US3889091A

US3889091A - Electronic oven with a cooking time setting mechanism and a remaining time indication mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3889091A
Application number: US440034A
Authority: US
Inventors: Teruo Ishikawa
Original assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Toshiba Corp
Priority date: 1973-02-10
Filing date: 1974-02-06
Publication date: 1975-06-10
Anticipated expiration: 1992-06-10
Also published as: CA987006A

Abstract

An electronic oven provided with a cooking time setting mechanism and a remaining time indication mechanism, the former mechanism having second and minute indication bodies by which the remaining heating time is indicated in a digital form, the latter mechanism having second and minute setting shafts rotatable and movable in an axial direction to operate the time indication mechanism and a high-frequency oscillator.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Ishikawa [111 3,889,091 June 10, 1975 ELECTRONIC OVEN WITH A COOKING TIME SETTING MECHANISM AND A REMAINING TIME INDICATION MECHANISM Teruo Ishikawa, Fuji, Japan Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd.,

Inventor:

Assignee:

Tokyo, Japan Filed:

Feb. 6, 1974 Appl. No.: 440,034

Foreign Application Priority Data June 4, 1973 June 22, 1973 Feb. 10, 1973 June 22, 1973 June 22, 1973 Japan 48-62679 Japan.... 48-70589 Japan.... 48-17908 Japan.... 48-74222 Japan 48-74225 US. Cl. 219/l0.55 E; 200/38 FX; 219/1055 B Int. Cl.

Field of Search.. 200/38 R, 38 A, 38 F, 38 FA, 200/38 FB, 313, 317; 235/117 R, 132 E; 219/10.55,10.55 E, 10.55 B,10.55 R;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,247,336 4/1966 Bergman et a] 200/38 A 3,590,572 7/1971 Niznik 58/125 C X 3,609,956 10/1971 Funaki 58/125 C X 3,610,847 10/1971 Houpt et al. 200/38 R 3,699,899 10/1972 Schiffmann 219/1055 X 3,848,105 11/1970 Mori 219/1055 E Primary Examiner-Bruce A. Reynolds Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Oblon, Fisher, Spivak, McClelland & Maier [5 7 ABSTRACT An electronic oven provided with a cooking time setting mechanism and a remaining time indication mechanism, the former mechanism having second and minute indication bodies by which the remaining heating time is indicated in a digital form, the latter mechanism having second and minute setting shafts rotatable and movable in an axial direction to operate the time indication mechanism and a high-frequency oscillator.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 10 m5 3'. 889.091

SHEET 3 FIG. 5

ELECTRONIC OVEN WITH A COOKING TIME SETTING MECHANISM AND A REMAINING TIME INDICATION MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an electronic oven provided with a cooking time setting mechanism and a remaining time indication mechanism.

1. Description of the Prior Art:

With a conventional electronic oven, a heating time or a cooking time is preliminarily set by a suitable mechanism and a power source such as a magnetron is automatically deenergized when the cooking time is completed. In order to inform a user of a length of time further required for completion of cooking, a remaining time indication mechanism is generally provided at the front of the electronic oven. However, the cooking time setting mechanism and remaining time indicating mechanism are constructed to indicate the setting time in the analog form so that it is difficult to immediately know only the remaining time by glancing at the indicator. Only a remaining cooking time of the order of minutes is accurately observed, and it is therefore difficult to determine a length of time of the order of seconds. Accordingly, it is difficult to obtain a short and accurate heating. I

2. Summary of the Invention:

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an electronic oven capable of easily determining an accurate cooking time and an accurate remaining cooking time. According to this invention the setting time and remaining cooking time of the electronic oven are indicated in the digital form, and a cooking time setting mechanism and remaining cooking time indicating mechanism are so constructed that a digital indication can be easily effected.

In one aspect of this invention there is provided an electronic oven comprising a housing provided with a heating chamber and heating time indicating windows, a high-frequency oscillator for supplying a highfrequency wave to the heating chamber, second and minute time unit setting shafts provided in the housing to be rotatable and movable in an axial direction, rotatable second and minute indication bodies associated with each other so that a remaining heating time is displayed through the heating time indicating windows, connecting means operatively connecting the time setting shafts to the time indication bodies to cause the time indication bodies to be rotated an amount corresponding to the extent of rotation involved when the time setting shafts are rotated after an axial movement, and adapted to cut off the. operative connection between the time indication bodies and the time setting shafts when the time setting shafts are returned to an original position, a starting shaft provided in the housing to be movable in an axial direction, means adapted to return the time setting shafts to the original position when the time starting shaft is moved, means for causing the high-frequency oscillator to be operated when the starting shaft is moved, and a timer motor causing the time indication bodies to be rotated said rotation amount in a reverse'dir ection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pr-espective view, partly broken away, showing an electronic oven according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross sectional views diagrammatically showing different states of the time setting mechanism and time indicating mechanism of the oven;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the time setting mechanism and time indicating mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the time setting mechanism and time indicating mechanism; FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a mechanism for informing the completion of cooking;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are side views diagrammatically showing different states of the mechanism of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 shows an electric circuit of the electronic oven;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view diagrammatically showing a modification of a time setting shaft returning mechanism; and

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view diagrammatically showing a modification of a high amount adjusting mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 an electronic oven 11 has an outer housing 12 and an inner housing 13 contained within the outer housing. A heating chamber 14 is provided within the inner housing 13. At the front of the outer housing 12 is pivotally connected a door 15 at the lower end adapted to open or close the opening of the heating chamber 14. Between the outer housing 12 and the inner housing 13, a mechanism accommodating chamber 1 6 is defined. A high-frequency oscillator 17, for example a magnetron, is provided on the inner housing 13 such that the antenna 17a thereof extends into the heating chamber 14.

Anoperating panel 18 is located on the upper portion of the front of the outer housing 12 on which are mounted apushbutton 19 for a power source, a push lead 20 for a cooking switch and

knobs

22, 23 for a device 21 to set a heating time.

The time setting device 21 will be explained by reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

Three

time indicating bodies

25, 26 and 27 indicating Z-second, 1-minute and IO-minute" time units, respectively, are coaxially arranged in juxtaposition between the opposite side walls of a substantially rectangular chassis 24 (only one part is shown). The respective time indicating bodies each consist of a drum on the outer periphery of which a tape 29 bearing a display character 28 is attached. The display character 28 of the 2-second indication drum 25 consists of

numerals

2, 4, 8 58 which are spaced equidistantly around the outer periphery thereof.

The display characters 28 respectively borne on the outer peripheries of the 1-minute and 10-

minute indication drums

26 and 27 each consist of

numerals

1, 2 9 which are arranged in this order. At the center of the blocked side surface of the time indication drum 26 is provided an outwardly extending cylindrical bear ing section 26a. The time indication drum 25 is rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the bearing section 26a. A support shaft 32 extends through the center of the

time indicating drums

25, 26 and 27. The axial movement of the time indicating drums relative to the support shaft, as well as the axial movement of the display drums relative to each other, is restricted by

collars

30, 31 and anchoring rings (not shown).

Near one end portion of the support shaft 32 is disposed a minute setting shaft 33 which extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the support shaft 32. A first crown gear 34 is coaxially supported at the midway of the time setting shaft 33. The crown gear 34 is normally engaged with a spur gear 35 provided at the end of the cylindrical bearing section 26a of the time setting shaft 26. The rear end of the extending bearing section of the first crown gear 34 is abutted against a portion 24a struck out from the chassis 24 to thereby restrict axial movement. In the forward end of the bearing section of the crown gear 34, is provided a gear 37 engageable with a gear 36 provided midway of the time setting shaft 33. In the bearing section of the gear 36 is provided a groove '39 normally engaged with a pin 38 projecting from the time setting shaft 33 thereby constituting a clutch mechanism 40. Consequently, the clutch mechanism 40 is such that, when the time setting shaft 33 is depressed to cause it to be urged in an axial direction, as shown in FIG. 2, the crown gear 36 is also urged into engagement with the gear 37 integral with the crown gear 34.

A second setting shaft 41 is coaxially and rotatably fitted over the forward end portion of the minute setting shaft 33. The forward ends of these

time setting shafts

33 and 41 extend in front of the operating panel 18 where

time setting knobs

22 and 23 are mounted respectively to the forward ends thereof. A second crown gear 44 is coaxially fitted over the rear end portion of the time setting shaft 41 and is engageable with an intermediate gear 43 which is normally engaged with a gear 42 provided integrally with .one side of the outer periphery of the time setting drum 25. The time setting shaft 41 is normally urged in a forward direction by means of a compression spring 45 interposed between :the rear end of the time setting shaft 41 and a portion 24b struck out from .the chassis 24. Consequently, when the time setting shaft 41 is depressed backwardly through the knob 23 to cause it to be urged in an axial direction, as shown by an arrowa in FIG. 2, the second crown gear 44 is made to be brought into engagement with the intermediate gear 42.

Gears

46 and 47 are provided at the oppositely facing sides of outer peripheries of the respective time indication drums 25 and 26 and a first carry gear 48 is adapted to be selectively engaged with either one of the

gears

46 and 47.

Gears

49 and 50 are provided at the oppositely facing sides of the outer peripheries of the respective time indication drums 26 and 27. The gear ratio of the

gears

46, 47, 48 and 49 is such that when the time indication drum 25 makes one rotation, the time indication drum 26 makes one-tenth of a rotation and when the time indication drum 26 makes one rotation, the time indication drum 27 makes one-tenth of a rotation.

The first carry gear 48 is mounted on a support shaft 52 in a manner that it can be biased in an axial direction. On one side of the gear 48, a collar 53 is coaxially mounted of which the forward end is connected, as shown in FIG. 4, to that free end of a first plate spring 54 which extends inwardly through a cutout of the chassis 24. The plate spring 54 has the other end fixed to the outer wall surface of the chassis 24. Midway of the plate spring 54 are provided a portion 54a parallel to the outer wall surface of the chassis 24 and a portion 54b progressively declining toward the outer wall surface of the chassis and on the side of the free end of the plate spring. Between the chassis. 24 and the parallel portion 54a of the plate spring 54 is disposed, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower end 90a of a lever 90 adapted to be moved in response to the axial movement of the time setting shaft 33. Consequently, when the minute setting shaft 33 is depressed, the plate spring 54 is urged outwardly by means of the lower end 900 of the lever 90 to cause the first carry gear 48, connected to the free end of the plate spring 54, to be spring biased toward the time indication drum 25 to permit the gear 48 to be disengaged, as shown in FIG. 2, from the first gear 47 of the time indication drum 26. As a result, a connection between the time indication drum 25 and the time indication drum 26 is cut off.

A timer motor 55 is disposed remote from the front surface of the chassis 24. A drive shaft 55a of the timer motor extends in a direction orthogonal to a support shaft 56 disposed parallel to, in front of and in a position higher than, a support shaft 52. A pinion 57 is coaxially fixed to the free end of the drive shaft 55a. A crown gear 58 is coaxially supported on the support shaft 56 and is normally engaged with the pinion 57. To one end of the crown gear 58 is coaxially mounted a spur gear 59 engageable with a first gear 42 of the time indication drum 25 through an intermediate gear 60. These gears 42, 58, 59, 60 constitute a time display mechanism. One end of a support shaft 62, for rotatably supporting the intermediate spur gear 60, extends outwardly from the chassis 24 and is connected to the free end of a second plate spring 63 disposed parallel to, and in a position higher than, the first plate spring 54 and having a declining portion 63a as in the case of the first plate spring 54. When the time setting shaft 33 is depressed to cause it to be urged in an axial direction, the plate spring 63 is urged by the end portion 90b of the lever 90 to cause it to be spring biased outwardly to permit the intermediate spur gear 60 to be disengaged from the spur gear 59 and the first gear 42 of the time indication drum 25. As a result, an operative connection between the spur gear 59 and the first gear 42 is cut off, as shown in FIG. 2.

The minute setting shaft 33 has a small-diametered portion'near its free end, leaving a large-diametered free end portion which constitutes a collar 64 so that the small-diametered portion forms an anchoring groove 65. In the'neighborhood of the free end of the time setting shaft 33 is provided a substantially L- shaped operation lever 66 whose central portion is pivoted by a pin 91. The operation lever 66 is urged always in a clockwise direction by its torsion spring operation, that is, in a direction that the anchoring end portion 67 of the horizontal section 66a of the lever 66 is urged into engagement withthe lower surface of the collar 64.

A shaft holding device 68 is such that when the time setting shaft 33 is moved, the anchoring groove of the time setting shaft 33 is engaged with the anchoring end portion 67, thereby holding the shaft 33 in a biased condition. The lower end portion of the vertical section 6612 of the operation lever 66 is abutted against the actuator 69a of a cookingswitch 69 disposed below the timer motor 55.

Below the first plate spring 54 is disposed, parallel to the time setting shaft 33, an axially movable starting shaft 70 whose rear end confronts the lower end portion of the vertical section 66b of the operation lever 66 and whose front end extends ahead of the panel 18. The starting shaft 70 is urged always in a forward direction by means of a spring 92.

A cam groove 71, having a relatively deep recess 71a, is provided on the one side of the outer periphery of respective time indication drums 25, 26, 27, as shown in detail in FIGS. 6 to 8. A switch actuating mechanism 72, whose legs 72a are guided along the cam groove 71, is pivotally supported on the chassis with a shaft 74 as a fulcrum. A tension spring 73 is disposed between the switch actuating mechanism 72 and the chassis to cause the switch actuating mechanism 72 to be urged always in a clockwise direction (FIGS. 5 and 6) to permit the legs 72 of the switch actuating mechanism to be abutted against the cam groove 71. In the neighborhood of the end portion 72b of one projection of the switch actuating mechanism 72 is provided an actuator 75a of a time limit switch 75 provided in a power source supply circuit for the high-frequency oscillator 17 and timer motor 55. Consequently, when the time indication drums 25, 26, 27 are each in a starting position, the legs 72a of the switch actuating mechanism 72 are positioned in the recesses 71a of the cam grooves 71, as shown in FIG. 7, and the time limit switch 75 is opened. When any of the time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 is rotated to cause the corresponding leg to be displaced from the recess 71a, the actuator 75a is depressed by the end portion 72b of the actuating mechanism to cause a microswitch to be closed, as shown in FIG. 6.

When the time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 are in a starting position, respective display numerals 0, marked on the

respective drums

25, 26 and 27, are observed from outside through respective display windows 76 provided in the panel 18.

To the switch actuating mechanism 72 is connected one end of a support plate spring 78 extending substantially parallel to the shaft 32. A striker 77 is supported on the other end of the spring 78. The striker 77 confronts the outer periphery of a bell 79, and when the legs 72a of the switch actuating mechanism fall in the recesses 71a, the bell 79 is struck by the striker 77 to produce an alarm sound indicating the completion of heating.

The time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 are made preferably of a light-transmissive material, for example, synthetic resin, and a light source 80 is provided within the outermost time indication drum 27. Consequently, the respective display numerals are clearly seen through the display windows 76. In an attempt to have the respective display windows illuminated with the same brilliance, a layer 81 is provided so that the respective display windows, corresponding to the respective time indication drums, are adjusted in brilliance.

The layer 81 is so stepped that its thickest section 81a corresponds to the time indication drum 27 nearest to the light source; sections 81b and 810 of the layer 81 being succeeded in a diminishing order of thickness in chosen to be dependent upon the distance of the respective time indication drums, as measured from the light source, as well as the quality of a material to be used. A light adjusting meansmay be formed as shown, for example, in'FIG. 11, by varying in a diminishing order the thickness of the respective time indication drums 27, 26 and 25. In this case, the outer periphery of the time indication drum nearest to the light source is made the thickest and the outer periphery of the display drum most remote from the light source is made thinnest. The thickness of made respective time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 may becontrolled during their formation, or display drums of the same thickness may be formed. In the latter case, light transmissive plates of varying thickness may be attached to the inside of the respective time indication drums.

A circuit used in the above-mentioned electronic oven will be explained by reference to FIG. 9.

One terminal of an AC power source 82 is connected to a high-frequency oscillator 17 such as a magnetron through a first bus 84 including a normally open contact 83 of a relay 83, and the other terminal of the AC power source 82 is connected to the highfrequency oscillator 17 through a second bus 85 including a normally open contact 83 of the relay 83, Between the terminals of the AC power source 82, is connected a series circuit in which a power source switch 86, third normally open contact 83 of the relay 83, normally open switch 75b of the time limit switch 75 and timer motor 55 are connected. A normally open contact 69b of a cooking switch 69 is connected in parallel with the third normally open contact 83 and the timer motor 55 is connected in parallel with the relay 83.

The operation of the electronic oven, so constructed, will be explained below.

After a push-button 19 is depressed to cause a power switch 86 to be closed, a material to be heated is received within the heating chamber 14. A heating time can be set dependent upon the kind and amount of the material to be heated. As shown in FIG. 2, when the knob 22 is depressed in a direction indicated by an arrow a, to cause the

time setting shafts

33 and 41 to be moved in an axial direction, that engaging portion 67 of the bar 66 which is located in the engaging groove 65 is moved and then the

time setting shafts

33 and 41 are held in a moved condition by the torsion spring force of the bar 66. In this condition, the gear 36 on the time setting shaft 33 is engaged with the first crown gear 34 in interlock with the time setting shaft 36, and the second crown gear 44 on the time setting shaft 41 is engaged with the intermediate gear 43. At the same time, the plate springs 54 and 63 are spring deformed outwardly by the upper and lower portions of a lever 54 to cause the first carry gear 48 and intermediate gear 60, connected to the respective free ends of the plate springs 54 and 63, to be urged in a direction indicated by an arrow b. As a result, a connection between the

time indicating drums

25 and 26 and a connection between the gear 59 and the time setting shaft 25 are cut off.

When the

knobs

22 and 23 are rotated, to cause the respective time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 to be rotated, predetermined amounts in a direction indicated by an arrow c, the leg 7 2a of the switch actuating mechanism 72 is displaced from the deep recess 71a of the cam groove 71, as shown in FIG. 8, to cause the leg 72a of the switch actuating mechanism to be spaced, a distance corresponding to a heating time, away from the recess 71a. Displacement of the leg 72a from the recess 710 causes the end portion 72b of the actuating mechanism 72 to depress the actuator 75a of the time limit switch 75 to permit the contact 75b to be closed. A setting time, at this time, is indicated by the respective time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 and can be observed through the display windows 76. The swing of the actuating mechanism 72 causes the plate spring 78 to be displaced to permit the striker 77, mounted on the plate spring 78, to be displaced to permit the striker 77, mounted on the forward end portion of the spring 78, to be spaced apart from the bell 79. 1

As mentioned above, after the heating time is set, the push button 20 for the cooking switch is depressed in a direction indicated by an arrow d and cooking is started. In more detail, when the push button 20 is depressed to a position indicated by a double-dot dash line, the starting shaft 70 is moved in an axial direction to cause its end to push the vertical section 66b of the operative lever 66. Consequently, the operative lever 66 is swung a small amount against its own torsion spring force to cause the engaging portion 67 of the operative lever 66 to be disengaged from the anchoring groove 65. This causes the

time setting shafts

33 and 41 to be moved, by an urging force of the spring 45, back to the original position. As a result, the gear 36 and crown gear 44 are disengaged from the gear 37 and intermediate gear 43, respectively. The plate springs 54 and 63 are returned to an original state, and the first carry gear 48 and intermediate gear 60, connected to the respective free ends of the plate springs 54 and 63, respectively, are returned to an original position. Consequently, the time indication drums 25 and 26 are connected and the time indication drum 25 and the spur gear 59, for transmitting a drive force of the timer motor 55, are connected.

When the starting button 20 is further depressed, to a position shown in a solid line in FIG. 3, the engaging section 67 disengaged from the groove 65 is abutted against the collar 64. At this time, the actuator 69a of the cooking switch 69 is depressed by the vertical section 66b of the operation lever 66 to close the contact 69b.

As mentioned above, when the power source switch 86, time limit contact 75b of the time limit switch 75 and contact 69b of the cooking switch 69 are closed, the relay 83 is energized to cause the normally

open contacts

83,, 83 and 83 to be closed. As a result, the high-frequency oscillator 17 is operated by the power source 82 to oscillate a high-frequency wave into the heating chamber 14 and, at the same time, the timer motor 55 is operated to cause the time setting drum to be rotated at uniform speed in a reverse direction. When the hand of the user is released from the pushbutton 20, the starting shaft 70 is returned to the original position by the force of the spring 92 and, as shown in FIG. 2, the contact 69b of the cooking switch is closed. Even when the contact 69b is opened, the highfrequency oscillator 17 and timer motor 55 continue to be operated, since the normally open switch 83a is closed. A time indicating mechanism is so operated that, during the operation of the timer motor, when the time indication drum 25 makes one rotation the time indication drum 26 makes one-tenth of a rotation, and when the time indication drum 26 makes one rotation the time indication drum 27 makes one-tenth of a rotation. The remaining heating time is displayed through the display windows each time the time indication drums are rotated.

When a predetermined setting time is reached,'the respective recesses 71a of the cam grooves 71 of all the time indication drums 25, 26 and 27 are all in alignment. That is, the switch actuating mechanism 72 is displaced by a spring 73 so that the leg 7] falls into the groove 71a. As a result, the contact 75b of the time limit switch 75 is opened to cause the relay 83 to be deenergized to permit the normally

open contacts

83,, 83 and 83 to be opened. Thus, the high-frequency oscillator l7 and timer motor 55 stop their operation. The swinging movement of the switch actuating mechanism 72 causes the plate spring 78 to be rotated, and the striker 77, mounted on the end portion of the plate spring 78, strikes the alarm bell, informing the user of completion of heating.

Though, with the above-mentioned alarm mechanism consisting of the striker and bell, a bell is struck only once by the striker, the bell may be so constructed as to produce a plurality of alarm sounds. In this case, for example, the striker may be constructed so as to strike the bell a plurality of times by causing a cam to be interlockingly associated with an actuating mechanism. As an alarm sound source, use is made of a buzzer, chime, orgel (music box) etc. It is convenient in this case to make an ON-OFF operation with respect to an electric circuit of such sound source.

With the above-mentioned embodiment, the groove 65 and collar 64 are provided at the end portion of the time setting shaft 33 so that the time setting shaft can be returned to the original position through the lever 66, engaged with the groove and collar, when the starting shaft is depressed to cause the lever to be urged. However, this invention is not restricted to this structure. As one example, a structure, as-shown in FIG. 10, may be adopted. In this case, collars 70a and 33a are provided midway of the starting shaft 70 and time setting shaft 33, respectively, and a lever 93 is pivotally mounted at its center in a manner that the rear end portion of the respective collars 70a and 33a is engaged with one side surface of the respective ends of the lever. When the starting shaft 70 is moved, the collar 70a urges one end of the lever 93 to cause the lever to be swung to permit the time setting shaft 33 to be returned to the original position through the other end of the lever. A reference numeral 94 is a shaft holding means such as an O-ring etc. When the time settingshaft 33 is depressed to cause it to be moved in an axial direction, the shaft holding means functions to hold the shaft 33 in a moved state. A reference numeral 95 is a tension spring for urging the lever 93 normally in a clockwise direction.

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic oven comprising a housing provided with a heating chamber and heating time indicating windows, a high-frequency oscillator, second and minute time unit setting shafts provided in the housing to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof and movable in an axial direction, rotatable second and minute indication bodies associated with each other so that a remaining heating time is displayed through the heating time indicating windows, connecting means operatively connecting the time setting shafts to the time indication bodies to cause the time indication bodies to be rotated an amount corresponding to the extent of rotation involved when the time setting shafts are rotated from an original position after an axial movement, and adopted to cut off the operative connection between the time indication bodies and the time setting shafts when the time setting shafts are returned to the original position, a starting shaft provided in the housing to be movable in an axial direction, means adapted to return the time setting shafts to the original position when the time starting shaft is moved, means for causing the high-frequency oscillator to be operated when the starting shaft is moved, and a timer motor causing the time indication bodies to be rotated by said amount in a reverse direction when the starting shaft is moved.

2. An electronic oven according to claim 1 further including means for holding the time setting shafts in a position where the time setting shafts are moved.

3. An electronic oven according to claim 1 in which said second and minute time unit setting shafts are coaxially provided relative to each other, the time setting shafts having outwardly extending one end where knobs are provided respectively.

4. An electronic oven according to claim 1 in which the minute indication body has a 10-minute indication body and a 1-minute indication body which are connected to the second indication body in a manner that when said second indication body makes one rotation the l-minute indication body makes one-tenth rotation and when said l-minute indication body makes one rotation the l0-minute indication body makes one-tenth rotation, said second indication body bearing equidistantly spaced numerals within numerals 0-59 on its entire peripheral surface and said l-minute and 10- minute indication bodies bearing equidistantly spaced numerals 0-9 on their entire peripheral surfaces.

5. An electronic oven according to claim 1 in which said respective time indication bodies are light transmissive drums, a light source is provided within the outermost one of the time indication bodies, and means is provided so as to make uniform light amounts passed through the heating time indicating windows.

6. An electronic oven according to claim 1 further including sound producing means for informing the completion of heating when all the time indication bodies stop their rotation.

Claims

1. An electronic oven comprising a housing provided with a heating chamber and heating time indicating windows, a highfrequency oscillator, second and minute time unit setting shafts provided in the housing to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof and movable in an axial direction, rotatable second and minute indication bodies associated with each other so that a remaining heating time is displayed through the heating time indicating windows, connecting means operatively connecting the time setting shafts to the time indication bodies to cause the time indication bodies to be rotated an amount corresponding to the extent of rotation involved when the time setting shafts are rotated from an original position after an axial movement, and adopted to cut off the operative connection between the time indication bodies and the time setting shafts when the time setting shafts are returned to the original position, a starting shaft provided in the housing to be movable in an axial direction, means adapted to return the time setting shafts to the original position when the time starting shaft is moved, means for causing the high-frequency oscillator to be operated when the starting shaft is moved, and a timer motor causing the time indication bodies to be rotated by said amount in a reverse direction when the starting shaft is moved.

4. An electronic oven according to claim 1 in which the minute indication body has a 10-minute indication body and a 1-minute indication body which are connected to the second indication body in a manner that when said second indication body makes one rotation the 1-minute indication body makes one-tenth rotation and when said 1-minute indication body makes one rotation the 10-minute indication body makes one-tenth rotation, said second indication body bearing equidistantly spaced numerals within numerals 0-59 on its entire peripheral surface and said 1-minute and 10-minute indication bodies bearing equidistantly spaced numerals 0-9 on their entire peripheral surfaces.