Cooking utensil and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a cooking utensil and a control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of life electric appliances, the cooking utensil comprises a body, a composite hot plate, a liquid supply pipeline and a liquid return pipeline; a cooking cavity is formed in the body, the body is provided with a heat exchange cavity located on the periphery of the cooking cavity, and the heat exchange cavity is provided with a first opening and a second opening; the composite hot plate comprises a heating plate, an electric heating pipe and a water guide pipe; the heating disc is in contact with the bottom wall of the cooking cavity, and heat of the heating disc can be transmitted to the bottom wall of the cooking cavity; the electric heating tube is embedded in the heating disc; the water guide pipe is embedded in the heating disc, and heat generated by the electric heating pipe can be transmitted to the water guide pipe so that water flowing through the water guide pipe can be heated to generate steam. The liquid supply pipeline is communicated with an inlet of the water guide pipe; an outlet of the water guide pipe is communicated with the first opening; the second opening is selectively communicated with the cooking cavity or the liquid return pipeline, and the liquid return pipeline is configured to guide liquid from the second opening out of the cooking cavity. According to the technical scheme provided by the invention, the multifunctional cooking utensil with high cost performance is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to a cooking appliance and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Current cooking appliances typically use heating plates, induction heating (IH), or steam heating. Among these technologies, steam heating usually involves directly introducing steam into the inner pot, offering only a single heating function. Compared to implementing steam heating, the added components significantly increase costs, resulting in a lower cost-effectiveness. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to propose a cooking appliance and its control method, aiming to provide a cost-effective and multifunctional cooking appliance.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a cooking utensil comprising:

[0005] The main body has a cooking cavity formed therein, and a heat exchange cavity located on the outer periphery of the cooking cavity is also provided in the main body. The heat exchange cavity has a first opening and a second opening.

[0006] Composite heating plate, including:

[0007] A heating plate, located below the cooking cavity and in contact with the bottom wall of the cooking cavity.

[0008] The heat from the heating plate can be transferred to the bottom wall of the cooking cavity;

[0009] The heating element is embedded in the heating plate;

[0010] A water guide pipe is embedded in the heating plate, and the heat generated by the electric heating tube can be transferred to the water guide pipe so that the water flowing through the water guide pipe is heated to generate steam.

[0011] A liquid supply line is connected to the inlet of the water guide pipe and is used to supply liquid into the water guide pipe. The outlet of the water guide pipe is connected to the first opening.

[0012] A return line, wherein the second opening is optionally connected to either the cooking cavity or the return line, the return line being configured to guide liquid from the second opening to the outside of the cooking cavity.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cooking appliance further includes a water tank, the water in the water tank flowing through the supply pipe to the water guide pipe, and the outlet of the return pipe being connected to the water tank.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cooking appliance further includes a reversing valve located at the second opening, which is selectively connected to the cooking chamber or the return line via the reversing valve.

[0015] In one embodiment, the body includes an outer pot, an inner pot disposed inside the outer pot, and a sealing cover covering the outer periphery of the inner pot. The heat exchange cavity is formed between the sealing cover and the outer wall of the inner pot, and the cooking cavity is formed inside the inner pot.

[0016] The heating plate is located below the inner pot and in contact with the bottom wall of the inner pot, and the heat from the heating plate can be transferred to the bottom wall of the cooking cavity.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first opening and the second opening are respectively located at the bottom and top of the sealing cover.

[0018] In one embodiment, a radiator is provided on the return pipeline for cooling the liquid flowing through the return pipeline.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second opening is connected to the cooking cavity via a connecting pipe, and the outlet of the connecting pipe is provided with a nozzle, which is located above the cooking cavity.

[0020] In one embodiment, a pump body is also provided on the liquid supply pipeline.

[0021] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also proposes a method for controlling a cooking appliance, the cooking appliance including the aforementioned cooking appliance, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0022] Water addition process: Control the liquid supply pipeline to supply liquid to the water guide pipe, and control the second opening to connect with the cooking cavity;

[0023] Steam addition process: control the liquid supply pipeline to supply liquid to the water pipe, control the electric heating element to work so that the liquid flowing through the water pipe is heated into steam, and control the second opening to connect with the cooking cavity;

[0024] Cold water cooling process: control the liquid supply pipeline to supply liquid to the water pipe, control the electric heating element to not work, and control the second opening to connect with the return liquid pipeline.

[0025] In one embodiment, the water addition process further includes: controlling the operation of the electric heating element to heat the liquid flowing through the water pipe into hot water.

[0026] The technical solution of the present invention provides a heat exchange cavity on the outer periphery of the cooking cavity, through which the heat generated by the heating element can be transferred to the water pipe to heat the water flowing through the water pipe and generate steam; the liquid supply pipeline is connected to the inlet of the water pipe to supply liquid into the water pipe, and the outlet of the water pipe is connected to the first opening of the heat exchange cavity; the second opening of the heat exchange cavity can be selectively connected to the cooking cavity or the return liquid pipeline, and the return liquid pipeline is configured to guide the liquid from the second opening to the outside of the cooking cavity.

[0027] During the water addition process, the liquid supply pipeline provides liquid to the water pipe, which in turn guides the liquid from the first opening into the heat exchange cavity of the main body. The liquid flowing through the heat exchange cavity can enter the cooking cavity of the main body from the second opening to add cold or hot water into the cooking cavity. Thus, the user does not need to manually add water to the food in the cooking cavity, achieving the function of automatic water addition in the early stage.

[0028] During the steam addition process, the liquid supply pipe provides liquid to the water pipe, the electric heating element works, and the electric heating element heats the liquid flowing through the water pipe into steam. The water pipe introduces the steam from the first opening into the heat exchange cavity of the main body. The steam flowing through the heat exchange cavity enters the cooking cavity of the main body from the second opening to add steam into the cooking cavity and heat and cook the food in the cooking cavity, thus realizing the function of mid-term steam heating.

[0029] During the cold water cooling process, the liquid supply line provides liquid to the water pipe. At this time, the electric heating element does not work. The water pipe guides the liquid from the first opening into the heat exchange cavity of the main body. The liquid flowing through the heat exchange cavity can carry away the heat of the food in the cooking cavity to cool the food in the cooking cavity. Users do not need to wait too long, thus realizing the function of cold water cooling in the later stage.

[0030] Therefore, the cooking appliance proposed in this solution has a multi-functional effect of automatic water addition in the early stage, steam heating in the middle stage, and cold water cooling in the later stage. The composite heating plate can not only realize the steam heating function in the middle stage, but also be used for automatic water addition in the early stage and cold water cooling in the later stage, which improves the utilization rate of the composite heating plate and greatly enhances the cost performance of the product. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the cooking utensil provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2A cross-sectional view of a location of an embodiment of the cooking utensil provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of another location in an embodiment of the cooking appliance provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 A simplified diagram of an embodiment of the cooking utensil provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 A simplified diagram of another embodiment of the cooking appliance provided by the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 The control flow of the entire cooking process in one embodiment of the cooking appliance provided by the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 The control process of adding water in an embodiment of the cooking appliance provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 The control process of adding steam in an embodiment of the cooking appliance provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 9 The present invention provides a control program for the cooling process of cold water in an embodiment of a cooking appliance.

[0041] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0042] label name label name 100 Cooking utensils 20 Composite hot plate 10 Ontology 21 heating plate 11 outer pot 22 electric heating tube 111 base 23 Water pipe 112 Cover 30 Liquid supply line 1121 exhaust valve 40 Return line 12 Inner pot 41 heat sink 12a Cooking cavity 50 water tank 13 Sealing cover 60 Reversing valve 13a heat exchange cavity 70 Connecting pipes 131 First opening 71 nozzle 132 Second opening 80 pump body

[0043] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of 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 a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0046] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0047] Current cooking appliances typically use a hot plate, induction heating (IH), or steam heating. Among these technologies, steam heating usually involves directly introducing steam into the inner pot, offering only a single heating function. Before cooking, users need to manually add water to the food inside the cooking cavity; after cooking, users must wait a considerable amount of time for the food to cool to serving temperature. The steam generation unit has low utilization, resulting in poor cost-effectiveness.

[0048] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention aims to provide a cost-effective, multifunctional cooking appliance 100. This cooking appliance 100 can be a rice cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, or similar appliance. The structure of the cooking appliance 100 will be described below using embodiments.

[0049] Please see Figures 1 to 5 In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking appliance 100 includes a body 10, a composite heating plate 20, a liquid supply pipe 30, and a liquid return pipe 40; a cooking cavity 12a is formed inside the body 10, and a heat exchange cavity 13a is also provided inside the body 10 on the outer periphery of the cooking cavity 12a, the heat exchange cavity 13a having a first opening 131 and a second opening 132; the composite heating plate 20 includes a heating plate 21, an electric heating element 22, and a water guide pipe 23; the heating plate 21 is located below the cooking cavity 12a and in contact with the bottom wall of the cooking cavity 12a, and the heat of the heating plate 21 can be transferred to the cooking cavity. The bottom wall of 12a; the heating element 22 is embedded in the heating plate 21; the water pipe 23 is embedded in the heating plate 21, and the heat generated by the heating element 22 can be transferred to the water pipe 23 so that the water flowing through the water pipe 23 is heated to generate steam; the liquid supply pipe 30 is connected to the inlet of the water pipe 23 and is used to supply liquid into the water pipe 23, and the outlet of the water pipe 23 is connected to the first opening 131; the second opening 132 can be selectively connected to the cooking cavity 12a or the return liquid pipe 40, and the return liquid pipe 40 is configured to guide the liquid from the second opening 132 to the outside of the cooking cavity 12a.

[0050] Understandably, the main body 10 serves to heat and vent the food within the cooking cavity 12a. In this embodiment, the outer pot 11 of the main body 10 may include a base 111 and a lid 112. The base 111 has a cavity for placing the inner pot 12 of the main body 10, and the lid 112 is used to cover the opening of the inner pot 12. In practical applications, the lid 112 can be rotatably connected to the base 111 to open or close the inner pot 12; alternatively, the lid 112 can be directly removed from the base 111 to open the inner pot 12.

[0051] In one embodiment, the cover 112 of the main body 10 is provided with an exhaust valve 1121 that communicates with the cooking chamber 12a. During the cooking process, water vapor in the cooking chamber 12a can be discharged through the exhaust valve 1121 to help control the pressure and temperature inside the cooking chamber 12a.

[0052] In this embodiment, the liquid supply line 30 is a line that can supply liquid to the water pipe 23; the liquid return line 40 can guide the liquid from the second opening 132 to the outside of the cooking cavity 12a, specifically to the water tank 50, or directly to a cavity other than the cooking cavity 12a, such as a tap water pipe.

[0053] In practical applications, the heat exchange cavity 13a can be a cavity inside the pipe or a cavity formed by the sealing cover 13 and the outer wall of the cooking cavity 12a.

[0054] Throughout the cooking process, the user simply places the food to be heated into the cooking cavity 12a. First, during the water-addition process (pre-cooking stage), the liquid supply pipe 30 supplies liquid to the water pipe 23; the program controls the heating element 22 to start working, heating the liquid flowing through the water pipe 23 into hot water, or the heating element 22 can be deactivated; and the second opening 132 is connected to the cooking cavity 12a to add hot or cold water, automatically adding water to the food in the cooking cavity 12a. Then, during the steam-addition process (cooking stage), the liquid supply pipe 30 supplies liquid to the water pipe 23; the program controls the heating element 22 to operate, controlling the water flow rate and the power of the heating element 22, causing the liquid passing through the water pipe 23 to become steam; and the second opening 132 is connected to the cooking cavity 12a to add steam, heating the food in the cooking cavity 12a. Finally, the cold water cooling process begins (post-cooking stage). Because the food temperature inside the cooking chamber 12a is very high, and the user wants to eat the food as soon as possible, the food inside the cooking chamber 12a needs to be cooled down. At this time, the program controls the liquid supply pipe 30 to supply liquid to the water pipe 23; controls the electric heating element 22 to stop working; and controls the second opening 132 to connect with the return liquid pipe 40. During this process, the liquid can remove the heat from the food inside the cooking chamber 12a, and at the same time remove the heat from the electric heating element 22, so that the temperature of the food inside the cooking chamber 12a drops rapidly, thereby quickly reaching the temperature that the user can taste, and the user does not need to wait too long.

[0055] It should be noted that when the cooking appliance 100 is a pressure cooker, the cooling process with cold water in the later stages of cooking can also reduce the pressure inside the cooking cavity 12a, achieving the effect of opening the lid quickly.

[0056] In summary, the technical solution of the present invention provides a heat exchange cavity 13a on the outer periphery of the cooking cavity 12a, through which the heat generated by the electric heating tube 22 can be transferred to the water guide pipe 23, so that the water flowing through the water guide pipe 23 is heated to generate steam; the liquid supply pipe 30 is connected to the inlet of the water guide pipe 23 and is used to supply liquid into the water guide pipe 23, and the outlet of the water guide pipe 23 is connected to the first opening 131 of the heat exchange cavity 13a; the second opening 132 of the heat exchange cavity 13a can be selectively connected to the cooking cavity 12a or the return liquid pipe 40, and the return liquid pipe 40 is configured to guide the liquid from the second opening 132 to the outside of the cooking cavity 12a.

[0057] During the water addition process, the liquid supply pipe 30 supplies liquid to the water pipe 23, and the water pipe 23 guides the liquid from the first opening 131 into the heat exchange cavity 13a of the main body 10. The liquid flowing through the heat exchange cavity 13a can enter the cooking cavity 12a of the main body 10 from the second opening 132 to add cold or hot water into the cooking cavity 12a. Thus, the user does not need to manually add water to the food in the cooking cavity 12a, realizing the function of automatic water addition in the early stage.

[0058] During the steam addition process, the liquid supply pipe 30 supplies liquid to the water pipe 23, the electric heating tube 22 works, and the electric heating tube 22 heats the liquid flowing through the water pipe 23 into steam. The water pipe 23 introduces the steam from the first opening 131 into the heat exchange cavity 13a of the main body 10. The steam flowing through the heat exchange cavity 13a enters the cooking cavity 12a of the main body 10 from the second opening 132 to add steam into the cooking cavity 12a and heat and cook the food in the cooking cavity 12a, thus realizing the function of mid-term steam heating.

[0059] During the cold water cooling process, the liquid supply pipe 30 supplies liquid to the water pipe 23. At this time, the electric heating element 22 does not work. The water pipe 23 introduces the liquid from the first opening 131 into the heat exchange cavity 13a of the main body 10. The liquid flowing through the heat exchange cavity 13a can remove the heat of the food in the cooking cavity 12a to cool the food in the cooking cavity 12a. The user does not need to wait too long, thus realizing the function of cold water cooling in the later stage.

[0060] Therefore, the cooking appliance 100 proposed in this solution has a multi-functional effect of automatic water addition in the early stage, steam heating in the middle stage, and cold water cooling in the later stage. The composite heating plate 20 can not only realize the steam heating function in the middle stage, but also be used for automatic water addition in the early stage and cold water cooling in the later stage, which improves the utilization rate of the composite heating plate 20 and greatly improves the cost performance of the product.

[0061] Furthermore, by adding a water pipe 23 inside the heating plate 21, the heating plate 21 can operate at a higher power. Part of the heat from the heating plate 21 can be conducted to the food through heat transfer from the bottom wall of the cooking cavity 12a, and another part can be transferred to the water in the water pipe 23. The water is heated to form steam, which is then transported to the cooking cavity 12a to heat the food. Essentially, the heat from the heating plate 21 is rapidly transferred to the food through two methods. Therefore, even with a higher operating power, the heating plate 21 will not cause the food to burn or melt. For the entire cooking appliance 100, a higher heating power can shorten the cooking time to some extent.

[0062] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 5 In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking appliance 100 further includes a water tank 50, in which water flows through a liquid supply pipe 30 to a water guide pipe 23, and the outlet of the liquid return pipe 40 is connected to the water tank 50.

[0063] With this setup, users only need to add water to the water tank 50 periodically, so that the water in the water tank 50 flows through the liquid supply pipe 30 to the water guide pipe 23. Under the action of the electric heating element 22, the water flowing through the water guide pipe 23 can be heated into steam, making it more convenient for users.

[0064] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 5In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking appliance 100 further includes a reversing valve 60, which is located at the second opening 132. The second opening 132 can be selectively connected to the cooking chamber 12a or the return pipe 40 through the reversing valve 60.

[0065] With this configuration, the second opening 132 can be selectively connected to the cooking chamber 12a or the return pipe 40 when the reversing valve 60 is switched. The structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0066] In this embodiment, the reversing valve 60 is a three-way valve with one inlet and two outlets, which are the first outlet and the second outlet of the reversing valve 60, respectively. After the fluid flows out from the second opening 132, it can enter the reversing valve 60 through the inlet. When the reversing valve 60 is in the first state, the fluid can flow from the first outlet into the cooking chamber 20a. When the reversing valve 60 is in the second state, the fluid can flow from the second outlet into the return pipe 40.

[0067] Please see Figure 4 In one embodiment of the present invention, the main body 10 includes an outer pot 11, an inner pot 12 disposed inside the outer pot 11, and a sealing cover 13 covering the outer periphery of the inner pot 12. A heat exchange cavity 13a is formed between the sealing cover 13 and the outer wall of the inner pot 12, and a cooking cavity 12a is formed inside the inner pot 12. The heating plate 21 is located below the inner pot 12 and in contact with the bottom wall of the inner pot 12. The heat from the heating plate 21 can be transferred to the bottom wall of the cooking cavity 12a.

[0068] With this configuration, by integrating a sealing cover 13 around the outer periphery of the inner pot 12, a heat exchange cavity 13a is formed between the sealing cover 13 and the outer wall of the inner pot 12, which is connected to the water guide pipe 23. During the cooling process of cold water, the liquid flowing through the water guide pipe 23 can enter the heat exchange cavity 13a. Since the heat exchange cavity 13a is directly formed on the outer wall of the inner pot 12, the heat of the food in the cooking cavity 12a can be better transferred to the liquid in the heat exchange cavity 13a through the inner pot 12, which can fully remove the heat of the food in the cooking cavity 12a, thereby improving the efficiency of cooling the food in the cooking cavity 12a.

[0069] In practical applications, the sealing cover 13 can be integrally formed on the outer periphery of the inner pot 12, or it can be integrated on the outer periphery of the inner pot 12 by welding, bonding or other methods.

[0070] In practical applications, the outer contour shape of the sealing cover 13 can match the circumferential shape of the inner pot 12. That is, the outer contour shape of the sealing cover 13 can be cylindrical. Of course, the outer contour shape of the sealing cover 13 can also be rectangular or other shapes, without specific limitations.

[0071] Please see Figure 4In one embodiment of the present invention, the first opening 131 and the second opening 132 are respectively provided at the bottom and top of the sealing cover 13.

[0072] This design, with the first opening 131 located at the bottom of the sealing cover 13, allows liquid in the heat exchange cavity 13a to flow back to the water pipe 23 or the liquid supply pipe 30 after cooking. This ensures that there is no residual liquid in the heat exchange cavity 13a before removing the inner pot 12, preventing residual liquid from flowing out from the first opening 131 or the second opening 132 and contaminating the countertop or floor when the inner pot 12 is removed. Furthermore, by placing the second opening 132 at the top of the sealing cover 13, the liquid flowing through the heat exchange cavity 13a can fully contact the peripheral wall of the inner pot 12 for heat exchange, effectively removing heat from the food inside the cooking cavity 12a.

[0073] In practical applications, the shape and structure of the first opening 131 and the second opening 132 of the sealing cover 13 can be determined according to the actual situation. For example, it can be circular, fan-shaped, square, strip-shaped or other shapes.

[0074] Further, please refer to Figure 5 A radiator 41 is provided on the return pipe 40, which is used to cool the liquid flowing through the return pipe 40.

[0075] With this configuration, by installing a radiator 41 on the return pipe 40, the liquid can be cooled by the radiator 41 as it flows through it, resulting in a lower water temperature returning to the return pipe 40. This allows the food inside the cooking cavity 12a to cool down faster, further reducing the user's waiting time.

[0076] As an example, the heat sink 41 can be a cooling fan.

[0077] Of course, in other embodiments, the return line 40 may not have a radiator 41.

[0078] Please see Figures 2 to 4 In one embodiment of the present invention, the second opening 132 is connected to the cooking cavity 12a through a connecting pipe 70, and the outlet of the connecting pipe 70 is provided with a nozzle 71, which is located above the cooking cavity 12a.

[0079] With this configuration, during the water addition process, as the liquid flows through the connecting pipe 70, hot or cold water can be sprayed into the cooking cavity 12a of the inner pot 12 through the nozzle 71 at the outlet, ensuring that the hot or cold water comes into even contact with the food in the cooking cavity 12a. During the steam addition process, as steam flows through the connecting pipe 70, steam can be sprayed into the cooking cavity 12a of the inner pot 12 through the nozzle 71 at the drain outlet. This not only ensures that the steam comes into even contact with the food in the cooking cavity 12a, but also breaks up air bubbles on the surface of the food, reducing the release of steam.

[0080] In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 70 is provided on the cover 112 of the main body 10. When the cover 112 is closing the inner pot 12, the connecting pipe 70 will be connected to the first outlet of the reversing valve 60; when the cover 112 is opening the inner pot 12, the connecting pipe 70 will be disconnected from the reversing valve 60.

[0081] Please see Figure 4 In one embodiment of the present invention, the heating plate 21 is in thermal contact with the inner pot 12 of the body 10, and the liquid flowing through the water pipe 30 is also used to cool the heating plate 50; the heating plate 21 is located at the bottom of the inner pot 12.

[0082] This configuration, by making the heating plate 21 in thermal contact with the inner pot 12 of the main body 10, allows for heating of the food in the cooking cavity 12a not only by steam but also by the heating plate 21 during the steaming process, thus improving heating efficiency. During the cooling process, the liquid flowing through the heating plate 21 carries away its heat. As the temperature of the heating plate 21 decreases, the heat from the food in the cooking cavity 12a can be transferred to the heating plate 21, and then carried away by the liquid, further improving cooling efficiency. Furthermore, by placing the heating plate 21 at the bottom of the inner pot 12, it does not occupy space on the side walls of the inner pot 12, allowing sufficient space to form the heat exchange cavity 13a, which enhances the heat exchange between the liquid flowing through the heat exchange cavity 13a and the food in the cooking cavity 12a.

[0083] Please see Figure 4 In one embodiment of the present invention, a pump body 80 is also provided on the liquid supply pipeline 30.

[0084] With this setup, the liquid supply flow rate and speed of the liquid supply pipeline 30 can be controlled by the pump body 80 to meet the needs of different cooked foods and different cooking stages.

[0085] Please see Figures 6 to 9The present invention also proposes a control method for a cooking utensil 100. The specific structure of the cooking utensil 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since the cooking utensil 100 adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0086] The control method for the cooking appliance 100 includes the following steps:

[0087] Please see Figure 7 During the water addition process: the liquid supply line 30 is controlled to supply liquid to the water pipe 23, and the second opening 132 is controlled to connect with the cooking cavity 12a; please refer to Figure 8 During the steaming process: the liquid supply pipe 30 is controlled to supply liquid to the water pipe 23; the electric heating element 22 is controlled to operate, heating the liquid flowing through the water pipe 23 into steam; and the second opening 132 is controlled to connect with the cooking cavity 12a. (See also...) Figure 9 The liquid supply line 30 supplies liquid to the water pipe 23, the heating element 22 is deactivated, and the second opening 132 is connected to the return line 40.

[0088] Understandably, during the entire cooking process, the user only needs to place the food to be heated into the cooking cavity 20a of the inner pot 20. First, the water-adding process (pre-cooking stage) begins, controlling the liquid supply pipe 30 to supply liquid to the water pipe 23; the program controls the second opening 132 to connect with the cooking cavity 12a to add liquid into the cooking cavity 12a, automatically adding water to the food in the cooking cavity 20a. Then, the steam-adding process (cooking stage) begins, controlling the liquid supply pipe 30 to supply liquid to the water pipe 23; the program controls the heating element 22 to operate, controlling the water flow rate and the power of the heating element 22, so that the liquid passing through the water pipe 23 becomes steam; and the second opening 132 is connected to the cooking cavity 12a to add steam into the cooking cavity 12a, thus automatically adding water to the food in the cooking cavity. The food inside cooking chamber 12a is heated; finally, it enters the cold water cooling process (post-cooking stage). Because the food temperature inside cooking chamber 12a is very high, the user wants to eat the food as soon as possible, so the food inside cooking chamber 12a needs to be cooled down. At this time, the program controls the liquid supply pipe 30 to supply liquid to the water pipe 23; controls the electric heating tube 22 to stop working, and controls the second opening 132 to connect with the return liquid pipe 40. During this process, the liquid can carry away the heat of the food inside cooking chamber 12a, and at the same time, it can also carry away the heat of the electric heating tube 22, so that the temperature of the food inside cooking chamber 12a drops rapidly, thereby quickly reaching the temperature that the user can taste, and the user does not need to wait too long.

[0089] Therefore, the cooking appliance 100 proposed in this solution has a multi-functional effect of automatically adding water in the early stage, steam heating in the middle stage, and cold water cooling in the later stage.

[0090] In this embodiment, the entire cooking process can be divided into one or more stages, including the pre-cooking stage, the cooking stage, and the post-cooking stage, to select different cooking processes according to the differences in the ingredients being cooked.

[0091] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water-adding process may further include: controlling the heating element 22 to operate so that the liquid flowing through the water pipe 23 is heated into hot water. Thus, during the water-adding process, the liquid supply pipe 30 is controlled to supply liquid to the water pipe 23; the program controls the heating element 22 to start operating, so as to heat the liquid flowing through the water pipe 23 into hot water; and the second opening 132 is controlled to connect with the cooking cavity 12a, so as to add hot water into the cooking cavity 12a, thereby automatically adding hot water to the food in the cooking cavity 20a, which can shorten the cooking time of the food.

[0092] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cooking utensil, characterized in that, include: The main body has a cooking cavity formed therein, and a heat exchange cavity located on the outer periphery of the cooking cavity is also provided in the main body. The heat exchange cavity has a first opening and a second opening. Composite heating plate, including: A heating plate is located below the cooking cavity and in contact with the bottom wall of the cooking cavity, and the heat from the heating plate can be transferred to the bottom wall of the cooking cavity; The heating element is embedded in the heating plate; A water guide pipe is embedded in the heating plate, and the heat generated by the electric heating tube can be transferred to the water guide pipe to heat the water flowing through the water guide pipe and generate steam. A liquid supply line is connected to the inlet of the water guide pipe and is used to supply liquid into the water guide pipe. The outlet of the water guide pipe is connected to the first opening. A return line, wherein the second opening is optionally connected to either the cooking cavity or the return line, the return line being configured to guide liquid from the second opening to the outside of the cooking cavity.

2. The cooking appliance as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cooking appliance also includes a water tank, the water in the water tank flows to the water guide pipe through the liquid supply pipe, and the outlet of the liquid return pipe is connected to the water tank.

3. The cooking utensil as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cooking appliance also includes a reversing valve, which is located at the second opening. The second opening can be selectively connected to the cooking chamber or the return pipeline through the reversing valve.

4. The cooking appliance as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main body includes an outer pot, an inner pot disposed inside the outer pot, and a sealing cover covering the outer periphery of the inner pot. The heat exchange cavity is formed between the sealing cover and the outer wall of the inner pot, and the cooking cavity is formed inside the inner pot. The heating plate is located below the inner pot and in contact with the bottom wall of the inner pot, and the heat from the heating plate can be transferred to the bottom wall of the cooking cavity.

5. The cooking appliance as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The first opening and the second opening are respectively located at the bottom and top of the sealing cover.

6. The cooking utensil as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A radiator is provided on the return liquid pipeline, which is used to cool the liquid flowing through the return liquid pipeline.

7. The cooking utensil as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The second opening is connected to the cooking cavity via a connecting pipe, and the outlet of the connecting pipe is provided with a nozzle, which is located above the cooking cavity.

8. The cooking utensil as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A pump body is installed on the liquid supply pipeline.

9. A method for controlling a cooking utensil, characterized in that, The cooking appliance includes the cooking appliance as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, and the control method includes the following steps: Water addition process: Control the liquid supply pipeline to supply liquid to the water guide pipe, and control the second opening to connect with the cooking cavity; Steaming process: control the liquid supply pipeline to supply liquid to the water pipe, control the electric heating element to heat the liquid flowing through the water pipe into steam, and control the second opening to connect with the cooking cavity; Cold water cooling process: control the liquid supply pipeline to supply liquid to the water guide pipe, control the electric heating tube to not work, and control the second opening to connect with the return liquid pipeline.

10. The method for controlling a cooking appliance as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The water addition process also includes: controlling the operation of the electric heating element to heat the liquid flowing through the water pipe into hot water.

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