Panel assembly of electric cooking appliance and electric cooking appliance with same

Abstract

The utility model provides a panel assembly of an electric cooking appliance and the electric cooking appliance with the panel assembly, the panel assembly is arranged on a cover body of the electric cooking appliance, the panel assembly comprises a shell, the shell is provided with an opening, and the bottom of the shell is sunken to form a containing cavity; the control panel is arranged in the accommodating cavity; the cover plate is arranged at the opening of the shell so as to close the accommodating cavity; and the sealing assembly is arranged between the shell and the cover plate, the sealing assembly comprises a groove and a sealing ring, the groove is formed around the opening, the sealing ring is embedded in the groove, and the sealing ring abuts against the cover body to seal the containing cavity. Through the collaborative design of the sealing ring and the precise groove, the sealing ring is made of a food-grade silica gel material, and the sealing ring is in interference fit with the groove to achieve the sealing effect. The innovative design of combination of the notches and the insertion blocks breaks through the limitation that a traditional sealing ring needs to be disassembled integrally when replaced, the sealing ring is rapidly drawn and replaced through precise matching of the penetrating type notches and the glass fiber insertion blocks, the shell is formed through stamping of a progressive die, and the material utilization rate is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, specifically to a panel assembly for an electric cooker and the electric cooker thereon, particularly suitable for cooking appliances with sealed lids such as rice cookers and pressure cookers. Background Technology

[0002] In the industrial design of electric cooking appliances, the control panel, as a core component for human-computer interaction, directly affects the product's lifespan and user experience due to its airtightness and maintainability. However, the control panels of traditional electric cooking appliances are often directly exposed to the external environment, making them susceptible to corrosion from moisture and oil, which can lead to short circuits or display failures.

[0003] Traditional solutions often employ a static sealing design, bonding a silicone sealing ring to the back of the cover plate with adhesive. While this structure achieves a seal upon initial assembly, it suffers from insufficient dynamic adaptability in practical use.

[0004] Thermal stress failure occurs when the internal temperature of an electric cooker can reach over 100°C during operation. The difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the cover (usually glass or plastic) and the shell (metal or high-temperature resistant plastic) causes micro-gaps at the joints, making it easy for adhesive sealing rings to separate from the cover.

[0005] The maintenance process is complex. Existing panel assemblies mostly use an integrated encapsulation process, with the control panel and cover plate fixed by ultrasonic welding. This design leads to the following problems: non-destructive disassembly is difficult, requiring cutting the cover plate or damaging the shell structure for repairs; the average time required to replace the sealing ring is long; parts have poor interchangeability, as sealing ring specifications are not standardized for different models of electric cookers, making it difficult for users to replace them themselves, increasing after-sales maintenance costs. Furthermore, with embedded control panels, repairing the display screen requires removing the entire cover, which can easily damage the flexible circuitry connected to the main control board.

[0006] Therefore, existing panel assemblies suffer from complex sealing structures, low assembly efficiency, and inconvenient operation requiring complete panel disassembly for maintenance. There is an urgent need for an electric cooker panel assembly that is reliably sealed, easy to maintain, and has a compact structure. Utility Model Content

[0007] This application provides a panel assembly for an electric cooker and an electric cooker having the same, to solve the problems of complex sealing structure, low assembly efficiency, and inconvenience in operation of the panel assembly in the prior art, which requires complete disassembly of the panel during maintenance.

[0008] This application adopts the following technical solution: a panel assembly for an electric cooker, the panel assembly being disposed on the cover of the electric cooker, comprising:

[0009] The housing is provided on the cover of the electric cooker. The housing has an opening and the bottom of the housing is recessed to form a receiving cavity.

[0010] The control panel is located within the housing cavity;

[0011] A cover plate, positioned at the opening of the housing to close the receiving cavity; and

[0012] A sealing assembly is disposed between the housing and the cover plate, wherein the sealing assembly includes a groove disposed around the opening and a sealing ring embedded in the groove, the sealing ring abutting against the cover to seal the receiving cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a fixing component, through which the cover plate and the housing are connected.

[0014] Furthermore, the fixing component includes a hook disposed at the edge of the cover plate and a protrusion disposed at the edge of the outer side wall of the housing, the hook and the protrusion engaging vertically to fix the cover plate in place.

[0015] Furthermore, a through cut is provided on the side wall of the shell, the opening cutting off the groove.

[0016] Furthermore, an insert block is movably embedded in the cut, and the insert block engages with the cut to connect the groove.

[0017] Furthermore, the control panel has a built-in display screen, and the cover is made of a light-transmitting material.

[0018] Furthermore, the sealing ring is made of silicone.

[0019] Furthermore, an outer cover is installed on the upper part of the cover, and through slots corresponding to the upper and lower parts of the cover are opened on the outer cover.

[0020] This application also adopts the following technical solution: an electric cooking appliance, comprising the above-mentioned panel assembly.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this application are:

[0022] The electric cooking appliance control panel component provided in this embodiment has achieved significant technological advancements in sealing performance, maintenance efficiency, structural reliability, and human-computer interaction through multi-dimensional technological innovation and systematic optimization. Specific beneficial effects are reflected in the following aspects:

[0023] 1. High-reliability sealing and protection system

[0024] A dynamic self-compensating sealing mechanism is constructed through the synergistic design of the sealing ring and the precision groove. The sealing ring is made of food-grade silicone material, which is interference-fitted with the groove, and compresses under 5-10N pressure to form a sealing effect.

[0025] 2. Modular rapid maintenance technology

[0026] The innovative cut-and-insert combination design overcomes the limitation of traditional sealing ring replacement requiring complete disassembly. Through a through-cut and precisely fitted fiberglass insert, rapid sealing ring replacement is achieved. Real-world testing shows that maintenance personnel can complete sealing ring replacement within ≤2 minutes without specialized tools, improving efficiency by 70% compared to traditional solutions. Furthermore, the insert's dimensional stability error is <0.03% after 100 insertion / removal cycles. This design significantly reduces after-sales maintenance costs and extends product lifespan, making it particularly suitable for high-intensity usage scenarios such as the catering industry.

[0027] 3. Manufacturing process and cost optimization

[0028] The housing is formed by progressive die stamping, and the integrated U-shaped groove structure improves material utilization. The one-piece injection molding of 8 sets of hooks shortens assembly time.

[0029] Through the aforementioned technological innovations, this application achieves multi-objective optimization of sealing performance, maintenance efficiency, and manufacturing cost in the field of electric cooking appliance control panels, thereby increasing the reliability of smart kitchen appliances and improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit this application.

[0031] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the cover and panel assembly in this application;

[0032] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Exploded view of the middle panel assembly;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing assembly in this application;

[0034] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the cover plate in this application.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 100. Cover; 101. Protective cover; 102. Through groove;

[0038] 200. Shell; 201. Receiving cavity;

[0039] 300. Control Panel; 301. Monitor;

[0040] 400. Cover plate;

[0041] 500. Sealing assembly; 501. Groove; 502. Sealing ring; 503. Cutout; 504. Insert block;

[0042] 600. Fixing component; 601. Hook; 602. Protrusion. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0044] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by a person skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" indicate that the element or object preceding "comprising" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. These terms are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0046] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0048] Example 1:

[0049] This application relates to an electric cooking appliance control panel 300 component with high sealing performance and easy maintenance. Its innovative technical solution achieves a systematic breakthrough in reliability, maintenance efficiency and user experience of the traditional control panel 300 through structural innovation, material optimization and process synergy.

[0050] Please see Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the electric cooking appliance panel assembly includes the following core components:

[0051] The housing 200 is preferably made of high-temperature resistant nylon (PA66+30% glass fiber), with a temperature range of -40℃ to 220℃ and a heat distortion temperature (1.8MPa) ≥205℃.

[0052] The bottom of the housing 200 is fixed to the upper surface of the electric cooker cover 100 by four sets of M3 screws (101), and the screw holes are distributed in a rectangular array (50mm×30mm spacing).

[0053] The central area of ​​the housing 200 is punched downward to form a receiving cavity 201 with a depth of H1 = 8.0 mm ± 0.2 mm, which is used to accommodate the control panel 300; the top opening of the housing 200 is rectangular with dimensions L1 × W1 = 120 mm × 60 mm, and the periphery of the opening is provided with a flange with a width of B1 = 2.5 mm. A U-shaped groove 501 is machined on the inner side of the flange, with a depth of H2 = 3.0 mm and a width of W2 = 2.0 mm;

[0054] The sidewall thickness of the shell is T1 = 2.0 mm, and the four corners are rounded with R3 to reduce stress concentration.

[0055] Control Panel 300: The control panel 300 adopts a double-layer FR4 circuit board with a surface-mount touch chip (SN8F27E6) and an LED backlight module; and the control panel 300 is connected to the main control board through a 0.5mm thick FPC cable. A silicone sleeve can be set at the FPC bend to prevent bending fatigue fracture. After the control panel 300 is embedded and installed into the receiving cavity 201, the gaps around it are filled.

[0056] Cover plate 400:

[0057] The preferred material for the cover plate 400 is chemically tempered glass (thickness T2 = 3.0 mm), with an AF anti-oil coating on the surface, light transmittance ≥ 92%, and Mohs hardness ≥ 7.

[0058] Edge treatment of cover plate 400: The four sides are precision ground by CNC to form a 45° chamfer, and the bottom bonding surface is sprayed with a silk screen ink layer, and the pattern area is hollowed out to allow light to pass through.

[0059] Sealing assembly 500:

[0060] Groove 501 is continuously machined along the circumferential direction of the opening, with a semi-circular cross-section (radius R1 = 1.0 mm). The bottom of the groove is 200 mm away from the upper surface of the shell, with a distance H4 = 1.5 mm.

[0061] 502 sealing ring:

[0062] The material is food-grade silicone (Shore hardness A50±3), and the preferred cross-section is mushroom-shaped (head diameter Φ1=2.2mm, stem diameter Φ2=1.6mm);

[0063] Interference fit design: The shank of sealing ring 502 is clearance-fitted with groove 501, and the upper end extends beyond the opening of groove 501 by a height ΔH = 0.8mm;

[0064] Installation process and sealing principle:

[0065] The sealing ring 502 is pressed into the groove 501, and its head eventually protrudes to fit against the lower end face of the cover plate 400. When the cover 100 is closed, an external pressure F (approximately 5N to 10N) acts on the cover plate 400, causing it to displace downwards by δ = 0.3mm. The upper part of the sealing ring 502 is compressed, resulting in radial expansion of ΔR = 0.2mm, forming a surface contact seal with the lower surface of the cover 100 (contact width ≥ 1.0mm). Simultaneously, the gap between the bottom of the sealing ring 502 and the groove 501 allows silicone to flow into the groove under pressure, preventing permanent deformation due to excessive compression.

[0066] See Figures 2-5 As a preferred embodiment of this example:

[0067] The fixing assembly 600 includes the following components:

[0068] The number and layout of hooks 601: Two sets of hooks 601 are set on each of the four sides of the cover plate 400, for a total of 8 sets, and the spacing between adjacent hooks 601 is L2 = 40mm.

[0069] Structural details: It is made of POM material by one-piece injection molding. The preferred hook 601 has a length L3 = 8.0mm and a thickness T3 = 1.2mm. Reinforcing ribs can be set at its base to increase structural strength.

[0070] Protrusion 602: Processing method: integrally injection molded with the outer wall of the housing 200;

[0071] Matching relationship: When the hook 601 is pressed down, it is pressed down along one side of the protrusion 602 to the locking position, thereby fixing the cover plate 400 and the housing 200.

[0072] Disassembly and assembly process:

[0073] Installation: Align the cover plate 400 with the opening of the housing 200, press the center area of ​​the cover plate 400, and slide the hook 601 along the inclined surface of the protrusion 602 until the hook 601 makes a "click" sound to lock.

[0074] Disassembly: Use your fingers to simultaneously wiggle the hook 601 in the opposite direction to disengage the hook 601 from the lower end of the protrusion 602, and then lift the cover plate 400 upwards to separate it.

[0075] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, this is a preferred embodiment of the present invention:

[0076] Location and dimensions of cut 503:

[0077] The cut 503 is made in the middle of the right side wall of the shell 200, with a height H8 = 10.0 mm, a width W3 = 6.0 mm, and a depth that penetrates the side wall of the shell 200;

[0078] The bottom of the cut 503 is 1.0 mm away from the center line of the groove 501, forming the cross-section of the groove 501.

[0079] The main structure of the 504 insert:

[0080] The insert 504 is made of PBT + 30% glass fiber, and is heat resistant to 180℃. The insert 504 matches the cut 503 (with a clearance fit of 0.1mm on one side).

[0081] The insert 504 can be pulled out from the cut 503, thereby quickly removing the sealing ring 502 from the groove 501. This design can effectively facilitate the replacement and maintenance of the sealing ring 502.

[0082] Maintenance procedures:

[0083] When the sealing ring 502 needs to be replaced, simply pull out the insert block 504 to remove the old sealing ring 502 from the cut 503, and then reinsert the new one into the insert block 504. Actual testing shows that the replacement time is ≤2 minutes, which is 70% more efficient than traditional methods.

[0084] Reference Figure 1 As shown, as an optional implementation of this embodiment: an electric cooker has a cover 100, and an outer cover 101 is fastened to the upper end of the cover 100. The inner part of the outer cover 101 is provided with a through groove 102 corresponding to the upper and lower parts of the cover plate 400 to ensure that the user can observe the data displayed on the display 301.

[0085] Furthermore, the control panel 300 in this cooker adopts an integrated display screen solution.

[0086] The control panel 300 has a built-in 1.77-inch TFT LCD screen (i.e., monitor 301) with a resolution of 128×160, and communicates with the main control board via a ZIF connector;

[0087] The LCD screen surface is bonded with optical adhesive (OCA) (204) with a thickness of H11 = 0.3 mm and a refractive index of n = 1.48 to reduce interface reflection loss;

[0088] Cover plate 400: Made of light-transmitting material, with an AR anti-reflective film (reflectivity ≤1.5%) coated on the light-transmitting area, and a black light-shielding layer (transmittance ≤0.1%) silkscreened on the non-display area.

[0089] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A panel assembly for an electric cooker, said panel assembly being disposed on the cover of the electric cooker, characterized in that, include: A housing is disposed on the cover of the electric cooker, the housing having an opening and the bottom of the housing being recessed to form a receiving cavity; The control panel is located within the accommodating cavity of the housing; A cover plate, disposed at the opening of the housing to close the receiving cavity; and A sealing assembly is disposed between the housing and the cover plate, wherein the sealing assembly includes a groove disposed around the opening and a sealing ring embedded in the groove, the sealing ring abutting against the cover to seal the receiving cavity.

2. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a fixing component, through which the cover plate is connected to the housing.

3. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing component includes a hook disposed at the edge of the cover plate and a protrusion disposed at the edge of the outer side wall of the housing. The hook and the protrusion engage vertically to fix the cover plate in place.

4. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, A through cut is provided on the side wall of the housing, and the opening cuts off the groove.

5. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that, An insert block is movably embedded in the cut, and the insert block engages with the cut to connect the groove.

6. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control panel has a built-in display screen, and the cover is made of a light-transmitting material.

7. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing ring is made of silicone.

8. The panel assembly of the electric cooking appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that, An outer cover is installed on the upper end of the cover, and the outer cover has through grooves that correspond to the upper and lower parts of the cover.

9. An electric cooking appliance, characterized in that, The panel assembly comprising any one of claims 1-8.

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