Electric cooker

Abstract

The utility model provides an electric cooker. The electric cooker comprises an outer pot, an inner pot and a composite hot plate, the inner pot is arranged on the outer pot and comprises a bottom wall and a side wall, and a steam cavity is formed between at least part of the side wall and the outer pot; the composite hot plate abuts against the bottom wall and comprises a heating plate, an electric heating pipe and a water guide pipe, the electric heating pipe and the water guide pipe are embedded in the heating plate, heat generated by the electric heating pipe can be transmitted to the water guide pipe so that water flowing through the water guide pipe can be heated to generate steam, and a steam outlet of the water guide pipe is communicated with the steam cavity. According to the technical scheme, the cost of a three-dimensional heating mode can be reduced, and the control difficulty of three-dimensional heating is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cooking technology, and in particular to an electric rice cooker. Background Technology

[0002] In existing rice cookers, the heat generated by the heating plate is usually concentrated at the bottom of the inner pot during cooking, resulting in a concentrated heat distribution that affects the cooking effect. While some technologies have proposed multi-segment heating plates, these designs are complex and increase production costs and controllability. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this utility model is to provide a rice cooker that aims to reduce the cost of three-dimensional heating and reduce the difficulty of controlling three-dimensional heating.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes an electric rice cooker, which includes an outer pot, an inner pot, and a composite heating plate. The inner pot is disposed on the outer pot and includes a bottom wall and a side wall, with at least a portion of the side wall forming a steam cavity with the outer pot. The composite heating plate abuts against the bottom wall and includes a heating plate, an electric heating element, and a water guide pipe. The electric heating element and the water guide pipe are both embedded in the heating plate. The heat generated by the electric heating element can be transferred to the water guide pipe to heat the water flowing through the water guide pipe and generate steam. The steam outlet of the water guide pipe is connected to the steam cavity.

[0005] In some embodiments, the water pipe and the electric heating element are integrally formed with the heating plate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the rice cooker also includes a water tank and a water pump, the water pump being disposed in the water tank and used to deliver water from the water tank to a water pipe.

[0007] In some embodiments, the outer pot includes a pot body and two sealing elements, which are spaced apart along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall; the inner pot, the pot body, and the two sealing elements enclose a steam cavity.

[0008] In some embodiments, the sealing element includes a main body and multiple sealing portions. The main body is annular and connected to the inner wall of the pot body. The sealing portions extend inward from the inner ring of the main body. The multiple sealing portions are arranged at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall. The sealing portions are used to contact the outer wall of the inner pot when the inner pot is placed on the outer pot to form a steam cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the rice cooker further includes a water tank and a water pump, the water pump being disposed in the water tank and used to deliver water in the water tank to the water pipe; the composite heating plate further includes a condensate return pipe, one end of which is connected to the steam cavity and the other end of which is connected to the water tank or the water pipe.

[0010] In some embodiments, the condensate return pipe includes a first port communicating with a steam cavity, at least a portion of the first port being lower than the surface of the seal facing away from the bottom wall near the bottom wall, or at least a portion of the first port being flush with the surface of the seal facing away from the bottom wall near the bottom wall.

[0011] In some embodiments, the outer pot also includes an exhaust pipe, one end of which is connected to the steam cavity, and the other end is used to connect to the outside or to the steam valve of the rice cooker.

[0012] In some embodiments, the outer pot includes an end cap for forming a cooking space with the inner pot when the rice cooker is in operation; the outer pot also includes an exhaust pipe, one end of which is opposite to the steam cavity and communicates with the cooking space.

[0013] In some embodiments, the end cap is provided with a nozzle facing the cooking space, and a section of the exhaust pipe away from the steam cavity is disposed inside the end cap and communicates with the nozzle.

[0014] The technical solution of this utility model, by setting at least a portion of the side wall to form a steam cavity with the outer pot, combined with the structure of the composite heating plate, enables the rice cooker to achieve three-dimensional heating of the inner pot through the heating plate and the steam cavity when it is working. The structure is simple and easy to implement, and can reduce the cost and control difficulty of three-dimensional heating. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the rice cooker provided in this application;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The rice cooker shown is a cross-sectional view along line AA.

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of part B of the rice cooker shown;

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Another embodiment of the rice cooker shown is a cross-sectional view along line AA.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0021] 100. Rice cooker;

[0022] 10. Outer pot; 11. Pot body; 12. Sealing element; 121. Main body; 122. Sealing part; 13. Exhaust pipe; 14. End cap; 141. Nozzle;

[0023] 20. Inner pot; 21. Bottom wall; 22. Side wall;

[0024] 30. Composite heating plate; 31. Heating plate; 32. Electric heating element; 33. Water pipe; 34. Condensate return pipe; 341. First port;

[0025] 40. Water tank;

[0026] 101. Steam cavity.

[0027] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0029] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0030] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixing" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0031] Furthermore, in this utility model, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0032] This application discloses a rice cooker 100.

[0033] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 The present invention proposes a rice cooker 100, which includes an outer pot 10, an inner pot 20, and a composite heating plate 30. The inner pot 20 is disposed on the outer pot 10 and includes a bottom wall 21 and a side wall 22. At least a portion of the side wall 22 forms a steam cavity 101 between itself and the outer pot 10. The composite heating plate 30 abuts against the bottom wall 21 and includes a heating plate 31, an electric heating element 32, and a water pipe 33. The electric heating element 32 and the water pipe 33 are both embedded in the heating plate 31. The heat generated by the electric heating element 32 can be transferred to the water pipe 33 to heat the water flowing through the water pipe 33 and generate steam. The steam outlet of the water pipe 33 is connected to the steam cavity 101.

[0034] The outer pot 10 is an external structural component of the rice cooker 100, used to define the external structure of the rice cooker 100 and to provide installation and support for other structures of the rice cooker 100.

[0035] In these embodiments of the present application, the outer pot 10 may be provided with an accommodating space that is open at one end. In some embodiments, an end cap that is hinged to the outer pot 10 may also be provided to seal the opening of the outer pot 10, thereby forming a sealed accommodating space.

[0036] The inner pot 20 is a component in the rice cooker 100 used to hold rice and other ingredients to be cooked. The inner pot 20 is located on the outer pot 10. In a possible implementation, the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10 are not connected. During the operation of the rice cooker 100, the inner pot 20 can be placed directly into the receiving space of the outer pot 10, and heated by the heating plate 31, which is also located in the receiving space of the outer pot 10, thereby cooking the ingredients.

[0037] In some embodiments, a detachable connection can be provided between the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10, such as a buckle or a slot, to connect the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10, thereby improving the structural stability of the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10 during operation.

[0038] The inner pot 20 includes a bottom wall 21 and a side wall 22. The inner pot 20 can also be configured as a semi-enclosed structure with one end open. The space enclosed by the semi-enclosed structure is the cooking space for the food.

[0039] In these embodiments of the present application, the outer wall shape of the inner pot 20 can be set to match the inner wall shape of the outer pot 10, so that the side wall 22 of the inner pot 20 is opposite to the inner side wall of the outer pot 10, and the bottom wall 21 of the inner pot 20 is opposite to the bottom wall of the outer pot 10.

[0040] In these embodiments of this application, a steam cavity 101 is formed between at least a portion of the side wall 22 and the outer pot 10. This means that when the inner pot 20 is placed inside the outer pot 10, the outer wall surface of the side wall 22 of the inner pot 20 and the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10 are spaced apart at least partially, forming the aforementioned steam cavity 101. During the operation of the rice cooker 100, the side wall 22 of the inner pot 20 can be heated by introducing high-temperature steam into the steam cavity 101.

[0041] It should be noted that the steam cavity 101 is formed by the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10. This means that the steam cavity 101 is coupled between the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10. In other words, the steam cavity 101 is formed by the cooperation between the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10. It is gradually formed during the process of the inner pot 20 being placed into the outer pot 10, and gradually decomposed during the process of the inner pot 20 being separated from the outer pot 10.

[0042] For example, in some embodiments, a corresponding sealing member may be provided on the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10 and / or the outer wall surface of the inner pot 20. One end of the sealing member may be connected to the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10 or the outer wall surface of the inner pot 20, and the other end may be a free end. In this way, during the process of the inner pot 20 being placed into the outer pot 10, the free end of the sealing member contacts and seals with the inner pot 20 or the outer pot 10, thereby forming a sealed steam cavity 101.

[0043] In some embodiments, the sealing member is more flexible than the outer pot 10 and / or the inner pot 20, so that the sealing member can also act as a buffer during the process of placing the inner pot 20 onto the outer pot 10, thereby reducing the probability of the outer pot 10 and the inner pot 20 colliding hard to a certain extent.

[0044] The function of the composite heating plate 30 is to heat the inner pot 20 to increase the temperature of the cooking space of the inner pot 20, thereby heating and cooking the food placed in the cooking space.

[0045] The composite heating plate 30 abuts against the bottom wall 21, which means that the composite heating plate 30 also supports the inner pot 20 and mainly transfers heat to the cooking space through the bottom wall 21 of the inner pot 20.

[0046] The composite heating plate 30 includes a heating plate 31, an electric heating element 32, and a water pipe 33. The heating plate 31 is a component in the composite heating plate 30 that provides support and heat conduction. At the same time, the heating plate 31 can cooperate with the electric heating element 32 to act as a heat source in the composite heating plate 30 to transfer heat to the water pipe 33 and the inner pot 20.

[0047] In these embodiments of this application, both the heating element 32 and the water pipe 33 are embedded in the heating plate 31. A possible implementation is that the heating element 32 is embedded in the heating plate 31 during the forming process of the heating plate 31 to shorten the heat conduction path of the heating plate 31 and improve the heat energy utilization efficiency. Correspondingly, the water pipe 33 can also be embedded in the heating plate 31 during the forming process of the heating plate 31 to store water during the operation of the rice cooker 100 and absorb heat during the heating process of the heating element 32 on the heating plate 31, so that the water stored in the water pipe 33 evaporates to form water vapor. In some embodiments, the water pipe 33 can also be formed directly during the forming process of the heating plate 31, that is, the water pipe 33 can be a hollow pipe structure inside the heating plate 31.

[0048] The heat generated by the heating element 32 can be transferred to the water pipe 33, so that the water flowing through the water pipe 33 is heated to produce steam. This means that the heating element 32 is used to connect directly or indirectly to an external power source to convert electrical energy into heat energy and generate heat through electrothermal methods. As mentioned above, since both the heating element 32 and the water pipe 33 are embedded in the heating plate 31, the heat generated by the heating element 32 can be transferred to the water pipe 33 through the heating plate 31, so that the water flowing through the water pipe 33 is heated and its temperature rises continuously until it reaches the boiling point and generates water vapor.

[0049] The steam outlet of the water pipe 33 is connected to the steam cavity 101. This means that the inlet end of the water pipe 33 is connected to a water source to introduce water into the portion of the water pipe 33 embedded in the heating plate 31. Simultaneously, at least a portion of the water pipe 33 near the outlet end is used for steam circulation, allowing steam to be introduced into the steam cavity 101 after the inner pot 20 and outer pot 10 form it. In this way, during the operation of the rice cooker 100, the heating plate 31 abuts against the bottom wall 21, directly transferring heat to the cooking space through the bottom wall 21. Simultaneously, the steam entering the steam cavity 101 can also transfer heat to the cooking space through the side wall 22, thus forming a three-dimensional heating structure for the cooking space and improving the heating efficiency of food within the cooking space.

[0050] It should be noted that the steam cavity 101 is formed by the coupling of the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10. Specifically, during the process of placing the inner pot 20 into the outer pot 10, the aforementioned sealing components located on the outer wall of the inner pot 20 and / or the inner wall of the outer pot 10 work together to form the cavity. Therefore, the connection between the steam outlet of the water guide pipe 33 and the steam cavity 101 means that the steam outlet of the water guide pipe 33 is located at the position of the steam cavity 101 after its formation.

[0051] Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the sealing member includes a first seal and a second seal. The first seal is connected to the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10, and the second seal is connected to the outer wall surface of the inner pot 20. After the inner pot 20 is placed into the outer pot 10, the end face of the first seal facing away from the outer pot 10 abuts against the outer wall surface of the inner pot 20, and the end face of the second seal facing away from the inner pot 20 abuts against the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10. The first seal and the second seal are arranged at a distance from each other in the direction in which the inner pot 20 is placed, thus forming the aforementioned steam cavity 101. At this time, the steam outlet of the water guide pipe 33 can be set on the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10 corresponding to the side of the first seal near the second seal, or on the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10 corresponding to the side of the second seal near the first seal, so as to communicate with the steam cavity 101 after it is formed.

[0052] According to the rice cooker 100 provided in this application, by setting at least a portion of the side wall 22 to form a steam cavity 101 between the outer pot 10 and the outer pot, and in conjunction with the structure of the composite heating plate 30, the rice cooker 100 can achieve three-dimensional heating of the inner pot 20 through the heating plate 31 and the steam cavity 101 when it is working. The structure is simple and easy to implement, and can reduce the cost and control difficulty of three-dimensional heating.

[0053] In some embodiments, the water pipe 33, the heating element 32, and the heating plate 31 are all integrally formed. This increases the structural consistency of the composite heating plate 30 and improves its reliability.

[0054] In these embodiments of the present application, the heating plate 31 can be made of aluminum alloy, stainless steel, iron or other materials with good thermal conductivity. During the molding process of the heating plate 31, at least part of the structure of the water pipe 33 and the electric heating tube 32 that need to be embedded in the heating plate 31 can be integrally formed in the molding process of the heating plate 31.

[0055] In some embodiments, the rice cooker 100 also includes a water tank 40 and a water pump (not shown), the water pump being disposed in the water tank 40 and used to deliver water in the water tank 40 to the water pipe 33.

[0056] The water tank 40 is the water source component of the rice cooker 100, used to work with the water pump to guide the water pipe 33 in real time to replenish the water lost due to evaporation.

[0057] In these embodiments of this application, the water tank 40 and the outer pot 10 can be configured as separate structures. In this case, the inlet end of the water tank 40 and the water pipe 33 can be connected by a water pipe. In some embodiments, the water tank 40 and the outer pot 10 can be detachably connected by means of snap-fit ​​connection, connector connection, etc. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the water tank 40 and the outer pot 10 can be directly fixedly connected by means of adhesive or integral molding to increase the structural consistency of the water tank 40 and the outer pot 10 and reduce the risk of loss during daily use.

[0058] As a component controlling the flow of water in the water tank 40 into the water pipe 33, in some embodiments of this application, the water pump can be configured to communicate with a sensor to achieve feedback regulation of the water volume in the water pipe 33. For example, in some embodiments, the sensor can be a water level sensor installed in the water pipe 33 to send a working signal to the water pump when the water volume in the water pipe 33 decreases, thus pumping water from the water tank 40 into the water pipe 33. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the sensor can be a temperature sensor installed in the steam cavity 101 to adjust the water volume in the water pipe 33 according to the temperature of the steam cavity 101. For instance, when the temperature in the steam cavity 101 is low, it indicates that there is no water in the water pipe 33 and steam cannot be generated. In this case, the water pump can be controlled to pump water from the water tank 40 into the water pipe 33 to generate steam and raise the temperature of the steam cavity 101.

[0059] In some embodiments, the outer pot 10 includes a pot body portion 11 and two sealing members 12, which are spaced apart along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 21; the inner pot 20, the pot body portion 11 and the two sealing members 12 enclose a steam cavity 101.

[0060] It should be noted that, in order to facilitate the insertion and removal of the inner pot 20, when designing the outer pot 10 and the inner pot 20, a gap is usually set between the outer side wall 22 of the inner pot 20 and the inner wall of the outer pot 10.

[0061] In these embodiments of this application, by providing two sealing elements 12 and spacing them apart in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 21, when the inner pot 20 is placed into the outer pot 10, the inner wall surface of the sealing element 12 can contact the outer side wall 22 of the inner pot 20, thus forming a sealed steam cavity 101. This arrangement is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, which can reduce the production cost of the rice cooker 100 and improve the production efficiency of the rice cooker 100.

[0062] In these embodiments of the present application, the sealing element 12 can be connected to the pot body 11, that is, both sealing elements 12 are set on the inner wall surface of the outer pot 10. In this way, the structural stability of the sealing element 12 can be improved, and the risk of damage caused by the sealing element 12 being repeatedly removed and cleaned along with the inner pot 20 during the use of the rice cooker 100 can be reduced, resulting in better reliability.

[0063] In these embodiments of the present application, the end of the seal 12 used for connecting with the outer pot 10 can be made to have a higher rigidity than the free end. This allows the free end of the seal 12 to deform better during the assembly of the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10, so that the free end can better fit tightly with the inner wall 20, thereby better sealing of the steam cavity 101 under the premise of coupling between the outer pot 10 and the inner pot 20.

[0064] In some embodiments, the sealing element 12 includes a main body 121 and multiple sealing parts 122. The main body 121 is annular and connected to the inner wall of the pot body 11. The sealing parts 122 extend inward from the inner ring of the main body 121. The multiple sealing parts 122 are arranged at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 21. The sealing parts 122 are used to contact the outer wall of the inner pot 20 when the inner pot 20 is placed on the outer pot 10 to form a steam cavity 101.

[0065] The main body 121 is the structural body of the sealing member 12 and is used to fix it to the pot body 11. This application only describes the main body 121 as being fixedly connected to the outer pot 10, that is, in these embodiments of this application, the main body 121 is annular and connected to the inner wall of the pot body 11.

[0066] The sealing portion 122 is the part of the sealing member 12 used for active sealing, that is, the free end of the aforementioned sealing member 12. In these embodiments of this application, the sealing portion 122 is provided in multiple layers, which aims to improve the success rate of the sealing portion 122 when performing active sealing and to improve the overall sealing effect of the sealing portion 122.

[0067] The multi-layer sealing portions 122 are arranged at intervals along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 21 because in these embodiments of this application, the direction in which the inner pot 20 is placed into the outer pot 10 is perpendicular to the bottom wall 21. In this way, during the process of placing the inner pot 20 into the outer pot 10, since the multi-layer sealing portions 122 are arranged at intervals, the multi-layer sealing portions 122 come into contact with the inner pot 20 in sequence and deform respectively to achieve sealing of the sealing member 12 on the side (free end) near the inner pot 20.

[0068] In these embodiments of the present application, by setting the sealing part 122 as a multi-layer structure, on the one hand, the strength of the sealing member 12 at the free end can be weakened, making each layer of sealing part 122 more likely to deform after contact with the inner pot 20. At the same time, the multi-layer sealing part 122 can also provide a guarantee for the sealing of the sealing member 12 on the side close to the inner pot 20, which can effectively reduce the sealing difficulty and improve the sealing reliability.

[0069] In some embodiments, the rice cooker 100 further includes a water tank 40 and a water pump. The water pump is disposed in the water tank 40 and is used to transport water in the water tank 40 to the water pipe 33. The composite heating plate 30 also includes a condensate return pipe 3434. One end of the condensate return pipe 34 is connected to the steam cavity 101, and the other end is connected to the water tank 40 or the water pipe 33.

[0070] The function of the condensate return pipe is to collect the reflux of steam in the steam cavity 101 after it has been cooled into liquid water. In these embodiments of this application, since the inner pot 20 and the outer pot 10 together form the aforementioned steam cavity 101, the steam cavity 101 will be connected to the outside when the inner pot 20 is removed. At this time, if there is liquid water in the steam cavity 101, it is easy to drip after the inner pot 20 is removed, which will affect the internal environment of the rice cooker 100 and also pose a risk of short circuit.

[0071] In these embodiments of the present application, by setting one end of the condensate return pipe 34 to be connected to the steam cavity 101 and the other end to the water tank 40 or the water pipe 33, the water that is cooled and recondensed into liquid in the steam cavity 101 can be collected, which improves the cleanliness of the internal environment of the rice cooker 100 and reduces the risk of short circuit caused by water dripping into the circuit.

[0072] In some embodiments, the condensate return pipe 34 includes a first port 341 communicating with the steam cavity 101, at least a portion of the first port 341 being lower than the surface of the seal 12 facing away from the bottom wall 21 near the bottom wall 21, or at least a portion of the first port 341 being flush with the surface of the seal 12 facing away from the bottom wall 21 near the bottom wall 21.

[0073] In these embodiments of the present application, since the steam cavity 101 is formed by the outer pot 10, the inner pot 20 and the upper and lower sealing members 12 together, the steam cavity 101 can be regarded as an annular cavity structure, wherein the upper and lower sealing members 12 are the upper and lower walls of the annular cavity structure.

[0074] Based on this, when the steam in the steam cavity 101 condenses into water, it will accumulate on the upper surface of the seal 12 below under the action of gravity. This upper surface is also the surface of the seal 12 near the bottom wall 21 that is away from the bottom wall 21.

[0075] In this way, by setting at least a portion of the first port 341 below the surface of the seal 12 facing away from the bottom wall 21, or by setting at least a portion of the first port 341 flush with the surface of the seal 12 facing away from the bottom wall 21, the first port 341 is located at the lowest position of the steam cavity 101, so that the condensate return pipe 34 can completely drain the water accumulated in the steam cavity 101, further improving the reliability of the rice cooker 100.

[0076] In some embodiments, the outer pot 10 further includes an exhaust pipe 13, one end of which is connected to the steam cavity 101, and the other end is used to connect to the outside or to the steam valve of the rice cooker 100.

[0077] The function of the exhaust pipe 13 is to balance the air pressure inside the steam cavity 101 and reduce the possibility of structural damage to the steam cavity 101 due to excessive internal pressure. One end of the exhaust pipe 13 can be connected to the steam cavity 101, and the other end can be connected to the outside or to the steam valve of the rice cooker 100. This allows excess steam in the steam cavity 101 to be directly discharged to the outside, or excess steam in the steam cavity 101 to be discharged to the steam valve outlet of the rice cooker 100, so that it can be discharged together with the steam generated in the cooking space of the inner pot 20.

[0078] In some embodiments of this application, the port of the exhaust pipe 13 that connects to the steam cavity 101 can be located near the upper end of the steam cavity 101, that is, near the upper sealing member 12, in order to improve the filling degree of steam in the steam cavity 101 and improve the heating effect of steam on the side wall 22 of the inner pot 20.

[0079] In some embodiments, the outer pot 10 includes an end cap 14, which is used to form a cooking space with the inner pot 20 when the rice cooker 100 is working; the outer pot also includes an exhaust pipe 13, one end of which is opposite to the steam cavity 101 and communicates with the cooking space.

[0080] The outer pot 10 includes an end cap 14, and in these embodiments of the present application, the end cap 14 may be movably connected to the open end of the pot body 11, so that the end cap 14 can switch between open and closed states through its movable connection with the pot body 11.

[0081] With the end cap 14 and the pot body 11 open, the user can take out or put the inner pot 20 into the pot body 11; with the end cap 14 and the pot body 11 closed, the rice cooker 100 can start working. At this time, the end cap 14 can cover the opening of the side wall 22 of the inner pot 20 away from the bottom wall 21, so as to form a cooking space together with the inner pot 20.

[0082] The fact that the end of the exhaust pipe 13 away from the steam cavity 101 is connected to the cooking space means that in these embodiments of the present application, the exhaust pipe 13 can introduce water vapor in the steam cavity 101 into the cooking space, thereby making full use of the heat energy of the water vapor and further improving the heating effect of the rice cooker 100.

[0083] In these embodiments of this application, after the water vapor in the steam cavity 101 is introduced into the cooking space through the exhaust pipe 13, the residual heat energy of the water vapor is used to further enhance the heating effect on the food. The steam is then discharged through the exhaust valve along with the water in the cooking space after evaporation. This design also unifies the exhaust from the steam cavity 101 with the exhaust from the cooking space, reducing the number of exhaust vents required by the rice cooker 100 during operation. This facilitates the collection of condensate and reduces the risk of users being scalded by steam, further improving the user experience.

[0084] In some embodiments, the end cap 14 is provided with a nozzle 141 with the nozzle facing the cooking space, and a section of the exhaust pipe 13 away from the steam cavity 101 is disposed inside the end cap 14 and communicates with the nozzle 141.

[0085] The function of nozzle 141 is to accelerate the flow rate of water vapor so as to quickly spray the water vapor in exhaust pipe 13 onto the food in the cooking space, so as to use the heat energy of water vapor to heat the food and further improve the utilization rate of water vapor in steam cavity 101.

[0086] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present utility model using the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A rice cooker, characterized in that, include: Outer pot; An inner pot is disposed in the outer pot and includes a bottom wall and a side wall, wherein at least a portion of the side wall forms a steam cavity with the outer pot; A composite heating plate abuts against the bottom wall and includes a heating plate, an electric heating element, and a water pipe. The electric heating element and the water pipe are both embedded in the heating plate. The heat generated by the electric heating element can be transferred to the water pipe to heat the water flowing through the water pipe and generate steam. The steam outlet of the water pipe is connected to the steam cavity.

2. The rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water pipe and the electric heating element are both integrally formed with the heating plate.

3. The rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rice cooker also includes a water tank and a water pump. The water pump is located in the water tank and is used to transport water from the water tank to the water pipe.

4. The rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer pot includes a pot body and two sealing elements, which are spaced apart along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall; The inner pot, the main body of the pot, and the two sealing elements enclose and form the steam cavity.

5. The rice cooker as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The sealing element includes a main body and multiple sealing parts. The main body is annular and connected to the inner wall of the pot body. The sealing parts extend inward from the inner ring of the main body. The multiple sealing parts are arranged at intervals along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall. The sealing part is used to contact the outer wall of the inner pot when the inner pot is placed on the outer pot, so as to form the steam cavity.

6. The rice cooker as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The rice cooker also includes a water tank and a water pump. The water pump is located in the water tank and is used to transport water from the water tank to the water pipe. The composite heating plate also includes a condensate return pipe, one end of which is connected to the steam cavity, and the other end is connected to the water tank or the water pipe.

7. The rice cooker as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The condensate return pipe includes a first port that communicates with the steam cavity. At least a portion of the first port is lower than the surface of the seal facing away from the bottom wall near the bottom wall, or at least a portion of the first port is flush with the surface of the seal facing away from the bottom wall near the bottom wall.

8. The rice cooker as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The outer pot also includes an exhaust pipe, one end of which is connected to the steam cavity, and the other end is used to connect to the outside or to the steam valve of the rice cooker.

9. The rice cooker as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The outer pot includes an end cap, which is used to form a cooking space with the inner pot when the rice cooker is working; The outer pot also includes an exhaust pipe, the end of which, away from the steam cavity, is connected to the cooking space.

10. The rice cooker as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The end cap is provided with a nozzle facing the cooking space, and a section of the exhaust pipe away from the steam cavity is disposed inside the end cap and communicates with the nozzle.

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