Steam passage member, steam valve, cover and cooking appliance

Abstract

The application discloses a steam passage component, a steam valve, a cover body and a cooking utensil. The steam passage component is a hollow structure and an inner wall surface of the steam passage component forms a steam exhaust passage. The steam exhaust passage comprises an inlet passage section, a through passage section and an outlet passage section. The inlet passage section is connected with the outlet passage section via the through passage section. An inlet steam port is arranged at an end of the inlet passage section away from the through passage section. An outlet steam port is arranged at an end of the outlet passage section away from the through passage section. A cross-sectional area of the through passage section is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the inlet passage section and also smaller than a cross-sectional area of the outlet passage section. The steam exhaust passage has a narrow space in a middle part. Bubbles are squeezed at the narrow space, and part of the bubbles are broken due to external pressure. The flow speed of cooking steam is relatively high at the narrow space, and the bubbles are subjected to a relatively large shearing force, so that the bubbles are deformed and broken. After the bubbles flow through the narrow space and are squeezed, the bubbles are expanded again, and part of the bubbles are broken.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances, and more specifically to a steam passage component, a steam valve, a cover, and a cooking utensil. Background Technology

[0002] Existing cooking appliances such as rice cookers typically have a steam valve on the lid. This steam valve forms a steam channel connecting the cooking chamber to the external environment, allowing steam inside the cooking chamber to escape. The steam valve's inlet is located on a vertically arranged side wall, which provides some overflow prevention. However, the internal space of the steam valve is relatively small, resulting in poor overflow prevention at the steam inlet.

[0003] Therefore, a steam passage component is needed to at least partially solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This summary section is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] To at least partially solve the above problems, this application provides a steam channel component for a cooking appliance, wherein the steam channel component has a hollow structure and its inner wall surface forms a steam exhaust channel for venting cooking steam.

[0006] The steam discharge channel includes an inlet channel section, a flow passage section, and an outlet channel section. The inlet channel section is connected to the outlet channel section via the flow passage section. The end of the inlet channel section away from the flow passage section is provided with a steam inlet, and the end of the outlet channel section away from the flow passage section is provided with a steam outlet.

[0007] The cross-sectional area of ​​the overflow channel section is smaller than that of the inlet channel section and also smaller than that of the outlet channel section.

[0008] According to this design, the internal space of the steam exhaust channel gradually decreases and then increases again in the direction of steam flow, with a narrow space in the flow passage section. During cooking, the appliance generates cooking steam containing bubbles. This steam enters the steam exhaust channel from the steam inlet. In the narrow flow passage section, the bubbles are compressed, both by the channel walls and the steam itself. Some bubbles burst under external pressure. Furthermore, the steam velocity is higher in the flow passage section, subjecting the bubbles to greater shear force, causing deformation and localized thinning leading to rupture. Then, the cooking steam flows into the larger space defined by the outflow passage section, where the external pressure on the bubbles decreases. The bubbles expand again after being compressed, and the resulting deformation also causes some bubbles to burst. This increases the bubble-breaking capacity of the steam channel component.

[0009] The steam channel component provided in this application has better bubble-breaking ability, which can effectively remove bubbles in cooking steam and improve the anti-overflow effect.

[0010] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel section gradually decreases in the axial direction opposite to the steam inlet.

[0011] According to this design, the flow rate of cooking steam can be gradually increased by utilizing the tapered inlet channel section, achieving a greater flow rate at the overflow channel section. This causes the bubbles to experience greater external pressure within the overflow channel section, resulting in more effective bubble breaking. Furthermore, the tapered inlet channel section design facilitates manufacturing using injection molding processes and makes demolding easier.

[0012] The cross-sectional area of ​​the outflow channel section gradually increases in the direction of its axis toward the steam outlet.

[0013] According to this design, the flow rate of cooking steam can be gradually reduced by utilizing the gradually expanding outlet channel section. The expansion effect on bubbles within the outlet channel section is more effective in breaking bubbles, allowing more bubbles to burst due to expansion. Furthermore, the gradually expanding outlet channel section design facilitates manufacturing using injection molding processes and makes demolding easier.

[0014] Optionally, at least a portion of the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel section remains unchanged in its axial direction.

[0015] According to this design, bubbles can be effectively squeezed in the flow channel section, resulting in better bubble breaking and allowing more bubbles to burst due to compression; moreover, the structure is simple and easy to manufacture.

[0016] Optionally, the flow passage section has a first dimension L1 in its own axial direction, and the steam discharge passage has a second dimension L2 in its own axial direction, wherein the first dimension L1 is: L1≥1 / 5L2.

[0017] According to this solution, the flow channel section can provide a certain flow length so that the bubbles can be subjected to external pressure for a certain period of time, and the bubbles can be fully and effectively squeezed and deformed, causing more bubbles to burst; and the acceleration effect on bubbles and cooking steam is better, effectively increasing the shear force of bubbles and accelerating the bursting of bubbles.

[0018] Optionally, the inlet channel section has a maximum cross-sectional area S11, the through channel section has a minimum cross-sectional area S12, and the outlet channel section has a maximum cross-sectional area S13. The minimum cross-sectional area S12 is: S12≤2 / 3S11, and / or S12≤2 / 3S13.

[0019] According to this scheme, bubbles can be effectively broken by external pressure in the flow channel section, which makes the bubble-breaking ability of the steam channel component better and the bubble-breaking effect better.

[0020] Optionally, the minimum cross-sectional area S12 is: S12≥3 / 10S11, and / or S12≥3 / 10S13.

[0021] According to this scheme, the cross-sectional area of ​​the steam discharge channel in the middle section should not be too small to ensure that the steam passes through the middle section smoothly and to avoid the pressure of the steam discharge channel from rising due to poor steam discharge.

[0022] Optional, 25mm 2 ≤S11≤900mm 2 15mm 2 ≤S12≤600mm 2 and / or 25mm 2 ≤S13≤1050mm 2 .

[0023] According to this scheme, the bubbles are effectively broken by external pressure in the flow channel section, and the steam passes through the flow channel section smoothly, avoiding the pressure in the steam discharge channel from rising due to poor steam discharge.

[0024] Optionally, the steam inlet and the steam outlet are oriented opposite to each other and at least partially overlap in the axial direction of the steam discharge channel.

[0025] According to this scheme, the steam exhaust channel is a straight channel, and the cooking steam flows in a roughly straight line, which can reach a higher flow rate and is conducive to the accelerated bursting of bubbles.

[0026] Optionally, the end face of the inlet channel section is fully open to form the steam inlet, and the end face of the outlet channel section is fully open to form the steam outlet.

[0027] According to this solution, cooking steam can reach a higher flow rate in the flow channel section, which is conducive to the accelerated bursting of bubbles; and the steam channel component has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture using injection molding process, is easier to demold, and has higher production efficiency.

[0028] Optionally, the steam passage component is arranged vertically, with the steam inlet facing downwards and the steam outlet facing upwards.

[0029] According to this scheme, cooking steam can flow from bottom to top in the steam exhaust channel. Compared with horizontal flow, cooking steam can have a higher flow rate in the flow channel section, which accelerates bubble collapse.

[0030] A steam valve according to this application is used in a cooking appliance. The steam valve has a valve cavity and a steam outlet communicating with the external environment. The steam valve includes a steam passage component according to any of the preceding aspects, and the steam discharge passage communicates with the valve cavity via the steam outlet.

[0031] According to this design, a steam channel component with superior defoaming capabilities is incorporated into the steam valve. This allows for the effective removal of air bubbles from the cooking steam, improving the valve's anti-overflow performance. The steam valve is typically designed to be detachable, enabling the steam channel component to be removed from the cover along with the valve for cleaning of the steam exhaust channel.

[0032] Optionally, the steam valve includes an upper valve cover and a lower valve cover, the upper valve cover and the lower valve cover forming the valve cavity, and the steam passage component passing through the bottom wall of the lower valve cover and connected to the bottom wall.

[0033] According to this solution, the steam passage component and the lower valve cover form an integral part, which can be detachably connected to the upper valve cover so that the lower valve cover and the steam passage component can be cleaned simultaneously after the upper valve cover is opened.

[0034] Optionally, the steam passage component is integrally formed with the bottom wall of the valve cover.

[0035] According to this solution, the steam channel component and the valve cover can be molded together using injection molding, which is simple to manufacture and has low cost.

[0036] Optionally, the steam valve includes a valve cover forming the valve cavity, the steam passage component is located below the valve cover, the lower surface of the valve cover is provided with a flow guide wall, the steam outlet is located outside the area provided by the flow guide wall, the flow guide wall forms a spiral channel, and the outflow channel section extends into the center of the spiral channel.

[0037] According to this design, the bubbles undergo centrifugal motion within the spiral channel. Due to the density difference between the rice water and steam within the bubbles, centrifugal force separates the gas and liquid within the bubbles, achieving a bubble-breaking effect. The bursting bubbles ultimately leave the rice water in the steam valve, thus preventing overflow. The spiral channel also extends the bubble's outflow path, increasing the difficulty of bubble escape and improving overflow prevention performance.

[0038] Optionally, the number of turns n of the spiral channel is n≥1.5.

[0039] According to this scheme, the function of the first ring channel is to encircle the unbroken bubbles and steam in the spiral channel, and the second ring channel and its downstream channel are used as a wall for centrifugal motion. The more rings there are, the better the overflow prevention effect.

[0040] Optionally, the bottom wall of the valve cavity includes a flow guide and a recessed portion, the recessed portion being recessed downward relative to the flow guide, wherein the flow guide is connected to the outer wall surface of the steam passage component, and the bottom wall of the recessed portion is connected to the end of the outer wall surface of the steam passage component at the steam inlet; the bottom wall of the recessed portion is provided with a return port.

[0041] According to this solution, the condensed rice water and other liquids are collected in the recessed part along the guide section and return to the steam guide channel from the return port of the recessed part, so that they can flow back to the cooking space from the steam inlet; and the steam inlet can be set to be approximately on the same plane as the bottom wall of the recessed part, so that the cooking steam can be gathered towards the steam inlet.

[0042] According to another aspect of this application, a cover is provided for a cooking appliance, the cover including a steam valve according to any of the preceding aspects.

[0043] According to this solution, the steam valve in the lid has a steam channel component with better bubble-breaking ability. When the bubbles in the cooking steam flow in the lid and pass through the steam valve, they can be effectively removed, thus improving the anti-overflow effect of the lid.

[0044] Alternatively, the cover includes a steam passage component according to any of the foregoing aspects. According to this solution, when the cover does not have a steam valve, the steam passage component can also be located in other positions within the cover, which can also improve the cover's spill prevention effect.

[0045] Optionally, the cover includes a cover plate located below the steam passage member, the cover plate having at least one steam inlet for the passage of cooking steam, the area S21 of a single steam inlet being: S21 ≥ 0.8 mm. 2 .

[0046] According to this plan, the area of ​​a single steam inlet should not be too small to ensure that steam passes smoothly through the steam inlet and to prevent the pressure in the cooking space from rising due to poor steam exhaust. If the area of ​​a single steam inlet is too small, rice water may get stuck at the steam inlet, causing steam blockage, poor steam exhaust, and excessive pressure in the cooking space.

[0047] The total area S20 of the at least one steam inlet is 50 mm. 2 ≤S20≤300mm 2 .

[0048] According to this plan, the total area of ​​the steam inlet should not be too small, and the steam inlet's ability to pass through the steam should meet the cooking requirements, ensuring that the steam passes through the steam inlet smoothly; the total area of ​​the steam inlet should not be too large, so that the bubbles can be fully compressed when flowing through the steam inlet, accelerating the bubble bursting.

[0049] Optionally, the cover is provided with a steam inlet for passing cooking steam and a steam guide channel communicating with the steam inlet. The steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet of the steam discharge channel via the steam guide channel. The cross-sectional area of ​​at least the lower end of the steam guide channel is greater than the total area of ​​the steam inlet.

[0050] According to this scheme, cooking steam flows from a narrow steam inlet into a larger space in the steam diversion channel. The external pressure on the bubbles decreases, and the bubbles expand again after being squeezed. The resulting deformation also causes some bubbles to burst.

[0051] Optionally, the lower end of the steam diversion channel has a cross-sectional area S31, and the steam inlet has a total area S20, wherein the total area S20 is: S20≤1 / 2S31.

[0052] According to this scheme, the steam diversion channel has a relatively large space, which can prevent bubbles from sticking together due to space constraints after being squeezed. The sticking of multiple bubbles will also affect the bubble breaking effect, thus ensuring the bubble breaking capability of the steam diversion channel.

[0053] The volume V30 of the steam diversion channel is: V30 ≥ 10.6 mm. 3 .

[0054] According to this scheme, the steam diversion channel has a relatively large space, which allows some bubbles that are squeezed but not broken when passing through the steam inlet to be deformed due to effective expansion. The bubbles are then broken by the deformation, which increases the bubble breaking capacity of the steam diversion channel.

[0055] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​at least the upper end of the steam diversion channel is larger than the area of ​​the steam inlet.

[0056] According to this scheme, the steam inlet is relatively narrow compared to the steam diversion channel. When the bubbles enter the steam inlet from the steam diversion channel, they can be squeezed, which affects the stability of the bubbles. Some bubbles will burst after being squeezed, thus achieving a certain bubble breaking effect.

[0057] Optionally, the upper end of the steam diversion channel has a cross-sectional area S32, and the steam inlet has an area S14, wherein the area S14 is: S14≤1 / 2S32.

[0058] According to this scheme, the bubbles can be subjected to a certain external pressure at the steam inlet, which effectively destroys the stability of the bubbles, further improves the bubble-breaking ability of the steam channel, and achieves a better overflow prevention effect.

[0059] According to another aspect of this application, a cooking appliance is provided, the cooking appliance comprising a pot body and a lid body according to any of the preceding aspects, the lid body being openable and closable on the pot body to form a cooking space between the two, the steam inlet of the lid body being in communication with the cooking space.

[0060] According to this solution, a steam channel component is provided inside the lid, which can improve the anti-overflow effect of the cooking appliance. This allows the cooking appliance to effectively remove air bubbles in the cooking steam, even during the continuous boiling stage with a large amount of steam, thus preventing liquids such as rice water from overflowing. Attached Figure Description

[0061] The following drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and used to understand this application, illustrate embodiments of the application and their descriptions, thereby explaining the principles of the application.

[0062] In the attached image:

[0063] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cooking appliance according to a preferred embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the cover shown;

[0065] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the removable cover assembly in an inverted state;

[0066] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A top view of the cover shown;

[0067] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The steam valve shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram from a top-down perspective;

[0068] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the steam valve shown from a low angle;

[0069] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the channel seal shown;

[0070] Figure 8 for Figure 1 The steam valve shown is a three-dimensional exploded view from a low angle;

[0071] Figure 9 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of the steam valve shown in the diagram, taken from a plane extending in the front-to-back direction;

[0072] Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of the steam valve shown in the diagram, taken from a plane extending in the left-right direction.

[0073] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the valve cover from a top-down perspective;

[0074] Figure 12 for Figure 10 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the valve cover in an inverted state;

[0075] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of an alternative to the spiral channel according to this application;

[0076] Figure 14 for Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of the lower valve cover along the front-to-back direction;

[0077] Figure 15 for Figure 10 A bottom view of the valve cover in the diagram;

[0078] Figure 16 for Figure 10 A bottom view of the valve cover, in which the steam passage component has had the outflow passage section removed;

[0079] Figure 17 This is a comparison graph of the power curves of the experimental examples and the comparative examples.

[0080] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0081] 1. Cooking utensils 2. Lid

[0082] 3 pot body 4 inner pot

[0083] 5. Pot opening sealing ring; 6. Inner liner

[0084] 7-sided cover assembly 8-sided cover

[0085] 9 panels, 10 removable cover components

[0086] 11 Cover plate 12 Cover plate seat

[0087] 13 Receiving Unit 14 Mounting Cylinder

[0088] 15 Temperature measuring device 16 Temperature measuring probe

[0089] 20 Steam passage assembly 21 Steam inlet

[0090] 22 Steam outlet 30 Steam valve

[0091] 31 Valve upper cover 32 Valve lower cover

[0092] 33 Bottom wall of valve cover 34 Return port

[0093] 35 guide part 36 concave part

[0094] 37 The bottom wall of the recessed part; 38 The upper surface of the valve cover

[0095] 39 Lower surface of valve cover 40 Drainage wall

[0096] 41 Pattern 42 Partition

[0097] 50-channel seal, 51-body section

[0098] 52 Deformation part 53 Mounting slot

[0099] 60 Steam passage component 61 End of inlet passage section

[0100] 62. End of the outflow channel section; 63. Steam inlet

[0101] 64 Steam outlet 65 First wall

[0102] 66 Second wall 67 Transition section

[0103] P steam channel P1 steam diversion channel

[0104] The upper end of P11 steam diversion channel and the lower end of P12 steam diversion channel

[0105] P2 valve inner cavity P3 steam discharge channel

[0106] P31 Inlet Channel Section, P32 Overflow Channel Section

[0107] P33 outflow channel section, P4 spiral channel

[0108] Di axis direction D1 first direction

[0109] D2 Second Direction, D3 Vertical Direction

[0110] S Cooking Space Detailed Implementation

[0111] The following description provides numerous specific details to offer a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described to avoid confusion with this application.

[0112] To fully understand this application, a detailed description will be provided below. It is obvious that the implementation of embodiments of this application is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art. Preferred embodiments of this application are described in detail below; however, other embodiments may also be available in addition to these detailed descriptions.

[0113] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0114] Ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” used in this application are merely identifiers and have no other meaning, such as a specific order. Moreover, for example, the term “first component” does not imply the existence of a “second component”, and the term “second component” does not imply the existence of a “first component”.

[0115] It should be noted that the terms “up,” “down,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “inner,” “outer,” and similar expressions used in this article are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be restrictive.

[0116] Exemplary embodiments according to this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application is thorough and complete, and that the concept of these exemplary embodiments is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0117] See Figure 1This application provides a cooking appliance 1, which includes a lid 2 and a pot body 3. The pot body 3 has a cylindrical inner pot storage section. The inner pot 4 can be fixedly installed in the inner pot storage section, or can be freely placed into or removed from the inner pot storage section for easy cleaning. The inner pot 4 is usually made of metal and has a circular opening on its upper surface for holding materials to be heated, such as rice or soup. The pot body 3 includes a heating device, such as a heating plate, for heating the inner pot 4.

[0118] It is understood that the cooking appliance 1 according to this application can be a rice cooker, an electric pressure cooker or other cooking appliance 1, and the cooking appliance 1 can have various functions such as cooking porridge in addition to cooking rice.

[0119] The lid 2 has a shape that substantially corresponds to the pot body 3. The lid 2 is closable on the pot body 3; specifically, it is pivotally connected to the pot body 3 via a pivot axis and can freely pivot between a closed position and an open position relative to the pot body 3 about the pivot axis, facilitating the closing and opening of the pot body 3. When the lid 2 is closed on the pot body 3, it covers the inner pot 4, forming a cooking space S between them. The lid 2 typically also has a pot opening sealing ring 5, which can be made of, for example, rubber material, and is positioned between the lid 2 and the inner pot 4 to seal the cooking space S when the lid 2 is closed.

[0120] It should be noted that the directional terms used in this article to describe the various components and parts of the pot body 3, such as "up," "down," "above," "below," "upward," "downward," "facing upward," and "facing downward," are relative to the cooking appliance 1 when it is placed horizontally, upright, and the lid 2 is in the closed position. The directional term "front" refers to the direction of the cooking appliance 1 facing the consumer, "back" refers to the direction of the cooking appliance 1 away from the consumer, "left" refers to the direction of the cooking appliance 1 corresponding to the left side of the consumer, and "right" refers to the direction of the cooking appliance 1 corresponding to the right side of the consumer.

[0121] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cover 2 basically includes an inner liner 6 and a cover assembly 7. The cover assembly 7 is located on the upper side or outer side of the inner liner 6 and covers the inner liner 6. The upper surface of the cover assembly 7 has a user interaction area for user operation. The inner liner 6 can be connected to the cover assembly 7 by a suitable method such as snap-fit, fastener connection such as screws, or adhesive. A pivot is located on the inner liner 6 and fitted with a torsion spring for automatic opening. The cover assembly 7 may include a cover 8 and a panel 9 located on the upper side of the cover 8. The panel 9 has an operation area for the consumer to operate the cooking appliance 1. The panel 9 can be connected to the cover 8 by a suitable method such as snap-fit, fastener connection such as screws, or adhesive.

[0122] The lid 2 also includes a removable lid assembly 10. The removable lid assembly 10 is located on the underside or inside side of the liner 6 and is detachably connected to the liner 6, thus allowing the removable lid assembly 10 to be detachably mounted on the lid 2 from the underside. For example, the removable lid assembly 10 is movably connected to the liner 6 via a plug-in and / or snap-fit ​​structure. The removable lid assembly 10 basically includes a lid plate 11, a lid seat 12, and the aforementioned pot opening sealing ring 5. The lid plate 11 may be a metal plate. At least a portion of the lower surface of the lid plate 11 forms the top surface of the cooking space S. The lid seat 12 enables the lid plate 11 to be detachably connected to the liner 6. The outer periphery of the lid plate 11 can be fastened to the lid seat 12 by means of snaps or fasteners or other suitable methods. A portion of the pot opening sealing ring 5 is pressed between the lid plate 11 and the lid seat 12.

[0123] The lid 2 also includes a steam channel assembly 20, which forms a steam channel P, capable of venting cooking steam generated in the cooking space S during cooking to the external environment. The steam channel assembly 20 is located approximately at the rear of the lid 2. Specifically, as... Figure 3 As shown, the steam inlet 21 of the steam passage P is located on the cover plate 11, and the steam passage P communicates with the cooking space S via the steam inlet 21. Optionally, as... Figures 4 to 6 , Figure 8 As shown, the steam passage assembly 20 includes a steam valve 30. The valve cavity P2 of the steam valve 30 forms part of the steam passage P. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the steam outlet 22 of the steam passage P is located at the steam valve 30. The steam outlet 22 is connected to the valve cavity P2. The steam passage P is connected to the external environment at the valve cavity P2 via the steam outlet 22, so that the cooking steam in the steam passage P can be discharged to the external environment.

[0124] The steam valve 30 can be connected to the faceplate assembly 7 by a suitable method such as snap-fit, fastener connection such as screws, or adhesive bonding. Exemplarily, the panel 9 or faceplate 8 has a downwardly recessed receiving portion 13, within which the steam valve 30 is detachably disposed. Optionally, the steam valve 30 includes an upper valve cover 31 and a lower valve cover 32, which form a valve cavity P2. The top wall of the upper valve cover 31 forms the top wall of the valve cavity P2, and the bottom wall 33 of the lower valve cover 32 forms the bottom wall of the valve cavity P2. The lower valve cover 32 can be detachably connected to the upper valve cover 31 by a rotating snap-fit ​​to facilitate cleaning of the valve cavity P2. Optionally, the steam valve 30 is a micro-pressure valve.

[0125] Optionally, such as Figure 2 and Figure 7As shown, the steam passage assembly 20 also includes a hollow passage seal 50. The inner wall of the passage seal 50 forms a steam guide passage P1. The steam guide passage P1 communicates with the steam inlet 21 so that during cooking, cooking steam enters the steam guide passage P1 via the steam inlet 21. The steam guide passage P1 forms part of the steam passage P, i.e., the steam passage P includes the steam guide passage P1. The main body portion 51 of the passage seal 50 is, for example, cylindrical, and the passage seal 50 may also include a deformed portion 52 connected to the lower end of the main body portion 51. The passage seal 50 is capable of forming a sealed passage between the steam inlet 21 and the steam valve 30. Specifically, the deformed portion 52 can abut against the portion of the cover plate 11 around the steam inlet 21, and the main body portion 51 can abut against the bottom of the steam valve 30.

[0126] To secure the channel seal 50, the liner 6 may be provided with an upwardly extending mounting sleeve 14. The main body portion 51 of the channel seal 50 is located within the mounting sleeve 14, and the top of the main body portion 51 is mounted on the mounting sleeve 14. Exemplarily, the top of the main body portion 51 is provided with a mounting groove 53 with an opening facing the mounting sleeve 14, and the top end of the mounting sleeve 14 extends into the mounting groove 53.

[0127] Optionally, for better food cooking, the cover 2 is also provided with a temperature measuring device 15 for detecting the temperature of cooking steam. The temperature measuring device 15 can be located on the inner liner 6. For example, the temperature measuring device 15 is arranged in the vertical direction D3, and its temperature measuring probe 16 can extend into the cooking space S, for example, through a hole in the cover plate 11. Alternatively, the temperature measuring probe 16 can extend into the steam channel P, for example, through the channel seal 50 into the steam drainage channel P1.

[0128] When cooking appliance 1 is cooking, the cooking steam usually contains air bubbles, which may contain liquids such as rice water. When these air bubbles accumulate in the steam channel P, the liquids such as rice water may overflow from the steam outlet 22. To prevent liquid overflow, a bubble-breaking structure can be installed in the steam channel P.

[0129] The steam inlet 21 is generally designed to be relatively small. It can block some air bubbles within the cooking space S and break larger bubbles into smaller ones. The steam inlet 21 acts as a bubble-breaking mechanism, serving as the first line of defense against overflow. Specifically, the cover plate 11 is provided with at least one steam inlet 21 for the passage of cooking steam. The area S21 of a single steam inlet 21 is set to: S21 ≥ 0.8 mm². 2 For example, S21 can be 0.8mm. 2 1mm 2 1.2mm 2 1.4mm 2 1.6mm 2 2mm 2, 2.5mm 2 and other suitable values. Optionally, for example, the area S21 is set as: S21≥1.2mm 2 , S21≥1.5mm 2 , or S21≥2mm 2 . The area of each single steam inlet 21 cannot be too small, which ensures smooth steam passage through the steam inlet 21 and prevents the pressure in the cooking space S from rising due to poor steam discharge. If the area of a single steam inlet 21 is too small, rice soup may get stuck at the steam inlet 21, causing steam blockage, poor steam discharge, and excessive pressure in the cooking space S. Bubbles are squeezed for the first time at the steam inlet 21.

[0130] Optionally, the total area S20 of the at least one steam inlet is set as: 50mm 2 ≤S20≤300mm 2 , for example, S20 may be 50mm 2 , 60mm 2 , 80mm 2 , 100mm 2 , 150mm 2 , 200mm 2 , 250mm 2 , 280mm 2 , 300mm 2 and other suitable values. The total area of the steam inlets cannot be too small, because an excessively small total area will affect the passage capacity of cooking steam; setting the total area to be greater than or equal to 50mm 2 enables the steam passage capacity of the steam inlets to meet cooking requirements and ensures smooth steam passage through the steam inlets. The total area of the steam inlets cannot be too large, because an excessively large total area will prevent bubbles from being sufficiently squeezed when flowing through the steam inlets; setting the total area to be less than or equal to 300mm 2 enables bubbles to be sufficiently squeezed when flowing through the steam inlets, accelerating bubble rupture.

[0131] Optionally, the number a of the steam inlets 21 is: a≥2, for example, a may be a suitable value such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Further optionally, for example, the number a is: a≥4, a≥6, or a≥8. The steam inlets 21 may have regular shapes, such as a circle, an oblong shape, an ellipse, a polygon and other shapes; schematically, Figure 3 nine steam inlets 21 are shown. Optionally, the steam inlets 21 may include a plurality of oblong ports and a central circular port, and the plurality of oblong ports are arranged around the central circular port. Alternatively, the steam inlets 21 may be configured as irregular structures, for example, a structure in the form of characters, such as a radial (rice) shape, or a structure formed by connecting at least two steam inlets 21 with regular shapes.

[0132] The cross-sectional area of ​​at least the lower end P12 of the steam inlet channel P1 is greater than the total area of ​​the steam inlet 21. The space defined by the steam inlet channel P1 can be larger than the space defined by the steam inlet 21. Cooking steam flows from the narrow steam inlet 21 into the larger space of the steam inlet channel P1, reducing the external pressure on the bubbles. The bubbles expand again after being compressed, and the resulting deformation causes some bubbles to burst. To optimize the expansion effect, the volume V30 of the steam inlet channel P1 is set to: V30 ≥ 10.6 mm. 3 For example, the volume V30 can be 10.6 mm. 3 12mm 3 14mm 3 16mm 3 18mm 3 20mm 3 A suitable value. Optionally, for example, the volume V30 can be set to: V30 ≥ 12 mm. 3 V30≥15mm 3 or V30≥20mm 3 The steam inlet channel P1 has a relatively large space, allowing some bubbles that are compressed but not broken when passing through the steam inlet 21 to deform due to effective expansion. This deformation causes the bubbles to break, increasing the bubble-breaking capacity of the steam inlet channel P1. If the volume of the steam inlet channel P1 is too small, the bubbles cannot expand effectively, affecting the bubble-breaking effect. The bubbles undergo their first expansion when flowing into the steam inlet channel P1 from the steam inlet 21.

[0133] Optionally, the lower end P12 of the steam diversion channel P1 has a cross-sectional area S31, and the total area S20 of the steam inlet 21 is set to: S20≤1 / 2S31, for example, S20 can be 1 / 2S31, 2 / 5S31, 1 / 3S31, 3 / 10S31, 1 / 4S31, 1 / 5S31, 1 / 6S31, etc. Further optionally, for example, the total area S20 is set to: S20≤1 / 3S31, or S20≤1 / 5S31. If the ratio is too large, the bubbles will stick together after being squeezed, affecting the overflow prevention effect. Specifically, the steam diversion channel P1 has a relatively large space, which can prevent the bubbles from sticking together due to space constraints after being squeezed. The sticking of multiple bubbles will also affect the bubble bursting effect, thus ensuring the bubble bursting capability of the steam diversion channel P1.

[0134] To improve the defoaming ability of the steam channel P, such as Figure 2 , Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, this application also provides a steam passage component 60. The steam passage component 60 has a hollow structure and its inner wall surface forms a steam exhaust passage P3 for venting cooking steam. The steam exhaust passage P3 constitutes part of the steam passage P, that is, the steam passage P includes the steam exhaust passage P3, and more specifically, the steam passage assembly 20 includes the steam passage component 60. In the illustrated embodiment, the steam passage component 60 is disposed on the steam valve 30; in other words, the steam valve 30 includes the steam passage component 60. The steam passage component 60 can be removed from the cover 2 along with the steam valve 30 to clean the steam exhaust passage P3.

[0135] Alternatively, when the cover 2 does not have / does not include the steam valve 30, the steam passage component 60 can also be located in other positions within the cover 2, such as within the liner 6. In this case, a perforated cover can be provided on the upper side or upper end of the steam passage component 60 to prevent dust from the external environment from entering the cooking space S through the steam passage component 60, without affecting the exhaust of cooking steam to the external environment.

[0136] The structure of the steam passage component 60 is described below using the illustrated embodiment as an example.

[0137] A steam passage component 60 is located below the upper valve cover 31, passing through and connecting to the bottom wall 33 of the lower valve cover 32. The bottom wall 33 of the lower valve cover 32 has a return port 34 for liquids, allowing condensed rice water or similar liquids to flow back. Optionally, the bottom wall 33 of the lower valve cover 32 includes a guide portion 35 and a recess 36. The guide portion 35 is inclined relative to the horizontal plane, and the recess 36 is recessed downwards relative to the guide portion 35. The bottom wall 37 of the recess 36 has the return port 34. Condensed rice water or similar liquids collect along the guide portion 35 in the recess 36 and return to the steam guide passage P1 from the return port 34 of the recess 36, thus flowing back to the cooking space S from the steam inlet 21. The guide portion 35 is connected to the outer wall of the steam passage component 60, for example, at a position corresponding to the middle of the inlet passage section P31, or above the middle of the inlet passage section P31. The bottom wall 37 of the recess 36 is connected to the end 61 of the outer wall of the steam passage component 60 at the steam inlet 63. The steam inlet 63 can be configured to be approximately on the same plane as the bottom wall 37 of the recess 36. Some of the cooking steam is blocked at the bottom wall 37 of the recess 36 and flows into the steam inlet 63 along the bottom wall 37 of the recess 36, converging towards the steam inlet 63.

[0138] The steam passage component 60 can be supported by the lower valve cover 32 to hold it on the steam valve 30. The steam passage component 60 and the lower valve cover 32 form an integral part, which can be detachably connected to the upper valve cover 31 so that the lower valve cover 32 and the steam passage component 60 can be cleaned simultaneously after the upper valve cover 31 is opened. Exemplarily, the steam passage component 60 is integrally formed with the bottom wall 33 of the lower valve cover 32, and can be molded together using injection molding, which is simple to manufacture and has low cost. Alternatively, the steam passage component 60 can be a separately molded component connected to the bottom wall 33 of the lower valve cover 32. The independently molded steam passage component 60 allows for more diverse structural designs and greater design freedom.

[0139] Along the steam flow direction, at least a portion of the cross-sectional area of ​​the steam discharge channel P3 differs from the cross-sectional areas of other portions. The channel wall forming the at least a portion extends in a different direction than the channel walls forming the other portions at least where they are connected. For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the middle portion of the steam discharge channel P3 differs from the cross-sectional areas of other portions, and the middle channel wall forming the middle portion extends in a different direction than the other channel walls forming the other portions at at least where they are connected. Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the middle portion is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​at least the upstream portion of the other portions. Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the upstream portion of the other portions is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the downstream portion of the other portions. Optionally, at least one of the middle portion, the upstream portion, and the downstream portion includes a portion with a constant cross-sectional area and / or a portion with a varying cross-sectional area.

[0140] The steam discharge passage P3 may include an inlet passage section P31, a flow passage section P32, and an outlet passage section P33. The inlet passage section P31 is connected to the outlet passage section P33 via the flow passage section P32; that is, the flow passage section P32 is located between the inlet passage section P31 and the outlet passage section P33, serving as an intermediate section. The end 61 of the inlet passage section P31 furthest from the flow passage section P32 has a steam inlet 63, and the end 62 of the outlet passage section P33 furthest from the flow passage section P32 has a steam outlet 64. The steam inlet 63 is located outside the valve cavity P2, and the steam discharge passage P3 communicates with the valve cavity P2 via the steam outlet 64. The steam inlet 63 of the steam passage component 60 serves as the inlet of the steam valve 30. The steam inlet 21 communicates with the steam inlet 63 of the steam discharge passage P3 via the steam guide passage P1. See also... Figure 1 , Figure 1 The flow path of cooking steam is schematically shown with a dashed line with an arrow. The cooking steam enters from the steam inlet 21, flows into the steam guide channel P1, and then flows into the steam discharge channel P3 from the steam inlet 63.

[0141] The cross-sectional area of ​​at least the upper end P11 of the steam inlet channel P1 is larger than the area of ​​the steam inlet 63. The steam inlet 63 is relatively narrower than the steam inlet channel P1, allowing bubbles to be compressed as they enter the steam inlet 63 from the steam inlet channel P1, affecting bubble stability. Some bubbles will burst after compression, achieving a certain bubble-breaking effect. The bubbles undergo a second compression at the steam inlet 63. The upper end P11 of the steam inlet channel P1 has a cross-sectional area S32, and the steam inlet 63 has an area S14. The area S14 is set to: S14 ≤ 1 / 2S32, for example, S14 can be 1 / 2S32, 2 / 5S32, 1 / 3S32, 3 / 10S32, 1 / 4S32, 1 / 5S32, 1 / 6S31, etc. Optionally, for example, the area S14 is set to: S14 ≤ 1 / 3S32, or S14 ≤ 1 / 5S32. The bubbles can be subjected to a certain external pressure at the steam inlet 63, which effectively disrupts the stability of the bubbles and further improves the bubble-breaking ability of the steam channel P, thus achieving a better anti-overflow effect.

[0142] The steam passage component 60 has a narrow passage space in the middle. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow passage section P32 is smaller than that of the inlet passage section P31 and also smaller than that of the outlet passage section P33. The internal space of the steam exhaust passage P3 decreases and then increases again in the direction of steam flow, with a narrow space at the flow passage section P32. When the cooking appliance 1 is cooking, it produces cooking steam containing bubbles. The cooking steam enters the steam exhaust passage P3 from the steam inlet 63. The bubbles are compressed at the narrow flow passage section P32, including by the compression exerted by the passage wall and the steam. Some bubbles burst under external pressure. The bubbles undergo a third compression at the flow passage section P32.

[0143] According to the fluid flow conservation law, A1v1 = A2v2, the smaller the cross-sectional area A of the channel, the greater the flow velocity v. Therefore, the cooking steam velocity is higher at the flow channel section P32, causing the bubbles to experience greater shear force, deforming them and leading to localized thinning and rupture. Then, the cooking steam flows into the larger space defined by the outflow channel section P33, where the external pressure on the bubbles decreases. The bubbles expand again after being compressed, and the resulting deformation also causes some bubbles to rupture, increasing the bubble-breaking capacity of the steam channel component 60. The steam channel component 60 provided in this application has better bubble-breaking capacity, effectively removing bubbles from the cooking steam and improving the anti-overflow effect. The bubbles undergo a second expansion when flowing from the flow channel section P32 into the outflow channel section P33.

[0144] The inlet channel section P31 has the maximum cross-sectional area S11, the through channel section P32 has the minimum cross-sectional area S12, and the outlet channel section P33 has the maximum cross-sectional area S13. The minimum cross-sectional area S12 can be set as follows: S12 ≤ 2 / 3S11, S12 ≤ 2 / 3S13. Alternatively, the minimum cross-sectional area S12 can be set as follows: S12 ≥ 3 / 10S11, S12 ≥ 3 / 10S13. That is, 3 / 10S11 ≤ S12 ≤ 2 / 3S11, 3 / 10S13 ≤ S12 ≤ 2 / 3S13. For example, S12 can be 3 / 10S11, 1 / 3S11, 2 / 5S11, 1 / 2S11, 3 / 5S11, 2 / 3S11, etc., or S12 can be 3 / 10S13, 1 / 3S11, 2 / 5S13, 1 / 2S13, 3 / 5S11, 2 / 3S13, etc. The bubbles in the flow channel section P32 are effectively broken by external pressure, improving the bubble-breaking ability and effect of the steam channel component 60. The cross-sectional area of ​​the steam discharge channel P3 in the middle section cannot be too small to ensure smooth steam passage and prevent the pressure in the steam discharge channel P3 from increasing due to poor steam discharge. If the cross-sectional area of ​​the middle section is too small, rice water may get stuck in the middle section, causing steam blockage, poor steam discharge, and excessive pressure in the steam discharge channel P3.

[0145] Optional, 25mm 2 ≤S11≤900mm 2 15mm 2 ≤S12≤600mm 2 25mm 2 ≤S13≤1050mm 2 For example, S11 is 25mm. 2 100mm 2 200mm 2 300mm 2 500mm 2 S12 has various sizes, including 700mm², 900mm², etc.; S12 has sizes of 15mm², 25mm², 100mm², 200mm², 300mm², 500mm², 600mm², etc.; S13 has sizes of 25mm², 100mm², 200mm², 300mm², 500mm², 700mm², 900mm², 1050mm², etc.

[0146] See Figure 9The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel section P31 gradually decreases along its axial direction Di, away from the steam inlet 63. P31 is a contracting section with a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area along the steam flow direction. Thanks to the contracting inlet channel section P31, the velocity of the cooking steam can gradually increase, reaching a greater velocity at the through-channel section P32. This causes the bubbles to experience greater external pressure within P32, resulting in more effective bubble breakage. The cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet channel section P33 gradually expands along its axial direction Di, towards the steam outlet 64. P33 is a diffuser section with a gradually expanding cross-sectional area along the steam flow direction. Thanks to the expanding outlet channel section P33, the velocity of the cooking steam can gradually decrease. The expansion effect on the bubbles within P33 further enhances the bubble-breaking effect, encouraging more bubbles to burst due to expansion.

[0147] At least a portion of the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel section P32 can remain constant along its axial direction Di. Bubbles can be effectively compressed in the flow channel section P32, resulting in better bubble breaking and facilitating the rupture of more bubbles due to compression; furthermore, the structure is simple and easy to manufacture.

[0148] It should be noted that "axial direction Di" refers to the direction of a continuous line connecting the geometric center points on the cross-section of the channel. As the channel extends, the axial direction Di also changes. In this paper, the axial direction Di is different for the inlet channel section P31, the through channel section P32, and the outlet channel section P33.

[0149] The steam inlet 63 and the steam outlet 64 face opposite directions. In the illustrated embodiment, the steam passage component 60 is arranged vertically along direction D3, with the steam inlet 63 facing downwards and the steam outlet 64 facing upwards. Cooking steam can flow from bottom to top within the steam discharge passage P3. Compared to horizontal flow, the cooking steam can have a higher flow velocity at the flow passage section P32, accelerating bubble collapse. The steam inlet 63 and the steam outlet 64 at least partially overlap along the axial direction Di of the steam discharge passage P3. Looking from the steam inlet 63 towards the steam outlet 64, the steam outlet 64 can be seen from the steam inlet 63. That is, the steam discharge passage P3 is a straight passage, and the cooking steam flows approximately in a straight line overall, achieving a higher flow velocity, which is beneficial for accelerating bubble collapse.

[0150] The end face of the inlet channel section P31 is completely open to form a steam inlet 63, where the inlet channel section P31 has the largest cross-sectional area. The end face of the outlet channel section P33 is also completely open to form a steam outlet 64, where the outlet channel section P33 has the largest cross-sectional area. Cooking steam flows smoothly without obstruction at both the inlet and outlet ends of the steam exhaust channel P3. This allows the cooking steam to reach a higher flow velocity in the flow passage section P32, which is beneficial for accelerating bubble bursting. Furthermore, the steam channel component 60 has a simple structure, making it easy to manufacture using injection molding, easier to demold, and resulting in higher production efficiency.

[0151] The steam passage component 60 is a hollow structure enclosed by a wall of predetermined thickness. The inner cross-section (i.e., the passage cross-section) and outer cross-section of the steam passage component 60 at the same location have the same shape; optionally, the cross-sectional shape can be circular, oblong, elliptical, or polygonal shapes such as triangles and squares. Figure 11 As shown, the steam passage component 60 of the illustrated embodiment has a rectangular cross-sectional shape at the steam outlet 64. Optionally, the dimension of the steam passage component 60 in a first direction D1, such as the front-to-back direction, is larger than the dimension in a second direction D2, such as the left-to-right direction, wherein the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are horizontal and perpendicular to each other. For example, as... Figures 9 to 11 As shown, the steam passage component 60 includes two first walls 65 and two second walls 66 arranged opposite to each other. The two first walls 65 are arranged along a first direction D1 and spaced apart in a second direction D2, and the two second walls 66 are arranged along the second direction D2 and spaced apart in the first direction D1. Adjacent first walls 65 and second walls 66 are connected.

[0152] Two first walls 65 extend generally along the vertical direction D3, and at least one of the two second walls 66 is inclined relative to the vertical direction D3 to change the cross-sectional area. In the inlet passage section P31, the second wall 66 is inclined close to the central axis of the steam passage member 60 in its axial direction Di away from the steam inlet 63. In the outlet passage section P33, the second wall 66 is inclined away from the central axis of the steam passage member 60 in its axial direction Di towards the steam outlet 64. Optionally, in the inlet passage section P31 and the outlet passage section P33, one of the two second walls 66 is configured to be inclined relative to the vertical direction D3, and the other of the two second walls 66 is configured to extend generally along the vertical direction D3. The inclined second wall 66 in the inlet passage section P31 and the inclined second wall 66 in the outlet passage section P33 are located on opposite sides of the steam passage member 60.

[0153] To further improve the overflow prevention effect, the valve cover 31 can also be equipped with a bubble-breaking structure. For example... Figure 12As shown, the lower surface 39 of the valve cover 31 is provided with a flow-guiding wall 40, and the steam outlet 22 is located outside the area provided by the flow-guiding wall 40. The steam outlet 22 is located on the outer periphery of the valve cover 31 and is an arc-shaped opening extending circumferentially along the valve cover 31. The flow-guiding wall 40 forms a spiral channel P4, and the outflow channel section P33 extends into the beginning of the spiral channel P4, that is, the center / center of the spiral channel P4 (see...). Figure 9 The top of the steam passage component 60 is a certain distance from the lower surface 39 of the valve cover 31 to avoid the cooking steam from not flowing smoothly into the spiral passage P4 due to the small distance, which would increase the gas pressure in the steam discharge passage P3.

[0154] See Figure 1 The dashed line with arrows indicates the flow path of the cooking steam. The cooking steam and the remaining bubbles within it reach the spiral channel P4 on the valve cover 31, and after passing through the spiral channel P4, it flows towards the steam outlet 22, eventually exiting from the steam outlet 22. The bubbles expand again within the spiral channel P4, and some bubbles burst due to this expansion. Liquid overflow often occurs during the continuous boiling stage, when the steam volume is large. The steam and bubbles are accelerated by the steam discharge channel P3, and under the continuous action of the steam, the bubbles undergo centrifugal motion within the spiral channel P4. Due to the density difference between the rice water and steam in the bubbles, centrifugal force separates the gas and liquid within the bubbles, achieving the bubble-breaking effect. The bursting bubbles ultimately leave the rice water in the steam valve 30, achieving the overflow prevention effect. The presence of the spiral channel P4 also lengthens the bubble outflow path, increasing the difficulty of bubble outflow and improving the overflow prevention performance; it also prolongs the steam cooling time, causing some steam to liquefy, and the liquid to return from the return port 34.

[0155] Optionally, the number of turns n in the spiral channel P4 is set to n≥1.5, such as 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, etc. Further optionally, the number of turns n is set to n≥2, n≥3.5, or n≥4. The spiral channel P4 has at least 1.5 turns. The first turn serves to contain unbroken bubbles and steam within the spiral channel P4, while the second turn and its downstream channels act as a barrier for centrifugal motion. The more turns, the better the overflow prevention effect.

[0156] The drainage wall 40 can be configured to extend in a spiral shape. Alternatively, Figure 13 The schematic diagram illustrates the general extended structure of the drainage wall 40, which can be constructed as concentric arc segments with baffles 42 between adjacent arc segments. The baffles 42 are arranged near the outlets of the inner arc segments. The baffles 42 are configured to direct steam flow in the same direction, such as clockwise or counterclockwise. Of course, the structure of the drainage wall 40 is not limited to that described; any structure capable of achieving centrifugal motion is acceptable.

[0157] Optionally, return to see Figure 5 The upper surface 38 of the valve cover 31 has a spiral or spiral-like pattern 41 in the area corresponding to the spiral channel P4. The pattern 41 can be formed by the spiral or spiral-like structure of the upper surface, or it can be formed by coating, sticker, engraving, or other means. The spiral pattern 41 can show that the steam valve 30 has a spiral channel P4, so that consumers can intuitively understand that the steam valve 30 has a spiral channel P4 inside without opening the steam valve 30, and intuitively know that the steam valve 30 of the product can achieve a better anti-overflow effect.

[0158] Furthermore, in order to make the steam passage component 60 perform better in preventing overflow, such as Figures 14 to 16 As shown, this article also defines the relevant dimensions of the steam passage component 60.

[0159] The flow length of the flow channel section P32 should not be too small, such as... Figure 14 As shown, the flow channel section P32 has a first dimension L1 along its own axial direction Di, and the steam discharge channel P3 has a second dimension L2 along its own axial direction Di. The first dimension L1 is set to: L1 ≥ 1 / 5L2, for example, L1 is 1 / 5L2, 1 / 4L2, 3 / 10L2, 1 / 3L2, 2 / 5L2, etc. Optionally, for example, the first dimension L1 is set to: L1 ≥ 1 / 4L2, or L1 ≥ 1 / 3L2. The flow channel section P32 can provide a certain flow length so that the bubbles can be subjected to external pressure for a certain period of time, and the bubbles can be fully and effectively squeezed and deformed, causing more bubbles to burst; and the acceleration effect on bubbles and cooking steam is better, effectively increasing the shear force of bubbles and accelerating bubble bursting.

[0160] Optionally, the first dimension L1 is: 3mm ≤ L1 ≤ 20mm; for example, the first dimension L1 can be a suitable value such as 3mm, 5mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 18mm, or 20mm. Optionally, the flow passage section P32 is connected to the inlet flow passage section P31 via a curved transition portion 67, and to the outlet flow passage section P33 via another transition portion 67. This allows for a smooth transition of the steam flow, resulting in more stable flow. In this text, the flow passage section P32 includes these two transition portions 67. The transition portion 67 can be, for example, arc-shaped, or other curved shapes.

[0161] like Figure 15As shown, the dimension A of the steam outlet 64 in the second direction D2 is: 5mm ≤ A ≤ 30mm; for example, dimension A can be a suitable value such as 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm, 30mm, etc. The dimension B of the steam outlet 64 in the first direction D1 is: 5mm ≤ B ≤ 35mm; for example, dimension B can be a suitable value such as 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm, 30mm, 35mm, etc. If the area of ​​the steam outlet 64 is too small, the steam will not be able to escape, affecting the overflow prevention. If the area of ​​the steam outlet 64 is too large, the steam discharge will be too large, and some bubbles will not have time to break, causing liquid to overflow. For ease of dimension marking, Figure 16 The steam passage component 60 in the middle has had its outflow passage section P33 removed, showing the break in the throughflow passage section P32. (See image below.) Figure 16 As shown, the dimension C of the flow passage section P32 in the first direction D1 is 3mm ≤ C ≤ 20mm; for example, dimension C can be a suitable value such as 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, or 20mm. The dimension D of the steam inlet 63 in the first direction D1 is 5mm ≤ D ≤ 30mm; for example, dimension D can be a suitable value such as 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm, or 30mm. Optionally, the dimensions of the flow passage section P32 and the steam inlet 63 in the second direction D2 can be approximately the same, and the dimension E of both in the second direction D2 is 5mm ≤ E ≤ 30mm; for example, dimension E can be a suitable value such as 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm, or 30mm. Alternatively, the dimensions of the flow passage section P32 and the steam inlet 63 in the second direction D2 can be different. If the cross-sectional area of ​​the steam inlet 63 is too small, steam will not be able to escape, affecting overflow prevention. If the cross-sectional area of ​​the steam inlet 63 is too large, the steam discharge will be too large, resulting in overflow.

[0162] Test

[0163] Example: Rice is cooked using the rice cooker provided in this application.

[0164] Comparative example: Rice was cooked using a regular rice cooker.

[0165] Cooking conditions: Except for the power control, other cooking conditions are largely the same, including the volume of the inner pot, the amount of rice added, the amount of water added, and the operating voltage. For example, the amount of rice added is 300g, the amount of water added is 750g, and the operating voltage is 220V.

[0166] Figure 17The green curve shown represents the heating power curve of the rice cooker in the embodiment, while the yellow curve represents the heating power curve of a conventional rice cooker. The rice cooker in the embodiment heats at full power during the early stages of cooking, such as the water absorption and heating phases. In contrast, the conventional rice cooker uses a power mode with a preset duty cycle during the early stages of cooking, such as the water absorption and heating phases. It should be noted that... Figure 17 The heating power curve for the heat preservation stage is not shown.

[0167] Using the above cooking conditions and heating power, rice was cooked. During the cooking process, the tester observed the steam outlet at the steam valve. The rice cooker in the embodiment did not produce any bubbles or liquid overflowing from the steam outlet throughout the entire cooking process, while the ordinary rice cooker in the comparison sample produced a large amount of foam splashing out in the middle and later stages of the cooking process, reaching level 4 overflow. After cooking, the rice cooker in the embodiment had a shorter total cooking time because it heated at full power in the early stages.

[0168] It should be noted that the overflow level can be divided into levels 0-4, or above level 4. The main requirements for each level are as follows: Level 0: No bubbling; Level 1: Slight bubbling, no trace of rice water on the lid; Level 2: Large bubbles, no foam splashing, no obvious trace of rice water on the lid; Level 3: Foam splashing, traces of rice water left on the lid after large bubbles burst; Level 4: Foam splashing, obvious traces of rice water flowing on the lid, with a flow distance greater than 1cm.

[0169] Therefore, through experimental testing, it has been proven that the cooking appliance provided in this application has better bubble-breaking ability, effectively removing air bubbles in cooking steam and improving the anti-overflow effect. Even when using full-power heating in the early stages of cooking, the overflow level can still reach level 0. Thus, the cooking appliance provided in this application is better suited for applications requiring short-duration, rapid cooking, saving consumers' cooking time and enhancing their user experience.

[0170] The sequence of steps in this embodiment can be adjusted, combined, or reduced according to actual needs. The terminal units in this embodiment can be integrated, further divided, or reduced according to actual needs.

[0171] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Features described in one embodiment may be applied, alone or in combination with other features, to another embodiment, unless that feature is not applicable in that other embodiment or is otherwise stated.

[0172] This application has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are only for illustrative purposes. This application is not limited to the above embodiments. Many variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, and all such variations and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A steam channel component for use in cooking appliances, characterized in that, The steam channel component has a hollow structure and its inner wall surface forms a steam exhaust channel for venting cooking steam. The steam discharge channel includes an inlet channel section, a flow passage section, and an outlet channel section. The inlet channel section is connected to the outlet channel section via the flow passage section. The end of the inlet channel section away from the flow passage section is provided with a steam inlet, and the end of the outlet channel section away from the flow passage section is provided with a steam outlet. The cross-sectional area of ​​the overflow channel section is smaller than that of the inlet channel section and also smaller than that of the outlet channel section.

2. The steam channel component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel section gradually decreases in the direction of its axis away from the steam inlet. And / or the cross-sectional area of ​​the outflow channel section gradually increases in the axial direction toward the steam outlet.

3. The steam channel component according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least a portion of the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow passage section remains constant in its axial direction.

4. The steam channel component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow passage section has a first dimension L1 in its own axial direction, and the steam discharge passage has a second dimension L2 in its own axial direction. The first dimension L1 is: L1≥1 / 5L2.

5. The steam channel component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet channel section has a maximum cross-sectional area S11, the through channel section has a minimum cross-sectional area S12, and the outlet channel section has a maximum cross-sectional area S13. The minimum cross-sectional area S12 is: S12≤2 / 3S11, and / or S12≤2 / 3S13.

6. The steam channel component according to claim 5, characterized in that, The minimum cross-sectional area S12 is: S12≥3 / 10S11, and / or S12≥3 / 10S13.

7. The steam channel component according to claim 5, characterized in that, 25mm²≤S11≤900mm 2 15mm 2 ≤S12≤600mm 2 and / or 25mm 2 ≤S13≤1050mm 2 .

8. The steam passage component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The steam inlet and the steam outlet face opposite directions and at least partially overlap in the axial direction of the steam discharge channel.

9. The steam passage component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The end face of the inlet channel section is completely open to form the steam inlet, and the end face of the outlet channel section is completely open to form the steam outlet. And / or the steam passage components are arranged vertically, with the steam inlet facing downwards and the steam outlet facing upwards.

10. A steam valve for a cooking appliance, characterized in that, The steam valve has a valve cavity and a steam outlet communicating with the external environment. The steam valve includes a steam passage component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the steam discharge passage communicates with the valve cavity via the steam outlet.

11. The steam valve according to claim 10, characterized in that, The steam valve includes an upper valve cover and a lower valve cover, which together form the valve cavity. The steam passage component passes through the bottom wall of the lower valve cover and is connected to the bottom wall.

12. The steam valve according to claim 11, characterized in that, The steam passage component is integrally formed with the bottom wall of the valve cover.

13. The steam valve according to claim 10, characterized in that, The steam valve includes a valve cover forming the valve cavity, a steam passage component located below the valve cover, a flow guide wall provided on the lower surface of the valve cover, a steam outlet located outside the area provided by the flow guide wall, the flow guide wall forming a spiral channel, and an outlet channel section extending into the center of the spiral channel.

14. The steam valve according to claim 13, characterized in that, The number of turns n of the spiral channel is n≥1.

5.

15. The steam valve according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the valve cavity includes a flow guide portion and a recessed portion, wherein the recessed portion is recessed downward relative to the flow guide portion. The guide portion is connected to the outer wall of the steam channel component, and the bottom wall of the recessed portion is connected to the outer wall of the steam channel component at the end of the steam inlet. And / or the bottom wall of the recessed portion is provided with a reflux port.

16. A lid for a cooking utensil, characterized in that, The cover includes a steam valve according to any one of claims 10 to 15, or a steam passage component according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

17. The cover according to claim 16, characterized in that, The cover includes a cover plate located below the steam passage member, the cover plate having at least one steam inlet for the passage of cooking steam. The area S21 of a single steam inlet is: S21 ≥ 0.8 mm. 2 ; And / or the total area S20 of the at least one steam inlet is: 50 mm 2 ≤S20≤300mm 2 .

18. The cover according to claim 16, characterized in that, The cover is provided with a steam inlet for the passage of cooking steam and a steam guide channel communicating with the steam inlet. The steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet of the steam discharge channel via the steam guide channel. The cross-sectional area of ​​at least the lower end of the steam guide channel is greater than the total area of ​​the steam inlet.

19. The cover according to claim 18, characterized in that, The lower end of the steam diversion channel has a cross-sectional area S31, and the steam inlet has a total area S20, wherein the total area S20 is: S20≤1 / 2S31; And / or the volume V30 of the steam diversion channel is: V30≥10.6mm 3 .

20. The cover according to claim 18, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​at least the upper end of the steam diversion channel is greater than the area of ​​the steam inlet.

21. The cover according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that, The upper end of the steam diversion channel has a cross-sectional area S32, and the steam inlet has an area S14, wherein the area S14 is: S14≤1 / 2S32.

22. A cooking utensil, characterized in that, The cooking appliance includes a pot body and a lid according to any one of claims 16 to 21, the lid being closable on the pot body to form a cooking space between the two, the steam inlet of the lid being in communication with the cooking space.

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