Improved temperature controller and cooking device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an improved temperature controller and cooking device, and the temperature controller includes the shell body and bottom plate, and the shell body and bottom plate define the shell cavity, the top wall of shell body is provided with the upper through -hole, still include heat conduction post, temperature sensor and temperature fuse, the upper end of heat conduction post is provided with the upper locating platform, the upper locating platform is inserted in the upper through -hole, and the upper end surface of upper locating platform is higher than the upper surface of the top wall of shell body, heat conduction post is provided with the accommodation cavity, temperature sensor is arranged in the accommodation cavity, temperature fuse is arranged in the shell cavity and is arranged with the heat conduction post interval, and such setting guarantees that temperature sensor can quickly perceive the temperature of inner pot, and can select the temperature fuse of relatively lower temperature value, and the problem of balancing product performance and manufacturing cost is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of cooking equipment, and in particular to an improved thermostat and a cooking device using the thermostat, especially suitable for intelligent cooking equipment such as stir-fry machines, rice cookers, and pressure cookers that require temperature detection and overheat protection. Background Technology

[0002] In the design of existing cooking appliances, to achieve the dual functions of cooking temperature monitoring and equipment safety protection, an integrated temperature sensing device is usually installed inside the shell. For example, Chinese utility model patent CN205568624U discloses a cooking appliance that includes a temperature sensing device. The temperature sensing device includes a central cover with a recessed cavity. A thermal fuse and a temperature sensor are centrally arranged inside the cavity, and both are directly attached to the upper surface of the central cover. The upper surface of the central cover is attached to the inner pot, thus ensuring that the heat from the inner pot can be transferred to the thermal fuse and temperature sensor in a timely manner. The temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the inner pot in real time, providing a basis for cooking temperature control; the thermal fuse serves as the ultimate safety guarantee, quickly melting to cut off the heating circuit when the inner pot reaches an abnormally high temperature, preventing equipment damage or safety accidents. This centralized arrangement has become a standard design solution in the industry because it simplifies the structure and reduces assembly complexity.

[0003] However, even after the heating element stops heating, it still experiences a temperature rise during operation, which is continuously transferred to the temperature sensing device through the inner liner. Since both the thermal fuse and the temperature sensor are directly attached to the same top surface, their temperature transfer paths and speeds are essentially the same, causing the thermal fuse's temperature to rise synchronously with the normal temperature rise of the heating element. To prevent the thermal fuse from malfunctioning due to reaching its melting threshold throughout the entire cooking cycle, those skilled in the art must specifically select thermal fuse products with higher melting temperature specifications.

[0004] Thermal fuses with higher melting temperatures not only have significantly higher procurement costs than standard-specification products, directly increasing the overall production cost of the appliance, but also, excessively high melting temperature thresholds may lead to delayed response when the equipment experiences minor overheating risks, thus weakening the timeliness of overheat protection. Therefore, the cost issue arising from the identical temperature transmission characteristics of thermal fuses and temperature sensors in existing technologies has become a key bottleneck restricting the improvement of the cost-effectiveness of cooking appliances, urgently requiring an improved technical solution. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the problems of temperature transmission by temperature sensors and the cost of using thermal fuses in existing technologies, this technical solution proposes an improved temperature controller, including a housing and a base plate. The housing is shaped like an inverted bowl with a bottom opening, and the base plate is arranged at the bottom opening of the housing. The housing and the base plate define a housing cavity. An upper through hole is provided on the top wall of the housing, and the controller also includes a heat-conducting column, a temperature sensor, and a thermal fuse. The heat-conducting column is disposed in the housing cavity, and an upper positioning platform is provided at the upper end of the heat-conducting column. The upper positioning platform is inserted into the upper through hole, and the upper surface of the upper positioning platform is higher than the upper surface of the top wall of the housing. The heat-conducting column supports and connects the housing and the base plate and defines the height of the housing cavity. The heat-conducting column has a mounting cavity, in which the temperature sensor is arranged, and the thermal fuse is arranged in the housing cavity and spaced apart from the heat-conducting column.

[0006] The outer shell and the base plate are two detachably connected components, and the connection between the two defines a shell cavity. The outer shell is made of metal, and the base plate is generally made of metal, high-temperature resistant plastic or ceramic. The base plate, which is located at the bottom opening of the outer shell, is connected to the outer shell by means of interference fit, snap-fit, threaded connection or welding. Due to the different thickness and shape of the base plate, it is allowed that part of the base plate extends into the shell cavity or protrudes out of the shell cavity.

[0007] The upper through hole is a through hole that runs vertically through the top wall of the outer shell, connecting the shell cavity with the upper space of the outer shell. The upper through hole is generally located in the middle region of the top wall of the outer shell. At the same time, the diameter of the upper through hole is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the upper positioning platform, so that the upper positioning platform can pass through the upper through hole and protrude higher than the upper surface of the top wall of the outer shell.

[0008] The heat-conducting column is a connecting support component arranged between the outer shell and the bottom plate. The heat-conducting column is made of a metal material with good thermal conductivity. The upper positioning platform and the heat-conducting column are integrally formed, allowing the heat from the inner pot to be quickly transferred to the heat-conducting column through the upper positioning platform. Furthermore, to facilitate control of the protrusion height of the upper positioning platform, a positioning step extending radially outward is provided on the heat-conducting column. The radial dimension of this positioning step is larger than the diameter of the upper positioning platform and the upper through hole. Furthermore, the bottom plate has a lower through hole, and a lower positioning platform is provided at the lower end of the heat-conducting column, which is inserted into the lower through hole. The upper and lower ends of the heat-conducting column are respectively connected to the top wall of the outer shell and the bottom plate, greatly improving the structural strength of the thermostat.

[0009] The placement cavity is a hollow cavity disposed inside the heat-conducting column. There are various ways to connect the placement cavity on the heat-conducting column to the outside. In one embodiment, the lower positioning platform has a lower opening that connects to the placement cavity, and the temperature sensor is inserted into the placement cavity through the lower opening. In another equivalent embodiment, the side wall of the heat-conducting column has a side opening, and the bottom plate has a through hole. The temperature sensor first passes through the through hole and then is placed into the placement cavity through the side opening.

[0010] The temperature fuse is disposed within the housing cavity, specifically within the space defined by the outer shell, the base plate, and the heat-conducting pillars. External heat is primarily transferred to the temperature fuse via the heat-conducting pillars and the outer shell. The temperature fuse is spaced apart from the heat-conducting pillars, slowing down the rate of heat transfer to the temperature fuse. Furthermore, fixing the temperature fuse to the base plate and spaced apart from the top wall of the outer shell further slows down the rate of heat transfer to the temperature fuse.

[0011] According to the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows: First, by setting the upper positioning platform with a protrusion on the outer shell, the upper positioning platform of the thermostat can be in close contact with the inner pot. The advantage of this setting is that it ensures that the heat of the inner pot is efficiently transferred to the temperature sensing device, and that the temperature sensor can quickly sense the temperature of the inner pot so that the product can be disconnected in time to prevent danger. At the same time, by setting the temperature fuse, the product can be powered off in time when the temperature sensor fails, which significantly improves the user's safety. Secondly, supported by the upper positioning platform, the top wall of the outer shell does not directly contact the inner pot, forming a first air gap. This slows down the rate at which the inner pot transfers heat to the outer shell and the temperature fuse. Furthermore, the temperature fuse and the heat-conducting column are spaced apart, forming a second air gap, further slowing down the rate at which the heat-conducting column transfers heat to the temperature fuse. These multiple gaps increase the heat transfer path from the inner pot to the temperature fuse, effectively slowing down the rate of heat transfer to the temperature fuse. Combined with heat loss during the transfer process, the temperature rise rate and amplitude of the temperature fuse located between the shell and the bottom plate are relatively slow. Therefore, compared to existing technologies, the temperature fuse in this technical solution can be selected with a relatively low temperature value, balancing product performance and manufacturing costs. Third, the temperature sensor and the temperature fuse are arranged in the same housing, and the temperature sensor and the temperature fuse are reasonably and strongly separated by arranging the heat-conducting pillars. This not only ensures the structural strength of the temperature controller, but also greatly improves the integration of the temperature controller and improves installation and production efficiency.

[0012] Because of the above advantages, the thermostat can be applied to a cooking device. The cooking device includes an outer body, a reflective inner cover, a heating element, and an inner pot. The outer body has a main cavity and an upper opening communicating with the main cavity. The reflective inner cover is disposed inside the outer body, and the heating element is disposed at the bottom of the reflective inner cover. The inner pot can be placed into the main cavity through the upper opening and placed on the heating element. The device also includes a compression spring and the thermostat. The heating element has a bottom through hole in the middle, and the thermostat is disposed in the bottom through hole. The compression spring is disposed between the reflective inner cover and the thermostat. Under the action of the compression spring, the heat-conducting column of the thermostat presses against the bottom surface of the inner pot.

[0013] Because of the above-mentioned features and advantages, the present invention can be applied to improved thermostats and cooking appliances. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the cooking device; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of the partial structure at point A in the middle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the axial structure of the temperature controller; Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the thermostat; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the thermostat. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The structure of the improved thermostat and cooking apparatus applying the technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Except where explicitly stated to be equivalent or alternative embodiments, the various implementation details disclosed below may be selectively applied or combined in a single embodiment even if they are not directly related or synergistic in function.

[0016] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, this is a cooking device using the technical solution of the present invention. The cooking device includes an outer body 1, a reflective inner cover 2, a heating element 3, and an inner pot 4. The outer body 1 has a main cavity 10 and an upper opening 11 communicating with the main cavity 10. The reflective inner cover 2 is disposed inside the outer body 1, and the heating element 3 is disposed at the bottom of the reflective inner cover 2. The inner pot 4 can be placed into the main cavity 10 through the upper opening 11 and placed on the heating element 3. It also includes a compression spring 12 and a thermostat 5. The heating element 3 has a bottom through hole 31 in the middle, and the thermostat 5 is arranged in the bottom through hole 31. The compression spring 12 is arranged between the reflective inner cover 2 and the thermostat 5. Under the action of the compression spring 12, the thermostat 5 presses against the bottom surface of the inner pot 4.

[0017] like Figures 2-5 As shown, the improved thermostat 5 includes a housing 51 and a base plate 52. The housing 51 is in the shape of an inverted bowl and has a bottom opening 511. The base plate 52 is disposed at the bottom opening 511 of the housing 51. The housing 51 and the base plate 52 define a housing cavity 50. An upper through hole 512 is provided on the top wall of the housing 51. The thermostat also includes a heat-conducting column 6, a temperature sensor 7, and a temperature fuse 8. The heat-conducting column 6 is disposed in the housing cavity 50. The upper end of 6 is provided with an upper positioning platform 61, which is inserted into the upper through hole 512, and the upper surface of the upper positioning platform 61 is higher than the upper surface of the top wall of the outer shell 51. The heat-conducting column 6 supports and connects the outer shell 51 and the bottom plate 52 and defines the height of the shell cavity 50. The heat-conducting column 6 is provided with a mounting cavity 60, the temperature sensor 7 is arranged in the mounting cavity 60, and the temperature fuse 8 is arranged in the shell cavity 50 and spaced apart from the heat-conducting column 6.

[0018] The outer shell 51 and the base plate 52 are two detachably connected components, and the connection between the two defines the shell cavity 50. The bottom opening 511 of the outer shell 51 is a space defined by the lower part of the wall of the outer shell 51. At least part of the base plate 52 can pass through or be placed into the bottom opening 511. The base plate 52 is connected to the outer shell 51 by means of interference fit, snap-fit ​​connection, threaded connection or welding.

[0019] In this embodiment, the heat-conducting column 6 is cylindrical, with an upper positioning platform 61 at its upper end and a lower positioning platform 62 at its lower end. The main body of the heat-conducting column 6, the upper positioning platform 61, and the lower positioning platform 62 are integrally formed. The upper positioning platform 61 is inserted into the upper through hole 512, and the bottom plate 52 is provided with a lower through hole 521. The lower positioning platform 62 is provided at the lower end of the heat-conducting column 6 and is inserted into the lower through hole 521. The upper and lower ends of the heat-conducting column 6 are respectively connected to the top wall of the outer shell 51 and the bottom plate 52, which greatly improves the structural strength of the temperature controller 5 and keeps the distance between the outer shell 51 and the bottom plate 52 stable.

[0020] Furthermore, the upper through hole 512 is a through hole that extends vertically through the top wall of the outer shell 51. The upper through hole 512 is located in the middle region of the top wall of the outer shell 51, and the diameter of the upper through hole 512 is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the upper positioning platform 61, so that the upper positioning platform 61 can pass through the upper through hole 512 and protrude above the upper surface of the top wall of the outer shell 51. In this way, under the action of the compression spring 12, the heat-conducting column 6 of the thermostat 5 presses against the bottom surface of the inner pot 4, while the top wall of the outer shell 51 is separated from the bottom surface of the inner pot 4.

[0021] Furthermore, the upper surface of the upper positioning platform 61 is 0.2mm to 2mm higher than the upper surface of the top wall of the outer shell 51.

[0022] Furthermore, to ensure that the heat from the inner pot 4 can be transferred downwards to the temperature sensor 7 and the temperature fuse 8, both the outer shell 51 and the heat-conducting pillar 6 are made of metal. The ratio of the thermal conductivity of the material used to make the heat-conducting pillar 6 to that used to make the outer shell 51 is 1:1 to 5:1. Commonly used metal materials include aluminum, copper, or iron alloys. In this technical solution, the outer shell 51 and the heat-conducting pillar 6 are made of the same material, such as aluminum. In another embodiment, the outer shell 51 is made of aluminum, while the heat-conducting pillar 6 is made of copper. This arrangement allows heat to be transferred quickly to the temperature sensor 7, thereby improving the sensing speed of the temperature sensor 7.

[0023] Furthermore, the implementation of the connection between the mounting cavity 60 on the heat-conducting column 6 and the outside is varied. In this embodiment, the lower positioning platform 62 is provided with a lower opening 63, which connects to the mounting cavity 60. The temperature sensor 7 is inserted into the mounting cavity 60 through the lower opening 63. In another equivalent embodiment, the side wall of the heat-conducting column 6 is provided with a side opening (not shown in the figure), and the base plate 52 has a dedicated through hole. The temperature sensor 7 first passes through the dedicated through hole and then is placed into the mounting cavity 60 through the side opening.

[0024] Furthermore, to improve the response speed of the temperature sensor 7, thermally conductive grease is provided in the mounting cavity 60, filling the gap between the temperature sensor 7 and the heat-conducting pillar 6. Of course, pressing the temperature sensor 7 against the top wall of the heat-conducting pillar 6, bringing the temperature sensor 7 closer to the inner pot 4, can further reduce the temperature transmission path and improve the product's response speed.

[0025] Furthermore, a wire-passing hole 522 is provided on the base plate 52, through which the connecting wire of the temperature fuse 8 extends into the lower space of the thermostat 5. The temperature fuse 8 is fixedly arranged on the base plate 52 and spaced apart from the top wall of the outer casing 51. This further slows down the rate at which heat is transferred to the temperature fuse 8.

[0026] Furthermore, a ground wire connection terminal 523 is provided on the base plate 52, and the ground wire is connected to the ground wire connection terminal 523, which helps to further improve the safety of the cooking device.

[0027] Furthermore, the cooking device also includes a controller 13. The temperature sensor 7 of the thermostat 5 is connected to the controller 13 and can send a temperature signal to the controller 13. When the controller 13 receives a temperature signal from the temperature sensor 7 and the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature threshold, the controller 13 can control the heating element 3 to stop heating. The temperature fuse 8 is connected to the neutral or live wire of the power input line. The temperature fuse 8 is used to detect the temperature of its surroundings (i.e., the housing cavity 50). When the detected temperature exceeds the preset melting temperature of the temperature fuse 8, the temperature sensing element of the temperature fuse 8 will melt, causing the internal conductive circuit to be broken instantaneously, completely cutting off the power supply to the device.

[0028] Based on the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of this technical solution are as follows: First, by providing the upper positioning platform 61 with a protrusion on the outer shell 51, the upper positioning platform 61 of the thermostat 5 can be in close contact with the inner pot. The advantage of this setting is that it ensures that the heat of the inner pot is efficiently transferred to the temperature sensing device, and that the temperature sensor 7 can quickly sense the temperature of the inner pot so that the cooking device can be disconnected in time to prevent danger. At the same time, by providing the temperature fuse 8, it can ensure that the cooking device can be powered off in time when the temperature sensor 7 fails, which significantly improves the safety of users.

[0029] Secondly, under the support of the upper positioning platform 61, the top wall of the outer shell 51 does not directly contact the inner pot, thus forming the first air gap. This slows down the rate at which the inner pot transfers heat to the outer shell 51 and the temperature fuse 8. Furthermore, the temperature fuse 8 is spaced apart from the heat-conducting column 6, forming a second air gap, which effectively slows down the rate at which the heat-conducting column 6 transfers heat to the temperature fuse 8. Through multiple gaps, the heat transfer path from the inner pot to the temperature fuse 8 is increased, effectively slowing down the rate at which heat from the inner pot is transferred to the temperature fuse 8. Combined with the heat loss during the transfer process, the temperature rise rate and the temperature rise amplitude of the temperature fuse 8, located between the outer shell 51 and the bottom plate 52, are relatively slow. Therefore, compared to the prior art, the temperature fuse 8 in this technical solution can be selected with a relatively low temperature value, balancing product performance and manufacturing costs.

[0030] Third, the temperature sensor 7 and the temperature fuse 8 are arranged in the same housing 51. Moreover, by arranging the heat-conducting column 6, the temperature sensor 7 and the temperature fuse 8 are reasonably and strongly separated. This not only ensures the structural strength of the temperature controller 5, but also greatly improves the integration of the temperature controller 5 and improves the installation and production efficiency.

Claims

1. An improved thermostat, comprising a housing and a base plate, the housing being in the shape of an inverted bowl and having a bottom opening, the base plate being disposed at the bottom opening of the housing, the housing and the base plate defining a housing cavity; characterized in that, The top wall of the outer casing is provided with an upper through hole, and also includes a heat-conducting column, a temperature sensor and a temperature fuse. The heat-conducting column is disposed in the housing cavity, and an upper positioning platform is provided at the upper end of the heat-conducting column. The upper positioning platform is inserted into the upper through hole, and the upper surface of the upper positioning platform is higher than the upper surface of the top wall of the outer casing. The heat-conducting column supports and connects the outer casing and the bottom plate and limits the height of the housing cavity. The heat-conducting column is provided with a mounting cavity, the temperature sensor is arranged in the mounting cavity, and the temperature fuse is arranged in the housing cavity and spaced apart from the heat-conducting column.

2. The improved temperature controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the upper positioning platform is 0.2mm to 2mm higher than the upper surface of the top wall of the outer shell.

3. The improved temperature controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat-conducting pillar and the outer shell are made of metal, and the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the material used to make the heat-conducting pillar to the thermal conductivity of the material used to make the outer shell is 1:1 to 5:

1.

4. The improved temperature controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The temperature fuse is fixedly arranged on the base plate and spaced apart from the top wall of the outer casing.

5. The improved temperature controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The base plate is provided with a lower through hole, and the lower end of the heat-conducting column is provided with a lower positioning platform. The lower positioning platform is inserted into the lower through hole, and the lower positioning platform is provided with a lower opening. The lower opening communicates with the mounting cavity, and the temperature sensor is inserted into the mounting cavity through the lower opening.

6. The improved temperature controller according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mounting cavity is filled with thermal grease, which fills the gap between the temperature sensor and the thermally conductive pillar.

7. The improved temperature controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, A wire-passing hole is provided on the base plate, through which the connecting wire of the temperature fuse extends into the lower space of the temperature controller.

8. The improved temperature controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The base plate is equipped with a ground wire connection terminal.

9. A cooking apparatus, comprising an outer body, a reflective inner cover, a heating element, and an inner pot, wherein the outer body has a main cavity and an upper opening communicating with the main cavity, the reflective inner cover is disposed within the outer body, the heating element is disposed at the bottom of the reflective inner cover, and the inner pot can be inserted into the main cavity through the upper opening and placed on the heating element; characterized in that, It also includes a compression spring and an improved thermostat as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heating element has a bottom through hole in the middle, the thermostat is arranged in the bottom through hole, the compression spring is arranged between the reflective inner cover and the thermostat, and the heat-conducting column of the thermostat is pressed against the bottom surface of the inner pot under the action of the compression spring.

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