JP2543379Y2 - microwave - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a microwave oven,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a control signal transmission mechanism in a microwave oven in which a cooking switch is provided on a door side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a general microwave oven, an opening of a heating chamber can be opened and closed by a door, and a cooking panel corresponding to a cooking menu is provided on an operation panel provided on a side of the heating chamber of the microwave oven. (For example, see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-83708).

In recent years, a microwave oven of a type in which the entire front surface of a microwave oven body is covered with a door has been developed in consideration of design requirements, user convenience, and the like. If a cooking switch or the like is attached to the operation panel on the side of the heating chamber in the range main body as in the example, the door must be opened and closed every time the switch is operated, resulting in poor operability. .

To solve the above problem, it is conceivable to provide a cooking switch or the like on the door side. In this case, a control signal is transmitted from the switches on the door side to the controller on the range body side. Is performed via a lead wire, there is a possibility that a problem may occur in the durability of the lead wire due to a problem peculiar to the microwave oven that the frequency of opening and closing the door is extremely high.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a control signal can be transmitted between a door and a range body by an optical signal. It is intended to be.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, as a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, a high-frequency generator for heating the heating chamber 3 and the object to be heated Y housed in the heating chamber 3 is provided. A cooking apparatus including a range body 1 having various heating means such as an apparatus 29 and a heater 5; and a door 2 for opening and closing the opening 4 of the heating chamber 3, wherein the door 2 executes or stops cooking corresponding to a cooking menu. And a door-side optical signal communication means 21 for outputting a control signal from the cooking switch 16 as an optical signal to a contact portion between the door 2 and the range body 1 in the microwave oven provided with the switch 16 for cooking. The main body side optical signal communication means 24 which receives a light signal from the side optical signal communication means 21 and transmits a control signal to a control means 28 which controls the heating state by the heating means is used. Which it is provided.

According to the invention of claim 2, as means for solving the above-mentioned problems, in the microwave oven according to claim 1, the microwave signal communication means 21 is provided on the range body 1 or the door 2 when the door is open. A safety means 26 for preventing the transmission of an optical signal between the optical signal communication means 24 and permitting the optical signal transmission between the optical signal communication means 21 and 24 when the door is closed is provided.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained by the above means.

That is, the control signal from the cooking switch 16 provided on the door 2 is transmitted as an optical signal to the range main body 1 via the optical signal communication means 21 and 24.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained by the above means.

That is, when the door 2 is open, signal transmission between the optical signal communication means 21 and 24 is prevented by the safety means 26, and malfunction of the microwave oven when the door 2 is opened is prevented.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a range having various heating means such as a heating chamber 3, a high-frequency generator 29 for heating an object to be heated housed in the heating chamber 3, and a heater 5 is provided. A microwave oven comprising a main body 1 and a door 2 for opening and closing an opening 4 of the heating chamber 3, and a cooking switch 16 for executing or stopping cooking corresponding to a cooking menu is provided on the door 2; The cooking switch 16 is attached to a contact portion of the door 2 and the range main body 1.
A control signal is transmitted to a door-side optical signal communication unit 21 that outputs a control signal from the door as an optical signal, and a control unit 28 that receives an optical signal from the door-side optical signal communication unit 21 and controls a heating state of the heating unit. And a control signal from the cooking switch 16 on the side of the door 2 as an optical signal.
Door 2 and range body 1
Since there is no need to arrange a lead wire for transmitting a control signal between them, there is a practical effect that the structure can be simplified and the durability is greatly improved. In particular, a control signal from the cooking switch 16 (ie,
A control signal for executing or stopping the cooking corresponding to the cooking menu) is transmitted to the door 2 via the optical signal communication means 21 and 24.
Since transmission can be performed from the side to the range body 1, the complicated wiring for transmitting the control signal is not required.

According to the invention of claim 2, the transmission of an optical signal from the door-side optical signal communication means 21 to the main body-side optical signal communication means 24 is prevented in the range main body 1 or the door 2 when the door is open. In the closed state, the safety means 26 for permitting the transmission of an optical signal from the door-side optical signal communication means 21 to the main body-side optical signal communication means 24 is provided. Control signal can be transmitted to the door, which has a practical effect of reliably preventing malfunction when the door is opened.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 4 show a microwave oven according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This embodiment relates to claims 1 and 2
It corresponds to the device of the present invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the microwave oven of this embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, a range main body 1 having a heating chamber 3 that opens horizontally, and an openable and closable door 2 that covers an opening 4 of the range main body 1 are provided.

A heater 5 is mounted on the ceiling of the heating chamber 3 for heating the object to be heated Y by radiant heat in addition to heating by a high-frequency generator (that is, a magnetron 29) described later. At the bottom of the heating chamber 2, a rotary table 6 on which the object to be heated Y is placed is provided.

One side of the front surface of the range main body 1 is an operation panel section 7 to which cooking switches 8, 8 and the like are attached. The cooking switches 8, 8 installed here are used when executing or stopping special cooking, and are used infrequently.

The door 2 is openably and closably connected to the lower end of the front surface of the range main body 1 via a hinge 9.
In the case of the present embodiment, the door 2 is the entire front surface of the range main body 1 (that is, the entire front surface including the opening 4 of the heating chamber 3).
(That is, the same size as the front shape of the range main body 1).

The door 2 has a double wall structure in which a space 12 is formed between the outer wall 10 and the inner wall 11. The inner wall 11 has a glass having an area slightly smaller than the opening 4 of the heating chamber 3. A window 13 is provided. On the front surface of the glass window 13, a perforated plate (not shown) for high frequency shielding is provided. The outer peripheral portion of the inner wall 11 closes the entire front surface of the opening 4 of the heating chamber 3 when the door is closed.

On the other hand, on the outer wall 10 of the door 2, there is provided a see-through window 14 for looking inside the heating chamber 3 from outside the door 2. Reference numeral 15 denotes a handle for opening and closing the door.

Further, below the see-through window 14 of the door 2, there are provided various cooking switches 16, 16,... For executing or stopping the cooking menu. The cooking switches 16, 16,... Installed here are frequently used, such as "toast", "thaw", "warm", and "cancel".

The cooking switch 16 is connected to the door outer wall 10.
A board 18 disposed in a switch box 17 mounted on the inner surface of the door, a tact switch 19 provided on the substrate 18, and the tact switch 19 mounted on the door outer wall 10 by pressing operation from the outer surface side. And an operation button 20 to be operated.

On the inner wall 11 of the door 2, a portion corresponding to the operation panel 7 on the range body 1 side is provided
There is provided a door-side optical signal coupler 21 serving as a door-side optical signal communication means for outputting control signals from the cooking switches 16, 16,... As optical signals. The door-side optical signal coupler 21 is housed in a cylindrical portion 22 protruding from the closing surface of the door 2 and has a structure capable of outputting an optical signal toward the range main body 1 (see FIG. 1).

On the other hand, in the operation panel section 7 of the range main body 1, an opening 23 is formed at a position facing the door-side optical signal coupler 21 when the door 2 is closed, and the cylinder section 22 can be inserted therein. Inside the opening 23, there is provided a main body side optical signal coupler 24 acting as a main body side optical signal communication means for receiving an optical signal output from the door side optical signal coupler 21. Reference numeral 25 denotes a bracket for attaching the main body side optical signal coupler 24. The optical signal couplers 21 and 24 are capable of mutually transmitting and receiving optical signals.

The opening 23 is opened and closed by a lid 26 hinged to the upper edge of the opening. When the door 2 is closed, the lid 26 is pushed and opened as shown by a chain line arrow M by the cylindrical portion 22 inserted into the opening 23, whereby the optical signal couplers 21 and 24 are closed. Optical signals can be transmitted and received. That is, in the case of the present embodiment, the lid 26
However, when the door 2 is open, a safety means for preventing transmission of the optical signal between the optical signal couplers 21 and 24 and for permitting the transmission of the optical signal between the optical signal couplers 21 and 24 when the door 2 is closed is configured. It is. The lid 26 is closed by its own weight when the door 2 is opened.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the correlation between various switches and various devices in the microwave oven according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 27 denotes a microcomputer provided on the door 2 side.
Each of the cooking switches 1 receives the control signal from
The instruction is to instruct the door-side optical signal coupler 21 to output an optical signal having a frequency corresponding to No. 6. Reference numeral 28 denotes a microcomputer provided on the range body 1 side.
An optical signal output from the door-side optical signal coupler 21 and input through the main body-side optical signal coupler 24 or the cooking switch 8 provided on the operation panel unit 7 of the range main body 1,
Control for receiving the electric signal from the control unit 8 and controlling the driving of the high frequency generator (that is, the magnetron 29), the heater 5, the motor 30 which is the driving source of the rotary table 6, the motor 31 for driving the cooling fan, and the range lamp 32. Act as a means. Reference numeral 33 denotes an AC power supply, and reference numeral 34 denotes an AC / DC converter.

The microwave oven configured as described above operates as follows.

When the door 2 is in the closed state, the lid 26 of the opening 23 formed in the operation panel 7 of the range main body 1 is opened by the insertion of the cylindrical part 22 of the door 2, and the door-side optical signal coupler is opened. The optical signal from 21 is the optical signal coupler 2 on the main body side.
4, and the cooking switches 16, 16
When the one corresponding to a desired cooking menu is operated, a control signal corresponding to the cooking switch 16 is output from the door-side optical signal coupler 21 as an optical signal, and the optical signal is transmitted to the main body-side optical signal coupler 24. Is received. Then, the microcomputer (e.g., the magnetron 29) required for the specified cooking menu is driven and controlled by the microcomputer 28 which has received the control signal from the main body side optical signal coupler 24.

On the other hand, when the door 2 is in the open state, the opening 23 formed in the operation panel 7 of the range main body 1 is closed by the lid 26. Even if an optical signal is output from the door-side optical signal coupler 21 by operating the 16, the signal is not transmitted to the main body-side optical signal coupler 24. Therefore, malfunction of the microwave oven is prevented.

When the cooking switch 8 is operated, the door 2 is opened, but there is no problem because the cooking switch 8 is used less frequently.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 5 and 6 show a main part of a microwave oven according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment corresponds to the invention of claim 1.

In the case of the present embodiment, various cooking switches 16, 16,..., The door-side optical signal coupler 21, the display lamp An operation panel A for remote operation, which is provided with an LCD 35 and a liquid crystal display 36, is detachably mounted. The operation panel A is fixed to the recess 37 by the attraction force of a magnet 38 attached to the inner bottom of the recess 37.

In FIG. 6, reference numerals 39, 40, 41, 42
Is a transparent body, and 43 is an iron plate attracted to the magnet 38.

The other configuration and operation and effect are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

Third Embodiment FIG. 7 shows a main part of a door in a microwave oven according to a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment corresponds to claim 1
It corresponds to the device of the present invention.

In the case of the present embodiment, the main body side optical signal coupler 24
A light emitting diode 44 is provided adjacent to the light emitting diode 44, and the light emitting diode 44 and the display lamp 35 are connected by an optical fiber 45, so that the display lamp 35 is turned on in response to the light emission of the light emitting diode 44. In the case of the present embodiment, the display lamp 35 and the liquid crystal display unit 36 are attached to the door 2.

The other configuration, operation and effect are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

The invention of the present application is not limited to the configuration of each of the above-described embodiments, and it is a matter of course that the design can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part (II enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2) of a microwave oven according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the microwave oven according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a correlation between various devices in the microwave oven according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of a door in the microwave oven according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a main part of a door in the microwave oven according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part of a door in a microwave oven according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a range body, 2 is a door, 3 is a heating room, 4 is an opening,
5 is a heater, 7 is an operation panel section, 8 and 16 are cooking switches, 21 is a door side optical signal communication means (door side optical signal coupler), 23 is an opening, and 24 is a main body side optical signal communication means (main body side light). Signal coupler), 26 is a safety means (lid), 28 is a control means (microcomputer), 29 is a high-frequency generator (magnetron), and Y is an object to be heated.

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A heating chamber (3) and a heating chamber (3).
High frequency generator for heating contained object (Y)
Includes a location (29) and the heater (5) oven body having various heating means such as (1), and a door (2) for opening and closing an opening (4) of said heating chamber (3), the door (2 ) To the cooking menu
Cooking switch to execute or stop the corresponding cooking
A microwave oven provided with (16), wherein the door
(2) and a contact portion of the range body (1), a door-side optical signal communication means (21) for outputting a control signal from the cooking switch (16) as an optical signal, and the door-side optical signal
The heating means receives the optical signal from the communication means (21) .
Control signal to the control means (28) for controlling the heating state
A microwave oven provided with a main body side optical signal communication means (24) for transmitting a signal . 2. The optical signal communication means (21), (2) in the range body (1) or the door (2) when the door is open.
(4) A safety means (26) for preventing transmission of an optical signal between the optical signal communication means and for permitting optical signal transmission between the optical signal communication means (21) and (24) when the door is closed is provided. The microwave oven according to claim 1.