Cooking equipment and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides cooking equipment and a control method thereof, relates to the field of cooking equipment, and aims to solve the technical problem that the cooking equipment is complex in structure and uneven in food heating, and the cooking equipment comprises a box body which comprises a cooking cavity; the volute is arranged on one side of the cooking cavity and comprises at least two air outlets, the at least two air outlets communicate with the cooking cavity, and the at least two air outlets comprise two air outlets with opposite air outlet directions; the fan is located in the volute and used for forming airflow, and the airflow can be conveyed to the cooking cavity through the two air outlets; and the heating piece is located in the volute or outside the volute and used for heating the airflow formed by the fan. According to the cooking equipment provided by the invention, at least two air outlets are formed in the volute, and the air outlet directions are opposite, so that air can be discharged from two opposite sides of the cooking cavity at the same time, two sides of food are heated at the same time, and the heating effect on the food is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cooking equipment technology, and more specifically, to a cooking device and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Conventional cooking equipment has two air outlets on its volute, with the air outlets arranged vertically. In order to ensure that the airflow is evenly distributed in the cooking chamber, two volutes need to be symmetrically arranged. This arrangement requires two volute structures, making the overall structure more complex. On the other hand, the fans in both volutes draw air in at the same time, which reduces the amount of air entering each volute and results in low cooking efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve or improve the technical problems of complex structure and uneven heating of food in existing cooking equipment.

[0004] A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus.

[0005] A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling a cooking device.

[0006] The cooking device provided by the first aspect of the present invention includes: a housing, the housing including a cooking cavity; a volute, disposed on one side of the cooking cavity, including at least two air outlets, the at least two air outlets being in communication with the cooking cavity, the at least two air outlets including two air outlets with opposite airflow directions; a fan, located inside the volute, for generating airflow, the airflow being able to be delivered to the cooking cavity through the two air outlets; and a heating element, located inside or outside the volute, for heating the airflow generated by the fan.

[0007] According to the cooking apparatus provided by the present invention, by setting a volute, the airflow can be more concentrated to flow into the cooking chamber from the air outlet of the volute, reducing air resistance loss outside the cooking chamber and improving air delivery efficiency. Furthermore, the volute has at least two air outlets with opposite airflow directions, allowing air to be discharged simultaneously from opposite sides of the cooking chamber, ensuring that the food is heated from both sides simultaneously, resulting in better heating. In addition, only one volute is needed to ensure uniform heating within the cooking chamber, eliminating the need for a separate volute. Simultaneously, since only one volute is used, the airflow volume can be increased, improving cooking efficiency. The heating element can be a heating tube.

[0008] In some embodiments, the cooking device may optionally include a drive assembly connected to the volute for driving the volute to rotate in order to adjust the position of the air outlet of the volute.

[0009] In this embodiment, the volute is rotatable. The relative position of the air outlet and the cooking cavity differs depending on the volute's rotation state. This allows hot air to enter the cooking cavity through different points, thus adjusting the airflow direction and achieving vertical or horizontal heating of the food within the cooking cavity, resulting in 360-degree heating without dead angles and eliminating the need for a separate hot air assembly. The volute can rotate 360° clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cooking device may optionally include: a first rotating shaft capable of rotating in a first direction; a first one-way bearing sleeved on the outside of the first rotating shaft; a fan sleeved on the outside of the first one-way bearing; and the first one-way bearing capable of rotating in the first direction.

[0011] In this embodiment, the first rotating shaft and the first one-way bearing can drive the fan to rotate in the first direction, thereby enabling the fan to rotate and hot air to be delivered to the cooking cavity through the air outlet, achieving uniform heating of the food.

[0012] In some embodiments, optionally, the first rotating shaft is rotatable in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction, and the drive assembly includes: a second one-way bearing sleeved on the outside of the first rotating shaft, a volute sleeved on the outside of the second one-way bearing, and the second one-way bearing being rotatable in the second direction.

[0013] In this embodiment, by using two one-way bearings, which have the characteristic of unidirectional rotation, the fan and volute can share a common rotation system, that is, a common first rotating shaft and a driving component. Separate rotation of the fan and volute can be achieved by rotating the motor in both directions, simplifying the assembly structure and reducing the number of motors. Furthermore, the coaxial arrangement improves the rotational stability of the fan and volute, preventing positional interference and maximizing the airflow.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cooking device may optionally include a second rotating shaft connected to a fan for driving the fan to rotate; the driving component includes a first gear coaxially arranged with the second rotating shaft and meshing with the volute, the first gear having a clearance hole for avoiding the second rotating shaft, and the first gear for driving the volute to rotate.

[0015] In this embodiment, the rotation axes of the volute and the fan are the same, ensuring a stable airflow. This results in better stability of the device during the rotation of both the fan and the volute, preventing interference between components and maximizing airflow. Furthermore, the first gear has a clearance hole to avoid interference with the rotating shaft, allowing the fan and volute to rotate independently. This design is equivalent to a one-way bearing design. Because the volute and fan are driven separately—that is, the second rotating shaft drives the fan, and the first gear drives the volute—the fan and volute can move simultaneously in two directions, making the cooking equipment more functional and allowing for various operations according to user needs.

[0016] In some embodiments, the cooking device may optionally include a fan motor disposed in the housing and connected to the second rotating shaft for driving the second rotating shaft to rotate; the drive assembly may also include: a gear motor disposed in the housing; a second gear connected to the gear motor and meshing with the first gear; wherein the first gear is provided with a first connecting tooth and a second connecting tooth, the first connecting tooth meshing with the volute and the second connecting tooth meshing with the second gear.

[0017] In this embodiment, since the volute and fan are coaxially arranged, positional interference can occur when arranging the drive components for the volute and fan. By incorporating a second gear, the coaxial arrangement of the volute and fan can be achieved, while also facilitating the placement of the gear motor and preventing positional interference between the gear motor and fan motor. The second gear is connected to the volute via the first and second connecting teeth on the first gear. This allows the gear motor to drive the second gear, which in turn drives the volute to rotate. Furthermore, because the volute and fan are controlled separately, compared to a one-way bearing solution, the volute and fan can simultaneously rotate in both directions, offering more operational options.

[0018] In some embodiments, the housing may optionally include a top plate and a back plate, with a volute disposed on either the top plate or the back plate.

[0019] In this embodiment, the volute is located on the top plate, which is equivalent to top airflow. The advantage of top airflow is that the hot airflow inside the oven creates an upward force on the food, which helps to form a crispy golden-brown crust, especially suitable for bread. The volute is located on the back plate, which is equivalent to side airflow. Compared to top airflow, when a baking tray is placed in the cooking cavity, the side airflow allows for heating of both the top and bottom of the tray, avoiding the problem of the baking tray blocking airflow to the bottom and causing insufficient heating, which often occurs with top airflow. Therefore, in actual operation, users can rotate the top or back airflow according to their needs.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cooking device may optionally include a fan shroud disposed between the cooking chamber and the volute. The fan shroud is provided with a first group of air vents and a second group of air vents. A fan is provided corresponding to the first group of air vents. When the volute rotates to different states, at least two air outlets correspond to different positions of the second group of air vents.

[0021] In this embodiment, the fan hood can ensure that heat is better transferred to the food surface, thereby improving cooking efficiency. In addition, by setting the fan hood, a more stable circulation path can be formed, improving the stability of airflow. When the volute rotates to different states, the air outlet of the volute corresponds to different positions of the second air hole group, so that air can be sent into the cooking cavity through different second air holes.

[0022] In some embodiments, the heating element is optionally arranged around the outside of the fan.

[0023] In this embodiment, the heating element is arranged around the outside of the fan, so that the airflow generated by the fan rotation can be directly heated by the heating element, and the airflow heating effect is more uniform.

[0024] In some embodiments, the heating element may be disposed on the side of the fan closer to the fan shroud.

[0025] In this embodiment, the heating element is located on the side of the fan near the fan cover, that is, at the air inlet of the fan. In this way, the air is heated by the heating element and then enters the fan, which can achieve the same effect.

[0026] In some embodiments, the heating element is optionally disposed within the cooking cavity and located on the air intake side of the fan.

[0027] In this embodiment, the heating element is disposed inside the cooking cavity and located on the air intake side of the fan, which makes the arrangement of the heating element more convenient.

[0028] In some embodiments, optionally, the ratio of the distance between the end face of the volute near the fan shroud and the fan shroud to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 100 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0029] In this embodiment, limiting the distance between the volute and the fan shroud ensures smooth air intake at the volute's air inlet. However, an excessively large or small relative distance between the volute and the fan shroud is detrimental to air circulation. Optionally, the ratio of the distance between the end face of the volute near the fan shroud and the fan shroud to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 5, for example, 1 / 20, 1 / 10, or 1 / 5.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first air vent group may optionally include a plurality of first air vents, wherein the ratio of the maximum distance between any two first air vents to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 1.2.

[0031] In this embodiment, limiting the ratio of the diameter of the first air vent group to the diameter of the fan ensures optimal air intake performance. If the fan diameter is too large relative to the diameter of the first air vent group, fan power is wasted, and the air intake volume cannot be increased; if the fan diameter is too small relative to the diameter of the first air vent group, the airflow is small. Therefore, the ratio of the diameter of the first air vent group to the diameter of the fan is most suitable between 0.5 and 1.2. Optionally, the ratio of the maximum distance between any two first air vents to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 0.8 and less than or equal to 1, such as 0.8 and 1.

[0032] In some embodiments, the cooking device may optionally include a back plate, wherein the ratio of the minimum distance between the volute and the back plate to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 100 and less than or equal to 1 / 20.

[0033] In this embodiment, the distance between the volute and the back plate is limited to ensure smooth rotation of the volute. Optionally, the ratio of the minimum distance between the volute and the back plate to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 50 and less than or equal to 1 / 20, for example, 1 / 40, 1 / 30 or 1 / 20.

[0034] In some embodiments, the second air vent group is optionally disposed around the outside of the first air vent group, and the air shroud also includes a non-perforated area disposed between the first air vent group and the second air vent group.

[0035] In this embodiment, the second air vent group is arranged around the outside of the first air vent group. This allows airflow to enter the volute through the central first air vent group. After being heated, the airflow then enters the cooking chamber through the surrounding second air vent group, heating the food around its perimeter and creating a stable flow path for more even heating. Furthermore, the poreless area ensures that there is no crossflow between the first and second air vents, forming a stable air circulation.

[0036] In some embodiments, the heating element is optionally arranged around the outside of the fan, and the ratio of the minimum distance between the heating element and the fan to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0037] In this embodiment, controlling the minimum distance between the heating element and the fan ensures that the air is sufficiently heated while preventing the fan from damaging the heating element if the distance between them is too small. Optionally, the ratio of the minimum distance between the heating element and the fan to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 10 and less than or equal to 1 / 5, for example, 1 / 10, 1 / 8, or 1 / 5.

[0038] In some embodiments, the ratio of the minimum distance between the heating element and the volute to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0039] In this embodiment, controlling the minimum distance between the heating element and the volute can prevent the volute from conducting heat and affecting the heating efficiency of the airflow.

[0040] A second aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a cooking device. The cooking device includes a cooking chamber and a volute disposed on one side of the cooking chamber. The volute includes at least two air outlets and a fan and a heating element are disposed inside the volute. The cooking device also includes a drive assembly for driving the volute to rotate. The control method for the cooking device includes: acquiring a cooking mode; and controlling the drive assembly to operate according to the cooking mode.

[0041] In this embodiment, the volute is provided with at least two air outlets in opposite directions. This allows air to be discharged simultaneously from opposite sides of the cooking cavity, ensuring that the food is heated from both sides simultaneously, resulting in better heating. The volute is rotatable; the relative positions of the air outlets and the cooking cavity differ depending on the volute's rotation state. This allows hot air to enter the cooking cavity through different points, thus adjusting the airflow direction to achieve vertical or horizontal heating of the food within the cooking cavity, achieving 360-degree heating without dead angles and eliminating the need for a separate hot air assembly.

[0042] In some embodiments, optionally, the cooking mode includes a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, and at least two air outlets include two air outlets with opposite air outlet directions. The step of controlling the operation of the drive component according to the cooking mode specifically includes: in the first cooking mode, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate to a first state, and when the volute rotates to the first state, the two air outlets discharge air toward the sides of the cooking cavity; in the second cooking mode, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate to a second state, and when the volute rotates to the second state, the two air outlets discharge air toward the top and bottom of the cooking cavity.

[0043] In this embodiment, the cooking mode includes two cooking modes. In the first cooking mode, the two air outlets blow air towards the sides of the cooking cavity; in the second cooking mode, the two air outlets blow air towards the top and bottom of the cooking cavity, so that air can be delivered into the cooking cavity from two different directions to achieve all-round heating.

[0044] In some embodiments, the control method of the cooking device may optionally include: controlling the fan to rotate in a first direction for a first preset time, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate 90° in a second direction, controlling the fan to rotate in the first direction for the first preset time again, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate 90° in a second direction again, and repeating the above process until cooking is finished.

[0045] This invention controls the volute to rotate 90° along the second direction for each preset cooking time, which can achieve uniform heating of the cooking cavity from top to bottom and left to right, improving the heating effect of all sides of the food.

[0046] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0047] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0048] Figure 1 One of the structural schematic diagrams of a hot air oven of the related technology is shown;

[0049] Figure 2 The second schematic diagram of the structure of a hot air oven of the relevant technology is shown;

[0050] Figure 3A One of the simulation diagrams of hot air flow inside the cooking cavity of a hot air oven of the related technology is shown;

[0051] Figure 3B The second simulation diagram shows the hot airflow within the cooking cavity of a hot air oven of the relevant technology.

[0052] in, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows:

[0053] 1' Hot air oven, 12' Rear centrifugal fan, 14' Rear heating element, 16' Rear fan shroud, 18' Cooking cavity.

[0054] Figure 4 An exploded view of a cooking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0055] Figure 5 One of the structural schematic diagrams of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0056] Figure 6 A second schematic diagram of the structure of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0057] Figure 7 The third schematic diagram of the structure of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0058] Figure 8 The fourth schematic diagram of the structure of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0059] Figure 9 The fifth schematic diagram of the structure of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0060] Figure 10 One of the schematic diagrams illustrating the airflow principle of a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0061] Figure 11 A sixth schematic diagram of the structure of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0062] Figure 12 This is a second schematic diagram illustrating the airflow principle of a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first gear of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0064] Figure 14 The seventh schematic diagram of the structure of the cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0065] in, Figures 4 to 14 The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows:

[0066] 1. Cooking equipment; 11. Cabinet; 112. Cooking cavity; 114. Back panel; 116. Top panel; 12. Volute; 122. Air outlet; 124. Air inlet; 132. Fan; 134. Heating element; 144. First rotating shaft; 146. First one-way bearing; 15. Drive assembly; 152. Second one-way bearing; 153. Second rotating shaft; 154. First gear; 1542. First connecting gear; 1544. Second connecting gear; 1546. Clearance hole; 156. Gear motor; 158. Second gear; 159. Fan motor; 168. Cooling system; 17. Fan cover; 172. First air vent group; 1722. First air vent; 174. Second air vent group; 176. Hole-free area. Detailed Implementation

[0067] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0068] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0069] like Figure 4As shown, the cooking device 1 provided in the first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 11, a volute 12, a fan 132, and a heating element 134. The housing 11 includes a cooking cavity 112. The volute 12 is disposed on one side of the cooking cavity 112 and includes at least two air outlets 122, both of which are connected to the cooking cavity 112. The at least two air outlets 122 include two air outlets 122 with opposite airflow directions. The fan 132 is located inside the volute 12 and is used to generate airflow. The airflow can be delivered to the cooking cavity 112 through the two air outlets 122. The heating element 134 is located inside or outside the volute 12 and is used to heat the airflow generated by the fan 132.

[0070] According to the cooking apparatus 1 provided by the present invention, by providing a volute 12, the airflow can be more concentrated and flow into the cooking chamber 112 from the air outlet 122 of the volute 12, reducing air resistance loss outside the cooking chamber 112 and improving air delivery efficiency. Furthermore, the volute 12 is provided with at least two air outlets 122, and the air outlet directions are opposite, so that air can be discharged from opposite sides of the cooking chamber 112 simultaneously, allowing the food to be heated from both sides simultaneously, resulting in better heating effect. In addition, only one volute 12 is needed to ensure uniform heating in the cooking chamber 112, eliminating the need for a separate volute 12. Simultaneously, since only one volute 12 is provided, the airflow of the volute 12 can be increased, improving cooking efficiency. The heating element 134 can be a heating tube. Optionally, as... Figure 6 As shown, the cooking device 1 also includes a heat dissipation system 168.

[0071] In some embodiments, the cooking device 1 may optionally include a drive assembly 15 connected to the volute 12 for driving the volute 12 to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the air outlet 122 of the volute 12.

[0072] In this embodiment, the volute 12 is a rotatable volute. The relative position of the air outlet 122 and the cooking cavity 112 differs depending on the volute 12's rotation state. This allows hot air to enter the cooking cavity 112 through different points, thus adjusting the airflow direction and achieving vertical or horizontal heating of the food within the cooking cavity 112, achieving 360-degree heating without dead angles, eliminating the need for a separate hot air assembly. The volute 12 can rotate 360° clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0073] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the cooking device 1 also includes: a first rotating shaft 144, which is capable of rotating in a first direction; a first one-way bearing 146, which is sleeved on the outside of the first rotating shaft 144; a fan 132, which is sleeved on the outside of the first one-way bearing 146; and the first one-way bearing 146, which is capable of rotating in the first direction.

[0074] In this embodiment, the first rotating shaft 144 and the first one-way bearing 146 can drive the fan 132 to rotate along the first direction, thereby enabling the fan 132 to rotate and hot air to be delivered to the cooking cavity 112 through the air outlet 122, achieving uniform heating of the food.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first rotating shaft 144 is optionally rotatable in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction. The drive assembly 15 includes a second one-way bearing 152 sleeved on the outside of the first rotating shaft 144, and a volute 12 sleeved on the outside of the second one-way bearing 152. The second one-way bearing 152 is rotatable in the second direction.

[0076] In this embodiment, by using two one-way bearings, which have the characteristic of unidirectional rotation, the fan 132 and the volute 12 can share a common rotation system, that is, share a first rotating shaft 144 and a driving component. The fan 132 and the volute 12 can rotate separately by rotating the motor in both directions, simplifying the assembly structure and reducing the number of motors. Furthermore, the coaxial arrangement improves the rotational stability of the fan 132 and the volute 12, preventing positional interference and maximizing the airflow.

[0077] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 13 As shown, the cooking device 1 also includes a second rotating shaft 153 connected to the fan 132 for driving the fan 132 to rotate; the drive assembly 15 includes a first gear 154 coaxially arranged with the second rotating shaft 153 and meshing with the volute 12. The first gear 154 is provided with a clearance hole 1546 for avoiding the second rotating shaft 153 and for driving the volute 12 to rotate.

[0078] In this embodiment, the volute 12 and the fan 132 share the same axis of rotation, ensuring a stable airflow. During the rotation of the fan 132 and the volute 12, the device exhibits better stability, and the components do not interfere with each other, maximizing the airflow. Furthermore, the first gear 154 is provided with a clearance hole 1546 to allow the rotating shaft to pass through. The second rotating shaft 153 passes through the clearance hole 1546 and connects to the fan 132. A bearing is then positioned between the second rotating shaft 153 and the first gear 154. This allows the second rotating shaft 153 and the first gear 154 to rotate independently, meaning the fan 132 and the volute 12 can rotate independently without interference. This design is equivalent to a one-way bearing design. Since the volute 12 and the fan 132 are driven separately, that is, the second rotating shaft 153 drives the fan 132 to rotate and the first gear 154 drives the volute 12 to rotate. In this way, the fan 132 and the volute 12 can move in two directions at the same time, making the cooking device 1 more functional and allowing for multiple operations according to user needs.

[0079] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the cooking device 1 also includes a fan motor 159, which is located in the housing 11 and connected to the second rotating shaft 153 for driving the second rotating shaft 153 to rotate; the drive assembly 15 also includes: a gear motor 156, located in the housing 11; a second gear 158, connected to the gear motor 156 and meshing with the first gear 154; wherein the first gear 154 is provided with a first connecting tooth 1542 and a second connecting tooth 1544, the first connecting tooth 1542 meshing with the volute 12, and the second connecting tooth 1544 meshing with the second gear 158.

[0080] In this embodiment, since the volute 12 and the fan 132 are coaxially arranged, positional interference can occur when arranging the drive components of the volute 12 and the fan 132. By setting a second gear 158, the volute 12 and the fan 132 can be coaxially arranged, and the gear motor 156 can be arranged more conveniently, preventing positional interference between the gear motor 156 and the fan motor 159. The second gear 158 and the volute 12 are connected by the first connecting teeth 1542 and the second connecting teeth 1544 on the first gear 154. Thus, the gear motor 156 can drive the second gear 158 to rotate, thereby driving the volute 12 to rotate. In addition, since the volute 12 and the fan 132 are controlled separately, compared to the unidirectional bearing solution, the volute 12 and the fan 132 can rotate in both directions simultaneously, providing more operational options.

[0081] In some embodiments, the housing 11 may optionally include a top plate 116 and a back plate 114, with the volute 12 disposed on either the top plate 116 or the back plate 114.

[0082] In this embodiment, the volute 12 is located on the top plate 116, which is equivalent to top airflow. The advantage of top airflow is that the hot airflow inside the oven will generate a certain upward force on the food, which helps to form a crispy golden-brown crust on the surface of the food, especially suitable for bread. The volute 12 is located on the back plate 114, which is equivalent to side airflow. Compared with the top airflow solution, when a baking tray is placed in the cooking cavity 112, the side airflow can heat both the top and bottom of the baking tray, avoiding the situation where the baking tray blocks the airflow to the bottom and causes the bottom to not be heated due to top airflow. Therefore, in actual operation, the user can rotate the top airflow or the back airflow according to the actual needs.

[0083] In some embodiments, the cooking device 1 may optionally include a fan shroud 17 disposed between the cooking chamber 112 and the volute 12. The fan shroud 17 is provided with a first air hole group 172 and a second air hole group 174. The fan 132 is disposed corresponding to the first air hole group 172. When the volute 12 is rotated to different states, at least two air outlets 122 correspond to different positions of the second air hole group 174.

[0084] In this embodiment, the fan shroud 17 can ensure that heat is better transferred to the food surface, thereby improving cooking efficiency. In addition, by setting the fan shroud 17, a more stable circulation path can be formed, improving the stability of airflow. When the volute 12 rotates to different states, the air outlet 122 of the volute 12 corresponds to different positions of the second air hole group 174, so that air can be sent into the cooking cavity 112 through different second air holes.

[0085] In some embodiments, the heating element 134 is optionally disposed around the outside of the fan 132.

[0086] In this embodiment, the heating element 134 is arranged around the outside of the fan 132, so that the airflow generated by the rotation of the fan 132 can be directly heated by the heating element 134, and the airflow heating effect is more uniform.

[0087] In some embodiments, the heating element 134 is optionally disposed on the side of the fan 132 near the fan cover 17.

[0088] In this embodiment, the heating element 134 is disposed on the side of the fan 132 near the fan cover 17, that is, at the air inlet of the fan 132. In this way, the air is heated by the heating element 134 and then enters the fan 132, which can achieve the same effect.

[0089] In some embodiments, the heating element 134 is optionally disposed within the cooking cavity 112 and located on the air intake side of the fan 132.

[0090] In this embodiment, the heating element 134 is disposed inside the cooking cavity 112 and located on the air intake side of the fan 132, which makes it easier to arrange the heating element 134.

[0091] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, the ratio of the distance L2 from the end face of the volute 12 near the fan shroud 17 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 100 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0092] In this embodiment, limiting the distance between the volute 12 and the fan shroud 17 ensures smooth air intake through the air inlet 124 of the volute 12. However, an excessively large or small relative distance between the volute 12 and the fan shroud 17 is detrimental to air circulation. Optionally, the ratio of the distance from the end face of the volute 12 near the fan shroud 17 to the diameter of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 5, for example, 1 / 20, 1 / 10, or 1 / 5.

[0093] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first air vent group 172 includes a plurality of first air vents 1722, and the ratio of the maximum distance D1 between any two first air vents 1722 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 1.2.

[0094] In this embodiment, limiting the ratio of the diameter of the first air vent group 172 to the diameter of the fan 132 ensures optimal air intake performance. If the diameter of the fan 132 is too large relative to the diameter of the first air vent group 172, the power of the fan 132 is wasted, and the air intake cannot be increased. If the diameter of the fan 132 is too small relative to the diameter of the first air vent group 172, the airflow is small. Therefore, the ratio of the diameter of the first air vent group 172 to the diameter of the fan 132 is most suitable between 0.5 and 1.2. Optionally, the ratio of the maximum distance between any two first air vents 1722 to the diameter of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 0.8 and less than or equal to 1, for example, 0.8 and 1.

[0095] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the cooking device 1 includes a back plate 114, and the ratio of the minimum distance L1 between the volute 12 and the back plate 114 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 100 and less than or equal to 1 / 20.

[0096] In this embodiment, the distance between the volute 12 and the back plate 114 is limited to ensure the smooth rotation of the volute 12. Optionally, the ratio of the minimum distance between the volute 12 and the back plate 114 to the diameter of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 50 and less than or equal to 1 / 20, for example, 1 / 40, 1 / 30 or 1 / 20.

[0097] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the second air vent group 174 is arranged around the outside of the first air vent group 172, and the air cover 17 also includes a non-perforated area 176, which is arranged between the first air vent group 172 and the second air vent group 174.

[0098] In this embodiment, the second air vent group 174 is arranged around the outside of the first air vent group 172. This allows airflow to enter the volute 12 through the central first air vent group 172. After being heated, the airflow then enters the cooking chamber 112 through the surrounding second air vent group 174, heating the food from all sides and creating a stable flow path for more even heating. Furthermore, the non-perforated area 176 ensures that there is no crossflow between the first air vent 1722 and the second air vent, forming a stable air circulation.

[0099] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the heating element 134 is arranged around the outside of the fan 132. The ratio of the minimum distance L3 between the heating element 134 and the fan 132 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0100] In this embodiment, controlling the minimum distance between the heating element 134 and the fan 132 ensures that the air is sufficiently heated, while preventing the distance between the heating element 134 and the fan 132 from being too small, which could damage the heating element 134 due to the rotating fan 132. Optionally, the ratio of the minimum distance between the heating element 134 and the fan 132 to the diameter of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 10 and less than or equal to 1 / 5, for example, 1 / 10, 1 / 8, or 1 / 5.

[0101] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the ratio of the minimum distance L4 between the heating element 134 and the volute 12 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0102] In this embodiment, controlling the minimum distance between the heating element 134 and the volute 12 can prevent the volute 12 from conducting heat and affecting the heating efficiency of the airflow.

[0103] A second aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a cooking device. The cooking device includes a cooking chamber and a volute disposed on one side of the cooking chamber. The volute includes at least two air outlets and a fan and a heating element are disposed inside the volute. The cooking device also includes a drive assembly for driving the volute to rotate. The control method for the cooking device includes: acquiring a cooking mode; and controlling the operation of the drive assembly according to the cooking mode.

[0104] In this embodiment, the volute is provided with at least two air outlets in opposite directions. This allows air to be discharged simultaneously from opposite sides of the cooking cavity, ensuring that the food is heated from both sides simultaneously, resulting in better heating. The volute is rotatable; the relative positions of the air outlets and the cooking cavity differ depending on the volute's rotation state. This allows hot air to enter the cooking cavity through different points, thus adjusting the airflow direction to achieve vertical or horizontal heating of the food within the cooking cavity, achieving 360-degree heating without dead angles and eliminating the need for a separate hot air assembly.

[0105] In some embodiments, optionally, the cooking mode includes a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, and at least two air outlets include two air outlets with opposite air outlet directions. The step of controlling the operation of the drive component according to the cooking mode specifically includes: in the first cooking mode, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate to a first state, and when the volute rotates to the first state, the two air outlets discharge air toward the sides of the cooking cavity; in the second cooking mode, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate to a second state, and when the volute rotates to the second state, the two air outlets discharge air toward the top and bottom of the cooking cavity.

[0106] In this embodiment, the cooking mode includes two cooking modes. In the first cooking mode, the two air outlets blow air towards the sides of the cooking cavity; in the second cooking mode, the two air outlets blow air towards the top and bottom of the cooking cavity, so that air can be delivered into the cooking cavity from two different directions to achieve all-round heating.

[0107] In some embodiments, the control method of the cooking device may optionally include: controlling the fan to rotate in a first direction for a first preset time, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate 90° in a second direction, controlling the fan to rotate in the first direction for the first preset time again, controlling the drive component to drive the volute to rotate 90° in a second direction again, and repeating the above process until cooking is finished.

[0108] This invention controls the volute to rotate 90° along the second direction for each preset cooking time, which can achieve uniform heating of the cooking cavity from top to bottom and left to right, improving the heating effect of all sides of the food.

[0109] The applicant will now describe the cooking device of the present invention from another perspective.

[0110] It's important to understand that current ovens generally bake food by radiating heat from heating elements or by heating air to create convection currents. Baking requires precise control of both radiation and airflow; otherwise, the food will heat slowly and unevenly. Existing ovens typically have a fan and heating element structure. The fan operates as a centrifugal fan that draws air in from its center. The drawn air is then heated by the heating element, and finally, the hot air flows out through the vent and into the cooking cavity to heat the food. The heated air then returns to the fan for reheating. However, current centrifugal hot air units lack a volute, resulting in low fan efficiency. Furthermore, the hot air in the cooking cavity flows along the walls due to centrifugal force, creating a three-dimensional crossflow that fails to effectively reach the food, leading to low heating efficiency and uneven heating. Placing a solid baking tray inside the cooking cavity further disrupts the airflow circulation, exacerbating the uneven heating.

[0111] Among them, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the existing hot air oven 1' mainly consists of a rear centrifugal fan 12' located at the center of the rear, surrounded by a ring of rear heating elements 14'. A motor drives the rear centrifugal fan 12' to rotate, drawing air from inside the cooking cavity 18'. After the blades perform work, the rear heating elements 14' heat the air, creating hot air that re-enters the cooking cavity 18' through the rear hood 16' to reheat the food. In the existing hot air operation mode, the rear hood 16' has few openings, resulting in high resistance loss. The centrifugal fan is in an open mode, lacking a volute, leading to low efficiency. Furthermore, the lack of airflow control causes the air entering the cooking cavity 18' to flow along the walls, forming a three-dimensional crossflow, such as... Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown in the figures, the arrows in all the figures of the present invention indicate the direction of airflow, which fails to effectively blow air onto the surface of the food. In addition, the solid baking tray inside the hot air oven 1' blocks the air circulation, further reducing the airflow speed on the food on the baking tray, resulting in uneven heating of the food and a relatively slow heating speed.

[0112] The cooking device 1 of the present invention has a volute 12 set in the conventional hot air assembly. Since the volute 12 of the present invention can rotate, it can also be called a rotating volute. The volute 12 has a double volute tongue and a double air outlet structure. By rotating the volute 12, the air outlet direction can be simultaneously upward and downward or left and right, ensuring that the food is heated evenly from top to bottom or left to right, breaking the limitation of the baking pan on the airflow.

[0113] Specifically, the cooking device 1 of the present invention can realize rotating air supply, which is achieved by rotating the volute 12. The air inlet 124 of the volute 12 corresponds to the first air hole 1722 in the middle of the wind cover 17. The volute 12 has two opposite air outlets 122, and the wind cover 17 has a second air hole arranged around its perimeter. During operation, the fan 132 rotates, creating a negative pressure at the air inlet 124 of the volute 12. This draws air from inside the cooking chamber 112 through the center of the fan shroud 17 and into the volute 12. After the fan 132 performs its work, the air is discharged into the cooking chamber 112 through the air outlet 122 of the volute 12 and the second air hole of the fan shroud 17. Because the volute 12 has a double volute tongue and a double air outlet 122 structure, it can simultaneously deliver air to two opposite directions. The air discharged into the cooking chamber 112 can heat the food from the top and bottom or left and right directions at the same time, and finally converges at the center of the cooking chamber 112 before re-entering the fan 132. By controlling the rotation angle and air outlet direction of the volute 12, no dead angle coverage can be achieved inside the cooking chamber 112.

[0114] like Figure 8 As shown, the included angle α between the two air outlets 122 of the volute 12 is 0° to 180°, so as to realize air outlet in two directions. Optionally, α is 180° to ensure that the relative positions above and below or left and right are heated evenly at the same time.

[0115] like Figure 5 As shown, the distance L1 between the volute 12 and the back plate 114 is (1 / 100)×D2 to (1 / 20)×D2, where D2 is the diameter of the fan 132. This ensures the smooth rotation of the volute 12.

[0116] The heating element 134 can be arranged inside the volute 12 and located around the fan 132. The heating element 134 can be a heating tube, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the distance L3 between the heating element 134 and the fan 132 is (1 / 20)×D2 to (1 / 2)×D2, and the shortest distance L4 between the heating element 134 and the volute 12 is (1 / 20)×D2 to (1 / 2)×D2. Figure 5 As shown, the minimum distance L2 between the air inlet 124 of the volute 12 and the shroud 17 is (1 / 100)×D2 to (1 / 2)×D2, ensuring smooth air intake of the air inlet 124.

[0117] The heating element 134 can be arranged between the air inlet 124 of the volute 12 and the fan cover 17.

[0118] The heating element 134 can be arranged inside the cooking cavity 112, directly opposite the air inlet 124 of the volute 12.

[0119] like Figure 5 As shown, the ratio of the diameter D1 of the first air vent group 172 of the shroud 17 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is 0.5 to 1.2.

[0120] The rotating shaft of the volute 12 is coaxial with the rotating shaft of the fan 132, and is connected to the first rotating shaft 144 through one-way bearings, as shown in the specific implementation. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the first rotating shaft 144 is connected to the fan 132 via the first one-way bearing 146, and the first rotating shaft 144 is connected to the volute 12 via the second one-way bearing 152. When the first rotating shaft 144 rotates clockwise, the first one-way bearing 146 works, driving the fan 132 to rotate, thus achieving air intake and exhaust. When the second one-way bearing 152 does not work, the volute 12 does not rotate. When the first rotating shaft 144 rotates counterclockwise, the second one-way bearing 152 works, the volute 12 rotates, thus achieving airflow angle adjustment. When the first one-way bearing 146 does not work, the fan 132 does not rotate. The fan 132 and the volute 12 operate alternately.

[0121] The volute 12 can rotate 360° clockwise or counterclockwise, allowing air to be drawn in from the center of the back of the cooking cavity 112 and discharged at different angles. There are two main operating modes, one of which is... Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown, air is simultaneously supplied to the left and right sides of the cooking cavity 112, converges at the center of the cooking cavity 112, and re-enters the fan 132. This is the second operating mode. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the airflow directed up and down into the cooking cavity 112 converges at the center of the cooking cavity 112 and re-enters the fan 132. Among these, Figure 10 and Figure 12 In the image, the arrow indicates the direction of hot air flow.

[0122] The cooking device 1 of the present invention includes a volute 12 inside a fan shroud 17. The air inlet 124 of the volute 12 corresponds to the middle position of the fan shroud 17. The volute 12 can rotate 360° clockwise or counterclockwise. The volute 12 has two opposing air outlets 122, with an included angle between the two air outlets 122 ranging from 0° to 180°. The rotation axis of the volute 12 is coaxial with the rotation axis of the fan 132, and is connected to the first rotating shaft 144 via one-way bearings. The motor rotates in both directions. The volute 12 or the fan 132 are rotated respectively; the ratio of the maximum distance D1 between any two first air holes 1722 to the diameter D2 of the fan 132 is 0.5 to 1.2; the distance L1 between the volute 12 and the back plate 114 is (1 / 100)×D2 to (1 / 10)×D2, where D2 is the diameter of the fan 132; the heating element can be set inside the volute 12, between the volute 12 and the fan cover 17, or inside the cooking cavity 112 outside the fan cover 17.

[0123] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0124] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cooking apparatus, characterized by, The cooking device comprises: a box body comprising a cooking cavity; a volute arranged at one side of the cooking cavity and comprising at least two air outlets, the at least two air outlets are in communication with the cooking cavity, and the at least two air outlets comprise two air outlets with opposite air outlet directions; a fan arranged in the volute and used for forming an air flow which can be delivered to the cooking cavity through the two air outlets; a heating element arranged in the volute or outside the volute and used for heating the air flow formed by the fan.

2. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Further comprising: a driving assembly connected with the volute and used for driving the volute to rotate so as to adjust the position of the air outlets of the volute.

3. The cooking apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, Further comprising: a first rotating shaft capable of rotating in a first direction; a first one-way bearing sleeved outside the first rotating shaft, the fan is sleeved outside the first one-way bearing, and the first one-way bearing is capable of rotating in the first direction.

4. The cooking apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first rotating shaft is capable of rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the driving assembly comprises: a second one-way bearing sleeved outside the first rotating shaft, the volute is sleeved outside the second one-way bearing, and the second one-way bearing is capable of rotating in the second direction.

5. The cooking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein Further comprising: a second rotating shaft connected with the fan and used for driving the fan to rotate; The driving assembly comprises: a first gear coaxially arranged with the second rotating shaft and toothedly connected with the volute, the first gear is provided with a avoiding hole for avoiding the second rotating shaft, and the first gear is used for driving the volute to rotate.

6. The cooking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein Further comprising: a fan motor arranged in the box body and connected with the second rotating shaft and used for driving the second rotating shaft to rotate; The driving assembly further comprises: a gear motor arranged in the box body; a second gear connected with the gear motor and toothedly connected with the first gear; The first gear is provided with a first connecting tooth and a second connecting tooth, the first connecting tooth is toothedly connected with the volute, and the second connecting tooth is toothedly connected with the second gear.

7. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The box body comprises a top plate and a back plate, and the volute is arranged on the top plate or the back plate.

8. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein Further comprising: a wind cover arranged between the cooking cavity and the volute, the wind cover is provided with a first air hole group and a second air hole group, the fan is arranged corresponding to the first air hole group, and at least two air outlets correspond to different positions of the second air hole group when the volute rotates to different states.

9. The cooking apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The heating element is arranged outside the fan, or the heating element is arranged on a side of the fan close to the wind cover, or the heating element is arranged in the cooking cavity and located at an air inlet side of the fan.

10. The cooking device according to claim 8, wherein: a ratio of a distance between an end surface of the volute close to the wind cover and the wind cover to a diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 100 and less than or equal to 1 / 2; and / or a ratio of a maximum distance between any two first air holes in the first air hole group to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 1.2; and / or The cooking device comprises a back plate, and a ratio of a minimum distance between the volute and the back plate to a diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 100 and less than or equal to 1 / 20.

11. The cooking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The second air hole group is arranged outside the first air hole group, and the air cover further comprises: A non-hole area is arranged between the first air hole group and the second air hole group.

12. The cooking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The heating element is arranged outside the fan; A ratio of a minimum distance between the heating element and the fan to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 2; and / or A ratio of a minimum distance between the heating element and the volute to the diameter of the fan is greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

13. A control method of a cooking apparatus, characterized by, The cooking device comprises a cooking cavity and a volute arranged at one side of the cooking cavity, the volute comprises at least two air outlets, the volute is provided with a fan and a heating element, the cooking device further comprises a driving assembly for driving the volute to rotate, and a control method of the cooking device comprises: Obtaining a cooking mode; Controlling the driving assembly to work according to the cooking mode. 14.The control method of a cooking appliance according to claim 13, characterized in that, The cooking mode comprises a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, the at least two air outlets comprise two air outlets with opposite air outlet directions, and the step of controlling the driving assembly to work according to the cooking mode specifically comprises: When the cooking mode is the first cooking mode, the driving assembly is controlled to drive the volute to rotate to a first state, and the two air outlets are arranged to blow air to two sides of the cooking cavity when the volute rotates to the first state; When the cooking mode is the second cooking mode, the driving assembly is controlled to drive the volute to rotate to a second state, and the two air outlets are arranged to blow air to a top and a bottom of the cooking cavity when the volute rotates to the second state.

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