Toaster

Disclosed is a toaster, including a box body, a feeding bin, a conveying device, a first heating device and a second heating device. One side of the box body is provided with a discharging port; the feeding bin is provided with a feeding port in communication with an inner cavity of the box body. The conveying device is arranged between the feeding port and the discharging port, and is configured to convey foodstuffs from the feeding port to the discharging port. The first heating device is configured to heat foodstuffs on the conveying device, and the second heating device is configured to preheat the foodstuffs within the feeding bin.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority of Chinese patent application No. 202121322395.9, filed Jun. 15, 2021, and titled “Toaster,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of food heating equipment. In particular, the present invention is directed to a toaster.

BACKGROUND

A toaster is a cooking utensil used to toast and heat sliced bread and other foodstuffs. When a toaster currently available on the market toasts bread and other foodstuffs, the foodstuffs can only be heated and toasted in a heating section, with the result that a relatively long heating time is required for the foodstuffs in the heating section. This reduces the heating efficiency of the toaster, so that a user needs to wait for a comparatively long time, and the user experience is negatively affected.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect a toaster includes a box body, wherein the box body has an inner cavity and the box body includes a discharging port on one side of the box body. The toaster includes a feeding bin having a feeding end that extends into the box body, wherein the feeding bin further comprises a feeding port in communication with an inner cavity of the box body and the feeding bin includes a further end provided with a material inlet. The toaster includes a conveying device arranged between the feeding port and the discharging port, wherein the conveying device is configured to convey foodstuffs from the feeding port to the discharging port. The toaster includes a first heating device configured to heat the foodstuffs on the conveying device. The toaster includes a second heating device configured to preheat the foodstuffs within the feeding bin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the existing technology. To this end, the present disclosure proposes a toaster requiring a short heating time.

A toaster according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a box body, a feeding bin, a conveying device, a first heating device and a second heating device. A discharging port is provided on one side of box body. Feeding bin includes and/or is provided with a feeding end extending into box body; the feeding end is provided with a feeding port in communication with an inner cavity of the box body. A further end of feeding bin is provided with and/or includes a material inlet. A conveying device is arranged between feeding port and discharging port, and is configured to convey foodstuffs from the feeding port to the discharging port. First heating device is configured to heat foodstuffs on conveying device, and second heating device is configured to preheat the foodstuffs within feeding bin.

In operation, foodstuffs such as bread may be put into feeding bin through material inlet, second heating device may preheat the foodstuffs in the feeding bin; the foodstuffs may then fall into conveying device through the feeding port, and the conveying device may convey the foodstuffs to discharging port. During conveying process, first heating device may heat foodstuffs on conveying device until the foodstuffs are heated to a predetermined parameter, and then foodstuffs may be output from discharging port to the outside of box body for users to eat. Since foodstuffs are already preheated by second heating device in feeding bin, a temperature of the foodstuffs may have been raised before first heating device heats the foodstuffs. Moreover, as water content of foodstuffs may have been reduced, first heating device only needs to heat the foodstuffs for a relatively short period of time to achieve a preset toasting effect of the foodstuffs, which may greatly reduce heating time needed for the foodstuffs and/or may improve efficiency of toaster, reducing waiting time for users, and improving user experience.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, toaster may further include a blower device for delivering at least a portion of heat generated by second heating device to feeding port.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, blower device may be located below second heating device and may be arranged facing feeding port.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, second heating device may be located below conveying device and may be arranged facing feeding port.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, conveying device may include a first conveying device and a second conveying device. First conveying device may be located below feeding port. Second conveying device may be located between first conveying device and discharging port.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, first conveying device may include a first conveying mesh chain, a first conveying shaft and a first conveying motor. First conveying motor may be configured to drive first conveying mesh chain to rotate through first conveying shaft, such that the first conveying mesh chain is capable of conveying foodstuffs from feeding port to second conveying device.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, second conveying device may include a second conveying mesh chain, a second conveying shaft and a second conveying motor; the second conveying motor may be configured to drive the second conveying mesh chain to rotate through the second conveying shaft, such that the second conveying mesh chain is capable of conveying foodstuffs from first conveying device to discharging port.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, second heating device may include at least two heating tubes; the at least two heating tubes may be respectively located at upper and lower sides of a conveying surface of second conveying mesh chain.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, toaster may further include a heat insulator arranged between heating tubes and feeding bin.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, feeding bin may be further provided with a top cover removably covering material inlet.

Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be given in part in the following description and will become apparent in part from the following description or be learned by practice of the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where the same or like reference numerals throughout the figures indicate the same or like elements having the same or like functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present disclosure instead of being construed as limiting the present disclosure.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that, descriptions relating to orientation, for example, orientation or positional relationships indicated by “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are to facilitate the description of the present disclosure and simplify the description only, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of “several” is one or more, the meaning of “a plurality of” is two or more, “greater than”, “less than”, “more than”, etc. are to be understood to exclude the given figure, and “above”, “below”, “within”, etc. are understood to include the given figure. If “first” and “second”, etc. are referred to, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and shall not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the number of the indicated technical features or implying the sequence of the indicated technical features.

In the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly defined, the words such as “set”, “install”, and “connect” should be understood in a broad sense, and those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the entirety of this disclosure, can determine the specific meanings of the above words in the present disclosure in a rational way in combination with the specific contents of the technical solutions.

Referring toFIGS.1to4, a toaster according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a box body100, a feeding bin200, a conveying device, a first heating device500, and a second heating device600. Box body100may be substantially cuboid; the box body100may be formed in any alternative or additional shapes that may occur to a person skilled in the art upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure. One side of box body100may be provided with a discharging port110; in operation, foodstuffs may be heated and then discharged outside of the box body100through the discharging port110. A side wall of box body100may also be provided with an observation window120through which a user can observe the internal condition of the box body100. Box body100may also be provided with an operation panel130through which a user can control operation of toaster. Feeding bin200may be of a cylindrical structure. Feeding bin may be for storing bread or other foodstuffs to be heated. An opening may be provided in an upper end side wall or an outer peripheral side wall of box body100, and feeding bin200may extend inside of the box body100through the opening. Feeding bin200may be provided at a feeding end with a feeding port210in communication with an inner cavity of box body100, and a material inlet220at another end of the feeding bin200. When using toaster, user may insert foodstuffs into feeding bin200through material inlet220; during heating, the foodstuff may enter conveying device through feeding port210. Conveying device may be arranged between feeding port210and discharging port110, so that the conveying device can convey foodstuffs from the feeding port210to the discharging port110. Conveying device may be a chain conveying mechanism, be a belt conveying mechanism, and of course, and/or any other type of conveying mechanisms. First heating device500may be configured to heat foodstuffs on conveying device, and may be of an electrical heating tube structure, a ceramic heating structure, and/or other types of heating structure. Second heating device600may be configured to preheat foodstuffs within feeding bin200. Second heating device600may include any heating device suitable for use as first heating device500, such as without limitation an electrical heating tube structure, a ceramic heating structure, and/or any other type of heating structure.

Referring toFIG.4foodstuffs such as bread may be inserted into feeding bin200through material inlet220. Second heating device600may preheat foodstuffs in feeding bin200; subsequently the foodstuffs may fall into and/or onto conveying device through feeding port210, and conveying device may convey the foodstuffs to discharging port110. During conveying process, first heating device500may heat foodstuffs on conveying device until the foodstuffs are heated to a predetermined parameter, and then the foodstuffs may be output from discharging port110to an exterior of box body100for users to eat. Since foodstuffs are already preheated by second heating device600in feeding bin200, a temperature of the foodstuffs may have been raised before first heating device500heats the foodstuffs. Moreover, as water content of the foodstuffs may have been reduced, first heating device500may only be required to heat the foodstuffs for a relatively short period of time to achieve a preset toasting effect of the foodstuffs; in an embodiment, this may greatly reduce heating time needed for the foodstuffs, improve toasting efficiency of toaster, reduce waiting time for users, and/or improves user experience.

Referring toFIGS.2and4, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, toaster may further include a blower device700for delivering at least a portion of heat generated by second heating device600to feeding port210. Blower device700may include a small fan including fan blades. Blower device700may alternatively or additionally include a bladeless fan. Blower device700may drive air to flow, thereby conveying at least a portion of heat generated by second heating device600to feeding port210, and then the heat in turn may feeding bin200, so that foodstuffs within the feeding bin200can be better preheated. By providing blower device700, more heat generated by second heating device600may be able to enter inside feeding bin200, thereby improving preheating of the foodstuffs. Moreover, blower device700may accelerate flow of air within feeding bin200, thereby facilitating rapid reduction of water content of the foodstuffs.

Referring toFIG.2, in the above embodiments, blower device700may be located below second heating device600; therefore, air blown out from the blower device700may blow heat generated by the second heating device600. Blower device700may be arranged facing feeding port210, so that heat is blown toward the feeding port210, and more heat can be conveyed into feeding bin200, improving preheating effect.

In an embodiment, second heating device600may be located below conveying device, thereby preventing the second heating device600from affecting entry of foodstuffs into the conveying device from feeding port210. Moreover, second heat device600may be arranged facing feeding port210. Specifically, second heating device600may be located directly below feeding port210, and blower device700may be located directly below the second heating device600, in which case a distance between the second heating device600and the feeding port210may be smaller, thereby facilitating delivery by the blower device700of heat generated by the second heating device600to the inside of feeding bin200through the feeding port210. Second heating device600may be arranged below feeding port210; the second heating device600may be slightly offset from a position directly below according to actual installation requirements, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Referring toFIG.4, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, conveying device may include a first conveying device300, which may be located below feeding port210and a second conveying device400, which may be located between the first conveying device300and discharging port110. After exiting from feeding port210, foodstuffs first enters first conveying device300, and may then be conveyed by the first conveying device300to second conveying device400, and may be conveyed by the second conveying device400to discharging port110. Second heating device600may be located below first conveying device300. Since there are two conveying devices arranged on a path from feeding port210to discharging port110, operating parameters may be set differently according to different preferences of users; for instance, the parameters such as conveying speed and conveying time of two conveying devices may be different from each other, so as to obtain different tastes of toasted foodstuffs as required by the users. When foodstuffs are located on first heating device500, second heating device600may preheat the foodstuffs.

Referring toFIG.4, in the above embodiments, first conveying device300may include a first conveying mesh chain310, a first conveying shaft320, and/or a first conveying motor330. First conveying mesh chain310may be configured to carry foodstuffs. In particular, two first conveying shafts320may be provided. Two first conveying shafts320may be respectively located at two ends of first conveying mesh chain310, and first conveying motor330may drive one of the first conveying shafts320to rotate. During operation, first conveying motor330may drive first conveying mesh chain310to rotate through first conveying shaft320, so that the first conveying mesh chain310can convey foodstuffs from feeding port210to second conveying device400; this may greatly enhance convenience of resulting conveyance.

Referring toFIG.4, similarly, second conveying device400may include a second conveying mesh chain410, a second conveying shaft420, and/or a second conveying motor430. Second conveying mesh chain410may be configured to carry foodstuffs. Two second conveying shafts420may be provided. Two second conveying shafts420may be respectively located at two ends of second conveying mesh chain410, and second conveying motor430may drive one of the second conveying shafts420to rotate. During operation, second conveying motor430may drive second conveying mesh chain410to rotate through second conveying shaft420, so that the second conveying mesh chain410can convey foodstuffs from first conveying device300to discharging port110; this may greatly enhance convenience of resulting conveyance.

Referring toFIGS.2and4, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, second heating device600may include at least two heating tubes, and the at least two heating tubes may be respectively located at upper and lower sides of conveying surface411of second conveying mesh chain410, so that both upper and lower sides of foodstuffs passing through the second conveying mesh chain410can be fully heated, and a toasting effect of the foodstuffs may be greatly improved.

Referring toFIG.2, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, toaster may further include a heat insulator800arranged between heating tubes and feeding bin200. Since a temperature in a vicinity of heating tube may be relatively high and excessively high temperature may cause damage to a side wall of the feeding bin200, a heat insulator800may be arranged between the heating tube and the feeding bin200, so that the heat of the heating tube can be insulated by the heat insulator800, thereby reducing the influence on the side wall of the feeding bin200. Specifically, heat insulator800may include a U-shaped plate member that can effectively insulate heat generated by heating tube.

Referring toFIGS.1and4, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, feeding bin200may also be provided with a top cover230; the top cover230may removably cover material inlet220. Top cover230may be configured to cover material inlet220to prevent dust or other impurities from falling into feeding bin200and contaminating foodstuffs in the feeding bin200.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes may be made within the knowledge of those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the purpose of the present disclosure.