Cooking utensil

Abstract

The utility model discloses a cooking utensil. The cooking utensil comprises a control module, an operation panel, an indicator light and a light guide part. The operation panel is provided with a touch area for touching keys, the touch area is configured to be light-permeable, and the touch area is provided with a plurality of characters of function names with different colors; the indicating lamp is arranged on the side, facing the interior of the cooking utensil, of the operation panel and used for illuminating the touch area, the indicating lamp changes light colors under the control of the control module, and the types and the number of the light colors correspond to the types and the number of the colors of the characters; the light guide part is located on the side, facing the interior of the cooking utensil, of the touch area and used for guiding light of the indicator light to the touch area, and the light guide part comprises a metal material and is used for being electrically connected with the control module so that the touch key can be switched on. According to the cooking utensil, the functions corresponding to the touch keys can be switched, so that one touch key can indicate multiple functions, the number of the touch keys is reduced, and the functions of the cooking utensil are not reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cooking utensil technology, and more specifically to a cooking utensil. Background Technology

[0002] Existing cooking appliances typically have multiple cooking functions, requiring numerous corresponding function buttons on the control panel for user operation. However, limited space on the control panel restricts the number of buttons that can be set, thus limiting the appliance's functionality and impacting the user experience. Therefore, a cooking appliance is needed to at least partially solve these problems. Utility Model Content

[0003] The utility model description section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This utility model description section is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0004] To at least partially solve the above problems, this application provides a cooking appliance comprising:

[0005] Control module;

[0006] The operation panel is for user operation. The operation panel is provided with a touch area for touch buttons. The touch area is constructed to be light-transmitting and is provided with multiple function names in different colors.

[0007] An indicator light, located on the side of the control panel facing inwards towards the cooking appliance, illuminates the touch area. The indicator light is connected to the control module to change its color under the control of the module. The type and number of light colors correspond to the type and number of colors of the lettering.

[0008] A light guide is located on the side of the touch area facing the interior of the cooking appliance, and is used to guide the light of the indicator light to the touch area. The light guide includes a metal material and is used to electrically connect with the control module to enable the touch button to conduct.

[0009] According to this application, the cooking appliance is constructed such that the indicator light color can be switched, thereby illuminating different function labels on the touch button (only labels matching the indicator light color are displayed), thus allowing different functions to be selected. In this way, one touch button can function as multiple function buttons, reducing the number of function buttons without reducing the functionality of the cooking appliance, thereby improving the user experience. The light guide component serves both as a light guide and as an electrical connection, accommodating multiple functions and resulting in a compact structure for the cooking appliance.

[0010] Optionally, the light guide is used to reflect the light from the indicator light to the touch area.

[0011] According to this application, a light guide is used to reflect the light of an indicator light to a touch area, thereby making the light guide easy to construct.

[0012] Optionally, the cooking appliance further includes a circuit board with connection terminals for contacting the light guide and for connecting to the control module.

[0013] According to this application, the light guide is connected to the circuit board without soldering, which can reduce the assembly steps and simplify the assembly process.

[0014] Optionally, the light guide, the touch area, and the circuit board surround a light guide cavity, and the indicator light is located in the light guide cavity.

[0015] According to this application, the indicator light is located in the light guide cavity, which prevents the light energy of the indicator light from leaking out, thus ensuring that the lettering has sufficient brightness.

[0016] Optionally, the operation panel has a light-transmitting hole, which is connected to the light guide cavity.

[0017] According to this application, the light emitted through the light-transmitting hole can make users more intuitively feel that the function of the current text has been selected.

[0018] Optionally, the light guide includes a panel connecting portion, a bending portion, and a circuit board contact portion. The panel connecting portion is connected to the operation panel, the circuit board contact portion is used to contact and connect with the connection terminal, and the panel connecting portion and the circuit board contact portion are connected through the bending portion.

[0019] According to this application, the light guide utilizes the metal elasticity of the bent portion to ensure tight contact between the circuit board contact portion and the connection terminal, thereby avoiding poor contact.

[0020] Optionally, the area of ​​the connecting terminal is greater than or equal to 2 mm². 2 .

[0021] According to this application, by making the connecting terminal have a large area, good contact between the light guide and the connecting terminal is ensured, and poor contact is avoided.

[0022] Optionally,

[0023] The connection terminal extends reciprocally on the circuit board; and / or

[0024] The surface of the connection terminal protrudes from the circuit board.

[0025] According to this application, the connecting terminal extends back and forth on the circuit board, which can reduce the amount of metal used and lower costs while taking into account the contact area. The surface of the connecting terminal protrudes from the circuit board, which is conducive to good contact between the light guide and the connecting terminal and avoids poor contact.

[0026] Optionally, at least a portion of the light guide is positioned opposite the touch area.

[0027] According to this application, the light guide is directly facing the touch area, which can fully reflect the light onto the touch area, thus ensuring that the lettering has sufficient brightness.

[0028] Optionally, in the projection of the cooking appliance along a direction perpendicular to the control panel, the indicator light and the lettering do not overlap.

[0029] According to this application, the indicator light is offset from the position of the lettering, which can make the lettering brightness uniform and avoid local bright spots.

[0030] Optionally, the light guide is bonded to the operation panel.

[0031] According to this application, the connection between the light guide and the operation panel is simple.

[0032] Optionally,

[0033] Multiple of the aforementioned lettering are printed in overlapping layers on the surface of the touch area; and / or

[0034] The control panel is located on the upper surface of the lid of the cooking appliance.

[0035] According to this application, multiple characters are printed in overlapping layers on the surface of the touch area, which can save the area of ​​the touch area, thereby saving the area of ​​touch buttons and control panel. The control panel is set on the upper surface of the lid of the cooking appliance, which helps to obtain more space for the control panel and is also convenient for users.

[0036] Optionally,

[0037] The lettering and the indicator light have two color options; and / or

[0038] The touch area is constructed of a transparent, rigid material.

[0039] According to this application, the touch button switches between two functions for user convenience. The touch area is constructed of a transparent, rigid material to ensure sufficient brightness for the lettering.

[0040] Optionally, at least a portion of the light guide abuts against the touch area.

[0041] According to this application, the light guide is able to transmit a signal that the touch button has been operated by abutting against the touch area. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The following drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference as part of this application, are provided for understanding the application. The drawings illustrate representative embodiments of the application and are used to explain the principles of the application, not to limit it.

[0043] In the attached image:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a cooking appliance according to a specific embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of a cooking appliance according to a specific embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the touch buttons of a cooking appliance according to a specific embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a side sectional view of a partial structure of a cooking appliance according to a specific embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 5 This is a front view schematic diagram of the circuit board of a cooking appliance according to a specific embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a side view of a partial structure of a cooking appliance before assembly according to a specific embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a side view of a partial structure of a cooking appliance assembled according to a specific embodiment of this application.

[0051] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0052] 10: Claypot

[0053] 11: Inner pot

[0054] 20: Cover

[0055] 30: Interactive device / operation panel

[0056] 31: Touch button

[0057] 32: Touch Area

[0058] 33: Words

[0059] 34: Light-transmitting hole

[0060] 35: Light guide cavity

[0061] 37: First Space

[0062] 40: Circuit board

[0063] 41: Connecting terminal

[0064] 50: Indicator light

[0065] 60: Light guide

[0066] 61: Part One

[0067] 62: Bending section

[0068] 63: Panel connection part

[0069] 64: Circuit board contact area

[0070] 100: Cooking utensils Detailed Implementation

[0071] The following description provides numerous specific details to offer a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described to avoid confusion with this application.

[0072] To fully understand this application, a detailed description will be provided in the following description. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application is thorough and complete, and that the concept of these exemplary embodiments is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Obviously, the implementation of the embodiments of this application is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art. Preferred embodiments of this application are described in detail below; however, in addition to these detailed descriptions, this application may have other embodiments.

[0073] The ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” used in this application are merely identifiers and have no other meaning, such as a specific order. Furthermore, for example, the term “first component” does not imply the existence of a “second component,” and the term “second component” does not imply the existence of a “first component.” The use of words such as “first,” “second,” and “third” does not indicate any order and can be interpreted as names.

[0074] It should be noted that the terms “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “inner,” “outer,” and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0075] In this document, terms such as “equal” and “same” are not strict mathematical and / or geometric limitations, but also include errors that are understandable to those skilled in the art and permissible in manufacturing or use.

[0076] Unless otherwise stated, the numerical ranges in this document include not only the entire range within its two endpoints, but also the subranges contained therein.

[0077] This application provides a cooking appliance. The cooking appliance according to this application can take many forms, such as an induction cooker, rice cooker, electric pressure cooker, electric slow cooker, electric oven, microwave oven, etc.

[0078] Exemplary embodiments according to this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0079] like Figure 1 As shown, in a specific embodiment, the cooking appliance 100 according to this application may include a pot body 10 and a lid body 20.

[0080] Typically, the pot body 10 includes an inner pot 11 for holding food. The pot body 10 may have a cylindrical (or other shaped) storage compartment, from which the inner pot 11 can be freely placed or removed for easy cleaning. The inner pot 11 is made of metal and is constructed as a rotating body with an opening and an inner cavity formed by the pot wall. The capacity of the inner pot 11 is typically less than 6L; for example, it may be 2L or 4L.

[0081] The lid 20 is pivotally connected to the pot body 10 via a pivot shaft for covering the pot body 10.

[0082] The cooking appliance 100 also includes a control module for controlling the cooking process. This control module 70 may be, for example, a microcontroller unit (MCU).

[0083] In addition, the cooking appliance 100 also has a heating device. The heating device (e.g., a coil) is typically located at the bottom of the pot body 10, for example, below the inner pot 11. The heating device is electrically connected to a control module for heating the food in the inner pot 11 under the control of the control module, thereby realizing the cooking function.

[0084] like Figure 2As shown, the cooking appliance 100 typically also includes an interactive device 30 for human-computer interaction. The interactive device 30 can include various forms that enable human-computer interaction, such as mechanical buttons, microswitches, membrane switches, capacitive touchscreens, resistive touchscreens, menu options in control software, and remote controls for the cooking appliance 100. This application does not specifically limit the specific form of the interactive device 30. The control module is electrically connected to the interactive device 30 to receive user input commands and control the cooking appliance 100 to complete corresponding tasks. The interactive device 30 can also display relevant information about the cooking appliance 100, such as cooking progress and prompts. The interactive device 30 of the cooking appliance 100 can be, for example, located on the lid 20, or on the upper surface of the lid 20, presented as an operation panel. In other words, the operation panel 30 can be at least part of the upper outer shell of the lid 20, providing at least a portion of the upper surface of the lid 20. The operation panel 30 typically has multiple touch buttons 31, such as start buttons, cancel buttons, and function buttons corresponding to various cooking functions, for user operation.

[0085] like Figure 3 As shown, each touch button 31 has text 33 indicating its corresponding function, located within the touch area 32 for user contact. Typically, the user operates the touch button 31 by touching the text 33, thus performing operations such as single-click, double-click, or long-press. The touch button 31 is, for example, a capacitive electronic device; when the user operates (presses, touches) the touch button 31, its capacitance changes. The touch button 31 is electrically connected to a control module, which monitors the capacitance value of the touch button 31 to determine when it has been operated and then executes the corresponding steps.

[0086] To address the problems mentioned in the background art, the touch area 32 is constructed to be translucent, and the touch area 32 is provided with multiple function name labels 33 in different colors. For example, the touch area 32 may simultaneously display "XXX" in a first color, "OOO" in a second color, and "HHH" in a third color, etc. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the cooking appliance 100 also includes an indicator light 50 and a light guide 60.

[0087] Indicator light 50 is used to illuminate touch area 32. Indicator light 50 is located on the side of the control panel 30 (e.g., touch area 32) facing inwards towards the cooking appliance 100. Indicator light 50 is connected to control module 70 to change the light color under the control of control module 70. The types and number of light colors correspond to the types and number of colors of the lettering 33 at touch area 32, including, for example, a first color, a second color, a third color, etc. Light guide 60 is located on the side of touch area 32 facing inwards towards the cooking appliance 100 and is used to guide the light from indicator light 50 to touch area 32. Light guide 60 includes a metal material for electrical connection (conduction) with control module 70 to activate touch button 31.

[0088] The cooking appliance 100 is configured such that when the user operates the touch button 31 in a first operation mode, the control module 70 changes the color of the indicator light 50 (for example, from the first color to the second color) so that the lettering 33 (e.g., “OOO”) on the touch area 32 is illuminated in the same color as the changed light color (e.g., the second color), and the cooking appliance 100 is in a state ready to execute the function of the illuminated lettering 33 (“OOO” function).

[0089] Therefore, each time the user operates the touch button 31 in the first operation mode, the color of the indicator light 50 changes once, and the function text 33 displayed on the touch button 31 also changes once (only the text 33 with the same color as the indicator light 50 is displayed), and the cooking appliance 100 enters the ready state of the switched function accordingly. In this way, one touch button 31 can be used as multiple function buttons, saving the number of function buttons without reducing the functionality of the cooking appliance 100, thereby improving the user experience.

[0090] For example, the touch area 32 of a touch button 31 is simultaneously equipped with red "Cook Rice" text 33, green "Cook Porridge" text 33, and purple "Steam Cake" text 33. The indicator light 50 correspondingly includes red, green, and purple colors. When the touch button 31 displays red "Cook Rice" text 33, the cooking appliance 100 is in a preparation state for performing the "Cook Rice" function. Pressing the "Start" button at this time will immediately initiate the cooking function. When the touch button 31 displays green "Cook Porridge" text 33, the cooking appliance 100 is in a preparation state for performing the "Cook Porridge" function. Pressing the "Start" button at this time will immediately initiate the cooking function. When the touch button 31 displays purple "Steam Cake" text 33, the cooking appliance 100 is in a preparation state for performing the "Steam Cake" function. Pressing the "Start" button at this time will immediately initiate the steaming function.

[0091] When the touch button 31 is operated in the first operation mode, the above switching effect is achieved. The first operation mode can be a single click, a double click, or a long press on the touch button 31.

[0092] The indicator light 50 includes multiple colors of light, such as a first color, a second color, a third color, etc., with only one color lit at a time to illuminate the corresponding lettering 33. As the user operates the touch button 31 in the first operation mode, the various colors of the indicator light 50 illuminate sequentially. Preferably, the lettering 33 and the indicator light 50 have two color types, such as blue and orange, or red and green. It is understood that there are clear color differences between the various colors of the lettering 33 and the indicator light 50, making them easy for the user to distinguish.

[0093] Multiple characters 33 are printed, for example, in overlapping layers on the surface of the touch area 32, such as the surface of the touch area 32 facing the interior of the cooking appliance 100. This saves the area of ​​the touch area 32, thereby saving the area of ​​the touch buttons 31 and the control panel 30.

[0094] The touch area 32 can be constructed from a transparent, rigid material, such as transparent glass or a transparent acrylic sheet. When the touch area 32 is illuminated by the indicator light 50, the user can intuitively see the location of the touch button 31 and its current function. When the cooking appliance 100 is powered off, the indicator light 50 goes out, and the control panel 30 displays virtually no graphics or text, giving the cooking appliance 100 a clean and simple appearance. The rigid material also makes it easy for users to clean the control panel 30.

[0095] The light guide 60 is opaque, for example, used to reflect the light from the indicator light 50 to the touch area 32. The light guide 60 also serves as an electrical connection terminal for the touch button 31 (or as part of the internal circuitry of the touch button 31), thus making the cooking appliance 100 compact.

[0096] For example, when the touch button 31 is a capacitive touch button, at least a portion of the light guide 60 abuts against the touch area 32, thereby enabling the light guide 60 to transmit a signal indicating that the touch button 31 has been operated (e.g., touched in various ways). Alternatively, at least a portion of the light guide 60 abuts against the touch area 32, at least when the touch button 31 is operated in the first operation mode. Alternatively, the light guide 60 may not abut against (contact with) the touch area 32, for example, when the touch button 31 is a vibration touch button (the operation of the touch button is sensed by vibration when the touch area 32 is touched). When the user operates the touch button 31 in the first operation mode, the light guide 60 transmits a switching operation signal to the control module 70. The control module 70 receives the switching operation signal, thereby knowing that the touch button 31 has been operated, and then controls the indicator light 50 to change the light color. The switching operation signal is, for example, a voltage signal or a current signal. In other words, the light guide 60 transmits the aforementioned voltage or current signal caused by capacitance changes or vibrations to the control module 70. This application does not limit the specific model of the touch button 31.

[0097] Typically, the cooking appliance 100 includes a circuit board 40, a control module 70, and indicator lights 50, all mounted on the circuit board 40. The circuit board 40 has connection terminals 41 for contacting the light guide 60. The connection terminals 41 are also electrically connected to the control module 70. To ensure the light guide 60 corresponds to the touch area 32, it is preferable to first connect (e.g., glue) the light guide 60 to the operation panel 30, that is, to first install the light guide 60 on the part of the operation panel 30 that matches the touch area 32. After the cooking appliance 100 is assembled, the design of the component dimensions and relative positions allows the light guide 60 to contact the connection terminals 41.

[0098] The light guide 60 is made entirely of metal, for example. Specifically, the light guide 60 is disposed between the operation panel 30 and the circuit board 40. The light guide 60 includes a panel connecting portion 63, a bending portion 62, and a circuit board contact portion 64. The panel connecting portion 63 is connected to the operation panel 30, and the circuit board contact portion 64 is used to contact and connect with the connection terminal 41. The panel connecting portion 63 and the circuit board contact portion 64 are connected by the bending portion 62. The axis of the bending structure of the bending portion 62 extends between the operation panel 30 and the circuit board 40. Utilizing the properties of the metal material, the bending portion 62 exhibits a certain degree of elasticity, causing the panel connecting portion 63 and the circuit board contact portion 64 to tend to move away from each other. Thus, when the operation panel 30 and the circuit board 40 clamp the light guide 60, the circuit board contact portion 64 can abut against the circuit board 40. That is, the circuit board contact portion 64 does not need to be soldered to the connection terminal 41.

[0099] Due to installation errors, the connecting terminal 41 has a large area to ensure good contact with the circuit board contact portion 64. For example, the area of ​​the connecting terminal 41 is greater than or equal to 2 mm².2 Here, the area of ​​the connection terminal 41 is the area of ​​the connection terminal 41 in the projection of the circuit board 40 along the thickness direction, or the area of ​​the connection terminal 41 exposed on the surface of the circuit board 40 for contact with the light guide 60.

[0100] like Figure 5 As shown, based on the processing and design precision, the installation position error of the light guide 60 can be estimated, thereby determining the expected contact area S of the contact position between the light guide 60 and the circuit board 40. That is, the contact position between the light guide 60 and the circuit board 40 does not exceed the range of the expected contact area S. The entire expected contact area S can be made into a metal connecting terminal 41. Preferably, the connecting terminal 41 is constructed to extend back and forth on the circuit board 40. That is, the connecting terminal 41 is made to fold back and forth in an S-shape or bow shape within the expected contact area S, so that the connecting terminal 41 can reach as much as possible every part of the expected contact area S. This also takes into account the range of the expected contact area S, while saving metal material (replacing a whole sheet of metal with bent metal wire). The area of ​​the S-shaped or bow-shaped metal wire is not less than 2 mm². 2 Alternatively, the surface of the connecting terminal 41 can protrude from the circuit board 40 towards the light guide 60, which also facilitates contact between the light guide 60 and the connecting terminal 41.

[0101] In the actual production and processing, a copper foil curve with a PCB opening (removing the PCB paint to expose the copper foil) is designed at the position of the light guide 60 on the circuit board 40 (e.g., the expected contact area S). A layer of tin is applied on top of the copper foil, with a thickness of more than 1mm, so that the surface of the tin is higher than the circuit board 40. Since the position of the light guide 60 may be off, the contact probability can be increased by utilizing the curve area and the thickness of the tin. After the product is assembled, the light guide 60 contacts the tin curve (i.e., the connection terminal 41), and the tin curve also connects to the copper foil, which connects to the detection port of the MCU chip. The tin and copper foil act as a bridge to connect the metal light guide 60 to the detection port of the MCU chip. When the user touches the printed text 33 corresponding to the light guide 60, the program completes the detection and performs subsequent logic processing.

[0102] like Figure 4As shown, optionally, the light guide 60, the touch area 32, and the circuit board 40 surround a light guide cavity 35, and the indicator light 50 is located in the light guide cavity 35. The indicator light 50 emits light in the light guide cavity 35, and the light guide 60 forms the cavity wall of the light guide cavity 35, reflecting the light from the indicator light 50 to the light-transmitting touch area 32, thereby illuminating the touch area 32 and making the lettering 33, which is the same color as the light from the indicator light 50, visible. The light guide 60 is, for example, in the shape of a bent tube, with the edge of the opening at one end of the bent tube bonded to the edge of the touch area 32, and the edge of the opening at the other end of the bent tube contacting the connecting terminal 41. The indicator light 50 is installed in the cavity of the bent tube to better reflect the light emitted by the indicator light 50 to the touch area 32. Of course, the light guide 60 can also guide the light emitted by the indicator light 50 to the touch area 32 in other ways.

[0103] At least a portion of the light guide 60 faces the touch area 32. For example, the first portion 61 of the light guide 60, located between the panel connection portion 63 and the bend portion 62, faces the touch area 32. When the indicator light 50 is off, the first portion 61 can block the circuit board 40, making the circuit board 40 invisible. When the indicator light 50 is on, the first portion 61 can sufficiently reflect light onto the touch area 32, making the lettering 33 sufficiently bright. The light guide cavity 35 has a first space 37 located between the first portion 61 and the touch area 32. The indicator light 50 is located in the portion of the light guide cavity 35 excluding the first space 37, that is, the indicator light 50 is not placed in the first space 37, but is located outside the first space 37, so that the lettering 33 emits light evenly when it is lit (when the indicator light 50 is located in the first space 37, the indicator light 50 will present a local strong light spot in the touch area 32).

[0104] Here, the indicator light 50 is located outside the first space 37. It can also be understood that in the projection of the cooking appliance 100 along the direction perpendicular to the control panel 50, the indicator light 50 does not overlap with the touch area 32 (or lettering 33).

[0105] Of course, the indicator light 50 should not be too far from the first space 37. The indicator light 50 can be placed close to the edge of the first space 37 (or the edge of the lettering 33, or the edge of the touch area 32).

[0106] In this configuration, the opening of the curved tube of the light guide 60 at the panel connection portion 63 is larger than the opening at the circuit board contact portion 64.

[0107] like Figure 6 As shown, the light guide 60 can be pre-installed on the operation panel 30 at a location matching the touch area 32, and the indicator light 50 is pre-soldered onto the circuit board 40. Figure 7As shown, when the cooking appliance 100 is assembled, the control panel 30 and the circuit board 40 are close to each other. Through the design of the size and relative position of the components, the indicator light 50 enters the curved tube of the light guide 60 and contacts the connection terminal 41 on the circuit board 40.

[0108] Of course, the light guide 60 can also be soldered and fixed on the circuit board 40 first. The curved tube of the light guide 60 has a sufficiently large opening at one end of the panel connection part 63 (to absorb installation errors) so that it can surround all the lettering 33.

[0109] To make the current text 33 more prominent, or to allow the user to more intuitively perceive that the function corresponding to text 33 has been selected, the operation panel 30 may optionally have a light-transmitting hole 34. The light-transmitting hole 34 is connected to the light guide cavity 35, so that the light reflected by the light guide 60 is transmitted through the light-transmitting hole 34. Alternatively, the light-transmitting hole 34 may correspond to the position of the indicator light 50, and the light of the indicator light 50 may be directly transmitted through the light-transmitting hole 34. The light-transmitting hole 34 is positioned adjacent to the touch area 32, which is also adjacent to the text 33, so that the light from the light-transmitting hole 34 can more prominently inform the user that the function corresponding to the current text 33 has been selected.

[0110] The operation panel 30 can be equipped with multiple touch buttons 31 that integrate various function keys as described above.

[0111] For example, in one specific example, the touch area of ​​a touch button 31 is printed with both the orange word "Cooking" and the blue word "Cooking" simultaneously. The factory default function is "Cooking". The indicator light 50 is orange, and the orange light shines through the orange printed "Cooking" lettering, displaying the "Cooking" function to the user. At this time, the user pressing the "Start" button will execute the cooking function.

[0112] If the user wishes to change the "Cooking" function to the "Preparation" function, they can do so by touching the contact area 32 in the first operation mode. The metal light guide 60 below transmits the operation signal to the MCU chip's detection port. After receiving the signal, the MCU chip changes the dual-color indicator light 50 from orange to blue. The blue light shines through the blue printed words "Cooking," displaying the "Cooking" function to the user. At this time, pressing the "Start" button will activate the "Cooking" function instead of the "Cooking" function.

[0113] By repeatedly touching the touch button 31 in the first operation mode, the "cooking" and "preparation" functions can be switched back and forth.

[0114] The application of metal light guides in this application makes the cooking appliance structure compact, allowing a single touch button to integrate the functions of multiple buttons, saving the number of buttons without reducing the functionality of the cooking appliance, and improving the user experience.

[0115] The processes and steps described in all the preferred embodiments above are merely examples. Unless adverse effects occur, various processing operations can be performed in a different order than those described above. The order of steps in the above process can also be added, combined, or deleted according to actual needs.

[0116] In understanding the scope of this application, the term "comprising" and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open-ended terms that specify the presence of a described feature, element, component, group, whole, and / or step, but do not exclude the presence of other undescribed features, elements, components, groups, wholes, and / or steps. This concept also applies to words with similar meanings, such as the terms "comprising," "having," and their derivatives.

[0117] The term "attached" or "joined" as used herein includes: a construction in which one element is directly fixed to another element by fixing it directly to another element; a construction in which one element is indirectly fixed to another element by fixing it to an intermediate member, which in turn is fixed to another element; and a construction in which one element is integral with another element, that is, one element is substantially part of another element. This definition also applies to words with similar meanings, such as "connect," "joint," "couple," "install," "adhere," "fix," and their derivatives. Finally, degree terms such as "substantially," "approximately," and "approximately" as used herein indicate the amount of deviation from which modifications to the terminology do not significantly alter the final result.

[0118] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Features described in one embodiment may be applied, alone or in combination with other features, to another embodiment, unless that feature is not applicable in that other embodiment or is otherwise stated.

[0119] This application has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this application to the described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, all of which fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A cooking utensil, characterized in that, include: Control module; The operation panel is for user operation. The operation panel is provided with a touch area for touch buttons. The touch area is constructed to be light-transmitting and is provided with multiple function names in different colors. An indicator light is located on the side of the control panel facing the interior of the cooking appliance to illuminate the touch area. The indicator light is connected to the control module to change the light color under the control of the control module. The type and number of light colors correspond to the type and number of colors of the lettering. and A light guide is located on the side of the touch area facing the interior of the cooking appliance, and is used to guide the light of the indicator light to the touch area. The light guide includes a metal material and is used to electrically connect with the control module to enable the touch button to conduct.

2. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light guide is used to reflect the light from the indicator light onto the touch area.

3. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooking appliance also includes a circuit board with connection terminals for contacting the light guide and for connecting to the control module.

4. The cooking utensil according to claim 3, characterized in that, The light guide, the touch area, and the circuit board surround a light guide cavity, and the indicator light is located in the light guide cavity.

5. The cooking utensil according to claim 4, characterized in that, The operation panel has a light-transmitting hole, which is connected to the light guide cavity.

6. The cooking utensil according to claim 3, characterized in that, The light guide includes a panel connecting part, a bending part, and a circuit board contact part. The panel connecting part is connected to the operation panel, and the circuit board contact part is used to contact and connect with the connection terminal. The panel connecting part and the circuit board contact part are connected through the bending part.

7. The cooking utensil according to claim 3, characterized in that, The area of ​​the connecting terminal is greater than or equal to 2 mm². 2 .

8. The cooking utensil according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connection terminal extends reciprocally on the circuit board; and / or The surface of the connection terminal protrudes from the circuit board.

9. The cooking utensil according to claim 2, characterized in that, At least a portion of the light guide is positioned opposite the touch area.

10. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, In the projection of the cooking appliance along a direction perpendicular to the control panel, the indicator light and the lettering do not overlap; and / or The light guide is bonded to the operation panel.

11. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Multiple of the aforementioned lettering are printed in overlapping layers on the surface of the touch area; and / or The control panel is located on the upper surface of the lid of the cooking appliance.

12. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The lettering and the indicator light have two color options; and / or The touch area is constructed of a transparent, rigid material.

13. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, At least a portion of the light guide element abuts against the touch area.

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