Inner pot and cooking utensil

Abstract

The utility model provides an inner pot and a cooking utensil. The inner pot comprises a body part and a steam cavity, the body part comprises a bottom wall and a side wall, the side wall is arranged on the periphery of the bottom wall in a surrounding mode, and the side wall and the bottom wall jointly form a cooking space; the steam cavity is connected with the side wall and arranged on the side, away from the cooking space, of the side wall, heat in the steam cavity can be transmitted to the side wall, and the steam cavity can be taken out of the outer pot used for containing the inner pot along with the body part. 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 application relates to the field of cooking technology, and in particular to an inner pot and cooking utensil. Background Technology

[0002] In existing cooking appliances, 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, increase production costs, and make the appliance more difficult to control. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this application is to provide an inner pot and cooking appliance 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 application provides an inner pot comprising a body and a steam chamber. The body includes a bottom wall and a side wall, with the side wall surrounding the periphery of the bottom wall and forming a cooking space together with the bottom wall. The steam chamber is connected to the side wall and is disposed on the side of the side wall away from the cooking space. Heat in the steam chamber can be transferred to a device for transferring heat to the side wall. The steam chamber can be removed from the outer pot used to hold the inner pot along with the body.

[0005] In some embodiments, the steam chamber is connected to the sidewall.

[0006] In some embodiments, the inner pot further includes a foolproof element disposed at one end of the side wall away from the bottom wall, the foolproof element being used to cooperate with the outer pot.

[0007] In some embodiments, the number of anti-mistake elements is two, and the two anti-mistake elements are arranged non-centrally symmetrically on the sidewall along a cross section parallel to the bottom wall; and / or, there are multiple anti-mistake elements, and at least some of the anti-mistake elements are different in size from the other part of the anti-mistake elements.

[0008] This application also proposes a cooking appliance, which includes an outer pot and an inner pot as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. The inner pot and the outer pot are detachably connected so that there are two states: assembled and separated.

[0009] In some embodiments, the cooking appliance further includes a composite heating plate disposed inside the outer pot and including 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. When the inner pot and the outer pot are assembled, the steam outlet of the water pipe is connected to the steam chamber.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cooking appliance further 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.

[0011] In some embodiments, the water pipe, heating element, and heating plate are integrally formed.

[0012] In some embodiments, the composite hot plate further includes a condensate return pipe, one end of which is connected to the steam chamber and the other end of which is connected to a water tank or a water pipe.

[0013] In some embodiments, the condensate return pipe includes a first port communicating with a steam chamber, the first port being located at the lowest point of the steam chamber.

[0014] In some embodiments, an exhaust pipe is provided inside the outer pot. When the inner pot and the outer pot are assembled, one end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the steam chamber to discharge the steam inside the steam chamber.

[0015] In some embodiments, the cooking appliance further includes an end cap, which is movably connected to the outer pot so that the end cap and the outer pot can switch between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state of the end cap and the outer pot, the end cap and the inner pot enclose a sealed cooking space. An exhaust pipe is provided on the outer pot and the end cap, and the end of the exhaust pipe away from the steam chamber is connected to the cooking space.

[0016] The technical solution of this application connects the steam chamber to the side wall away from the cooking space, so as to transfer heat to the side wall using the steam chamber. This method of transferring heat to the side wall using the steam chamber is simple and easy to implement, reducing the difficulty of three-dimensional heating of the inner pot, and reducing the cost and control difficulty of three-dimensional heating of the inner pot. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application 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 application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a simplified schematic diagram of some structures of the cooking utensil provided in this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a simplified schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of a cooking appliance provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a simplified schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of a cooking appliance provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a top view of the inner pot and outer pot in the assembled state of a cooking appliance provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a top view of the inner pot and outer pot in the assembled state of a cooking appliance provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cooking utensil provided in this application;

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the cooking utensil shown along line AA;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the cooking appliance provided in this application from another angle.

[0026] Explanation of the icon numbers: 1000, cooking utensils;

[0027] 100. Inner pot;

[0028] 10. Main body; 11. Bottom wall; 12. Side wall;

[0029] 20. Steam chamber;

[0030] 30. Fooling-proof parts;

[0031] 101. Cooking space;

[0032] 200. Outer pot; 201. Exhaust pipe; 2011. First part; 2012. Second part; 2013. Nozzle;

[0033] 300. Composite heating plate; 301. Heating plate; 302. Electric heating element; 303. Water pipe; 304. Condensate return pipe; 3041. First port;

[0034] 400. Water tank;

[0035] 500. Water pump;

[0036] 600. End cap.

[0037] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application 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.

[0040] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" 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 expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is 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 as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. 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. If 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 in this application.

[0042] This application proposes an inner pot 100.

[0043] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 5 The inner pot 100 includes a body portion 10 and a steam chamber 20. The body portion 10 includes a bottom wall 11 and a side wall 12. The side wall 12 is arranged around the periphery of the bottom wall 11 and together with the bottom wall 11 forms a cooking space 101. The steam chamber 20 is connected to the side wall 12 and is located on the side of the side wall 12 away from the cooking space 101. Heat in the steam chamber 20 can be transferred to the side wall 12. The steam chamber 20 can be removed from the outer pot 200 used to hold the inner pot 100 together with the body portion 10.

[0044] The inner pot 100 proposed in this application can be used, but is not limited to, in rice cookers, electric pressure cookers, and other appliances that cook food by heating it.

[0045] The body portion 10 is the main body component of the inner pot 100, which can define the shape and capacity of the inner pot 100. In these embodiments of the present application, the body portion 10 includes a bottom wall 11 and a side wall 12, which means that in these embodiments of the present application, the body portion 10 can be configured as a semi-enclosed structure, with the bottom wall 11 and the side wall 12 together forming a structure with one end open.

[0046] The side wall 12 surrounds the periphery of the bottom wall 11 and together with the bottom wall 11 forms the cooking space 101. This means that the side wall 12 extends along the periphery of the bottom wall 11 to form a ring structure, and the space enclosed by the bottom wall 11 and the side wall 12 is the aforementioned cooking space 101. When the inner pot 100 is in use, the user can cook the food by placing the ingredients into the cooking space 101 and then heating the inner pot 100 through the external structure.

[0047] The steam chamber 20 is connected to the side wall 12 and is located on the side of the side wall 12 away from the cooking space 101. This means that the steam chamber 20 is connected to the outside of the side wall 12 to reduce the impact of the steam chamber 20 on the capacity of the cooking space 101.

[0048] In some embodiments, the connection between the steam chamber 20 and the side wall 12 can be achieved by welding or even integral molding, thereby improving the structural consistency between the steam chamber 20 and the side wall 12 and reducing the risk of damage to the connection due to vibration, collision, or drop, resulting in higher reliability. In some embodiments, the steam chamber 20 and the side wall 12 can also be connected by a detachable connection such as a snap-fit ​​connection or a connector, to reduce the difficulty of repair or replacement when the inner pot 100 is damaged and requires maintenance.

[0049] It is understood that the inner pot 100 provided in this application embodiment is used to place food, and the heating of the inner pot 100 needs to be achieved in conjunction with other structures of the cooking appliance. For example, when the inner pot 100 provided in this application heats food, the heating device assembled on the outer pot 200 can heat the bottom wall 11, so that the heat generated by the heating device can be transferred to the cooking space 101 through the bottom wall 11, thereby achieving the heating of the food; at the same time, the introduction of steam in the steam chamber 20 can also be achieved by connecting the inlet end of the steam chamber 20 with the outlet end of the steam generating structure when the inner pot 100 is assembled to the outer pot 200.

[0050] In these embodiments of the present application, the aforementioned steam generating structure can be other steam generating components located outside the cooking appliance or a heating device directly located inside the cooking appliance. During the heating process of food in the inner pot 100, the steam cavity 20 can introduce water vapor through the steam generating structure, and the heat brought by the water vapor can be transferred into the cooking space 101 through the side wall 12, thereby heating the food in the cooking space 101.

[0051] The steam chamber 20 can be removed from the outer pot 200, which houses the inner pot 100, along with the main body 10. This means that in these embodiments of the application, when the steam chamber 20 and the main body 10 are connected, the steam chamber 20 can be removed from the outer pot 200 along with the main body 10 and detached from the aforementioned steam generating structure when the main body 10 is removed from the outer pot 200. After the inner pot 100 is assembled into the outer pot 200, the steam chamber 20 automatically connects to the steam outlet of the aforementioned steam generating structure. This arrangement makes the internal space of the steam chamber 20 cleaner, reducing the probability of the internal space of the steam chamber 20 coming into contact with the external environment when the inner pot 100 is outside the outer pot 200, thereby reducing the possibility of contamination of the steam chamber 20.

[0052] According to the inner pot 100 provided in this application, by connecting the steam chamber 20 to the side wall 12 away from the cooking space 101, heat is transferred to the side wall 12 by means of the steam chamber 20. This method of transferring heat to the side wall 12 by means of the steam chamber 20 is simple and easy to implement, reducing the difficulty of three-dimensional heating of the inner pot 100, and reducing the cost and control difficulty of three-dimensional heating of the inner pot 100.

[0053] In some embodiments, a steam chamber 20 may be provided to surround and connect to the side wall 12 so that the steam chamber 20 can uniformly conduct heat to the cooking space 101 through the side wall 12, thereby improving the uniformity of temperature distribution in the cooking space 101 and thus better heating the food.

[0054] The steam chamber 20 is located on the side wall 12, meaning that the steam chamber 20 is a relatively sealed cavity structure and is connected to the side wall 12. In this way, when the high-temperature steam generated in the steam generating component is introduced into the steam chamber 20, the steam chamber 20 can be used to heat the side wall 12, which helps to improve the steam heating efficiency of the inner pot 100 and improve the problem of excessive heat concentration in traditional cooking utensils.

[0055] One possible implementation is that the steam cavity 20 is a semi-enclosed structure surrounding the side wall 12 of the main body 10, with the opening side of the semi-enclosed structure facing the outer wall surface of the side wall 12. In this case, the end wall of the opening end of the steam cavity 20 can be connected to the outer wall surface of the side wall 12, thereby forming a sealed cavity together with the side wall 12. In some embodiments, the steam cavity 20 can also be a fully enclosed structure surrounding the side wall 12 of the inner pot 20. In this case, the outer wall surface of the steam cavity 20 near the side wall 12 can be connected to the side wall 12 so that when steam enters the steam cavity 20, the heat of the steam can be transferred to the side wall 12.

[0056] It is understandable that the steam chamber 20 is provided with a structure for connecting and communicating with the steam generating component, such as an opening, a slot, or a connecting pipe, so that it can be connected and communicated with the steam generating component in the assembled state of the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200, so that the steam generated by the steam generating component can enter the steam chamber 20.

[0057] In some embodiments of this application, the steam cavity 20 can be configured as an annular cavity structure, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the steam cavity 20 is an annular structure that matches the body part 10, so as to increase the contact area between the steam cavity 20 and the side wall 12, thereby improving the uniformity of heating the side wall 12. In some embodiments, the steam cavity 20 can also be configured as a tube structure surrounding the side wall 12, so as to reduce the volume of the steam cavity 20, and thus the steam can fill the steam cavity 20 more quickly when the cooking appliance is working.

[0058] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the inner pot 100 also includes a foolproof component 30, which is used to cooperate with the outer pot 200.

[0059] Specifically, in one embodiment, the anti-fooling element 30 is disposed at the end of the side wall 12 opposite to the bottom wall 11.

[0060] The anti-misalignment component 30 is used to cooperate with the outer pot 200. This means that when the inner pot 100 is placed into the outer pot 200, at least a part of the structure of the anti-misalignment component 30 cooperates with the outer pot 200 so that the relative positional relationship between the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 can remain unchanged after the inner pot 100 is taken out and put into the outer pot 200 each time.

[0061] For example, in some embodiments, an avoidance groove matching the foolproof component 30 can be provided on the outer pot 200. The avoidance groove is used to provide positioning and fixation for the foolproof component 30, so that the user can intuitively and quickly understand how to put the inner pot 100 into the outer pot 200.

[0062] Since after the inner pot 100 is placed into the outer pot 200, the air inlet of the steam chamber 20 on the inner pot 100 needs to be aligned and connected with the steam outlet of the aforementioned steam generating component, the user needs to ensure that the relative positional relationship between the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 remains unchanged when placing the inner pot 100 into the outer pot 200.

[0063] The function of the foolproof component 30 is to prevent mistakes and ensure positioning, so that when the user puts the inner pot 100 into the outer pot 200, the inner pot 100 can be put in smoothly only when the relative position of the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 is correct. In these embodiments of this application, the foolproof component 30 is disposed at the end of the side wall 12 away from the bottom wall 12, that is, the open end of the side wall 12.

[0064] In these embodiments of this application, the anti-mistake component 30 can be integrally formed with the inner pot 100 to improve the structural consistency between the anti-mistake component 30 and the inner pot 100.

[0065] In some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional shape of both the outer pot 200 and the inner pot 100 can be set to be circular. In this case, the anti-mistake component 30 can be set at a point on the circular trajectory of the opening end of the inner pot 100, and an avoidance groove matching the shape of the anti-mistake component 30 can be set on the outer pot 200, so that the inner pot 100 has only one way of being placed into the outer pot 200.

[0066] At least a portion of the anti-misalignment component 30 is accommodated within the clearance groove, thereby limiting the rotational freedom of the inner pot 100 by utilizing the cooperation between the anti-misalignment components 30 and 30, and improving the relative structural stability of the inner pot 100 after it is placed into the outer pot 200.

[0067] In some embodiments, the number of anti-mistake elements 30 is two, and the two anti-mistake elements 30 are arranged non-centrally symmetrically on the side wall 12 along a cross section parallel to the bottom wall 11.

[0068] In these embodiments of this application, the number of foolproof elements 30 is set to two, the purpose of which is to improve the convenience of removing the inner pot 100 after cooking. That is, the two foolproof elements 30 can be used as handles for the user to pick up the inner pot 100.

[0069] The two anti-mistake elements 30 are arranged non-centrally symmetrically on the cross section of the side wall 12 parallel to the bottom wall 11. This means that two identical anti-mistake elements 30 are arranged opposite each other on the cross section of the opening end of the inner pot 100 along a straight line that is not a diameter.

[0070] In some embodiments, multiple anti-mistake components 30 may be provided, with at least some anti-mistake components 30 having different sizes from others. By providing different anti-mistake components 30 with varying sizes, the relative positional relationship between the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 remains unchanged when they are in the assembled state.

[0071] In some embodiments, the two anti-fouling elements 30 may also be provided with different shapes.

[0072] In this way, when the user puts the inner pot 100 into the outer pot 200 in the wrong position, the mismatch of the anti-foolproof part 30 will prevent the inner pot 100 from being put into the outer pot 200, thus reminding the user to change the placement method. After the inner pot 100 is put into the outer pot 200, the steam chamber 20 can be aligned and connected with the steam outlet of the steam generating component.

[0073] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 8 This application also proposes a cooking utensil 1000, which includes an outer pot 200 and an inner pot 100 as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. The inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 are detachably connected so that there are two states: assembled and separated.

[0074] The outer pot 200 is an external structural component of the cooking utensil 1000, used to define the external structure of the cooking utensil 1000, and to install and support other structures of the cooking utensil 1000.

[0075] In these embodiments of the present application, the outer pot 200 may be provided with an accommodating space with one end open. In some embodiments, an end cap may also be hinged to the outer pot 200 to seal the opening of the outer pot 200, thereby forming a sealed accommodating space.

[0076] The inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 are detachably connected, so that the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 can exist in two states: assembled and separated. When the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 are in the assembled state, it is the working state of the cooking appliance 1000. At this time, the heating device of the outer pot 200 can be powered on and generate heat to heat the inner pot 100, and the heat is conducted to the cooking space through the inner pot 100, thereby heating the food in the cooking space 101.

[0077] In these embodiments of the present application, the heating device can generate steam and introduce it into the steam chamber 20 while heating the bottom wall 11 of the inner pot 100, thereby conducting heat into the cooking space 101 through the side wall 12 of the inner pot 100. This achieves three-dimensional heating of the food in the cooking space 101, with a simple structure and lower manufacturing cost and control difficulty.

[0078] In some embodiments, the cooking appliance 1000 further includes a composite heating plate 300 disposed inside the outer pot 200 and including a heating plate 301, an electric heating element 302, and a water pipe 303. The electric heating element 302 and the water pipe 303 are both embedded in the heating plate 301. The heat generated by the electric heating element 302 can be transferred to the water pipe 303 to heat the water flowing through the water pipe 303 and generate steam. When the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 are in the assembled state, the steam outlet of the water pipe 303 is connected to the steam chamber 20.

[0079] The composite heating plate 300 is the aforementioned heating device installed in the cooking appliance 1000. It is mainly used to generate heat and conduct the heat into the cooking space 101 through the inner pot 100.

[0080] The composite heating plate 300 is disposed inside the outer pot 200 and includes a heating plate 301, an electric heating element 302, and a water pipe 303. Among them, the heating plate 301 is a component in the composite heating plate 300 that plays a supporting and heat conduction role. At the same time, the heating plate 301 can cooperate with the electric heating element 302 to act as a heat source in the composite heating plate 300 to transfer heat to the water pipe 303 and the inner pot 20.

[0081] In these embodiments of this application, both the heating element 302 and the water pipe 303 are embedded in the heating plate 301. A possible implementation is that the heating element 302 is embedded in the heating plate 301 during the forming process of the heating plate 301 to shorten the heat conduction path of the heating plate 301 and improve the heat energy utilization efficiency. Correspondingly, the water pipe 303 can also be embedded in the heating plate 301 during the forming process of the heating plate 301 to store water during the operation of the rice cooker 100 and absorb heat during the heating process of the heating element 302 on the heating plate 301, so that the water stored in the water pipe 303 evaporates to form water vapor. In some embodiments, the water pipe 303 can also be formed directly during the forming process of the heating plate 301, that is, the water pipe 303 can be a hollow pipe structure inside the heating plate 301.

[0082] The heating element 302 can be directly or indirectly connected to an external power source to convert electrical energy into heat energy through electrothermal methods. As mentioned above, since both the heating element 302 and the water pipe 303 are embedded in the heating plate 301, the heat generated by the heating element 302 can be transferred through the heating plate 301 to the water pipe 303, so that the water flowing through the water pipe 303 is heated and its temperature rises continuously until it reaches the boiling point and generates water vapor.

[0083] The inlet end of the water pipe 303 is used to connect to a water source to introduce water flow into the portion of the water pipe 303 embedded in the heating plate 301. At least a portion of the water pipe 303 near the outlet end connects to the inlet end of the steam chamber 20 after the inner pot 20 is placed into the outer pot 200, thereby introducing steam into the steam chamber 20. In this way, during the operation of the rice cooker 100, the heating plate 301 abuts against the bottom wall 11 to directly transfer heat to the cooking space 101 through the bottom wall 11. At the same time, the steam introduced into the steam chamber 20 can also transfer heat to the cooking space 101 through the side wall 12, thus forming a three-dimensional heating structure for the cooking space 101 and improving the heating efficiency of the food in the cooking space 101.

[0084] When the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 are in the assembled state, the steam outlet of the water pipe 303 is connected to the steam chamber 20. This means that after the inner pot 100 is placed into the outer pot 200, the inlet end of the steam chamber 20 located on the side wall 12 of the inner pot 100 can automatically connect with the steam outlet of the water pipe 303. In this way, the inner pot 100 needs to maintain the same relative position and posture with the outer pot 200 each time it is placed into the outer pot 200. That is, the anti-foolproof component 30 connected to the side wall 12 is used to unify the relative position and posture relationship between the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200. When the relative position relationship between the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 is incorrect, the anti-foolproof component 30 prevents the inner pot 100 from being placed into the outer pot 200.

[0085] In some embodiments, the cooking appliance 1000 further includes a water tank 400 and a water pump 500, the water pump 500 being disposed in the water tank 400 and used to deliver water in the water tank 400 to the water pipe 303.

[0086] Water tank 400 is a water source component for cooking appliance 1000, used in conjunction with water pump 500 to guide water pipe 303 in real time to replenish water lost due to evaporation.

[0087] In these embodiments of this application, the water tank 400 and the outer pot 200 can be configured as separate units. In this case, the inlet end of the water tank 400 and the water pipe 303 can be connected by a water pipe. In some embodiments, the water tank 400 and the outer pot 200 can be detachably connected by means of snap-fit ​​connection, connector connection, etc. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the water tank 400 and the outer pot 200 can be directly fixedly connected by means of adhesive or integral molding to increase the structural consistency of the water tank 400 and the outer pot 200 and reduce the risk of loss during daily use.

[0088] As a component controlling the flow of water in the water tank 400 into the water pipe 303, in some embodiments of this application, the water pump 500 can be configured to communicate with a sensor to achieve feedback regulation of the water volume in the water pipe 303. For example, in some embodiments, the sensor can be a water level sensor installed in the water pipe 303 to send a working signal to the water pump 500 when the water volume in the water pipe 303 decreases, thus pumping water from the water tank 400 into the water pipe 303. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the sensor can be a temperature sensor installed in the steam chamber 20 to adjust the water volume in the water pipe 303 according to the temperature of the steam chamber 20. For instance, when the temperature in the steam chamber 20 is low, it indicates that there is no water in the water pipe 303 and steam cannot be generated. In this case, the water pump can be controlled to pump water from the water tank 400 into the water pipe 303 to generate steam and raise the temperature of the steam chamber 20.

[0089] In some embodiments, the water pipe 303, the heating element 302, and the heating plate 301 are integrally formed. This increases the structural consistency of the composite heating plate 300 and improves its reliability.

[0090] In these embodiments of the present application, the heating plate 301 can be made of aluminum alloy, stainless steel, iron or other materials with good thermal conductivity. During the molding process of the heating plate 301, at least part of the structure of the water pipe 303 and the electric heating tube 302 that need to be embedded in the heating plate 301 can be integrally formed in the molding process of the heating plate 301.

[0091] In some embodiments, the composite hot plate 300 further includes a condensate return pipe 304, one end of which is connected to the steam chamber 20, and the other end is connected to the water tank 400 or the water pipe 303.

[0092] The function of the condensate return pipe 304 is to collect the condensate after the steam in the steam chamber 20 has been cooled into liquid water. In these embodiments of this application, since the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 together form the aforementioned steam chamber 20, the steam chamber 20 will be connected to the outside when the inner pot 100 is removed. At this time, if there is liquid water in the steam chamber 20, it is easy to drip after the inner pot 100 is removed, which will affect the internal environment of the cooking appliance 1000 and also pose a risk of short circuit.

[0093] In these embodiments of the present application, by setting one end of the condensate return pipe 304 to be connected to the steam chamber 20 and the other end to the water tank 400 or the water pipe 303, the water that is cooled and recondensed into liquid in the steam chamber 20 can be collected, thereby improving the cleanliness of the internal environment of the cooking appliance 1000 and reducing the risk of short circuit caused by water dripping into the circuit.

[0094] In some embodiments, the condensate return pipe 304 includes a first port 3041 communicating with the steam chamber 20, the first port 3041 being located at the lowest point of the steam chamber 20.

[0095] In these embodiments of the present application, the steam chamber 20 is an annular cavity structure surrounding the side wall 12, wherein the steam chamber 20 includes upper and lower walls in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 11.

[0096] Therefore, when the steam in the steam chamber 20 condenses into water, it will accumulate on the upper surface of the lower wall of the steam chamber 20 under the action of gravity.

[0097] Setting the first port 3041 at the lowest point of the steam cavity 20 means that at least a portion of the first port 3041 can be lower than or at least a portion flush with the upper surface of the aforementioned lower wall. In other words, the first port 3041 is located at the lowest point of the steam cavity 20 so that the condensate return pipe 304 can completely drain the water accumulated in the steam cavity 20, further improving the reliability of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0098] In some embodiments, an exhaust pipe 201 is provided inside the outer pot 200. When the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 are in an assembled state, one end of the exhaust pipe 201 is connected to the steam chamber 20 to discharge the steam in the steam chamber 20.

[0099] The function of the exhaust pipe 201 is to balance the air pressure inside the steam chamber 20 and reduce the possibility of structural damage to the steam chamber 20 due to excessive internal pressure. One end of the exhaust pipe 201 can be connected to the steam chamber 20, and the other end can be connected to the outside or to the steam valve of the cooking appliance 1000. This allows excess steam in the steam chamber 20 to be directly discharged to the outside, or excess steam in the steam chamber 20 can be discharged to the steam valve outlet of the cooking appliance 1000, so that it can be discharged together with the steam generated in the cooking space 101 of the inner pot 100.

[0100] In some embodiments of this application, the port of the exhaust pipe 201 that connects to the steam chamber 20 can be located near the upper end of the steam chamber 20 to improve the steam filling degree in the steam chamber 20 and improve the heating effect of the steam on the side wall 12 of the inner pot 100.

[0101] In some embodiments, the cooking appliance 1000 further includes an end cap 600, which is movably connected to the outer pot 200 so that the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 can switch between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state of the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200, the end cap 600 and the inner pot 100 enclose a sealed cooking space 101. An exhaust pipe 201 is disposed on the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600, and one end of the exhaust pipe 201 away from the steam chamber 20 is connected to the cooking space 101.

[0102] The end cap 600 is movably connected to the outer pot 200 so that the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 can switch between a closed state and an open state. In a possible implementation, the end cap 600 is located at the open end of the outer pot 200 and is connected to the outer pot 200 by means of hinge, sliding connection or other means, so that the relative positions of the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 can be changed, thereby allowing the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 to switch between a closed state and an open state.

[0103] With the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 closed, the end cap 600 and the inner pot 100 enclose a sealed cooking space 101. It can be understood that when the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 are open, the opening ends of the inner pot 100 and the outer pot 200 can be opened, allowing the cooking space 101 to connect with the outside world. At this time, the user can add food into the cooking space 101.

[0104] The end cap 600 and the inner pot 100 enclose a sealed cooking space 101, meaning that the end cap 600 can cover the open end of the inner pot 100, thereby sealing the cooking space 101. This can further enhance the temperature rise effect within the cooking space 101, which is beneficial for improving cooking efficiency.

[0105] The exhaust pipe 201 is provided on the outer pot 200 and the end cover 600. In a possible implementation, the exhaust pipe 201 is an integral pipe. At least part of the structure of the exhaust pipe 201 is a flexible structure to adapt to the movable connection between the outer pot 200 and the end cover 600, and is provided at the movable connection between the outer pot 200 and the end cover 600.

[0106] For example, in an embodiment where the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600 are hinged, a portion of the structure of the exhaust pipe 201 can be embedded in the outer pot 200 and used to communicate with the steam chamber 20. A portion of the structure of the exhaust pipe 201 can also be embedded in the end cap 600 and used to communicate with the cooking space 101. At the hinge point between the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600, the exhaust pipe 201 is configured as a flexible hose to adapt to the hinged state of the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the exhaust pipe 201 during the opening and closing of the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600.

[0107] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the exhaust pipe 201 may be configured as a structure with at least two sections, which are respectively embedded in the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600. When the outer pot 200 and the end cap 600 are in a closed state, the two sections of the exhaust pipe 201 can be connected, thereby connecting the steam chamber 20 and the cooking space 101.

[0108] For example, in some embodiments, the exhaust pipe 201 may include a first portion 2011 and a second portion 2012. The first portion 2011 is a pipe structure formed on the outer pot, one end of which is connected to the steam chamber 20, and the other end is a movable connection end. The second portion 2012 is a pipe structure formed on the end cap 600, one end of which penetrates the surface of the end cap 600 near the cooking space 101, and the other end is also a movable connection end. Thus, when the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 are moved to the open state, the movable connection end of the first portion 2011 and the movable connection end of the second portion 2012 are in a separated state. When the end cap 600 and the outer pot 200 are moved to the closed state, the movable connection end of the first portion 2011 and the movable connection end of the second portion 2012 are in a connected state.

[0109] The exhaust pipe 201 is connected to the cooking space 101 at one end away from the steam chamber 20. This means that in these embodiments of the application, the exhaust pipe 201 can introduce water vapor from the steam chamber 20 into the cooking space, thereby making full use of the heat energy of the water vapor and further improving the heating effect of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0110] In these embodiments of this application, after the water vapor in the steam chamber 20 is introduced into the cooking space 101 through the exhaust pipe 201, 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 101 after evaporation. This design also unifies the exhaust from the steam chamber 20 with the exhaust from the cooking space 101, reducing the number of exhaust vents required by the cooking appliance 1000 during operation. This facilitates the collection of condensate and reduces the risk of users being scalded by steam, further enhancing the user experience.

[0111] In some embodiments of this application, in order to improve the uniformity of steam entering the cooking space 101, a nozzle 2013 can be provided in the part of the exhaust pipe 201 that connects to the cooking space 101, so as to use the nozzle 2013 to uniformly distribute the steam in the exhaust pipe 201, thereby further improving the reliability of the cooking appliance 100.

[0112] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the content of this application's specification and drawings under the concept of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An inner pot, characterized in that, include: The main body includes a bottom wall and a side wall, the side wall being arranged around the periphery of the bottom wall and together with the bottom wall forming a cooking space; A steam chamber is connected to the side wall and is located on the side of the side wall away from the cooking space. Heat in the steam chamber can be transferred to the side wall. The steam chamber can be removed from the outer pot used to hold the inner pot together with the main body.

2. The inner pot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steam chamber is connected to the side wall.

3. The inner pot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inner pot also includes a foolproof component, which is disposed on the side wall at the end opposite to the bottom wall and is used to cooperate with the outer pot.

4. The inner pot as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The number of the anti-mistake components is two, and the two anti-mistake components are arranged non-centrally symmetrically on the side wall along a cross section parallel to the bottom wall; And / or, there are multiple anti-mistake elements, and at least some of the anti-mistake elements are different in size from another part of the anti-mistake elements.

5. A cooking utensil, characterized in that, include: Outer pot; The inner pot as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 is detachably connected to the outer pot, so that the inner pot and the outer pot can exist in both assembled and disassembled states.

6. The cooking appliance as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A composite heating plate is disposed inside the outer pot 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. When the inner pot and the outer pot are in the assembled state, the steam outlet of the water guide pipe is connected to the steam chamber.

7. The cooking utensil as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The cooking appliance 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 the water pipe.

8. The cooking utensil as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The water pipe, the electric heating element, and the heating plate are integrally formed.

9. The cooking utensil as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The composite heating plate also includes a condensate return pipe, one end of which is connected to the steam chamber and the other end is connected to the water tank or the water pipe.

10. The cooking appliance as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The condensate return pipe includes a first port that communicates with the steam chamber, and the first port is located at the lowest point of the steam chamber.

11. The cooking appliance as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The outer pot is equipped with an exhaust pipe. When the inner pot and the outer pot are assembled, one end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the steam chamber to discharge the steam in the steam chamber.

12. The cooking appliance as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The cooking appliance also includes: The end cap is movably connected to the outer pot so that the end cap and the outer pot can switch between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state of the end cap and the outer pot, the end cap and the inner pot enclose a sealed cooking space. The exhaust pipe is located on the outer pot and the end cap, and the end of the exhaust pipe opposite to the steam chamber is connected to the cooking space.

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