Electric heating – Microwave heating – Enclosed cavity structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-10
2004-03-16
Leung, Philip H. (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Microwave heating
Enclosed cavity structure
C219S758000, C126S29900R, C362S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06707019
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a ventilation structure of a microwave oven, which can reduce required number of components, and improve a cooling efficiency, and a lamp fitting structure therefor.
2. Background of the Related Art
The microwave oven is a cooking appliance in which a magnetron is used for generating a microwave, and directing the microwave to a cooking object, to cause molecular movements in the cooking object, for heating the cooking object. The microwave oven of the present invention has a function for absorbing a heat from electric fittings in an electric fitting room, a function for discharging water vapor and the like in a cavity, and a hood function for absorbing and discharging water vapor and the like from a cooker (for an example, a gas oven range) installed below the microwave oven. A related art ventilation structure of a microwave oven, and a lamp fitting structure therefor will be explained with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the related art microwave oven is divided into a cavity
1
for heating food, and an electric fitting room
3
for fitting electric components therein. For letting air introduced into the electric fitting room
3
flow into the cavity
1
, there is a perforated air inlet at a side of the cavity
1
. There is a perforated air outlet
1
b
in a left part of an upper surface of the cavity
1
, for discharging the air in the cavity
1
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, the electric fitting room
3
has electric components, starting from a magnetron
5
, a high voltage transformer
6
, fitted therein, and an air guide
7
connected between the air inlet
1
a
and the magnetron
5
for guiding introduction of the air cooled the magnetron into the cavity
1
.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, there is an air duct
10
on the cavity
1
for guiding air during drawing and discharging of the air. There is a cooling fan
15
in the air duct
10
over the electric fitting room
3
. There is a lamping fitting part
10
a
on one side of the air duct
10
. There is a lamp bracket
20
under the lamp fitting part
10
a
having a fitting hole
20
at a side thereof for fitting the lamp
21
. There is a perforated lighting window
1
c
in an upper surface of the cavity
1
opposite to the lamp
21
. The lighting window
1
c
is formed in one side part of the upper surface of the cavity in the vicinity of the air inlet
1
a
, for introducing a lamp light into the cavity
1
through the lighting window
1
c
. There is heat resistant tap
25
fitted to a part over the lighting window
1
c
, for blocking the air introduced into the cavity
1
through the air inlet
1
a
to make a smoother air flow toward the air outlet
1
b
, and protecting a lamp
1
by preventing oil mist or vapor generated during cooking from coming into contact with the lamp
21
.
In the meantime, there is a ventilation motor assembly
29
at a central part of the upper surface of the cavity
1
for drawing water vapor and smoke rising from a cooker below the microwave oven, heat generated in the electric fitting room, and the like through fans and inlet openings fitted on both sides thereof, and discharging to an outside of the microwave oven.
Works of the related art ventilation structure of a microwave oven will be explained with reference to the attached drawings.
The air introduced into an upper part of the electric fitting room through a vent grill (not shown) in a front surface of the microwave oven cools down the electric fittings in the electric fitting room
3
, such as the magnetron, and the high voltage transformer
6
, as the cooling fan rotates
15
. The air heated as the magnetron
5
is cooled down is introduced into the cavity
1
through the air inlet
1
a
formed at a side of the cavity
1
by the air guide
7
. Then, the air introduced into the cavity
1
escapes to an outside of the cavity
1
through the air outlet
1
b
in a left part of the upper surface thereof together with smoke, water vapor, and the like, flows guided by the air duct
10
on the upper part of the cavity
1
, and discharged through a vent grill (not shown) in the front surface of the microwave oven.
In the meantime, during cooking in the microwave oven, the light of the lamp
21
passes through the lighting window
1
c
in one side part of the upper surface of the cavity
1
, and lights an inside of the cavity
1
. The heat resistant tape
25
attached on the lighting window
1
c
blocks the air introduced into the cavity
1
through the air inlet
1
a
from rising to a part over the cavity
1
through the lighting window
1
c
while transmitting the light. If the heat resistant tape
25
is not attached to the lighting window
1
c
, the air introduced through the air inlet
1
a
will not flow to the air outlet
1
b
, but to the lighting window
1
c
over the air inlet
1
a
. In this instance, the air flow for discharging the water vapor in the cavity formed during the cooking out of the cavity
1
is not smooth, to form dew on the door due to a temperature difference between inside and outside of the cavity
1
. Moreover, if the heat resistant tape
25
is not attached to the lighting window
1
c
, electronic components, starting from the lamp
21
, are liable to cause short circuit or malfunction, due to moist contained in the air rising through the lighting window
1
c
. Thus, the attachment of the heat resistant tape
25
to the lighting window
1
c
is essential in the ventilation system of the related art microwave oven.
However, the related art microwave oven causes the following problem due to a structural limitation of the ventilation system.
The heat resistant tape
25
attached to the lighting window
1
c
for making a smooth air flow to remove the water vapor from the cavity
1
is expensive as the heat resistant tape
25
is required to have both a good heat resistance and a light transmittivity, to push up a production cost.
In the ventilation structure of the related art microwave oven, since the lamp fitting space is closed in upper part and lower part as an upper surface of the lighting window
1
c
located below the lamp
21
is blocked by the heat resistant tape
25
, and the lamp
21
is fitted to the lamp bracket
20
fitted to a bottom surface of the air duct
10
. Therefore, overheat of the lamp
21
caused by failure of rejection of the heat from the lamp shortens a lifetime of the lamp
21
.
The comparatively long air duct
10
on the cavity
1
from above the electric fitting room
3
to an upper part of left side of the cavity
1
having the air outlet
1
b
formed therein requires much material, to push up a production cost, and to make the product heavier.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a ventilation structure of a microwave oven that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a ventilation structure of a microwave oven, which can reduce a weight of a product, and a production cost, and prolong a lifetime of the lamp.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the ventilation structure of a microwave oven includes a cavity forming a cooking space therein having an air inlet and lighting window in one side of upper surface thereof for introducing a portion of air introduced into an electric fitting room, and an air outlet in the other side of the upper surface thereof for discharging the air in the cav
Fleshner & Kim LLP
Leung Philip H.
LG Electronics Inc.
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