Cooking appliance

Abstract

A cooking appliance (1000), comprising a housing (100), a tray (400), and a heating tube (300). A heating cavity (102) is defined in the housing (100). The tray (400) is arranged in the heating cavity (102) and used for containing food materials. The heating tube (300) is arranged in the heating cavity (102), and at least one heating tube (300) is arranged above the tray (400) at intervals. A heating core of the heating tube (300) is a resistor sheet (310).

Description

cooking utensils

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number "202311222875.1" entitled "Cooking Utensils" filed by Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliance Manufacturing Co., Ltd. on September 20, 2023. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of cooking utensils, and in particular to a cooking utensil. Background Art

[0004] Currently, most cooking appliances used for cooking ingredients like pizza utilize multiple heating tubes distributed within a heating chamber to heat the food over a large area. However, these heating tubes are typically metal tubes, which distribute heat evenly across their surface, resulting in significant waste. Some cooking appliances also utilize electromagnetic waves to heat ingredients, but these require electromagnetic wave leakage protection within the appliance housing, which is costly and consumes a lot of power. Therefore, designing a cooking appliance that is both cost-effective and highly efficient in heat utilization is a current market need.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application aims to solve one of the technical problems in the related art at least to a certain extent.

[0007] To this end, the present application proposes a cooking appliance that has high heat utilization rate and low cost.

[0008] The cooking device according to an embodiment of the present application includes a housing, a tray, and a heating tube. The housing defines a heating cavity; the tray is disposed within the heating cavity and is used to receive food; the heating tubes are disposed within the heating cavity, with at least one heating tube spaced apart and disposed above the tray. The heating core of each heating tube is a resistive sheet.

[0009] The cooking device of this application uses a tray to hold ingredients and a heating tube to heat the ingredients above the tray, keeping the ingredients in a relatively fixed position. The heating element of the heating tube is a resistor sheet. Leveraging its directional heating properties, the resistor sheet can be positioned in the desired direction for the ingredients, thereby improving heating efficiency and enhancing the cooking quality. This solution offers manageable costs and high heat utilization.

[0010] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become obvious from the description below, or will be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a cooking appliance in some embodiments of the present application;

[0012] FIG2 is another schematic structural diagram of a cooking appliance in some embodiments of the present application;

[0013] FIG3 is another structural schematic diagram of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0014] FIG4 is another schematic structural diagram of a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0015] FIG5 is another structural schematic diagram of a cooking appliance in some embodiments of the present application;

[0016] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a heating tube in some embodiments of the present application;

[0017] FIG7 is another structural schematic diagram of a heating tube in some embodiments of the present application and a partially enlarged schematic diagram thereof;

[0018] FIG8 is another structural schematic diagram of a heating tube in some embodiments of the present application and a partially enlarged schematic diagram thereof;

[0019] FIG9 is another structural schematic diagram of a heating tube in some embodiments of the present application and a partially enlarged schematic diagram thereof;

[0020] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of an auxiliary heating element in a cooking utensil according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0021] FIG11 is another schematic diagram of the structure of an auxiliary heating element in a cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] FIG12 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the auxiliary heating element in the cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] FIG13 is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship of the controller in the cooking appliance according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of a heating cavity in some embodiments of the present application when the top wall is a dome;

[0025] FIG15 is another schematic structural diagram of a heating cavity in some embodiments of the present application when the top wall is a dome;

[0026] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of a cooking appliance with a linkage mechanism according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] FIG. 17 is another structural diagram of a cooking appliance with a linkage mechanism in some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present application, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0029] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. In addition, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] The following describes a cooking appliance 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. The cooking appliance 1000 is used to heat food, and there is no limitation on the type of the cooking appliance 1000. The cooking appliance 1000 may be an oven or other type of appliance.

[0032] The cooking appliance 1000 according to the embodiment of the present application includes a housing 100 , a tray 400 and a heating tube 300 .

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a heating cavity 102 is defined within the shell 100. The shell 100 is made of high-temperature resistant material. The purpose of the shell 100 is to maintain the sealing of the heating cavity 102 and reduce heat loss by improving the overall sealing performance. The shell 100 has an opening 101, and the cooking utensil 1000 also includes a door 200 for opening and closing the opening 101. The door 200 is not limited to the position on the shell 100 and can be on the side or top surface. The shell 100 is provided with an insulation layer (not shown) around the heating cavity 102 to concentrate the heat in the heating cavity 102, thereby reducing heat loss and waste.

[0034] The tray 400 and heating tube 300 are both located within the heating chamber 102. The tray 400 is located in the center or lower portion of the heating chamber 102 and is used to hold food. When heating food, the user can place it directly onto the tray 400, or they can place the food on a plate (or rack) and then place the plate (or rack) onto the tray 400.

[0035] In the present application, at least one heating tube 300 is spaced apart and disposed above the tray 400. The heat generated by the heating tube 300 can heat the air in the heating cavity 102, and can also heat the food on the tray 400 so that the food is cooked.

[0036] The heating core of the heating tube 300 is a resistor sheet 310. As the name suggests, the resistor sheet 310 is a sheet of material that generates heat when electricity is applied. The larger the surface area of ​​the resistor sheet, the more heat it dissipates outward. Therefore, the sheet-like shape of the resistor sheet 310 exhibits directional heating properties, meaning that the resistor sheet 310 generates more heat perpendicular to the sheet. Therefore, at the same distance, when the tray 400 is parallel to the resistor sheet 310, it absorbs more heat.

[0037] This solution uses a tray 400 to hold food, and a heating tube 300 to heat the food above the tray 400. The food's position is relatively fixed. The heating element of the heating tube 300 is a resistor sheet 310. Leveraging its directional heating properties, the resistor sheet 310 can be positioned in the desired direction for the food, thereby improving heating efficiency and enhancing the cooking taste.

[0038] In some embodiments, the tray 400 itself is a heat storage plate. Using a heat storage plate as the tray 400 can heat the food. Therefore, when using some cooking appliances 1000 such as pizza ovens, users usually choose to place the food directly on the tray 400. In this way, the heat of the tray 400 is directly transferred to the food, the transfer path is short, and the heat loss is small, which is conducive to maintaining a higher heating temperature of the food and improving the heat utilization rate.

[0039] When using a heat storage plate for tray 400, materials with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, high temperature resistance, and a high heat storage coefficient are generally used. Using a material with high heat storage properties for tray 400 provides excellent heat retention, preventing sudden drops in temperature from causing the tray 400 to drop sharply, allowing it to maintain a high temperature, thereby achieving temperature stability.

[0040] Therefore, a heating structure combining a heat-storing tray 400 and heating tube 300 is employed. The tray 400 not only holds the food but also directly heats it, transferring the stored heat from the tray 400 directly to the food, effectively searing the bottom of the food. Placing the heating tube 300 above the food quickly raises the temperature within the heating chamber 102, allowing the food to quickly reach a suitable temperature for heating. Furthermore, the heat from the heating tube 300 also sears the top of the food. The heat-storing tray 400 achieves uniform heating of the food in multiple dimensions.

[0041] When the heating tubes 300 are powered, the heat generated is absorbed not only by the food and the air within the heating chamber 102 but also by the surrounding air when the tray 400's temperature is lower than the air temperature. After storing heat, the tray 400 radiates and conducts it outward. Therefore, even though the bottom of the food isn't directly facing the heating tubes 300, it is still heated and toasted by the tray 400. Therefore, the placement of the tray 400 allows the food to be toasted from both the top and bottom, resulting in more uniform heating across the entire space.

[0042] When the heat generated by the heating tubes 300 is too high, the tray 400, due to its large heat storage coefficient, can store the excess heat, preventing excessive heat from concentrating on the food and causing it to burn. When the heat generated by the heating tubes 300 is insufficient, the tray 400 can release the stored heat, ensuring that the food is heated more evenly over time.

[0043] The heat-storing tray 400 acts like a dam, storing heat during peak heat release from the heating tubes 300 to reduce the risk of burning the food, and releasing heat to supplement the heat when the heating tubes 300 are insufficient. Furthermore, the tray 400 not only holds food but also heats it, achieving a low-cost and compact structure.

[0044] This combination not only speeds up cooking, but also utilizes the high thermal conductivity and uniform heating of the heating tube 300 to achieve a high-temperature grilling effect on both the upper and lower surfaces of the food. This cooking device 1000 is particularly suitable for use as a pizza oven for making pizzas, as it can quickly preheat the heating cavity 102 before the pizza dough is placed in the heating cavity 102, while also allowing the pizza to be quickly grilled within the heating cavity 102, improving the taste of the pizza.

[0045] In some embodiments, the tray 400 is a stone slab. Using stone slabs to store heat reduces material costs.

[0046] Tray 400 is a pizza stone. Compared to ordinary stone materials, pizza stone has good thermal stability, loose structure, and low thermal expansion coefficient. It is easy to make into a porous thin-walled plate. The porous characteristics can absorb moisture from the bottom of the ingredients, which is conducive to providing uniform and stable heat to the ingredients. At the same time, during the cooking process, when the temperature changes rapidly, it can effectively alleviate temperature stress. Of course, in this application, tray 400 can also use other plates with heat storage capacity, such as metal plates with a high heat storage coefficient.

[0047] The tray 400 may also be an ordinary tray that does not generate heat, and may be made of any material, such as a metal tray, a ceramic tray, an enamel tray, and the like.

[0048] In some embodiments, the resistor sheet 310 is a metal sheet, and thus the resistor sheet 310 has good electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity.

[0049] The metal sheet may include an iron sheet, a copper sheet, a chromium sheet, a nickel sheet, a tungsten sheet, and the like.

[0050] The resistor sheet 310 of the present application adopts any other resistor material known in the prior art, including carbon materials, ceramic materials, semiconductor materials, clay materials, etc.

[0051] When the resistor sheet 310 is a carbon sheet, it can be a graphite sheet, activated carbon sheet, or bulk carbon sheet. When the resistor sheet 310 is a ceramic sheet, it can achieve the high-temperature tolerance and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. When the resistor sheet 310 is a semiconductor sheet, it can include a silicon sheet, a germanium sheet, or the like. When the resistor sheet 310 is a clay sheet, it can include a carbon clay sheet, a corona ceramic sheet, or a porcelain bottle halo clay sheet.

[0052] In some other embodiments, the resistor sheet 310 is a thin film, that is, the resistor sheet 310 is a film made of a thin film resistor material. Thin film resistor materials refer to film resistor materials produced by vacuum evaporation, DC or AC sputtering, chemical deposition, etc., and include Ni-Co, Ta, Si, metal ceramic resistor films, as well as Au-Cr, Ni-P and other resistor films.

[0053] In some embodiments, the resistor sheet 310 is a graphite film material. Here, the graphite film material is a sheet structure with a certain thickness formed by laminating graphite films, and has the characteristics of high heating power and fast temperature rise.

[0054] When the resistor sheet 310 is made of graphite film, the heating tube 300 can also be called a graphite heating tube. In this case, the heating tube 300 has many advantages and features:

[0055] 1. High temperature stability: Since the graphite material itself has good high temperature stability, it can maintain good physical and chemical properties in a high temperature environment, is not easily oxidized, burned through or melted, and can work stably in a corrosive environment. Therefore, when used as a heating core for high temperature heating, the heating tube 300 has strong high temperature stability.

[0056] 2. Fast temperature rise: Graphite itself has a low thermal load and thermal inertia. Using it as a heating core allows it to quickly respond to changes in current. Therefore, the heating tube 300 heats up quickly. Conversely, once the power is off, the heating tube 300 cools down quickly. Therefore, the provision of the heating tube 300 can increase the heating speed of the cooking appliance 1000.

[0057] 3. High thermal conductivity and heating uniformity: Due to the inherent characteristics of graphite, the shape, size, and heating power of the heating core can be flexibly designed to meet the needs of different application scenarios. In addition, the high thermal conductivity of graphite allows for rapid heat transfer even with complex heating core shapes, preventing heat accumulation and promoting uniform heating of the surrounding temperature. Therefore, the heating tube 300 heats food evenly.

[0058] Practical measurements have shown that, under the same conditions, graphite heating tubes heat the same cooking appliance 1000 several times faster than conventional metal heating tubes. Combining the heat-storing tray 400 with the graphite heating tubes creates a heating structure that amplifies the heating advantages of the heating tubes 300 while also compensating for the tendency of the heating tubes 300 to burn due to excessive heating.

[0059] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2-5 , the heating tube 300 includes a sheet-shaped resistor 310. Forming the resistor 310 into a sheet shape can avoid the problem of excessive total power due to low resistance, thereby preventing excessive power density in the heating area 311 of the resistor 310 and extending the service life of the heating core 1000.

[0060] The angle between the resistor sheet 310 and the tray 400 is called the heating angle θ, which ranges from 0 to 90 degrees. It should be understood that since the top surface of the tray 400 holds food, the heating angle θ generally refers to the angle between the surface of the resistor sheet 310 and the top surface of the tray 400. In this application, the angle between the surface of the resistor sheet 310 and the top surface of the tray 400 can be adjusted as needed, and the angle range is not limited. Therefore, the heating angle θ is said to range from 0 to 90 degrees.

[0061] Furthermore, the resistor sheet 310 is in the form of an elongated strip, with the length of the resistor sheet 310 generally aligning with the overall length of the heating tube 300. The resistor sheet 310 can be a flat sheet, in which case the heating angle θ between any location on the resistor sheet 310 and the tray 400 is the same. The resistor sheet 310 can also be a curved sheet, in which case the heating angle θ between different locations on the resistor sheet 310 and the tray 400 varies. Furthermore, there can be one or at least two heating tubes 300. When there are at least two heating tubes 300, the shapes of each of the two heating tubes 300 can be the same or different. The at least two resistor sheets 310 can be two parallel flat sheets, or they can be flat sheets with different inclination angles, or they can be curved sheets with different shapes, etc., without limitation.

[0062] For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG2 , three heating tubes 300 are provided in the cooking utensil 1000 , and a resistor sheet 310 is provided in each of the three heating tubes 300 . The three resistor sheets 310 are all planar sheets arranged parallel to the tray 400 , so the heating angles θ of the three resistor sheets 310 are all 0 degrees.

[0063] For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG3 , the cooking appliance 1000 is equipped with three heating tubes 300, each of which is equipped with a resistor sheet 310. All three resistor sheets 310 are planar sheets. Two of the resistor sheets 310 are arranged at an angle relative to the upper surface of the tray 400. As shown in FIG3 , the heating angles θ of the front and rear resistor sheets 310 are both acute. The center resistor sheet 310 is a planar sheet arranged parallel to the tray 400, and its heating angle θ is 0 degrees.

[0064] For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG4 , the cooking appliance 1000 is equipped with three heating tubes 300, each of which is equipped with a resistor sheet 310. All three resistor sheets 310 are planar sheets. Two of the resistor sheets 310 are arranged at an angle relative to the upper surface of the tray 400. As shown in FIG4 , the heating angles θ of the front and rear resistor sheets 310 are both acute. The center resistor sheet 310 is a planar sheet arranged perpendicular to the tray 400, with a heating angle θ of 90 degrees.

[0065] In some embodiments, the heating tube 300 is rotatably connected to the housing 100 to adjust a heating angle θ between the resistance sheet 310 and the tray 400 according to an operating state.

[0066] Cooking appliance 1000 also includes a rotary actuator (not shown) connected to heating tube 300, driving heating tube 300 to rotate about its axis of rotation. Because the heating core of heating tube 300 is a sheet-shaped resistor 310, the heating angle θ of resistor 310 changes during rotation, thereby changing the position of heat radiation from resistor 310. This ensures more uniform heating of cooking appliance 1000.

[0067] Because the resistor sheet 310 is sheet-shaped, the heat density emitted by the resistor sheet 310 when facing the center is relatively high. When the resistor sheet 310 is rotated to a heating angle θ of 0 degrees, more heat from the resistor sheet 310 is emitted to the food on the tray 400, allowing the food to be seared at high temperatures. When the resistor sheet 310 is rotated to a heating angle θ of approximately 90 degrees, more heat from the resistor sheet 310 is emitted to the surrounding air, maintaining a high temperature within the heating chamber 102 and thus exposing the food to a high-temperature air environment. Therefore, the rotatable configuration of the heating tube 300 allows the food to achieve both of these heating conditions.

[0068] The rotation axis of the heating tube 300 may coincide with the axis of the tube body of the heating tube 300 or may deviate from the axis of the tube body, without limitation. When the heating tube 300 is rotatable, the heating tube 300 is typically a straight tube, and the heating tube 300 is a round tube. This allows the heating tube 300 to occupy less space during rotation, reducing the chance of interference with other parts or even food.

[0069] Both ends of the heating tube 300 are connected to a rotary actuator, which rotates the heating tube 300. To prevent the heating circuit from becoming entangled with the rotary actuator, the heating tube 300 can rotate using a reciprocating motion, allowing the angle between the resistor sheet 310 and the tray 400 to vary from 0 degrees to 90 degrees and then back to 0 degrees. Alternatively, the connection method can be based on existing techniques, which will not be elaborated on here.

[0070] In the present application, the shape of the heating tube 300 is not limited to a straight tube, but may also be a curved tube as shown in FIG. 15 .

[0071] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 to FIG5 , there are multiple heating tubes 300 , and the multiple heating tubes 300 are arranged side by side above the tray 400 . This helps to improve the heating uniformity of the entire heating cavity 102 .

[0072] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the distance between the resistor sheets 310 of the two outermost heating tubes 300 gradually decreases as they move upward. In other words, the lower surfaces of the two outermost resistor sheets 310 are not positioned directly downward, but are tilted toward the center of the tray 400. The heating angle θ of these two resistor sheets 310 can be acute. This reduces the heat emitted by these two resistor sheets 310 at the edges of the tray 400 and distributes more toward the center of the tray 400. It is understandable that when users place food on the tray 400, they tend to place it in the center to prevent it from falling out. Therefore, the heating angle θ of the resistor sheets 310 on both sides is set to an acute angle, concentrating more heat in the center of the tray 400 and reducing inefficient heat waste.

[0073] When the number of the heating tubes 300 exceeds two, the heating angle θ of the resistor sheet 310 of the middle heating tube 300 can be flexibly set as needed, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 .

[0074] In some embodiments of the present application, the resistor sheet 310 is a rectangular sheet with a simple shape and is easy to process.

[0075] In other embodiments of the present application, the shape of the resistor sheet 310 is further changed based on the rectangular sheet.

[0076] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the resistor sheet 310 includes at least one heating zone 311 extending along the length of the heating tube 300. When there are at least two heating zones 311, an intermediate zone 312 is connected between each two adjacent heating zones 311. The intermediate zone 312 has a different shape from the heating zone 311.

[0077] That is to say, the resistor sheet 310 is designed in sections along the length direction, wherein the heating zone 311 is designed according to the most suitable angle for heating, and the middle zone 312 serves as a transition connection. The setting of the middle zone 312 separates the two adjacent heating zones 311 to avoid excessive concentration of heat. Since the temperature of the inner cavity near the middle of the heating core is higher when the heating core radiates heat to the cavity, the middle zone 312 is designed to separate the two adjacent heating zones 311, so that the heat radiated by the heating core is more uniform. In addition, by setting the middle zone 312, the length of the middle zone 312 can be adjusted according to different scenarios, so that the lengths of the two adjacent heating zones 311 can adapt to changes, thereby realizing dynamic distribution of power changes.

[0078] The resistor sheet 310 is mainly made of graphite and has a flat structure, which generates surface heating. Therefore, compared with traditional heating wires, it has higher heating efficiency, higher response speed and faster heating speed, thereby concentrating energy and achieving the effect of roasting food to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

[0079] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the heating core needs to extend a certain length in a certain direction. Since the resistor sheet 310 constitutes surface heating, in order to form a larger heating area within a limited length, the resistor sheet 310 includes a heating area 311. The resistor sheet 310 mainly emits heat through the heating area 311. The heating area 311 includes multiple heating units 311A. Multiple refers to two or more. The multiple heating units 311A ​​are connected in series, that is, the current flowing through each heating unit 311A ​​is consistent. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the heating unit 311A ​​includes four parts, namely a fourth part 311d, a third part 311c, a second part 311b, and a first part 311a. The third part 311c and the first part 311a extend a certain length along the first direction, and the fourth part 311d and the second part 311b extend a certain length along the second direction. The first and second directions intersect, so that the fourth part 311d, the third part 311c, the second part 311b, and the first part 311a are connected in sequence to form an undulating structure. Since multiple heating units 311A ​​are connected in series, the first part 311a and the fourth part 311d of adjacent heating units 311A ​​are connected together, so that the heating area 311 forms a continuous undulating structure. It is understood that the term "connected" here means combined together. For example, the fourth part 311d, the third part 311c, the second part 311b, and the first part 311a can be integrally formed, and the multiple heating units 311A ​​also form an integrally formed structure.

[0080] The second direction is defined as the extension direction of the resistor sheet 310. Thus, along the extension direction of the resistor sheet 310, at least a portion of the resistor sheet 310 forms a continuous undulating structure. Because the resistor sheet 310 includes portions extending in different directions (the fourth portion 311d and the second portion 311b extend in the same direction, and the third portion 311c and the first portion 311a extend in the same direction), the resistor sheet 310 can have a larger heating area within a limited space (the extended length of the resistor sheet 310) without reducing resistance.

[0081] As shown in FIG7 , the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, that is, the fourth portion 311d and the second portion 311b extend substantially along the extension direction of the resistor sheet 310, while the third portion 311c and the first portion 311a extend substantially perpendicular to the second direction. This facilitates the structural processing of the fourth portion 311d, the third portion 311c, the second portion 311b and the first portion 311a in the heating unit 311A, making the overall structure more stable and maximizing space utilization.

[0082] As shown in Figure 7, in some embodiments of the present application, there are two heating zones 311, and the two heating zones 311 are defined as two adjacent heating zones 311. The heating zone 311 on the left side of Figure 7 is one heating zone 311, and the heating zone 311 on the right side is another heating zone 311. The resistor sheet 310 also includes an intermediate zone 312, which is arranged between the two adjacent heating zones 311, and the intermediate zone 312 is connected to one heating zone 311 and also to the other heating zone 311. The intermediate zone 312 realizes electrical connection with the two adjacent heating zones 311 and plays the role of transmitting current. The setting of the intermediate zone 312 separates the two adjacent heating zones 311 to avoid excessive concentration of heat.

[0083] As shown in FIG7 , in some embodiments of the present application, the resistor sheet 310 further includes a connection area located at the end of the resistor sheet 310. The connection area is provided to achieve electrical connection between the heater core and external components. For example, the connection area provides a support point for a fixed lead wire. The lead wire can be fixed to the connection area, and the other end of the lead wire can be connected to another component (such as a connection terminal). The provision of the connection area facilitates the power supply to the heater core.

[0084] In some embodiments, the resistor sheet 310 dissipates heat mainly through the heating area 311 , and the heating area 311 includes a plurality of heating units 311A. The total resistance of the heating area 311 can be calculated by adding the resistances of the respective heating units 311A.

[0085] As shown in FIG8 , in some embodiments of the present application, in order to improve the seismic resistance of the resistor sheet 310 , the intersection of the fourth portion 311d and the third portion 311c forms an arc-shaped transition, the intersection of the third portion 311c and the second portion 311b forms an arc-shaped transition, the intersection of the second portion 311b and the first portion 311a forms an arc-shaped transition, and the intersection of the fourth portion 311d and the first portion 311a of two adjacent heating units 311A ​​also forms an arc-shaped transition. This can reduce stress concentration.

[0086] In the present application, to increase the heating capacity of the resistor sheet 310, the heating area 311 of the resistor sheet 310 may be formed in a sine wave shape, as shown in FIG9 , rather than a rectangular wave shape as shown in FIG7 and FIG8 . In other words, at least one heating area 311 may be formed in a wavy shape.

[0087] In some other embodiments, at least one heating zone 311 is provided with perforations, which reduces the material usage of the resistor sheet 310, reduces weight, and prevents excessive heat concentration in the heating zone 311, which may cause localized overheating. The heating zone 311 is provided with multiple rows and columns of perforations.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the middle area 312 is a straight area. If the shape of the top wall of the heating chamber 102 needs to be changed, the middle area 312 can also be formed into a corresponding curved area. This allows for a variety of shapes for the middle area 312, connecting to the heating area 311 while also meeting the overall shape requirements.

[0089] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6 , the heating tube 300 further includes an outer tube 320 , within which the resistor sheet 310 is disposed. The outer tube 320 is filled with an inert gas. The outer tube 320 protects the resistor sheet 310 , preventing impacts that could cause breakage. It also prevents oxidation of the resistor sheet 310 at high temperatures.

[0090] The outer tube 320 can be a glass tube, with the resistor sheet 310 inserted within it. Lead wires are connected to the ends of the resistor sheet 310, each with a connection terminal. The lead wires are connected to the connection terminals, which are suitable for connecting to other power supply components. The outer tube 320 is filled with an inert gas, such as helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), or xenon (Xe). Because the resistor sheet 310 generates high temperatures when powered, the inert gas protects it and extends its service life.

[0091] 10-12 , the cooking device 1000 according to some embodiments of the present application further includes an auxiliary heating element 500 disposed within the heating cavity 102 for assisting in raising the temperature within the heating cavity 102. As shown in FIG10 , the auxiliary heating element 500 is connected to the tray 400. This direct connection to the tray 400 rapidly increases the heat content of the tray 400 and improves the thermal stability of the tray 400.

[0092] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11, the heating element 500 is not in direct contact with the tray 400, but the distance between the heating element 500 and the tray 400 is smaller than the distance between the heating tube 300 and the tray 400, so as to improve the heat conduction efficiency of the auxiliary heating element 500 to the tray 400 and increase the heat of the tray 400.

[0093] The tray 400 is detachably mounted on the auxiliary heating element 500. Since the tray 400 comes into direct contact with food, it can become stained with grease and debris during use. The detachable tray 400 allows for easy removal from the cooking device 1000 for cleaning and maintenance. This keeps the tray 400 clean and hygienic, prevents impurities from adhering to the tray 400, and reduces its heat transfer efficiency, ensuring proper heat transfer during use.

[0094] The tray 400 is detachably mounted on the auxiliary heating element 500. As shown in FIG10 , a positioning groove 401 for positioning the auxiliary heating element 500 is provided at the bottom of the tray 400.

[0095] The auxiliary heating element 500 is a plurality of metal heating tubes, and the tray 400 is placed flat on the plurality of metal heating tubes. It can be understood that the heating tubes 300 are located above the tray 400 and the metal heating tubes are located below, which play a highly efficient and comprehensive role in heating the tray 400 during use.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 12 , the auxiliary heating element 500 may also be disposed on the rear wall of the heating cavity 102 to enhance the auxiliary heating effect.

[0097] 13 , a cooking device 1000 according to some embodiments of the present application includes a controller 700 . The controller 700 is electrically connected to both the heating tube 300 and the auxiliary heating element 500 . The controller 700 controls both the heating tube 300 and the auxiliary heating element 500 to operate during the preheating phase. This allows both the heating tube 300 and the auxiliary heating element 500 to heat the heating cavity 102 before food is added, increasing the heating rate of the heating cavity 102 and thus completing preheating quickly, shortening waiting time.

[0098] During the heating phase, the controller 700 controls the heating tube 300 to operate and the auxiliary heating element 500 to stop heating. In this way, the tray 400 utilizes the stored heat to heat the food, saving electricity.

[0099] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, the top wall of the heating cavity 102 is a flat wall, and the heating tube 300 is adapted to the top wall of the heating cavity 102. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the heating tube 300 is a straight tube parallel to the top wall of the heating cavity 102. As shown in Figure 5, the heating tube 300 is a curved tube, but the surface of the heating tube 300 after bending is still parallel to the top wall of the heating cavity 102, so that the height space occupied by the heating tube 300 is small and does not squeeze the space for food. In the example shown in Figure 5, the middle section of the heating tube 300 adopts a semicircular arc shape, and two heating tubes 300 with opposite arc parts are provided, so that the middle part of the tray 400 is located at the arc part of the heating tube 300, thereby forming a circular heating area, which is conducive to uniform temperature rise of the circumference, and is conducive to balanced cooking temperature of the food, thereby improving the cooking effect.

[0100] In other embodiments, the top wall of the heating cavity 102 is an upwardly arched dome, and the heating tube 300 is adapted to the top wall of the heating cavity 102 .

[0101] For example, in Figure 14 , at least a portion of the top wall of the heating chamber 102 is cylindrical, with the center of the cylinder arching upward, and the front and rear edges of the cylinder extending downward. Within the heating chamber 102 are three heating tubes 300, each of which is a straight tube arranged in a horizontal direction. The center heating tube 300 is positioned higher, while the front and rear heating tubes 300 are positioned lower, so that all three heating tubes 300 are at the same distance from the cylindrical surface.

[0102] For example, in Figure 15 , at least a portion of the top wall of the heating chamber 102 is cylindrical, with the center of the cylinder arching upward and the left and right sides of the cylinder extending downward. Within the heating chamber 102 are three heating tubes 300, each curved in a horizontal direction. The center of each heating tube 300 is elevated, while the left and right ends are lowered, ensuring that all three heating tubes 300 are at the same distance from the cylindrical surface.

[0103] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16 and 17 , a housing 100 has an opening 101 on one side, and the cooking appliance 1000 further includes a door 200 and a linkage mechanism 800. The door 200 is closable on the housing 100 to open and close the opening 101. The linkage mechanism 800 is disposed within the heating cavity 102 and is connected to the door 200 and the housing 100.

[0104] The tray 400 is connected to the linkage mechanism 800, and when the door 200 is opened, at least a portion of the tray 400 extends out of the opening 101 along with the linkage mechanism 800. When the door 200 is closed, the tray 400 is completely returned to the heating chamber 102. With this arrangement, when the door 200 is opened, the tray 400 is close to the opening 101 of the housing 100, allowing the user to place or remove food without having to fully insert their hand into the heating chamber 102, thereby avoiding the risk of burns. At the same time, after the preheating stage is completed, opening the door 200 to remove the tray 400 also reduces heat loss in the heating chamber 102, allowing the temperature of the heating chamber 102 to return to a suitable cooking temperature as quickly as possible.

[0105] The linkage mechanism 800 can employ known linkage mechanisms used in cooking appliances. For example, as shown in Figures 16 and 17 , the linkage mechanism 800 includes a linkage rod, with its ends connected to the tray 400 and the housing 100, respectively. Both ends of the linkage rod serve as hinge points. The linkage rod is located at the rear of the tray 400, while the front of the tray 400 is hinged to the door 200. The door 200, the bottom wall of the housing 100, the linkage rod, and the tray 400 form a parallelogram structure. This allows the tray 400 to remain horizontal and extend forward from the heating chamber 102 when the door 200 is opened.

[0106] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cooking appliance 1000 is a pizza oven, which includes the housing 100, the tray 400, and the heating tube 300 of the above embodiment. The combination of the tray 400 and the heating tube 300 is particularly suitable for fast pizza production when baking pizza.

[0107] The pizza oven adopts the structure of the above embodiment, which is well known to ordinary technicians in this field. Therefore, it has at least the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0108] Throughout this specification, references to terms such as "embodiment" and "example" indicate that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with that embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0109] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and intent of the present application, and that the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cooking appliance, wherein: include: a housing, wherein a heating cavity is defined in the housing; A tray is disposed in the heating cavity, and the tray is used to hold food; A heating tube, wherein the heating tube is disposed in the heating cavity, and at least one of the heating tubes is disposed above the tray at intervals; Wherein, the heating core of the heating tube is a resistor sheet.

2. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The resistor sheet is a metal sheet.

3. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The resistor sheet material is a thin film.

4. The cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein: The resistor sheet material is a graphite film material.

5. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The angle between the resistor sheet and the upper surface of the tray is a heating angle, and the heating angle ranges from 0 to 90 degrees.

6. The cooking appliance according to claim 5, wherein: The heating tube is rotatably connected to the housing to adjust the heating angle of the resistor sheet according to an operating state.

7. The cooking device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: There are multiple heating tubes, and the multiple heating tubes are arranged side by side above the tray; The distance between the resistance sheets of the two outermost heating tubes gradually decreases in the upward direction.

8. The cooking device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein: The resistor sheet includes a heating area, which includes a plurality of heating units connected in series. The heating units include a first part, a second part, a third part and a fourth part connected in sequence. Two adjacent heating units are connected through the first part and the fourth part. The first part and the third part extend along a first direction, and the second part and the fourth part extend along a second direction. The second direction is the length direction of the resistor sheet and intersects with the first direction.

9. The cooking appliance according to claim 8, wherein: The resistor sheet includes a middle area, the heating area includes at least two, each two adjacent heating areas are connected with the middle area, and the middle area is an arc area or a straight area.

10. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The heating tube further comprises an outer tube, the resistor sheet is arranged inside the outer tube, and the interior of the outer tube is filled with an inert gas.

11. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The tray is a heat storage plate.

12. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The tray is a pizza stone.

13. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: Also includes: An auxiliary heating element, wherein the auxiliary heating element is arranged in the heating cavity; The auxiliary heating element is connected to the tray, or the distance between the auxiliary heating element and the tray is smaller than the distance between the auxiliary heating element and the tray. The distance between the heating tube and the tray.

14. The cooking appliance according to claim 13, wherein: The tray is detachably disposed on the auxiliary heating element.

15. The cooking appliance according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: The auxiliary heating element is a plurality of metal heating tubes, and the tray is placed flat on the plurality of metal heating tubes.

16. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein: It also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the heating tube and the auxiliary heating element. The controller controls the heating tube and the auxiliary heating element to work in the preheating stage, and controls the heating tube to work and the auxiliary heating element to stop heating in the heating stage.

17. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein: The top wall of the heating cavity is a flat wall or an upwardly arched dome, and the shape of the heating tube is adapted to the top wall of the heating cavity.

18. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: One side of the housing has an opening, and the cooking appliance further comprises: A door body, the door body is arranged on the shell body in an openable and closable manner to open and close the opening; A linkage mechanism, the linkage mechanism is arranged in the heating cavity, and the linkage mechanism is connected to the door body and the shell; Wherein, the tray is connected to the linkage mechanism, and when the door body is opened, at least a portion of the tray extends out of the opening along with the linkage mechanism, and when the door body is closed, the tray is completely returned to the heating cavity.

19. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein: The cooking appliance is a pizza oven.

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