CN111839190B

CN111839190B - Water tank assembly and cooking appliance

Info

Publication number: CN111839190B
Application number: CN201910363626.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 王成龙; 王亚健
Original assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliances Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliances Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-04-30
Filing date: 2019-04-30
Publication date: 2021-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2039-04-30
Also published as: CN111839190A

Abstract

The invention discloses a water tank assembly and a cooking appliance. The water tank component comprises a tank body, a water tank cover, a cover plate and a lifting handle. The water tank cover is detachably connected with the tank body and provided with a water injection hole. The cover plate is rotatably connected with the water tank cover, and the cover plate can rotate relative to the water tank cover to cover the water injection hole and expose the water injection hole. The handle is connected with the apron rotation, and the handle is used for being rotated and drive the apron and rotate in order to expose or cover the water injection hole for the tank lid when being operated for the apron. So, when the water yield in the box is not enough and need add water, only need drive the apron through the handle and rotate for the tank lid and can expose the water injection hole of tank lid to can add water through the water injection hole. Therefore, water can be added in the middle of cooking of the cooking appliance, and the water tank assembly does not need to be taken out during water adding, so that the operation is simple and convenient.

Description

Water tank assembly and cooking appliance

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances, in particular to a water tank assembly and a cooking appliance.

Background

At present, in a cooking appliance with a steam box with a steam function, a steam oven or a micro-steaming and baking all-in-one machine, a water tank with a water storage function is arranged inside a product of the cooking appliance, and water is supplied for the steam cooking function.

In the prior art, the water tank is usually arranged inside, at the bottom or on the upper part of the product or the water tank is hidden at the cavity or the door side of the door body. When a user adds water into the water tank, for the water tank arranged at the bottom or the top, firstly, the water tank is pulled out, the water injection plug is pulled open, water is poured in, and then the water tank is arranged at a corresponding position; for the hidden arrangement of the water tank, the furnace door or the like is firstly opened, then the water tank is pulled out, the water injection plug is pulled open, water is poured in, and then the water tank is arranged at the corresponding position. However, when the consumer cooks for many times and the water in the water tank is not enough to finish the cooking, water cannot be added in the midway, and the convenience of the cooking appliance is reduced. Meanwhile, when water is added into the water tank, the water tank needs to be taken out, and then the water tank is put back after the water is added, so that the operation is complicated.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, the present invention provides a water tank assembly and a cooking appliance.

A water tank assembly of an embodiment of the present invention includes:

a box body;

the water tank cover is detachably connected with the tank body and is provided with a water injection hole;

a cover plate rotatably connected to the tank cover, the cover plate being rotatable relative to the tank cover to cover and expose the water injection hole; and

the handle is rotationally connected with the cover plate and used for rotating relative to the cover plate when being operated and driving the cover plate to rotate relative to the water tank cover so as to expose the water injection hole.

In the water tank component of the above embodiment, when the water amount in the tank is insufficient and water needs to be added, the water injection hole of the water tank cover can be exposed only by driving the cover plate to rotate relative to the water tank cover through the lifting handle, so that water can be added through the water injection hole. Therefore, water can be added in the middle of cooking of the cooking appliance, and the water tank assembly does not need to be taken out during water adding, so that the operation is simple and convenient.

In some embodiments, the handle is rotatably connected to the water tank cover through the cover plate, the water tank cover and the handle are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the cover plate, a containing groove is formed on the upper surface of the water tank cover, a notch is formed on the handle, the cover plate and the handle are accommodated in the containing groove, and the cover plate covers the water injection hole and is accommodated in the notch.

In some embodiments, the handle can be lifted to separate the handle from the receiving groove and partially separate the handle from the receiving groove and the cover plate, the handle and the cover plate are located in the same vertical direction, one end of the cover plate is located in the receiving groove, the other end of the cover plate is located in the notch, and the cover plate is exposed out of the water injection hole.

In some embodiments, the handle can be lifted to separate the handle from the receiving groove and partially separate the cover from the receiving groove, the handle is located on one side of the cover, one end of the cover is located in the receiving groove, the other end of the cover is located in the notch, and the cover is exposed out of the water injection hole.

In some embodiments, the accommodating groove is formed on an upper surface of the tank cover, and in a case where the cover plate and the handle are accommodated in the accommodating groove, the upper surface of the cover plate, the upper surface of the handle, and the upper surface of the tank cover are flush.

In some embodiments, a protrusion is formed on a side edge of the handle, an opening communicating with the receiving groove is formed on a side wall of the receiving groove, and the side edge of the handle formed with the protrusion is received in the opening.

In some embodiments, the water tank assembly includes a fastening member disposed on the water tank cover, the water tank cover is formed with a fastening portion, and the water tank cover is connected to the water tank cover detachably through the fastening member and the fastening portion.

In certain embodiments, the water tank assembly includes a first seal member removably mounted to and sealing the water fill hole.

In some embodiments, the cooking appliance includes an upper panel defining an opening, and the water tank assembly is configured to be removably mounted to and exposed from the upper panel from the opening.

In some embodiments, the water tank assembly includes an outlet valve device disposed at a bottom of the tank for directing water out of the tank.

In some embodiments, the outlet valve device includes a body mounted at the bottom of the tank and forming a diversion channel, and a sealing assembly mounted on the body, the sealing assembly sealing the diversion channel and opening the diversion channel under the action of external force.

In some embodiments, the sealing assembly includes a second sealing element and a push rod, the second sealing element is located above the body and covers the diversion channel, the push rod is connected with the second sealing element, the second sealing element can seal the diversion channel under the action of gravity of the push rod, and the push rod can drive the second sealing element to move under the action of the external force to open the diversion channel.

In some embodiments, the sealing assembly further includes an elastic member, the elastic member is sleeved on the ejector rod and respectively abuts against the body and the ejector rod, the elastic member is configured to apply an elastic force to the ejector rod so that the ejector rod drives the second sealing member to seal the diversion channel, and the ejector rod can drive the second sealing member to move to open the diversion channel under the condition that the external force is greater than the elastic force.

The cooking appliance of the embodiment of the invention comprises:

an upper panel;

in the water tank assembly according to any of the above embodiments, the upper panel is provided with an opening, and the water tank assembly is detachably mounted on the upper panel through the opening and exposed from the upper panel.

Among the cooking device of above-mentioned embodiment, when the water yield in the box is not enough and need add water, only need drive the apron through the handle and rotate for the tank lid and can expose the water injection hole of tank lid to can add water through the water injection hole. Therefore, water can be added in the middle of cooking of the cooking appliance, and the water tank assembly does not need to be taken out during water adding, so that the operation is simple and convenient.

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention 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 the invention.

Drawings

The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another schematic structural diagram of the cooking appliance according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a water tank assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a water tank assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a state of a water tank assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another state of a water tank assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a further condition of the water tank assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a further condition of the water tank assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of yet another state of a water tank assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a water tank assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is another cross-sectional schematic view of a water tank assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary schematic view of the water tank assembly of FIG. 11.

Description of the main element symbols:

the cooking appliance 100, the upper panel 10, the opening 11, the protrusion 12, the water tank assembly 20, the tank body 21, the clamping portion 211, the water tank cover 22, the water injection hole 221, the receiving groove 222, the first rotating shaft hole 223, the clamping rotating shaft 224, the cover plate 23, the first rotating shaft 231, the second rotating shaft 232, the handle 24, the second rotating shaft hole 241, the notch 242, the protrusion 243, the clamping member 25, the clamping rotating shaft hole 251, the clamping portion 252, the first sealing member 26, the water outlet valve device 27, the body 271, the diversion channel 2711, the sealing component 272, the second sealing member 2721, the push rod 2722, the elastic member 2723, the water pipe 273, the third sealing member 28, the water tank seat 30, the diversion portion 31, the channel 311, the cavity 40, the door 50, the steam generator 60, and the operation portion 70.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar function throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are illustrative only for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", and the like, indicate orientations and positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are used only for convenience of description and simplicity of description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element being referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus, should not be considered as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined as "first", "second", may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means two or more unless specifically defined otherwise.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected unless otherwise explicitly stated or limited. Either mechanically or electrically. Either directly or indirectly through intervening media, either internally or in any other relationship. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, a water tank assembly 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a cooking appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The water tank assembly 20 includes a tank body 21, a tank cover 22, a cover plate 23, and a handle 24. The water tank cover 22 is detachably coupled to the tank body 21, and the water tank cover 22 is provided with a water filling hole 221. The cover plate 23 is rotatably coupled to the tank cover 22, and the cover plate 23 can rotate with respect to the tank cover 22 to cover the water injection hole 221 and expose the water injection hole 221. The handle 24 is rotatably connected with the cover plate 23, and the handle 24 is used for rotating relative to the cover plate 23 when being operated and driving the cover plate 23 to rotate relative to the water tank cover 22 to expose the water filling hole 221.

In the present embodiment, the tank body 21 may be used to store water to provide a water source for the cooking appliance 100, and the tank cover 22 is used to cover the tank body 21 to prevent water in the tank body 21 from spilling out and to prevent impurities and dust from entering the tank body 21, and a user may fill water into the tank body 21 through a water filling port on the tank cover 22.

In addition, referring to fig. 1 and 2, the cooking appliance 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes an upper panel 10 and a water tank base 30. The upper panel 10 is opened with an opening hole 11, and the water tank assembly 20 is configured to be detachably mounted to the upper panel 10 through the opening hole 11 and to be exposed from the upper panel 10. The tank mount 30 is mounted on the upper panel 10, and the tank mount 30 receives the tank assembly 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the tank base 30 is fixedly installed at the opening hole 11 of the upper panel 10, the water tank assembly 20 may be inserted into the tank base 30 from the opening hole 11, and the tank body 21 of the water tank assembly 20 may be completely received in the tank base 30. The tank cover 22, the cover plate 23 and the handle 24 of the tank assembly 20 are exposed from the upper panel 10 to facilitate the user's manipulation of the handle 24 to rotate the cover plate 23, thereby exposing the water injection holes 221 to inject water into the tank body 21 through the water injection holes 221. It is understood that the water injection holes 221 may have a circular shape, a square shape, or other shapes, and are not limited thereto.

In addition, referring to fig. 1 and fig. 2, the cooking appliance 100 generally further includes a cavity 40, the cavity 40 is disposed below the upper panel 10 and is fixedly connected to the upper panel 10, and an opening is formed at a top of the cavity 40. In addition, a door 50 for closing and opening the opening is provided at the top of the cavity 40. In this way, a user can place and take food from top to bottom within the cavity 40, and at the same time, the user does not have to place the food too high into the cavity 40. Further, the door 50 may be provided with a transparent portion, so that when the cooking appliance 100 cooks food, a user can more conveniently observe the cooking condition of the food in the cavity 40 through the transparent portion of the door 50.

The cooking appliance 100 includes a steam box with a steaming function, a steam oven or a micro-steaming and baking integrated cooking appliance. Referring to fig. 2, a steam oven is taken as an example, and generally includes a steam generator 60 and a nozzle assembly. The water tank assembly 20 is used for supplying water to the steam generator 60 to generate steam, and a water flow channel is formed at the bottom of the water tank base 30 and connected to the steam generator 60 through a pipe, so that when the water tank assembly 20 is inserted into the water tank base 30, the water in the water tank assembly 20 can flow to the steam generator 60 through the water flow channel and the pipe at the bottom of the water tank base 30. A nozzle assembly is positioned at the bottom of the cavity 40 and connected to the steam generator 60 through a pipe, and the nozzle assembly is used for spraying the steam generated by the steam generator 60 into the cavity 40 to cook food. When food needs to be put into the cavity 40, the door 50 can be opened, the food is put in, the steam generator 60 is started after the door 50 is closed, and the water steam generated by the steam generator 60 is sprayed into the cavity 40 through the nozzle assembly to cook the food. It is understood that the steam generator 60 may be a thick film steam generator, an electric heated tube steam generator, or the like.

At present, in the related art cooking appliances with a steam box, a steam oven or a micro-steaming and baking all-in-one machine having a steaming function, a water tank is usually disposed inside, at the bottom or on the upper part of a product or the water tank is hidden at the side of a cavity or a door body. When a user adds water into the water tank, for the water tank arranged at the bottom or the top, firstly, the water tank is pulled out, the water injection plug is pulled open, water is poured in, and then the water tank is arranged at a corresponding position; for the hidden arrangement of the water tank, the furnace door or the like is firstly opened, then the water tank is pulled out, the water injection plug is pulled open, water is poured in, and then the water tank is arranged at the corresponding position. However, when the consumer cooks for many times and the water in the water tank is not enough to finish the cooking, water cannot be added in the midway, and the convenience of the cooking appliance is reduced. Meanwhile, when water is added into the water tank, the water tank needs to be taken out, and then the water tank is put back after the water is added, so that the operation is complicated. However, in the water tank assembly 20 and the cooking appliance 100 according to the embodiment of the invention, when the amount of water in the tank body 21 is insufficient and water needs to be added, the water adding hole 221 of the water tank cover 22 can be exposed only by rotating the cover plate 23 relative to the water tank cover 22 through the handle 24, so that water can be added through the water adding hole 221.

In summary, in the water tank assembly 20 and the cooking appliance 100 according to the embodiment of the invention, when the water in the tank body 21 is insufficient and water needs to be added, the cover plate 23 is driven by the handle 24 to rotate relative to the water tank cover 22 to expose the water injection hole 221 of the water tank cover 22, so that water can be added through the water injection hole 221. Thus, water can be added in the middle of cooking by the cooking appliance 100, and the water tank assembly 20 does not need to be taken out during water adding, so that the operation is simple and convenient.

It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the tank body 21, the tank lid 22, the cover plate 23 and the handle 24 are separate and independent components, which is more convenient for a user to clean the components of the tank assembly 20 without leaving dead corners.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first rotating shaft 231 is provided at both ends of one side of the cover plate 23, the first rotating shaft hole 223 corresponding to the first rotating shaft 231 is opened in the tank cover 22, the first rotating shaft 231 is rotatably inserted through the first rotating shaft hole 223, and the cover plate 23 is rotatable around the center of the first rotating shaft 231. The two ends of the cover plate 23 are further provided with a second rotating shaft 232, the handle 24 is provided with a second rotating shaft hole 241 corresponding to the second rotating shaft 232, the second rotating shaft hole 241 is rotatably penetrated by the second rotating shaft 232, and the handle 24 can rotate around the center of the second rotating shaft 232. So, set up first pivot 231 and first pivot hole 223 and can realize that the rotation of apron 23 and tank lid 22 is connected, set up second pivot 232 and second pivot hole 241 and can realize handle 24 and the rotation of apron 23 and be connected, the structure is comparatively simple like this, convenient assembling, swift.

It is understood that in other embodiments, the first rotating shaft holes 223 may be formed at both ends of the cover plate 23, and the first rotating shaft 231 may be disposed at both ends of the water tank cover 22, and the specific arrangement manner is not limited herein. Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the second rotation shaft holes 241 may be disposed at two ends of the cover plate 23, and the second rotation shafts 232 may be disposed at two ends of the handle 24, and the specific arrangement manner is not limited herein. In other embodiments, the rotational connection may also be achieved by means of bearings, hinges, etc.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2 again, in the above embodiment, the cooking appliance 100 may further include an operating part 70, and the operating part 70 is mounted on the upper panel 10. The operation part 70 is used to operate the cooking appliance 100, for example, to start the cooking appliance 100 to operate the cooking appliance 100, and to set an operation mode of the cooking appliance 100.

Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the portion of the upper panel 10 located outside the cavity 40 is formed with the boss 12, and the water tank assembly 20 and the operating part 70 are mounted on the boss 12. That is, the boss 12 is formed with the above-described opening 11 to which the water tank assembly 20 is mounted and the opening to which the operating portion 70 is mounted, respectively. It can be understood that, in some embodiments, the upper panel 10 may not form the protruding portion 12, but be a flat structure, so that the appearance is more beautiful, and the user cannot be collided by the presence of the protruding portion 12, which improves the user experience. In the present embodiment, the operation unit 70 includes a touch panel. It is understood that in other embodiments, the operation part 70 may select other forms of switches, such as a physical or virtual key, a knob, a slide switch, and the like.

Referring to fig. 2, in the above embodiment, the tank base 30 is disposed along a vertical direction, and the tank assembly 20 can be inserted into the tank base 30 along the vertical direction from the opening. Thus, the taking and placing direction of the water tank assembly 20 is the same as the gravity direction of the water tank, and the user can lift the water tank assembly 20 only by using the force equal to the gravity of the water and the water tank assembly 20, so that the labor is saved.

Specifically, in the related art, the taking and placing direction of the water tank is generally perpendicular to the gravity direction of the water tank, and a user needs to use a certain moment to take and place the water tank, so that the force is greater than the gravity of the water tank and the water, and the user is more strenuous. However, in the embodiment, the water tank assembly 20 is arranged in the vertical direction and can be taken and placed in the vertical direction, so that a user can take and place the water tank assembly 20 more easily, and the user experience is improved.

Referring to fig. 3, 5 and 6, in some embodiments, the handle 24 is rotatably connected to the tank lid 22 through the cover plate 23, the tank lid 22 and the handle 24 are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the cover plate 23, the tank lid 22 has a receiving groove 222 formed on an upper surface thereof, and the handle 24 has a notch 242 formed thereon. The cover plate 23 and the handle 24 are accommodated in the accommodating groove 222, and the cover plate 23 covers the water filling hole 221 and is accommodated in the notch 242.

It can be understood that, in general, when the water tank assembly 20 is not required to be filled with water, the cover plate 23 is accommodated in the accommodating groove 222 and covers the water filling hole 221 to hide the water filling hole 221, meanwhile, the handle 24 is also accommodated in the accommodating groove 222, and the cover plate 23 is also accommodated in the notch 242 of the handle 24. When it is desired to fill the water tank assembly 20, the user pulls the handle 24, thereby rotating the cover plate 23 relative to the water tank cover 22 to expose the water filling hole 221 for the user to fill the water (arrow a in fig. 5 and 6 indicates the opening direction of the handle 24).

So, when need not be to water tank set spare 20 water injection, apron 23 and handle 24 collapsible holding can the at utmost practice thrift the space in storage tank 222, and simultaneously, apron 23 also can hold in the breach 242 of handle 24, and the fit clearance is less, and the outward appearance is comparatively pleasing to the eye.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the receiving groove 222 is formed in the upper surface of the tank lid 22, and when the cover plate 23 and the handle 24 are both received in the receiving groove 222, the upper surface of the cover plate 23, the upper surface of the handle 24, and the upper surface of the tank lid 22 are flush with each other. Thus, when water filling is not needed, the appearance surfaces of the cover plate 23, the handle 24 and the water tank cover 22 are flush, so that the appearance is attractive.

It should be noted that the term "flush" refers to a height difference of 0 or a height difference within a predetermined range (e.g., less than 1mm, 0.5mm, or 1mm, etc., or within assembly and manufacturing tolerances). Reference will also be made to the following description, where the same or similar descriptions or illustrations are present.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, further, the handle 24 can be lifted up to separate the handle 24 from the receiving groove 222 and partially separate the cover plate 23 from the receiving groove 222, the handle 24 and the cover plate 23 are located in the same vertical direction, one end of the cover plate 23 is located in the receiving groove 222, the other end of the cover plate 23 is located in the notch 242, and the cover plate 23 exposes the water injection hole 221.

Specifically, referring to fig. 7, in the present embodiment, when the water tank assembly 20 needs to be filled with water, a user can lift the handle 24 to make the handle 24 first separate from the receiving groove 222, and then the handle 24 can rotate around the second rotating shaft 232 relative to the cover plate 23, in this process, the cover plate 23 is still received in the receiving groove 222 and covers the water filling hole 221. When the handle 24 rotates about 90 degrees relative to the cover plate 23 (see fig. 5 and 6), the handle 24 drives the cover plate 23 to rotate relative to the water tank cover 22, the water tank cover 22 can slowly separate from the containing groove 222 and slowly expose the water injection hole 221, and when the cover plate 23 rotates to the position where the handle 24 is located in the same vertical direction (see fig. 7), the cover plate 23 can completely expose the water injection hole 221. At this time, the user may directly lift the water tank assembly 20 through the handle 24 or fill the water tank assembly 20 through the water filling hole 221. So, the operation is comparatively simple, convenient, and the user can add water to water tank set spare 20 under the condition that need not to take out water tank set spare 20, has improved user experience. In addition, when the cover plate 23 is rotated to the position where the handles 24 are located in the same vertical direction, one end of the cover plate 23 is located in the containing groove 222 and connected to the tank lid 22, and the other end of the cover plate 23 is located in the gap 242 and connected to the handles 24. Therefore, the height of the cover plate 23 and the handle 24 in the same vertical direction can be effectively reduced. Meanwhile, in this state, the distance D between the upper surface of the inner wall of the notch 242 and the side surface of the cover plate 23 is 15mm to 20mm (see fig. 7), so that it is convenient for a user to insert a hand into the notch 242 to lift the water tank assembly 20 by the handle 24 (the arrow a in fig. 7 indicates the opening direction of the handle 24).

Further, referring to fig. 8 and 9, in the present embodiment, the handle 24 can be lifted to separate the handle 24 from the receiving groove 222 and partially separate the cover plate 23 from the receiving groove 222, the handle 24 can also be located at one side of the cover plate 23, one end of the cover plate 23 is located at the receiving groove 222, the other end of the cover plate 23 is located at the notch 242, and the cover plate 23 exposes the water injection hole 221.

Specifically, when the handle 24 and the cover plate 23 are lifted and positioned in the same vertical direction, if a user wants to lift the water tank assembly 20, the user may directly lift the handle 24 upward and then lift the entire water tank assembly 20 through the cover plate 23 and the water tank cover 22 to detach the water tank assembly 20 from the water tank base 30 and the upper panel 10. If the user wants to directly add water to the water tank assembly 20, the handle 24 is rotated to one side of the cover plate 23 (see fig. 8 and 9), the handle 24 is tilted relative to the cover plate 23, and the cover plate 23 is maintained in a vertical state by the handle 24, so that the user can directly add water to the water tank assembly 20 through the water injection holes 221 and can prevent the cover plate 23 from being freely covered (the arrow a in fig. 8 and 9 indicates the opening direction of the handle 24 and the cover plate 23).

Referring to fig. 3 to 5, in some embodiments, the protrusion 243 is formed on the side of the handle 24, the opening communicating with the receiving groove 222 is formed on the side wall of the receiving groove 222, and the side of the handle 24 with the protrusion 243 is received in the opening

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the sidewall of the receiving groove 222 forms an opening, and the side edge of the handle 24 forming the protrusion 243 is received in the opening, that is, the protrusion 243 on the side edge of the handle 24 protrudes from the receiving groove 222 (see fig. 3 and 5). Thus, when the handle 24 needs to be lifted, the handle 24 can be pulled out through the protrusion 243 to separate the handle 24 from the receiving groove.

Referring to fig. 4 and 10, in some embodiments, the water tank assembly 20 includes a fastener 25, the fastener 25 is disposed on the water tank cover 22, the tank body 21 is formed with a fastening portion 211, and the water tank cover 22 is detachably connected to the tank body 21 through the fastener 25 and the fastening portion 211.

Specifically, referring to fig. 4, a fastening rotation shaft 224 is formed on the water tank cover 22, a fastening rotation shaft hole 251 is formed on the fastening member 25, and a fastening portion 252 is formed on the fastening member 25, and the fastening rotation shaft 224 and the fastening rotation shaft hole 251 are matched and rotatably connected. The latch 25 can rotate around the center of the latch rotating shaft 224 to make the latch portion 252 latch or disengage with the latch portion 211. So, can realize dismantling of tank lid 22 and box 21 through buckle spare 25 and joint portion 211 and be connected, and buckle spare 25 and joint portion 211 cooperation structure is comparatively simple, and the lock is simple, swift with the dismantlement process.

It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the tank cover 22 may be detachably connected to the water tank in other manners, for example, by providing two fastening portions on the two, which are fastened to realize the detachable connection. For another example, a locking device may be additionally provided to lock the tank lid 22 and the tank body 21, and when disassembly is required, the locking device may be removed.

With continued reference to fig. 4 and 7, in some embodiments, the water tank assembly 20 includes a first seal 26, and the first seal 26 is removably mounted to the water injection hole 221 and seals the water injection hole 221.

So, first sealing member 26 can be when need not adding water sealed water injection hole 221, prevents that dust and impurity from getting into box 21, when needs pass through the water injection, can pull down on first sealing member 26 water injection hole 221, then through water injection hole 221 water injection, and is simple and convenient. The first seal 26 may be a sealing element made of rubber or the like.

Referring to fig. 10 to 12, in some embodiments, the water tank assembly 20 further includes a water outlet valve device 27, the water outlet valve device 27 is disposed at the bottom of the tank body 21, and the water outlet valve device 27 is used for guiding out the water in the tank body 21.

Further, the outlet valve device 27 includes a body 271 and a sealing member 272, the sealing member 272 is mounted on the body 271, the body 271 is mounted on the bottom of the tank 21 and is formed with a flow guide passage 2711, and the sealing member 272 seals the flow guide passage 2711 and is used for opening the flow guide passage 2711 under an external force.

In the illustrated embodiment, the body 271 of the outlet valve device 27 is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the tank 21 by a fixing member such as a screw and is hermetically connected to the tank 21, and the sealing member 272 is provided on the body 271. Sealing assembly 272 includes a second sealing member 2721, a stem 2722, and a resilient member 2723. A second sealing piece 2721 is positioned above the body 271 and covers the flow guide channel 2711, and the push rod 2722 is connected with the second sealing piece 2721. The elastic piece 2723 is sleeved on the top rod 2722 and abuts against the body 271 and the top rod 2722 respectively, the elastic piece 2723 is used for applying elastic force to the top rod 2722 to enable the top rod 2722 to drive the second sealing piece 2721 to seal the flow guide channel 2711, and the top rod 2722 can drive the second sealing piece 2721 to move to open the flow guide channel 2711 under the condition that the external force is greater than the elastic force.

Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the lift rod 2722 penetrates through the second sealing member 2721 and is fixedly connected to the second sealing member 2721, a flow guide portion 31 is formed at the bottom of the tank base 30, and a passage 311 is formed in the flow guide portion 31. The second sealing member 2721 may be a sealing member made of rubber, metal, or the like. The elasticity 2723 may be an elastic element having elasticity such as a spring.

When the water tank assembly 20 is not inserted into the water tank seat 30, since the elastic member 2723 is sleeved on the top rod 2722 and abuts against the body 271 and the top rod 2722, the top rod 2722 drives the second sealing member 2721 to close the diversion channel 2711 on the body 271 under the action of the elastic member 2723, so that water in the tank body 21 does not flow out and water leakage does not occur.

When the water tank assembly 20 is inserted into the water tank base 30, the flow guiding portion 31 at the bottom of the water tank base 30 abuts against the push rod 2722, so that the flow guiding portion 31 provides an upward acting force to the push rod 2722, and the push rod 2722 overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 2723 under the action of the flow guiding portion 31 to drive the second sealing member 2721 to move upward to open the flow guiding channel 2711. Thus, the water in the tank body 21 can flow out from the guide passage 2711 to the guide portion 31 at the bottom of the tank holder 30, and then the passage 311 of the guide portion 31 flows out to supply the water to the cooking appliance 100, for example, to supply the water to the steam generator 60.

It is understood that, in some embodiments, the elastic member 2723 may not be provided, the second sealing member 2721 may directly seal the diversion channel 2711 under the gravity of the top bar 2722, and the top bar 2722 may also move the second sealing member 2721 to open the diversion channel 2711 under the external force. Thus, when the water tank assembly 20 is not inserted into the water tank seat 30, the second sealing member 2721 is closely attached to the upper side of the diversion channel 2711 by the gravity of the top rod 2722 to seal the diversion channel 2711, when the water tank assembly 20 is inserted into the water tank seat 30, the diversion part 31 abuts against the top rod 2722, and the top rod 2722 drives the second sealing member 2721 to move upwards to open the diversion channel 2711.

Referring again to fig. 10-12, in some embodiments, the outlet valve device may further include a water pipe 273, the water pipe 273 is disposed on the body, and the inlet of the water pipe 273 is tightly attached to the bottom of the tank 21 and spaced from the bottom of the water tank 21.

In detail, the cooking appliance 100 is usually provided with a water pump, which may be integrated in the steam generator 60, and when the steam generator 60 needs water, the water pump is turned on, and the water in the water tank assembly 20 enters the water outlet valve device 27 through the water pipe 273 by the water pump and then flows out through the diversion channel 2711 to supply water to the steam generator 60.

Since the inlet of the water pipe 273 is closely attached to the bottom of the tank 21 in this manner, water lower than the outlet valve device 27 can be pumped out even when water is pumped out, thereby improving the utilization rate of water in the tank 21.

Referring to fig. 4 and 10, in some embodiments, the water tank assembly 20 further includes a third seal 28, and the third seal 28 is disposed between the tank body 21 and the tank cover 22.

In this way, the third seal member 28 can seal the fitting gap between the tank cover 22 and the tank body 21, so that it can prevent water in the tank assembly 20 from being spilled when the sloshing is too large. The third seal 28 may be a seal ring made of rubber.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, "above" or "below" a first feature means that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact with each other via another feature therebetween. Also, the first feature being "on," "above" and "over" the second feature includes the first feature being directly on and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. A first feature being "under," "below," and "beneath" a second feature includes the first feature being directly under and obliquely below the second feature, or simply meaning that the first feature is at a lesser elevation than the second feature.

The disclosure herein provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and arrangements of specific examples are described herein. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples, such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. In addition, the present invention provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize applications of other processes and/or uses of other materials.

In the description of the present specification, reference to the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "an illustrative embodiment", "an example", "a specific example", or "some examples", etc., means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water tank assembly for a cooking appliance, the water tank assembly comprising:

a box body;

2. The water tank assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle is rotatably connected to the water tank cover through the cover plate, the water tank cover and the handle are respectively connected to opposite sides of the cover plate, a receiving groove is formed in an upper surface of the water tank cover, a notch is formed in the handle, the cover plate and the handle are received in the receiving groove, and the cover plate covers the water filling hole and is received in the notch.

3. The water tank assembly of claim 2, wherein said handle is capable of being lifted to disengage said handle from said receiving groove and said cover partially from said receiving groove, said handle and said cover being in a common vertical orientation, one end of said cover being positioned in said receiving groove and the other end of said cover being positioned in said gap, said cover exposing said fill hole.

4. The water tank assembly of claim 2, wherein said handle is capable of being lifted to disengage said handle from said receiving groove and said cover partially from said receiving groove, said handle being located on one side of said cover, one end of said cover being located in said receiving groove and the other end of said cover being located in said gap, said cover exposing said fill hole.

5. The water tank assembly of claim 2, wherein an upper surface of said cover plate, an upper surface of said handle, and an upper surface of said water tank lid are flush with each other with said cover plate and said handle both received in said receiving tank.

6. The water tank assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the handle is formed with a protrusion at a side thereof, the side wall of the receiving groove is formed with an opening communicating with the receiving groove, and the side of the handle formed with the protrusion is received in the opening.

7. The water tank assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water tank assembly comprises a snap member disposed on the water tank cover, the tank body is formed with a snap portion, and the water tank cover is cooperatively connected with the snap portion through the snap member to be detachably connected with the tank body.

8. The water tank assembly of claim 1, comprising a first seal member removably mounted to and sealing said fill hole.

9. The water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooking appliance includes an upper panel defining an opening, the water tank assembly configured to be removably mounted to and exposed from the upper panel from the opening.

10. The water tank assembly of claim 1, including an outlet valve arrangement disposed in a bottom of said tank for directing water out of said tank.

11. The water tank assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said outlet valve means includes a body mounted to a bottom of said tank and defining a diversion passage and a seal assembly mounted to said body, said seal assembly sealing said diversion passage and adapted to open said diversion passage upon application of an external force.

12. The water tank assembly of claim 11, wherein the seal assembly comprises a second seal and a ram, the second seal is located above the body and covers the diversion channel, the ram is connected to the second seal, the second seal can seal the diversion channel under the action of gravity of the ram, and the ram can drive the second seal to move under the action of the external force to open the diversion channel.

13. The water tank assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sealing assembly further comprises an elastic member, the elastic member is sleeved on the rod and respectively abuts against the body and the rod, the elastic member is configured to apply an elastic force to the rod so that the rod drives the second sealing member to seal the diversion channel, and the rod can drive the second sealing member to move to open the diversion channel when the external force is greater than the elastic force.

14. An electric cooking appliance, characterized in that it comprises:

an upper panel;

the water tank assembly as recited in any one of claims 1-13, wherein said upper panel defines an opening, said water tank assembly being removably mounted to said upper panel through said opening and exposed from said upper panel.