AU2015268716A1 - Multi-Function Induction Cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

An embodiment of a multi-function induction cooker comprising: a left body with a left upper cover and a corresponding lower left cover, herein a left supporting board for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the left upper cover, a left electromagnetic induction component is disposed inside the chamber between the left upper cover and the left lower cover; a right body connected on the right side of the left body, and the right body can be returned on the upper surface of the left body to be a folded status, or on a unfolded status; wherein a status switching device for switching the folded status and the unfolded status is disposed on the left body or the right body, and said status switching device can switch the power proportion between the two bodies in folded status or unfolded status. The multi function induction cooker of the embodiment of the present invention has the following function: the food can be heated both from the top and from the bottom, pans can be heated on both the two surfaces at the same time, the temperature detecting is precise, and the operation is convenient.

Description

MULTI-FUNCTION INDUCTION COOKER TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an induction cooker, more particularly, to a multi-function induction cooker which is foldable and can heat the food by double surfaces. BACKGROUND ART [0002] The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. [0003] Induction cooker is one of the electric family appliance, many types of induction cooker are sold in market, however, the heating surface(s) of traditional induction cookers with one or more heating surfaces is/are in a plate, and the food only can be heated by one surface. Additionally, traditional cookers with one or more heating surfaces are heated by heat conduction or heat radiation of the electric tube, thus the pans or heating plates have lower heating effect, lower power effect and long pre-heating time. Because of the contacting heating conduction, the pans or the heating plates of traditional cookers are easy to be distorted, and then lower the heating speed and the food is cooked un-uniformity. [0004] Besides the above disadvantages, the induction cookers in market usually have no temperature detecting function; or some may have detecting function, but because the temperature detecting device is embedded under the heating board, while the heating board is usually made by low thermal conduction material such as crystallite glass, so the temperature detecting is not precise. On the other side, to make the best of time, we usually need to simmer (such as bone soup) and quick cooking (such as fried dish) at the same time in making food, traditional cooker with double heating surfaces needs to have a heating device and an operational device on each side respectively, in use, the operation device must be operated respectively, the operation is fussy. So both the induction cookers and traditional cookers have many defect. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0005] Embodiments of the present invention seek to provide a multi-function induction cooker to obviate the above disadvantages in background to at least some extent, or to provide the user with a useful or commercial choice. By structure and electric design, the multi-function induction cooker of an embodiment of the present invention has the following function: the food can be heated both from the top and from the bottom, pans can be heated on both the two surfaces at the same time, the temperature detecting is precise, and the operation is convenient. [0006] In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-function induction cooker comprising: a left body with a left upper cover and a corresponding lower left cover, herein a left supporting board for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the left upper cover, a left electromagnetic induction component is disposed inside the chamber between the left upper cover and the left lower cover; a right body connected on the right side of the left body, and the right body can be returned on the upper surface of the left body to be a folded status, or on a unfolded status; the right body has a right upper cover and a corresponding lower right cover, herein a right supporting board for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the right upper cover, a right electromagnetic induction component is disposed inside the chamber between the right upper cover and the right power cover; wherein a status switching device for switching the folded status and the unfolded status is disposed on the left body or the right body, and said status switching device can switch the power proportion between the two bodies in folded status or unfolded status. [0007] Preferably, said status switching device comprises a status switch and magnet coils disposed in the two bodies. [0008] Preferably, said magnet coils comprises at least three coils, wherein the first coil is disposed in a body, the second and third coil are disposed in the other body, on the first connecting status, the switch is selectively connect one of the second or third coil to the first coil, on the second connecting status, three coils are connected in series. [0009] Preferably, said status switch is disposed in or about the connecting portion between the left body and the right body, in unfolded status, the switch is pressed down by the right body, in folded status, the switch is released, thus to switch the first connecting status and the second connecting status. [0010] Preferably, at least one of the body is disposed with an exposed temperature detector, said temperature detector is pass through the upper cover and the supporting board. [0011] Preferably, said left body and right body have pan fixing device. [0012] Preferably, said pan fixing device is several clamping hooks disposed on the flange of the upper surface of the body. [0013] Advantages of embodiments of the present invention include: (1) heating by double surfaces, traditional electric heating tube is replaced by electromagnetic induction, which has high effect and short heating time.

(2) the two heating surfaces can be folded to be an appliance which can heat the food both from top and bottom sides (such as in cooking cake or grilling meat), or unfolded to be an appliance which can be place pans both on left and right side in a time. By add a status switching switch, the power proportion between the two bodies in folded status or unfolded status can by automatically switched, then in grilling the food can be heated uniformly both from the top and the bottom, and in unfolded status, one body can quick cooking and the other body simmer ate the same time. (3) the two heating surfaces are controlled by one control and driving circuit, thus the circuit and structure cost can be reduced. (4) the power and heating area of the two surfaces can be distributed to obtain better heating condition by electric and circuit design. (5) compared to traditional product heated by heating contacting conduct, in embodiments the present invention is heated by induction and is not by contacting, and by detachable pan, the pan of embodiments of the present invention is easy to be separated and cleaned, heating effect is stable even if the pan is distorted, and the pan can be selected according to different use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0015] FIG.1 is the perspective view in unfolded status of an embodiment of the present invention; [0016] FIG.2 is a sectional view in unfolded status of the embodiment of the present invention; [0017] FIG.3 is a perspective view in folded status of the embodiment of the present invention; [0018] FIG.4 is a front view in folded status of the embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG.5 is one circuit of the embodiment of the present invention; [0020] FIG.6 is another circuit of the embodiment of the present invention; [0021] Reference numbers in these figures denoting parts of the embodiment described are as follows: 1/left body 11 left upper cover 12 left lower cover 13 left electromagnetic component 14 left supporting board 15 angle adjusting mechanism 16 PCB 17 fan 18 angle adjusting board 2/right body 21 right upper cover 22 right lower cover 23 right electromagnetic component 24 right supporting board 25 handle 26 fixing device for pan 3/operation board 4 fold-unfolded status switching switch 5 rotating shaft 6 exposed temperature detector DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [0022] Referring to FIG.1 to FIG.4, a multi-function induction cooker of an embodiment of the present invention comprises a left body 1 and a right body 2. [0023] The left body 1 has a left upper cover 11 and a corresponding lower left cover 12, a left supporting board 14 for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the left upper cover 11, a left electromagnetic induction component 13 is disposed inside the chamber between the left upper cover 11 and the left lower cover 12; the left electromagnetic induction component 13 is a electromagnetic coil for inducting the ferromagnetism material. The electrify in the coil will produce variation of the magnetic flux, then eddy current will be produced in the pan to heating the food. A PCB 16 for control power, time and temperature and a fan for dispersing heating inside the chamber are disposed inside the chamber. [0024] An operating board 3 for setting the cooking time and temperature is disposed on one side of the top of the left body 1. [0025] An angle adjusting board 18 and an angle adjusting mechanism 15 are disposed on the lower surface 12 of the left body on the side near the right body 2. A status switching board 4 for switching the power between the two bodies in folded and unfolded status is disposed on the angle adjusting board 18. Additionally, the angle adjusting board 18 and the status switching board 4 can support the right body 2 in unfolded status. [0026] In the center of the left body 1, an exposed temperature detector 6 is protruded out the supporting board 14 for detecting the temperature of the pan directly, thus the temperature detecting is more precious compared to the traditional way to embedded the detector under the supporting board. [0027] The right body 2 is pivotally connected on one side of the left body 1 by a pivot 5, and the right body has a right upper cover and a corresponding lower right cover, herein a right supporting board for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the right upper cover, a right induction component is disposed inside the chamber between the right upper cover and the right power cover; the right induction component 14 is a electromagnetic coil for inducting the ferromagnetism material. The electrify in the coil will produce variation of the magnetic flux, then eddy current will be produced in the pan to heating the food. [0028] A handle 25 is disposed on the right side of the right body 2, and the right portion of the right body 2 is supported by the handle 25 in unfolded status. [0029] Several clamping hooks 26 are disposed on the left and right body respectively for fixing the pan, and then the pan can be detachably connected on the bodies. The pans are made by ferromagnetism material, such as metal-alloy or stainless steel etc. [0030] The circuits of the embodiment of the present invention are shown in FIG.5 and FIG.6, the coil Li is embedded in a heating surface, such as left body 1, and the coils L2A and L2B are embedded in the other heating surface, such as right body 2, then the power distribution between the two heating surface can be changed by switching: (1) referring to FIG.3, FIG.4 and FIG.5, the two bodies are folded to be a grilling device, by controlling the circuit, the two heating surfaces can obtain 50% power of the total power, thus the food can be heated both from the top and from the bottom. the switching position is shown in FIG.5 in grilling, the power of the upper heating surface=IH (total power)*L1/(L1+L2B) the power of the lower heating surface=IH (total power)*L2B/(Ll +L2B), herein the Ll=L2B make Li =L2B, then the power of the lower surface and the upper surface are the same, thus is meet the requirement of double-surface heating in grilling. (2) referring to FIG.1, FIG.2 and FIG.6, the two bodies are folded to be a grilling device, by controlling the circuit, the two heating surfaces can obtain 75% power and 25% power of the total power respectively(the power distribution can be set by electric design), thus a surface can be used for quick cooking and the other can be used for simmer at the same time. The switching position is shown in FIG.6, herein the switching position is the position of fold-unfolded status switching switch 4. In unfolded status the switch 4 is pressed by the weight of the right body 2, and in folded status the switch 4 is released, thus to switch the status of the bodies. the equivalent power of the right heating surface=L2A+LaB+Lm (Lm=mutual inductance induced between L2A and L2B) the power of the left heating surface=IH (total power)*L1/(L1+L2A+L2B+Lm), the power of the right heating surface=IH (total power)*(L2A+L2B+Lm) /(L1 +L2A+L2B+Lm) make L1=L2B, then the power of the right surface will higher than the power of the left surface, and by adjusting the number of turns of L2B, then the L2B and the Lm will be changed to adjusting the power distribution between the two heating surfaces for meeting requirements such as a surface is used for quick cooking and the other is used for simmer at the same time. [0031] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not with detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. [0032] Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. [0033] Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims (8)

1. A multi-function induction cooker comprising: a left body with a left upper cover and a corresponding lower left cover, herein a left supporting board for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the left upper cover, a left electromagnetic induction component is disposed inside the chamber between the left upper cover and the left lower cover; a right body connected on the right side of the left body, and the right body can be returned on the upper surface of the left body to be a folded status, or on a unfolded status; the right body has a right upper cover and a corresponding lower right cover, herein a right supporting board for supporting the heating plate is disposed on the right upper cover, a right electromagnetic induction component is disposed inside the chamber between the right upper cover and the right power cover wherein a status switching device for switching the folded status and the unfolded status is disposed on the left body or the right body, and said status switching device can switch the power proportion between the two bodies in folded status or unfolded status.

2. The multi-function induction cooker according to claim 1, wherein said status switching device comprises a status switch and magnet coils disposed in the two bodies.

3. The multi-function induction cooker according to claim 2, wherein said magnet coils comprises at least three coils, wherein the first coil is disposed in a body, the second and third coil are disposed in the other body, on the first connecting status, the switch is selectively connect one of the second or third coil to the first coil, on the second connecting status, three coils are connected in series.

4. The multi-function induction cooker according to claim 3, wherein said status switch is disposed in the connecting portion between the left body and the right body, in unfolded status, the switch is pressed down by the right body; in folded status, the switch is released, thus to switch the first connecting status and the second connecting status.

5. The multi-function induction cooker according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the body is disposed with an exposed temperature detector, said temperature detector is pass through the upper cover and the supporting board.

6. The multi-function induction cooker according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said left body and right body have pan fixing device.

7. The multi-function induction cooker according to claim 6, wherein said pan fixing device is several clamping hooks disposed on the flange of the upper surface of the body.

8. A multi-function induction cooker substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.