Electric heating – Microwave heating – Field modification
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-06
2001-06-26
Leung, Philip H. (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Microwave heating
Field modification
C219S756000, C219S762000, C099S44300R, C126S338000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252214
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from my application MICROWAVE OVEN filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 22, 1999 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 41029/1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly to a microwave oven capable of preventing the separation of a tray in the oven caused from external physical conditions such as vibration and shock when the microwave oven is operated in a transport means such as a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a microwave oven is used in the kitchen where an alternating current power source is provided. Recently, new microwave ovens, which can be operated by both a direct current power source and an alternating power source, have been developed so that the microwave oven can be easily utilized in as well as out of the kitchen.
An exemplary conventional microwave oven includes a cabinet which is divided into a cooking chamber and a driving chamber. Food to be cooked is placed in the cooking chamber.
A circular guide groove is formed on the bottom of the driving chamber, while rollers of a rotating guide are positioned in the guide groove. A tray where a vessel containing food to be cooked is placed is loaded on the roller of the rotation guide. The tray is detachably coupled with a driving shaft of a motor so as to be rotated by the motor.
The driving chamber of the cabinet is provided with several parts for supplying high frequency waves to the cooking chamber, such as a magnetron for generating the high frequency waves, and a wave guide for guiding the generated high frequency waves from the magnetron.
According to the conventional microwave oven as constructed above, the high frequency waves generated from the magnetron are supplied to the cooking chamber through the wave guide so that the food contained in the vessel is cooked. During the operation, the tray is rotationally supported by the rollers of the rotation guide and rotated by the motor so that the high frequency waves are evenly spread on the food.
However, the conventional microwave oven has drawbacks, that is, since the rollers of the rotation guide are installed to be placed on the groove which is formed on the bottom of the cooking chamber, and the tray is installed to be placed on the rollers of the rotation guide, the vibration and shock of the vehicle cause the tray and the rotation guide to be swayed so that the installed position of the tray and the rotation guide are changed or the tray and the rotation guide are deviated from their initial installed positions when the conventional microwave oven is loaded and operated in a vehicle in motion. When the change of the installed positions of the tray and the rotation guide or the deviation of the tray and the rotation guide occurs, the microwave oven can not perform a cooking function. Moreover, the deviated tray and rotation guide collide with the inner wall of the cooking chamber so that the tray, the rotation guide, and the inner wall of the cooking chamber are damaged.
In addition, the conventional microwave oven has additional drawbacks in that the vessel on the tray falls down by the vibration and/or the shock of the vehicle so that the food contained in the vessel spills in the cooking chamber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved microwave oven.
A further object of the invention is to provide a microwave oven which can be used in a vehicle.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide a microwave oven which is less susceptible to damage to the cooking chamber or tray due to shock or vibration.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a microwave oven in which a food vessel in the oven is prevented from spilling due to shock or vibration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a microwave oven in which the tray is prevented from deviating from an initial installed position thereof in the event of shock or vibration.
These and other objects are accomplished by a microwave oven according to the present invention. A microwave oven may be constructed according to the present invention, formed with a cabinet including a cooking chamber and a driving chamber; a high frequency generating section, or generator, for generating high frequency waves and supplying the high frequency waves to the cooking chamber; a tray rotatably installed on a bottom of the cooking chamber, a food and/or a vessel containing the food being placed on the tray; a tray driving section provided in the driving chamber for rotatably driving the tray; and a tray supporting section, or tray support, for rotatably supporting the tray and preventing the deviation of the tray from an initial installed position of the tray.
The tray supporting section includes a holder body, or holder, provided with a tray receiving opening at a central portion thereof and installed in the cooking chamber to be contacted with an inner wall of the cooking chamber; and a plurality of rollers, having respective pairs of rollers which are installed on an inner circumferential surface of the tray receiving opening in opposite sides, for supporting an upper and lower sides of an edge of the tray. Further, the tray supporting section includes a fixing means for fixing the holder body so as to prevent moving of the holder body within the cooking chamber. The fixing means may include a hook and groove.
In addition, the tray supporting section may be formed with a lower holder body, or lower holder, installed in the cooking chamber to be contacted with an inner wall of the cooking chamber and formed with a lower tray receiving opening at a central portion thereof; an upper holder body, or upper holder, coupled with an upper side of the lower holder body, and formed with an upper tray receiving opening corresponding to the lower tray receiving opening at a central portion thereof; a plurality of rollers, respectively installed on inner circumferential surfaces of the first and second tray receiving openings in opposite sides, for supporting an upper and lower surfaces of an edge of the tray, the plurality of rollers having pairs of rollers when the lower and upper holder bodies are coupled with each other. The tray supporting section may be formed with a fixing means for fixing the lower holder body from swaying in the cooking chamber and a fixing means for detachably fixing the upper holder body on the lower holder body.
Moreover, the microwave oven according to the present invention further includes a vessel supporting section for supporting the vessel containing the food placed on the tray so as to prevent the falling of the vessel by a vibration and/or shock.
Here, the vessel supporting section has a support having a shape corresponding to a recess formed on the tray and tightly inserted into the recess of the tray; and a fixture installed on the support for receiving and supporting the vessel.
According to the present invention as constructed above, since the tray can be rotated but not to be deviated from its initial installed position, it does not deviate due to the external vibration and/or shocks.
In addition, since the vessel containing the food is supported so as not to be swayed by the vessel supporting section, the falling of the vessel due to the external vibration and/or shocks does not occur.
Accordingly, the microwave oven according to the present invention easily cooks food in a vehicle in motion so that the elements used in constructing a microwave oven are prevented from being damaged due to the deviation of the tray.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4751357 (1988-06-01), Boulard
patent: 6002120 (1999-12-01), De Matteis
patent: 53-64843 (1978-06-01), None
patent: 53-148745 (1978-12-01), None
patent: 4-244519 (1992-09-01), None
Han Yong-Woon
Jang Seong-deog
Kang Kwang-Seok
Sung Han-Jun
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Leung Philip H.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Microwave oven with tray restraint does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Microwave oven with tray restraint, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Microwave oven with tray restraint will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2516090