Camera mechanism and cooking appliance

Abstract

A camera mechanism (10) and a cooking appliance (100). The camera mechanism (10) comprises a camera assembly (14) and a protection assembly (12). The protection assembly (12) is provided on the light incident side of the camera assembly (14). The protection assembly (12) comprises a support (16) and a microwave shielding member (18). The microwave shielding member (18) is provided around the circumferential side surface of the support (16). The microwave shielding member (18) is configured to prevent microwave leakage between the support (16) and the inner wall of an opening of a cavity body (74) of a cooking cavity (72) of the cooking appliance (100).

Description

Camera mechanisms and cooking appliances

[0001] Priority information

[0002] This application claims priority and benefits to patent application No. 202420987704.1, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on May 8, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of cooking appliance technology, and in particular to a camera mechanism and a cooking appliance. Background Technology

[0004] With the rise of IoT technology, digital cooking is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. By adding a camera function to a steam oven, more practical functions can be added, such as identifying ingredients before cooking, recognizing doneness during cooking, and sharing videos of the cooking process after cooking.

[0005] However, when a steam oven with microwave heating function is equipped with a camera, microwave leakage may occur due to the opening in the cooking cavity to install the camera, thus creating risks and hazards. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a camera mechanism and a cooking appliance to solve at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0007] This application provides a camera mechanism for a cooking appliance. The camera mechanism includes a camera assembly and a protective assembly. The protective assembly is disposed on the light-incident side of the camera assembly. The protective assembly includes a bracket and a microwave shield. The microwave shield is disposed around the circumferential side of the bracket and is configured to shield microwave leakage between the bracket and the inner wall of the cavity opening of the cooking cavity of the cooking appliance.

[0008] The aforementioned camera mechanism has a microwave shielding component arranged around the circumferential side of the bracket. This shields against microwave leakage between the bracket and the inner wall of the opening in the cooking cavity of the cooking appliance, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the camera mechanism and preventing microwave leakage, thus guaranteeing the safe use of the cooking appliance.

[0009] In some embodiments, the bracket includes a first bracket and a second bracket, the camera assembly is mounted on the second bracket, the first bracket secures the second bracket to the cavity of the cooking chamber, and the microwave shield is disposed between the second bracket and the cavity and in direct contact with the outer wall of the cavity.

[0010] In some embodiments, the protective component includes a light-transmitting element, the camera component includes a camera and a camera bracket, the camera is mounted on the camera bracket, the camera bracket is mounted on a second bracket, the second bracket has a first through hole, the first bracket includes a first connecting cylinder, the second bracket includes a receiving groove, the receiving groove is sleeved on the first connecting cylinder, the light-transmitting element is received in the first connecting cylinder, and the camera module is used to collect light through the first through hole and the light-transmitting element.

[0011] In some embodiments, the diameter of the first through hole ranges from 0 to 16 mm.

[0012] In some embodiments, the second bracket includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, the first mounting portion is connected to the second mounting portion, the first mounting portion has the receiving groove, the second mounting portion is cylindrical, the camera bracket has a mounting hole, and the second mounting portion passes through the mounting hole to fix the second mounting portion to the camera bracket.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second bracket has a second through hole, and there are multiple second through holes arranged around the first through hole. The diameter of the second through hole is less than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole.

[0014] In some embodiments, the light-transmitting element includes a first light-transmitting element, a second light-transmitting element, and a first sealing element. The first light-transmitting element and the second light-transmitting element are stacked in the first connecting cylinder along a first direction, and the first sealing element is disposed between the first light-transmitting element and the second light-transmitting element so that there is a gap between the first light-transmitting element and the second light-transmitting element.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first connecting cylinder has a fixing portion at its outer periphery away from the second bracket. When the camera mechanism is installed in the cavity of the cooking appliance, the first connecting cylinder passes through the opening of the cavity, the fixing portion abuts against the inner wall of the cavity, and the fixing portion has a sealing groove. The first bracket includes a second sealing member. When the camera mechanism is installed in the cavity of the cooking appliance, the second sealing member is accommodated between the sealing groove and the inner wall surface of the cavity.

[0016] In some embodiments, the camera bracket includes a base and a cover plate, the cover plate covering the base to form a housing space for the camera, the base having an air inlet and an air outlet, the camera mechanism also including a fan and a heat dissipation duct, the fan and the heat dissipation duct being installed on the outside of the cooking cavity, the fan and the air inlet being connected through the heat dissipation duct.

[0017] One embodiment of this application includes a cooking appliance comprising the camera mechanism described in any of the above embodiments.

[0018] In the aforementioned cooking appliance, the microwave shielding component is arranged around the circumferential side of the bracket. This shields against microwave leakage between the bracket and the inner wall of the cooking cavity opening of the cooking appliance, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the camera mechanism and preventing microwave leakage, thus guaranteeing the safe use of the cooking appliance.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the camera mechanism according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the cooking appliance according to an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the camera mechanism according to an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of the structure of the second support according to an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals for main components: Camera mechanism 10, Protective component 12, Camera assembly 14, Bracket 16, Microwave shield 18, First bracket 20, Second bracket 22, Light-transmitting component 23, First connecting cylinder 24, Receiving groove 26, Camera 28, Camera bracket 30, First through hole 34, First mounting part 36, Second mounting part 38, Mounting hole 40, Second through hole 42, First light-transmitting component 44, Second light-transmitting component 46, First sealing component 48, Fixing part 52, Sealing groove 54, Second sealing component 55, Base 56, Air inlet 60, Air outlet 62, Fan 66, Heat dissipation duct 68, Heat insulation plate 70, Cooking cavity 72, Cavity 74, Cooking appliance 100. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0027] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the embodiments of this application. To simplify the disclosure of the embodiments of this application, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Reference numerals and / or reference letters may be repeated in different examples of the embodiments of this application; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. Furthermore, the embodiments of this application provide examples of various specific processes and materials, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0028] With the rise of IoT technology, digital cooking is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. By adding a camera function to a steam oven, more practical functions can be added, such as identifying ingredients before cooking, recognizing doneness during cooking, and sharing videos of the cooking process after cooking.

[0029] However, when a microwave-equipped steam oven is equipped with a camera, microwave leakage may occur due to the opening in the cooking cavity for the camera, posing a risk and hazard.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The camera mechanism 10 of this application embodiment is used in a cooking appliance 100. The camera mechanism 10 includes a camera assembly 14 and a protective assembly 12. The protective assembly 12 is disposed on the light-incident side of the camera assembly 14. The protective assembly 12 includes a bracket 16 and a microwave shield 18. The microwave shield 18 is disposed around the circumferential side of the bracket 16. The microwave shield 18 is configured to shield the microwave leakage between the bracket 16 and the inner wall of the cavity 74 opening of the cooking cavity 72 of the cooking appliance 100.

[0031] The aforementioned camera mechanism 10 and microwave shielding component 18 are arranged around the circumferential side of the bracket 16, which can shield the microwave leakage between the bracket 16 and the inner wall of the cavity 74 opening of the cooking cavity 72 of the cooking appliance 100, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the camera mechanism 10 and preventing microwave leakage, thus ensuring the safe use of the cooking appliance 100.

[0032] Specifically, the cooking appliance 100 includes a cooking cavity 72 for cooking, and a camera mechanism 10 is mounted on the cooking appliance 100. The cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72 has an opening that allows the camera mechanism 10 to capture images of the food inside the cooking cavity 72.

[0033] The protective assembly 12 includes a bracket 16 and a microwave shield 18. The bracket 16 is installed at the opening of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72. The camera assembly 14 is located on the outside of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72 and is mounted on the bracket 16. The microwave shield 18 is arranged around the circumferential side of the bracket 16 and can shield the microwave leakage between the bracket 16 and the inner wall of the opening of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72 of the cooking appliance 100, thereby avoiding the use risks and hazards caused by microwave leakage.

[0034] The bracket 16 is installed at the opening of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72. The microwave shield 18 is arranged around the circumferential side of the bracket 16. The microwave shield 18 can be arranged on the inner side of the cavity 74, or the microwave shield 18 can be arranged on the outer side of the cavity 74.

[0035] In implementing microwave shielding, both the microwave shielding component 18 and the support 16 are made of metal. The metal microwave shielding component 18 can effectively prevent microwave leakage. This is because metal contains a large number of free electrons. When microwaves encounter the metal surface, these free electrons vibrate and absorb the microwave energy, converting it into heat. Simultaneously, the metal also reflects microwaves, further reducing microwave penetration. This combined effect of reflection and absorption ensures that microwaves are primarily confined within the cooking cavity 72 and do not leak to the outside, thus protecting human safety and the safe use of the cooking appliance 100.

[0036] Referring to Figure 1, in some embodiments, the bracket 16 includes a first bracket 20 and a second bracket 22. The camera assembly 14 is mounted on the second bracket 22. The first bracket 20 fixes the second bracket 22 to the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72. The microwave shield 18 is disposed between the second bracket 22 and the cavity 74 and is in direct contact with the outer wall of the cavity 74.

[0037] In this way, the microwave shield 18 is in direct contact with the outer wall of the cavity 74, which can ensure good conductivity between the second support 22 and the cavity 74, so that the second support 22 and the cavity 74 can form an effective microwave shield, ensuring that microwaves cannot leak out from the gaps.

[0038] Specifically, the first bracket 20 is disposed on the inner wall of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72, and the second bracket 22 is disposed on the outer wall of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72. After the first bracket 20 and the second bracket 22 are fixedly connected, the bracket 16 can be fixedly connected to the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72. The camera assembly 14 is fixedly connected to the second bracket 22, so that the camera assembly 14 can be fixedly installed on the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72.

[0039] The microwave shield 18 is disposed between the second support 22 and the cavity 74 and is in direct contact with the outer wall of the cavity 74. This ensures good conductivity between the second support 22 and the cavity 74, allowing the second support 22 and the cavity 74 to form an effective microwave shield, ensuring that microwaves cannot leak out from the gaps in the openings of the cavity 74.

[0040] Optionally, the microwave shield 18 can be disposed between the cavity 74 and the first support 20, and in direct contact with the inner wall of the cavity 74. This also ensures that microwaves cannot leak out from the gaps in the opening of the cavity 74.

[0041] In one embodiment, the microwave shield 18 is a copper mesh gasket, disposed between the second support 22 and the cavity 74, and in direct contact with the outer wall of the cavity 74. This ensures good conductivity between the second support 22 and the cavity 74.

[0042] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3. In some embodiments, the protective component 12 includes a light-transmitting element 23, the camera component 14 includes a camera 28 and a camera bracket 30, the camera 28 is mounted on the camera bracket 30, the camera bracket 30 is mounted on a second bracket 22, the second bracket 22 has a first through hole 34, the first bracket 20 includes a first connecting cylinder 24, the second bracket 22 includes a receiving groove 26, the receiving groove 26 is sleeved on the first connecting cylinder 24, the light-transmitting element 23 is received in the first connecting cylinder 24, and the camera 28 module is used to collect light through the first through hole 34 and the light-transmitting element 23.

[0043] Thus, the protective component 12 is fixed to the opening of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72 of the cooking appliance 100, the camera component 14 is fixed to the second bracket 22, and the camera 28 captures images of the interior of the cavity 74 of the cooking appliance 100 through the first through hole 34 and the light-transmitting element 23.

[0044] Specifically, in order to photograph the food inside the cooking cavity 72, an opening is made in the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72, and the protective component 12 seals the opening. The camera component 14 is installed on the side of the protective component 12 located outside the cooking cavity 72. Thus, the camera component 14 can photograph the inside of the cooking cavity 72 through the protective component 12. The protective component 12 seals the opening to prevent microwave leakage inside the cooking cavity 72 and to isolate the camera component 14 from the high temperature inside the cooking cavity 72.

[0045] The camera assembly 14 includes a camera 28 and a camera bracket 30. The camera 28 is mounted on the camera bracket 30, which is fixedly connected to a second bracket 22. A light-transmitting element 23 is housed within a first connecting cylinder 24 of the first bracket 20. The second bracket 22 has a first through hole 34, through which the camera 28 can capture images of the interior of the cooking cavity 72.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 4. In some embodiments, the diameter of the first through hole 34 ranges from 0 to 16 mm.

[0047] In this way, microwave leakage can be prevented through the first through-hole 34.

[0048] Specifically, the aperture of the first through hole 34 is in the range of (0, 16 mm), allowing the camera module 28 to collect light through the first through hole 34 and the light-transmitting element 23, while preventing microwave leakage. The aperture of the first through hole 34 can be 5 mm, 7 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, or 16 mm, or any other value within the range (0, 16 mm). If the aperture of the first through hole 34 exceeds 16 mm, there may be a risk of microwave leakage.

[0049] It should be noted that the diameter of the first through hole 34 can be the same at every location, i.e., the first through hole 34 is a circular hole. Alternatively, the first through hole 34 can have multiple different diameters, i.e., the first through hole 34 is a square hole or a polygonal hole. In this case, the different diameters of the first through hole 34 need to be within the range (0, 16 mm) to avoid the risk of microwave leakage.

[0050] In one embodiment, the first through hole 34 is a square hole with a diagonal length of less than or equal to 16mm. This prevents microwaves from leaking out of the first through hole 34, and the shape of the square hole matches the shooting range of the camera 28, thus avoiding obstruction of the shooting line of sight.

[0051] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3. In some embodiments, the second bracket 22 includes a first mounting portion 36 and a second mounting portion 38. The first mounting portion 36 is connected to the second mounting portion 38. The first mounting portion 36 has a receiving groove 26. The second mounting portion 38 is cylindrical. The camera bracket 30 has a mounting hole 40. The second mounting portion 38 passes through the mounting hole 40 to fix the second mounting portion 38 to the camera bracket 30.

[0052] In this way, the second bracket 22 transfers heat to the camera bracket 30 only through the second mounting part 38. The amount of heat transferred is small and the heat dissipation is fast, so the heat of the camera assembly 14 will not rise too much.

[0053] Specifically, the second bracket 22 includes a first mounting part 36 and a second mounting part 38. The first mounting part 36 is connected to the second mounting part 38. The first mounting part 36 is fixedly connected to the first bracket 20. The second mounting part 38 is fixedly connected to the camera bracket 30. The second mounting part 38 is cylindrical. The camera bracket 30 has a mounting hole 40. The second mounting part 38 passes through the mounting hole 40 so that the second mounting part 38 is fixedly connected to the camera bracket 30.

[0054] The second mounting portion 38 is cylindrical and is disposed on the first mounting portion 36, extending toward the camera bracket 30 and passing through the mounting hole 40 of the camera bracket 30, and is fixedly connected to the camera bracket 30. The second bracket 22 will heat up rapidly due to contact with the cavity 74 of the cooking chamber 72. However, the second bracket 22 and the camera bracket 30 only contact each other through the mounting hole 40 of the camera bracket 30 via the second mounting portion 38. Therefore, the heat transfer from the second bracket 22 to the camera bracket 30 is relatively slow, which can prevent the camera bracket 30 from overheating.

[0055] Please refer to Figures 4 and 5. In some embodiments, the second bracket 22 has a second through hole 42. There are multiple second through holes 42, which are arranged around the first through hole 34. The diameter of the second through hole 42 is less than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole 34.

[0056] This reduces the amount of heat transferred from the second bracket 22 to the camera bracket 30.

[0057] Specifically, the camera bracket 30 is fixedly connected to the second bracket 22. The second bracket 22 has multiple second through holes 42. Thus, the interior of the second through holes 42 can serve as an air insulation layer, effectively reducing the transfer of heat from the second bracket 22 to the camera bracket 30 along the axial direction of the second through holes 42.

[0058] The second through holes 42 are evenly distributed on the second bracket 22 and are arranged around the first through hole 34, which can ensure uniform heat insulation effect.

[0059] The diameter of the second through hole 42 is smaller than that of the first through hole 34, which can prevent microwave leakage through the second through hole 42.

[0060] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3. In some embodiments, the light-transmitting element 23 includes a first light-transmitting element 44, a second light-transmitting element 46, and a first sealing element 48. The first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 are stacked in the first connecting cylinder 24 along a first direction. The first sealing element 48 is disposed between the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 so that there is a gap between the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46.

[0061] In this way, the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 can reduce the temperature inside the cooking cavity 72 from being transmitted to the camera assembly 14, while the light-transmitting element 23 does not affect the shooting of the camera assembly 14.

[0062] Specifically, the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 are stacked along a first direction within the first connecting cylinder 24, and are separated by a first sealing element 48. Within the first connecting cylinder 24, a sealed cavity 74 can be formed between the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46, achieving air insulation. Thus, the protective assembly 12 can achieve a good heat insulation effect through the two layers of light-transmitting elements 23 and the sealed cavity 74 between them.

[0063] The first direction is the up-down direction shown in the figure.

[0064] The materials of the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 include, but are not limited to, glass, acrylic sheet, glass fiber reinforced plastic or other artificial light-transmitting materials.

[0065] In one embodiment, the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 are low-emissivity (Low-E) glass. Low-E glass has a low emissivity on its surface, which can reduce heat transfer and achieve better heat insulation effect.

[0066] Referring to Figures 1 and 3, in some embodiments, the first connecting cylinder 24 has a fixing part 52 on its outer periphery away from the second bracket 22. When the camera mechanism 10 is installed in the cavity 74 of the cooking chamber 72 of the cooking appliance 100, the first connecting cylinder 24 passes through the opening of the cavity 74, the fixing part 52 abuts against the inner wall of the cavity 74, and the fixing part 52 has a sealing groove 54. The first bracket 20 includes a second sealing member 55. When the camera mechanism 10 is installed in the cavity 74 of the cooking chamber 72 of the cooking appliance 100, the second sealing member 55 is accommodated between the sealing groove 54 and the inner wall surface of the cavity 74.

[0067] In this way, the opening of the protective component 12 in the cavity 74 can be sealed to prevent steam leakage from the cooking cavity 72.

[0068] Specifically, in the steam mode of the cooking appliance 100, the opening may cause steam leakage. When the camera mechanism 10 is installed in the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72 of the cooking appliance 100, the first bracket 20 contacts the inner wall surface of the cavity 74, and the second bracket 22 contacts the outer wall surface of the cavity 74. A second sealing element 55 is provided between the contact surfaces of the first bracket and the cavity 74, which can seal the opening of the cavity 74 when the first bracket 20 is fixedly connected to the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72, thus preventing steam leakage from the cooking cavity 72.

[0069] Optionally, the second seal 55 is a high-temperature resistant silicone sealing ring, which ensures a long service life for the seal and avoids seal failure and steam leakage.

[0070] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. In some embodiments, the camera bracket 30 includes a base 56 and a cover plate (not shown). The cover plate covers the base 56 to form a housing space for the camera 28. The base 56 has an air inlet 60 and an air outlet 62. The camera mechanism 10 also includes a fan 66 and a heat dissipation duct 68. The fan 66 and the heat dissipation duct 68 are installed on the outside of the cooking cavity 72. The fan 66 and the air inlet 60 are connected through the heat dissipation duct 68.

[0071] In this way, by sending air to the camera assembly 14 through the fan 66, the camera assembly 14 can be effectively cooled.

[0072] Specifically, the camera bracket 30 has an air inlet 60 and an air outlet 62. The air inlet 60 is connected to the fan 66 through a heat dissipation duct 68. When the fan 66 is running, it can send air into the heat dissipation duct 68. The cool air flows through the air inlet 60 and the air outlet 62 within the camera bracket 30, which can cool the camera assembly 14 and prevent the camera assembly 14 from overheating, thus affecting its service life.

[0073] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3. In some embodiments, the camera mechanism 10 includes a heat insulation plate 70, the camera assembly 14 is mounted on a second bracket 22, the second bracket 22 is fixedly connected to the camera bracket 30, and the heat insulation plate 70 is disposed between the second bracket 22 and the camera bracket 30.

[0074] This prevents the camera assembly 14 from overheating when the heating element heats the protective assembly 12.

[0075] Specifically, the camera bracket 30 and the second bracket 22 are fixedly connected. The heating element is sleeved on the second bracket 22, and during heating, the temperature is transferred from the second bracket 22 to the first bracket 20 and the light-transmitting element 23. The heat insulation plate 70 is disposed between the second bracket 22 and the camera bracket 30, which can significantly reduce the temperature transfer to the camera assembly 14 after the heating element heats up, thereby ensuring that the camera assembly 14 is in a relatively constant and suitable working state.

[0076] In one embodiment, the heat insulation plate 70 is a mica sheet. Mica sheets have excellent heat insulation properties and can effectively block heat transfer, thereby maintaining a stable internal temperature. In addition, mica sheets have good high-temperature resistance and can stably insulate heat for a long time without damage in high-temperature environments, making them suitable for cooking appliances 100 that operate at high temperatures.

[0077] In summary, when the camera mechanism 10 of this application is installed in the cooking appliance 100, the protective component 12 can insulate the camera component 14 from heat and prevent steam and microwave leakage, while the camera mechanism 10 can dissipate heat to ensure that the camera 28 operates within the allowable operating temperature range.

[0078] The heat insulation function is achieved through the following two means: 1. Heat insulation is achieved through the first light-transmitting element 44, the second light-transmitting element 46, and the air insulation layer between them, which can effectively prevent the heat in the cooking cavity from being transferred to the camera assembly 14; 2. By setting a heat insulation plate 70 between the second bracket 22 and the camera bracket 30, the heat of the bracket 16 can be effectively prevented from being transferred to the camera assembly 14; 3. A second mounting part 38 in the shape of an elongated cylindrical platform is provided, which can increase thermal resistance and reduce the heat transferred to the end of the second mounting part 38, while cooling the second mounting part 38 by blowing air. The end temperature of the second mounting part 38 is low, and the camera bracket 30 will not melt or deform due to contact with the second mounting part 38 and fail; 4. A second through hole 42 for heat dissipation is provided on the second bracket 22, which can effectively reduce the heat transferred through the second bracket 22 to the center of the second bracket 22 (i.e., the position in contact with the camera), thereby effectively reducing the temperature of the camera.

[0079] The function of preventing steam leakage is achieved by providing a first sealing element 48 between the first light-transmitting element 44 and the second light-transmitting element 46 and a second sealing element 55 between the first bracket 20 and the cavity 74.

[0080] By setting up a microwave shield 18 and limiting the diameter of the first through hole 34 and the second through hole 42 on the second bracket 22, the function of preventing microwave leakage is achieved.

[0081] By setting an air inlet 60 and an air outlet 62 on the camera bracket 30, and connecting the air inlet 60 and the fan 66 through a heat dissipation duct 68, cold air enters from the air inlet to dissipate heat for the control board chip and image sensor of the camera 28, ensuring that the image sensor operates within the allowable operating temperature range.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 2. A cooking appliance 100 according to an embodiment of this application includes a camera mechanism 10 of any of the above embodiments.

[0083] The aforementioned cooking appliance 100, together with the protective component 12 and the cooking cavity 72 and 74, constitutes a microwave shield, which can prevent microwave leakage, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the camera mechanism 10 and preventing microwave leakage, thus ensuring the safe use of the cooking appliance 100.

[0084] Specifically, the cooking appliance 100 includes a cooking cavity 72 for cooking, and a camera mechanism 10 is mounted on the cooking appliance 100. The cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72 has an opening that allows the camera mechanism 10 to capture images of the food inside the cooking cavity 72.

[0085] The camera mechanism 10 can be installed on the top of the cooking appliance 100 or on any side of the cavity 74 of the cooking cavity 72.

[0086] Preferably, the camera mechanism 10 is mounted on the top of the cooking appliance 100, so that the shooting angle of the camera mechanism 10 is consistent with the viewing angle observed by the user through the observation window on the door of the cooking appliance 100, which is convenient for the user to observe, and the state of the food can be clearly and completely captured from this viewing angle.

[0087] It should be noted that the above explanation of the implementation method and beneficial effects of the camera mechanism 10 also applies to the cooking appliance 100 of the present application. To avoid redundancy, it will not be elaborated in detail here.

[0088] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions 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 one or more embodiments or examples.

[0089] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A camera mechanism for use in a cooking appliance, characterized in that, The camera mechanism includes a camera assembly and a protective assembly. The protective assembly is located on the light-incident side of the camera assembly. The protective assembly includes a bracket and a microwave shield. The microwave shield is arranged around the circumferential side of the bracket and is configured to shield microwave leakage between the bracket and the inner wall of the cavity opening of the cooking cavity of the cooking appliance.

2. The camera mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bracket includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The camera assembly is mounted on the second bracket. The first bracket fixes the second bracket to the cavity of the cooking chamber. The microwave shield is disposed between the second bracket and the cavity and is in direct contact with the outer wall of the cavity.

3. The camera mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The protective component includes a light-transmitting element, the camera component includes a camera and a camera bracket, the camera is mounted on the camera bracket, the camera bracket is mounted on a second bracket, the second bracket has a first through hole, the first bracket includes a first connecting cylinder, the second bracket includes a receiving groove, the receiving groove is sleeved on the first connecting cylinder, the light-transmitting element is received in the first connecting cylinder, and the camera module is used to collect light through the first through hole and the light-transmitting element.

4. The camera mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The diameter of the first through hole ranges from 0 to 16 mm.

5. The camera mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The second bracket includes a first mounting part and a second mounting part. The first mounting part is connected to the second mounting part. The first mounting part has the receiving groove. The second mounting part is cylindrical. The camera bracket has a mounting hole. The second mounting part passes through the mounting hole to fix the second mounting part to the camera bracket.

6. The camera mechanism according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The second bracket has a second through hole, and there are multiple second through holes arranged around the first through hole. The diameter of the second through hole is less than or equal to the diameter of the first through hole.

7. The camera mechanism according to any one of claims 3-6, characterized in that, The light-transmitting element includes a first light-transmitting element, a second light-transmitting element, and a first sealing element. The first light-transmitting element and the second light-transmitting element are stacked in the first connecting cylinder along a first direction. The first sealing element is disposed between the first light-transmitting element and the second light-transmitting element so that there is a gap between the first light-transmitting element and the second light-transmitting element.

8. The camera mechanism according to any one of claims 3-7, characterized in that, The first connecting tube has a fixing part on its outer periphery away from the second bracket. When the camera mechanism is installed in the cavity of the cooking appliance, the first connecting tube passes through the opening of the cavity. The fixing part abuts against the inner wall of the cavity. The fixing part has a sealing groove. The first bracket includes a second sealing member. When the camera mechanism is installed in the cavity of the cooking appliance, the second sealing member is accommodated between the sealing groove and the inner wall surface of the cavity.

9. The camera mechanism according to any one of claims 2-8, characterized in that, The camera bracket includes a base and a cover plate. The cover plate covers the base to form a housing space for the camera. The base has an air inlet and an air outlet. The camera mechanism also includes a fan and a heat dissipation duct. The fan and the heat dissipation duct are installed on the outside of the cooking cavity. The fan and the air inlet are connected through the heat dissipation duct.

10. A cooking appliance, characterized in that, Includes the camera mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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