Egg supporting frame, multifunctional egg boiler and control system of multifunctional egg boiler

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances and automatic control, and discloses an egg supporting frame, a multifunctional egg boiler and a control system thereof.The multifunctional egg boiler comprises the egg supporting frame with a transparent egg containing basket and the control system, a light emitting part is integrally embedded in the egg containing basket, and during cooking, the control system drives the light emitting part to emit specific-frequency modulated light to penetrate through eggs, so that the eggs are boiled; after receiving the light sensing device, the synchronous signal acquisition module demodulates and generates a state characteristic value of the internal solidification degree of the egg product, the cooking process management module establishes a cooking degree judgment dynamic model, analyzes the variable quantity or time change rate of the characteristic value in real time, and judges a cooking end point when the variable quantity reaches a preset cooking degree threshold value or the change rate is lower than a stable threshold value; and the electric heating plate is automatically controlled to stop heating. According to the invention, through combination of optical signal penetration detection and dynamic model determination, automatic and precise control of the cooking degree of the egg product is realized, visual determination can be carried out without shelling, and the convenience and reliability of use are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of kitchen appliances and automatic control technology, specifically to an egg holder, a multi-functional egg cooker, and its control system. Background Technology

[0002] An egg cooker, a common household appliance, primarily functions to steam or boil eggs and other foods by heating water or other cooking fluids within its cooking cavity. Existing egg cooker designs typically aim to optimize food placement and heating efficiency. One common design incorporates a perforated partition within the cooking cavity, dividing it into upper and lower sections to allow for switching between steaming and boiling. Another design utilizes a detachable egg rack, as disclosed in Chinese Patent Application No. CN202220526134.7. This design, through support components and clearance notches on the egg rack, allows for two different installation heights within the cooking cavity, adapting to various cooking needs.

[0003] However, existing egg cookers, regardless of their optimized mechanical structure, still suffer from a common technical bottleneck in their core function of determining egg doneness. These cookers generally rely on preset heating times to control the cooking process, with users setting an approximate time based on experience before starting the device. The fundamental flaw in this control method is its inability to adapt to the individual differences in eggs. Different types, sizes, and initial temperatures of eggs require significantly different times to reach their ideal doneness. Therefore, after cooking, users cannot accurately determine whether the egg has reached the desired doneness without removing it and peeling the shell, often leading to unsatisfactory cooking results and a poor user experience.

[0004] Furthermore, due to the lack of real-time monitoring of the internal state of eggs, the control systems of existing egg cookers cannot achieve automated and precise management of the cooking process. The entire cooking process is an open-loop control, unable to dynamically adjust or stop heating based on the actual progress of egg protein coagulation. This imprecise control method makes it difficult to guarantee consistent cooking results even when users strictly follow recommended times, especially when pursuing a specific level of doneness, where the success rate is even lower.

[0005] Furthermore, introducing electronic detection components into the high-temperature, high-humidity cooking environment of an egg cooker to address the aforementioned issues presents significant technical challenges. Placing light-emitting, sensing, and other electrical components directly in a cooking area filled with high-temperature water or steam necessitates resolving issues of waterproof sealing, electrical safety, and structural stability during long-term operation. Improper structural design can easily lead to component damage, short circuits, and other safety hazards due to moisture intrusion, making simply adding external detection equipment to the existing egg cooker structure impractical. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an egg holder, a multi-functional egg cooker, and its control system. This solves the problem that existing egg cookers cannot accurately and in real time determine the internal cooking state of eggs without damaging the eggshell, resulting in uncertain cooking results and making it difficult to meet users' precise needs for specific levels of doneness.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0008] The first aspect of this invention provides an egg holder for steaming or boiling eggs. The bottom of the egg holder is provided with a support plate, and the support plate is provided with a plurality of downward-facing recessed egg baskets. Both the egg baskets and the support plate are provided with a plurality of holes. The egg baskets are transparent and have a light-emitting part inside. The egg holder has a cable inside and a connector on the outside. The two ends of the cable are respectively connected to the light-emitting part and the connector. The connector is used to connect to an external power source. When the light-emitting part is powered on, the strong light emitted shines upward from the bottom onto the eggs in the corresponding egg baskets.

[0009] Preferably, the light-emitting part is a high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip, the cable is a high-temperature resistant cable, and the maximum operating temperature of the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip and the high-temperature resistant cable is between 85-100℃.

[0010] Each egg-holding basket contains multiple high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips, which are arc-shaped and are evenly and symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the egg-holding basket.

[0011] Preferably, the bottom of the egg basket has a cross-shaped hole, and the periphery of the egg basket has a plurality of evenly spaced teardrop-shaped holes, and the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip is located between adjacent teardrop-shaped holes;

[0012] Furthermore, the upper surface of the egg basket is provided with multiple convex arc-shaped strips, the number of which is the same as the number of high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips and their positions correspond one-to-one, that is, the convex arc-shaped strips are located directly above the corresponding high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips.

[0013] Preferably, the egg tray is made of food-grade transparent PP material or transparent glass material, and the egg tray is made by layer injection molding process. During the layer injection molding process, the light-emitting part, the cable and the main body of the connector are all embedded in the interior of the egg tray.

[0014] Preferably, the egg tray further includes two side panels, the bottom of which is connected to the periphery of the support plate. The two side panels are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the support plate. A horizontally arranged handle is provided on the top outer side of the side panel, and the connector extends from the bottom of one of the handles and faces downward.

[0015] Preferably, the egg tray also includes a side panel, the bottom of which is vertically connected to the periphery of the support plate. The side panel and the support plate together form a steamer structure. The top two opposite sides of the side panel are also provided with handles. The plug extends from one edge of the support plate and is arranged downwards.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides a multifunctional egg cooker, comprising a base, a housing, an electric heating plate, a control circuit board, and an egg holder as described in any of the first aspects above. The housing has a water bath cavity in its center and a hollow interlayer inside. The bottom of the housing is mounted on the base. The electric heating plate is mounted at the bottom of the water bath cavity and is used to heat the water in the water bath cavity. The egg holder rests inside the water bath cavity and is positioned above it. The control circuit board is mounted within the hollow interlayer and is electrically connected to a female socket located at the top of the hollow interlayer. The female socket is used to connect to the connector of the egg holder.

[0017] Preferably, there are two female sockets located on the top two opposite sides of the hollow interlayer, and there are two egg trays, one being the egg tray for boiling eggs with side panels, and the other being the egg tray for steaming eggs with side panels. The two plugs are inserted into the two female sockets respectively, and the bottom of the egg tray for steaming eggs rests on the top of the egg tray for boiling eggs.

[0018] A third aspect of the present invention provides a control system for a multifunctional egg cooker, applied to the multifunctional egg cooker described in the second aspect above. The system includes a microcontroller configured to perform the following functional modules:

[0019] A modulated optical signal generation module is used to drive the light-emitting part at a preset modulation frequency. Emitting pulsed light signals;

[0020] The synchronous signal acquisition module is used to acquire the light signal after it penetrates the egg, and to separate the light signal with the preset modulation frequency from the acquired light signal through demodulation operations. The synchronous signal component, based on its strength or other physical characteristics, generates a state characteristic value that can quantitatively reflect the current physical state inside the egg. ;

[0021] The cooking process management module has the following functions:

[0022] Before the cooking process begins, a light signal acquisition and processing is performed to record the initial state characteristic values.

[0023] During the cooking process, the generation, acquisition, and processing of light signals are continuously performed to continuously generate the aforementioned state characteristic values ​​in real time;

[0024] The cooking endpoint is determined by analyzing either the change in the real-time state feature value relative to the initial state feature value or by analyzing the rate of change of the real-time state feature value itself over time.

[0025] The heating execution control module is used to receive the judgment result output by the cooking process management module, and control the power supply of the electric heating plate to be turned on or off according to the result.

[0026] Preferably, the cooking process management module establishes a system based on the state feature values ​​over time. A dynamic model is used to determine the cooking endpoint. The determination logic of this dynamic model is as follows:

[0027] At the start of cooking Record the initial state characteristic value and set it as the baseline value, denoted as . ;

[0028] At any moment during the cooking process Generate real-time state feature values, denoted as ;

[0029] The cooking process is considered complete when either of the following two conditions is met:

[0030] Change threshold determination: Calculate real-time state feature values Relative to the baseline value Change : When this change reaches or exceeds a preset target maturity threshold... When, that is, the condition is met. If the cooking process is complete, then the cooking endpoint is reached. It is a pre-set numerical threshold used to distinguish different levels of ripeness (such as soft center and fully ripe).

[0031] Rate of change threshold determination: Calculate real-time state feature values The rate of change over time, i.e., its first derivative with respect to time. When the rate of change decreases to a preset stability threshold The condition is met when it is or below. If the cooking process is complete, then the cooking endpoint is reached. In calculus, a small change or derivative of a variable is represented. Represents state characteristic value Over time The rate of change, i.e., the state characteristic value Regarding time The first derivative of the egg reflects the speed of the coagulation process inside the egg. It represents the absolute value of its internal expression, that is, it only considers the magnitude of the rate of change, not its direction; It is a preset value that represents the critical value at which the rate of change of the state characteristic value tends to stabilize or stop. When the rate of change is lower than this value, the solidification process is considered to be basically completed.

[0032] This invention provides an egg holder, a multi-functional egg cooker, and a control system thereof. It has the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1. This invention solves the technical problem that existing technologies cannot determine the doneness of eggs immediately after cooking by setting a light-emitting part inside a transparent egg basket, allowing users to intuitively judge the doneness of eggs by the light penetration without peeling the eggshell.

[0034] 2. This invention achieves automated and precise control of the cooking doneness of eggs by introducing a microcontroller to generate modulated light signals, acquire synchronous signals, and determine the cooking endpoint based on a dynamic model of state characteristic values. This overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies where the doneness is uncertain due to individual differences.

[0035] 3. This invention integrates the light-emitting part, cable and connector into the egg tray by using food-grade transparent material and layered injection molding process, ensuring the waterproof safety and structural stability of electrical components in high temperature and high humidity environments. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the egg tray structure according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the egg basket in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection principle of the connector, cable, and light-emitting part in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the egg tray structure according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multifunctional egg cooker according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the multifunctional egg cooker according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a functional block diagram of the multifunctional egg cooker control system of Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0043] Among them, 1. Support plate; 2. Egg basket; 21. Cross-shaped hole; 22. Teardrop-shaped hole; 23. Convex arc strip; 3. Light-emitting part; 31. High temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip; 4. Cable; 5. Connector; 6. Side plate; 7. Handle; 8. Side panel; 9. Miniature proximity sensor; 100. Egg rack; 200. Base; 300. Housing; 400. Electric heating plate; 500. Control circuit board; 600. Female socket; 700. Pot lid; 701. Vent; 800. Pot holder. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] Example 1:

[0046] See attached document Figure 1 -Appendix Figure 3 This application discloses an egg holder 100 for steaming or boiling eggs. The bottom of the egg holder 100 is provided with a support plate 1, and multiple downward-facing recessed egg baskets 2 are provided on the support plate 1. Both the egg baskets 2 and the support plate 1 are provided with multiple holes. The egg baskets 2 are transparent and have a light-emitting part 3 inside. The egg holder 100 has a cable 4 inside and a connector 5 outside. The two ends of the cable 4 are connected to the light-emitting part 3 and the connector 5, respectively. The connector 5 is used to connect to an external power source. When the light-emitting part 3 is powered on, the strong light emitted shines from the bottom upwards onto the eggs in the corresponding egg baskets 2.

[0047] In this embodiment, the light-emitting part 3 is a high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31, and the cable 4 is a high-temperature resistant cable 4. The maximum operating temperature of the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 and the high-temperature resistant cable 4 is between 85-100℃. The high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 has multiple ceramic LED beads. The emitted light from the ceramic LED beads is a directional beam (i.e., non-divergent light, with a cover on the ceramic LED bead to constrain the direction of light emission). The directional beams emitted by all the ceramic LED beads eventually converge at the center point directly above the egg basket 2, such as... Figure 2As shown in the image.

[0048] If the light used to illuminate the egg is not concentrated enough, for example, if it is a diffused design, due to the irregular surface of each egg and the tilt of the egg when it is placed in the egg basket 2, if the light emitted by the light-emitting part 3 cannot be concentrated at the center point directly above the egg basket 2, the light can easily shine directly into the user's eyes through the gap between the egg and the egg basket 2 without passing through the egg. This direct light that does not pass through the egg will significantly affect the user's judgment of whether the egg is cooked. After all, if the user sees light, they will think that the egg is still translucent, which means that the egg is not cooked. In fact, the egg has been cooked, but the light leakage has caused interference and misjudgment.

[0049] The light-emitting part 3 of the above design emits more concentrated light, which is not scattered randomly. Even if the egg is placed at an angle, it can ensure that all the light passes through the egg from above, and will not cause interference or misjudgment for the user due to light leakage. It is more conducive to accurately illuminating and penetrating the egg, and makes it easier for the user to judge whether the egg is cooked by observing whether the egg is transparent.

[0050] Each egg basket 2 is equipped with a miniature proximity sensor 9, which is located near the bottom of the egg basket 2. The miniature proximity sensor 9 can also be connected to the modulated light signal generation module of the egg cooker through an internal cable 4. When the miniature proximity sensor 9 does not detect an egg in the corresponding egg basket 2, the light-emitting part 3 inside the corresponding egg basket 2 will not be activated. For example, in this embodiment, the support plate 1 has four egg baskets 2. If only two eggs are placed in the corresponding egg basket 2, the light-emitting parts 3 in the other two egg baskets 2 will not be activated. This can effectively avoid the problem of too much light and too much noise interfering with the vision caused by all the light-emitting parts 3 being activated at the same time. It is beneficial for users to quickly and accurately judge whether the egg in the corresponding egg basket 2 is cooked.

[0051] In this embodiment, in order to facilitate the light-emitting part 3 to illuminate the eggs on the egg basket 2 from multiple angles and directions, a single egg basket 2 has multiple high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31. The high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 have an arc structure, and the multiple high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 are evenly spaced and symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the egg basket 2.

[0052] The bottom of the egg basket 2 has a cross-shaped hole 21, and the periphery of the egg basket 2 has multiple evenly spaced teardrop-shaped holes 22. The design of the cross-shaped hole 21 and the teardrop-shaped hole 22 facilitates the passage of high-temperature water and high-temperature steam to contact the egg, thereby achieving a good steaming or boiling effect.

[0053] The high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 is located between adjacent teardrop-shaped holes 22. There are six teardrop-shaped holes 22, meaning that there are six high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 in a single egg basket 2. The included angle between adjacent high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 is 60°.

[0054] In this embodiment, the support plate 1 has a square structure, and there are four egg baskets 2 located at the corners of the support plate 1. That is, there are four sets of high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31, each corresponding to one of the four egg baskets 2. Other shaped holes are also provided in the center of the support plate 1 and between the adjacent egg baskets 2.

[0055] In this embodiment, to avoid large-area contact between the egg basket 2 and the bottom of the eggs, the upper surface of the egg basket 2 is provided with multiple convex arc-shaped strips 23. The multiple convex arc-shaped strips 23 work together to raise the eggs in the egg basket 2, that is, the contact area between the eggs and the high-temperature water and high-temperature steam is larger, which is more conducive to the eggs being heated and cooked. The number of convex arc-shaped strips 23 and the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 are the same and their positions correspond one-to-one, that is, the convex arc-shaped strips 23 are located directly above the corresponding high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31.

[0056] Since the supporting plate 1 and the egg basket 2 are integrally formed plate structures, their overall thickness is relatively thin. The convex arc strip 23 can appropriately increase the thickness of the plate near the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31, which facilitates the smooth pre-embedding of the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 inside the egg basket 2. This prevents the addition of the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 from affecting the overall structural strength of the egg basket 2, resulting in a more reasonable and robust structural design. Therefore, the convex arc strip 23 not only supports the eggs but also compensates for the insufficient thickness of the egg basket 2 caused by the plate structure, making it convenient to pre-embed the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 inside the egg basket 2.

[0057] In this embodiment, the egg tray 100 is an integral structure, which provides good protection for the internal light-emitting part 3 and cable 4. The egg tray 100 is made of food-grade transparent PP material or transparent glass material. The egg tray 100 is made by layered injection molding process. During the layered injection molding process, the main body of the light-emitting part 3, cable 4 and connector 5 are all pre-embedded inside the egg tray 100.

[0058] In this embodiment, to simplify the structure of the egg tray 100, the egg tray 100 also includes two side plates 6. The bottom of the side plates 6 is connected to the periphery of the support plate 1. The two side plates 6 are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the support plate 1. A horizontally arranged handle 7 is also provided on the top outer side of the side plates 6. The connector 5 extends from the bottom of one of the handles 7 and is arranged downwards. The handle 7 is basically not heated. The connector 5 designed in the above position can avoid the hot water used for boiling eggs from contacting the connector 5, and will not affect the connector 5's connection to the external power supply, so as to smoothly and safely realize the power supply effect of the light-emitting part 3.

[0059] The beneficial technical effects of the egg tray 100 in this application embodiment are roughly as follows:

[0060] After placing the egg on the egg basket 2, the egg holder 100 can be placed in the egg cooker for boiling or steaming. When the heating time displayed on the egg cooker reaches the estimated time, the user can open the egg cooker without removing the egg holder 100 or peeling the egg. The strong light emitted by the light-emitting part 3 after being powered on can shine from the bottom upwards. If the egg is not fully cooked, there will still be a certain amount of liquid inside the egg, and the strong light can make the egg transparent. If the egg is fully cooked, the yolk and egg white inside the egg will become solid, and the strong light cannot make the egg transparent. Therefore, the egg holder 100 of this application emits strong light after the light-emitting part 3 is powered on without removing and peeling the egg. The user can quickly judge whether the egg is cooked by whether the egg is transparent to the strong light, thus improving the egg cooking experience.

[0061] Furthermore, in this application, the light-emitting part 3 and the cable 4 are integrated into the support plate 1 and the egg basket 2. This integrated structure can significantly facilitate the installation and disassembly of the egg tray 100 by the user. The presence of the light-emitting part 3 and the cable 4 is basically imperceptible. It can also effectively prevent the light-emitting part 3 and the cable 4 from coming into contact with high-temperature water during operation, and there is no short circuit or damage caused by poor sealing. Compared with the solution of designing the light-emitting part 3 on the outside of the egg basket 2, it can basically eliminate the gaps and assembly precision problems caused by the external solution of the light-emitting part 3. It has obvious advantages such as being less prone to damage, having a longer service life, and being more convenient to use, which is more in line with the current user habits.

[0062] Example 2:

[0063] See attached document Figure 4 The egg holder disclosed in Embodiment 2 of this application differs from that in Embodiment 1 in that:

[0064] The egg tray 100 also includes a side panel 8, the bottom of which is vertically connected to the perimeter of the support plate 1. The side panel 8, together with the support plate 1, forms a steamer structure. Handles 7 are also provided on the two opposite sides of the top of the side panel 8. A connector 5 extends from one edge of the support plate 1 and faces downwards. The connector 5's position avoids contact with the high-temperature steam used for boiling eggs, ensuring it does not interfere with the connection of the connector 5 to an external power source and allows for smooth and safe power supply to the light-emitting part 3.

[0065] The egg holder 100 designed above can not only be used to hold eggs at the bottom, but also to hold various foods for steaming. It also has the following technical advantages: the light-emitting part 3 emits strong light when powered on without the egg being removed and peeled. Users can quickly judge whether the egg is cooked by whether the egg is illuminated by the strong light, resulting in a better egg cooking experience.

[0066] Example 3:

[0067] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 4 Appendix Figure 5 and attached Figure 6 The multifunctional egg cooker disclosed in Embodiment 3 of this application includes a base 200, a shell 300, an electric heating plate 400, a control circuit board 500, and an egg holder 100. A water bath cavity is provided in the middle of the shell 300, and a hollow interlayer is provided inside the shell 300. The bottom of the shell 300 is installed on the base 200. The electric heating plate 400 is installed at the bottom of the water bath cavity and is used to heat the water in the water bath cavity. The egg holder 100 is placed inside the water bath cavity and is mounted above the water bath cavity. The control circuit board 500 is installed in the hollow interlayer and is also electrically connected to a female socket 600. The female socket 600 is located at the top of the hollow interlayer and is used to connect to the connector 5 of the egg holder 100.

[0068] In this embodiment, there are two female sockets 600, located on opposite sides of the top of the hollow interlayer. There are also two egg trays 100: one for boiling eggs (as in Embodiment 1) and the other for steaming eggs (as in Embodiment 2). Two connectors 5 are inserted into the two female sockets 600 respectively. The bottom of the steaming egg tray 100 rests on top of the boiling egg tray 100. Because the female sockets 600 are installed inside the hollow interlayer, [the following is unclear and likely refers to a different embodiment]. Figure 6 In the diagram, the female socket 600 is shown as a dashed structure. To facilitate the smooth insertion of the female socket 600 and the connector 5, the top two sides of the housing 300 are respectively provided with socket holes for the connector 5 to be inserted downwards.

[0069] In this embodiment, the egg tray 100 for steaming eggs is also covered with a pot lid 700, and the pot lid 700 is also provided with a vent 701. The egg tray 100 for boiling eggs is also placed inside a pot 800. Under special circumstances, the egg tray 100 for boiling eggs can be used to place the pot 800 instead of eggs. The pot 800 can be used to place other foods, making the function more diversified.

[0070] Example 4:

[0071] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 2 Appendix Figure 5 Appendix Figure 6 and attached Figure 7 The present invention provides a control system for a multifunctional egg cooker, which is applied to a multifunctional egg cooker as described in Embodiment 3. The system includes a microcontroller configured to perform multiple functions to achieve precise management and heating control of the egg cooking process.

[0072] The microcontroller is electrically connected to the control circuit board 500 of the multi-functional egg cooker. The control circuit board 500 is installed within the hollow interlayer of the housing 300. The microcontroller interacts with and controls multiple external components through the control circuit board 500.

[0073] The microcontroller is equipped with a modulated light signal generation module. The function of this module is to drive the light-emitting unit 3 inside the egg tray 100 to emit pulsed light signals. The light signal emitted by the light-emitting unit 3 is modulated at a preset frequency. Periodic repetition. The modulated light signal generation module sends a control signal to the light-emitting unit 3, causing it to periodically turn on and off or modulate its intensity according to a set frequency.

[0074] The microcontroller is equipped with a synchronization signal acquisition module. This module receives the light signals that have penetrated the egg. These penetrating light signals are captured by sensors installed at corresponding positions within the egg rack 100. The synchronization signal acquisition module demodulates the received light signals using digital signal processing methods (e.g., lock-in amplification or bandpass filtering) to obtain a signal with a preset modulation frequency. The synchronization signal component. Based on the strength or other physical characteristics of this synchronization signal component, the synchronization signal acquisition module generates a quantized value, i.e., a state characteristic value. Its size is related to the transparency or light attenuation inside the egg.

[0075] The microcontroller is equipped with a cooking process management module. Before the cooking process begins, the cooking process management module first calls the synchronous signal acquisition module to perform a light signal acquisition and processing to obtain and record the initial state characteristic values ​​of the egg. This is set as the baseline value. During the cooking process, the cooking process management module continuously triggers the modulation light signal generation module and the synchronization signal acquisition module to continuously generate and acquire real-time state characteristic values. The cooking process management module continuously analyzes status characteristic values. Over time The trend of change is used to determine the end point of the cooking process.

[0076] The microcontroller is equipped with a heating execution control module. This module receives the cooking endpoint determination result from the cooking process management module. Based on this result, the heating execution control module controls the power supply status of the electric heating plate 400 in the multi-functional egg cooker, including turning on the power to start heating or turning off the power to stop heating. This control is achieved by sending high / low level signals or pulse width modulation signals to the power supply circuit of the electric heating plate 400.

[0077] The modulation optical signal generation module in the control system of this invention functions to drive the light-emitting unit 3 to emit pulsed optical signals at a preset modulation frequency. The modulation optical signal generation module is electrically connected to a microcontroller, which controls the working state of the light-emitting unit 3 by sending commands to the modulation optical signal generation module.

[0078] The light-emitting unit 3 is composed of high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31, each containing multiple ceramic LED beads. These beads are designed to emit directional beams of light, rather than divergent beams, and are equipped with covers to constrain the direction of light emission. The directional beams emitted by all the ceramic LED beads converge at the center point directly above the corresponding egg basket 2. This design ensures that the light penetrates the eggs in a concentrated manner, avoiding interference with subsequent signal acquisition caused by light emanating directly through the eggs.

[0079] The modulation optical signal generation module applies pulsed driving current or voltage to the light-emitting part 3 according to the instructions of the microcontroller, so that the light-emitting part 3 modulates at a preset frequency. Periodic switching or brightness modulation is performed to emit pulsed light signals.

[0080] In actual operation, each egg basket 2 is equipped with a miniature proximity sensor 9 located near the bottom of the basket 2. The miniature proximity sensor 9 is connected to the modulated light signal generation module of the egg cooker via an internal cable 4. Before driving the light-emitting unit 3, the modulated light signal generation module first receives a detection signal from the miniature proximity sensor 9. The corresponding light-emitting unit 3 inside the egg basket 2 is activated only when the miniature proximity sensor 9 detects that there are eggs placed inside. If the miniature proximity sensor 9 does not detect eggs, the corresponding light-emitting unit 3 is not activated. For example, when the egg cooker has four egg baskets 2 and eggs are placed in only two of them, only the light-emitting units 3 inside the two egg baskets with eggs are driven to emit pulsed light signals, while the light-emitting units 3 in the remaining egg baskets without eggs remain off. This mechanism enables selective activation of the light source based on the actual load.

[0081] Each egg basket 2 integrates multiple high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31. These high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 have an arc structure and are symmetrically arranged at even intervals along the central axis of the egg basket 2. Specifically, when the egg basket 2 has six teardrop-shaped holes 22 on its perimeter, six high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 can be installed in a single egg basket 2. Each high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip 31 is located between adjacent teardrop-shaped holes 22, and the included angle between adjacent high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips 31 is 60°. This multi-angle, symmetrical arrangement ensures that light can evenly illuminate the eggs from multiple directions.

[0082] The synchronous signal acquisition module in the control system of the present invention is used to acquire the light signal after penetrating the egg, and demodulate the signal component synchronized with the preset modulation frequency from the light signal, thereby generating state characteristic values ​​that reflect the internal state of the egg.

[0083] The synchronous signal acquisition module includes photosensitive devices (such as photodiodes or photoresistors) for receiving light signals. These sensors are positioned above or around the egg tray 100 to capture light emitted from the light-emitting unit 3, penetrating the eggs and exiting the eggs. The photosensitive devices convert the received light signals into electrical signals and transmit them to the signal processing unit on the microcontroller or control circuit board 500.

[0084] In the signal processing unit, the electrical signal from the optical sensor is processed through demodulation operations. This demodulation process aims to separate the signal from the preset modulation frequency set by the modulation optical signal generation module. Synchronous signal components. Demodulation methods can employ lock-in amplification or narrowband bandpass filtering, with the center frequency set to [value missing]. This effectively filters out ambient light interference and asynchronous noise components, thereby accurately extracting the effective light signal emitted only by the light-emitting part 3 that has penetrated the egg.

[0085] From demodulation and In the synchronization signal components, the synchronization signal acquisition module calculates and generates state characteristic values. For example, as the egg white and yolk inside an egg gradually solidify during cooking, their light-transmitting ability changes, resulting in a corresponding change in the intensity of the transmitted light signal. (State characteristic value) It can be directly correlated with the strength of the synchronization signal component, for example This could be the average amplitude, integral value, or a parameter proportional to the demodulated signal. As the egg solidifies, its internal structure's ability to scatter and absorb light increases, leading to a decrease in the intensity of the transmitted light signal, thus affecting the state characteristic value. The corresponding trend of change is evident.

[0086] The synchronous signal acquisition module provides an objective data basis for the internal state of the egg by real-time monitoring and processing of light signals penetrating the egg, providing input for the subsequent cooking process management module to determine the doneness.

[0087] The cooking process management module in the control system of this invention is designed to record initial state characteristic values ​​before cooking begins and continuously generate real-time state characteristic values ​​during the cooking process. The cooking endpoint is determined by analyzing the changing trends of these state characteristic values.

[0088] When the cooking process begins, the cooking process management module first instructs the synchronization signal acquisition module to perform a measurement of the internal state of the egg. The value obtained at this time is recorded as the initial state characteristic value. ,in, This refers to the moment at the start of the cooking process. At that time, the characteristic values ​​of the internal state of the egg product are set as the benchmark for subsequent judgment.

[0089] During the cooking process, the cooking process management module periodically or continuously receives real-time status characteristic values ​​from the synchronization signal acquisition module. These real-time values ​​are labeled as... .

[0090] The cooking process management module analyzes status characteristic values. Over time A dynamic model is used to determine the cooking endpoint. This dynamic model triggers the determination of the cooking endpoint when either of the following two conditions is met:

[0091] The first criterion is a threshold based on the change in state characteristic values. The cooking process management module calculates real-time state characteristic values. Relative to the baseline value Change : When this change reaches or exceeds a preset target maturity threshold... When, that is, the condition is met. The cooking process management module then determines that the cooking endpoint has been reached.

[0092] The second criterion is a threshold based on the rate of change of state characteristic values. The cooking process management module calculates real-time state characteristic values. Regarding time The first derivative, i.e., its rate of change over time. ,in, It represents a small change or derivative of a variable; Represents state characteristic value Over time The speed of change reflects how fast or slow the coagulation process inside the egg product is. It represents the absolute value.

[0093] When the calculated rate of change decreases to a preset stability threshold The condition is met when it is or below. The cooking process management module then determines that the cooking endpoint has been reached. It is a preset value that represents the critical value at which the rate of change of the state characteristic value tends to stabilize or stop. When the rate of change is lower than this value, it is considered that the coagulation process inside the egg product has been basically completed or has tended to stabilize.

[0094] The heating execution control module in the control system of the present invention is designed to receive the judgment result output by the cooking process management module and control the power supply of the electric heating plate 400 to be turned on or off based on the result.

[0095] The heating control module is electrically connected to the microcontroller and is directly or via a drive circuit connected to the power supply circuit of the electric heating plate 400. The electric heating plate 400 is installed at the bottom of the water bath of the multi-functional egg cooker and is responsible for heating the water in the water bath.

[0096] The heating execution control module continuously monitors the judgment signals from the cooking process management module. When the cooking process management module determines, based on the dynamic model of state characteristic values, that the cooking process has reached its end, the heating execution control module receives the corresponding stop heating command.

[0097] Upon receiving a stop heating command, the heating execution control module immediately disconnects the power supply to the electric heating plate 400. This operation is achieved by controlling a relay or solid-state switch, thereby terminating the operation of the electric heating plate 400.

[0098] While the cooking process is not yet complete, the heating execution control module maintains the power supply to the electric heating plate 400 to ensure that the water in the water bath continues to be heated until a stop heating command is received.

[0099] The principle of the dynamic model and algorithm for determining the cookedness of eggs in the control system of this invention is to accurately determine the cooking endpoint by analyzing the changing trend of the internal state characteristic values ​​of the egg over time.

[0100] Before the cooking process begins, the system is at a specific time. Perform an initial state characteristic value measurement. The measurement result is recorded as follows: ,in It indicates the time elapsed since the start of the cooking process, while The characteristic value representing the internal state of the egg at the start of cooking serves as a benchmark for subsequent cooking degree determination.

[0101] Throughout the cooking process, the system continuously collects and processes light signals from the eggs to generate real-time state characteristic values ​​of the eggs' interior. The dynamic model for determining egg ripeness evaluates... The model identifies the endpoint of the cooking process by measuring the change in the quantity or rate of change of the cooking process. The model uses the satisfaction of either of the following two criteria as the endpoint signal:

[0102] The first criterion is based on the total change in state characteristic values. The system calculates the change from the start of cooking to the current moment. Change in state characteristic value It is defined as the real-time state feature value. With initial state eigenvalues The absolute difference between them: When calculated Reaching or exceeding a preset target maturity threshold When, that is, the condition is met. The system then determines that the cooking has reached the preset doneness endpoint.

[0103] The second criterion is based on the rate of change of the state characteristic values. The system calculates the real-time state characteristic values. Regarding time The first derivative, i.e., its rate of change over time. ,in, It represents a small change or derivative of a variable; Represents state characteristic value Over time The speed of change reflects how fast or slow the coagulation process inside the egg product is. It represents the absolute value of its internal expression, that is, it only considers the magnitude of the rate of change, not its direction.

[0104] When the calculated rate of change decreases to a preset stability threshold The condition is met when it is or below. The system then determines that the cooking has reached the preset doneness endpoint. It is a preset value that represents the critical value at which the rate of change of the state characteristic value tends to stabilize or stop. When the rate of change is lower than this value, it is considered that the coagulation process inside the egg product has been basically completed or has tended to stabilize.

Claims

1. An egg holder for steaming or boiling eggs, characterized in that, include: An egg holder (100) is provided with a support plate (1) at the bottom. Multiple downward-facing egg baskets (2) are provided on the support plate (1). Multiple holes are provided on both the egg baskets (2) and the support plate (1). The egg baskets (2) are transparent. A light-emitting part (3) is provided inside the egg baskets (2). A cable (4) is provided inside the egg holder (100). A connector (5) is provided on the outside of the egg holder (100). The two ends of the cable (4) are connected to the light-emitting part (3) and the connector (5) respectively. The connector (5) is used to connect to an external power source. When the light-emitting part (3) is powered on, the strong light emitted shines from the bottom upwards onto the eggs on the corresponding egg baskets (2).

2. The egg holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-emitting part (3) is a high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip (31), and the cable (4) is a high-temperature resistant cable (4). The maximum operating temperature of the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip (31) and the high-temperature resistant cable (4) is between 85-100℃. Each egg basket (2) contains multiple high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips (31), which are arc-shaped and are evenly spaced and symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the egg basket (2).

3. An egg holder according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom of the egg basket (2) has a cross-shaped hole (21), and the periphery of the egg basket (2) has a plurality of evenly spaced teardrop-shaped holes (22). The high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strip (31) is located between adjacent teardrop-shaped holes (22). Furthermore, the upper surface of the egg basket (2) is provided with a plurality of convex arc-shaped strips (23), the number of the convex arc-shaped strips (23) and the high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips (31) are the same and their positions correspond one-to-one, that is, the convex arc-shaped strips (23) are located directly above the corresponding high-temperature resistant ceramic LED light strips (31).

4. An egg holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The egg tray (100) is made of food-grade transparent PP material or transparent glass material. The egg tray (100) is made by layer injection molding process. During the layer injection molding process, the main body of the light-emitting part (3), the cable (4) and the connector (5) are all embedded in the interior of the egg tray (100).

5. An egg holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The egg tray (100) also includes two side panels (6), the bottom of which is connected to the periphery of the support plate (1). The two side panels (6) are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the support plate (1). A horizontally arranged handle (7) is also provided on the outer top of the side panel (6). The connector (5) extends from the bottom of one of the handles (7) and faces downward.

6. An egg holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The egg tray (100) also includes a side panel (8), the bottom of which is vertically connected to the periphery of the support plate (1). The side panel (8) and the support plate (1) together form a steamer structure. The top two opposite sides of the side panel (8) are also provided with handles (7). The plug (5) extends from one side edge of the support plate (1) and is arranged downwards.

7. A multifunctional egg cooker, characterized in that, The device includes a base (200), a housing (300), an electric heating plate (400), a control circuit board (500), and an egg tray as described in any one of claims 1-6. The housing (300) has a water bath cavity in the middle and a hollow interlayer inside. The bottom of the housing (300) is mounted on the base (200). The electric heating plate (400) is mounted at the bottom of the water bath cavity and is used to heat the water in the water bath cavity. The egg tray (100) is placed inside the water bath cavity and is mounted above the water bath cavity. The control circuit board (500) is installed in the hollow interlayer and is also electrically connected to a female socket (600). The female socket (600) is located at the top of the hollow interlayer and is used to connect to the connector (5) of the egg tray (100).

8. The multifunctional egg cooker according to claim 7, characterized in that, The female socket (600) has two and is located on the top two opposite sides of the hollow interlayer. The egg tray (100) has two, one for boiling eggs is the egg tray (100) as described in claim 5, and the other for steaming eggs is the egg tray (100) as described in claim 6. The two plugs (5) are respectively inserted into the two female sockets (600). The bottom of the egg tray (100) for steaming eggs rests on the top of the egg tray (100) for boiling eggs.

9. A control system for a multifunctional egg cooker, characterized in that, A multifunctional egg cooker according to any one of claims 7-8, comprising a microcontroller configured to perform the functions of the following modules: A modulated light signal generation module is used to drive the light-emitting part (3) to emit a pulsed light signal at a preset modulation frequency; The synchronous signal acquisition module is used to acquire the light signal after penetrating the egg, and demodulate the signal component synchronized with the preset modulation frequency from the light signal to generate state characteristic values ​​reflecting the internal state of the egg. The cooking process management module is used to record the initial state characteristic value before cooking begins, and continuously generate the real-time state characteristic value during the cooking process. The cooking endpoint is determined by analyzing either the change of the real-time state characteristic value relative to the initial state characteristic value or the rate of change of the real-time state characteristic value itself over time. The heating execution control module is used to control the start and stop of the electric heating plate (400) according to the determination result of the cooking process management module.

10. The control system of a multifunctional egg cooker according to claim 9, characterized in that, The cooking process management module determines the cooking endpoint by establishing a dynamic model of how the state feature values ​​change over time. The dynamic model includes: The initial state feature value is set as the baseline; When the change in the real-time status feature value relative to the benchmark reaches the preset target ripeness threshold, it is determined that the cooking end point has been reached. When the rate of change of the real-time state feature value is lower than the preset stability threshold, it is determined that the cooking endpoint has been reached.

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