AU2017206271B2

AU2017206271B2 - Steaming basket and electric cooker

Info

Publication number: AU2017206271B2
Application number: AU2017206271A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hua LV; Chao Ma
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2016-07-22
Filing date: 2017-07-21
Publication date: 2019-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-21
Also published as: AU2017206271A1; FR3054114B1; FR3054114A1; EP3272256A1; CA2972669A1

Abstract

STEAMING BASKET AND ELECTRIC COOKER An electric cooker comprising a steaming basket that comprises a filling cylinder (10), wherein said filling cylinder (10) being provided with a filling chamber (11), and a bottom wall (12) of said filling cylinder (10) comprising a permeable zone; the permeable zone of the bottom wall (12) being pierced with several water passage holes (122) that traverse the bottom wall (12); a water passage cylinder (20) situated below the filling cylinder (10), the water passage cylinder (20) and the filling cylinder (10) forming a single and same structure; the end of the water passage cylinder (20) opposite the filling cylinder (10) comprises an opening mechanism; the permeable zone being situated on the zone of the bottom wall (12) surrounded by the water passage cylinder (20), characterized in that it comprises a steaming basket (1), an inner receptacle (2) positioned inside the outer case (1), the steaming basket being installed inside the inner receptacle (2), the upper part of the filling cylinder (10) of this steaming basket being hermetically jointed to the opening of the inner receptacle (2). 2u125 126 Fiur 2

Description

STEAMING BASKET AND ELECTRIC COOKER [0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of cooking food, and in particular, to a steaming basket and an electric cooker.

[0002] An electric cooker is known from document US 5,097,753 A, including a steaming basket that comprises a filling cylinder, said filling cylinder being provided with a filling chamber, and a bottom wall of said filling cylinder comprising a permeable zone; the permeable zone of the wall of the bottom being pierced with several steam passage holes that traverse the bottom wall; and a steam passage cylinder situated below the filling cylinder, the steam passage cylinder and the filling cylinder forming a single and same structure; the end of the steam passage cylinder opposite the filling cylinder comprising an opening mechanism; the permeable zone being situated on the zone of the bottom wall surrounded by the steam passage cylinder.

[0003] Electric cookers for cooking rice, such as the current rice cookers, include an inner receptacle inside which a steaming basket is positioned, the rice is placed in the steaming basket, and the water is placed in the inner receptacle. The inner receptacle is heated so as to bring the water in the inner receptacle to a boil so that it penetrates the steaming basket and rinses the rice, until the water level drops below the steaming basket. The rice and the water are then separated. One then continues to heat, and uses the generated steam to cook the rice with the steam; the rinse water will have carried away part of the sugar contained in the rice with the rice water to thus obtain cooked rice with a low sugar content.

[0004] The use of the current steaming baskets has certain drawbacks, these drawbacks originating in the fact that they use only boiling water, which is not very favorable to full contact of the water and the rice. The method in which the water enters the steaming basket to rinse the rice or to ensure that the rice absorbs the water does not make it possible to guarantee that a sufficient quantity of water enters the steaming basket, which leads to the impossibility for part of the rice of coming into contact with the water, and therefore the impossibility of effectively rinsing the rice and seeing to the absorption of the water by the rice, which ultimately affects the mouth feel of the obtained rice. Furthermore, the current steaming basket structures also do not make it possible to guarantee the proper

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 performance of the process of separating the water and the rice, which makes it difficult to obtain rice with a low glycemic index (GI) (sugar).

[0005] It would be advantageous if at least some embodiments were to provide a steaming basket and electric cooker that make it possible to resolve the technical difficulties of the current electric cookers with a stable performance of the contact process between the water and the rice or separation of the water and the rice, making it impossible to cook rice with a low glycemic index (GI).

[0006] Disclosed herein is a steaming basket, comprising:

a filling cylinder, wherein said filling cylinder is provided with a filling chamber, and a bottom wall of said filling cylinder comprises a permeable zone; the permeable zone of the bottom wall is pierced with several water passage holes that traverse the bottom wall;

a water passage cylinder situated below the filling cylinder, the water passage cylinder and the filling cylinder forming a single and same structure; the end of the water passage cylinder opposite the filling cylinder comprises an opening mechanism; the permeable zone is situated on the zone of the bottom wall surrounded by the water passage cylinder.

[0006A] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electric cooker comprising:

a steaming basket that comprises:

a filling cylinder, wherein said filling cylinder is provided with a filling chamber, and a bottom wall of said filling cylinder comprises a permeable zone; wherein the permeable zone of the bottom wall is pierced with several water passage holes that traverse the bottom wall;

a water passage cylinder situated below the filling cylinder, the water passage cylinder and the filling cylinder forming an integral structure; an end of the water passage cylinder opposite the filling cylinder comprising an opening mechanism; wherein the permeable zone is situated on a zone of the bottom wall surrounded by the water passage cylinder so that steam or water may pass directly from the water passage cylinder into the filling chamber via the water passage holes;

an outer case;

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 an inner receptacle for holding water to be heated to produce steam positioned inside the outer case, wherein the steaming basket is installed inside the inner receptacle, and an upper part of the filling cylinder of the steaming basket is hermetically jointed to an opening of the inner receptacle.

[0007] According to an embodiment, the water passage cylinder has a straight tubular shape or a conical shape.

[0008] According to an embodiment, the water passage cylinder is installed at the geometric center of the bottom wall.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the water passage cylinder has an axial symmetry with the orthogonal projection of the bottom wall.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the bottom wall has a planar structure.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the bottom wall has a curved structure, and one side of the bottom wall having a curved structure being domed toward or in the direction opposite the filling chamber.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the ratio between the opening surface SI of the opening mechanism and the cross-section S of the filling chamber of the filling cylinder is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 1.5.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the ratio of the opening surface SI of the opening mechanism and the cross-section S of the filling chamber of the filling cylinder is greater than or equal to 0.3 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0014] Also disclosed herein is an electric cooker, comprising:

- an outer case;

- an inner receptacle positioned inside the outer case;

- a steaming basket defined according to at least one of the embodiments previously defined, said steaming basket being installed inside the inner receptacle, the

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 upper part of the filling cylinder of this steaming basket being hermetically jointed to the opening of the inner receptacle.

[0015] According to an embodiment, a sealing gasket is placed between the upper part of the filling cylinder of the steaming basket and the opening of the inner receptacle.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the ratio between the height from the opening mechanism of the water passage cylinder of the steaming basket to the bottom of the inner receptacle and the depth H of the inner receptacle is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the bottom wall of the steaming basket has a flat or curved structure, and the ratio between the height from the opening mechanism of the water passage cylinder to the lowest point of the permeable zone of the bottom wall and the depth of the inner receptacle is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the bottom wall of the steaming basket has a flat or curved structure, and the ratio between the height from the lowest point of the permeable zone of the bottom wall to the upper edge of the inner receptacle and the depth of the inner receptacle is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0019] In the application of the technical plan according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, given that the bottom wall of the filling cylinder of the steaming basket includes a permeable zone, the water found inside the inner receptacle is, under the action of the pressure, sent through the water passage orifices of this permeable zone into the filling chamber or discharged from the filling chamber; it is thus possible to steep and rinse the rice repeatedly inside the filling chamber, in order to reduce the sugar content of the rice.

[0020] After the steaming basket has been placed in inner receptacle, the upper part of the filling cylinder of this steaming basket may be hermetically jointed to the opening of the inner receptacle. In the preliminary phase, the water level inside the inner receptacle may be higher than the opening mechanism of the bottom cover, so as to form a hermetic space between the steaming basket and the inner receptacle. When the inner receptacle is

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 heated, the pressure inside the hermetic space increases, and the water may, under the action of the pressure, be sent through the opening mechanism and the water passage cavity to the filling chamber to come into contact with the rice and perform the rinsing, steeping, cooking with water and absorption of the water by the rice, then, the water level having dropped, when the water withdraws from the filling chamber, the water may be separated from the rice found inside the filling chamber. The rinsing process or the process of cooking the rice with water using the water found in the inner receptacle is thus completed; we next move on to the following process for cooking the rice with steam.

[0021] When the water level drops until reaching the opening mechanism, the hermetic space between the steaming basket and the inner receptacle may no longer be hermetic; this henceforth non-hermetic space is connected to the water passage cavity and the filling chamber. The steam that rises may enter via the opening mechanism in the filling chamber, or after having entered the hermetic space, next enters via the opening mechanism to the filling chamber, to cook the rice by steaming. At this moment, since the hermetic space has lost its hermeticism, the steam may not accumulate in the hermetic space and the pressure inside the hermetic space may not increase continuously. In other words, the steam inside the hermetic space having lost its hermeticism, may be incapable of compressing the water outside the inner receptacle to send it toward the filling chamber.

[0022] In the use of the electrical cooker according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the control of the number of water entries or exits in or from the filling chamber, the water temperature and the retention time of the water inside the filling chamber may allow the electrical current to perform the process of rinsing the rice and absorption of the water by the rice automatically, such that the electric cooker may cook more nutritional rice with a lower glycemic index (GI), and may increase the degree of consumer satisfaction relative to the cooking process. Consequently, the electric cooker may be multifunctional, largely automated and/or practical to use.

[0023] The appended Figures are intended to improve the understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure, and the schematic example applications of the present disclosure and their explanations are intended to explain the present disclosure, without

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 inappropriately restricting the present disclosure. In the appended Figures:

[0024] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a rice cooker according to one possible example application of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 2 is an assembly diagram of the inner receptacle, the sealing gasket and the steaming basket of the rice cooker of Figure 1.

[0026] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of the sealing gasket and the steaming basket of the rice cooker of Figure 2 when these two parts are separated.

[0027] Figure 4 is the structural diagram of the steaming basket of Figure 3.

[0028] Figure 5 is the diagram of the cooking status when the water inside the inner receptacle of the rice cooker of Figure 1 is removed from the filling chamber of the steaming basket.

[0029] Figure 6 is the diagram of the cooking status when the water inside the inner receptacle of the rice cooker of Figure 1 has entered the filling chamber of the steaming basket.

[0030] It must be specified that in the absence of incompatibility, the example applications of the present application and the features of these example applications may be combined with one another. Below, we will concisely explain the present disclosure using the appended reference Figures, combined with example applications.

[0031] It must be noted that the detailed explanations below are all provided as examples with the aim of providing a more in-depth explanation of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise stated, all of the technical and scientific terms used here have the commonly accepted meaning given to them by ordinary technical personnel in the technical field to which the present application belongs.

[0032] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise indicated, the directional terms such as above, below, on top of, beneath generally refer to the orientations indicated in the appended figures, or refer to the vertical, or gravitational directions of the parts

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 themselves. Likewise, in order to facilitate the understanding and the description, inside and outside refer to the inside or outside of the silhouette of the part in question; however, the aforementioned directional terms in no way limit the present disclosure.

[0033] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure may resolve the technical difficulties of the current electric cookers with a stable performance of the contact process between the water and the rice or separation of the water and the rice, which may make it impossible to cook rice with a low glycemic index (Gl). As shown by the possible example application of Figure 1, the electric cooker may be a rice cooker that includes an outer case (1), an inner receptacle (2) and a steaming basket, said steaming basket being installed inside the inner receptacle (2), and the upper part of the filling cylinder (10) of the steaming basket and the opening of the inner receptacle (2) are hermetically j ointed.

[0034] A sealing gasket (4) is placed between the upper part of the filling cylinder (10) of the steaming basket and the opening of the inner receptacle (2).

[0035] In the application of Figure 2, the upper edge of the filling cylinder (10) is jointed to the upper edge of the inner receptacle (2) using the sealing gasket (4).

[0036] Of course, the electric cooker according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be a rice cooker, a microwave oven, an electric stewpot or an electric pressure cooker. The electric cooker includes, within it, the inner receptacle (2), the sealing gasket (4) and the steaming basket, said steaming basket having the specificities below.

[0037] As indicated by Figures 2 to 6, the steaming basket includes a filling cylinder (10), said filling cylinder (10) being provided with a filling chamber (11), and there is a permeable zone on the bottom wall (12) of said filling cylinder (10). The permeable zone of the bottom wall (12) is pierced with several water passage holes (122) that traverse the bottom wall (12). A water passage cylinder (20) is situated below the filling cylinder (10), the water passage cylinder (20) and the filling cylinder (10) forming a single and same structure. The end of the water passage cylinder (20) opposite the filling cylinder (10) includes an opening mechanism (22). The permeable zone is situated on the zone of the

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 bottom wall (12) surrounded by the water passage cylinder (20).

[0038] Given that the bottom wall (12) of the filling cylinder (10) includes a permeable zone, the water found inside the inner receptacle (2) is, under the action of the pressure, sent through the water passage orifices (122) of this permeable zone into the filling chamber (11) or discharged from the filling chamber (11); in this way, it may thus be possible to steep and rinse the rice repeatedly inside the filling chamber (11), in order to reduce the sugar content of the rice.

[0039] After the steaming basket has been placed in inner receptacle (2), the upper part of the filling cylinder (10) is hermetically jointed to the opening of the inner receptacle (2). In the preliminary phase, the water level inside the inner receptacle (2) is higher than the opening mechanism of the water passage cylinder (20), so as to form a hermetic space between the steaming basket and the inner receptacle (2). When the inner receptacle (2) is heated, the pressure inside the hermetic space increases, and the water is, under the action of the pressure, sent through the water passage cylinder (20) to the filling chamber (11) to come into contact with the rice and perform the rinsing, steeping, cooking with water and absorption of the water by the rice, then, the water level having dropped, when the water withdraws from the filling chamber (11), the water is separated from the rice found inside the filling chamber (11). The rinsing process or the process of cooking the rice with water using the water found in the inner receptacle (2) is thus completed; we next move on to the following process for cooking the rice with steam.

[0040] It must be specified that, when the water level drops until reaching the opening mechanism of water passage cylinder (20), the hermetic space between the steaming basket and the inner receptacle (2) is no longer hermetic; this henceforth non-hermetic space is connected to a water passage cavity (21) and the filling chamber (11). The steam that rises enters via the opening mechanism in the filling chamber (11), or after having entered the hermetic space, next enters via the opening mechanism to the filling chamber (11), to cook the rice by steaming. At this moment, since the hermetic space has lost its hermeticism, the steam will not accumulate in the hermetic space and the pressure inside the hermetic space will not increase continuously. In other words, the steam inside the hermetic space having lost its hermeticism, it is incapable of compressing the water outside the inner receptacle to send it into the filling chamber (11).

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 [0041] In the use of the electrical cooker according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the control of the number of water entries or exits in or from the filling chamber (11), the water temperature and the retention time of the water inside the filling chamber may allow the electrical current to perform the process of rinsing the rice and absorption of the water by the rice automatically, and at the same time the successive processes of cooking with water, then cooking with steam of the rice in the filling chamber (11) such that the electric cooker may cook more nutritional rice with a lower glycemic index (GI), and may increase the degree of consumer satisfaction relative to the cooking process. Consequently, the electric cooker according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be multifunctional, largely automated and/or practical to use.

[0042] The water passage cylinder (20) has a straight tubular shape or a conical shape. The manufacture of the tubular water passage cylinders (20) is easy. The water passage cylinder (20) with the conical shape may make it possible to have the steam generated by the boiling water inside the inner receptacle (2) penetrate the filling chamber (11) easily and in large quantities, which may make it possible to shorten the steam cooking time of the rice located in the filling chamber (11) and to thus potentially improve the practical aspect of the electric cooker. The water passage cylinder (20) with a conical shape may make it possible to reduce the capacity of the space contained by the water passage cylinder (20), which may allow the water inside the inner receptacle (2) to penetrate the filling chamber (11) more easily, and to effectively raise the height of the water level in the filling chamber (11) so as to facilitate the steeping of the rice in the filling chamber (11), and to thus potentially improve the practical aspect of the electric cooker.

[0043] The water passage cylinder (20) is installed at the geometric center of the bottom wall (12). Thus, when the water passes through the water passage cylinder (20) to the inside of the filling chamber (11), the water can, at the scheduled time, quickly and fully come into contact with the rice inside the filling chamber (11), so as to potentially perform reliable rinsing of the rice inside the filling chamber (11), in a same amount of time to help ensure the absorption consistency of the water by the rice in the filling chamber (11).

[0044] Furthermore, during the steam cooking phase in the filling chamber (11), the steam can pass through the water passage cylinder (20) situated at the geometric center of the

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 bottom wall (12) to uniformly penetrate the filling chamber (11) and homogenously cook the rice inside the filling chamber (11), in order to help ensure that the different layers of rice in the filling chamber are steamed at the same time, and to potentially improve the practical aspect of the electric cooker.

[0045] The water passage cylinder (20) has an axial symmetry with the orthogonal projection of the bottom wall (12). It may thus be possible to improve the aesthetic aspect of the steaming basket, as well as the usage comfort of the electric cooker by the user. Furthermore, the water passage cylinder (20) may reduce the contact surface between the steaming basket and the planar surface intended to receive it, which may make it possible to save on the surface area occupied by the steaming basket, and to potentially improve the practical aspect of the steaming basket. The water passage cylinder (20) may have an axial symmetry allowing a uniform distribution of the force experienced by the steaming basket, which may therefore make it possible to improve the stability of the steaming basket when it is on a planar surface.

[0046] As indicated in Figure 4, the water passage cylinder (20) has a flower shape with at least four petals situated on the axial projection of the bottom wall (12).

[0047] The bottom wall (12) has a flat or curved structure. The steaming basket, the bottom wall of which has a flat structure, may have the advantage of being easy to manufacture, which may reduce the cost of manufacturing steaming baskets, while at the same time potentially making it possible to help ensure that the depth of the rice inside the filling chamber (11) is even throughout, and therefore that during the process of steam cooking the rice, the rice may be cooked uniformly over a layer having an even level.

[0048] The bottom wall (12) having a curved structure may make it possible to satisfy the needs of various other users.

[0049] Regarding the curved structures of the bottom wall (12), the bottom wall (12) having a curved structure is either domed on the side facing the filling cylinder (10) or domed on the side opposite the filling cylinder (10). The bottom wall (12) having a curved structure domed on the side facing the filling cylinder (10) may make it possible to ensure that the depth of the rice located on the bottom wall (12) is gradually reduced

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 from the four edges up to the center, the quantity of rice at the center of the bottom wall (12) being smaller, such that the steam may pass more easily through the rice located at the center of the bottom wall (12) and may penetrate to the space of the filling chamber (11) situated above the layer of rice, which may allow the rice on the upper layer located in the filling chamber (11) to cook more easily by steam, and one may thus have improved the usage reliability of the electric cooker. The bottom wall (12) having a curved structure domed in the direction opposite the filling chamber (11) may make it possible to increase the effective capacity of the filling chamber (11), and thus to increase the quantity of rice able to be contained in the filling chamber (11).

[0050] As indicated by the example applications of Figures 2, 5 and 6, the bottom wall (12) includes a central zone (125) situated at the center of the bottom wall (12) and a peripheral zone (126) that surrounds this central zone (125), with one side of the central zone (125) domed in the direction opposite the filling chamber (11), and one side of the peripheral zone (126) domed toward the filling chamber (11). Thus, by increasing the effective capacity of the filling chamber (11), the steam may pass more easily through the rice over the central zone (125) of the bottom wall (12) and may penetrate to the space of the filling chamber (11) situated above the layer of rice, which may allow the upper layer of rice in the filling chamber (11) to be cooked more easily by steam. Additionally, the peripheral zone (126) can accommodate more rice, thereby potentially improving the usage convenience of the electric cooker.

[0051] The water passage holes (122) are round, oval, cashew-shaped or polygonal. They may either all have the same shape or mix several of these shapes. Thus, the streamlined shape and size of the water passage holes (122) may make it possible, when the water in the inner receptacle (2) is sent, under the action of the pressure, through the water passage holes (122), to ensure that the small grains of rice pass through the water passage holes (122) to be brought into the filling chamber (11), and, at the same time, may make it possible to prevent water from carrying large grains of rice into the inner receptacle (2), thereby potentially avoiding any wasted rice. The usage convenience of the steaming basket may thus be improved.

[0052] According to one example application that is not illustrated, the steaming basket further comprises several reinforcements, said reinforcements being situated on the

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 surface on the side of the bottom wall (12) opposite the filling chamber (11) and positioned in the extension of the radius of the bottom wall (12). These multiple reinforcements are situated on either side of the perimeter of the water passage cylinder (20) and separated by the latter. It may thus be possible to effectively reinforce the structure of the bottom wall (12), to potentially prevent the bottom wall (12), which is subject, during long durations, to the impact of the water and steam, from deforming, and therefore to potentially extend the lifetime of the steaming basket.

[0053] In the assembly structure of the steaming basket and the inner receptacle (2), in order to help ensure that the water located inside the inner receptacle (2) enters or leaves the filling chamber (11) correctly, such that the electric cooker carries out the process of rinsing the rice, absorption of the water by the rice, cooking of the rice with water and steam cooking of the rice, without hindrance, and to produce an inner receptacle (2) and a steaming basket with a streamlined structure, embodiments of the present disclosure may have established certain parametric restrictions relative to the dimensions of the inner receptacle (2) and the steaming basket, which are as follows:

[0054] As shown by Figure 2, the ratio of the opening surface SI of the opening mechanism and the cross-section S of the filling chamber (11) is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 1.5.

[0055] According to another alternative, the ratio of the opening surface SI of the opening mechanism and the cross-section S of the filling chamber (11) is greater than or equal to 0.3 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0056] As shown by Figure 2, the ratio between the height Hl from the opening mechanism of the water passage cylinder of the steaming basket (20) to the bottom of the inner receptacle (2) and the depth H of the inner receptacle (2) is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0057] According to another alternative, the bottom wall (12) of the filling cylinder (10) of the steaming basket has a flat or curved structure, and the ratio between the height H2 from the opening of the water passage cylinder (20) to the lowest point of the permeable zone of the bottom wall (12) and the depth H of the inner receptacle (2) is greater than or

2017206271 17 Jan 2019 equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0058] According to another alternative embodiment that is not illustrated, the bottom wall (12) has a flat structure, and the ratio between the distance from the bottom wall (12) with a flat structure to the upper edge of the inner receptacle (2) and the depth H of the inner receptacle (2) is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0059] As indicated by Figure 2, the bottom wall (12) has a curved structure, and the ratio between the height H3 from the lowest point of the permeable zone having a curved surface to the upper edge of the inner receptacle (2) and the depth H of the inner receptacle (2) is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

[0060] It should be noted that the technical terms used here are intended solely to describe concrete embodiments, and not to limit the applications provided as examples according to the present application. It must also be understood that the use in the present description of the terms “comprise and/or include implies that features, steps, tasks, components, parts and/or elements making them up exist.

[0061] It must be specified that the technical terms first and second used in the description, the claims, and the Figures appended to this application are used to distinguish similar phenomena and not to describe a specific sequence or before-after order. It must be understood that the data thus used can, under appropriate conditions, be interchanged.

[0062] The aforementioned examples only constitute preferred example applications of the present disclosure, and in no way constitute a restriction.

[0063] In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments.

[0064] It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

2017206271 17 Jan 2019

Claims

1. An electric cooker comprising:

a steaming basket that comprises:

an outer case;

an inner receptacle for holding water to be heated to produce steam positioned inside the outer case, wherein the steaming basket is installed inside the inner receptacle, and an upper part of the filling cylinder of the steaming basket is hermetically jointed to an opening of the inner receptacle.

2. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein the water passage cylinder has a straight tubular shape or a conical shape.

3. The electric cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water passage cylinder is installed at a geometric center of the bottom wall.

4. The electric cooker according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the water passage cylinder has an axial symmetry with an orthogonal projection of the bottom wall.

5. The electric cooker according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom wall has a planar structure.

6. The electric cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the bottom wall has a curved structure, and one side of the bottom wall having a curved structure being domed toward or in the direction opposite the filling chamber.

2017206271 17 Jan 2019

7. The electric cooker according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a ratio between an opening surface of the opening mechanism and a cross-section of the filling chamber of the filling cylinder is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 1.5.

8. The electric cooker according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein a ratio o f an opening surface of the opening mechanism and a cross-section of the filling chamber of the filling cylinder is greater than or equal to 0.3 and less than or equal to 0.8.

9. The electric cooker according to claim 1, wherein a sealing gasket is placed between the upper part of the filling cylinder of the steaming basket and the opening of the inner receptacle, the inner receptacle having a depth.

10. The electric cooker according to claim 1 or 9, wherein a ratio between a height from the opening mechanism of the water passage cylinder of the steaming basket to a bottom of the inner receptacle and the depth of the inner receptacle is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

11. The electric cooker according to claim 1, 9 or 10, wherein the bottom wall of the filling cylinder of the steaming basket has a flat or curved structure, and a ratio between a height from the opening mechanism of the water passage cylinder to a lowest point of the permeable zone of the bottom wall and the depth of the inner receptacle is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.

12. The electric cooker according to claim 1 or 9 to 11, wherein the bottom wall of the steaming basket has a flat or curved structure, and a ratio between a height from the lowest point of the permeable zone of the bottom wall to an upper edge of the inner receptacle and the depth of the inner receptacle is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.8.