A rice storage device and a method of using the same

Abstract

The application relates to a rice storage device and an application method thereof, which comprises a shell, a shell cover, a cleaning bin unit, an air pipe unit, a water supply and drainage unit, a rice storage bin unit and a total control unit arranged in the shell; a water inlet and a water outlet of the cleaning bin unit are respectively connected with a water supply end and a water drainage end of the water supply and drainage unit; an air inlet and a discharge port of the cleaning bin unit and a rice inlet and a rice outlet of the rice storage bin unit are respectively connected with corresponding branch air pipes of the air pipe unit; the total control unit is electrically connected with each unit and is used for coordinating and controlling the action time sequence and the operation state of each unit. The application constructs the rice storage device which is compact in structure and can realize automatic cleaning, drying, storage and taking of rice, completely replaces manual rice washing operation, greatly simplifies kitchen work processes, reduces the burden of users and saves water resources, eliminates artificial contact type pollution, improves the edible health safety of rice, realizes the whole-process integration and intelligentization of rice processing, and adapts to the development trend of modern kitchens.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent kitchen equipment technology, specifically to a rice storage device and its application method. Background Technology

[0002] In the development of rice cooker technology, while its core rice cooking function has undergone multiple iterations and optimizations, the pre-cooking preparation process has never achieved a fundamental breakthrough. In current mainstream applications, users still need to manually wash the rice before transferring it to the rice cooker. This traditional process has many inherent drawbacks and is no longer suitable for the core demands of modern fast-paced lifestyles for efficient and convenient kitchen operation. 1. Manual rice washing is cumbersome and resource-intensive. Traditionally, users need to wash rice 2-3 times to remove surface impurities and bran, with each wash involving repeated steps such as adding water, stirring, and draining. For families or small restaurants that cook rice multiple times, this process consumes a significant amount of time, greatly increasing kitchen workload. Furthermore, the repeated rinsing method results in serious water waste, failing to achieve proper water recycling and contradicting current green and low-carbon lifestyle concepts and environmental protection requirements.

[0003] 2. Manual handling poses significant hygiene and safety risks. During manual washing, bacteria, grease, sweat, and other impurities carried by hands can easily transfer to the surface of rice and grains, causing food contamination. This risk increases further, especially when multiple people work in shifts or when hands are not thoroughly cleaned, failing to meet users' high-quality demands for food safety.

[0004] Therefore, we will continue to develop a rice storage device that can automatically clean, dry, and store rice. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention addresses the technical problems existing in the prior art by providing a rice storage device and its application method.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: A rice storage device includes an outer casing with a cover on top. Inside, there are a washing chamber unit, an air duct unit, a water supply and drainage unit, a rice storage unit, and a main control unit. The water inlet and outlet of the washing chamber unit are respectively connected to the water supply end and the drainage end of the water supply and drainage unit. The air inlet and outlet of the washing chamber unit, and the rice inlet and outlet of the rice storage unit are respectively connected to the corresponding branch air ducts of the air duct unit. The main control unit is electrically connected to the washing chamber unit, the air duct unit, the water supply and drainage unit, and the rice storage unit to coordinate and control the action sequence and operating status of each unit.

[0007] The beneficial effects of this invention are: By integrating the washing chamber unit, air duct unit, water supply and drainage unit, rice storage chamber unit and main control unit, a compact rice storage device is constructed that can automatically wash, dry, store and retrieve rice. It completely replaces manual rice washing, greatly simplifies kitchen work processes, reduces user burden and saves water resources, eliminates human contact contamination, improves the hygiene and safety of rice, and realizes the integration and intelligentization of the entire rice processing process, which is in line with the development trend of modern kitchens.

[0008] Furthermore, the cleaning chamber unit includes a cleaning chamber body, a door assembly hinged to the side of the cleaning chamber body, an external drive assembly, an internal stirring assembly connected to the drive assembly, a loading inlet assembly at the top feed inlet, an exhaust valve driven by an exhaust motor at the exhaust outlet, and a discharge valve at the bottom discharge outlet; the outer shell cover has mating notches corresponding to the loading inlet assembly and the door assembly. The door assembly hinged to the side of the cleaning chamber body facilitates internal cleaning and maintenance; the integration of the loading inlet assembly, drive assembly, and stirring assembly enables efficient completion of rice loading, cleaning, and discharge processes.

[0009] Furthermore, the door assembly includes a rear cover and a door. One end of the rear cover is hinged to the cleaning chamber body via a hinge, and the other end is equipped with a push-button latch. The outer wall of the cleaning chamber body is provided with a locking hook that cooperates with the latch. Multiple guide holes are evenly distributed circumferentially in the middle of the rear cover. Multiple guide posts, which cooperate with and are fixed to the guide holes, are provided on the side of the door facing the rear cover. Springs are fitted onto the guide posts, and the two ends of the springs abut against the rear cover and the door, respectively. The door is movably connected to the side of the rear cover facing the cleaning chamber body via the guide posts and springs, and an annular sealing element is provided at the edge of the door. The door assembly adopts a double-layer door structure. The rear cover serves as the outer support structure, and the door is opened and closed through a rotating connection. The door serves as the inner sealing structure, and through a loose connection with the rear cover and equipped with an annular sealing element, it ensures the airtightness and waterproofness of the cleaning chamber body. Separating the rotating support and elastic sealing functions achieves a dual improvement in sealing reliability and operational convenience.

[0010] Furthermore, the loading inlet assembly includes a base, an upper cover, a lower cover, a channel valve, a valve push rod, and a valve motor. The base is fixedly connected to the washing chamber body and has a through-hole for loading. The inner wall has a valve push rod insertion hole. Both the upper and lower covers have several small holes, and the upper and lower covers are fixedly connected to form a chamber cover, which is embedded in the base. An inlet channel is formed within the chamber cover. The channel valve is hinged within the inlet channel. The valve motor is fixed to the base, and its output is connected to the channel valve via the valve push rod to control the opening and closing of the inlet channel. By embedding the chamber cover within the base, it can be removed and placed during rice loading. Through the cooperation of the channel valve, valve push rod, and valve motor, the state of the chamber cover inlet channel can be flexibly switched, meeting multiple functional requirements: sealing and preventing leakage during the washing stage, ventilation and dehumidification during the drying stage, and sealing and pressure maintenance during the rice conveying stage.

[0011] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a drive motor, a drive wheel, and a driven wheel. The output shaft of the drive motor is fixedly connected to the drive wheel, and the drive wheel and the driven wheel are connected by a synchronous belt drive. The stirring assembly includes a stirring shaft, a stirring paddle fixed on the stirring shaft, and cleaning blades and cleaning and output blades located at the end of the stirring paddle. The stirring shaft extends outside the cleaning chamber and is fixedly connected to the driven wheel. By integrating and adapting the drive assembly and the stirring assembly, the three major functions of stirring, cleaning, and pushing are integrated into a single component, achieving 360° full-coverage cleaning of the chamber wall and auxiliary pushing of rice grains.

[0012] Furthermore, the air duct unit includes a main air duct; one end of the main air duct is equipped with a fan, and the other end is connected to multiple branch air ducts; each branch air duct inlet is equipped with an air duct valve, and multiple air duct valves are driven by the same valve motor to achieve time-sharing selective opening. By integrating multiple branch air ducts through the main air duct, the number of ducts is significantly reduced, avoiding the occupation of internal space of the rice storage box by decentralized ducts; by driving each air duct valve with the same drive component to achieve selective opening, the timing deviation and coordination error of multi-power source control are avoided from the root, and the selective opening drive logic can flexibly switch the air supply and discharge ducts of the washing chamber and the rice storage chamber, accurately adapting to the independent operation requirements of different processes such as rice drying in the rice storage box, discharge from the washing chamber, and discharge from the rice storage chamber.

[0013] Furthermore, the water supply and drainage unit includes an inlet solenoid valve, a water supply pump, and a drainage pump; the drainage pump is connected to the drain outlet of the cleaning chamber via a drain valve, and the drainage pump is equipped with an external drainage interface; the water supply pump is connected to the water inlet of the cleaning chamber via an inlet solenoid valve. The water supply and drainage unit enables precise control of cleaning water and convenient discharge of wastewater.

[0014] Furthermore, the rice storage unit includes a storage body, a storage bottom, a storage cover, a material handling component, and an exhaust valve. The storage body has a storage cover on top and a storage bottom at the bottom, forming a closed storage space. A position sensor is installed inside the storage body. The storage cover has an exhaust port, and the outer cover has air holes corresponding to the exhaust port. An exhaust valve is located below the exhaust port and is connected to the exhaust motor of the cleaning unit. A weighing sensor is installed inside the storage bottom, and an outlet guide plate is located above the rice outlet at the bottom of the storage bottom. A material handling component is located between the rice outlet and the outlet guide plate. The material handling component includes a material handling motor, and the output end of the material handling motor is connected to a double-ribbed spiral material handling shaft. The rice storage unit combines sealing and ventilation to ensure the quality of stored rice. It also has comprehensive monitoring functions, allowing users to monitor the status of the rice in real time. Furthermore, the material handling component enables quantitative dispensing and improves dispensing accuracy, combining practicality and intelligence.

[0015] A method for applying a rice storage device is disclosed, allowing for the device to be used alone or linked with a rice cooker, external bottled water, or external water dispenser to form a multimodal integrated rice storage and cooking system. This system supports standalone use or integration with a rice cooker and external water source, breaking down the functional barriers between traditional rice storage devices, cooking equipment, and water supply equipment. It enables seamless integration of the entire process from rice storage, washing, retrieval to cooking, adapting to different user scenarios.

[0016] Furthermore, the application method includes the following steps: S1. Loading and washing rice and grains: Remove the cover of the inlet component of the cleaning chamber unit, load the rice into the cleaning chamber through the feed inlet, close the cover, and then simultaneously open the water inlet solenoid valve and water supply pump. External water is injected through the water inlet. Close the water inlet solenoid valve, and then start and continuously run the drive component after soaking. The drive motor drives the driven wheel to rotate through the drive wheel and synchronous belt, which in turn drives the stirring shaft to rotate along the central axis of the cleaning chamber. The stirring paddle stirs the rice-water mixture for cleaning. The cleaning and output blades respectively adhere to the inner peripheral wall of the cleaning chamber, the bottom wall of the cleaning chamber, and the inner wall of the door component, and simultaneously scrape off the adhering rice scraps and stains to prevent the rice from clumping and remaining. S2, Drain and air dry: After cleaning, the drain pump is turned on, and the rice water is discharged from the drain outlet. After drainage is completed, the drain pump is turned off, and the fan and valve motor of the air duct unit are turned on to drive the air duct valve at the inlet of the branch air duct connected to the air inlet of the cleaning chamber unit to open. At the same time, the exhaust valve is opened by the exhaust fan motor, and dry hot air is introduced into the air inlet. After it is fully dried by contact with the rice grains, it is discharged through the exhaust outlet, forming a complete air path. The stirring components operate synchronously to accelerate the discharge of wastewater and the drying rate. S3. Loading into the rice storage unit: After air drying, the exhaust valve of the cleaning chamber unit is reset, the exhaust door of the rice storage chamber unit is opened, and the discharge valve of the cleaning chamber unit and the air duct valve at the inlet of the branch air duct connecting the discharge port of the cleaning chamber unit and the rice inlet of the rice storage chamber unit are opened at the same time. The cleaning and output blades of the stirring component push the rice towards the discharge port. The rice falls out of the discharge port and enters the branch air duct. Under the action of the wind pressure generated by the fan, it is transported to the rice silo body. The airflow finally flows out from the exhaust port on the rice silo cover, forming a complete airflow path. The position sensor inside the rice silo monitors the rice storage volume in real time, and the weighing sensor at the bottom of the rice silo records the rice weight simultaneously. The data is fed back to the main control unit. S4. Rice / Grain Dispensing: When rice needs to be dispensed, input the preset dispensing amount command, or the rice cooker will send a quantitative dispensing command. Then, the dispensing component is activated, and the dispensing motor drives the double-ribbed spiral dispensing shaft to rotate. The double-ribbed spiral dispensing shaft smoothly pushes the rice at the bottom of the rice bin towards the rice outlet. The outlet guide plate guides the rice to prevent spillage or blockage of the rice outlet. At the same time, the valve motor is activated, which drives the air duct valve at the inlet of the branch air duct connecting to the rice outlet of the rice storage unit to open. The fan starts to generate auxiliary air pressure, pushing the rice along the branch air duct to the rice cooker. The conveying airflow is finally discharged from the rice cooker's air outlet, forming a complete conveying air path. After the dispensing amount reaches the preset value, the dispensing motor, valve motor, and fan are turned off, completing the rice dispensing process.

[0017] The processes are seamlessly integrated and easy to operate, forming a complete automated process from loading and cleaning rice, draining and drying, storing rice to retrieval. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the rice storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the rice storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 , Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cleaning chamber unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of the cleaning chamber unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cleaning chamber unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the ductwork unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the air duct valve and branch air duct according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the rice storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the rice storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the linkage structure between the exhaust valve and the exhaust door in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is an assembly diagram of the rice storage device and rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention; The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows: 1. Outer shell; 2. Outer shell cover; 3. Cleaning chamber unit; 31. Cleaning chamber body; 311. Locking hook; 312. Positioning guide groove; 32. Chamber door assembly; 321. Rear cover; 322. Chamber door; 3221. Positioning boss; 323. Locking latch; 324. Guide hole; 325. Guide post; 326. Seal; 33. Drive assembly; 331. Drive motor; 332. Drive wheel; 333. Driven wheel; 334. Synchronous belt; 4. Mixing assembly, 341. Mixing shaft, 342. Mixing paddle, 343. Cleaning blades, 344. Cleaning blades, 345. Cleaning and output blades, 35. Loading inlet assembly, 351. Base, 352. Top cover, 353. Bottom cover, 354. Channel valve, 355. Valve push rod, 356. Valve motor, 36. Exhaust motor, 361. Push door protrusion, 362. First valve striker, 363. Second valve striker Column, 364, Sensor impact column, 365, First position sensor, 366, Second position sensor, 37, Exhaust valve, 4, Ductwork unit, 41, Main duct, 411, Positioning sensor, 42, Fan, 43, Drying duct, 431, Drying duct valve, 44, Discharge duct, 441, Discharge duct valve, 45, Pickup duct, 451, Pickup duct valve, 46, Drive mechanism, 461, Drive motor 462. Main drive cam; 463. Winch 1; 464. Winch 2; 465. Winch 3; 466. Relay arm; 5. Water supply and drainage unit; 51. Water inlet solenoid valve; 52. Drain valve; 6. Rice storage unit; 61. Rice storage body; 62. Rice storage bottom; 63. Rice storage cover; 631. Exhaust port; 64. Feeding motor; 65. Exhaust valve; 66. Outlet guide plate; 67. Double-ribbed spiral feeding shaft; 7. Rice cooker. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this technology based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] In the description of this application, spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc., are used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figures and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element or feature described as "below" or "under" or "below" of other elements or features will be oriented "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary terms "below" and "under" can include both upper and lower orientations. Furthermore, the device may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0023] In the description of this application, the term "for example" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "for example" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be made without using these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of the invention with unnecessary detail. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0024] Example 1 like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a rice storage device, including a housing 1 with a housing cover 2 on top. Inside, there are a washing chamber unit 3, an air duct unit 4, a water supply and drainage unit 5, a rice storage unit 6, and a main control unit. The water inlet and outlet of the washing chamber unit 3 are respectively connected to the water supply and drainage ends of the water supply and drainage unit 5. The air inlet and outlet of the washing chamber unit 3, and the rice inlet and outlet of the rice storage unit 6 are respectively connected to corresponding branch air ducts of the air duct unit 4. The main control unit is electrically connected to the washing chamber unit 3, the air duct unit 4, the water supply and drainage unit 5, and the rice storage unit 6, and is used to coordinate and control the timing and operating status of each unit. This embodiment aims to construct a compact rice storage device that can automatically wash, dry, store, and retrieve rice by integrating the washing chamber unit 3, the air duct unit 4, the water supply and drainage unit 5, the rice storage unit 6, and the main control unit, completely replacing manual rice washing operations, simplifying kitchen work processes, eliminating manual contact contamination, and improving the hygiene and safety of rice consumption.

[0025] Specifically: like Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the cleaning chamber unit 3 includes a cleaning chamber body 31; a door assembly 32 is hinged to the side of the cleaning chamber body 31 to facilitate internal cleaning and maintenance; a drive assembly 33 is provided on the outside, and a stirring assembly 34 is provided inside, which is driven by the drive assembly 33. The drive assembly 33 and the stirring assembly 34 provide stable power for rice cleaning; a loading inlet assembly 35 is provided at the top inlet, and an exhaust valve 37 driven by an exhaust motor 36 is provided at the exhaust outlet to facilitate rice loading; a discharge valve is provided at the bottom outlet to precisely control the timing of rice discharge after cleaning and drying, preventing rice from falling off prematurely, remaining, or getting damp; the outer shell cover 2 has a matching notch corresponding to the loading inlet assembly 35, and the outer shell 1 has a matching notch corresponding to the door assembly 32, to ensure that the loading inlet assembly 35 and the door assembly 32 can be operated normally without compromising the sealing of the outer shell 1.

[0026] In this embodiment, the door assembly 32 includes a rear cover 321 and a door 322. One end of the rear cover 321 is hinged to the cleaning chamber body 31 via a hinge, and the other end is provided with a button-type latch 323 (the latch 323 is L-shaped, with the turning point hinged to the rear cover 321 via a pivot, one end being a button part and the other end a latch part). The outer wall of the cleaning chamber body 31 is provided with a locking hook 311 that cooperates with the latch 323 (latch part). The center of the rear cover 321 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 324 evenly distributed circumferentially, and the side of the door 322 facing the rear cover 321 is provided with a plurality of guide posts 325 that cooperate and are fixed with the guide holes 324. A spring is fitted on the guide post 325, and the two ends of the spring abut against the rear cover 321 and the compartment door 322 respectively. The compartment door 322 is movably connected to the side of the rear cover 321 facing the cleaning compartment body 31 through the guide post 325 and the spring. The edge of the compartment door 322 is provided with an annular sealing element 326 (the edge of the compartment door 322 is provided with an annular positioning boss 3221, and the corresponding position of the opening edge of the cleaning compartment body 31 is provided with an annular positioning guide groove 312 that engages with the positioning boss 3221. The positioning boss 3221 is provided with a sealing element installation groove, and the sealing element 326 (such as a sealing ring) is embedded in the installation groove). The door assembly 32 adopts a double-layer door structure. The rear cover 321 serves as the outer support structure, which, through the cooperation of hinges, latches 323, and hooks 311, enables convenient opening and closing of the door (facilitating cleaning and maintenance inside the cleaning chamber) while ensuring a tight closure. The door 322 serves as the inner sealing structure, which is loosely connected to the rear cover 321 through guide posts 325 and springs. The preload of the springs keeps the door 322 pressed towards the chamber body, ensuring a tight fit between the seal 326 and the cleaning chamber body 31, thereby ensuring the airtightness and waterproofness of the cleaning chamber body 31. By separating the rotating support and elastic sealing functions, a dual improvement in sealing reliability and ease of operation is achieved.

[0027] In this embodiment, the loading inlet assembly 35 includes a base 351, an upper cover 352, a lower cover 353, a channel valve 354, a valve push rod 355, and a valve motor 356. The base 351 is fixedly connected to the cleaning chamber body 31 and has a through loading channel inside. The inner side wall has a valve push rod insertion hole. The upper cover 352 and the lower cover 353 are both provided with several small holes. The upper cover 352 and the lower cover 353 are fixedly connected to form a chamber cover and are embedded in the base 351. An inlet channel is formed inside the chamber cover. The channel valve 354 is hinged to the inlet channel. The inner (the side wall of the lower cover 353 is symmetrically provided with pivot holes, and the channel valve 354 is connected to the pivot holes through a pivot and a torsion spring. One end of the torsion spring abuts against the inner wall of the lower cover 353, and the other end abuts against the channel valve 354); the valve motor 356 is fixed on the base 351, and the output end of the valve motor 356 is driven to the channel valve 354 through the valve push rod 355 (the valve push rod 355 and the output shaft of the valve motor 356 are hinged through a transition joint). The valve is driven to rotate by the extension and retraction of the valve push rod 355, so as to control the opening and closing of the entrance channel. By embedding the silo cover into the base 351, the silo cover can be removed and placed when loading rice; by opening holes in the silo cover, airflow can be achieved in conjunction with the air duct during the rice drying process, without the need for additional ventilation openings; through the cooperation of the channel valve 354, the valve push rod 355 and the valve motor 356, the state of the silo cover inlet channel can be flexibly switched to meet the multiple functional requirements of sealing and preventing leakage during the washing stage, exhausting and dehumidifying during the drying stage, and sealing and maintaining pressure during the rice conveying stage.

[0028] In this embodiment, the drive assembly 33 includes a drive motor 331, a drive wheel 332, and a driven wheel 333. The output shaft of the drive motor 331 is fixedly connected to the drive wheel 332, and the drive wheel 332 and the driven wheel 333 are connected by a synchronous belt 334. The stirring assembly 34 includes a stirring shaft 341, a stirring paddle 342 (with cleaning blades 343 integrated on the stirring paddle 342) fixedly mounted on the stirring shaft 341, and cleaning blades 344 and cleaning and output blades 345 located at the end of the stirring paddle 342. The stirring shaft 341 extends out of the cleaning chamber body 31 and is fixedly connected to the driven wheel 333. By integrating and adapting the drive component 33 with the stirring component 34, the three major functions of stirring, cleaning, and pushing are integrated into the same component, which has strong functional synergy and realizes the coordinated operation of the entire process of washing rice, drying, and conveying: the stirring paddle 342 stirs the rice and improves the efficiency of washing and drying; the cleaning blade 344 simultaneously scrapes off the residue on the bin wall to prevent rice scraps from clumping and becoming moldy; the cleaning and output blade 345 assists in pushing the rice and prevents blockage; the synchronous belt 334 drives the transmission, and the transmission structure is stable, reliable, and has low noise.

[0029] like Figures 7 to 9As shown, the air duct unit 4 includes a main air duct 41; one end of the main air duct 41 is equipped with a fan 42, and the other end is connected to multiple branch air ducts (the branch air ducts include a drying air duct 43, a discharge air duct 44, and a material intake air duct 45; the drying air duct 43 is connected to the air inlet of the washing chamber unit 3; the discharge air duct 44 is connected to the discharge outlet of the washing chamber unit 3 and the rice inlet of the rice storage chamber unit 6 respectively; the material intake air duct 45 is connected to the rice outlet of the rice storage chamber unit 6, and the end of the material intake air duct 45 is provided with an external connection interface, which can be connected to a rice cooker through a pipe); each branch air duct inlet is equipped with an air duct valve (drying air duct valve 431, discharge air duct valve 441, and material intake air duct valve 451; the drying air duct valve 431 is correspondingly located at the inlet of the drying air duct 43; the discharge air duct valve 441 is correspondingly located at the inlet of the discharge air duct 44; the material intake air duct valve 451 is connected to the discharge air duct 44; the material intake air duct valve 451 is connected to the discharge air duct 44; the discharge ...5; the discharge air duct valve 451 is connected to the discharge air duct 44; the discharge air duct valve 451 is connected to the discharge air duct 45; the discharge air duct valve 451 is connected to the discharge air duct 45; the discharge air duct valve 451 is connected to the discharge air duct Duct valves 451 are correspondingly located at the inlet of the material intake duct 45. Each valve includes a valve plate, which is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the corresponding branch duct via a rotating shaft. Multiple duct valves are driven by the same drive mechanism 46 to achieve time-sharing selective opening (the drive mechanism includes a drive motor 461, a main drive cam 462, a first winch 463, a second winch 464, and a third winch 465; the main drive cam 462 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 461, and when the main drive cam 462 rotates, it sequentially drives each winch to rotate in time-sharing; each of the first winch 463, second winch 464, and third winch 465 is provided with a valve pull rope, and each valve pull rope is fixedly connected to the valve plate of the corresponding duct valve; the main drive cam 462 is provided with a relay arm 466; a positioning sensor 411 is provided inside the main duct 41, and the positioning sensor 411 is located on the rotation path of the relay arm 466). Stable air pressure is provided by the fan 42 to ensure uniform hot air circulation during drying and smooth, residue-free rice transport. The main air duct 41 integrates multiple branch air ducts, significantly reducing the number of pipes and avoiding the occupation of internal space in the rice storage box by decentralized pipes. The valves of each air duct are driven by the same drive mechanism 46 to achieve selective opening, fundamentally avoiding timing deviations and coordination errors caused by multiple power source control. Moreover, the selective opening drive logic can flexibly switch the air supply and discharge air ducts of the washing chamber and the rice storage chamber, accurately adapting to the independent operation needs of different processes such as rice drying in the rice storage box, discharge from the washing chamber, and discharge from the rice storage chamber.

[0030] The water supply and drainage unit 5 (such as...) Figure 3The system includes an inlet solenoid valve 51, a water supply pump (not shown in the figure), and a drain pump (not shown in the figure). The drain pump is connected to the drain outlet of the washing chamber via a drain valve 52 and has an external drain interface for connecting to an external drainage system. The water supply pump is connected to the water inlet of the washing chamber via the inlet solenoid valve 51 and is connected to an external water source. The inlet solenoid valve 51, in conjunction with the water supply pump, precisely controls the timing and volume of water intake, ensuring the rice-to-water ratio meets washing requirements, avoiding water waste, and preventing excessive water intake leading to rice overflow. The drain pump, connected to the drain outlet of the washing chamber via the drain valve 52, quickly discharges washing wastewater, preventing wastewater residue from causing bacterial growth and rice dampness, thus ensuring the cleanliness of the washing chamber. The drain pump has an external drain interface for easy connection to external drainage pipes, preventing wastewater from flowing freely and improving ease of use and hygiene.

[0031] like Figures 10 to 12As shown, the rice storage unit 6 includes a rice storage body 61, a rice storage bottom 62, a rice storage cover 63, a material handling assembly, and an exhaust door 65. The rice storage body 61 has a rice storage cover 63 on top and a rice storage bottom 62 on the bottom, forming a closed storage space. A position sensor (such as a GP2Y0A21YK0F infrared ranging sensor) is installed inside the rice storage body 61. An exhaust port 631 is provided on the rice storage cover 63, and the outer cover 2 has an opening corresponding to the exhaust port 631. An exhaust vent 631 is provided below an exhaust door 65, which is driven and connected to the exhaust motor 36 of the cleaning chamber unit 3. (Specifically, the exhaust motor 36 is located on the outside of the cleaning chamber body 31, and the output end of the exhaust motor 36 is fixedly connected to a push-door protrusion 361. The push-door protrusion 361 is fixedly provided with a first valve striker 362, a second valve striker 363, and a sensor striker 364. A first position sensor 365 and a second position sensor 364 are provided on both sides of the push-door protrusion 361.) Two position sensors, 366 and 366 respectively, are fixedly installed on the outer wall of the cleaning chamber body 31. When the exhaust motor 36 rotates forward, it drives the push door protrusion 361 to rotate, causing the first valve striker 362 to push open the exhaust valve 37. At the same time, the sensor striker 364 moves to trigger the first position sensor 365 to detect and confirm that the air outlet of the cleaning chamber is open. When the exhaust motor 36 rotates in reverse, it drives the push door protrusion 361 to rotate, causing the second valve striker 363 to push open the exhaust valve 65. At the same time, the sensor striker 364 moves to trigger the second position sensor 366 to detect and confirm that the exhaust port of the rice storage chamber is open. A weighing sensor (such as a YZC-1B resistance strain gauge weighing sensor) is provided in the bottom 62 of the rice storage chamber. An outlet guide plate 66 is provided above the rice outlet at the bottom of the bottom 62 of the rice storage chamber. A material picking assembly is provided between the rice outlet and the outlet guide plate 66. The material picking assembly includes a material picking motor 64, and the output end of the material picking motor 64 is driven and connected to a double-ribbed spiral material picking shaft 67. The rice storage silo body 61, the rice storage silo bottom 62, and the rice storage cover 63 form a closed storage space, which can effectively prevent rice from getting damp, moldy, and infested with insects. With the help of position sensors and weighing sensors, the storage volume and weight of rice can be monitored in real time, making it convenient for users to replenish rice in a timely manner. The exhaust port 631 of the rice storage cover 63 cooperates with the air hole of the outer cover 2 to achieve ventilation inside the rice storage silo, preventing rice from becoming damp and clumping due to excessive sealing. The exhaust door 65 is linked with the valve drive motor 331 for linkage drive, eliminating the need for additional drive components, simplifying the structure and reducing costs. The material picking component uses a material picking motor 64 and a double-ribbed spiral material picking shaft 67 to achieve quantitative picking of rice, pushing it smoothly and without residue. With the help of the outlet guide plate 66, rice spillage and blockage of the rice outlet can be prevented, improving the convenience and accuracy of picking.

[0032] The main control unit includes a controller (such as an ESP32-WROOM-32D microcontroller). The controller includes an input module (IN1-16), an output module (OUT1-10), a data transmission module (Bluetooth, WIFI, etc.), a voice interaction module, a touch interaction and display module (display screen), and a power module that are electrically connected to each other. The position sensor and the weighing sensor mentioned above are all connected to the input module of the controller through lines. The output module of the controller is connected to the control terminals of the discharge valve at the bottom of the cleaning chamber 31, the valve motor 356 of the loading inlet component 35, the drive motor 331 of the drive component 33, the fan 42 and valve motor 47 of the air duct unit 4, the water inlet solenoid valve 51 and the water supply and drainage pump of the water supply and drainage unit 5, and the material handling motor 64 of the material handling component, etc.

[0033] Example 2 This embodiment provides an application method for a rice storage device, which can be used alone or linked with a rice cooker 7, an external bottled water dispenser, or an external water dispenser (e.g., Figure 13 As shown in the figure, a multimodal integrated rice storage and cooking system is formed. It supports the use of the device alone or in conjunction with a rice cooker and an external water source, breaking down the functional barriers between traditional rice storage devices, cooking equipment, and water supply equipment. It realizes the linkage of the entire process of rice storage, cleaning, retrieval and cooking, and adapts to the usage scenarios of different users.

[0034] The application method includes the following steps: S0. Power-on self-test and standby preparation: After the equipment is powered on, the main control unit automatically completes the system self-test, and all sensors and actuators are reset to zero, and the equipment enters standby mode. At this time, the water inlet solenoid valve 51 and the drain valve 52 of the water supply and drainage unit 5 remain closed; the fan 42 of the air duct unit 4 stops running, and the drive motor 461 drives the main drive cam 462 back to the initial origin position. Under the limit cooperation of the relay arm 466 and the positioning sensor 411, the air drying duct valve 431, the discharge duct valve 441, and the material taking duct valve 451 are all closed, and the three branch duct passages are completely cut off; the discharge valve at the bottom of the cleaning chamber unit 3 and the material taking component of the rice storage chamber unit 6 are both in the off state; the channel valve 354 of the top loading inlet component 35 of the cleaning chamber unit 3 closes under the action of the torsion spring, and the exhaust valve 37 of the cleaning chamber unit 3 and the exhaust valve 65 of the rice storage chamber unit 6 close simultaneously. All chambers and pipelines of the whole machine remain in a sealed standby state, with no risk of cross-flow or air leakage.

[0035] S1. Rice loading and automatic cleaning operation: Remove the embedded cover of the loading inlet component 35, and load the rice to be processed into the cleaning chamber 31 through the feeding channel. After loading, reset the cover. Then, the main control unit starts the water supply and drainage unit 5, opens the water inlet solenoid valve 51 and the water supply pump, and accurately injects external clean water into the cleaning chamber 31. After the preset rice-to-water ratio is reached, the water inlet solenoid valve 51 and the water supply pump are automatically closed, and the water intake operation is stopped.

[0036] After water intake, the equipment can perform a soaking process as needed. After soaking, the drive assembly 33 of the cleaning chamber unit 3 is activated. The drive motor 331 drives the driven wheel 333 to rotate smoothly through the drive wheel 332 and the synchronous belt 334, thereby driving the stirring shaft 341 and the stirring paddle 342 to rotate as a whole. The cleaning blades 343 on the stirring paddle 342 continuously stir the rice-water mixture in the chamber, causing the rice grains to tumble and rub against each other, effectively removing rice bran, impurities, and stains from the surface of the rice grains. At the same time, the cleaning blades 344 and the cleaning and output blades 345 at the end of the stirring paddle 342 simultaneously adhere to the inner wall, bottom, and double-layer door assembly 32 of the cleaning chamber body 31, scraping off the adhering rice scraps and sediment stains in real time, effectively preventing rice clumps and secondary contamination of the rice-water mixture. The equipment can switch between various cleaning modes such as gentle washing and high-speed washing by adjusting the speed of the drive motor 331 to adapt to different rice cleanliness requirements. During the cleaning process, the double-layer door assembly 32 on the side of the cleaning chamber 31 is pressed tightly against the sealing element 326 by the spring preload, and the positioning boss 3221 and the positioning guide groove 312 are precisely engaged, ensuring the waterproof and airtight performance of the chamber throughout the process and preventing water seepage and leakage. After the cleaning operation is completed, the drive assembly 33 stops operating.

[0037] S2. Wastewater discharge and rice drying operations: After the rice is washed, the main control unit starts the drain pump and drain valve 52 of the water supply and drainage unit 5 to quickly discharge the turbid wastewater in the bin. The stirring component 34 rotates at a low speed simultaneously to break up the sewage and rice residue deposited at the bottom of the bin, accelerating the drainage of wastewater and preventing residual wastewater from breeding bacteria and causing the rice to become damp. After the wastewater is completely drained, the drain pump and drain valve 52 are turned off, and the equipment automatically switches to the air drying and dehumidification process.

[0038] After the air-drying process starts, the main control unit controls the operation of the air duct unit 4. The drive motor 461 drives the main drive cam 462 to rotate. The continuous convex teeth on the outer periphery of the cam precisely mesh with the corresponding winch. The air-drying air duct valve 431 is opened separately by pulling the valve rope, while the discharge air duct valve 441 and the take-up air duct valve 451 remain closed, realizing the separate conduction of the air duct 43. At the same time, the exhaust motor 36 receives the control signal and starts in the forward direction, driving the push door protrusion 361 at the output end to rotate synchronously in the forward direction. The first valve striker 362 fixed on the push door protrusion 361 moves in a circular motion and presses against the valve body of the exhaust valve 37, overcoming the closing resistance of the exhaust valve 37 itself, so that the exhaust valve 37 is stably opened. After the push door protrusion 361 rotates to the position, the sensor striker 364 moves synchronously and accurately triggers the first position sensor 365. The first position sensor 365 feeds back the position signal to the main control unit. The system determines that the exhaust passage of the cleaning chamber is fully connected and the exhaust valve 37 is fully opened, locking the current exhaust status. Then the fan 42 is started, and the generated dry airflow is sent into the washing chamber 31 through the main air duct 41 and the drying air duct 43 to dry and dehumidify the washed wet rice in all directions.

[0039] During the air-drying process, the stirring component 34 continuously operates at a low speed, constantly breaking up the stacked rice grains, increasing the contact area between the rice grains and the hot air, improving the uniformity of air drying and dehumidification efficiency, and thoroughly removing residual moisture from the surface and crevices of the rice grains to prevent mold and spoilage. During the air-drying operation, the channel valve 354 of the loading inlet component 35 remains closed to ensure stable air pressure inside the cleaning chamber 31. The hot and humid airflow is finally discharged outside the chamber through the open exhaust valve 37, forming a complete closed-loop air-drying path. After the air-drying operation is completed, the main drive cam 462 continues to rotate, the convex tooth block disengages from the currently engaged winch, the valve pull rope is unloaded, and the valve plate automatically resets and closes under its own gravity, cutting off the air duct 43. At the same time, the exhaust motor 36 resets and drives the exhaust valve 37 to close, ending the air-drying process.

[0040] S3. Air-dried rice conveying and storage operations: After the rice is dried, the equipment automatically switches to the rice storage and conveying mode. The exhaust motor 36 starts in reverse, driving the push-door cam 361 to rotate in a different direction. This opens the exhaust door 65 of the rice storage unit 6 via the second valve impact column 363. Simultaneously, the sensor impact column 364 triggers the second position sensor 366, and the system detects and confirms that the exhaust passage of the rice storage unit is open. At the same time, the drive motor 461 drives the main drive cam 462 to switch engagement positions, opening the discharge air pipe valve 441 separately via the pull rope, closing the drying air pipe valve 431 and the material picking air pipe valve 451, and opening the discharge air pipe 44 conveying airway between the cleaning unit 3 and the rice storage unit 6. Subsequently, the discharge valve at the bottom of the cleaning unit 31 opens, and the cleaning and output blades 345 of the stirring component 34 continue to rotate, smoothly pushing the dried rice in the unit to the discharge port, where the rice falls into the discharge air pipe 44.

[0041] The blower 42 continuously operates to generate stable air pressure, propelling the rice grains along the discharge duct 44 to the inside of the rice silo 61. The conveying process is smooth, without residue or blockage. The conveying airflow is finally discharged through the exhaust port 631 of the rice silo cover 63 and the air hole of the outer cover 2, forming a smooth conveying air path. After all the rice grains have been conveyed, the main drive cam 462 disengages, the discharge duct valve 441 automatically closes, cutting off the inter-silo conveying airway, and the discharge valve closes simultaneously.

[0042] After the rice enters the rice storage unit 6, it is sealed and stored in a closed space consisting of the rice storage body 61, the rice storage bottom 62, and the rice storage cover 63. This effectively isolates the rice from moisture and insects, preventing it from becoming damp, clumping, moldy, or infested with insects. An infrared position sensor inside the rice storage body 61 monitors the rice storage height in real time, while a weighing sensor built into the rice storage bottom 62 collects the weight of the stored rice in real time. This data is fed back to the central control unit in real time, enabling visualized monitoring of the stored rice level and facilitating timely replenishment by the user.

[0043] S4. Quantitative rice dispensing operation from rice storage bin: Users can issue quantitative rice dispensing commands via the device's touchscreen or voice interaction module, or the linked rice cooker 7 can automatically send rice dispensing requests. After receiving the command, the main control unit activates the feeding component at the bottom of the rice storage unit 6. The feeding motor 64 drives the double-ribbed spiral feeding shaft 67 to rotate at a uniform speed. The spiral shaft smoothly and evenly pushes the rice from the bottom of the rice storage unit 62. Combined with the guiding and limiting function of the outlet guide plate 66, this effectively prevents rice from spilling or clogging the rice outlet, ensuring stable rice dispensing.

[0044] Simultaneously, the air duct unit 4 starts, and the drive motor 461 drives the main drive cam 462 to switch positions, engaging the corresponding winch and opening the material-retrieving air duct valve 451 via the pull rope. The other two air duct valves remain closed, opening the external material-retrieving air duct 45 of the rice storage unit 6. The fan 42 starts to provide auxiliary air pressure, propelling the rice along the material-retrieving air duct 45 for rapid transport. The rice is then sent into the rice cooker 7 through the external connection interface at the end, and the transported airflow is discharged from the air outlet of the rice cooker 7, ensuring a smooth and efficient rice-retrieving process. The main control unit collects feedback data from the weighing sensor in real time. Once the actual amount of rice retrieved reaches the preset value, the material-retrieving motor 64 and the fan 42 are automatically shut down, the main drive cam 462 resets, and the material-retrieving air duct valve 451 closes, completing the quantitative rice-retrieving operation.

[0045] S5, Rice Cooker Integrated Cooking: After the rice is fed into the rice cooker 7, the rice cooker 7 will connect with an external bottled water dispenser or external water purifier to add a measured amount of purified water (the flow meter can be installed on the water pipe connecting the rice cooker and the external bottled water dispenser to determine the water volume). Once the preset rice-to-water ratio is reached, the water inlet will automatically shut off. After the water inlet is complete, the rice cooker will automatically enter the cooking mode.

[0046] While embodiments or examples of this disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments or examples, and the scope of the invention is not limited by these embodiments or examples, but only by the granted claims and their equivalents. Various elements in the embodiments or examples may be omitted or replaced by their equivalents. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in a different order than that described in this disclosure. Further, various elements in the embodiments or examples may be combined in various ways. Importantly, as the technology evolves, many elements described herein can be replaced by equivalents that appear after this disclosure.

Claims

1. A rice storage device, characterized in that, The enclosure includes a top cover and contains a cleaning chamber unit, an air duct unit, a water supply and drainage unit, a rice storage unit, and a main control unit. The water inlet and outlet of the cleaning chamber unit are respectively connected to the water supply end and the water drainage end of the water supply and drainage unit. The air inlet and outlet of the cleaning chamber unit, and the rice inlet and outlet of the rice storage chamber unit are respectively connected to the corresponding branch air ducts of the air duct unit. The main control unit is electrically connected to the cleaning chamber unit, the air duct unit, the water supply and drainage unit, and the rice storage unit, respectively, and is used to coordinate and control the action sequence and operating status of each unit.

2. The rice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning chamber unit includes a cleaning chamber body, a door assembly hinged to the side of the cleaning chamber body, a drive assembly on the outside, a stirring assembly connected to the drive assembly inside, a loading inlet assembly at the top inlet, an exhaust valve driven by an exhaust motor at the exhaust outlet, and a discharge valve at the bottom outlet. The outer shell cover has a matching notch at the loading entrance component and the outer shell cover has a matching notch at the compartment door component.

3. A rice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The compartment door assembly includes a rear cover and a compartment door; One end of the rear cover is hinged to the cleaning chamber body via a hinge, and the other end is provided with a button-type latch. The outer wall of the cleaning chamber body is provided with a locking hook that cooperates with the latch. The rear cover has multiple guide holes evenly distributed around its center. The side of the compartment door facing the rear cover has multiple guide posts that are fixed to the guide holes. Springs are fitted on the guide posts, and the two ends of the springs abut against the rear cover and the compartment door, respectively. The door is movably connected to the side of the rear cover facing the cleaning chamber via guide posts and springs, and the edge of the door is provided with an annular seal.

4. A rice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The loading inlet assembly includes a base, an upper cover, a lower cover, a channel valve, a valve push rod, and a valve motor; The base is fixedly connected to the cleaning chamber body, and has a through-hole for dispensing inside. The inner side wall has a door push rod insertion hole. Both the upper and lower covers have several small holes. The upper and lower covers are fixedly connected to form a compartment cover and are embedded in the base. An inlet channel is formed inside the compartment cover. The passageway valve is hinged within the entrance passageway; The valve motor is fixed on the base, and the output end of the valve motor is connected to the channel valve drive through the valve push rod to control the opening and closing of the entrance channel.

5. A rice storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a drive motor, a drive wheel, and a driven wheel. The output shaft of the drive motor is fixedly connected to the drive wheel, and the drive wheel and the driven wheel are connected by a synchronous belt drive. The stirring assembly includes a stirring shaft, a stirring paddle fixed on the stirring shaft, and cleaning blades and cleaning and output blades located at the end of the stirring paddle. The stirring shaft extends out of the cleaning chamber and is fixedly connected to the driven wheel.

6. A rice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air duct unit includes a main air duct; The main air duct is equipped with a fan at one end and is connected to multiple branch air ducts at the other end; Each of the branch duct inlets is equipped with a duct valve, and multiple duct valves are driven by the same valve motor to achieve time-sharing selective opening.

7. A rice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water supply and drainage unit includes an inlet solenoid valve, a water supply pump, and a drainage pump; The drainage pump is connected to the drain outlet of the cleaning chamber via a drainage valve, and the drainage pump is equipped with an external drainage interface. The water supply pump is connected to the water inlet of the cleaning chamber via an inlet solenoid valve.

8. A rice storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rice storage unit includes a rice storage body, a rice storage bottom, a rice storage cover, a material handling assembly, and an exhaust door; The rice storage unit has a large rice storage cover on the top and a rice storage bottom on the bottom, which together form a closed storage space. A position sensor is installed inside the rice storage unit. The rice bin cover is provided with an exhaust port, the outer cover is provided with an air hole corresponding to the exhaust port, and an exhaust door is provided below the exhaust port. The exhaust door is connected to the exhaust motor of the cleaning bin unit. The bottom of the rice bin is equipped with a weighing sensor, and an outlet guide plate is provided above the rice outlet at the bottom of the rice bin. A material handling component is provided between the rice outlet and the outlet guide plate. The material handling assembly includes a material handling motor, and the output end of the material handling motor is connected to a double-ribbed spiral material handling shaft.

9. A method for applying a rice storage device, characterized in that, The rice storage device described in any one of claims 1-8 can be used alone, or it can be linked with a rice cooker, an external bottled water dispenser, or an external water dispenser to form a multimodal integrated rice storage and cooking system.

10. The application method of the rice storage device according to claim 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Loading and washing rice and grains: Remove the cover of the inlet component of the cleaning chamber unit, load the rice into the cleaning chamber through the feed inlet, close the cover, and then simultaneously open the water inlet solenoid valve and water supply pump. External water is injected through the water inlet. Close the water inlet solenoid valve, and then start and continuously run the drive component after soaking. The drive motor drives the driven wheel to rotate through the drive wheel and synchronous belt, which in turn drives the stirring shaft to rotate along the central axis of the cleaning chamber. The stirring paddle stirs the rice-water mixture for cleaning. The cleaning and output blades respectively adhere to the inner peripheral wall of the cleaning chamber, the bottom wall of the cleaning chamber, and the inner wall of the door component, and simultaneously scrape off the adhering rice scraps and stains to prevent the rice from clumping and remaining. S2, Drain and air dry: After cleaning, the drain pump is turned on, and the rice water is discharged from the drain outlet. After drainage is completed, the drain pump is turned off, and the fan and valve motor of the air duct unit are turned on to drive the air duct valve at the inlet of the branch air duct connected to the air inlet of the cleaning chamber unit to open. At the same time, the exhaust valve is opened by the exhaust fan motor, and dry hot air is introduced into the air inlet. After it is fully dried by contact with the rice grains, it is discharged through the exhaust outlet, forming a complete air path. The stirring components operate synchronously to accelerate the discharge of wastewater and the drying rate. S3. Loading into the rice storage unit: After air drying, the exhaust valve of the cleaning chamber unit is reset, the exhaust door of the rice storage chamber unit is opened, and the discharge valve of the cleaning chamber unit and the air duct valve at the inlet of the branch air duct connecting the discharge port of the cleaning chamber unit and the rice inlet of the rice storage chamber unit are opened at the same time. The cleaning and output blades of the stirring component push the rice towards the discharge port. The rice falls out of the discharge port and enters the branch air duct. Under the action of the wind pressure generated by the fan, it is transported to the rice silo body. The airflow finally flows out from the exhaust port on the rice silo cover, forming a complete airflow path. The position sensor inside the rice silo monitors the rice storage volume in real time, and the weighing sensor at the bottom of the rice silo records the rice weight simultaneously. The data is fed back to the main control unit. S4. Rice and grain dispensing: When rice needs to be dispensed, input the preset dispensing amount command, or the rice cooker will send a quantitative dispensing command. Then, the dispensing component is activated, and the dispensing motor drives the double-ribbed spiral dispensing shaft to rotate. The double-ribbed spiral dispensing shaft smoothly pushes the rice at the bottom of the rice bin towards the rice outlet. The outlet guide plate guides the rice to prevent spillage or blockage of the rice outlet. At the same time, the valve motor is activated, which drives the air duct valve at the inlet of the branch air duct connecting to the rice outlet of the rice storage unit to open. The fan starts to generate auxiliary air pressure, pushing the rice along the branch air duct to the rice cooker. The conveying airflow is finally discharged from the rice cooker's air outlet, forming a complete conveying air path. After the dispensing amount reaches the preset value, the dispensing motor, valve motor, and fan are turned off, completing the rice dispensing process.

Images