Electric steamer
By designing independent structures for the water storage chamber and steam generation chamber in the electric steamer, and using a water control switch to achieve automatic water replenishment channel control through mechanical linkage, the problems of complicated water addition and dry burning in existing electric steamers are solved, achieving simple water addition and efficient steam generation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HONGYANG HOME APPLIANCES
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-16
AI Technical Summary
Existing electric steamers require the liquid storage tank to be inverted when adding water, which is complicated to operate and prone to leakage. Furthermore, they cannot achieve automatic water replenishment and anti-dry burning of the steam generation chamber.
An electric steamer was designed, which includes an independent water storage chamber and a steam generation chamber. The opening and closing of the water supply channel is controlled by a water control switch. The mechanical linkage between the drip tray and the base is used to automatically control the opening and closing of the water supply channel, ensuring that the water adding process is simple and preventing the generation of negative pressure.
It enables convenient water addition without inverting the vessel, automatic water replenishment, and prevention of dry burning, improving user experience and cooking efficiency while reducing the complexity and cost of the mechanical structure.
Smart Images
Figure CN224357372U_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of kitchen appliance technology, and in particular to an electric steamer. [Background Technology]
[0002] The prior art CN222129905 discloses an electric steamer including a pot body assembly, on which a cooking pot is mounted. The cooking pot is configured to hold water for heating to generate steam and to hold water and food for heating and cooking. It also includes a first component, which comprises a liquid storage tank located outside the base. The lower part of the liquid storage tank has a liquid supply port, which supplies water to the cooking chamber through a first component. Since the internal cavity of the liquid storage tank is sealed after it is installed on the base, with only the liquid outlet of the first component communicating with the outside atmosphere, if there is no water in the cooking chamber, the water in the sealed liquid storage tank will enter the first component through the liquid supply port under gravity and flow out to the cooking chamber through the liquid outlet. The liquid level in the cooking chamber gradually rises until the outlet is blocked, isolating the internal cavity of the storage tank from the outside atmosphere. At this point, gas will not enter the storage tank through the first component, causing negative pressure to form inside the tank. Consequently, the weight of the liquid inside the storage tank is insufficient to overcome the pressure difference between the inside and outside, and the water inside the storage tank will not flow out through the first component. When the heating element is activated to heat the water in the cooking chamber, as the liquid level drops, the outlet of the first component can connect with the outside atmosphere again, allowing gas to re-enter the storage tank and preventing negative pressure from forming. At this point, the water in the storage tank can flow out smoothly again. This cycle repeats, ensuring that the water level in the cooking chamber remains low, thereby quickly generating steam and accelerating cooking efficiency.
[0003] In order to ensure that the liquid storage tank of the existing electric steamer can form a sealed cavity, the liquid storage tank has only one liquid supply port, which is located at the bottom of the liquid storage tank. If the user wants to add water to the liquid storage tank, he / she needs to invert the liquid storage tank, open the valve at the only liquid supply port, and then add water. During the process of adding water, the liquid storage tank needs to be inverted, which is complicated and prone to leakage if not handled carefully. [Utility Model Content]
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an electric steamer that makes it convenient for users to add water to the water storage chamber, and the water addition is simple and convenient; in addition, it can also automatically replenish a certain amount of water to the steam generation chamber to achieve the effect of rapid steam generation and preventing dry burning.
[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0006] An electric steamer includes a base with a water tank and a drip tray placed on the base. The water tank has an independently configured water storage chamber and a steam generating chamber. A water supply channel is provided between the water storage chamber and the steam generating chamber to limit the flow of water from the water storage chamber to the steam generating chamber. The top of the water storage chamber is open to form a water inlet. The water supply channel has a water outlet that communicates with the steam generating chamber and is higher than the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber. The base also includes a water control switch for controlling the opening and closing of the water supply channel. The water control switch is used to close the water supply channel when the drip tray is detached from the base. The drip tray cooperates with the base to seal the water inlet. The water control switch is used to open the water supply channel when the water inlet is sealed.
[0007] In the aforementioned electric steamer, the drip tray is equipped with a trigger. When the drip tray and the base are in contact to seal the water inlet, the trigger activates the water control switch to open the water supply channel.
[0008] In the aforementioned electric steamer, the water control switch includes a fixed base, a valve body slidably mounted on the fixed base, and an elastic reset member disposed between the valve body and the fixed base. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger member drives the valve body to overcome the elastic force of the elastic reset member to open the water supply channel. When the drip tray is removed from the base, the valve body is reset under the drive of the elastic reset member to close the water supply channel.
[0009] In the aforementioned electric steamer, the valve body is slidably mounted on a fixed base. The valve body is provided with a transmission ramp that gradually slopes upward toward the direction away from the water supply channel. The trigger moves downward along the transmission ramp to drive the valve body to slide away from the water supply channel and open the water supply channel.
[0010] In the electric steamer described above, the valve body is vertically slidably mounted on the fixed base, and the trigger presses down on the valve body to move the valve body downward and open the water supply channel.
[0011] In the above-mentioned electric steamer, the water control switch includes a lever hinged in the water tank and a sealing element hinged to one end of the lever. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger presses down on the other end of the lever to make one end of the lever move the sealing element upward to open the water supply channel. When the drip tray is removed from the base, the sealing element resets under its own weight to close the water supply channel.
[0012] Alternatively, the water control switch includes an elastic reset element, a lever hinged in the water tank, and a seal hinged to one end of the lever. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger element presses down on the other end of the lever to cause one end of the lever to move the seal upward to open the water supply channel. When the drip tray is removed from the base, the seal is reset under the drive of the elastic reset element to close the water supply channel.
[0013] In the above-mentioned electric steamer, the water tank is provided with a water-blocking rib that separates the water storage chamber and the steam generation chamber, the water replenishment channel is located on the water-blocking rib, and the water control switch is located in the water storage chamber or the steam generation chamber.
[0014] In the aforementioned electric steamer, the water replenishment channel is located near the bottom of the water storage chamber.
[0015] In the above-mentioned electric steamer, one end of the water supply channel is connected to the bottom wall of the water storage chamber, and the other end extends upward through the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber to form the water outlet. The water control switch is an electromagnetic valve located in the water supply channel.
[0016] In the aforementioned electric steamer, the water storage chamber is arranged around the steam generating chamber. The water storage chamber includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall that form the water inlet. An inner sealing ring is provided between the top of the inner ring wall and the drip tray, and an outer sealing ring is provided between the top of the outer ring wall and the drip tray.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0018] 1. When using the electric steamer, with the drip tray not placed on the base, the water inlet of the water storage chamber is open and the water supply channel is closed by the water control switch. At this time, the user can directly add water into the water storage chamber through the inlet. Adding water is simple and convenient, without any inverted or upside-down actions, providing a good user experience. It should be noted that during the entire water adding process, because the water supply channel is closed, the water in the water storage chamber will not flow into the steam generating chamber through the water supply channel.
[0019] After water is added and the drip tray is placed on the base, the drip tray fits with the base and seals the water inlet. Since the steam generating chamber is open to the atmosphere, when the water control switch opens the water supply channel, gas can only enter the water storage chamber through the water supply channel to avoid negative pressure in the storage chamber. This allows water in the storage chamber to flow into the steam generating chamber through the water supply channel. As the water level in the steam generating chamber rises, when it submerges the outlet of the water supply channel, gas cannot enter the storage chamber through the water supply channel. At this point, negative pressure is generated in the storage chamber, causing the water in the storage chamber to be unable to overcome the pressure difference and thus unable to flow into the steam generating chamber. The gas is then submerged through the outlet. The system effectively limits the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber. When the water in the steam generating chamber is heated, the water level drops as the water evaporates, allowing the outlet to connect with the outside atmosphere. At this point, the water in the storage chamber can flow out smoothly, thus automatically replenishing a certain amount of water to the steam generating chamber to prevent dry burning. This cycle repeats, ensuring that the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber is always just below the outlet. In other words, by setting a small distance between the highest point of the outlet and the bottom of the steam generating chamber, the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber can be kept low, thereby quickly generating steam and accelerating cooking efficiency.
[0020] 2. The juice tray is equipped with a trigger. When the juice tray and base are in contact to seal the water inlet, the trigger activates the water control switch to open the water supply channel. This design allows the user to easily activate the water control switch and open the water supply channel simply by placing the juice tray on the base, without requiring any additional action. This provides a better user experience and, compared to circuit-controlled water control switches and mechanical linkage control methods, the structure is simpler and less expensive. Furthermore, if the trigger is damaged, only the juice tray needs to be replaced, eliminating the need for complete machine repair.
[0021] 3. The water control switch includes a fixed base, a valve body slidably mounted on the fixed base, and an elastic reset element located between the valve body and the fixed base. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger element drives the valve body to overcome the elastic force of the elastic reset element to open the water supply channel. When the drip tray is removed from the base, the valve body is reset under the action of the elastic reset element to close the water supply channel. This design, through mechanical linkage, allows the water control switch to open or close the water supply channel as the drip tray is placed or removed. The valve body's opening and closing action is fast and precise, avoiding water flow control failure due to human error. This ensures that when the user adds water to the non-sealed water storage chamber, the water in the storage chamber will not enter the steam generation chamber, thus facilitating water addition for the user.
[0022] 4. The valve body is laterally slidably mounted on a fixed base. The valve body has a transmission ramp that gradually slopes upwards towards the direction away from the water supply channel. The trigger moves gradually downwards along the transmission ramp to drive the valve body to slide away from the water supply channel, thus opening the water supply channel. This design converts the vertical movement of the trigger into the lateral sliding of the valve body through the transmission ramp, reducing the depth requirement of the water storage chamber, allowing for a thinner base. Furthermore, the continuous downward movement of the trigger along the transmission ramp pushes the valve body to slide gradually, making the process of the water supply channel opening smoothly, reducing water flow impact noise and mechanical vibration, and extending the life of the water control switch.
[0023] 5. The valve body is vertically slidably mounted on the fixed base. The trigger element presses down on the valve body to move it downwards and open the water supply channel. The trigger element directly presses down on the valve body to move it downwards, eliminating intermediate transmission structures such as inclined planes. This minimizes the force transmission path, resulting in high mechanical efficiency and more reliable operation.
[0024] 6. The water control switch includes a lever hinged inside the water tank and a seal hinged to one end of the lever. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger presses down on the other end of the lever, causing the lever to move the seal upward and open the water supply channel. When the drip tray detaches from the base, the seal resets under its own weight to close the water supply channel. Alternatively, the water control switch includes a resilient reset element, a lever hinged inside the water tank, and a seal hinged to one end of the lever. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger presses down on the other end of the lever, causing the lever to move the seal upward and open the water supply channel. When the drip tray detaches from the base, the seal resets under the action of the resilient reset element to close the water supply channel. With this design, when the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger activates the lever under the weight of the drip tray. Therefore, by utilizing lever transmission and designing a lever arm ratio greater than 1, a small triggering force can be used to control the upward movement of the seal, thereby reducing the weight of the drip tray.
[0025] 7. The water tank is equipped with a water-separating rib that separates the water storage chamber and the steam generation chamber. The water supply channel is located on the water-separating rib, and the water control switch is located in the water storage chamber or the steam generation chamber. With this design, the water-separating rib serves as both a physical separator and a support for the water supply channel, thereby reducing the space occupied by additional parts; in addition, there is no need to install a separate water supply pipe, reducing the risk of leakage.
[0026] 8. The water supply channel is located near the bottom of the water storage chamber. This design allows as much water as possible from the water storage chamber to flow into the steam generation chamber through the water supply channel, reducing residue and thus improving the utilization rate of water in the water storage chamber.
[0027] 9. The water storage chamber surrounds the steam generating chamber. The water storage chamber includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall forming the water inlet. An inner sealing ring is provided between the top of the inner ring wall and the drip tray, and an outer sealing ring is provided between the top of the outer ring wall and the drip tray. This design allows the drip tray to cooperate with the base to seal the water inlet through the inner and outer sealing rings. The sealing structure is simple and the product manufacturing cost is low.
[0028] These features and advantages of the present invention will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. [Attached Image Description]
[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:
[0030] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the base, inner sealing ring, and outer sealing ring in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in Embodiment 1 of this utility model where the inner sealing ring and the outer sealing ring are installed on the base;
[0032] Figure 3This is a cross-sectional view of the inner and outer sealing rings mounted on the base in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of part A in the diagram;
[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the juice tray placed on the base in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0035] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the juice tray placed on the base in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0036] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of part B in the diagram;
[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of adding water to the water storage chamber in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0038] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the cooking utensil in use according to Embodiment 1 of this utility model;
[0039] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A magnified view of part of C;
[0040] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water control switch opening the water supply channel in Embodiment 2 of this utility model;
[0041] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water control switch opening the water supply channel in Embodiment 3 of this utility model;
[0042] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water control switch located in the water supply channel in Embodiment 4 of this utility model.
[0043] Figure label:
[0044] 100. Base; 110. Water tank; 111. Water storage chamber; 112. Steam generating chamber; 113. Water supply channel; 1130. Water outlet; 1131. Water inlet; 114. Water-proof rib; 1141. Sealing sleeve; 120. Water control switch; 121. Fixing base; 122. Valve body; 1221. Transmission inclined surface; 123. Elastic reset element; 124. Lever; 125. Sealing element; 126. Bracket; 130. Heating element; 200. Juice tray; 201. Steam outlet; 210. Trigger element; 300. Steamer assembly; 310. Steaming chamber; 400. Inner sealing ring; 500. Outer sealing ring.
Detailed Implementation Methods
[0045] This utility model provides an electric steamer, including a base with a water tank and a drip tray placed on the base. The water tank has an independently configured water storage chamber and a steam generating chamber. A water supply channel is provided between the water storage chamber and the steam generating chamber to limit the flow of water from the water storage chamber to the steam generating chamber. The top of the water storage chamber is open to form a water inlet. The water supply channel has a water outlet that communicates with the steam generating chamber and is higher than the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber. The base also includes a water control switch for controlling the opening and closing of the water supply channel. The water control switch is used to close the water supply channel when the drip tray is detached from the base. The drip tray cooperates with the base to seal the water inlet. The water control switch is used to open the water supply channel when the water inlet is sealed.
[0046] When using the electric steamer of this invention, with the drip tray not placed on the base, the water inlet of the water storage chamber is open and the water supply channel is closed by the water control switch. At this time, the user can directly add water to the water storage chamber through the water inlet, making the process simple and convenient without any inverted or upside-down actions, resulting in a good user experience. It should be noted that during the entire water adding process, because the water supply channel is closed, the water in the water storage chamber will not flow into the steam generating chamber through the water supply channel.
[0047] After water is added and the drip tray is placed on the base, the drip tray fits with the base and seals the water inlet. Since the steam generating chamber is open to the atmosphere, when the water control switch opens the water supply channel, gas can only enter the water storage chamber through the water supply channel to avoid negative pressure in the storage chamber. This allows water in the storage chamber to flow into the steam generating chamber through the water supply channel. As the water level in the steam generating chamber rises, when it submerges the outlet of the water supply channel, gas cannot enter the storage chamber through the water supply channel. At this point, negative pressure is generated in the storage chamber, causing the water in the storage chamber to be unable to overcome the pressure difference and thus unable to flow into the steam generating chamber. The gas is then submerged through the outlet. The system effectively limits the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber. When the water in the steam generating chamber is heated, the water level drops as the water evaporates, allowing the outlet to connect with the outside atmosphere. At this point, the water in the storage chamber can flow out smoothly, thus automatically replenishing a certain amount of water to the steam generating chamber to prevent dry burning. This cycle repeats, ensuring that the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber is always just below the outlet. In other words, by setting a small distance between the highest point of the outlet and the bottom of the steam generating chamber, the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber can be kept low, thereby quickly generating steam and accelerating cooking efficiency.
[0048] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be explained and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments are only preferred embodiments of this utility model and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in the implementation, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are all within the protection scope of this utility model. In addition, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "longitudinal," "lateral," "inner," "outer," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," and "bottom," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationship, are only based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the device / component 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 utility model.
[0049] Example 1
[0050] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the electric steamer in this embodiment includes a base 100 with a water tank 110, a drip tray 200 placed on the base 100, and a steamer assembly 300 placed on the drip tray 200. The steamer assembly 300 has at least one steaming chamber 310. The drip tray 200 is provided with a steam outlet 201. The water tank 110 is provided with an independently configured water storage chamber 111 and a steam generating chamber 112. The outer bottom surface of the steam generating chamber 112 is provided with a heating element 130 to heat the water in the steam generating chamber 112 to generate steam. A water supply channel 113 is provided between the water storage chamber 111 and the steam generating chamber 112 to limit the flow of water from the water storage chamber 111 to the steam generating chamber 112. The top of the water storage chamber 111 is open. A water inlet is formed, and the water supply channel 113 has a water outlet 1130 that communicates with the steam generating chamber 112 and is higher than the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber 112. The base 100 also includes a water control switch 120 for controlling the opening and closing of the water supply channel 113. The water control switch 120 is used to close the water supply channel 113 when the juice receiving tray 200 is removed from the base 100. The juice receiving tray 200 cooperates with the base 100 to seal the water inlet. The water control switch 120 is used to open the water supply channel 113 when the water inlet is sealed. At this time, the steam outlet 201 connects the steam generating chamber 112 and the steaming chamber 310, so that the steam in the steam generating chamber 112 flows into the steaming chamber 310 through the steam outlet 201, thereby realizing the steaming and cooking of the food in the steaming chamber 310.
[0051] When using the electric steamer in this embodiment, if the drip tray 200 is not placed on the base 100 (e.g.) Figure 8As shown, with the water inlet of the water storage chamber 111 open and the water control switch 120 closing the water supply channel 113, the user can directly add water to the water storage chamber 111 through the water inlet. Adding water is simple and convenient, without any inverted or reversed actions, providing a good user experience. It should be noted that during the entire water adding process, because the water supply channel 113 is closed, the water in the water storage chamber 111 will not flow to the steam generating chamber 112 through the water supply channel 113.
[0052] After adding water and placing the drip tray 200 on the base 100 (as shown) Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, since the drip tray 200 cooperates with the base 100 and seals the water inlet, and the steam generating chamber 112 is connected to the atmosphere, when the water control switch 120 opens the water supply channel 113, the gas can only enter the water storage chamber 111 through the water supply channel 113 to avoid negative pressure in the water storage chamber 111. This prevents the water in the water storage chamber 111 from flowing to the steam generating chamber 112 through the water supply channel 113. As the water level in the steam generating chamber 112 increases, when the water level in the steam generating chamber 112 submerges the outlet 1130 of the water supply channel 113, the gas cannot enter the water storage chamber 111 through the water supply channel 113. At this time, negative pressure is generated in the water storage chamber 111, causing the water in the water storage chamber 111 to be unable to overcome the internal and external pressure difference and thus unable to flow to the steam generating chamber 112, i.e., through the outlet 1130. The water outlet 1130 is submerged to limit the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber 112. When the heating element 130 is activated to heat the water in the steam generating chamber 112, the water level drops as the water in the steam generating chamber 112 evaporates, and the outlet 1130 can then connect to the outside atmosphere. At this time, the water in the water storage chamber 111 can flow out smoothly, thereby automatically replenishing a certain amount of water to the steam generating chamber 112 to prevent dry burning. This cycle repeats, ensuring that the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber 112 is always just submerged at the outlet 1130. In other words, by setting the distance between the highest point of the outlet 1130 and the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber 112 to be small, the maximum water level in the steam generating chamber 112 can be controlled to always be at a low level, thereby quickly generating steam and accelerating cooking efficiency.
[0053] Specifically, in this embodiment, the water tank 110 is provided with an annular water-proof rib 114. The water-proof rib 114 divides the interior of the water tank 110 into the aforementioned water storage chamber 111 and steam generation chamber 112. The water storage chamber 111 is located between the water-proof rib 114 and the side wall of the water tank 110, while the steam generation chamber 112 is surrounded by the water-proof rib 114, so that the water storage chamber 111 is arranged around the steam generation chamber 112. This allows the top of the water storage chamber 111 to be open to form a water inlet, and the opening area of the water inlet is larger, which makes it more convenient for the user to add water to the water storage chamber 111.
[0054] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, in order to achieve a seal between the juice receiving tray 200 and the base 100 for the water inlet, the water storage cavity 111 in this embodiment includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall that form the water inlet. That is, the water-blocking rib 114 forms the inner ring wall of the water storage cavity 111, and the side wall of the water tank 110 forms the outer ring wall of the water storage cavity 111. The tops of the inner and outer ring walls define the aforementioned water inlet. An inner sealing ring 400 is provided between the top of the inner ring wall and the juice receiving tray 200, and an outer sealing ring 500 is provided between the top of the outer ring wall and the juice receiving tray 200. With this design, the gap between the juice receiving tray 200 and the top of the water-blocking rib 114 can be sealed by the inner sealing ring 400, and the gap between the juice receiving tray 200 and the top of the side wall of the water tank 110 can be sealed by the outer sealing ring 500, thereby achieving a seal for the water inlet. The sealing structure is simple and the product manufacturing cost is low.
[0055] Preferably, in this embodiment, the inner sealing ring 400 is sleeved on the top of the water-proof rib 114, and the bottom surface of the juice receiving tray 200 is provided with a limiting rib. The limiting rib is sleeved on the outside of the inner sealing ring 400 and seals with it. The top of the side wall of the water tank 110 is provided with a positioning protrusion, and the bottom surface of the outer sealing ring 500 is provided with a positioning groove. The positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning groove so that the outer sealing ring 500 is installed on the top of the side wall of the water tank 110. By pre-installing the inner sealing ring 400 on the top of the water-proof rib 114 and the outer sealing ring 500 on the top of the side wall of the water tank 110, the horizontal positioning of the inner sealing ring 400 and the outer sealing ring 500 can be achieved. This allows the juice receiving tray 200 to cooperate with the base 100 to seal the water inlet after being placed on the base 100, thereby preventing the inner sealing ring 400 and the outer sealing ring 500 from moving and causing sealing failure. In addition, the inner sealing ring 400 and the outer sealing ring 500 can be disassembled separately for cleaning or replacement.
[0056] In this embodiment, the water supply channel 113 is located on the water-proof rib 114 and near the bottom of the water storage chamber 111. This design allows as much water as possible from the water storage chamber 111 to flow into the steam generating chamber 112 through the water supply channel 113, reducing residue and improving the utilization rate of water in the water storage chamber 111. Furthermore, the water-proof rib 114 serves as both a physical separator and supports the water supply channel 113, thus reducing the space occupied by additional components. Additionally, there is no need for a separate water supply pipe, reducing the risk of leakage. It should be noted that the water outlet 1130 of the water supply channel 113 being higher than the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber 112 means that the highest point of the water outlet of the water supply channel 113 is higher than the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber 112.
[0057] Preferably, in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the juice receiving tray 200 is provided with a trigger 210. When the juice receiving tray 200 and the base 100 are engaged to seal the water inlet, the trigger 210 triggers the water control switch 120 to open the water supply channel 113. With this design, when the user places the juice receiving tray 200 on the base 100, the trigger 210 can trigger the water control switch 120 to open the water supply channel 113 without any additional action, providing a better user experience. Compared with the control method of circuit-controlled water control switch and mechanical linkage, the structure is simpler and the cost is lower. Furthermore, if the trigger 210 is damaged, only the juice receiving tray 200 needs to be replaced, without the need for complete machine repair.
[0058] like Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the water control switch 120 in this embodiment includes a fixed base 121, a valve body 122 slidably mounted on the fixed base 121, and an elastic reset member 123 disposed between the valve body 122 and the fixed base 121. When the drip tray 200 is placed on the base 100, the trigger member 210 drives the valve body 122 to overcome the elastic force of the elastic reset member 123 to open the water supply channel 113. When the drip tray 200 is removed from the base 100, the valve body 122 is reset under the drive of the elastic reset member 123 to close the water supply channel 113. With this design, the water control switch 120 closes or opens the water supply channel 113 as the drip tray 200 is placed or removed through mechanical linkage. The opening and closing action of the valve body 122 is fast and precise, avoiding water flow control failure due to human operation error. This ensures that when the user adds water to the water storage chamber 111, which is not a sealed cavity, the water in the water storage chamber 111 will not enter the steam generation chamber 112, thus facilitating the user's water addition.
[0059] Because the temperature inside the steam generating chamber 112 is high during heating, in order to extend the service life of the water control switch 120, in this embodiment, the water control switch 120 is located inside the water storage chamber 111. The fixing seat 121 is fixedly installed on the bottom wall of the water storage chamber 111, and the valve body 122 is slidably installed on the fixing seat 121 along the extension direction of the water supply channel 113. The water supply channel 113 has a water inlet 1131 communicating with the water storage chamber 111. The valve body 122 reciprocates laterally between the fixing seat 121 and the water inlet 1131. The fixing seat 121 is provided with The positioning protrusion is positioned towards the water-blocking rib 114. The valve body 122 has an installation hole. The elastic reset member 123 is a spring. One end of the spring is inserted into the installation hole, and the other end is sleeved on the positioning protrusion. When the juice receiving tray 200 is removed from the base 100, the valve body 122 closes the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113 under the drive of the elastic reset member 123. By allowing the valve body 122 to slide laterally on the fixed base 121, the water inlet 1131 can be positioned as close as possible to the bottom of the water storage chamber 111 to reduce the residual water in the water storage chamber 111.
[0060] In this embodiment, the top surface of the valve body 122 is provided with a transmission inclined surface 1221 that gradually slopes upward toward the direction away from the water replenishment channel 113. The trigger member 210 is a trigger rod that is integrally formed with the juice receiving tray 200, welded to it, or connected to it with screws. The trigger rod extends vertically. During the process of placing the juice receiving tray 200 on the base 100, the lower end of the trigger rod first contacts the transmission inclined surface 1221, and as the juice receiving tray 200 moves downward, the lower end of the trigger rod gradually moves downward along the transmission inclined surface 1221 to drive the valve body 122 to slide away from the water replenishment channel 113 and open the water inlet 1131 of the water replenishment channel 113 (e.g., Figure 7 As shown), at this time, the elastic reset member 123 is compressed. This design allows the vertical movement of the trigger member 210 to be converted into the lateral sliding of the valve body 122 via the transmission ramp 1221. This reduces the depth requirement within the water storage chamber 111, making the base 100 thinner. Furthermore, the continuous downward movement of the trigger member 210 along the transmission ramp 1221 pushes the valve body 122 to slide gradually, making the process of the water supply channel 113 from closed to open smoother, reducing water flow impact noise and mechanical vibration, and extending the lifespan of the water control switch 120. When the drip tray 200 detaches from the base 100, since the valve body 122 is no longer subjected to the pressing force of the trigger member 210, the elastic reset member 123 returns to its original position and drives the valve body 122 to reset, closing the inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113 (as shown). Figure 4 (As shown).
[0061] To improve the sealing performance of the valve body 122 when closing the inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113, the water-proof rib 114 in this embodiment is provided with a through hole and a sealing sleeve 1141 through the through hole. The water supply channel 113 is formed inside the sealing sleeve 1141. One end of the sealing sleeve 1141 located in the steam generating chamber 112 is open to form an outlet 1130, while the other end of the sealing sleeve 1141 located in the water storage chamber 111 forms an outwardly protruding arc-shaped structure. When the inlet 1131 is located in the arc-shaped structure, the valve body 122 has a guide boss that inserts into the inlet 1131 at the end facing the water-proof rib 114. When the water control switch 120 closes the water supply channel 113, the end of the valve body 122 facing the water-proof rib 114 is tightly sealed with the arc-shaped structure to block the inlet 1131.
[0062] like Figure 8 As shown, when using the electric steamer in this embodiment, the drip tray 200 is removed to open the water inlet of the water storage chamber 111. At this time, the valve body 122 closes the water supply channel 113 under the action of the elastic reset member 123. The user can add water to the water storage chamber 111 through the water inlet. After adding water, the drip tray 200 and the steamer assembly 300 are placed on the base 100 in sequence. At this time, the water control switch 120 is activated by the trigger member 210 to open the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113 (e.g., Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, since the steam generating chamber 112 is connected to the outside atmosphere through the steam outlet 201 and the steam chamber 310, gas can enter the water storage chamber 111 through the water replenishment channel 113. At this time, the external pressure at the water inlet 1131 is atmospheric pressure P0, while the internal pressure at the water inlet 1131 is the air pressure P inside the water storage chamber. 内 + The pressure ρgh of the water column in the water storage chamber, where h is the height between the liquid level in the water storage chamber and the inlet 1131. Since gas will enter the water storage chamber 111 through the water replenishment channel 113, therefore P 内 Equal to P0, i.e., P0 <P 内 Therefore, the water in the water storage chamber 111 flows smoothly into the steam generating chamber 112. As the water level in the steam generating chamber 112 increases, when the water level in the steam generating chamber 112 submerges the outlet 1130 of the water supply channel 113, the gas cannot enter the water storage chamber 111 through the water supply channel 113. At this time, the P in the water storage chamber 111... 内 When the pressure is less than atmospheric pressure, a negative pressure is generated, resulting in an external pressure P0 > P. 内 The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the water storage chamber 111 prevents the water from entering the steam generating chamber 112 through the water replenishment channel 113. When the heating element is activated to heat the water in the steam generating chamber 112, the water level drops as the water evaporates, and the outlet 1130 can then connect to the outside atmosphere. At this time, the water in the water storage chamber 111 can flow out smoothly, thus automatically replenishing a certain amount of water to the steam generating chamber 112 to prevent dry burning. This cycle repeats, ensuring that the highest water level in the steam generating chamber 112 is always just submerged in the outlet 1130.
[0063] It is understood that in other embodiments of this utility model, the water control switch can also be installed inside the steam generating chamber, in which case the control switch is used to open and close the outlet of the water supply channel.
[0064] It is understood that in other embodiments of this utility model, one end of the water supply channel is connected to the bottom wall of the water storage chamber so that the outlet of the water supply channel is open upwards, and the other end of the water supply channel penetrates the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber upwards to form an outlet. The outlet is higher than the inner bottom surface of the steam generating chamber. At this time, the water control switch is installed in the water storage chamber. By sliding the valve body laterally, the bottom surface of the valve body can open or close the inlet.
[0065] It is understood that in other embodiments of this utility model, the water-blocking rib can also be a strip rib. The water-blocking rib divides the water tank into two cavities, one of which forms a water storage cavity with an open top forming a water inlet, and the other forms a steam generating cavity. In this case, a sealing ring can be set on the top of the side wall of the water storage cavity to allow the drip tray to cooperate with the base to seal the water inlet.
[0066] Example 2
[0067] like Figure 11 As shown, compared with Embodiment 1, the difference in this embodiment is that the valve body 122 is vertically slidably mounted on the fixed seat 121, the fixed seat 121 is located below the valve body 122, and the elastic reset member 123 is disposed between the valve body 122 and the fixed seat 121. When the juice tray 200 is placed on the base 100, the trigger member 210 presses down on the valve body 122 to make the valve body 122 move down and open the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113, and compresses the elastic reset member 123. When the juice tray 200 is removed from the base 100, the elastic reset member 123 drives the valve body 122 to move up and reset to close the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113. In this embodiment, the trigger member 210 directly presses down on the valve body 122 to make the valve body 122 move down, without intermediate transmission structures such as inclined planes, the force transmission path is the shortest, the mechanical efficiency is high, and the action is more reliable.
[0068] It is understood that in other embodiments of this utility model, the water control switch can also be installed inside the steam generating chamber, in which case the control switch is used to open and close the outlet of the water supply channel.
[0069] Example 3
[0070] like Figure 12 As shown, compared with Embodiments 1 and 2, the difference in this embodiment is that the water control switch 120 in this embodiment includes a lever 124, a seal 125, and a bracket 126. The bracket 126 is located on the bottom wall of the water storage cavity 111 and extends upward. The lever 124 is hinged to the bracket 126. The lever 124 includes a power arm and a resistance arm. The seal 125 is hinged to the end of the resistance arm away from the power arm and extends vertically downward. The outer side of the water-blocking rib 114 is provided with a vertically extending guide groove. The seal 125 slides vertically in the guide groove. When the juice tray 200 is placed on the base 100, the trigger 210 presses down the end of the power arm of the lever 124 away from the resistance arm so that the resistance arm of the lever 124 drives the seal 125 to move upward and open the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113. When the juice tray 200 is removed from the base 100, the seal 125 resets under its own weight to close the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113. With this design, when the juice tray 200 is placed on the base 100, the trigger 210 triggers the lever 124 under the gravity of the juice tray 200. Therefore, by using the lever 124 for transmission and designing the lever arm ratio to be greater than 1 (i.e., the power arm is greater than the resistance arm), the seal 125 can be moved upward with a small triggering force, thereby reducing the weight of the juice tray 200.
[0071] It is understood that, in other embodiments of this utility model, unlike the aforementioned water control switch, the water control switch also includes an elastic reset element sleeved on the lever hinge shaft. The elastic reset element is a torsion spring, which is used to drive the power arm to have an upward rotation tendency, so that after the juice tray is removed from the base, the seal closes the water supply channel, that is, the seal does not need to reset under its own weight. When the juice tray is placed on the base, the trigger presses down the power arm so that the resistance arm of the lever drives the seal to move upward to open the water supply channel and deform the torsion spring. When the juice tray is removed from the base, the seal resets under the drive of the torsion spring's restoring force to close the water supply channel.
[0072] It is understood that in other embodiments of this utility model, one end of the water supply channel can also be connected to the bottom wall of the water storage chamber so that the outlet of the water supply channel is open upwards, and the other end of the water supply channel penetrates the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber upwards to form an outlet. The outlet is higher than the inner bottom surface of the steam generating chamber. At this time, the above-mentioned lever can also be used to drive the sealing element to move to open and close the water inlet.
[0073] Example 4
[0074] like Figure 13 As shown, compared with embodiments one to three, the difference in this embodiment is that one end of the water supply channel 113 is connected to the bottom wall of the water storage chamber 111, so that the water inlet 1131 of the water supply channel 113 is open facing upwards. The other end of the water supply channel 113 penetrates the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber 112 to form a water outlet 1130. The water outlet 1130 is higher than the inner bottom surface of the steam generating chamber 112. The water control switch 120 is a solenoid valve located in the water supply channel 113. The opening and closing of the water supply channel 113 can be controlled by controlling the solenoid valve. That is, before the electric steamer stops working and the drip tray 200 needs to be removed, the water supply channel 113 is closed by controlling the solenoid valve. After the drip tray 200 is placed on the base 100, the water supply channel 113 is opened by controlling the solenoid valve.
[0075] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model includes, but is not limited to, the content described in the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments above. Any modifications that do not depart from the functional and structural principles of this utility model will be included within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An electric steamer, comprising a base with a water tank and a drip tray placed on the base, wherein the water tank has an independently configured water storage chamber and a steam generating chamber, and a water supply channel is provided between the water storage chamber and the steam generating chamber to limit the flow of water from the water storage chamber to the steam generating chamber; the top of the water storage chamber is open to form a water inlet, characterized in that, The water supply channel has a water outlet that communicates with the steam generating chamber and is higher than the bottom surface of the steam generating chamber. The base also includes a water control switch for controlling the opening and closing of the water supply channel. The water control switch is used to close the water supply channel when the juice receiving tray is removed from the base. The juice receiving tray cooperates with the base to seal the water inlet. The water control switch is used to open the water supply channel when the water inlet is sealed.
2. The electric steamer as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The juice receiving tray is equipped with a trigger. When the juice receiving tray and the base are in contact to seal the water inlet, the trigger activates the water control switch to open the water supply channel.
3. The electric steamer as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The water control switch includes a fixed base, a valve body slidably mounted on the fixed base, and an elastic reset member disposed between the valve body and the fixed base. When the juice tray is placed on the base, the trigger member drives the valve body to overcome the elastic force of the elastic reset member to open the water supply channel. When the juice tray is removed from the base, the valve body is reset under the drive of the elastic reset member to close the water supply channel.
4. The electric steamer as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The valve body is laterally slidably mounted on the fixed base. The valve body is provided with a transmission slope that gradually tilts upward toward the direction away from the water supply channel. The trigger element gradually moves downward along the transmission slope to drive the valve body to slide away from the water supply channel and open the water supply channel.
5. The electric steamer as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The valve body is vertically slidably mounted on the fixed base, and the trigger presses down on the valve body to move the valve body down and open the water supply channel.
6. The electric steamer as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The water control switch includes a lever hinged inside the water tank and a seal hinged to one end of the lever. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger presses down on the other end of the lever to cause one end of the lever to move the seal upward to open the water supply channel. When the drip tray is removed from the base, the seal resets under its own weight to close the water supply channel. Alternatively, the water control switch includes an elastic reset element, a lever hinged in the water tank, and a seal hinged to one end of the lever. When the drip tray is placed on the base, the trigger element presses down on the other end of the lever to cause one end of the lever to move the seal upward to open the water supply channel. When the drip tray is removed from the base, the seal is reset under the drive of the elastic reset element to close the water supply channel.
7. The electric steamer as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The water tank is equipped with a water-blocking rib that separates the water storage chamber and the steam generation chamber. The water supply channel is located on the water-blocking rib, and the water control switch is located in the water storage chamber or the steam generation chamber.
8. The electric steamer as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The water replenishment channel is located near the bottom of the water storage chamber.
9. The electric steamer as described in claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the water supply channel is connected to the bottom wall of the water storage chamber, and the other end extends upward through the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber to form the water outlet. The water control switch is a solenoid valve located in the water supply channel.
10. The electric steamer as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water storage chamber is arranged around the steam generating chamber. The water storage chamber includes an inner ring wall and an outer ring wall that form the water inlet. An inner sealing ring is provided between the top of the inner ring wall and the juice receiving tray, and an outer sealing ring is provided between the top of the outer ring wall and the juice receiving tray.