Cooking apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of cooking equipment technology, specifically providing a cooking device and its control method to solve the problem that existing cooking devices cannot accurately detect the water level in the water supply box. The cooking device includes a water supply box and a measuring box. The water supply box has an inverted U-shaped tube communicating with the measuring box. The measuring box includes a pump body, an air vent valve, and a water level detection component. The control method includes: with the air vent valve closed, the pump body is activated to draw air from the measuring box and create negative pressure, causing water from the water supply box to enter the measuring box through the inverted U-shaped tube under negative pressure and exceed the water level in the water supply box; the pump body is then closed and the air vent valve is opened, so that the water level in the water supply box and the water level in the measuring box remain level in a static state; the water level in the measuring box is detected to obtain the water level in the water supply box. By transferring the subtle water level changes, which are difficult to measure accurately in a flat water box, to the measuring box for stable and sensitive liquid level detection.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In built-in steam ovens (or steam-bake combos) and other cooking appliances with combined steaming and baking functions, the water tank that supplies water to the steam generator is often designed with a flat shape due to the limited internal space of the machine. This means that the horizontal cross-sectional area is large but the height is limited. This flat design results in a relatively small change in the water level in the water tank, which in turn places higher demands on the accuracy of the liquid level detection.

[0003] Traditional liquid level detection technologies, such as pressure sensors or capacitive sensors, have significant limitations in such applications: pressure sensors based on hydrostatic principles have low sensitivity to minute changes in water level (especially under low water pressure conditions) and are easily affected by ambient temperature fluctuations, atmospheric pressure changes, and machine vibrations, leading to measurement errors; while capacitive sensors based on medium changes are affected by scale deposition, water quality changes, and differences in the dielectric constant of non-metallic materials in the water tank, making it difficult to guarantee their measurement accuracy and long-term stability.

[0004] Due to the aforementioned technological limitations, current steam ovens generally rely on a vague binary judgment of "water present" or "water absent" for water level detection, failing to accurately quantify the actual water level in the water tank. This limitation prevents the device or user from accurately predicting whether the remaining water is sufficient to support a complete cooking cycle, affecting not only the reliability of cooking plans but also directly reducing the overall user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to at least solve the problem that existing cooking equipment cannot accurately detect the water level in the water supply box.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a control method for a cooking device, the cooking device including a water supply box and a measuring box, the water supply box having an inverted U-shaped tube communicating with the measuring box, the measuring box having a pump body, an air vent valve, and a water level detection component, the control method including: when the air vent valve is closed, controlling the pump body to start and draw air from the measuring box to form a negative pressure, so that water in the water supply box enters the measuring box through the inverted U-shaped tube under the negative pressure and exceeds the water level in the water supply box; closing the pump body and opening the air vent valve, so that the water level in the water supply box and the water level in the measuring box remain flush in a static state; detecting the water level in the measuring box to obtain the water level in the water supply box.

[0007] This invention introduces a measuring box connected to the water supply box via an inverted U-shaped pipe. Utilizing the principle of negative pressure pumping and air pressure balance, it transfers the subtle water level changes, which are difficult to measure accurately in a flat water box, to the measuring box for stable and sensitive liquid level detection. This effectively avoids the problems of low sensitivity, susceptibility to interference, and poor stability of traditional pressure and capacitive sensors in scenarios with minute water level changes. Thus, it achieves accurate measurement of the water level in the water supply box, solving the problem of insufficient water level measurement accuracy caused by the flat structure of the water box and environmental factors. This allows the device to accurately determine whether the remaining water can support a complete cooking cycle, improving the reliability of cooking planning and fundamentally enhancing the user experience.

[0008] In some feasible embodiments of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, after obtaining the water level in the water supply box, the control method further includes: obtaining the theoretical water requirement of the current cooking program; calculating the current water volume in the water supply box based on the water level; comparing the current water volume with the theoretical water requirement, and determining whether the water volume in the water supply box is sufficient based on the comparison result; if the current water volume is greater than or equal to the theoretical water requirement, then determining that the water volume in the water supply box is sufficient; if the current water volume is less than the theoretical water requirement, then determining that the water volume in the water supply box is insufficient.

[0009] In some feasible embodiments of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, the control method further includes: when it is determined that the water level in the water supply box is insufficient, controlling the cooking equipment to issue an alarm signal and / or a water-adding signal.

[0010] In some feasible implementations of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, the continuous operating time of the pump body is a first preset time, the static time of the water level is a second preset time, and the second preset time is longer than the first preset time.

[0011] In some feasible implementations of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, after obtaining the water level in the water supply box, the control method further includes: comparing the water level in the water supply box with a preset water level threshold, wherein the preset water level threshold is greater than the lowest point of the inverted U-shaped pipe; if the water level is less than or equal to the preset water level threshold, then controlling the cooking equipment to issue an alarm signal and / or a water-adding signal.

[0012] In some feasible embodiments of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, the control method further includes: maintaining the vent valve in an open state after the water level in the water supply box changes, so that the water level in the water supply box remains level with the water level in the measuring box in a static state.

[0013] In some feasible embodiments of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, the highest point of the inverted U-shaped tube is higher than the highest point of the water level in the water supply box and / or the highest point of the water level in the measuring box.

[0014] In some feasible embodiments of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, the inverted U-shaped tube includes a first connecting tube and a second connecting tube. The first connecting tube is disposed in the water supply box, and the second connecting tube is disposed in the measuring box. The first connecting tube and the second connecting tube are detachably and sealedly connected.

[0015] In some feasible embodiments of the control method for the cooking equipment described above, the water level detection component includes a plurality of water level detection probes extending in a horizontal direction, and the plurality of water level detection probes are arranged at equal intervals in a vertical direction.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a cooking device, the cooking device including a memory and a processor, the memory being adapted to store a plurality of program codes, the program codes being adapted to be loaded and run by the processor to perform the control method of the cooking device described in any of the foregoing technical solutions.

[0017] Those skilled in the art will understand that, since the cooking device is capable of executing the control method in any of the aforementioned technical solutions, the cooking device possesses all the technical effects that the aforementioned control method can achieve, and will not be elaborated further here. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the cooking device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, showing the connection between the water supply box and the measuring box;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0021] Figure 3 A perspective view of the water supply box and measuring box of the cooking device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the top plate of the water supply box when it is concealed, which illustrates the specific structure of the inverted U-shaped pipe;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the inverted U-shaped pipe and the water supply box of the cooking equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6An exploded view of the inverted U-shaped tube of the cooking equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention during disassembly and assembly.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0026] 1. Water supply box; 2. Measuring box; 3. Inverted U-shaped pipe; 31. First connecting pipe; 32. Second connecting pipe; 33. Connecting joint; 4. Pump body; 5. Air vent valve; 6. Water level detection component. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to better illustrate the invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the invention can be practiced without certain specific details.

[0028] In the description of this invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "left," "right," "front," and "rear," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on actual application and are used merely for ease of description. They do not indicate or imply that the device to be protected must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention. Furthermore, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used only for convenience and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance.

[0029] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0030] Please see Figures 1 to 6 The present invention provides a cooking device, which includes a water supply box 1 and a measuring box 2. The water supply box 1 is provided with an inverted U-shaped pipe 3 communicating with the measuring box 2. The measuring box 2 is provided with a pump body 4, an air vent valve 5 and a water level detection component 6.

[0031] Specifically, in cooking equipment (such as steam ovens and steam-grill combos), the water supply box 1 stores the water needed for cooking and continuously supplies water to the steam generator during the cooking process. The inverted U-shaped tube 3 extends into the water supply box 1, with one end reaching near its inner bottom wall, and the other end connected to the bottom of the side wall of the measuring box 2. The air inlet of the pump body 4 is connected to the measuring box 2. With the exhaust valve 5 closed, the pump body 4 starts and draws air from the measuring box 2, creating a negative pressure environment inside the measuring box 2 below atmospheric pressure. This forces the water in the water supply box 1 to be drawn into the measuring box 2 through the inverted U-shaped tube 3 under the pressure difference.

[0032] After the pump body 4 is shut off, opening the vent valve 5 allows the inside of the measuring box 2 to communicate with the outside atmosphere, quickly relieving the negative pressure inside the measuring box 2. At this time, the measuring box 2 and the water supply box 1 form a communicating vessel system through the inverted U-shaped pipe 3, and both are connected to the atmosphere (or under the same atmospheric pressure). According to the principle of communicating vessels, in a static state, the water levels in the water supply box 1 and the measuring box 2 will naturally tend to be level. When the water levels in the measuring box 2 and the water supply box 1 are level, the water level detection component 6 detects the water level in the measuring box 2. The detected value represents the actual water level in the water supply box 1, thus achieving accurate quantification of the water level in the flat water box and providing a reliable data basis for subsequent judgment of remaining water and cooking planning.

[0033] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the water level detection component 6 includes multiple water level detection probes extending horizontally, and these probes are equidistantly arranged vertically. By extending the multiple water level detection probes horizontally, it can stably sense the overall height of the water surface within the measuring box 2, avoiding detection deviations caused by local liquid surface fluctuations or tilting. Simultaneously, the equidistant arrangement of the probes vertically can discretize the continuously changing water level height into multiple equally spaced stepped water level signals, achieving precise grading and quantification of the water level in the water supply box 1. This simple and reliable structure replaces the complex measurement requirements of traditional continuous sensors in scenarios with minute water level changes, enabling the device to accurately determine the range of remaining water volume and providing a clear water level judgment basis for the reliability of cooking planning.

[0034] Furthermore, the highest point of the inverted U-shaped tube 3 is higher than the highest water level in the water supply box 1 and / or the highest water level in the measuring box 2. By setting the highest point of the inverted U-shaped tube 3 higher than the highest water levels in the water supply box 1 and the measuring box 2, it can be ensured that the tube is always filled with water to form a stable liquid seal. This can prevent air pressure crosstalk caused by siphon backflow, and ensure that the negative pressure is fully applied to the water surface of the water supply box 1 when the pump body 4 is pumping air, so as to drive the water to transfer smoothly. At the same time, after the exhaust valve 5 is opened, the two boxes can form a reliable communicating vessel through the continuous water column in the inverted U-shaped tube 3, so that the water level is effectively level when stationary. This provides an accurate correspondence for the water level detection component 6, ensuring the stability and reliability of the entire measurement process.

[0035] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the inverted U-shaped pipe 3 includes a first connecting pipe 31 and a second connecting pipe 32. The first connecting pipe 31 is disposed in the water supply box 1, and the second connecting pipe 32 is disposed in the measuring box 2. The first connecting pipe 31 and the second connecting pipe 32 are detachably and sealingly connected. Specifically, a hollow connecting joint 33 is provided through the side wall of the water supply box 1. The connecting joint 33 includes an inner joint and an outer joint. The outer peripheral walls of the inner joint and the outer peripheral walls of the outer joint are provided with sealing rings. The first connecting pipe 31 is connected to the inner joint of the connecting joint 33, and the second connecting pipe 32 is connected to the outer joint of the connecting joint 33, thereby realizing the detachable and sealing connection between the first connecting pipe 31 and the second connecting pipe 32.

[0036] By splitting the inverted U-shaped tube 3 into two sections belonging to the water supply box 1 and the measuring box 2 respectively, and using a hollow connector with a sealing ring that penetrates the side wall of the water supply box 1 to achieve a detachable and sealed connection, the water supply box 1 can be independently disassembled and installed without disassembling the pipeline, which greatly facilitates the user's water addition and cleaning operations. At the same time, this structure can still maintain airtightness and watertightness by relying on the sealing ring after multiple insertions and removals, ensuring that a stable liquid seal is always formed inside the inverted U-shaped tube 3. This ensures the effectiveness of air pressure transmission during negative pressure water pumping and the accuracy of water level correspondence when the communicating vessels are balanced, fundamentally improving the assembly convenience, maintainability and long-term reliability of the whole machine.

[0037] Based on the aforementioned structure of the cooking equipment, the present invention also provides a control method for the cooking equipment, the control method comprising:

[0038] S1. With the exhaust valve 5 closed, the control pump 4 starts to extract air from the measuring box 2 and create negative pressure, so that the water in the water supply box 1 enters the measuring box 2 through the inverted U-shaped pipe 3 under the action of negative pressure and exceeds the water level in the water supply box 1.

[0039] By closing the exhaust valve 5 and starting the pump body 4, a negative pressure environment is actively created in the measuring box 2. The pressure difference is used to flow the water in the water supply box 1 into the measuring box 2, and the water level in the measuring box 2 is higher than the original water level in the water supply box 1. This ensures that after the pressure is released, the water levels in the two boxes can fall back to the same level, thereby accurately establishing the water level correspondence.

[0040] S2. Close the pump body 4 and open the exhaust valve 5 so that the water level in the water supply box 1 and the water level in the measuring box 2 remain level in the static state.

[0041] After the pump body 4 is closed and the exhaust valve 5 is opened, the negative pressure in the measuring box 2 is eliminated and it is connected to the atmosphere. At this time, the water supply box 1 and the measuring box 2 form a communicating vessel system through the inverted U-shaped pipe 3. Under the action of gravity, the water levels in the two boxes naturally tend to be level, thus establishing a precise correspondence between the water levels in the water supply box 1 and the measuring box 2. The water level of the water supply box 1 to be measured is indirectly converted into a water level value that can be directly measured in the measuring box 2, providing a physical basis for accurately obtaining the water level.

[0042] Furthermore, the continuous running time of pump body 4 is a first preset duration, and the settling time of water level is a second preset duration, with the second preset duration being longer than the first preset duration. By setting the continuous running time of pump body 4 to the shorter first preset duration, sufficient negative pressure can be quickly established in measuring box 2 to complete water transfer, avoiding energy waste or excessive rise in water level in measuring box 2 due to prolonged air pumping. At the same time, setting the settling time of water level to the longer second preset duration allows sufficient time for the two boxes to achieve adequate communication balance through the inverted U-shaped pipe 3, ensuring that the water level is completely stable and strictly level after disturbance elimination. This eliminates measurement errors that may be caused by water flow inertia, pipeline resistance, or liquid surface fluctuations. With a short-time action and sufficient settling time-sequence control method, the accuracy and repeatability of water level detection are maximized while ensuring response efficiency.

[0043] S3. Detect and measure the water level in box 2 to obtain the water level in water supply box 1.

[0044] Water level detection is performed inside measuring box 2. Since the structure of measuring box 2 can be independently designed according to detection requirements (such as using a slender structure that facilitates sensor installation), its water level change range is relatively significant and the measurement environment is stable. The detection accuracy and reliability are much higher than those of direct measurement in flat water supply box 1. This achieves accurate quantification of the water level in water supply box 1, providing reliable data for the equipment to determine whether the remaining water volume is sufficient to support a complete cooking cycle.

[0045] In this embodiment, after obtaining the water level in the water supply box 1, the control method further includes:

[0046] S4. Obtain the theoretical water requirement for the current cooking program.

[0047] Based on the user's selected cooking program (such as steaming time, steam volume requirements, etc.), the total water volume required to complete the program can be obtained, which can provide a benchmark value for subsequent water volume judgment, establish a correlation between water level detection results and actual cooking needs, and avoid misjudgment caused by relying solely on the binary judgment of "water present / no water".

[0048] S5. Calculate the current water volume in water supply box 1 based on the water level in water supply box 1.

[0049] By using the accurately obtained water level height of water supply box 1, combined with the geometric structure of water supply box 1 (such as length and width dimensions, bottom area, etc.), the water level height can be converted into the actual remaining water volume. This can transform the detected physical quantity into quantitative data that can be directly compared with the demand value, laying the foundation for judging the sufficiency of water volume.

[0050] S6. Compare the current water volume with the theoretical water demand, and based on the comparison result, determine whether the water volume in water supply box 1 is sufficient.

[0051] Decision-making is achieved through numerical comparison, transforming the final result of water level detection into a state conclusion that users can understand. This can serve as a key node connecting detection and response, enabling the equipment to make logical judgments autonomously based on the difference between actual water volume and demand.

[0052] S61. If the current water volume is greater than or equal to the theoretical water demand, then the water volume in water supply box 1 is determined to be sufficient.

[0053] When the current water level is greater than or equal to the theoretical water requirement, it indicates that the remaining water in water supply box 1 can meet all the water needs of the current cooking program from start to finish. Therefore, no intervention is required and the cooking equipment can continue to execute the program, ensuring the continuity and reliability of the cooking process.

[0054] S62. If the current water volume is less than the theoretical water demand, it is determined that the water volume in water supply box 1 is insufficient.

[0055] When the current water level is less than the theoretical water requirement, it indicates that the remaining water in water supply box 1 is insufficient to support the complete operation of the current cooking program. If the program is forcibly started or continued, there is a risk of water shortage interruption. At this time, an alarm signal and / or a water replenishment signal can be issued to prompt the user to replenish water in time, thereby avoiding cooking failure due to insufficient water and ensuring the cooking effect and user experience.

[0056] S621. If it is determined that the water supply in the water supply box 1 is insufficient, control the cooking equipment to issue an alarm signal and / or a water supply signal.

[0057] When it is confirmed that the water volume is insufficient to complete the current cooking program, the system will proactively notify the user through an alarm signal (such as a buzzer or indicator light) or a water replenishment signal (such as an interface prompt), so that the user can replenish the water in time. The detection and judgment results can be transformed into actual human-computer interaction responses, which effectively solves the problem of water shortage and program failure in the middle of cooking due to the inability of traditional equipment to accurately judge the remaining water volume, and fundamentally improves the user experience and cooking success rate.

[0058] Furthermore, after obtaining the water level in water supply box 1, the control method also includes:

[0059] S7. Compare the water level in the water supply box 1 with the preset water level threshold, wherein the preset water level threshold is greater than the lowest point of the inverted U-shaped pipe 3.

[0060] The preset water level height threshold is a safe water level threshold used to protect the integrity of the liquid seal in the inverted U-shaped tube 3. This threshold is configured to be higher than the lowest point of the inverted U-shaped tube 3, so that when the water level in the water supply box 1 drops below this threshold, it means that the opening of the inverted U-shaped tube 3 extending into the water supply box 1 is about to or has already emerged from the water surface, which may damage the continuous water column inside the inverted U-shaped tube 3. The water level detection results can be correlated with structural safety conditions, providing a basis for judgment to prevent liquid seal failure.

[0061] S71. If the water level is less than or equal to the preset water level threshold, the cooking device will issue an alarm signal and / or a water addition signal.

[0062] When the water level is less than or equal to the preset water level threshold, i.e. the water level in water supply box 1 is too low and may cause air to be sucked into the inverted U-shaped pipe 3, the user will be promptly reminded to add water through an alarm or prompt signal. This can prevent the subsequent negative pressure pumping from failing and the water level measurement from being inaccurate due to the liquid seal being damaged, thus ensuring the reliable operation of the entire water level detection system from the root and realizing a preventive protection mechanism.

[0063] S72. If the water level is higher than the preset water level threshold, no intervention is required.

[0064] When the water level is higher than the preset water level threshold, that is, when the water level in water supply box 1 is still within the safe range and the liquid seal of inverted U-shaped pipe 3 is intact, no alarm signal will be issued to avoid unnecessary interference to users. This ensures the silent operation of the equipment under normal use and maintains a good user experience.

[0065] In this embodiment, the control method further includes: after the water level in the water supply box 1 changes, maintaining the air vent valve 5 in the open state so that the water level in the water supply box 1 and the water level in the measuring box 2 remain level in the static state.

[0066] When the water level in water supply box 1 changes due to user water addition or cooking consumption, the two boxes remain in a state of atmospheric pressure communication by keeping the air vent valve 5 open, provided that the liquid seal of the inverted U-shaped pipe 3 remains intact (the pipe is always filled with a continuous column of water). At this time, the water level in measuring box 2 will automatically follow the water level change synchronously with that in water supply box 1, without the need to repeat the negative pressure pumping step. This simplifies the control logic and reduces the number of times the pump 4 is started and stopped, enabling the water level detection system to track the water level change in water supply box 1 in real time with low power consumption and low noise, maintaining the continuity and immediacy of the detection.

[0067] It should be noted that when the liquid seal of the inverted U-shaped tube 3 is damaged due to the water level in water supply box 1 being too low, causing the pipe opening to be exposed, or due to air being mixed in during the disassembly and assembly of water supply box 1, the hydraulic connection between the two boxes is interrupted, and the water level cannot be leveled using the simple communicating vessel principle. At this time, the system actively identifies the abnormal state and re-executes the negative pressure establishment and water body reset process: by closing the exhaust valve 5 and starting the pump body 4, a negative pressure is formed in the measuring box 2, which draws water from water supply box 1 back in and fills the inverted U-shaped tube 3, restoring the liquid seal and re-establishing the connection between the two boxes. This forms a self-recovery mechanism of the system, ensuring that the water level detection function can still return to normal after abnormal operating conditions, effectively improving the fault tolerance of the system.

[0068] This invention introduces a measuring box 2 connected to the water supply box 1 via an inverted U-shaped pipe 3. Utilizing the principle of negative pressure pumping and air pressure balance, it transfers the subtle water level changes, which are difficult to measure accurately in the flat water box, to the measuring box 2 for stable and sensitive liquid level detection. This effectively avoids the problems of low sensitivity, susceptibility to interference, and poor stability of traditional pressure sensors and capacitive sensors in scenarios with minute water level changes. Thus, it achieves accurate measurement of the water level in the water supply box 1, solving the problem of insufficient water level measurement accuracy caused by the flat structure of the water box and environmental factors. This allows the device to accurately determine whether the remaining water can support a complete cooking cycle, improving the reliability of cooking planning and fundamentally enhancing the user experience.

[0069] In addition, the cooking device includes a memory and a processor, the memory being adapted to store multiple program codes, the program codes being adapted to be loaded and run by the processor to execute the control method of the cooking device in any of the aforementioned technical solutions.

[0070] In the description of this invention, "processor" can include hardware, software, or a combination of both. A processor can be a central processing unit, microprocessor, image processor, digital signal processor, or any other suitable processor. A processor has data and / or signal processing capabilities. A processor can be implemented in software, in hardware, or a combination of both. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media includes any suitable medium capable of storing program code, such as magnetic disks, hard disks, optical disks, flash memory, read-only memory, random access memory, etc.

[0071] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by hardware related to computer program instructions. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable file, or some intermediate form. The computer-readable storage medium can include any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code, a medium, a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a computer memory, a read-only memory, a random access memory, an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, etc.

[0072] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a cooking device, characterized in that, The cooking device includes a water supply box (1) and a measuring box (2). The water supply box (1) is provided with an inverted U-shaped pipe (3) communicating with the measuring box (2). The measuring box (2) is provided with a pump body (4), an air vent valve (5), and a water level detection component (6). The control method includes: When the exhaust valve (5) is closed, the pump body (4) is controlled to start drawing air from the measuring box (2) and forming a negative pressure, so that the water in the water supply box (1) enters the measuring box (2) through the inverted U-shaped pipe (3) under the action of negative pressure and exceeds the water level in the water supply box (1); The pump body (4) is closed and the exhaust valve (5) is opened so that the water level in the water supply box (1) and the water level in the measuring box (2) remain level in the static state. The water level in the measuring box (2) is detected to obtain the water level in the water supply box (1).

2. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, After obtaining the water level in the water supply box (1), the control method further includes: Obtain the theoretical water requirement for the current cooking process; Based on the water level in the water supply box (1), calculate the current water volume in the water supply box (1); The current water volume is compared with the theoretical water demand, and based on the comparison result, it is determined whether the water volume in the water supply box (1) is sufficient; If the current water volume is greater than or equal to the theoretical water demand, then it is determined that the water volume in the water supply box (1) is sufficient; If the current water volume is less than the theoretical water demand, then it is determined that the water volume in the water supply box (1) is insufficient.

3. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control method further includes: If it is determined that the water supply box (1) is insufficient, the cooking device is controlled to issue an alarm signal and / or a water addition signal.

4. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The continuous operating time of the pump body (4) is a first preset time, and the static time of the water level is a second preset time, which is longer than the first preset time.

5. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, After obtaining the water level in the water supply box (1), the control method further includes: The water level in the water supply box (1) is compared with a preset water level threshold, wherein the preset water level threshold is greater than the lowest point of the inverted U-shaped pipe (3); If the water level is less than or equal to a preset water level threshold, the cooking device will be controlled to issue an alarm signal and / or a water addition signal.

6. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method further includes: After the water level in the water supply box (1) changes, the air vent (5) is kept open so that the water level in the water supply box (1) and the water level in the measuring box (2) remain level in the static state.

7. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The highest point of the inverted U-shaped pipe (3) is higher than the highest point of the water level in the water supply box (1) and / or the highest point of the water level in the measuring box (2).

8. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inverted U-shaped tube (3) includes a first connecting tube (31) and a second connecting tube (32). The first connecting tube (31) is disposed in the water supply box (1), and the second connecting tube (32) is disposed in the measuring box (2). The first connecting tube (31) and the second connecting tube (32) are detachably and sealedly connected.

9. The control method for the cooking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water level detection component (6) includes multiple water level detection probes extending in the horizontal direction, and the multiple water level detection probes are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction.

10. A cooking device, characterized in that, The cooking device includes a memory and a processor, the memory being adapted to store a plurality of program codes, the program codes being adapted to be loaded and run by the processor to perform the control method of the cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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