A food processor

Abstract

A food processor, comprising a cooking pot, which is internally hollow to form a chamber, and has an exhaust port at the upper portion of the chamber; an exhaust pipe, which has an inlet end communicating with the exhaust port and an outlet end communicating with the outside; and a water inlet pipe, which has a second port opening in the wall of the exhaust pipe to make the water inlet pipe and the exhaust pipe in fluid communication, and the part of the exhaust pipe between the second port of the water inlet pipe and the inlet end of the exhaust pipe is the first part, and the part of the exhaust pipe between the second port of the water inlet pipe and the outlet end of the exhaust pipe is the second part, and the exhaust pipe is provided with a switch element to make the exhaust pipe and the water inlet pipe have the following states: the water inlet state, in which the water inlet pipe is in fluid communication with the first part, and the second part is in fluid disconnection with the first part; the exhaust state, in which the first part and the second part are in fluid communication; and the self-cleaning state, in which the water inlet pipe is in fluid communication with the second part, and the second part is in fluid disconnection with the first part. The utility model can water and exhaust, and can self-clean without wasting water.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of kitchen appliance technology, specifically relating to a food processor. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing food processors, such as blenders and soy milk makers, process ingredients in a pot by moving blades or other cutting components. Furthermore, most of these machines have an exhaust vent to release steam and other gases generated during the cooking process, and a water inlet to allow external water to enter.

[0003] Existing food processors have the following problems:

[0004] 1. The vent is designed to expel the gas generated during the blending process and balance the pressure inside and outside the pot. However, in reality, a small amount of food slurry is often carried out with the expelled gas, and this slurry is easily absorbed at the vent. After a period of use, visible dried material often accumulates at the vent and the venting channel, causing the vent to become blocked and easily breeding bacteria and odors.

[0005] 2. To achieve self-cleaning of the vent, an overflow cleaning method can be used. This involves filling the food processor with water until it is full, then continuing to add water so that some of the water overflows through the vent, thus achieving self-cleaning of the vent and the venting channel connected to it. However, this method requires a lot of water, resulting in water waste.

[0006] 3. Most existing food processors have their water inlets located on the inner wall of the pot, exposed to the food. During the cooking process, the mixture of food and water will continuously churn and may impact the water inlet, potentially clogging it. Even with multiple water inlets, the probability of clogging is reduced, but it cannot completely prevent the water inlet from being blocked. Utility Model Content

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a food processor that can ensure water intake and venting while achieving self-cleaning without wasting water resources, 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 food processor, comprising:

[0009] A cooking pot with a hollow interior forming a cavity, the upper part of which has an exhaust port;

[0010] An exhaust pipe, the inlet end of which is connected to the exhaust port, and the outlet end of which is connected to the outside;

[0011] The food preparation component is located within the cavity and can move under the drive of the drive mechanism to prepare the food within the cavity.

[0012] The water inlet pipe has its first port connected to a water source.

[0013] A water pump used to deliver water from the first port to the inlet pipe;

[0014] Its features are:

[0015] The second port of the water inlet pipe opens into the wall of the exhaust pipe, allowing fluid communication between the water inlet pipe and the exhaust pipe. The portion of the exhaust pipe located between the second port of the water inlet pipe and the inlet end of the exhaust pipe is designated as the first portion, and the portion of the exhaust pipe located between the second port of the water inlet pipe and the outlet end of the exhaust pipe is designated as the second portion. The exhaust pipe is equipped with a switching element to maintain the following states between the exhaust pipe and the water inlet pipe:

[0016] The water inlet pipe and the first part of the exhaust pipe are in phase fluid communication, and the second part of the exhaust pipe is disconnected from the first part of the water inlet pipe;

[0017] The exhaust state in which the first and second parts of the exhaust pipe are in fluid communication.

[0018] The water inlet pipe and the second part of the exhaust pipe are in a fluid-connected state, while the second part of the exhaust pipe is disconnected from the first part of the fluid-connected state.

[0019] In the water-inlet state, water enters the cooking pot through the inlet pipe and the first part of the exhaust pipe, allowing water to enter the pot. During this process, the water flow self-cleans the first part of the exhaust pipe and the exhaust port. In the exhaust state, steam generated by the cooking pot can be discharged through the first and second parts of the exhaust pipe. In the self-cleaning state, water enters the second part of the exhaust pipe through the inlet pipe and then exits from the outlet end of the exhaust pipe, thus achieving self-cleaning of the second part of the exhaust pipe. Therefore, this invention, by switching between the above three states, can achieve water inlet, exhaust, or self-cleaning of the exhaust pipe and exhaust port even with a small amount of water.

[0020] Preferably, the second port of the water inlet pipe is connected to the exhaust pipe via a tee connector. The tee connector is an existing structure with three ports. The exhaust pipe is disconnected from the middle and connected to two of the ports of the tee connector, while the other port of the tee connector is connected to the second port of the water inlet pipe.

[0021] The aforementioned switching element can be disposed within the tee connector to control the opening and closing of each interface. Preferably, the switching element includes a first valve and a second valve, wherein the first valve is disposed in the first part of the exhaust pipe for opening or closing the passage within the first part, and the second valve is disposed in the second part of the exhaust pipe for opening or closing the passage within the first part.

[0022] Preferably, the water pump is a peristaltic pump or a diaphragm pump with a water stop function. In the venting state, the inlet pipe is sealed by the water pump's own water stop function.

[0023] Preferably, it further includes:

[0024] A pressure sensor is installed in the water inlet pipe to detect the water pressure inside the water inlet pipe;

[0025] The controller, connected to the pressure sensor, is used to control the operation of the water pump based on the signal output by the pressure sensor.

[0026] When water is being introduced into the inlet state, if the water pressure is high, the state can be switched to the venting state until the water pressure reaches or falls below the set threshold, and then the state can be switched back to the inlet state.

[0027] Alternatively, the pressure sensor mentioned above can be omitted, and water can be delivered to the chamber by selecting a water pump with a larger working pressure (such as 4 bar or above).

[0028] Furthermore, it also includes a flow sensor installed in the inlet pipe to detect the water flow rate within the inlet pipe. The flow sensor is connected to the controller. This allows the water pump to be controlled based on the signal output by the flow sensor.

[0029] In the above embodiments, preferably, the vent is located at the top center of the chamber and faces the food preparation container below it. When water is introduced, the water source output from the vent can directly rinse the food preparation container downwards.

[0030] Furthermore, the food preparation component is a wall-breaking blade, which can rotate around its central vertical axis under the drive of the drive mechanism; the exhaust port is located on the axis.

[0031] In the above embodiments, preferably, the cooking pot includes a hollow pot body with an open top, a pot lid covering the top of the pot body, the pot lid and the pot body together defining the cavity, and the vent is located on the pot lid.

[0032] Preferably, the food processor is designed to be installed inside a cabinet.

[0033] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: In the water-inlet state, water can enter the cooking pot through the inlet pipe and the first part of the exhaust pipe, thus enabling water to enter the cooking pot. During this process, the water flow can self-clean the first part of the exhaust pipe and the exhaust port. In the exhaust state, the steam generated by the cooking pot can be discharged through the first and second parts of the exhaust pipe. In the self-cleaning state, water enters the second part of the exhaust pipe through the inlet pipe and then exits from the outlet end of the exhaust pipe, thereby achieving self-cleaning of the second part of the exhaust pipe. Therefore, by switching between the above three states, this invention can achieve water inlet, exhaust, or self-cleaning of the exhaust pipe and exhaust port even when using a small amount of water. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0037] like Figure 1 , 2 The image shows a preferred embodiment of a food processor according to the present invention. The food processor is an embedded blender that can be installed in a cabinet. It includes a cooking pot 1, an exhaust pipe 2, a food processor 3, a water inlet pipe 4, a water pump 5, a switch, a pressure sensor 7, a flow sensor 8, and a controller.

[0038] The cooking pot 1 includes a hollow pot body 11 with an open top and a lid 12 covering the top of the pot body 11. The lid 12 and the pot body 11 together define a cavity 10, and the lid 12 has a vent 100 in the center. When the lid 12 is open, operations such as adding and removing ingredients can be performed. When the lid 12 is closed, the ingredients can be cooked. In this embodiment, the structure of the lid 12 and the pot body 11 is based on the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0039] The aforementioned food preparation component 3 is located at the lower part of the chamber 10 and can move under the drive of the drive mechanism to prepare the food within the chamber 10. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the food processor 2 is a wall-breaking blade located at the lower part of the chamber 10, and the driving mechanism is a motor located below the cooking pot 1. The motor's rotating shaft extends upward and is together with the wall-breaking blade to drive the wall-breaking blade to rotate around its central vertically extending axis 30. In this embodiment, when the pot lid 12 is closed, the vent 100 on the pot lid 12 is located on the aforementioned axis 30 (i.e., the vent 100 is vertically aligned with the wall-breaking blade).

[0040] The exhaust pipe 2 is located outside the chamber 10, with its inlet end connected to the exhaust port 100 and its outlet end connected to the outside (including the sewer).

[0041] The first port of the water inlet pipe 4 is used to connect to a water source, and the second port of the water inlet pipe 4 is connected to the exhaust pipe 2 through a three-way connector 40. The portion of the exhaust pipe 2 located between the three-way connector 40 and the inlet end of the exhaust pipe 2 is designated as the first part 21, and the portion of the exhaust pipe 2 located between the three-way connector 40 and the outlet end of the exhaust pipe 2 is designated as the second part 22. The exhaust pipe 2 is equipped with a switching device, which includes a first valve 61 and a second valve 62. The first valve 61 is located in the first part 21 of the exhaust pipe 2 and is used to open or close the passage within the first part 21. The second valve 62 is located in the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2 and is used to open or close the passage within the first part 21, so that the exhaust pipe 2 and the water inlet pipe 4 have the following states:

[0042] The water inlet pipe 4 is in a state where the first part 21 of the exhaust pipe 2 is in phase fluid communication with the water inlet pipe 4 and the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2 is disconnected from the first part 21 of the water inlet pipe 2.

[0043] The exhaust state in which the first part 21 and the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2 are in fluid communication.

[0044] The water inlet pipe 4 is in a self-cleaning state where the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2 is in phase fluid communication with the first part 21 of the exhaust pipe 2, and the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2 is in phase fluid disconnection.

[0045] The water pump 5 is an existing peristaltic pump or a water-stop diaphragm pump, used to deliver water to the inlet pipe 4 through the first port.

[0046] Pressure sensor 7 is installed in water inlet pipe 4 to detect water pressure in water inlet pipe 4; flow sensor 8 is installed in water inlet pipe 4 to detect water flow in water inlet pipe 4; controller is connected to pressure sensor 7 and flow sensor 8 to control water pump 5 to work based on the signals output by pressure sensor 7 and flow sensor 8.

[0047] In the water-inlet state, water can enter the cooking pot 1 through the water inlet pipe 4 and the first part 21 of the exhaust pipe 2, thus allowing water to enter the cooking pot 1. During this process, the water flow can self-clean the first part 21 of the exhaust pipe 2 and the exhaust port 100. In the exhaust state, the steam generated by the cooking pot 1 can be discharged through the first part 21 and the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2. In the self-cleaning state, water enters the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2 through the water inlet pipe 4 and then exits from the outlet end of the exhaust pipe 2, thereby achieving self-cleaning of the second part 22 of the exhaust pipe 2. In this embodiment, by switching between the above three states, water inlet or exhaust, or self-cleaning of the exhaust pipe and exhaust port when using a small amount of water, can be achieved.

[0048] After the cover is closed, the exhaust pipe 2 is the only channel connecting the chamber to the outside. In the water-inlet state, the connection between the exhaust pipe and the atmosphere is closed. At this time, the water pump injects water into the chamber. This process requires compressing the air in the chamber. As the amount of water injected increases, the pressure in the chamber will increase. When the pressure reaches a certain threshold, water injection into the chamber can no longer continue. According to Boyle's Law, the pressure (head) of the water pump determines the amount of water it can deliver to the sealed chamber. In actual product applications, the maximum capacity of the chamber (the volume of water when the chamber is full) is often about 150% of the effective capacity (the maximum volume of beverage that can be made). That is to say, the air in the chamber will be compressed to about one-third of its original volume. Therefore, in this embodiment, a water pump with a pressure of 4 bar or higher can be selected. The operation of the water pump can also be controlled according to the signal output by the pressure sensor 7: when water is being injected in the water-inlet state, if the detected water pressure is high, the water pump stops working and switches to the exhaust state (the chamber is connected to the outside) until the water pressure reaches or falls below the set threshold, and then switches back to the water-inlet state and the water pump works.

[0049] The food processor of this invention can be controlled by a voice module. It is equipped with the aforementioned controller, as well as a voice receiving module and a voice parsing module. The voice receiving module receives user commands, and the voice parsing module parses the commands. Based on the parsed commands, the controller controls the drive mechanism, water pump, etc., to perform corresponding operations, thereby realizing intelligent control of the food processor and improving the user experience.

[0050] The term "fluid connectivity" as used in this utility model refers to the spatial relationship between two components or parts (hereinafter referred to as the first part and the second part, respectively), that is, a fluid (gas, liquid, or a mixture of both) can flow from the first part along a flow path and / or be transported to the second part. This can be a direct connection between the first part and the second part, or an indirect connection between the first part and the second part through at least one third party. The third party can be a fluid channel such as a pipe, channel, conduit, guide, hole, or groove, or a chamber or combination thereof that allows fluid to flow through.

Claims

1. A food processor, comprising: The cooking pot (1) has a hollow interior forming a chamber (10), and the upper part of the chamber (10) has an exhaust port (100); The exhaust pipe (2) has its inlet end connected to the exhaust port (100) and its outlet end connected to the outside. The food preparation component (3) is located in the cavity (10) and can move under the drive of the drive mechanism to prepare the food in the cavity (10); The inlet pipe (4) has its first port used to connect to a water source; A water pump (5) is used to transport water from the first port to the inlet pipe (4); Its features are: The second port of the water inlet pipe (4) opens into the wall of the exhaust pipe (2) so that the water inlet pipe (4) and the exhaust pipe (2) are in fluid communication. The portion of the exhaust pipe (2) located between the second port of the water inlet pipe (4) and the inlet end of the exhaust pipe (2) is designated as the first portion (21), and the portion of the exhaust pipe (2) located between the second port of the water inlet pipe (4) and the outlet end of the exhaust pipe (2) is designated as the second portion (22). The exhaust pipe (2) is provided with a switch so that the exhaust pipe (2) and the water inlet pipe (4) have the following states: The water inlet pipe (4) is in a fluid-connected state with the first part (21) of the exhaust pipe (2) and the second part (22) of the exhaust pipe (2) is in a fluid-connected state with the first part (21); The exhaust state in which the first part (21) and the second part (22) of the exhaust pipe (2) are in fluid communication; The water inlet pipe (4) is in a self-cleaning state where the second part (22) of the exhaust pipe (2) is in phase fluid communication and the second part (22) of the exhaust pipe (2) is in phase fluid disconnection from the first part (21).

2. The food processor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second port of the water inlet pipe (4) is connected to the exhaust pipe (2) via a tee connector (40).

3. The food processor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The switching device includes a first valve (61) and a second valve (62). The first valve (61) is located in the first part (21) of the exhaust pipe (2) and is used to open or close the passage in the first part (21). The second valve (62) is located in the second part (22) of the exhaust pipe (2) and is used to open or close the passage in the first part (21).

4. The food processor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water pump (5) is a peristaltic pump or a water-stop diaphragm pump.

5. The food processor according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes: A pressure sensor (7) is installed in the water inlet pipe (4) to detect the water pressure inside the water inlet pipe (4); The controller is connected to the pressure sensor (7) and is used to control the operation of the water pump (5) based on the signal output by the pressure sensor (7).

6. The food processor according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a flow sensor (8) located in the water inlet pipe (4) for detecting the water flow rate in the water inlet pipe (4), and the flow sensor (8) is connected to the controller.

7. The food processor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The vent (100) is located at the top center of the chamber (10) and faces the food component (3) below it.

8. The food processor according to claim 7, characterized in that: The food preparation component (3) is a wall-breaking knife, which can rotate around its central vertical axis (30) under the drive of the drive mechanism; the exhaust port (100) is located on the axis (30).

9. The food processor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The cooking pot (1) includes a pot body (11) that is hollow inside and open at the top, and a pot lid (12) that is placed on top of the pot body (11). The pot lid (12) and the pot body (11) together define the cavity (10). The exhaust port (100) is located on the pot lid (12).

10. The food processor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The food processor is designed to be installed inside a cabinet.

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