Air fryer and control method of air fryer

Abstract

This invention relates to an air fryer and a control method for the air fryer. The air fryer includes: a body; at least two types of pots, each pot being selectively disposed within the body or detachably connected to the body; a controller disposed within the body; and a touchscreen disposed on the body and electrically connected to the controller. The touchscreen interface displays a mode switching area for selecting a pot, a cooking control area for controlling the air fryer's cooking mode, and a cooking mode display area for showing various foods cooked in the air fryer through images. The controller retrieves cooking parameters based on the pot selected in the mode switching area, and the cooking mode display area displays the corresponding results based on the cooking control area. This air fryer can automatically retrieve cooking parameters based on the pot selected by the user, achieving automated cooking control. Therefore, this method eliminates the need for additional sensors, reducing costs and avoiding anomalies caused by sensor malfunctions, thus improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of kitchen appliance technology, and more particularly to an air fryer and a method for controlling an air fryer. Background Technology

[0002] An air fryer is a cooking tool used for cooking food. The principle of an air fryer is to use high-speed air circulation, where air replaces the hot oil in a frying pan to cook the food; at the same time, the hot air blows away the moisture on the surface of the food, giving the food an effect similar to deep-frying, thus quickly heating and crisping the food. To use it, simply put the food in and adjust the temperature and time.

[0003] For example, Chinese utility model patent ZL202421840233.8 (authorization announcement number CN222898934U) discloses an air fryer with uniform heating. The air fryer has a fixed display control panel and buttons installed in its fixed section. The display control panel shows the currently set cooking parameters in real time, such as cooking mode, time, and temperature, making it easy for users to adjust and monitor the cooking process. The buttons start, stop, and pause the cooking process, switch cooking modes (such as baking, frying, roasting), and set the cooking time and temperature. However, the above-mentioned air fryer has the following limitations: First, the fixed pot body cannot meet the needs of different cooking capacities. When users need to cook a small amount of food, using a large-capacity pot wastes space and affects the efficiency of hot air circulation, potentially leading to uneven heating of the food; while when cooking a large amount of food, the pot capacity is limited. Second, the button control method is relatively primitive, and the buttons are prone to accumulating oil fumes and are difficult to clean.

[0004] To address the issue of fixed-capacity air fryers failing to meet the needs of different food cooking sizes, Chinese invention patent application CN202511945099.7 (publication number CN121512358A) discloses an easy-to-operate variable-capacity air fryer. While this air fryer can automatically identify the current pot size using sensors, this sensor-based detection increases costs. Furthermore, if the sensors malfunction, the air fryer cannot identify the pot size, leading to abnormal cooking parameters and a reduced user experience. Therefore, further improvements to the existing technology are needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an air fryer that is low in cost and can automatically retrieve cooking parameters to achieve automated cooking control, in contrast to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0006] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a control method for an air fryer as described above, in contrast to the prior art.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: an air fryer, comprising:

[0008] Organism;

[0009] At least two types of pot bodies are provided, with each pot body either installed inside the machine body or detachably connected to the machine body.

[0010] The controller is located inside the machine body;

[0011] A touch screen is mounted on the machine body and is electrically connected to the controller;

[0012] The feature is that the touch screen interface displays a mode switching area for selecting the pot body, a cooking control area for controlling the cooking mode of the air fryer, and a cooking mode display area for showing the cooking of various foods in the air fryer through pictures. The controller is used to retrieve cooking parameters according to the pot body selected in the mode switching area, and the cooking mode display area is used to display the corresponding results according to the cooking control area.

[0013] To improve the utilization of the touch screen interface, the mode switching area and the cooking control area are in the same location, and the mode switching area and the cooking control area are displayed separately.

[0014] Since the results of cooking food are related to temperature, the touch screen interface also displays a temperature display area and a temperature control area to allow for free temperature adjustment. The temperature display area is used to display the corresponding temperature based on the actions of the temperature control area.

[0015] Preferably, the temperature control zone includes a first indicator symbol indicating an increase in temperature and a second indicator symbol indicating a decrease in temperature.

[0016] Since the cooking result is also related to the cooking time, the touch screen interface also displays a time display area and a time control area to allow for flexible adjustment of the cooking time. The time display area is used to display the corresponding time based on the actions of the time control area.

[0017] Preferably, the time control area includes a third indicator symbol indicating an increase in cooking time and a fourth indicator symbol indicating a decrease in cooking time.

[0018] To further improve the utilization of the touchscreen interface, the time display area and the temperature display area are in the same location, and the time display area and the temperature display area are displayed separately.

[0019] Preferably, the top of the pot is open, and the machine body is detachably connected to the pot to open or close the top opening of the pot.

[0020] Preferably, the various pots have the same structure but different capacities.

[0021] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a control method for an air fryer as described above, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0022] Step 1: Turn on the air fryer;

[0023] Step 2: The user touches the mode switching area to select the pot used in the current air fryer;

[0024] Step 3: The controller will automatically load the cooking parameters corresponding to the pot body based on the selection result of the mode switching area;

[0025] Step 4: The user touches the switch symbol on the interface, and then the cooking control area and cooking mode display area are displayed on the screen.

[0026] Step 5: The user touches the cooking control area according to the current cooking needs until the current cooking mode is selected on the cooking mode display area, and then the air fryer enters the working state.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: On the one hand, by setting the pot selection on the touch screen interface, the user can select the corresponding pot through the mode switching area on the touch screen interface when using different pots. This allows the air fryer to automatically retrieve cooking parameters according to the pot selected by the user, realizing automated cooking control. Therefore, this method does not require the addition of sensors, reducing costs, and there will be no abnormalities caused by sensor failure, improving the user experience. On the other hand, the touch screen interface displays a cooking control area for controlling the air fryer's cooking modes and a cooking mode display area for showing the cooking of various foods in the air fryer through pictures. Therefore, the cooking mode adjustment and cooking mode display are integrated on the touch screen, eliminating the need for physical buttons and making it easy to clean. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the air fryer in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view;

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A sectional view;

[0031] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second pot body in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the usage state of the air fryer in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the control method for an air fryer in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0035] like Figures 1-5 As shown, the air fryer in this embodiment includes a body 1 and at least two types of pots, each pot being selectively disposed within the body 1 or detachably connected to the body 1. In this embodiment, the top of the pot is open, and the body 1 is detachably connected to the pot to open or close the top opening of the pot.

[0036] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, there are two types of pot bodies in this embodiment, namely a first pot body 1a and a second pot body 1b. The first pot body 1a and the second pot body 1b have the same structure but different capacities. In this embodiment, the first pot body 1a and the second pot body 1b have different heights, with the second pot body 1b being lower than the first pot body 1a.

[0037] The air fryer in this embodiment also includes a controller located inside the body 1 and a touch screen 3 located on the body 1. The touch screen 3 is electrically connected to the controller. The body 1 also includes a heating module and a fan system, all of which are connected to the controller. These are all existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0038] The touchscreen 3 displays a mode switching area 31 for selecting the cooking pot, a cooking control area 32 for controlling the air fryer's cooking mode, a cooking mode display area 33 for showing various foods cooked in the air fryer through pictures, a temperature display area 34, a temperature control area 35, a time display area 36, ​​and a time control area 37. The controller retrieves cooking parameters based on the cooking pot selected in the mode switching area; the cooking mode display area 33 displays the corresponding result based on the cooking control area 32; the temperature display area 34 displays the corresponding temperature based on the action of the temperature control area 35; and the time display area 36 displays the corresponding time based on the action of the time control area 37. The images displayed in the cooking mode display area 33 are pictures of various real foods.

[0039] In this embodiment, the mode switching area 31 and the cooking control area 32 are in the same location, and the mode switching area 31 and the cooking control area 32 are displayed in a time-sharing manner; similarly, the time display area 36 and the temperature display area 34 are in the same location, and the time display area 36 and the temperature display area 34 are displayed in a time-sharing manner; the temperature control area 35 includes a first indicator 351 indicating an increase in temperature and a second indicator 352 indicating a decrease in temperature; the time control area 37 includes a third indicator 371 indicating an increase in cooking time and a fourth indicator 372 indicating a decrease in cooking time.

[0040] like Figure 5 As shown, the first identifier 351 and the third identifier 371 are the same, and the second identifier 352 and the fourth identifier 372 are the same. In this embodiment, the first identifier 351 and the third identifier 371 are both upward arrow symbols, but they can also be plus signs. In this embodiment, the second identifier 352 and the fourth identifier 372 are both downward arrow symbols, but they can also be minus signs.

[0041] To facilitate clear distinction between the first identifier 351 and the third identifier 371, as well as the second identifier 352 and the fourth identifier 372, in this embodiment, the first identifier 351 and the second identifier 352 are positioned one above the other on the touchscreen 3 interface, and the word TEMP, which is the abbreviation for temperature, is also displayed between the first identifier 351 and the second identifier 352. Similarly, the third identifier 371 and the fourth identifier 372 are positioned one above the other on the touchscreen 3 interface, and the word TIME, which is the abbreviation for time, is also displayed between the third identifier 371 and the fourth identifier 372.

[0042] In this embodiment, after the air fryer is powered on, the touch screen 3 will not be fully displayed. At this time, only the mode switching area 31 and the switch symbol (not shown in the figure) are displayed. In this embodiment, the switch symbol is located directly below the temperature display area 34. The cooking mode setting of the air fryer can only be turned on by the switch symbol after the user selects the pot body.

[0043] like Figure 6 As shown, the control method for the air fryer described above includes the following steps:

[0044] Step 1: Turn on the air fryer;

[0045] Step 2: The user touches the mode switching area to select the pot used in the current air fryer;

[0046] Step 3: The controller will automatically load the cooking parameters of the corresponding pot according to the selection result of the mode switching area. The cooking parameters of different pots are stored in advance in the memory connected to the controller (not shown in the figure). Only after the user selects a pot will the controller automatically retrieve the cooking parameters of the corresponding pot.

[0047] In this embodiment, the capacity of the first pot 1a is 4L and the capacity of the second pot 1b is 2.5L.

[0048] Step 4: The user touches the switch symbol on the interface, and then the cooking control area and cooking mode display area are displayed on the screen.

[0049] Step 5: The user touches the cooking control area according to the current cooking needs until the current cooking mode is selected on the cooking mode display area, and then the air fryer enters the working state.

[0050] Since the mode switching area 31 is executed before the user touches the switch symbol and the cooking control area 32 is executed after the user touches the switch symbol, the mode switching area 31 and the cooking control area 32 will not be displayed at the same time, thus allowing the mode switching area 31 and the cooking control area 32 to share the same position; the above-mentioned time-sharing display is controlled by a program, which is existing technology and will not be elaborated further.

[0051] Before the air fryer starts working, the user can also modify the cooking temperature and cooking time through the temperature control area 35 and the time control area 37. When the user touches the first indicator 351 or the second indicator 352, the temperature display area 34 displays the temperature; when the user touches the third indicator 371 or the fourth indicator 372, the time display area 36 displays the time. Therefore, the time display area 36 and the temperature display area 34 will not be displayed at the same time, so that the time display area 36 and the temperature display area 34 can share the same position.

[0052] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. Air fryer, including: Body (1); At least two types of pot bodies, each pot body being selectively located inside the machine body (1) or detachably connected to the machine body (1); The controller is located inside the body (1); A touch screen (3) is mounted on the body (1) and is electrically connected to the controller; The feature is that the touch screen (3) displays a mode switching area (31) for selecting the pot body, a cooking control area (32) for controlling the cooking mode of the air fryer, and a cooking mode display area (33) for displaying the cooking of various foods in the air fryer in the form of pictures. The controller is used to retrieve cooking parameters according to the pot body selected by the mode switching area (31), and the cooking mode display area (33) is used to display the corresponding result according to the result of the cooking control area (32).

2. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mode switching area (31) and the cooking control area (32) are in the same location, and the mode switching area (31) and the cooking control area (32) are displayed at different times.

3. The air fryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The touch screen (3) also displays a temperature display area (34) and a temperature control area (35). The temperature display area (34) is used to display the corresponding temperature according to the action of the temperature control area (35).

4. The air fryer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The temperature control zone (35) includes a first indicator (351) indicating an increase in temperature and a second indicator (352) indicating a decrease in temperature.

5. The air fryer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The touch screen (3) also displays a time display area (36) and a time control area (37). The time display area (36) is used to display the corresponding time according to the action of the time control area (37).

6. The air fryer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The time control area (37) includes a third indicator (371) indicating an increase in cooking time and a fourth indicator (372) indicating a decrease in cooking time.

7. The air fryer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The time display area (36) and the temperature display area (34) are in the same location, and the time display area (36) and the temperature display area (34) are displayed at different times.

8. The air fryer according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The top opening of the pot body is detachably connected to the pot body to open or close the top opening of the pot body.

9. The air fryer according to claim 8, characterized in that: The various pots have the same structure but different capacities.

10. A control method for an air fryer as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: Step 1: Turn on the air fryer; Step 2: The user touches the mode switching area to select the pot used in the current air fryer; Step 3: The controller will automatically load the cooking parameters corresponding to the pot body based on the selection result of the mode switching area; Step 4: The user touches the switch symbol on the interface, and then the cooking control area and cooking mode display area are displayed on the screen. Step 5: The user touches the cooking control area according to the current cooking needs until the current cooking mode is selected on the cooking mode display area, and then the air fryer enters the working state.

Images