Rice steaming bag and cooking apparatus

Abstract

This application relates to a rice steaming bag and cooking device. The rice steaming bag includes a main body and a lid. The main body has an open placement cavity. The main body includes a circumferential surface defining the placement cavity. The circumferential surface includes a sealing layer, a gel layer, and a breathable layer arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside. The sealing layer is made of a sealing material, the gel layer is made of hydrogel, and the breathable layer has vents communicating with the placement cavity. The gel layer is exposed to the placement cavity through the vents. The lid is placed on the main body and covers the open cavity when the lid is closed. The end faces of the main body (excluding the circumferential surface) and / or the end faces of the lid have vents communicating with the outside. This solution can be applied to microgravity environments, such as space, to steam rice in a microgravity environment. Only washed rice grains need to be placed in the rice steaming bag beforehand; no additional water is needed, making the rice steaming process convenient and simple.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of food preparation technology under microgravity conditions, and in particular to rice steaming bags and cooking equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of manned spaceflight technology, the demand for healthy diets and quality of life for crew members on long-term space stay missions is becoming increasingly urgent. Hot food is an important guarantee for maintaining the psychological and physiological health of crew members, and rice, as the staple food, presents a significant challenge in terms of steaming technology in the space environment.

[0003] In microgravity, existing methods for heating food include microwave heating and using heat pipes and fans to provide hot air, similar to traditional household ovens on the ground. While microwave heating and hot air heating technologies can heat food to some extent, in a microgravity environment, rice grains cannot settle properly at the bottom of the water. At the same time, a large amount of water accumulates into a whole, making it difficult to form stable conditions that can continuously generate steam.

[0004] More importantly, the process of steaming rice becomes extremely complex in a microgravity environment. Without the guidance of gravity, traditional steaming procedures cannot proceed smoothly. From washing and soaking the rice grains to controlling the water level and cooking time, every step presents significant challenges. The entire steaming process is time-consuming, which not only reduces the crew's cooking efficiency but also impacts their overall work efficiency to some extent. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a rice steaming bag and cooking device to address the problem of difficulty in steaming rice in a microgravity environment.

[0006] A rice steaming bag includes a main body and a cover. The main body has an open placement cavity. The main body includes a circumferential surface defining the placement cavity. The circumferential surface includes a sealing layer, a gel layer, and a breathable layer arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside. The sealing layer is made of a sealing material, the gel layer is made of hydrogel, and the breathable layer has a vent hole communicating with the placement cavity. The gel layer is exposed to the placement cavity through the vent hole. The cover is fitted onto the main body and covers the open cavity when the cover is fitted onto the main body. The end face of the main body other than the circumferential surface and / or the end face of the cover are provided with vents communicating with the outside.

[0007] In one embodiment, the breathable layer has a plurality of protrusions facing the interior of the placement cavity, the width of the protrusions gradually decreasing from one end near the gel layer to the other end away from the gel layer.

[0008] In one embodiment, the protrusions are arranged in an array, and / or adjacent protrusions are arranged consecutively.

[0009] In one embodiment, the breathable layer has a continuously undulating wave-like structure, which includes a plurality of alternating rising and falling sections. Each adjacent rising and falling section forms a protrusion protruding toward the interior of the placement cavity, and each protrusion is provided with the breathable hole.

[0010] In one embodiment, each of the rising section and the falling section is provided with the vent hole.

[0011] In one embodiment, the rice steaming bag further includes a fixing strap, one end of which is connected to the outer periphery of the main body, and the other end is a free end with a quick-release structure.

[0012] In one embodiment, the end faces of the main body (excluding the peripheral surface) and / or the end faces of the cover are mesh structures.

[0013] A cooking device includes a rice steaming bag as described in any of the above embodiments, and further includes an inner liner and a microwave emitting assembly. The inner liner has a cooking cavity for placing the rice steaming bag, and the rice steaming bag is detachably connected to the inner liner. The microwave emitting assembly is connected to the inner liner, and the microwave emitting assembly acts on the rice steaming bag inside the cooking cavity.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cooking device further includes a fan assembly disposed toward the cooking cavity.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fan assembly is located on the opposite side of the microwave emitting assembly.

[0016] The rice steaming bag provided in the above solution uses a sealing layer, a gel layer, and a breathable layer arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside on its periphery. When heated, the rice steaming bag generates steam. Under the action of the sealing layer and the breathable layer with vents, the steam enters the placement cavity and steams the rice grains inside, thus achieving rice steaming. Simultaneously, the rice steaming bag also has an air vent connecting the placement cavity to the outside of the bag to prevent excessive steam buildup that could cause it to burst. This solution can be applied to microgravity environments, such as space, enabling rice steaming under microgravity conditions. Only pre-washed rice grains need to be placed in the rice steaming bag; no additional water is required, making the rice steaming process convenient and simple. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cooking device in one embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a rice steaming bag.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the perimeter of the main body.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the bottom surface of the lid or main body of a rice steamer bag.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0022] 10. Cooking equipment; 100. Rice steaming bag; 110. Main body; 111. Peripheral surface; 1111. Sealing layer; 1112. Gel layer; 1113. Breathable layer; 11131. Vent hole; 11132. Protrusion; 11133. Lifting section; 11134. Lowering section; 112. Bottom surface; 113. Placement cavity; 120. Cover; 130. Fixing strap; 140. Connector; 150. Air hole; 200. Inner liner; 210. Cooking cavity; 300. Microwave emitting assembly; 400. Fan assembly; 20. Ingredients. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0024] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and 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.

[0025] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to 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 based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0028] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0029] See Figure 1 , Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of a cooking device 10 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The cooking device 10 provided in this embodiment can be applied to a microgravity environment, such as space. The cooking device 10 includes a rice steaming bag 100 as described in any of the following embodiments, and also includes an inner liner 200 and a microwave emitting assembly 300. The inner liner 200 has a cooking cavity 210 for placing the rice steaming bag 100, and the rice steaming bag 100 is detachably connected to the inner liner 200. After the rice steaming bag 100 is placed into the cooking cavity 210 and connected to the inner liner 200, it is microwave-heated to prevent the rice steaming bag 100 from moving within the cooking cavity 210 under microgravity conditions. The rice steaming bag 100 can be detached and used for food consumption by occupants. Figure 1 As shown, the microwave emitting component 300 is connected to the inner liner 200, and the microwave emitting component 300 acts on the rice steaming bag 100 in the cooking cavity 210 to heat the rice steaming bag 100.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the cooking device 10 further includes a fan assembly 400 disposed toward the cooking chamber 210. The fan assembly 400 is used to agitate the airflow in the cooking chamber 210 so that the rice steaming bag 100 in the cooking chamber 210 is heated evenly.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the fan assembly 400 is located opposite the microwave emitting assembly 300 to accelerate the release of steam from the rice steaming bag 100, thereby accelerating the maturation of the rice grains inside the rice steaming bag 100. In this embodiment, the microwave emitting assembly 300 is located at the top of the cooking cavity 210, and the fan assembly 400 is located at the bottom of the placement cavity 113, but this is not a limitation; both can also be located on the side of the cooking cavity 210, etc. In other embodiments, the fan assembly 400 and the microwave emitting assembly 300 can also be located on adjacent side walls of the cooking cavity 210.

[0032] Combination Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a rice steaming bag 100 in one embodiment of this application is shown. This embodiment of the application provides a rice steaming bag 100 that can be applied to a microgravity environment, such as space.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the rice steaming bag 100 includes a main body 110 and a lid 120, wherein, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 The main body 110 is provided with an open placement cavity 113, which is used to place the food 20. In this embodiment, the food 20 is rice grains and the rice steaming bag 100 is used to steam rice as an example, but this is not a limitation.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the main body 110 includes a peripheral surface 111 defining the placement cavity 113, combined with Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the peripheral surface 111 in one embodiment of this application is shown. The peripheral surface 111 includes a sealing layer 1111, a gel layer 1112, and a breathable layer 1113 arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside. The sealing layer 1111 is a sealing material component used to block the gel layer 1112 from the outside of the rice steaming bag 100, preventing the steam generated by the gel layer 1112 from directly overflowing to the outside of the rice steaming bag 100. The gel layer 1112 is a hydrogel component. Hydrogel is a type of highly hydrophilic three-dimensional network structure gel containing water. When the gel layer 1112 is heated, it will generate steam. In some embodiments, the thickness of the gel layer 1112 is no more than 3 mm to facilitate the heating of liquid water and the release of steam.

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, the breathable layer 1113 has a breathable hole 11131 that communicates with the placement cavity 113. The gel layer 1112 is exposed to the placement cavity 113 through the breathable hole 11131 so that the steam generated when the gel layer 1112 is heated can enter the placement cavity 113 through the breathable hole 11131, thereby steaming the rice grains located in the placement cavity 113.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, the cover 120 covers the main body 110 and covers the opening of the placement cavity 113 when the cover 120 covers the main body 110, so that the cover 120 and the main body 110 together enclose the placement cavity 113 for storing food ingredients 20.

[0037] Combination Figure 4 As shown, the end faces of the main body 110 (excluding the peripheral surface 111) and / or the end faces of the cover 120 are provided with vents 150 communicating with the outside, so that steam acting on the food 20 in the placement cavity 113 can flow through the vents 150 to the outside of the rice steaming bag 100. Figure 2 As shown, the main body 110 includes a bottom surface 112 in addition to the peripheral surface 111, and at least one of the bottom surface 112 and the end face of the cover 120 is provided with an air hole 150. In this embodiment, both the bottom surface 112 and the end face of the cover 120 are provided with air holes 150, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, either one of them may be provided with an air hole 150.

[0038] Combination Figure 4As shown, in one embodiment, the end faces of the main body 110 (excluding the peripheral surface 111) and / or the end faces of the cover 120 are mesh structures. The holes in the mesh structure are air vents 150, allowing steam to flow through the air vents 150 to the outside of the rice steaming bag 100 after acting on the food 20 in the placement cavity 113. In this embodiment, both the bottom surface 112 and the end faces of the cover 120 are mesh structures, but this is not a limitation; in other embodiments, either one may be a mesh structure.

[0039] When the microwave radiation from the cooking device 10 is applied to the rice steaming bag 100, the microwave has the function of raising the water temperature because the gel layer 1112 contains a certain amount of water. At this time, the gel layer 1112 will generate steam, and the steam will enter the placement cavity 113 through the vent 11131, thereby steaming the rice grains located in the placement cavity 113 and realizing the steaming of rice.

[0040] In this embodiment, the main body 110 and the cover 120 of the rice steaming bag 100 are both flexible structural components that can deform under external force so that the shape of the rice steaming bag 100 can adapt to the size and shape of the rice ball formed by steaming rice grains.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the breathable layer 1113 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 11132 protruding toward the interior of the placement cavity 113. The width of the protrusions 11132 gradually decreases from one end near the gel layer 1112 to the end away from the gel layer 1112, so as to prevent the rice from sticking to the breathable layer 1113 after it is cooked.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the protrusions 11132 are arranged in an array to ensure that the food 20 adheres evenly to the breathable layer 1113.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, adjacent protrusions 11132 are continuously arranged to avoid the presence of sticky dead corners without protrusions 11132 in the breathable layer 1113, thereby improving the efficiency of food 20 leaving the breathable layer 1113.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the breathable layer 1113 has a continuously undulating wave-like structure. The wave-like structure includes a plurality of alternating rising sections 11133 and falling sections 11134. Each adjacent rising section 11133 and falling section 11134 forms a protrusion 11132 protruding towards the interior of the placement cavity 113. Each protrusion 11132 is provided with a vent hole 11131 so that the vapor generated by the gel layer 1112 located below the protrusion 11132 can enter the placement cavity 113 through the corresponding vent hole 11131.

[0045] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, each of the rising section 11133 and the falling section 11134 is provided with a vent 11131, so that the vapor generated by the gel layer 1112 located below the protrusion 11132 can enter the placement cavity 113 more quickly through the vent 11131.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, the rice steaming bag 100 further includes a fixing strap 130. One end of the fixing strap 130 is connected to the outer periphery of the main body 110, and the other end is a free end with a quick-release structure. The fixing strap 130 is used to connect the rice steaming bag 100 to the inner pot 200 of the cooking device 10. In this embodiment, the quick-release structure is a hook and loop fastener, but this is not a limitation, and the fixing strap 130 and the inner pot 200 can also adopt other detachable connection methods.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the rice steaming bag 100 also includes a connector 140, which is used to fix the cover 120 to the main body 110 so that the two remain in a closed state. In this embodiment, the connector 140 is a hook and loop fastener, but it is not a limitation, and the main body 110 and the cover 120 may also adopt other connection methods.

[0048] The rice steaming bag 100 provided in the above solution is used as follows: First, soaked rice grains are placed into the placement cavity 113 without adding extra water. Then, the lid 120 is placed on the main body 110. The rice steaming bag 100 and the rice grains inside are placed into the cooking cavity 210 of the cooking device 10, and the position of the rice steaming bag 100 is fixed by the fixing strap 130. After the cooking device 10 starts the microwave emitting component 300, after a period of time, the gel layer 1112 will continuously generate steam. The steam enters the placement cavity 113 through the vent 11131 and steams the rice grains located in the placement cavity 113. As the steaming process proceeds, the rice grains gradually expand and mature, and the shape of the rice steaming bag 100 will adapt to the size of the rice ball. Under the action of the protrusions 11132 of the vent layer 1113, the rice will not stick to the periphery of the placement cavity 113. After steaming, the passenger can take out the rice steaming bag 100, open the lid 120, and take out the rice. In addition, during the heating process, the water content in the gel layer 1112 will gradually decrease. After steaming, the rice steaming bag 100 can be stored as a consumable and will be disposed of later.

[0049] The rice steaming bag 100 provided in the above solution, by setting the periphery 111 as a sealing layer 1111, a gel layer 1112, and a breathable layer 1113 arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside, allows the rice steaming bag 100 to generate steam when heated. Under the action of the sealing layer 1111 and the breathable layer 1113 with vent holes 11131, the steam enters the placement cavity 113 and steams the rice grains located in the placement cavity 113, thereby realizing the steaming of rice. At the same time, the rice steaming bag 100 is also provided with an air vent, which connects the placement cavity 113 and the outside of the rice steaming bag 100, to prevent excessive steam in the placement cavity 113 from bursting due to lack of ventilation. This solution can be applied to microgravity environments, such as space, to realize the steaming of rice in microgravity environments. It only requires placing washed rice grains in the rice steaming bag 100 in advance, without adding extra water, making the rice steaming process convenient and simple.

[0050] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0051] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rice steaming bag, characterized in that, The rice steaming bag includes: The main body has an open placement cavity. The main body includes a circumferential surface defining the placement cavity. The circumferential surface includes a sealing layer, a gel layer, and a breathable layer arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside. The sealing layer is made of a sealing material, the gel layer is made of hydrogel, and the breathable layer has a vent hole communicating with the placement cavity. The gel layer is exposed to the placement cavity through the vent hole. A cover that fits onto the main body and covers the opening when the cover fits onto the main body; The main body, excluding the peripheral surface, has vents on its end faces and / or the end faces of the cover that communicate with the outside.

2. The rice steaming bag according to claim 1, characterized in that, The breathable layer has multiple protrusions that protrude towards the interior of the placement cavity, and the width of the protrusions gradually decreases from one end near the gel layer to the end away from the gel layer.

3. The rice steaming bag according to claim 2, characterized in that, The protrusions are arranged in an array, and / or adjacent protrusions are arranged continuously.

4. The rice steaming bag according to claim 1, characterized in that, The breathable layer has a continuous undulating wave-like structure, which includes multiple alternating rising and falling sections. Each adjacent rising and falling section forms a protrusion that protrudes towards the interior of the placement cavity, and each protrusion is provided with a breathable hole.

5. The rice steaming bag according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each of the rising section and the falling section is provided with the vent hole.

6. The rice steaming bag according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rice steaming bag also includes a fixing strap, one end of which is connected to the outer periphery of the main body, and the other end is a free end with a quick-release structure.

7. The rice steaming bag according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end faces of the main body (excluding the peripheral surface) and / or the end faces of the cover are mesh structures.

8. A cooking device, characterized in that, Including the rice steaming bag as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: The inner liner has a cooking cavity for holding the rice steaming bag, and the rice steaming bag is detachably connected to the inner liner; and A microwave emitting component is connected to the inner liner, and the microwave emitting component acts on the rice steaming bag inside the cooking cavity.

9. The cooking apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cooking device also includes a fan assembly disposed toward the cooking cavity.

10. The cooking apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The fan assembly is located on the opposite side of the microwave emitting assembly.

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