Abstract: A microwave oven interlock is provided to prevent oven operation when the oven door is opened or unlatched. An oven mounted strike is unlatched by lifting a handle mounted at the bottom of the door to allow the door to open upwardly. The interlock is responsive to the initial unlatching movement of the strike to disable the oven even before the door is unlatched. A cam arrangement on the hinges of the door senses the opening of the door to prevent further oven operation.

Abstract: A microwave oven has an up-opening oven door which is hinged to be movable in an arcuate path. The door moves between a closed lower position covering an aperture to the cooking cavity in the front surface of the oven cabinet and an open upper position above the aperture. The axis of this arcuate motion is adjacent the upper edge of the oven door and internal to the oven cabinet. Connecting arms extend from pivots within the cabinet through openings in the front surface of the oven cabinet, and connect to the oven door. To counterbalance spring biased linkage is fastened to the connecting arms and acts to bias the door to its open upper position when the door is opened beyond a neutral point.