the overflow protection capacitor electrode are determined to be arranged from low to high in this pulping process.

[0012] During the food cooking and heating stage, the food slurry is heated with a fixed heating power, and heating is not stopped when the first overflow detection capacitor detects the overflow signal of the food slurry and foam.

[0013] The system acquires the time interval between the signals detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the signals detected by the first overflow detection capacitor. When the interval is greater than or equal to the first time interval, the system maintains a fixed heating power to continue heating the food slurry for a fixed time, and then stops heating, unless the overflow protection capacitor detects an overflow signal within the fixed time interval, in which case heating stops.

[0014] Wait for the food slurry and foam to settle, then restore the fixed heating power to heat the food slurry, and circulate the heating according to the above control method.

[0015] In this invention, to address the issue of ensuring sufficient nutrient release from food ingredients during cooking under different pulping capacities in a food processor, and to further ensure safety during pulping at large capacities, the fourth capacitor electrode is designated as the one with the middle height among multiple capacitor electrodes. The height relationship between the second overflow detection capacitor electrode and the fourth capacitor electrode is compared, and different sizes are used for at least one of the following durations:

[0016] 1) Fixed duration;

[0017] 2) Duration of heating stoppage;

[0018] 3) First duration.

[0019] In this invention, the fixed duration includes:

[0020] For a first fixed duration, when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode...

[0021] For a second fixed duration, when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode...

[0022] The first fixed duration is less than the second fixed duration.

[0023] In this invention, the duration of heating cessation includes:

[0024] The first heating stop time is when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode.

[0025] The second heating stop time is when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode.

[0026] The first heating stop duration is longer than the second heating stop duration.

[0027] In this invention, the first duration used when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode is greater than the first duration used when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode.

[0028] In this invention, in order to further increase the proportion of the total heating time in the cooking and heating stage, the duration of heating stoppage is set in a negative correlation with the interval duration.

[0029] For further optimization, the present invention sets a second duration longer than the first duration, dividing the duration into duration regions based on the duration relationship, and the duration for which heating is stopped simultaneously satisfies:

[0030] 1) When the intervals fall within the same time range, the duration of heating cessation is the same;

[0031] 2) The duration of heating cessation is set in a negative correlation with the size of the time interval range.

[0032] In this invention, the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and the overflow protection capacitor electrode are arranged continuously in height.

[0033] In this invention, the height of the plurality of capacitor electrodes covered by the heating container is greater than the pulping capacity range of the heating container.

[0034] In this invention, heating is stopped when the interval between the second overflow detection capacitor electrode detecting the overflow signal of food slurry and foam and the first overflow detection capacitor electrode detecting the overflow signal of food slurry and foam is less than a first time interval.

[0035] The second part of the present invention provides a food processing machine with a pulverizing device, wherein the control method for the cooking and heating stage is as described above, the heating container is provided with a pulverizing device, and the cooking and heating is applied after the pulverizing device has pulverized the ingredients.

[0036] The present invention provides a method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine, as well as the food processing machine itself. This overcomes the industry's conventional practice of immediately stopping cooking and heating upon detecting overflow of slurry or foam. By using a capacitor corresponding to the initial slurry position detected before slurry preparation, the first overflow detection capacitor, the second overflow detection capacitor, and the overflow protection capacitor can be dynamically selected for the current slurry preparation, thus achieving heating control for any slurry capacity. When the first overflow detection capacitor detects an overflow signal of slurry or foam, heating is not stopped and continues, thereby maintaining the upward flow of the slurry during heating and encouraging it to boil.

[0037] Based on the time interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor, the current heating state of the food slurry can be accurately determined, along with the upward trend of the slurry and foam. Especially when the interval is relatively long (greater than or equal to the first interval), it indicates that the upward trend of the slurry and foam is not drastic and is still under control. Even if the second overflow detection capacitor has detected an overflow signal, heating will not stop, and the food slurry will continue to be heated until it reaches a state of vigorous boiling and turbulence. This maintains the optimal boiling state of the slurry, maximizing the upward amplitude. When heating is subsequently stopped under controlled conditions, the drop in elevation will also be maximized, resulting in better turbulence and more thorough upward movement and tumbling of the slurry. This further improves the extraction and nutrient release of the food compared to existing technologies.

[0038] Meanwhile, in the food processing machine of this invention, a fixed heating power is used during the cooking and heating stage. Even when the interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor is relatively large, the machine does not indiscriminately and aimlessly continue heating the food, allowing the food slurry and foam to overflow. Instead, it continues heating the food for a fixed time, then actively stops heating, waits for the slurry and foam to subside, and then resumes heating the food slurry at the fixed power. This heating cycle is repeated in this manner. This ensures that the amplitude of the boiling and bubbling of the slurry remains as consistent as possible during each heating cycle. It also ensures that if the slurry and foam do not rise to the overflow protection capacitor in the previous heating cycle when heating for a fixed time, they are also highly likely not to rise to the overflow protection capacitor in the subsequent heating cycle when heating for a fixed time. This greatly improves the consistency across multiple heating cycles, thus ensuring the consistency of the boiling and bubbling of the slurry, and better guaranteeing the extraction and nutrient release of the food. Even if the slurry or foam overflows onto the protective capacitor electrode, heating can be stopped in advance, effectively ensuring safety during the cooking and heating process.

[0039] To further improve the efficiency of food processing machines in extracting and releasing nutrients through cooking and heating ingredients at different pulping capacities, while also ensuring safety at high capacities, this invention selects a capacitor with a centrally located height as the fourth capacitor electrode among multiple capacitor electrodes. The fourth capacitor electrode determines the pulping capacity based on the detection location of slurry and foam overflow. Compared to the existing technology that generally uses physical methods to determine pulping capacity, this approach more closely reflects the control of slurry and foam states during the pulping process and is more beneficial for practical heating control scenarios.

[0040] In other words, if the second overflow detection capacitor electrode selected in this pulping process is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode, it is considered a large pulping capacity; if it is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode, it is considered a small pulping capacity. This allows for precise control over the fixed heating time, the heating stop time, and even the initial heating time. In this way, with a small pulping capacity, a longer fixed heating time and a shorter heating stop time and initial heating time are used to maximize the boiling and churning of the pulp, resulting in more complete nutrient release. With a large pulping capacity, a relatively shorter fixed heating time and a relatively longer heating stop time and initial heating time are used to ensure the pulp's boiling and churning effect while maintaining safety under high-capacity pulping conditions and preventing the risk of pulp overflow.

[0041] Furthermore, to further increase the proportion of total heating time in the simmering and heating stage, the duration of heating stop is set in a negative correlation with the interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor. That is, the longer the interval between detections in each heating cycle, the shorter the heating stop duration should be. As mentioned earlier, the interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor can accurately determine the upward trend of the slurry and foam when the second overflow detection capacitor detects an overflow signal. Therefore, after continuing heating for a fixed time, the upward state of the slurry and foam can be predicted. The longer the interval, the smoother the upward flow of the slurry, and the shorter the heating stop duration can be set. Through this control method, compared to setting the same heating stop duration, the total heating stop duration can be shortened as much as possible, thereby increasing the proportion of total heating time in the simmering and heating stage and maintaining the boiling state of the slurry for a longer period.

[0042] To simplify control and reduce the complexity of the food processing machine's control device, a second duration longer than the first duration can be set. The durations can then be divided into three regions: shorter than the first duration, longer than the second duration, and within the range of the first and second durations. With a negative correlation between the heating stop duration and the interval duration, in each heating cycle, if the detected interval duration falls within the same duration region, the heating stop duration is set to be the same, significantly reducing control complexity. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the food processing machine of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the preferred overflow detection device of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the boiling and heating control method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the cooking and heating control method according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the cooking and heating control method according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] List of components and reference numerals:

[0050] 1-Base; 2-Heating container; 3A to 3J-Capacitor plates; 4-PCB board. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of the present invention, a detailed description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0052] It should be noted that many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0053] The main purpose of this invention is to overcome the industry inertia of existing food processing machines that immediately stop cooking and heating when they detect the overflow of slurry or foam during the cooking and heating of ingredients. This invention provides a control method for cooking and heating in a food processing machine and a food processing machine in general. This method allows the slurry to surge upwards and ripple more effectively during the cooking and heating stage compared to existing technologies, which is more conducive to the heating and extraction of ingredients and the full release of nutrients.

[0054] The food processing machine referred to in this invention can be a food processing machine with a pulverizing function, such as a soymilk maker or a high-speed blender. For example, a soymilk maker pulverizes soybeans to make soymilk, and a high-speed blender pulverizes various ingredients to make multigrain hot drinks. For this type of food processing machine, based on known technology in the art, the cooking and heating stage is applied after the ingredients have been pulverized. This pulverization can be carried out at low temperatures (e.g., below 40 degrees Celsius) or high temperatures (e.g., above 80 degrees Celsius, or even after the liquid has boiled). The pulverization can be applied all at once or in multiple stages. The cooking and heating stage is applied after the ingredients have been pulverized to ensure that the ingredients are thoroughly cooked and to allow for sufficient extraction and nutrient release. Research shows that the more violently the food slurry boils and churns during cooking, the better the extraction and release of nutrients such as soluble proteins and vitamin C. Therefore, maximizing the intensity of boiling and churning of the food slurry during cooking is a goal that the applicant has been pursuing in developing food processing machines.

[0055] It is understood that the food processing machine referred to in this invention can also be a health pot, a machine that does not require grinding the ingredients. For example, a health pot can be used to cook and heat ingredients such as mung beans and white fungus to make mung bean soup and white fungus soup. This type of food processing machine can generally be considered to enter the cooking and heating stage after heating the food slurry to above 90 degrees Celsius or after the food slurry begins to boil. Because there is no grinding process, there are higher requirements for the intensity of the surging and agitation of the food slurry when it boils. The ingredients often need to be cooked and heated to maintain a boiling state in order to fully crack (such as mung beans) and disperse (such as white fungus) in order to better release nutrients and further satisfy the comfort of eating the food. For better visual effect, the cracking and dispersion of the ingredients is also necessary. Compared with the existing cooking and heating control methods, it is difficult to achieve particularly good results.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment illustrates a food processing machine, including a base 1 and a heating container 2 (also generally referred to as a cup body) disposed on the base 1. In this embodiment, the heating container 2 adopts a double-layer cup body structure. The outer cup can be made of materials such as metal or plastic, and the inner cup can be a glass cup body with a bottom metal heating plate. Of course, the heating container 2 can also directly adopt a single-layer glass cup body structure, which makes it easier for users to observe the boiling of the food. The above are all general settings in the art and will not be elaborated here.

[0057] In this embodiment, a motor (not shown) is installed inside the base 1, and a pulverizing device (e.g., blades, not shown) is installed inside the heating container 2. The motor directly drives the pulverizing device inside the heating container 2 to rotate through a coupling or motor shaft, thereby pulverizing the ingredients. Then, the ingredients and slurry are heated by a metal heating plate. The food processing machine with the above structure is generally also called a wall-breaking machine in the industry. When it has the function of making soy milk, it can be called a wall-breaking soy milk machine.

[0058] See Figure 2In this embodiment, an overflow detection device consisting of multiple capacitor plates 3A to 3J is used. These capacitor plates are spaced apart on a strip-shaped PCB board 4, arranged along its length. In this embodiment, the capacitor plates are arranged with equal spacing and width. The PCB board 4 is then vertically installed between the outer and inner cups of the heating container 2, with one side of each capacitor plate attached to the outer wall of the inner cup. This arrangement of capacitor plates at intervals along the height of the inner cup (glass body) allows each capacitor plate to detect the food slurry and foam within the inner cup and transmit the detected overflow signal to the MCU of the food processor. Preferably, the height covered by the capacitor plates along the heating container is greater than the slurry-making capacity range of the heating container. That is, the lowest-positioned capacitor plate should not be higher than the minimum slurry-making capacity of the heating container, and the highest-positioned capacitor plate should be higher than the maximum slurry-making capacity of the heating container, thus achieving full coverage of the heating container's slurry-making capacity range.

[0059] The principle of capacitor electrode overflow signal detection is as follows: when the slurry or foam has not reached the capacitor electrode (or when the heating container is empty), each capacitor electrode has a reference capacitance value. When the slurry or foam reaches or overflows onto the capacitor electrode, it changes the capacitance value detected by the electrode. When the capacitance value change meets a set condition, it is determined that the slurry or foam has reached or overflowed onto the corresponding capacitor electrode. In actual product applications, the capacitance value is generally determined by sampling and analog-to-digital conversion. It is understood that, based on the basic principle of capacitor electrode overflow signal detection, the inner cup of the heating container in this embodiment can be made of other non-metallic materials besides glass, such as ceramics. The above content is well-known technology in this field and will not be elaborated further here.

[0060] This invention, in the detection of slurry and foam overflow, inherits to some extent the detection methods of the applicant's prior invention patents ZL202411143686.X and ZL202410347205.0. However, the prior invention patents focused more on innovations in detection accuracy and overflow risk. This application is the result of continuous improvement in subsequent research. Specifically, the applicant's prior invention patents proposed dividing multiple capacitor plates into multiple first capacitor plates and multiple second capacitor plates located above the first capacitor plates. Different first capacitor plates are used for detecting water level (i.e., initial slurry position) signals at different slurry volumes, while different second capacitor plates are used for detecting overflow signals of slurry and foam. Heating stops when a second capacitor plate detects an overflow signal. That is, the first capacitor plate corresponding to the initial slurry position detected before slurry preparation is equipped with a corresponding second capacitor plate, so that different second capacitor plates are used to detect overflow signals at different initial slurry positions (or different slurry volumes), achieving better overflow signal detection results for different slurry volumes. However, the applicant did not think of how to further increase the intensity of the surging and bubbling when the slurry was boiled and heated. When the second capacitor electrode detected the overflow signal, it would still stop heating.

[0061] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 The following details the specific content of the first embodiment of the present invention. The main improvement of the present invention compared with the prior art is that the position of the initial slurry is detected before pulping, and the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position is determined based on the initial slurry position. As is known from the prior art and the applicant's prior applications, it is actually the capacitor electrode with the largest height among all capacitor electrodes that have detected the initial slurry position signal. For example, if the initial slurry position is at capacitor electrode 3A, capacitor electrode 3A and the capacitor electrodes below it can detect the slurry signal. Since capacitor electrode 3A is the one with the largest height among all the capacitor electrodes that have detected the slurry signal, it can be determined that the initial slurry is at capacitor electrode 3A. Therefore, the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position during this pulping is capacitor electrode 3A.

[0062] After determining the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position, the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and the overflow protection capacitor electrode corresponding to this slurry preparation are further determined. For example, if the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position is capacitor electrode 3A, capacitor electrode 3B can be selected as the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, capacitor electrode 3C as the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and capacitor electrode 3D as the overflow protection capacitor electrode; alternatively, capacitor electrode 3C can be selected as the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, capacitor electrode 3D as the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and capacitor electrode 3E as the overflow protection capacitor electrode. Based on a similar setup, the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position is capacitor electrode 3E. Capacitor electrode 3F can be selected as the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, capacitor electrode 3G as the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and capacitor electrode 3H as the overflow protection capacitor electrode. The capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position is capacitor electrode 3E. Capacitor electrode 3G can be selected as the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, capacitor electrode 3H as the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and capacitor electrode 3J as the overflow protection capacitor electrode.

[0063] When controlling the food processing machine, the height difference between the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position and the first overflow detection capacitor electrode can be used for control. A larger height difference means a larger overflow space (height), and a smaller height difference means a smaller overflow space. This can be set differently according to the type of ingredients, the slurry capacity, and the speed of slurry preparation. In other words, for the same food processing machine, different settings can be made for different slurry preparation processes.

[0064] It is understood that in the aforementioned preferred embodiment, the first overflow detection capacitor, the second overflow detection capacitor, and the overflow protection capacitor are arranged continuously in height. However, for installation purposes, they can also be arranged discontinuously. For example, if the capacitor corresponding to the initial slurry position is capacitor 3A, capacitor 3B can be selected as the first overflow detection capacitor, capacitor 3C as the second overflow detection capacitor, and capacitor 3E as the overflow protection capacitor; if the capacitor corresponding to the initial slurry position is capacitor 3A, capacitor 3B can be selected as the first overflow detection capacitor, capacitor 3D as the second overflow detection capacitor, and capacitor 3E as the overflow protection capacitor. Since there are many possible combinations, it is impossible to provide examples for each one in this specification. All installation methods based on the spirit of this invention should be within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0065] With the above settings, the food processing machine of the present invention uses a fixed heating power to heat the food during the cooking and heating stage. The biggest difference from the prior art is that when the first overflow detection capacitor detects the overflow signal of the food slurry or foam, it does not stop heating but continues to maintain the heating state. This keeps the food in a state of slurry rising during the cooking and heating process. This largely overcomes the industry inertia of immediately stopping cooking and heating when the food processing machine detects the overflow of slurry or foam.

[0066] The applicant conducted the aforementioned operations because, after research, they learned that when using capacitor electrodes to detect overflow signals from food slurry or foam, there are at least two situations where heating does not need to be stopped: First, based on the principle of capacitor electrode overflow signal detection, false detections are prone to occur. This is because as long as the capacitance value change meets preset conditions, it is judged as food slurry or foam overflow, even if the capacitance value change is not actually caused by overflow. Second, the current upward surge of food slurry or foam is not intense, and the risk of overflow is not high. For example, a large bubble may be generated, but the current height of the food slurry is not high, yet the bubble has already touched the capacitor electrode; therefore, determining that heating needs to be stopped is unnecessary. The detection of an overflow signal by the capacitor electrode sometimes does not represent the true boiling state of the food slurry.

[0067] Therefore, this invention employs two capacitors for detecting the overflow of food slurry and foam: a first overflow detection capacitor and a second overflow detection capacitor. The first overflow detection capacitor detects the overflow signal of the food slurry and foam only as a trigger condition for controlling the cooking and heating process, maintaining the heating state of the food slurry and allowing it to continue rising and trending towards boiling. Based on the time interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor, the current heating state of the food slurry and the rising speed trend of the slurry and foam can be accurately determined. Especially when the interval is relatively long, it indicates that the current rising speed of the food slurry and foam is not intense and is still under control. Even if the second overflow detection capacitor has detected the overflow signal, heating is not stopped, and the heating of the food slurry continues, causing it to reach a state of vigorous boiling and bubbling. In this way, the optimal upward and swirling state of the food slurry can be maintained as much as possible during boiling. This allows the upward surge of the slurry to be as large as possible during boiling, and the subsequent drop when heating is stopped under controlled conditions will also be as large as possible, resulting in a better swirling effect. The upward surge and tumbling of the food slurry during boiling will be more thorough, and the extraction and nutrient release of the food will be further improved compared to existing technologies.

[0068] The reason for adopting the above-mentioned cooking and heating control method is that the applicant has conducted in-depth research on the cooking and heating process of food ingredients. As described in the background art, under actual working conditions, it is difficult for food processing machines to maintain heating continuously during the cooking and heating stage (even if they do, the effect is not good). Generally, the process follows a cycle of: heating --- determining that there is a risk of overflow of the food slurry and foam --- stopping heating --- the slurry and foam receding --- resuming heating. We can take the cessation of heating in a heating cycle as the dividing point. Before stopping heating, the food slurry is in an upward state due to heating (defined by the applicant as the rising segment of cooking and heating slurry). After stopping heating, even if there is residual heat in the heating device, the food slurry is in a downward state (defined by the applicant as the falling segment of cooking and heating slurry). In each heating cycle, the rising and swirling effect of the food slurry is definitely better in the rising phase than in the falling phase. The best time is definitely in the period between when there is a risk of overflow of the food slurry and foam and when heating is stopped. At this time, the food slurry is in the state of most vigorous boiling and most vigorous swirling. Therefore, how to extend the duration of the rising phase, especially the time between the possibility of overflow and the cessation of heating, is the key factor to make the food slurry boil, rise, swirl, and tumble more fully than existing technologies.

[0069] However, no one in the food processing machine industry has conducted such in-depth research. For example, the prior application CN201710034748.7, mentioned by the applicant in the background section, objectively also mentions the continuous detection time (interval) of steam foam. However, this prior application stops heating when foam is detected for the first time. The purpose of its continuous detection time (interval) of steam foam is to calculate the duration of the heating stop during the descent phase and the amount of heating power to be applied after resuming heating. This approach can shorten the heating stop time when the time (interval) is long, potentially increasing the proportion of time maintained in the heating state during the entire cooking process. However, the upward surge and tumbling effect of the food slurry during the rising phase is the same as that of existing technologies. Therefore, the prior application and this invention have a logically contradictory solution.

[0070] Of course, the cooking and heating stage of this invention is not an arbitrary operation. The food processing machine of this invention uses a fixed heating power during the cooking and heating stage. When the interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor is large, it does not continue to heat the food indiscriminately and aimlessly. Instead, it continues to heat the food slurry for a fixed time and then actively stops heating, waits for the slurry and foam to fall back, and then resumes the fixed heating power to heat the food slurry. The heating is cycled in this control method.

[0071] The above control method follows the applicant's research findings, maximizing the duration of heating between the point of potential overflow (when the first overflow detection capacitor detects an overflow signal) and the cessation of heating. The interval between the second and first overflow detection capacitors detecting the overflow signal is a control assessment of how long the heating can be sustained (extended). Combined with using a fixed heating power to heat the slurry, and actively stopping heating after a fixed duration, the applicant's following control objectives are ultimately achieved:

[0072] 1. Consistent heating, extraction, and nutrient release: Using a fixed heating power to heat the slurry ensures that the amplitude of the slurry's bubbling during the rising phase of each heating cycle remains as large as possible. This consistent upward surge and bubbling effect is crucial for ensuring the consistency of nutrient release during the heating, extraction, and cooking of ingredients. This is essential for ensuring that the nutrient release of the same food processing machine produced by the applicant company is consistent in every batch, and even for the same model of food processing machine. This is a necessary condition for the industrial production of high-quality standard food processing machines.

[0073] 2. Consistent heating process in each heating cycle: After heating the food slurry for a fixed time, heating is automatically stopped. The applicant's control objective is to prevent the slurry and foam from rising to the overflow protection capacitor plate during boiling. That is, if the slurry and foam do not rise to the overflow protection capacitor plate during the fixed-time heating in the previous heating cycle, they are highly likely to remain below the overflow protection capacitor plate during the subsequent heating cycle. Therefore, during the cooking and heating stage, the rising phase of each heating cycle has the potential to be more consistent, greatly improving the consistency of each heating cycle. This further ensures the consistency of the slurry's boiling, surging, and rolling, and better guarantees the extraction and nutrient release of the food.

[0074] Even if the slurry or foam overflows onto the protective capacitor electrode, the heating of the food slurry can be stopped in advance, effectively ensuring the safety of the cooking and heating process.

[0075] See also Figure 3This embodiment presents a typical control method. The interval between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor is defined as Δt. A first duration T1 is set. The rate trend of the slurry and foam rising while maintaining heating is determined by comparing the relationship between the interval Δt and the first duration T1. It is understood that the first duration, as well as the subsequent second and third durations, can be preset in the storage device of the food processor as a reference for evaluating the interval duration. Specifically, if the interval Δt is greater than or equal to the first duration T1 (this embodiment uses a greater than or equal to method for determination), it is determined that the current rate of rising of the food slurry and foam is not severe and is still under control. Therefore, the heating of the food slurry continues. Of course, if the interval Δt is less than the first duration T1, it is considered that there is a relatively high risk of overflow of the food slurry, and heating should be stopped immediately.

[0076] As illustrated in this embodiment, a typical blender typically has a maximum slurry capacity of approximately 1.2L to 1.5L and a total volume of 1.5L to 2.5L. The rated (maximum) heating power of its heating device is generally 1000W to 1200W. The fixed heating power is preferably set to a value between 50% and 60% of the rated power to ensure a greater rising and sloshing effect of the slurry during cooking. It is necessary to clarify the fixed heating power; it does not require a constant power. Firstly, when the food processor operates on the power grid, the heating power output is affected by voltage fluctuations, resulting in slight variations in the heating power itself. Secondly, the power control devices used in food processors have inherently low precision, making it difficult to achieve a constant power. Under actual operating conditions, the heating power fluctuates within a small range (e.g., 5-10W), which should be considered the fixed heating power defined in this invention and not a limitation thereof.

[0077] In addition, the first duration T1 can be set to 3 to 6 seconds depending on the ingredients. When Δt is greater than or equal to the first duration T1, the fixed duration for continuing to heat the food slurry can be set to 10 to 30 seconds. This can be adjusted and set based on factors such as the viscosity and foaming degree of the ingredients.

[0078] In this embodiment, in addition to setting a first duration T1, a second duration T2 is also set (the setting logic for the second duration is the same as that for the first duration, and it also serves as a reference for evaluating the size of the interval duration). The second duration T2 is greater than the first duration T1. The purpose of this is to divide the duration regions based on the relationship between durations, to classify the velocity trend of the slurry and foam rise represented by the interval duration Δt, and thus to better determine how to set the heating stop duration. In this embodiment, the second duration T2 can be set to 5 to 15 seconds. Based on the first duration T1 and the second duration T2, the interval duration Δt can be divided into three duration intervals. In this embodiment, these are three duration regions: less than the first duration T1, greater than or equal to the second duration T2, and between the first duration T1 and the second duration T2.

[0079] Regarding the duration of the heating stop, it is preferable to set it in a negative correlation with the interval Δt between the overflow signal detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the overflow signal detected by the first overflow detection capacitor. That is, the longer the interval detected in each heating cycle, the shorter the heating stop duration should be. This control method sets the shortest possible heating stop duration for each heating cycle, which helps to increase the proportion of the total heating time in the entire cooking and heating process, and also helps to improve the release of nutrients during the cooking and extraction process.

[0080] This embodiment also makes the control method more convenient and reduces the control difficulty of the food processing machine control device. Because in each heating cycle, when the detected interval duration Δt falls into the same duration region, the heating stop duration is set to be the same. The heating stop duration is set in a negative correlation with the size of the duration region into which the interval duration Δt falls. That is, the longer the interval duration Δt falls into, the shorter the heating stop duration should be. In this embodiment, when the interval duration Δt is greater than or equal to T2, the heating stop duration is set to X seconds; when the interval duration Δt is in the duration region between the first duration T1 and the second duration T2, the heating stop duration is set to 2X seconds; and when the interval duration Δt is less than the first duration T1, the heating stop duration is set to 3X seconds. X can be set to 5-10 seconds during control.

[0081] It is understandable that, for this invention, a second duration T2 may not be set, and control may be based solely on the relationship between the first duration T1 and the interval duration Δt. Alternatively, a third duration may be set to divide the time into more duration intervals for further control. Regardless of the method, the duration of heating cessation and the interval duration Δt can be set using a negative correlation method. The duration of heating cessation and the interval duration Δt can also be controlled more precisely, for example, by setting a negative correlation calculation formula based on the interval duration Δt for the duration of heating cessation, and using the formula to calculate the heating cessation duration that should be set for each heating cycle.

[0082] Furthermore, the embodiment shown in this paper, where multiple capacitor electrodes are spaced apart on a strip-shaped PCB board 4, is merely for illustrating how this patent should be implemented and is not intended to limit the invention. The multiple capacitor electrodes can obviously be arranged on PCB boards of other shapes. They can be arranged with equal spacing and width, or, as in the applicant's prior invention patents ZL202411143686.X and ZL202410347205.0, with unequal widths and spacing. Alternatively, they can be arranged by combining two sub-capacitor electrodes into a complete capacitor electrode (group). The applicant incorporates this as part of the complete embodiment of the invention. Of course, the multiple capacitor electrodes can also be arranged independently on the heating container. Based on the spirit of this invention, the above adjustments and modifications should all be within the scope of protection claimed in this invention.

[0083] See Figure 4 This embodiment, while fully inheriting the control logic of the above embodiments, introduces research and exploration on how to control the cooking and heating of food processing machines at different initial slurry positions, i.e. different slurry volumes, in order to ensure that the food is cooked to fully release nutrients under different slurry volumes, while also taking into account the safety of slurry production at high volumes.

[0084] In this embodiment, among the multiple capacitor electrodes 3A-3J, the capacitor electrode 3D with the centrally located height is selected as the fourth capacitor electrode. The fourth capacitor electrode is used to determine the pulping capacity based on the overflow detection position of the pulp and foam. If the second overflow detection capacitor electrode selected dynamically in this pulping process is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode, it is determined to have a "large" pulping capacity; if it is lower, it is determined to have a "small" pulping capacity. This allows for precise control of the fixed duration of continued heating of the food pulp and the duration of heating cessation. Compared to the existing technology that generally uses physical pulping capacity division, this method is closer to the control of the pulp and foam state during the pulping process and is more beneficial for practical heating control scenarios.

[0085] Specifically, taking capacitor electrode 3D as the fourth capacitor electrode in this embodiment, regardless of which capacitor electrode corresponds to the current initial pulping position, when capacitor electrode 3F is selected as the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, capacitor electrode 3G as the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and capacitor electrode 3H as the overflow protection capacitor electrode, since the height of capacitor electrode 3G is not lower than that of capacitor electrode 3D, the fixed duration for which the food slurry will continue to be heated during the cooking and heating stage can be set to a first fixed duration with a shorter duration. When capacitor electrode 3B is selected as the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, capacitor electrode 3C as the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and capacitor electrode 3D as the overflow protection capacitor electrode, since the height of capacitor electrode 3C is lower than that of capacitor electrode 3D, the fixed duration for which the food slurry will continue to be heated during the cooking and heating stage can be set to a second fixed duration with a longer duration.

[0086] In this way, with a small pulping capacity, a longer fixed heating time is used to make the pulp boil and surge and tumble as much as possible, so that the nutrients can be released more fully; with a large pulping capacity, a relatively shorter fixed heating time is used to ensure the pulp surges and tumbles, while taking into account the safety of high-capacity pulping and preventing the risk of pulp overflow.

[0087] As mentioned earlier, this embodiment also features refined control over the duration of heating cessation. In this embodiment, when both a first duration T1 and a second duration T2 are set, the heating cessation duration in the corresponding time range is longer for large pulping capacity compared to small pulping capacity. Specifically, when the interval duration Δt is greater than the second duration T2, the heating cessation duration for large pulping capacity is 1.5X seconds, while for small pulping capacity it is X seconds. The same setting method is used in other time ranges. When the interval duration Δt is between the first duration T1 and the second duration T2, the heating cessation duration for large pulping capacity is 3X seconds, while for small pulping capacity it is 2X seconds; when the interval duration Δt is less than the first duration T1, the heating cessation duration for large pulping capacity is 4.5X seconds, while for small pulping capacity it is 3X seconds. Here, the value of X can be similar to that in the aforementioned embodiment. It is understood that this implementation may also omit the second duration T2 and divide the duration solely based on the first duration T1, employing a similar processing method as described above.

[0088] In this way, with a small pulping capacity, the heating stop time can be shortened as much as possible, and the proportion of total heating time can be further increased; with a large pulping capacity, a relatively long heating stop time is used, mainly to take into account the safety of high-capacity pulping, prevent the risk of pulp overflow, and prepare for the next heating cycle to be heated and cooked for as long as possible.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, the duration of heating cessation under large pulping capacity and small pulping capacity, and the interval duration Δt are respectively set in a negative correlation manner. Since the aforementioned embodiments have been fully described, this embodiment will not repeat them.

[0090] It should be noted that the present invention selects a capacitor electrode with a centered height as the fourth capacitor electrode, but this does not mean that it must be selected with a height exactly in the middle. Based on the spirit of the present invention, it is sufficient that the fourth capacitor electrode is in the centered area in height. This embodiment is only for ease of explanation, selecting a capacitor electrode with a height exactly in the middle as the fourth capacitor electrode from among the 13 capacitor electrodes. When the total number of capacitor electrodes is odd and they are arranged with equal height and width, selecting a capacitor electrode with a height in the middle is a relatively simple method. Of course, a capacitor electrode with a height slightly above or below the middle position (1-2 positions) can be selected as the fourth capacitor. When the total number of capacitor electrodes is even, or when they are not arranged with equal height and width, the selection of the fourth capacitor simply follows the aforementioned logic.

[0091] See Figure 5 This embodiment is still a study and exploration of how to control the cooking and heating of food processing machines at different initial slurry positions, i.e. different slurry production capacities. It tends to take into account the safety of slurry production at high capacities.

[0092] Specifically, among multiple capacitor electrodes, the one with the middle height was selected as the fourth capacitor electrode. If the second overflow detection capacitor electrode selected in this pulping dynamic process is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode, it is determined to have a "large" pulping capacity; if it is lower, it is determined to have a "small" pulping capacity. The difference lies in the fact that after determining the large and small pulping capacities, the first (second) duration of the cooking and heating stage is set more precisely.

[0093] When the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode, corresponding to a large pulping capacity, T3 represents the first duration. When the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode, corresponding to a small pulping capacity, T1 represents the first duration. T3 is set greater than T1, ensuring that the required interval duration Δt differs depending on the pulping capacity. The larger the pulping capacity, the higher the requirement for the interval duration Δt, thus ensuring the safety of pulping at high capacities. T3 can be set slightly longer than T1 by 1-3 seconds. In this embodiment, second durations T4 and T2 are also set, with T4 set slightly longer than T1 by 2-5 seconds.

[0094] In this embodiment, the settings for the fixed duration, the duration of heating stop, and the negative correlation between the heating stop duration and the interval duration Δt can all be set with reference to the aforementioned embodiments. Since the specification of this invention has already provided a sufficient and detailed explanation, this embodiment will not repeat it.

[0095] In addition, by comparing the height relationship between the second overflow detection capacitor electrode and the fourth capacitor electrode, different settings can be used for the fixed duration, the heating stop duration, and the first duration. This can be done by setting different settings for only one duration, or by combining multiple durations. Figure 4 and 5 The embodiments shown are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0096] The technical solutions protected by this invention are not limited to the above embodiments. It should be noted that any combination of the technical solutions of any embodiment with one or more other embodiments is within the protection scope of this invention. Although the invention has been described in detail above with general descriptions and specific embodiments, some modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of this invention are within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine, wherein the food processing machine includes a heating container for heating food ingredients, and the heating container has multiple capacitor plates arranged at height intervals for detecting the food ingredient slurry and foam, characterized in that: Based on the capacitor electrode corresponding to the initial slurry position detected before pulping, the first overflow detection capacitor electrode, the second overflow detection capacitor electrode, and the overflow protection capacitor electrode are determined to be arranged from low to high in this pulping process. During the food cooking and heating stage, the food slurry is heated with a fixed heating power, and heating is not stopped when the first overflow detection capacitor detects the overflow signal of the food slurry and foam. The system acquires the time interval between the signals detected by the second overflow detection capacitor and the signals detected by the first overflow detection capacitor. When the interval is greater than or equal to the first time interval, the system maintains a fixed heating power to continue heating the food slurry for a fixed time, and then stops heating, unless the overflow protection capacitor detects an overflow signal within the fixed time interval, in which case heating stops. Wait for the food slurry and foam to settle, then restore the fixed heating power to heat the food slurry, and circulate the heating according to the above control method.

2. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fourth capacitor is designated as the one with the middle height among multiple capacitor plates. The height relationship between the second overflow detection capacitor plate and the fourth capacitor plate is compared, and different values ​​are used for at least one of the following durations: 1) Fixed duration; 2) Duration of heating stoppage; 3) First duration.

3. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixed duration includes: For a first fixed duration, when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode... For a second fixed duration, when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode... The first fixed duration is less than the second fixed duration.

4. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The duration of heating cessation includes: The first heating stop time is when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is not lower than the fourth capacitor electrode. The second heating stop time is when the second overflow detection capacitor electrode is lower than the fourth capacitor electrode. The first heating stop duration is longer than the second heating stop duration.

5. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, include: The first duration used when the second overflow detection capacitor is not lower than the fourth capacitor is greater than the first duration used when the second overflow detection capacitor is lower than the fourth capacitor.

6. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The duration of heating cessation is set in a negative correlation with the interval duration.

7. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, Set a second duration longer than the first duration, divide the duration regions according to their length, and specify the duration for which heating stops, while simultaneously satisfying: 1) When the intervals fall within the same time range, the duration of heating cessation is the same; 2) The duration of heating cessation is set in a negative correlation with the size of the time interval range.

8. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first overflow detection capacitor, the second overflow detection capacitor, and the overflow protection capacitor are arranged continuously in height.

9. The method for controlling the cooking and heating process in a food processing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, Heating stops when the interval between the second overflow detection capacitor detecting the overflow signal of food slurry and foam and the first overflow detection capacitor detecting the overflow signal of food slurry and foam is less than a first time interval.

10. A food processing machine, employing the cooking and heating control method for a food processing machine as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The heating container is equipped with a pulverizing device, and the cooking and heating are applied after the pulverizing device has pulverized the ingredients.

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