Cooking apparatus, charging device and charging method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cooking device, a seasoning device and a seasoning method. The cooking device comprises a cooking container and a seasoning device for adding seasoning to the cooking container. The seasoning device comprises a seasoning box assembly and a collection box. The seasoning box assembly comprises at least two seasoning boxes. The collection box has a collection cavity, at least two inlet ports and at least one outlet port which are in communication with the collection cavity. The inlet ports are configured to communicate with the corresponding seasoning boxes so that the seasoning in the seasoning boxes enters the collection cavity and flows out through the outlet port. An air pipe is in communication with the collection cavity and is configured to input gas into the collection cavity and make the water or seasoning in the collection cavity discharge through the outlet port. When making dishes, the device can use the air pump to discharge the water or seasoning in the collection cavity, thereby avoiding the problem that the residual seasoning in the collection cavity produces odor for a long time and affects the quality of the dishes. The device can improve the user experience to some extent and make the amount of seasoning added to the cooking container more accurate.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention application entitled "Cooking equipment, feeding device and self-cleaning method and feeding method of cooking equipment", with parent application number "202210510875.0" and parent application date of May 11, 2022. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of intelligent cooking technology, and in particular to a cooking device, a feeding device, and a feeding method. Background Technology

[0003] To adapt to the fast-paced urban lifestyle and free people from heavy housework, allowing them to relax, entertain themselves, or work instead of cooking, various smart cooking devices have emerged on the market. For example, smart food processors are one type of smart cooking device.

[0004] Users need to prepare the various seasonings in the target recipe into a liquid and add it to the liquid tank of the smart food processor. During operation, the smart food processor will use a dispensing device to add the seasonings from the liquid tank to cooking containers such as woks.

[0005] After the automatic dispensing function of existing cooking equipment is used, there will be residual seasonings in the dispensing box. If it is not cleaned in time, it will cause blockages and odors. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art, the first aspect of this disclosure provides a cooking device.

[0007] The cooking apparatus disclosed herein includes: A cooking container and a feeding device for adding seasonings to the cooking container; The feeding device includes: A condiment container assembly, comprising at least two condiment containers; A material collection box has a material collection cavity and at least two inlets and at least one outlet communicating with the material collection cavity. The inlets are configured to communicate with a corresponding seasoning box so that seasonings in the seasoning box enter the material collection cavity and flow out through the outlet. An air pipe and an air pump connected to the air pipe, the air pipe being connected to the material collection chamber and configured to input gas into the material collection chamber and to discharge water or seasonings in the material collection chamber through the discharge port.

[0008] In one embodiment of the cooking device disclosed herein, the material collection box includes an upper cover and a lower cover, the upper cover and the lower cover together forming the material collection cavity, the lower cover having an air hole, and the air pipe communicating with the material collection cavity through the air hole.

[0009] In one embodiment of the cooking device disclosed herein, the feed box further includes a valve body disposed within the feed cavity, the valve body having the same number of valve cavities as the feed inlets, the valve cavities being configured to connect the corresponding feed inlets and the feed cavity, and a valve core being movably disposed within the valve cavity; A return spring is provided between the valve body and the valve core. Under the action of external force, the valve core overcomes the elastic force of the return spring and moves relative to the valve body to open the feed port and the material collection chamber.

[0010] In one embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, the valve core further includes: Core; A stop ring is circumferentially encircled on the outer peripheral wall of the core. The return spring is sleeved on the core and press-fitted between the valve body and the stop ring; The core is pressed against the valve seat surface of the valve body under the action of the return spring, and moves downward under the action of external force to overcome the elastic force of the return spring to form a gap between the core and the valve seat surface, and the seasoning in the valve cavity flows into the material collection cavity through the gap.

[0011] In one embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, the gas pipe is connected to the material collection chamber through one of the inlets; after the gas pump is started, under the pressure of the gas, the valve core moves downward relative to the valve body to form a gap between the valve body and the valve seat surface, and the gas passes through the gap into the material collection chamber.

[0012] In one embodiment of the cooking device disclosed herein, the valve seat surface is an inner conical surface, and an outer conical sealing ring matching the valve seat surface is fitted on the core. Under the elastic force of the return spring, the valve core and the valve seat surface are sealed together by the outer conical sealing ring.

[0013] In one embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, the cooking apparatus further includes: A third flow detection element is disposed between the air pump and the material collection box and is configured to detect the amount of air pumped into the material collection box by the air pump. The controller is communicatively connected to the third flow detection element and is configured to start the air pump when the cooking device needs to add seasonings, and to turn off the air pump when the third flow detection element detects that the amount of air pumped into the collection box has reached a preset amount.

[0014] In one embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, a timer is provided on the cooking apparatus. The timer is configured to record the operating time of the air pump. When the air pump has been running for a predetermined duration, the timer sends a signal to turn off the air pump.

[0015] In one embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, the material receiving chamber is an inverted conical chamber.

[0016] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a feeding device, including a seasoning box and a collection box, the collection box having a collection cavity and at least two inlets and at least one outlet communicating with the collection cavity, the inlets being configured to communicate with a corresponding seasoning box so that seasonings in the seasoning box enter the collection cavity and flow out through the outlet; It also includes an air pipe and an air pump connected to the air pipe, the air pipe being connected to the material collection chamber and configured to input gas into the material collection chamber and to discharge water or seasonings in the material collection chamber through the discharge port.

[0017] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a method for adding ingredients to a cooking device, wherein the cooking device is the cooking device described above, and the method for adding ingredients includes the following steps: The drive pump of the cooking equipment is turned on to pump the seasonings from the seasoning box into the material collection chamber of the cooking equipment. The drive pump is turned off after the predetermined amount of seasonings is reached. The air pump is turned on, and the air pump introduces gas into the material collection chamber to pump the seasonings in the material collection chamber into the cooking container of the cooking equipment. The air pump is turned off when the third preset condition is met.

[0018] In one embodiment of the ingredient feeding method of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, the following step is further included after the step of controlling the air pump to turn on: The air pump is turned on again, and the air pump introduces gas into the material collection chamber to pump the seasonings in the material collection chamber into the cooking container. The air pump is turned off when the fourth preset condition is met.

[0019] In one embodiment of the ingredient feeding method of the cooking device disclosed herein, the third preset condition and the fourth preset condition include the working time of the air pump reaching a predetermined time or the air volume reaching a preset air volume.

[0020] This disclosure provides a cooking apparatus, including a cooking container and a feeding device for adding seasonings to the cooking container. The feeding device includes a seasoning box assembly and a dispensing box, the seasoning box assembly including at least two seasoning boxes. The dispensing box has a dispensing cavity and at least two inlets and at least one outlet communicating with the dispensing cavity. The inlets are configured to communicate with corresponding seasoning boxes so that seasonings from the seasoning boxes enter the dispensing cavity and flow out through the outlet.

[0021] When the cooking equipment is working, the feeding device first feeds each seasoning of the recipe selected by the user into the collection box from its corresponding seasoning box. The seasonings are mixed in the collection chamber of the collection box. Then the air pump is turned on to feed gas into the collection chamber, and the water or seasonings in the collection chamber are finally discharged into the cooking container through the outlet, thereby reducing the amount of seasonings remaining in the collection chamber.

[0022] Therefore, the cooking device disclosed herein can completely guide the water or seasonings remaining in the collection chamber into the cooking container when cooking dishes, avoiding the problem of the food quality being affected by the long-term accumulation of seasoning residues in the collection chamber causing odors. To a certain extent, it can improve the user experience and make the amount of seasonings added to the cooking container more accurate.

[0023] It should be noted that the cooking equipment, feeding device and feeding method disclosed herein all have the same or corresponding technical features as the aforementioned cooking equipment, and thus have the same technical effects, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the feeding device; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the feeding device shown; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the material collection box disclosed herein; Figure 5 and Figure 6 They are Figure 4 Front view and side view of the Zhonghui material box; Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the AA-direction cross-section structure; Figure 8 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the BB-direction cross-section structure; Figure 9 yes Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the CC-direction cross-section structure; Figure 10 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of another specific embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of yet another specific embodiment of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the control process of the self-cleaning method for the cooking equipment disclosed herein; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the control flow for the ingredient feeding method of the cooking equipment disclosed herein.

[0026] Figures 1 to 13 The one-to-one correspondence between the component names and the reference numerals in the figures is as follows: 1. Cooking container; 2. Feeding device; 20. Seasoning box; 21. Drive pump; 22. Collection box; 220. Top cover; 2200. Inlet; 221. Bottom cover; 2210. Outlet; 2211. Water inlet; 2212. Water pipe connecting section; 222. Valve body; 2220. Valve cavity; 22200. Valve seat surface; 223. Valve core; 2230. Core; 2231. Stop ring; 224. Return spring; 225. Collection cavity; 226. Annular sealing ring; 227. Outer conical sealing ring; 23. Water pump; 24. Heating element; 3. First flow detection element; 4. Switch valve; 50. First water pipe; 51. Second water pipe; 52. Third water pipe; 6. Air pipe; 7. Air pump; 8. Feeding pipe; 9. Faucet. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0028] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0029] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0030] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0031] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0032] For ease of understanding, please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 11 This document describes the specific structure and working principle of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein in detail with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that this disclosure also provides a material collection box, the specific structure and working principle of which are the same as those of the material collection box applied to the cooking apparatus. To maintain brevity, the specific structure and working principle of the material collection box are described along with the description of the cooking apparatus, and will not be described separately.

[0033] See Figure 1 The cooking device disclosed herein includes a cooking container 1 and a feeding device 2 for adding seasonings to the cooking container 1. The cooking container 1 is connected to the feeding device 2 through a feeding pipe. During the cooking process, the feeding device 2 adds seasonings to the cooking container 1.

[0034] Among them, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The feeding device 2 includes at least two seasoning boxes 20, at least one collection box 22, and a drive pump 21 corresponding to the number of seasoning boxes 20. The drive pump 21 pumps the seasonings in each seasoning box 20 into the collection chamber 225 of the collection box 22. These seasonings are mixed and refluxed in the collection chamber 225 before flowing into the cooking container 1, such as a wok, to automatically add the seasonings required by the recipe to the ingredients in the cooking container 1.

[0035] However, seasoning residues are easily left inside the seasoning box 22. If they are not cleaned and treated in time, these residues will accumulate inside the seasoning box 22, which will eventually produce an odor or contaminate the seasonings added later, thus affecting the quality of the dish.

[0036] Therefore, referring to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The material collection box 22 of this disclosure has a material collection cavity 225 and at least two inlets 2200 and at least one outlet 2210 communicating with the material collection cavity 225. The inlets 2200 are configured to communicate with corresponding condiment boxes 20, allowing condiments from the condiment boxes 20 to enter the material collection cavity 225 and flow out through the outlet 2210. The material collection box 22 also includes a water inlet 2211 communicating with the material collection cavity 225, configured to supply water for cleaning at least the material collection cavity 225. For a better understanding of the specific structure of the material collection box 22, please refer to [further details omitted]. Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 .

[0037] For details, see Figure 6and Figure 7 In this embodiment, the material collection box 22 of this disclosure includes an upper cover 220, a lower cover 221, and a valve body 222 disposed in the material collection cavity 225 formed by the upper cover 220 and the lower cover 221.

[0038] More specifically, the upper cover 220 includes an upper cover plate body and a lower annular circumferential portion extending downward from the edge of the upper cover plate body. Furthermore, an inlet connecting pipe section extends upward from the upper end face of the upper cover plate body, and the inlet connecting pipe section has a feeding hole that penetrates the upper cover plate body; the external opening of the feeding hole is the inlet 2200. The inlet connecting pipe section is provided to facilitate connection with external pipelines. Of course, according to other embodiments of this disclosure, the inlet 2200 is directly formed on the upper cover plate body, and external pipelines are directly connected to the upper cover plate body, thereby achieving communication with the inlet 2200.

[0039] Similarly, see also Figure 8 The lower cover 221 includes a lower cover 221 plate and an upper annular circumferential portion extending upward from the edge of the lower cover 221 plate. Furthermore, a discharge connecting pipe section extends downward from the lower end of the lower cover 221 plate, and the discharge connecting pipe section has a conveying hole that penetrates the lower cover 221 plate. The external opening of the conveying hole is the discharge port 2210. The discharge connecting pipe section is provided to facilitate connection with external pipelines. Of course, according to other embodiments of this disclosure, the discharge port 2210 is directly formed on the lower cover 221 plate, and external pipelines are directly connected to the lower cover 221 plate, thereby achieving communication with the discharge port 2210.

[0040] During assembly, the upper cover 220 and the lower cover 221 are connected together by bolts and fasteners and can be detachably connected. The two together form a material collection cavity 225, and the valve body 222 is located in the material collection cavity 225.

[0041] In detail, the inner wall of the lower annular circumferential portion has an annular boss, and the valve body 222 is placed on the annular boss.

[0042] Furthermore, in order to improve the sealing performance of the material collection chamber 225 and prevent the seasoning in the material collection chamber 225 from leaking through the mating surface between the valve body 222 and the lower cover 221, in this embodiment, the valve body 222 and the lower cover 221 are statically sealed together by an annular sealing ring 226.

[0043] See also Figure 7The valve body 222 has the same number of valve chambers 2220 as the feed inlets 2200. Each valve chamber 2220 is configured to connect the corresponding feed inlet 2200 and the material collection chamber 225. A valve core 223 is movably disposed within each valve chamber 2220. A return spring 224 is disposed between the valve body 222 and the valve core 223. The valve core 223 is configured to abut against the valve seat surface 22200 of the valve body 222 under the action of the return spring 224, thereby disconnecting the feed inlet 2200 and the material collection chamber 225. Under the action of an external force, it overcomes the elastic force of the return spring 224 and moves downward relative to the valve body 222 to open the feed inlet 2200 and the material collection chamber 225.

[0044] Thus, when the seasoning is pumped in from the inlet 2200, the valve core 223 moves downward under the action of external force to overcome the elastic force of the return spring 224 and connect the inlet 2200 and the collection chamber 225. The seasoning in the valve chamber 2220 flows into the collection chamber 225 and is finally introduced into the cooking container 1 from the outlet 2210.

[0045] Therefore, in this embodiment, the material collection box 22 of this disclosure has a one-way flow function, that is, it only allows the seasonings to flow into the material collection chamber 225 sequentially through the inlet 2200 and the valve chamber 2220, preventing the seasonings in the material collection chamber 225 from flowing backward, thereby avoiding the problem of backflow of seasonings when the cooking equipment malfunctions.

[0046] See also Figure 7 The valve core 223 disclosed herein also includes a core body 2230 and a stop ring 2231. The stop ring 2231 is circumferentially wrapped around the outer peripheral wall of the core body 2230. The return spring 224 is sleeved on the core body 2230 and pressed between the valve body 222 and the stop ring 2231. The core body 2230 is pressed against the valve seat surface of the valve body under the action of the return spring. Under the action of external force, the core body 2230 overcomes the elastic force of the return spring and moves downward to form a gap between the core body 2230 and the valve seat surface. The seasoning in the valve cavity 2220 flows into the material collection cavity 225 through this gap.

[0047] Thus, when assembling the material box 22, first insert the core 2230 into the valve cavity 2220 from the valve seat surface 22200 side of the valve body 222, then put the return spring 224 on the core 2230, and finally put the stop ring 2231 on the core 2230, so that the core 2230 is pressed against the valve seat surface 22200 of the valve body 222 under the elastic force of the return spring 224.

[0048] The valve seat surface 22200 of the valve cavity 2220 disclosed herein is an inner conical surface, and an outer conical sealing ring 227 matching the valve seat surface 22200 is sleeved on the core 2230. Under the elastic force of the return spring 224, the valve core 223 and the valve seat surface 22200 are sealed and connected by the outer conical sealing ring 227.

[0049] In this way, this structure effectively ensures the sealing effect between the valve core 223 and the valve seat surface 22200 of the valve body 222.

[0050] See also Figure 7 In this embodiment, the material collection chamber 225 is an inverted conical chamber, and the water inlet 2211 is configured to allow the outflowing water to spiral downward along the inner wall of the material collection chamber 225.

[0051] In detail, the discharge port 2210 is located at the bottom of the material collection chamber 225, and the lower cover 221 is provided with a water inlet 2211. Water flows into the material collection chamber 225 through the water inlet 2211. The center line of the water inlet 2211 is offset from the central axis of the material collection chamber 225. In a more preferred embodiment, the center line of the water inlet 2211 is perpendicular to the central axis of the material collection chamber 225.

[0052] Thus, when the water pump 23 pumps water from the water inlet 2211 into the material collection chamber 225, it will spray onto the chamber wall of the material collection chamber 225. With the help of the inverted conical chamber structure, the water will flow in a cyclone along the chamber wall, thoroughly cleaning the seasoning residue on the chamber wall, and finally carrying the seasoning residue out of the material collection chamber 225 from the outlet.

[0053] See also Figure 7 In this embodiment, the water inlet 2211 is located at the upper part of the material collection chamber 225 so that water can flow spirally downward along the chamber wall and through the entire chamber wall of the material collection chamber 225, making the cleaning more thorough and avoiding blind spots or dead corners that cannot be cleaned.

[0054] Combination Figure 8 and Figure 9 In this embodiment, the opening direction of the water inlet 2211 is tangent to the cavity wall of the material collection chamber 225. The water flowing through the water inlet 2211 moves spirally along the cavity wall of the material collection chamber 225 under the action of inertia and gravity, thus cleaning the cavity wall of the material collection chamber 225 more thoroughly and making the cleaning more efficient and thorough.

[0055] In this way, the cavity wall near the water inlet 2211 can be cleaned in the early stage of entering the material collection cavity 225 through the water inlet 2211, and then flows through other areas of the cavity wall of the material collection cavity 225 in a cyclone manner, avoiding the existence of cleaning dead corners or blind spots, so as to thoroughly clean the seasoning residue in the material collection cavity 225.

[0056] See also Figure 8 and Figure 9 In this embodiment, a water pipe connecting pipe section 2212 is formed by extending outward along the center line of the water inlet 2211 on the lower cover 221. The center hole of the water pipe connecting pipe section 2212 is collinear with the center line of the water inlet 2211. The water pipe connecting pipe section 2212 is configured to connect to an external water supply pipeline, which includes a high-pressure water pipe or a tap water faucet.

[0057] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the water inlet 2211 can be one of multiple feed inlets 2200 located on the outside of the collection box 22. The water inlet 2211 has the same structure and orientation as the feed inlets 2200. The central axis of the water inlet 2211 is parallel to the central axis of the discharge outlet 2210. The water inlet 2211 is provided with a nozzle that is inclined towards the inner wall of the collection box 22 at an angle between 20 and 45 degrees, so that the water flow sprayed from the water inlet 2211 forms a spiral downward trend inside the collection box 22, achieving a more comprehensive cleaning effect for the collection cavity 225. Preferably, the water inlet 2211 is located near the outer periphery of the collection box 22, and at least a portion of the water inlet 2211 is coplanar with the inner wall of the collection box 22, so that the water flow passing through the water inlet 2211 to the inner wall of the collection box 22 is unobstructed, and the high-pressure water flow forms a better cleaning effect.

[0058] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the water inlet 2211 is located on one side of the feed inlet 2200, outside the collection box 22. The water inlet 2211 and the feed inlet 2200 have the same orientation. The central axis of the water inlet 2211 is parallel to the central axis of the discharge outlet 2210. The water inlet 2211 is provided with a nozzle that is inclined towards the inner wall of the collection box 22 at an angle between 20 and 45 degrees, so that the water flow sprayed from the water inlet 2211 forms a spiral downward trend inside the collection box 22, achieving a more comprehensive cleaning effect for the collection cavity 225. Preferably, the water inlet 2211 is located close to the outer periphery of the collection box 22, and at least a portion of the water inlet 2211 is coplanar with the inner wall of the collection box 22, so that the water flow passing through the water inlet 2211 to the inner wall of the collection box 22 is unobstructed, and the high-pressure water flow forms a better cleaning effect.

[0059] In the above embodiments of this disclosure, there can be multiple water inlets 2211. Water from the tank flows through a water pipe and is then diverted via pipes and valves to form multiple water inlets 2211 on the collection box 22. Each water inlet 2211 within the collection box 22 has a nozzle, and each nozzle has a different orientation towards the interior of the collection box 22. Multiple water inlets 2211 with different orientations can more comprehensively clean the inner wall of the collection box 22, achieving a thorough cleaning without dead angles. Preferably, two symmetrically arranged water inlets 2211 are formed on the collection box 22, with the nozzles of each water inlet 2211 facing opposite directions, so that multiple spiraling downward water flows are formed inside the collection box 22, achieving better cleaning of the collection cavity 225.

[0060] See Figure 10According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the cooking device further includes a first flow detection element 3 and a switching valve 4. The first flow detection element 3 is configured to detect the amount of water flowing into the collection chamber 225, and the switching valve 4 is configured to prevent water from flowing into the collection chamber 225 when the first flow detection element 3 detects that the amount of water has reached a preset amount.

[0061] When the cooking equipment is in operation, the feeding device first feeds the various seasonings of the user-selected recipe into the feeding box 22. The seasonings are mixed in the feeding chamber 225 of the feeding box 22, and finally discharged into the cooking container 1 through the outlet. After the dish is prepared, water is fed into the feeding chamber 225. This water flows spirally downwards along the wall of the feeding chamber 225, thoroughly cleaning any remaining seasoning residue. Simultaneously, the first flow detection element 3 detects the amount of water flowing into the feeding chamber 225. When the water volume reaches a preset level, the switch valve 4 either closes to prevent water from flowing into the feeding chamber 225 or directly shuts off the water pump 23, thus completing the cleaning process of the feeding chamber 225.

[0062] It should be noted that the preset water volume in this disclosure refers to a specific value or range of values ​​set based on factors such as the properties and weight of various seasonings in the input collection chamber 225. Extensive experiments have proven that when the preset water volume is reached for a specific type and weight of seasoning, it is sufficient to thoroughly clean the seasoning residue from the collection chamber 225. Therefore, this document does not impose a specific limit on the preset water volume; those skilled in the art can set it based on actual conditions.

[0063] Therefore, the cooking device disclosed herein can automatically clean the material collection chamber 225 after cooking, and discharge the seasoning residue inside with the water flow. This avoids the problem of the seasoning residue accumulating in the material collection chamber 225 for a long time, which would cause odor and affect the quality of the dish. To a certain extent, this can improve the user experience.

[0064] See also Figure 10 In this embodiment, the cooking device includes a first water pipe 50, a second water pipe 51 and a third water pipe 52. The first water pipe 50 is connected to the faucet 9 and the first flow detection element 3, the second water pipe 51 is connected to the first flow detection element 3 and the switch valve 4, and the third water pipe 52 is connected to the switch valve 4 and the water pipe connecting section 2212.

[0065] When the material collection box 22 needs to be cleaned, turn on the faucet or open the switch valve and turn on the water pump 23. The water pump 23, which is configured in the external water tank, enters the material collection chamber 225. The water under the action of the water pump 23 flows into the material collection chamber 225 in sequence through the first water pipe 50, the first flow detection element 3, the second water pipe 51, the switch valve 4, the third water pipe 52, the water pipe connecting section 2212, and the water delivery hole 2211, cleaning the material collection chamber 225. When the water flowing into the material collection chamber 225 reaches the preset amount, the switch valve 4 is closed, and the cleaning work is over.

[0066] It should be noted that the first water pipe 50, the second water pipe 51, and the third water pipe in this embodiment are all flexible water pipes. Therefore, when assembling the cooking equipment, the installation positions of the first flow detection element 3 and the switching valve 4 can be freely arranged according to the internal structure and space of the cooking equipment, thereby improving assembly flexibility and reducing assembly difficulty.

[0067] In addition, the first flow detection element 3 can detect the amount of water flowing into the collection chamber 225 per unit time. Combined with the water input duration, the amount of water flowing into the collection chamber 225 can be obtained. The relationship between this amount of water and the preset amount is then compared to control the opening or closing of the switch valve.

[0068] It is understandable that after the cooking equipment uses water to clean the material collection chamber 225, water droplets or seasoning residues carried by the water droplets may adhere to the cavity wall of the material collection chamber 225.

[0069] Therefore, please continue to see Figure 10 The cooking device disclosed herein also includes an air pipe 6 and an air pump 7, wherein the air pipe 6 is connected to the material collection chamber 225, the air pump 7 is connected to the air pipe 6, and is configured to pump gas into the material collection chamber 225 via the air pipe 6.

[0070] After the cooking equipment cleans the material collection box 22, the air pump 7 is turned on to introduce gas into the material collection chamber 225. The gas blows off the water droplets and seasoning residues on the chamber wall, collects them, and discharges them from the discharge port 2210.

[0071] In this way, the cooking equipment uses water and gas to clean the seasoning residue and water droplets in the material collection chamber 225, further improving the cleanliness of the material collection box 22 of the cooking equipment and ensuring the quality of the dishes made by the cooking equipment.

[0072] See also Figure 10 In this embodiment, the air pipe 6 is connected to the material collection chamber 225 through the inlet 2200.

[0073] When the air pump 7 is started, under the pressure of the gas, the valve core 223 moves downward relative to the valve body 222 to form a gap between the valve body 222 and the valve seat surface 22200, and the gas passes through the gap into the material collection chamber 225 for cleaning.

[0074] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, an air hole can also be directly opened on the lower cover 221 of the material collection box 22 of this disclosure, and the air pipe 6 is connected to the material collection cavity 225 through the air hole.

[0075] Thus, gas can be introduced into the material collection chamber 225 simply by starting the air pump 7. Of course, in order to prevent the material in the material collection chamber 225 from flowing back through the air pipe 6 in case of an accident, a one-way valve structure as described above can also be installed in the air hole to allow gas to flow only in one direction from the air pipe 6 to the material collection chamber 225.

[0076] It is understandable that cleaning the material collection chamber 225 using slightly warmer water or steam would be more effective than cleaning it with room temperature water. Therefore, the cooking apparatus of this disclosure is further provided with a heating element disposed between the water pump 23 and the material collection chamber 225 to heat the water flowing out of the water pump 23.

[0077] In detail, combined Figure 3 and Figure 11 The cooking device disclosed herein includes a heating element 24, which is connected via a pipe between the outlet of the water pump 23 and the inlet of the feed box 22.

[0078] According to actual needs, the user can set the function of the heating element 24 to heat the water flowing out of the water pump 23 into high-temperature liquid water or directly heat it into water vapor. The heated water or water vapor flows into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the material collection chamber 225.

[0079] Based on the cooking device with the above structure, this disclosure also provides a method for adding ingredients to the cooking device, as described below. Figure 12 The method for adding ingredients to the cooking apparatus of this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to one embodiment.

[0080] Similarly, the ingredient addition method of this disclosure is applicable to the cooking equipment described above. Since the specific structure and working principle of the cooking equipment have been described in detail above, they will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0081] See Figure 12 The method for adding ingredients to the cooking equipment disclosed herein includes the following steps: S1. Control the drive pump 21 to turn on, pump the seasoning in the seasoning box 20 into the material collection chamber 225, and turn off the drive pump 21 after the predetermined amount of seasoning is reached. S2. Control the air pump 7 to turn on. The air pump 7 introduces gas into the material collection chamber 225 to pump the seasoning in the material collection chamber 225 into the cooking container 1. The air pump 7 is turned off when the third preset condition is met.

[0082] It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the user manually controls the drive pump 21 to turn on or off based on the amount of material in the material collection chamber 225. Similarly, the user can also manually control the air pump 7 to turn on or off based on the working time and air volume of the air pump 7. That is, the third preset condition includes the working time of the air pump 7 reaching a predetermined time or the air volume reaching a predetermined air volume.

[0083] In another embodiment, the cooking apparatus of this disclosure can automatically control the switching of drive pump 21 and / or air pump 7.

[0084] In detail, the cooking equipment also includes a controller, a second flow detection element, and a third flow detection element. The second flow detection element is connected via a pipeline between the drive pump 21 and the material collection box 22, and is configured to detect the amount of seasoning pumped into the material collection box 22 by the drive pump 21. The third flow detection element is connected between the air pump 7 and the material collection box 22, and is configured to detect the amount of air pumped into the material collection box 22 by the air pump 7. The controller is communicatively connected to both the second and third flow detection elements, and is configured to start the drive pump 21 when seasoning needs to be added to the cooking equipment, and to turn off the drive pump 21 when the second flow detection element detects that the amount of seasoning pumped into the material collection box 22 has reached a preset amount. The controller is also configured to start the air pump 7 when seasoning needs to be added to the cooking equipment, and to turn off the air pump 7 when the third flow detection element detects that the amount of air pumped into the material collection box 22 has reached a preset amount.

[0085] The feeding method disclosed herein uses the operating time of the air pump 7 as a reference value to set the timing for shutting down the air pump 7.

[0086] Specifically, a timer is set on the cooking device and configured to record the operating time of the air pump 7. That is, the timer starts counting when the air pump 7 is turned on, and when the air pump 7 has been turned on for a predetermined duration, the timer sends a signal to turn off the air pump 7.

[0087] The predetermined operating time of the air pump 7 depends on factors such as the size of the material collection chamber 225 and the amount of seasoning. This disclosure does not limit this, and those skilled in the art can set specific values ​​or ranges based on actual conditions.

[0088] Traditional methods of adding ingredients to cooking equipment rely solely on the drive pump 21 to pump the seasonings into the collection box 22, and then the seasonings automatically flow into the cooking container based on their flow inertia. Compared with the traditional method, the method disclosed in this invention first uses the drive pump 21 to pump the seasonings in the seasoning box 20 into the collection chamber 225 of the collection box 22, and then uses the air pump 7 to pump the seasonings in the collection chamber 225 into the cooking container 1. This speeds up the process of the seasonings entering the cooking container 1 and avoids the problem of insufficient seasonings added to the cooking container 1 due to excessive seasoning residue in the collection chamber 225. This ensures the taste of the dishes prepared by the cooking equipment and improves the user experience.

[0089] It is understandable that even though this disclosure uses an air pump 7 to add seasonings to the cooking container 1, there is still a problem of residual seasonings in the material collection chamber 225.

[0090] Therefore, after step S2, the feeding device of this disclosure further includes the following steps: S3. Control the air pump 7 to turn on again. The air pump 7 will introduce gas into the material collection chamber 225 to pump the residual seasoning in the material collection chamber 225 into the cooking container 1. The air pump 7 will be turned off under the fourth preset condition.

[0091] The fourth preset condition can be the same as the third preset condition, that is, the fourth preset condition includes the working time of the air pump 7 reaching the preset time or the air volume reaching the preset air volume.

[0092] Thus, the feeding method disclosed herein can further reduce the amount of residual seasoning in the feeding chamber 225, or even completely avoid the problem of residual seasoning in the feeding chamber 225. On the one hand, this can avoid the waste of seasoning and reduce the difficulty of cleaning the feeding chamber 225. On the other hand, it can add sufficient seasoning to the cooking container 1 to ensure that the dishes made by the cooking equipment reach the best taste.

[0093] Based on the above-mentioned cooking equipment, this disclosure also provides a self-cleaning method for the cooking equipment. Since the specific structure and working principle of the cooking equipment have been described in detail above, they will not be repeated here for the sake of keeping the text concise.

[0094] See Figure 13 The self-cleaning method for cooking equipment disclosed herein includes the following steps: S4. Control the water pump 23 to start, the water pump 23 flows water into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the material collection chamber 225, and the water pump 23 is turned off when the first preset condition is met. S5. Control the air pump 7 to turn on. The air pump 7 introduces gas into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the residual moisture in the material collection chamber 225. The air pump 7 is turned off when the second preset condition is met.

[0095] The first preset condition includes the water pump 23 operating for a predetermined duration or the water volume reaching a predetermined water volume, and the second preset condition includes the air pump 7 operating for a predetermined duration or the air volume reaching a predetermined air volume.

[0096] The self-cleaning method disclosed herein cleans the material collection chamber 225 of the material collection box 22 by using two cleaning methods: water washing and air washing.

[0097] This method can not only clean the seasoning residue in the material collection chamber 225, but also clean the water droplets and seasoning residue that have not been rinsed off on the cavity wall of the material collection chamber 225 after cleaning, thereby creating a dry and clean internal space inside the material collection chamber 225.

[0098] In this way, even if the cooking equipment is left idle for a long time, there will be no problem of mold or odor. It also avoids the problem of residual seasonings and water droplets mixing with the seasonings required for the customer's selected recipe, which would affect the taste of the dish. This ensures the quality of the dishes made by the cooking equipment and improves the user experience.

[0099] Based on the foregoing description, the cooking apparatus disclosed herein includes a cooking container, a seasoning box, a dispensing box, a flow detection element, and a switching valve. The flow detection element and the switching valve are communicatively connected. The dispensing box has a dispensing cavity 225 and at least two inlets and at least one outlet communicating with the dispensing cavity 225. The outlet is configured to input the seasoning from the dispensing cavity 225 into the cooking container. The dispensing box is also configured to input water into the dispensing cavity 225, causing the water to flow in a cyclone pattern along the cavity wall of the dispensing cavity 225.

[0100] It should be noted that the specific mechanisms and working principles of the feed box, flow detection element, and switching valve in this cooking device are exactly the same as those of the cooking device described above. Those skilled in the art can fully implement them, so this article will not elaborate further.

[0101] The specific steps and effects of the self-cleaning method of this disclosure are described in detail with reference to one embodiment.

[0102] In this embodiment, the self-cleaning method for the cooking equipment disclosed herein includes the following steps: Turn on water pump 23 and switch valve 4; The first flow detection element 3 detects the amount of water flowing into the material collection chamber 225; When the amount of water entering the material collection chamber 225 reaches the preset amount, turn off the water pump 23 and the switch valve 4, and the cleaning is completed.

[0103] It should be noted that the timing for cleaning the feed box in this self-cleaning method can be after each dish is prepared, or after the number of dishes prepared has reached a preset number, or it can be determined by the user based on the usage of the cooking equipment. This article does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0104] In the self-cleaning method disclosed herein, the operating time of the water pump 23 or the amount of water pumped into the material collection chamber 225 is used as a reference value to set the timing for shutting off the water pump 23.

[0105] Specifically, a timer is set on the cooking device and configured to record the operating time of the water pump 23. That is, the timer starts counting when the water pump 23 is turned on, and when the water pump 23 has been turned on for a predetermined time, the timer sends a signal to turn off the water pump 23.

[0106] The predetermined operating time and preset water volume of the water pump 23 depend on factors such as the size of the material collection chamber 225 and the amount of seasoning. This disclosure does not limit these factors. Those skilled in the art can set specific values ​​or ranges based on actual conditions.

[0107] It is understandable that cleaning with slightly warmer water or extremely hot steam is more effective than cleaning with room temperature water. Therefore, the cooking device disclosed herein is also equipped with a heating element 24, which is disposed between the water pump 23 and the material collection chamber 225 to heat the water flowing out of the water pump 23.

[0108] For details, see Figure 11 In this embodiment, the cooking device disclosed herein includes a heating element 24, which is connected between the outlet of the water pump 23 and the inlet of the feed box 22 via a pipeline.

[0109] According to actual needs, the user can set the function of the heating element 24 to heat the water flowing out of the water pump 23 into high-temperature liquid water or directly heat it into water vapor. The heated water or water vapor flows into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the material collection chamber 225.

[0110] Based on this structure, the self-cleaning method of the cooking device disclosed herein further includes the step of controlling the water pump 23 to open the cleaning chamber 225, which further includes: The heating element 24 located between the water pump 23 and the material collection chamber 225 is turned on to heat the water flowing out of the water pump 23. The heated water or water vapor flows into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the material collection chamber 225.

[0111] It should be noted that the heating element 24 can be an adjustable heating element. Users can set a suitable heating temperature according to their actual cleaning needs, and turn off the heating element 24 at the same time as turning off the water pump 23.

[0112] To facilitate a better understanding of the working principle of the cooking apparatus disclosed herein, please refer to the following... Figures 1 to 11 This will be explained in detail with examples of several application scenarios.

[0113] Application Scenario 1 In the initial state, the valve core 223 of the cooking device is sealed to the valve seat surface 22200 of the valve body 222. When the cooking device is working, according to the recipe requirements of the dish selected by the user, various seasonings are sent into the valve chamber 2220 through their respective inlets 2200. Under the action of external forces such as the external driving pump 21, the valve core 223 moves downward relative to the valve body 222 until a gap is formed between the valve core 223 and the valve seat surface 22200. Various seasonings flow into the collection chamber 225 through their respective gaps. After being mixed in the collection chamber 225, they are introduced into the cooking container 1 from the outlet 2210 to cook the dish.

[0114] When the material collection chamber 225 needs to be cleaned, the switch valve 4 is opened, and water flows into the material collection chamber 225 through the faucet 9 along the water path. At the same time, the first flow detection element 3 starts to detect the water flow. The water spirals downward in the material collection chamber 225, cleaning the seasoning residue on the cavity wall of the material collection chamber 225, and finally discharged from the discharge port 2210.

[0115] After the water rinsing is completed, turn on the air pump 7 to pump the gas into the material collection chamber 225 through the air pipe 6 to clean the water droplets and seasoning residue on the chamber wall of the material collection chamber 225, and then discharge it from the discharge port 2210.

[0116] Application Scenario 2 In the initial state, the valve core 223 of the cooking device is sealed to the valve seat surface 22200 of the valve body 222. When the cooking device is working, according to the recipe requirements of the dish selected by the user, the drive pump 21 is controlled to open, and various seasonings are sent into the valve chamber 2220 through their respective feed ports 2200. After the valve core 223 moves downward relative to the valve body 222 to form a gap between the valve core 223 and the valve seat surface 22200, the various seasonings flow into the collection chamber 225 through their respective gaps. After the amount of various seasonings reaches the predetermined amount, the drive pump 21 is turned off.

[0117] The air pump 7 is turned on, and the air pump 7 introduces gas into the material collection chamber 225 to pump the seasoning in the material collection chamber 225 into the cooking container 1. After the working time of the air pump 7 reaches the preset time or the amount of gas pumped into the material collection chamber 225 by the air pump 7 reaches the preset amount, the air pump 7 is turned off, and the feeding process ends.

[0118] When the food is cooked, removed from the pot and plated, and the material collection chamber 225 needs to be cleaned, the water pump 23 is turned on. The water pump 23 flows water into the material collection chamber 225 to clean it. After the water pump 23 has been working for a predetermined time or the amount of water pumped into the material collection chamber 225 has reached the preset amount, the water pump 23 is turned off.

[0119] Then, control the air pump 7 to turn on, and the air pump 7 will introduce gas into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the residual moisture in the material collection chamber 225. After the air pump 7 has been working for a preset time or the amount of gas pumped into the material collection chamber 225 has reached a preset amount, the air pump 7 will be turned off.

[0120] Application Scenario 3 In the initial state, the valve core 223 of the cooking device is sealed to the valve seat surface 22200 of the valve body 222. When the cooking device is working, according to the recipe requirements of the dish selected by the user, the drive pump 21 is controlled to open, and various seasonings are sent into the valve chamber 2220 through their respective feed ports 2200. After the valve core 223 moves downward relative to the valve body 222 to form a gap between the valve core 223 and the valve seat surface 22200, the various seasonings flow into the collection chamber 225 through their respective gaps. After the amount of various seasonings reaches the predetermined amount, the drive pump 21 is turned off.

[0121] The air pump 7 is turned on, and the air pump 7 introduces gas into the material collection chamber 225 to pump the seasoning in the material collection chamber 225 into the cooking container 1. After the working time of the air pump 7 reaches the preset time or the amount of gas pumped into the material collection chamber 225 by the air pump 7 reaches the preset amount, the air pump 7 is turned off.

[0122] After waiting for a preset time, usually 1 second, the air pump 7 is turned on again. The air pump 7 introduces gas into the material collection chamber 225 to pump the seasoning in the material collection chamber 225 into the cooking container 1. After the working time of the air pump 7 reaches the preset time or the amount of gas pumped into the material collection chamber 225 by the air pump 7 reaches the preset amount, the air pump 7 is turned off, and the feeding process ends.

[0123] When the food is cooked, removed from the pot, and plated, and the collection chamber 225 needs to be cleaned, the water pump 23 and the heating element 24 are turned on. The water pump 23 pumps water into the collection chamber 225. At the same time, the heating element 24 heats the water to a preset temperature or directly heats it into high-temperature steam to clean the collection chamber 225. After the water pump 23 has been working for a preset time or the amount of water pumped into the collection chamber 225 has reached a preset amount, the water pump 23 is turned off.

[0124] Then, control the air pump 7 to turn on, and the air pump 7 will introduce gas into the material collection chamber 225 to clean the residual moisture in the material collection chamber 225. After the air pump 7 has been working for a preset time or the amount of gas pumped into the material collection chamber 225 has reached a preset amount, the air pump 7 will be turned off.

[0125] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooking device, characterized in that, include: A cooking container (1) and a feeding device (2) for adding seasonings to the cooking container (1); The feeding device (2) includes: A condiment container assembly, comprising at least two condiment containers (20); The material collection box (22) has a material collection cavity (225) and at least two inlets (2200) and at least one outlet (2210) communicating with the material collection cavity (225). The inlets (2200) are configured to communicate with a corresponding seasoning box (20) so that the seasoning in the seasoning box (20) enters the material collection cavity (225) and flows out through the outlet (2210). An air pipe (6) and an air pump (7) connected to the air pipe (6), the air pipe (6) being connected to the material collection chamber (225) and configured to input gas into the material collection chamber (225) and to discharge water or seasoning in the material collection chamber (225) through the discharge port (2210).

2. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material collection box (22) includes an upper cover (220) and a lower cover (221). The upper cover (220) and the lower cover (221) together form the material collection cavity (225). The lower cover (221) has an air hole, and the air pipe (6) communicates with the material collection cavity (225) through the air hole.

3. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material collection box (22) also includes a valve body (222) disposed in the material collection cavity (225). The valve body (222) has valve cavities (2220) in the same number as the inlet (2200). The valve cavities (2220) are configured to connect the corresponding inlet (2200) and the material collection cavity (225). A valve core (223) is movably disposed in the valve cavity (2220). A return spring (224) is provided between the valve body (222) and the valve core (223). Under the action of external force, the valve core (223) overcomes the elastic force of the return spring (224) and moves relative to the valve body (222) to open the feed port (2200) and the material collection chamber (225).

4. The cooking apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The valve core (223) also includes: Core (2230); A stop ring (2231) is circumferentially encircled on the outer peripheral wall of the core (2230); The return spring (224) is sleeved on the core (2230) and press-fitted between the valve body (222) and the stop ring (2231); The core (2230) is pressed against the valve seat surface (22200) of the valve body (222) under the action of the return spring (224), and under the action of external force, it moves downward to overcome the elastic force of the return spring (224) to form a gap between the core (2230) and the valve seat surface (22200), and the seasoning in the valve cavity (2220) flows into the material collection cavity (225) through the gap.

5. The cooking apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air pipe (6) is connected to the material collection chamber (225) through one of the feed inlets (2200); after the air pump (7) is started, under the pressure of the gas, the valve core (223) moves downward relative to the valve body (222) to form a gap between the valve body (222) and the valve seat surface (22200), and the gas passes through the gap into the material collection chamber (225).

6. The cooking apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The valve seat surface (22200) is an inner conical surface, and the core (2230) is fitted with an outer conical sealing ring (227) that matches the valve seat surface (22200). Under the elastic force of the return spring (224), the valve core (223) and the valve seat surface (22200) are sealed and connected by the outer conical sealing ring (227).

7. The cooking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The cooking equipment also includes: A third flow detection element is disposed between the air pump (7) and the material collection box (22) and is configured to detect the amount of air pumped into the material collection box (22) by the air pump (7); The controller is communicatively connected to the third flow detection element and is configured to start the air pump (7) when the cooking device needs to add seasonings, and to turn off the air pump (7) when the third flow detection element detects that the amount of air pumped into the material collection box (22) reaches a preset amount.

8. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, A timer is provided on the cooking device. The timer is configured to record the working time of the air pump (7). When the air pump (7) has been turned on for a predetermined time, the timer sends a signal to turn off the air pump (7).

9. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material collection chamber (225) is an inverted conical chamber.

10. A feeding device, characterized in that, The device includes a seasoning box (20) and a collection box (22), the collection box (22) having a collection cavity (225) and at least two inlets (2200) and at least one outlet (2210) communicating with the collection cavity (225), the inlets (2200) being configured to communicate with the corresponding seasoning box (20) so that the seasoning in the seasoning box (20) enters the collection cavity (225) and flows out through the outlet (2210); It also includes an air pipe (6) and an air pump (7) connected to the air pipe (6), the air pipe (6) being connected to the material collection chamber (225) and configured to input gas into the material collection chamber (225) and to discharge water or seasoning in the material collection chamber (225) through the discharge port (2210).

11. A method for adding ingredients to a cooking device, wherein the cooking device is the cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The feeding method includes the following steps: The drive pump (21) of the cooking equipment is turned on to pump the seasonings in the seasoning box (20) of the cooking equipment into the material collection chamber (225) of the cooking equipment. After the predetermined amount of seasonings is reached, the drive pump (21) is turned off. The air pump (7) is turned on, and the air pump (7) introduces gas into the material collection chamber (225) to pump the seasoning in the material collection chamber (225) into the cooking container (1) of the cooking equipment. The air pump (7) is turned off when the third preset condition is met.

12. The feeding method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The following steps are included after the step of controlling the air pump (7) to start: The air pump (7) is turned on again, and the air pump (7) introduces gas into the material collection chamber (225) to pump the seasoning in the material collection chamber (225) into the cooking container (1). The air pump (7) is turned off when the fourth preset condition is met.

13. The feeding method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The third and fourth preset conditions include the working time of the air pump (7) reaching a predetermined time or the air volume reaching a predetermined air volume.

Images