Range hood with cleaning function

Abstract

This utility model relates to a range hood with a cleaning function, comprising: a housing; a fan system disposed within the housing, including a volute and an impeller disposed within the volute, the volute having an air intake; a steam cleaning device including a water tank, a water pump, a steam generator, and nozzles, the water pump being used to pump water from the water tank to the steam generator, the steam generated by the steam generator being sprayed into the volute through the nozzles; and a steam recovery system, the steam recovery system including a steam collector connected to a negative pressure device, the volute having a defined area with a steam chamber on its wall serving as the steam collector, and steam intake ports connected to the steam chamber distributed on the sidewall of the volute facing the interior of the housing. The advantage is that it effectively reduces steam leakage from the seams of the housing, thereby improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of range hood technology, and in particular to a range hood with a cleaning function. Background Technology

[0002] A range hood is a kitchen appliance used to purify the kitchen environment. During use, a large amount of grease accumulates on the impeller and filter, which can easily cause blockages, increase the load, and affect the range hood's performance. With the continuous advancement of self-cleaning technology, steam cleaning has become widely used in the field of range hood self-cleaning. The basic principle of steam cleaning is that a steam generator produces steam, which is then delivered to the nozzles at the end of the spray pipe. The steam is rapidly ejected from the nozzles, washing and cleaning the impeller and volute.

[0003] However, existing self-cleaning technologies for range hoods, such as steam cleaning, still have some problems. For example, the high-temperature steam used for cleaning is continuously discharged into the common flue from the air outlet as the fan operates, resulting in insufficient amount of high-temperature steam in the fan and a short duration of existence. This makes it difficult to soften and remove stubborn oil stains adhering to the impeller surface, affecting the cleaning effect. In addition, after the high-temperature steam is discharged into the common flue, the high-temperature steam wash will dissolve the oil stains adhering to the walls of the common flue. The backflow of oil stains will cause secondary pollution. At the same time, the humidity of the high-temperature steam will cause bacteria to grow in the common flue, which will endanger the health of users.

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, Chinese invention patent application CN109519988A discloses a self-cleaning range hood and its control method. The range hood includes an outer casing, a fan, a check valve, a temperature sensing element, and a self-cleaning assembly. The check valve is an electrically controlled check valve located on the air outlet of the volute and can open or close the outlet. The temperature sensing element is electrically connected to the control circuit of the check valve, and the control circuit controls the opening or closing of the check valve based on the electrical signal transmitted from the temperature sensing element. The self-cleaning assembly has a nozzle located on the volute and can spray cleaning medium into the volute. The temperature sensing element is positioned near the outlet end of the nozzle. During self-cleaning of the range hood, the temperature sensing element is heated by high-temperature cleaning, which connects the check valve circuit and closes the fan outlet, preventing high-temperature steam from flowing into the common flue. This keeps the volute at a consistently high temperature, facilitating the softening and removal of grease, improving the self-cleaning effect, and simultaneously preventing high-temperature steam from flowing into the common flue and causing secondary pollution.

[0005] Although the range hood in the aforementioned patent application solves the problem of preventing steam from entering the public flue, it still has some shortcomings in actual use: when the volute is filled with a large amount of steam, the steam will come out from the air inlet of the volute and fill the lower box. Since the lower box of the range hood cannot be completely sealed, steam will inevitably overflow from the joints of the box, especially from the baffle glass, which will have a negative impact on the user experience.

[0006] Therefore, existing range hoods still need further improvement. Utility Model Content

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a range hood with a cleaning function that can effectively reduce steam leakage from the seams of the casing, thereby improving the user experience, in light of the current state of the technology.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is: a range hood with a cleaning function, comprising:

[0009] chassis;

[0010] A fan system, located inside the housing, includes a volute and an impeller located inside the volute, the volute having an air intake.

[0011] A steam cleaning device includes a water tank, a water pump, a steam generator, and a nozzle assembly. The water pump is used to pump water from the water tank to the steam generator, and the steam generated by the steam generator is sprayed into the volute through the nozzle assembly.

[0012] It also includes a steam recovery system, which includes a steam collector connected to a negative pressure device. The wall of the volute defines an area with a steam chamber as the steam collector, and the side wall of the volute facing the interior of the housing has steam inlets that communicate with the steam chamber.

[0013] The aforementioned "negative pressure device" refers to a device that can generate a pressure lower than the ambient air pressure, used for drawing in gases or vapors. Examples include Venturi tubes, vacuum pumps, and ejectors.

[0014] The steam collector can be arranged on any part of the cover plate or the annular wall of the volute. However, considering that steam will sink under its own gravity, in order to timely, efficiently and low-volume suction and discharge of steam about to overflow from the volute, the volute includes front and rear opposite cover plates and an annular wall connected between the two cover plates. A portion of the annular wall forms the steam collector.

[0015] To simplify the structure of the steam collector on the volute, the lower part of the annular wall includes an annular wall body and an arc-shaped cover plate covering the annular wall body. A portion of the annular wall body has the steam inlet as a steam intake area. The arc-shaped cover plate covers the steam intake area outside the annular wall body, thus forming the steam collector.

[0016] Steam can be recovered and circulated back to the water tank through a negative pressure system with a fan. However, considering that steam recovery requires an additional power source (such as an air pump), increasing energy consumption and cost, in a preferred embodiment, the steam recovery system also includes a Venturi drain pipe. The Venturi drain pipe is located on the flow path between the water pump and the nozzle. The drain port of the Venturi drain pipe is connected to the steam chamber of the steam collector through a drain pipe. The Venturi drain pipe thus constitutes the negative pressure device.

[0017] The aforementioned "Venturi tube" utilizes the negative pressure effect generated when fluid (water or steam) passes through a narrow pipe at high speed to achieve gas ejection. In this application, when a water pump drives water flow through the throat of the Venturi tube, the flow velocity increases and the pressure decreases, drawing steam through the outlet. The Venturi tube can employ a conventional drainage tube structure based on the Venturi principle in existing technology. Utilizing the Venturi effect, steam is drawn through the negative pressure generated by the water pump flow, requiring no additional energy. Integrating steam recovery with the water supply pipeline simplifies the fluid path and reduces potential points of failure.

[0018] The Venturi tube can be located on the steam pipeline after the steam generator or in the water flow pipeline before or after the steam generator. However, considering that the Venturi tube is located after the steam generator (in the high-temperature and high-pressure steam section), its high-temperature and high-pressure resistance requirements are extremely high, increasing cost and failure risk. In particular, when high-temperature and high-pressure steam flows through the Venturi tube, its drainage effect (negative pressure magnitude) may be affected by the steam's physical properties (density, viscosity). Therefore, the Venturi tube is placed in the flow path between the water pump and the steam generator. With this structural design, the Venturi tube is located in the ambient / low-temperature water flow environment at the water pump outlet, avoiding contact with high-temperature and high-pressure steam. This reduces the requirements for the temperature and pressure resistance of the Venturi tube material, improves system reliability and service life, and reduces cost. Utilizing water flow (liquid) to generate the Venturi effect is generally more stable and produces a stronger negative pressure (due to the higher density of the liquid) than using steam (gas), ensuring a stable and sufficient suction force for the steam collector. The recovered steam / water mist is introduced into the water flow, where it is thoroughly mixed and heated before entering the steam generator, which is beneficial for the uniform generation of subsequent steam.

[0019] As an improvement, a control valve for controlling the steam flow rate is also provided in the flow path between the steam collector and the Venturi tube. The control valve (such as a solenoid valve or a manual valve) allows for adjustment of the steam recovery rate and intensity as needed, ensuring the system operates at its optimal state. It can also adjust the recovery intensity according to the cleaning progress, oil content, or specific program instructions, improving the system's adaptability and cleaning effect. Furthermore, it prevents excessive recovery flow from interfering with the main water / steam flow, or insufficient flow from leading to inadequate recovery, ensuring the overall efficiency of the Venturi tube and steam cleaning.

[0020] As an improvement, the water tank is located outside the casing. This structural design frees up internal space, allowing for a more optimized layout of the air ducts, fans, and recycling system. The external water tank (usually on the panel or side) greatly facilitates user observation of the water level and water filling operations, enhancing the user experience. Furthermore, the reduced external space constraints allow for the design of larger capacity water tanks, reducing the frequency of water filling.

[0021] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: This invention integrates a steam collector and its steam inlet directly into the side wall of the volute. During steam cleaning operation, high-temperature steam is sprayed from the nozzle onto the impeller and the inner wall of the volute for cleaning. Inevitably, some steam will escape back from the volute's air intake and enter the lower casing. At this time, the steam recovery system activates, and the negative pressure device operates, creating a negative pressure within the steam collector's chamber. This negative pressure actively and efficiently draws back the steam attempting to overflow from the volute's air intake and diffuse into the lower casing space through the steam inlets distributed on the volute's side wall (facing the interior of the casing). This is equivalent to setting up an "active interception net" on the critical path of steam diffusion (the volute wall), significantly reducing the amount of steam that can reach the outer wall of the casing (especially at joints such as the smoke baffle), thereby significantly reducing the possibility of steam escaping from these gaps. Active steam recovery effectively prevents large amounts of high-temperature, humid steam from escaping through visible areas such as the edges of the baffle glass and panel seams. This reduces discomfort caused by steam permeating the kitchen environment, eliminates user concerns about "steam leaks," prevents the risk of accidental burns from high-temperature steam (although usually minor, the experience is unpleasant), and reduces the likelihood of steam condensation on cabinet surfaces. Overall, this significantly improves the concealment of the self-cleaning process and the user experience. Furthermore, this invention integrates the steam collector (steam chamber) directly into the volute wall, with the intake ports distributed on the wall facing the interior of the casing, representing a highly integrated solution. It fully utilizes the existing volute structure, eliminating the need for bulky and complex external pipes or steam collection hoods within the narrow casing, resulting in efficient space utilization and a compact and reliable structure. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the range hood according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a sectional perspective view of the range hood of this utility model, cut along the left-right direction.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the range hood according to an embodiment of the present utility model, omitting components such as the casing. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0026] In the specification and claims of this utility model, terms indicating direction, such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "side," "top," and "bottom," are used to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements of this utility model. However, the use of these terms is merely for the purpose of explanation and is based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this utility model can be arranged in different orientations, these terms indicating direction are for illustrative purposes only and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

[0027] Figures 1-3 This illustration shows a preferred embodiment of the range hood with cleaning function according to the present invention. The range hood includes a housing 10 and a fan system 20 disposed within the housing 10, the fan system 20 generally employing a centrifugal fan. The housing 10 generally includes a fan frame 101 and a smoke collection hood 102 disposed at the bottom of the fan frame 101, the inner cavity of the fan frame 101 communicating with the inner cavity of the smoke collection hood 102. An air inlet 1020 is provided on the front side wall of the smoke collection hood 102, through which external smoke enters the smoke collection hood 102. An oil filter is also provided at the air inlet 1020 of the smoke collection hood 102 for filtering oil fumes. The centrifugal fan is disposed within the fan frame 101; when the centrifugal fan operates, it generates negative pressure, allowing external oil fumes to be drawn into the smoke collection hood 102 through the air inlet 1020. The bottom of the fume hood 102 is equipped with an oil cup 61, which is a long strip extending left and right to collect oil stains flowing down from the fume hood 102. The front of the fume hood 102 is also equipped with a smoke baffle that can deflect back and forth relative to the fume hood 102. The smoke baffle is connected to the main body of the fume hood 102 via a hinge mechanism. Specifically, it can deflect forward to open the aforementioned air inlet 1020 and deflect backward to block and close the aforementioned air inlet 1020. The hinge mechanism used to drive the deflection of the smoke baffle can be a conventional hinge mechanism in the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0028] A centrifugal fan generally includes a volute 21, an impeller 22 disposed within the volute 21, and a motor for driving the impeller 22 to rotate. The volute 21 includes front and rear opposing cover plates 211 and an annular wall 212 connecting the two cover plates 211. The two ends of the annular wall 212 define the air outlet of the centrifugal fan between the front and rear cover plates 211. Air inlets can be correspondingly opened on the front and rear cover plates of the volute 21.

[0029] The range hood in this embodiment also includes a steam cleaning device and a steam recovery system. The steam cleaning device is used to clean the inner wall of the volute 21 and the impeller 22. Specifically, the steam cleaning device includes a water tank 31, a water pump 32, a steam generator 33, and a nozzle assembly 34. The water tank 31 can be installed outside the range hood housing 10 for easy water filling. The water pump 32 and the steam generator 33 can be installed on the air outlet plate 1011 at the top of the fan frame 101 of the range hood. The water pump 32 sends water from the water tank 31 to the steam generator 33 through the water inlet pipe 321, where the steam generator 33 heats the water into steam. The generated high-temperature steam is sprayed into the interior of the volute 21 through the nozzle assembly 34, washing away the grease on the impeller 22 and the inner wall of the volute 21. During the cleaning process, steam inside the volute 21 overflows from the front and rear air inlets of the volute 21.

[0030] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 The steam recovery system of this embodiment includes a steam collector 41 and a Venturi drain tube 35. The lower part of the annular wall 212 of the volute 21 defines an area with a steam chamber 2120 as the steam collector 41. The lower part of the annular wall 212 includes an annular wall body 2121 and an arc-shaped cover plate 213 covering the annular wall body 2121. A portion of the annular wall body 2121 has steam inlets 410 distributed as a steam intake area. The arc-shaped cover plate 213 is configured to fit the corresponding portion of the annular wall body 2121. The arc-shaped cover plate 213 can be welded or bonded to the steam intake area outside the annular wall body 2121, thereby forming the steam collector 41 of this embodiment.

[0031] In this embodiment, the Venturi tube 35 of the range hood is positioned in the flow path between the water pump 32 and the nozzle component 34. The Venturi tube 35 can be located on the steam pipeline after the steam generator 33, or in the water flow pipeline before or after the steam generator 33. However, considering that the Venturi tube 35 is located after the steam generator 33 (in the high-temperature, high-pressure steam section), its high-temperature and high-pressure resistance requirements are extremely high, increasing cost and the risk of failure. In particular, when high-temperature, high-pressure steam flows through the Venturi tube, its drainage effect (negative pressure) may be affected by the steam's physical properties (density, viscosity). Therefore, in the preferred embodiment, the Venturi tube 35 is positioned in the flow path between the pump 32 and the steam generator 33. The Venturi tube 35 is located in the ambient / low-temperature water flow environment at the outlet of the water pump 32, avoiding contact with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, reducing the requirements for the temperature and pressure resistance of the Venturi tube material, improving system reliability and service life, and reducing costs. Utilizing water flow (liquid) to generate the Venturi effect is generally more stable and produces stronger negative pressure (due to the higher density of the liquid) than using steam (gas), ensuring a stable and sufficient suction force for the steam collector 41. The recovered steam / water mist is introduced into the water flow, where it is thoroughly mixed and heated before entering the steam generator 33, which is beneficial for the uniform generation of subsequent steam.

[0032] The flow path between the steam collector 41 and the Venturi drain pipe 35 is a drain pipe 36, in which a control valve 51 is installed. The control valve 51 can be a three-way solenoid valve. This allows the rate and intensity of steam recovery to be adjusted as needed, ensuring the system operates in an optimized state. Furthermore, the recovery intensity can be adjusted according to the cleaning progress, oil content, or specific program instructions, improving the system's adaptability and cleaning effect. On the other hand, it prevents excessive recovery flow from interfering with the main water / steam flow, or insufficient flow from leading to inadequate recovery, ensuring the overall efficiency of Venturi drainage and steam cleaning.

[0033] This embodiment actively captures high-temperature steam about to escape from the volute by designing a steam collector (including a steam chamber and a steam inlet) on the wall (which can be a cover plate or annular wall). The steam inlet 410 faces the inside of the volute and can actively capture and collect the steam about to escape from the air inlet 1020 of the volute 21. This directly and specifically solves the fundamental problem of steam escaping due to the incomplete sealing of the casing 10, effectively reducing the possibility of steam escaping from the baffle glass, panel seams, etc., preventing steam from spreading into the kitchen environment and ensuring the user's comfort during cleaning. A Venturi drain pipe 35 is installed in the water path between the water pump 32 and the nozzle, and the steam collector 41 is connected to the drain port of the Venturi tube through the drain pipe 36. When the water pump 32 drives the water flow through the narrow throat of the Venturi tube, a significant negative pressure is generated at the drain port according to the Venturi effect. This negative pressure efficiently draws the steam collected by the steam collector 41 and reintroduces it into the water flow. This not only recovers steam but also allows the recovered steam to be sent to the steam generator 33 along with the water flow, achieving steam recycling. The recovered steam re-enters the steam generator 33 system and can be reheated for reuse, supplementing the steam required for cleaning. This helps maintain a more stable and longer-lasting steam environment inside the blower system 20 (such as in the volute 21 and impeller 22), which is beneficial for softening stubborn oil stains and potentially improving the self-cleaning effect. At the same time, recycling reduces the consumption of fresh steam, playing a certain role in energy and water conservation.

Claims

1. A range hood with a cleaning function, comprising: Casing (10); The fan system (20) is located inside the housing (10) and includes a volute (21) and an impeller (22) located inside the volute (21). The volute (21) has an air intake. The steam cleaning device includes a water tank (31), a water pump (32), a steam generator (33), and a nozzle (34). The water pump (32) is used to send water from the water tank (31) to the steam generator (33). The steam generated by the steam generator (33) is injected into the volute (21) through the nozzle (34). The feature is that it further includes a steam recovery system, which includes a steam collector (41) connected to a negative pressure device. The wall of the volute (21) defines an area with a steam chamber (2120) as the steam collector (41). The side wall of the volute (21) facing the interior of the housing (10) has steam inlets (410) that are connected to the steam chamber (2120).

2. The range hood with a cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The volute (21) includes front and rear opposite cover plates (211) and an annular wall (212) connecting the two cover plates (211), a portion of the annular wall (212) forming the steam collector (41).

3. The range hood with a cleaning function according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lower part of the ring wall (212) includes a ring wall body (2121) and an arc-shaped cover plate (213) covering the ring wall body (2121). A portion of the ring wall body (2121) has the steam inlet (410) distributed as a steam intake area. The arc-shaped cover plate (213) covers the steam intake area outside the ring wall body (2121), thus forming the steam collector (41).

4. The range hood with a cleaning function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The steam recovery system also includes a Venturi drain pipe (35), which is located on the flow path between the water pump (32) and the nozzle (34). The drain port of the Venturi drain pipe (35) is connected to the steam chamber (2120) of the steam collector (41) through the drain pipe (36). The Venturi drain pipe (35) also constitutes the negative pressure device.

5. The range hood with a cleaning function according to claim 4, characterized in that: The Venturi drain pipe (35) is located in the flow path between the water pump (32) and the steam generator (33).

6. The range hood with a cleaning function according to claim 4, characterized in that: A control valve (51) for controlling the steam flow rate is also provided in the flow path between the steam collector (41) and the Venturi drain pipe (35).

7. The range hood with a cleaning function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The water storage tank (31) is located outside the casing (10).

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