Frying basket and air fryer

Abstract

A frying basket (10) and an air fryer. The frying basket (10) comprises a basket body (100), at least two grill racks (200), and at least one partition plate (300); the basket body (100) is provided with an accommodating cavity (110); the grill racks (200) are detachably arranged in the accommodating cavity (110); the partition plate (300) is detachably arranged between two adjacent grill racks (200); an oil drain channel (170) is formed in the bottom wall of the accommodating cavity (110); and a first part (171) of the oil drain channel (170) is located below the partition plate (300).

Description

Frying Bucket and Air Fryer

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 2024103401106, filed on March 25, 2024, entitled “Frying Bucket and Air Fryer,” the entire text of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances, and in particular to a frying pan and an air fryer. Background Art

[0004] As people's living standards continue to improve, more and more kitchen appliances are entering people's lives. Air fryers are one of the newer kitchen appliances.

[0005] The air fryer mainly uses a built-in heating tube to heat the air around it, and then under the action of the fan near the heating tube, hot air convection is forced to form. The hot air acts on the surface of the food in the pot to cook the food; at the same time, the hot air also takes away the moisture on the surface of the food, thus forming a crispy surface similar to deep-frying.

[0006] In the related art, oil smoke is easily generated in the frying barrel of the air fryer, which affects the cooking taste of the food and further affects the user experience.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] According to various embodiments of the present application, a frying bucket and an air fryer are provided.

[0009] In a first aspect, the present application provides a frying bucket for use in an air fryer, the frying bucket comprising:

[0010] The barrel body is provided with a receiving cavity;

[0011] At least two grills, which are detachably arranged in the accommodating cavity;

[0012] at least one partition, which is detachably disposed between two adjacent grills;

[0013] An oil guide groove is constructed on the bottom wall of the accommodating cavity, and a first portion of the oil guide groove is located below the partition.

[0014] In one embodiment, the second portion of the oil guide groove is located on a peripheral side of the grill.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first portion and the second portion are in communication with each other.

[0016] In one embodiment, a side wall or a bottom wall of the accommodating cavity is configured with a limiting portion, and the limiting portion is used to abut against the partition to limit the partition from moving in the horizontal direction.

[0017] In one embodiment, the limiting portion includes two limiting protrusions arranged at intervals.

[0018] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the limiting portion abuts against the grill to limit the grill from moving in a horizontal direction.

[0019] In one embodiment, the limiting portion is located below the grill.

[0020] In one embodiment, the limiting portion is formed by a stamping process.

[0021] In one embodiment, the side wall of the accommodating cavity is configured with a first clamping portion; and the grill is provided with a second clamping portion that is clamped and matched with the first clamping portion.

[0022] In one embodiment, one of the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion is configured with a first clamping protrusion, and the other is configured with a first clamping groove for clamping and cooperating with the first clamping protrusion.

[0023] In one embodiment, at least two first clamping portions are located at the ends of the side wall of the accommodating cavity, and at least two first clamping portions are located in the middle of the side wall of the accommodating cavity.

[0024] In a second aspect, the present application provides an air fryer, comprising a shell and a frying bucket as described above that is detachably connected to the shell.

[0025] In one embodiment, the air fryer includes a heating element, and a vertical projection of the oil guide groove does not overlap with a vertical projection of the heating element.

[0026] In one embodiment, there are at least two heating elements, and the first portion of the oil guide groove is located between adjacent heating elements.

[0027] The details of one or more embodiments of the present application are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to better describe and illustrate the embodiments and / or examples of the inventions disclosed herein, reference may be made to one or more of the accompanying drawings. The additional details or examples used to describe the accompanying drawings should not be considered to limit the scope of the disclosed inventions, the presently described embodiments and / or examples, and any of the best modes currently understood for these inventions.

[0029] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a frying vat provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the main body of the frying vat shown in FIG. 1 .

[0031] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the frying vat shown in FIG1 in a tilted state.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a second clamping portion in the frying tub shown in FIG. 1 .

[0033] FIG5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the frying vat shown in FIG1 .

[0034] FIG6 is a partial enlarged view of point A in the frying vat shown in FIG5 .

[0035] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a grill placed on the frying vat shown in FIG. 1 .

[0036] FIG8 is a partial cross-sectional view of an air fryer provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0037] FIG9 is a cross-sectional view of the air fryer shown in FIG8 from another perspective.

[0038] Figure numbers: 10, frying drum; 100, drum body; 110, accommodating cavity; 111, cooking cavity; 120, first clamping portion; 121, first clamping protrusion; 130, limiting portion; 131, limiting protrusion; 141, second clamping groove; 142, inlet groove; 170, oil guide groove; 171, first part; 172, second part; 180, handle; 200, grill; 210, second clamping portion; 211, first clamping groove; 212, first clamping section; 213, second clamping section; 214, plug-in column; 220, plug-in hole; 300, partition; 400, shell; 410, heating element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0041] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0042] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connected," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, these terms may refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, if a first feature is described as being "above" or "below" a second feature, or similar descriptions, this may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is described as being "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is described as being "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0044] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiment.

[0045] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a frying bucket 10 for an air fryer provided in one embodiment of the present application includes a bucket body 100, at least two grills 200 and at least one partition 300. The bucket body 100 is constructed with a accommodating cavity 110; the grills 200 are detachably arranged in the accommodating cavity 110; the partition 300 is detachably arranged in the accommodating cavity 110; wherein, an oil guide groove 170 is constructed on the bottom wall of the accommodating cavity 110, and the first part 171 of the oil guide groove 170 is located below the partition 300.

[0046] In the aforementioned fryer vat 10, since the heating element 410 is generally located in the center of the grill 200, the central area of ​​the grill 200 is closer to the heating element 410, resulting in a higher temperature in the central area. This makes accumulated oil in the central area susceptible to thermal decomposition and the production of oil smoke. By providing an oil guide groove 170 below the partition 300 between the two grills 200, the accumulated oil in the central area is directed to the edge areas farther from the heating element 410. The temperature in these edge areas is lower, making them less likely to produce oil smoke. This reduces the generation of oil smoke, thereby reducing its impact on the taste of cooked food and the user's health, thereby improving the user experience.

[0047] By installing a partition 300, the user can divide the accommodating chamber 110 into at least two cooking chambers 111. Users can cook different foods simultaneously in multiple cooking chambers 111, or cook a single food in a single cooking chamber 111. Even by removing the partition 300, the two cooking chambers 111 can be combined into a single, larger cooking chamber 111, enabling the cooking of large volumes of food. The partition 300 can be easily adapted to user needs in different scenarios, enhancing the user experience. Specifically, the partition 300 can be a hollow structure that uses air for insulation, improving the heating efficiency of the cooking chamber 111 while preventing heat dissipation.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 2, in one embodiment, the second part 172 of the oil guide groove 170 is located on the peripheral side of the grill 200. Thus, the accumulated oil in the central region of the accommodation cavity 110 can be guided to the region below the partition 300 or to the edge region of the accommodation cavity 110. The temperature of the edge region is relatively low, thereby reducing the generation of oil fumes. Further, the first part 171 and the second part 172 are interconnected, so that the overall shape of the oil guide groove 170 is approximately in the shape of a Chinese character 'Ri'. As shown in FIG. 2, the flow direction of the accumulated oil is indicated by an arrow.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the cavity wall structure of the accommodation cavity 110 has a limiting part 130, and the limiting part 130 is used to abut against the partition 300 to limit the horizontal movement of the partition 300. For example, when the partition 300 is squeezed by food, through the setting of the limiting part 130, a certain supporting effect is achieved, and the partition 300 can be effectively prevented from tipping over.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1, FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, specifically, the limiting part 130 includes two spaced limiting protrusions 131, and the gap between the two limiting protrusions 131 forms a second clamping groove 141. When the partition 300 is installed in the accommodation cavity 110, the partition 300 is clamped at the second clamping groove 141, so that the two limiting protrusions 131 can abut against and limit the partition 300, and the second clamping groove 141 can fix the partition 300. For example, when the partition 300 is squeezed by food, through the setting of the limiting protrusions 131 and the second clamping groove 141, a certain supporting effect is achieved, and the partition 300 can be effectively prevented from tipping over.

[0051] Further, when the grill 200 is installed in the accommodation cavity 110, the grill 200 can just abut against the limiting protrusion 131, so that the limiting protrusion 131 can limit the horizontal movement of the grill 200. Thus, by abutting the limiting part 130 against the grill 200, the horizontal movement of the grill 200 can be restricted. By limiting the grill 200, the risk that the grill 200 slides out of the accommodation cavity 110 when the user dumps food is reduced. Furthermore, the limiting protrusion 131 is located below the grill 200 to support and limit the grill 200. The limiting protrusion 131 can be made by stamping process.

[0052] Referring to Figures 3 and 5 , in one embodiment, the sidewall of the accommodating chamber 110 is configured with an inlet groove 142. During installation of the partition 300, the partition 300 slides along the inlet groove 142 until it engages with the second engaging groove 141. The inlet groove 142 guides the installation of the partition 300 and also limits the position of the partition 300, thereby improving the reliability of the partition 300 installation within the accommodating chamber 110. Specifically, the sidewall of the accommodating chamber 110 is configured with two spaced-apart ribs, and the gap between the two ribs forms the inlet groove 142.

[0053] Referring to Figures 1 and 3 to 6, in one embodiment, the sidewall of the accommodating cavity 110 is configured with a first engaging portion 120; the grill 200 is provided with a second engaging portion 210, which can engage with the first engaging portion 120 to restrict the grill 200 within the accommodating cavity 110. By providing the second engaging portion 210 on the grill 200 to engage with the first engaging portion 120 on the barrel body 100, the grill 200 is restricted and fixed within the accommodating cavity 110. In this way, when the user pours food, the possibility of the high-temperature grill 200 escaping from the accommodating cavity 110 can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of the high-temperature grill 200 sliding out of the accommodating cavity 110 and scalding the user, thereby improving the safety of the air fryer and thus enhancing the user experience. Specifically, the first clamping portion 120 and the second clamping portion 210 can be made of a flexible material such as silicone. Through this arrangement, when the grill 200 is installed in the accommodating cavity 110, the first clamping portion 120 and the second clamping portion 210 can produce adaptive elastic deformation, thereby facilitating the installation of the grill 200; at the same time, it can also reduce the risk of scratching the cavity coating when the second clamping portion 210 contacts the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity 110.

[0054] Referring to Figures 1 and 4 to 6 , in one embodiment, one of the first engaging portion 120 and the second engaging portion 210 is configured with a first engaging protrusion 121, and the other is configured with a first engaging groove 211 for engaging with the first engaging protrusion 121. For example, the first engaging protrusion 121 is provided on the sidewall of the accommodating chamber 110, and the first engaging groove 211 is provided on the sidewall of the grill 200. The grill 200 is retained within the accommodating chamber 110 through the concave-convex engagement between the first engaging protrusion 121 and the first engaging groove 211. It is understood that the positions of the first engaging protrusion 121 and the first engaging groove 211 can be interchanged, i.e., the first engaging protrusion 121 can be provided on the sidewall of the grill 200, and the first engaging groove 211 can be provided on the sidewall of the accommodating chamber 110.

[0055] Referring to Figures 4 to 6 , in one embodiment, the second engaging portion 210 includes a first engaging section 212 and a second engaging section 213 arranged from top to bottom. The first engaging section 212 is horizontally recessed relative to the second engaging section 213, forming a first engaging groove 211. Correspondingly, the first engaging portion 120 is configured with a first engaging protrusion 121. When the grill 200 is installed in the accommodating cavity 110, the first engaging protrusion 121 overlaps the second engaging section 213 and abuts the wall of the first engaging groove 211. This prevents the grill 200 from moving away from the accommodating cavity 110 when the user is pouring food, thereby improving user safety.

[0056] Referring to Figures 1 and 3 , in one embodiment, multiple groups of first and second engaging portions 120, 210 are provided along the circumference of the accommodating cavity 110. At least two first engaging portions 120 are located at the ends of the sidewalls of the accommodating cavity 110, and at least two first engaging portions 120 are located in the middle of the sidewalls of the accommodating cavity 110. It will be appreciated that the position and number of the first engaging portions 120 match those of the second engaging portions 210, and that both the front and rear sidewalls of the accommodating cavity 110 are provided with the aforementioned first engaging portions 120. The interlocking engagement of multiple groups of first and second engaging portions 120, 210, further enhances the reliability of the positioning of the grill 200.

[0057] As shown in Figures 1 and 3 , when more than two grills 200 can be placed in the accommodating cavity 110, the second clamping portions 210 can be arranged along the circumference of the grills 200. For example, one set of second clamping portions 210 can be located at the corners of the grill 200, while another set of second clamping portions 210 can be located at the ends of the grill 200, that is, near the corners. By arranging one set of second clamping portions 210 at the ends rather than all at the corners, the possibility of interference between the second clamping portions 210 of the two grills 200 when placed side by side can be reduced, thereby maximizing the cooking space of the accommodating cavity 110.

[0058] 1 and 6 , in one embodiment, one of the grill 200 and the second engaging portion 210 is configured with an inserting post 214, while the other is configured with an inserting hole 220 for inserting and mating with the inserting post 214. For example, in this embodiment, the grill 200 is configured with the inserting hole 220, and the second engaging portion 210 is configured with the inserting post 214. The second engaging portion 210 is secured to the grill 200 through the inserting and mating of the inserting post 214 and the inserting hole 220. It is understood that the positions of the inserting post 214 and the inserting hole 220 can be interchanged, i.e., the inserting post 214 can be disposed on the grill 200, while the inserting hole 220 can be disposed on the second engaging portion 210.

[0059] As shown in FIG1 , the frying tub 10 is further provided with a handle 180 . The handle 180 facilitates the user to move the frying tub 10 . In addition, the handle 180 can also play a role in preventing scalding to a certain extent.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 , an embodiment of the present application also provides an air fryer, comprising a housing 400 and a frying bucket 10 of any of the aforementioned embodiments detachably connected to the housing 400 .

[0061] As will be appreciated, the heating element 410 is also included. Since the heating element 410 is generally located in the center of the grill 200, the center area of ​​the grill 200 is closer to the heating element 410, resulting in a higher temperature in the center area. This makes accumulated oil in the center area susceptible to thermal decomposition and the production of oil smoke. By providing an oil guide groove 170 below the partition 300 between the two grills 200, the accumulated oil in the center area is directed to the edge areas farther from the heating element 410. The temperature in these edge areas is lower, making them less likely to produce oil smoke. This reduces the production of oil smoke, thereby reducing its impact on the taste of cooked food and the health of the user, thereby improving the user experience.

[0062] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, in some embodiments, the heating element 410 can be located above or below the grill 200. The vertical projection of the oil guide groove 170, i.e., its projection on a horizontal plane, does not overlap with the vertical projection of the heating element 410. This means that the oil guide groove 170 is located farther from the heating element 410, making it less likely to generate fumes. This reduces the generation of fumes, thereby lessening their impact on the taste of cooked food and the health of the user, thereby improving the user experience.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 to 9, there are at least two heating elements 410, with the first portion 171 of the oil guide groove 170 located between two adjacent heating elements 410, and the second portion 172 of the oil guide groove 170 located outside the heating element 410. Obviously, the oil guide groove 170 is farther away from the heating element 410, making it less likely to generate oil smoke. This can reduce the generation of oil smoke, thereby reducing the impact of oil smoke on the taste of cooked food and the health of the user, thereby improving the user experience.

[0064] In some embodiments, the air fryer also includes a fan assembly. It is understood that the housing includes space for mounting the fan assembly and a heater. The frying tub is mounted on the housing, separate from the housing, and is used to hold food, forming a cooking space. The heater is used to heat the air, and the fan assembly is used to deliver the heated air into the frying tub to heat the food inside. Furthermore, the fan assembly includes a bidirectional motor. When the motor rotates in a first direction, the hot air flows in a predetermined direction; when the motor rotates in the other direction, the hot air flows in the opposite direction. This allows the direction of the wind in the frying tub to be changed by rotating the motor forward and reverse, allowing the air to heat the food from both sides. In practice, the motor's operating mode can be appropriately set so that the motor rotates alternately forward and reverse, ensuring uniform heating of the food and ensuring a consistent texture.

[0065] Furthermore, the fan assembly is a cross-flow fan, and a volute is provided outside the cross-flow fan. The cross-flow fan and the volute cooperate to ensure sufficient air volume when the motor rotates in both directions. Furthermore, the volute is provided with a volute tongue, which can further optimize the air duct of the volute and make the volute more efficient in guiding air.

[0066] Furthermore, a flow guide plate is installed at the end of the volute that connects to the fryer vat. When air is discharged from the bottom and returned to the upper middle section, the flow guide plate further guides the air, allowing it to quickly return to the volute along a predetermined trajectory for the next circulation. Furthermore, the flow guide plate divides the inlet section of the volute into two channels in the vertical direction: the upper channel is used to return air near the top of the fryer vat, and the lower channel is used to return air from the lower half of the fryer vat. Especially when the fryer's inlet channel is located on the other side of the vortex, the air guide partition allows air to flow back through the lower channel before reaching the top. Specifically, due to the presence of the lower channel, air on the side of the fryer away from the vortex will be tilted toward the vortex under the influence of the lower channel, and then flow back through the lower channel, rather than flowing directly to the top of the fryer due to inertia. This regulates the flow path of hot air within the fryer, thereby accelerating air circulation efficiency on the one hand and allowing more hot air to flow through the surface of the food on the vortex side to complete heating, thus compensating for the problem of insufficient heating of food on the vortex side. In the specific design, the connection between the vortex and the fryer can be reasonably set so that air that has passed through the food can quickly flow back through the lower channel, thereby reducing the amount of air flowing to the top of the cooking chamber.

[0067] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0068] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A frying bucket, used in an air fryer, wherein: The frying barrel comprises: A barrel body (100), wherein the barrel body (100) is configured with a receiving cavity (110); at least two grills (200), the grills (200) being detachably disposed in the accommodating cavity (110); at least one partition (300), the partition (300) being detachably disposed between two adjacent grills; An oil guide groove (170) is constructed on the bottom wall of the accommodating cavity (110), and a first portion (171) of the oil guide groove (170) is located below the partition (300).

2. The frying vat according to claim 1, wherein: The second portion (172) of the oil guide groove (170) is located on the peripheral side of the grill (200).

3. The frying vat according to claim 2, wherein: The first portion (171) and the second portion (172) are communicated with each other.

4. The frying vat according to claim 1, wherein: A side wall or a bottom wall of the accommodating cavity (110) is structured with a limiting portion (130), and the limiting portion (130) is used to abut against the partition (300) to limit the movement of the partition (300) in the horizontal direction.

5. The frying vat according to claim 4, wherein: The limiting portion (130) comprises two limiting protrusions (131) arranged at intervals.

6. The frying vat according to claim 4, wherein: At least a portion of the limiting portion (130) abuts against the grill (200) to limit movement of the grill (200) along the horizontal direction.

7. The frying vat according to claim 4, wherein: The limiting portion (130) is located below the grill (200).

8. The frying vat according to claim 4, wherein: The limiting portion (130) is formed by a stamping process.

9. The frying vat according to claim 1, wherein: The side wall of the accommodating cavity (110) is configured with a first clamping portion (120); and the grill (200) is provided with a second clamping portion (210) that is clamped and matched with the first clamping portion (120).

10. The frying vat according to claim 9, wherein: One of the first clamping portion (120) and the second clamping portion (210) is configured with a first clamping protrusion (121), and the other is configured with a first clamping groove (211) for clamping and cooperating with the first clamping protrusion (121).

11. The frying vat according to claim 9, wherein: At least two of the first clamping portions (120) are located at the end portions of the side wall of the accommodating cavity (110), and at least two of the first clamping portions (120) are located in the middle portion of the side wall of the accommodating cavity (110).

12. An air fryer, wherein: A frying vat (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 comprises a housing (400) and the housing (400) detachably connected to the housing (400).

13. The air fryer according to claim 12, wherein: The air fryer comprises a heating element (410), and a vertical projection of the oil guide groove (170) does not overlap with a vertical projection of the heating element (410).

14. The air fryer according to claim 13, wherein: There are at least two heating elements (410), and the first portion of the oil guide groove (170) is located between adjacent heating elements (410).

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