With Control System Patents (Class 219/702)
  • Patent number: 7514658
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for data transmitting/receiving between a microwave oven and an information appliance PDA. The apparatus includes a wireless data transmitting/receiving unit for conducting wireless data communication with an external system including an information appliance; a data storage unit for storing transmitted/received data through the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or downloaded data from Internet; a display unit for displaying transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit; a load drive unit for driving a magnetron and/or a heater; and Micom interfaced with the above elements, and interpreting the transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or checking a state of the microwave oven, and controlling the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit to transmit the data on the state of the microwave oven to an information appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Ji Woong Kim
  • Publication number: 20090011101
    Abstract: A combination oven includes convection, steam and microwave cooking sources. When implementing a user selected cooking program using the microwave source and at least one of the other sources, the oven control is configured to implement the cooking program in a manner using an input food product mass value to set microwave energy level applied to the food product during operation of the cooking program and without changing cook time as set by the cooking program. The microwave energy level may be set such that end product achieved without changing cook time has a comparable degree of doneness regardless of mass. The oven control, or a separate computerized device, may be used to automatically convert a non-microwave cooking program into a microwave enhanced cooking program that is stored by the oven control for selection by an operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: James E. Doherty, Michel Foray, Gerard Beausse
  • Patent number: 7473869
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus using barcodes, including: a barcode reader which reads a barcode including cooking information recorded in the barcode; a cooking information calculator which analyzes the basic cooking information based on an analysis rule for analyzing the cooking information and calculating a final cooking condition based on the analyzed cooking information; and a controller which controls elements of the cooking apparatus to perform cooking so as to achieve the final cooking condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun-Bong Chun
  • Publication number: 20080272115
    Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to provide an inverter circuit capable of suppressing an overshooting phenomenon of an input current at an instantaneous time when an initiating operation of the inverter circuit is switched to the normal operation thereof, and thus, capable of preventing damages of IGBTs and a magnetron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruo Suenaga, Hideaki Moriya, Shinichi Sakai, Hisashi Morikawa, Toyotsugu Matsukura, Nobuo Shirokawa
  • Publication number: 20080264934
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved reactor, which allows microwave-assisted processing of feedstocks or mixtures of hydrocarbons, and the operating system thereof, which operates under high temperatures and pressures of hydrogen or other gases, in continuous of batch mode. The invention relates to modifications in the geometric configuration of the reactor to process diverse hydrocarbon feedstocks, with or without the addition of catalysts, in the presence or absence of hydrogen or other gases, forming a system which includes a reaction vessel and associated devices, so as to to allow better transmittance of the radiation onto the feedstock to be processed and guarantee maximum absorption of the microwaves by the the reaction medium irrespective of the composition thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Elizabeth Marques MOREIRA, Mauri Jose Baldini Cardoso, Sumair Gouveia de Araujo, Jiro Takahashi, Mauricio Souza de Alencar
  • Publication number: 20080257881
    Abstract: The high-frequency heating device, the subject of the present invention, is driven by an inverter and, by reducing the power losses in the mentioned inverter the operating efficiency is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Namik Yilmaz, Cem Kural
  • Patent number: 7435932
    Abstract: Provided is a control unit of an oven. The control unit includes a board support panel, a first PCB, and a second PCB. The first PCB is installed on a backside of the board support panel such that heat from a heat source of the oven is blocked by the board support panel so as to reduce the heat on the first PCB. The second PCB is installed on a front side of the board support panel and may be a display PCB. The board support panel may be formed with resilient hooks to retain the PCBs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Eui Su Jung
  • Patent number: 7427329
    Abstract: A reactor for heat treatment of a substrate having a process chamber within a substrate enclosing structure, and a support structure configured to position a substrate at a predetermined spacing between the upper part and the bottom part within the process chamber during processing. Streams of gas may lift the substrate from the support structure so that the substrate floats. A plurality of heating elements is associated with at least one of the upper part and the bottom part and are arranged to define heating zones. A controller controls the heating elements individually so that each heating zone is configured to have a predetermined temperature determined by the controller. The heating zones provide for a non-uniform heating laterally across the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, Ernst H. A. Granneman
  • Patent number: 7420145
    Abstract: A method for preventing overheating of a microwave oven including a controller for controlling an output level of a magnetron is disclosed. The method includes: a) receiving information of cooking conditions and a cooking start command input by a user, the cooking conditions including an output level of the magnetron for subsequent cooking, b) detecting a pausing period of time from a time of finishing preceding cooking to a time of starting the subsequent cooking if it is determined that the output level of the magnetron is greater than a preset output level thereof, and c) operating the microwave oven at the preset output level after changing the output level to the preset output level according to the detected pausing period. According to this method, components of the microwave oven are effectively prevented from being overheated while maintaining cooking efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Seung Hoe Kim
  • Publication number: 20080116198
    Abstract: A microwave oven including an oven housing defining an oven chamber, a magnetron in the oven housing, and three alternative paths along which electrical power may be supplied to the magnetron, the three alternative power supply paths including an alternating current (AC) power supply path that enables the oven to be electrically connected directly to AC mains, a first direct current (DC) power supply path that enables the oven to be electrically connected directly to an electrical socket in a motor vehicle, and a second DC power supply path that enables the oven to be electrically connected directly to a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: The Frank Group, LLC
    Inventor: Tim Frank
  • Patent number: 7368693
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a heating chamber for heating and cooking foods, a heating unit for supplying heat energy to the heating chamber; a controller for controlling an operation of the heating unit, and an input unit for inputting cooking information into the controller. The input unit includes as one unit a display unit for displaying the cooking information to be inputted and an electrode unit having one or more switches directly formed on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Maeda
  • Patent number: 7365291
    Abstract: A high voltage input apparatus for a magnetron, in which first protrusions formed on lead conductors are caught by insulators and an insulating case, a ground metal is bonded to the insulating case, and expanded portions formed on the insulators are caught by the insulating case and the ground metal, thereby firmly fixing the lead conductors and preventing the lead conductors from being undesirably separated from the insulators and the insulating case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Soo Lee, Jong Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 7361303
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing organic waste. The apparatus comprises a conveyor to move waste to a first chamber for weighing waste and purging oxygen, a second chamber for treating, sterilizing and reducing waste by reverse polymerization, and a third chamber for cooling reduced and sterilized waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Environmental Waste International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Kantor, Michael Griffin, Roman Ruginets, Douglas Norton
  • Patent number: 7361866
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus using barcodes, including: a barcode reader which reads a barcode including cooking information recorded in the barcode; a cooking information calculator which analyzes the basic cooking information based on an analysis rule for analyzing the cooking information and calculating a final cooking condition based on the analyzed cooking information; and a controller which controls elements of the cooking apparatus to perform cooking so as to achieve the final cooking condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun-Bong Chun
  • Patent number: 7351941
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for data transmitting/receiving between a microwave oven and an information appliance PDA. The apparatus includes a wireless data transmitting/receiving unit for conducting wireless data communication with an external system including an information appliance; a data storage unit for storing transmitted/received data through the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or downloaded data from Internet; a display unit for displaying transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit; a load drive unit for driving a magnetron and/or a heater; and Micom interfaced with the above elements, and interpreting the transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or checking a state of the microwave oven, and controlling the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit to transmit the data on the state of the microwave oven to an information appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Ji Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 7348527
    Abstract: A microwave oven for use in cooking food having a door and door mounted controls and a cooling system where the door mounted controls are disclosed. The microwave oven having an external enclosure defining an outer cabinet and an oven cavity supported within the external enclosure where the oven cavity has a front access opening. The door is rotatably supported adjacent the external enclosure for selectively closing the access opening. A control unit is mounted within the door and a ventilation cooling path is formed within the door for cooling the control unit mounted with the door. A blower is supported within the external enclosure for directing an air flow toward the door and into the ventilation cooling path. The microwave can further include a housing which is supported within the door for enclosing the control unit and where the housing forms part of the ventilation cooling path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Eckart Braunisch, Ulf Nordh, Per Torngren, Anders Zeijlon, Hakan Lundstrom, Hans Lindgren, Hakan Carlsson, Alan D. Bengtson, Renee M. Garnham, Laura E. Petzke
  • Patent number: 7343850
    Abstract: A cooking appliance including at least one heating unit for heating a cooking area and including at least one extractor fan. At least one parameter of the extractor fan can be controlled to different values by a control unit, regardless of the selected cooking mode. At least one parameter value is stored in an electronic storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Gerl
  • Patent number: 7332057
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for vaporizing a liquid by slowly evaporating the liquid from a liquid phase to a vapor phase below the boiling point of the liquid; and applying an effective amount of microwave power to maintain the slow evaporation of the liquid to produce a purified liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell Isom, Prasad Apte, Arthur Edward Holmer
  • Patent number: 7308852
    Abstract: A cooking oven, wherein air in a cooking chamber is sucked into a blower on the outside of the cooking chamber and fed to an upper duct and a lateral duct, air current led into the upper duct is heated by an upper heater and re-circulated from an upper blowing port to the cooking chamber, a catalyst block heated by a catalyst heating heater is disposed in the upper duct to decompose lamp black and smell substances contained in the air current, catalyst paint is applied onto the inner wall surface of the upper duct to reinforce a performance for decomposing the lamp black and smell substances, both the lateral duct and the upper duct are formed in the same structure, the distributions of heating volumes of the upper heater and the lateral heater in the cross sections of the upper duct and the lateral duct are set so that larger heating volumes are generated on larger air volume sides according to the air volume distributions in the cross sections of the ducts, and the catalyst block is also disposed in the cro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuyasu Kaminaka, Tadashi Nasu, Masayuki Iwamoto, Yuzi Andoh, Takashi Hashimoto, Toshiyuki Irie, Tetsuichi Arita
  • Patent number: 7267833
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method automatically cook food, for example, a hulled grain such as buckwheat, thereby conveniently providing the uniform and optimal cooking quality of the food to a user. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity that contains food to be cooked and water therein, and a heating unit that heats the food and the water. The cooking apparatus further includes a control unit operated in such a way as to heat the food and the water at a preset initial output of the heating unit, first to reduce the output of the heating unit to a first reduced output and allow the heated high temperature water to be absorbed into the food after a first preset time has elapsed, and second, to reduce the output of the heating unit to a second reduced output and cook an inside of the food using the high temperature water absorbed into the food after the water has simmered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chull Shon, Boris V. Rayskiy, Tai Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 7241980
    Abstract: A control method for a microwave oven equipped with a tray installed in a cooking chamber to rotate a popcorn bag while having a popcorn cooking mode to cook popcorn. During cooking, rotation of the tray is temporarily stopped near the point of time when the popcorn bag is increased in size to a maximum size. Accordingly, problems caused by the fact that the popcorn bag comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the cooking chamber so that it cannot rotate are solved. The popcorn cooking mode is an operation mode to cook a popcorn product with corn grains packed in the popcorn bag in a state in which it is folded at least one time. The rotation of the tray is temporarily stopped near the point of time when the popcorn bag is estimated to achieve its maximum length as a folded portion of the popcorn bag is unfolded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun-Suk Kim
  • Patent number: 7230219
    Abstract: An oscillation control signal generated by an inverter power source control circuit (12) includes a reference voltage setting signal for approximating the current waveform of the AC output form the AC power source (1) to a sinusoidal wave by making both sides of the waveform generate current according to the fluctuation of the PWM control signal, and a waveform shaping signal consisting of a peak adjustment signal of a sinusoidal waveform for approximating the waveform peak portion of the current waveform to a sinusoidal wave by subtraction. Accordingly, even if the PWM control signal fluctuates, it is possible to automatically improve the power factor of the power source circuit to a value higher than a predetermined value by approximating the current waveform of the AC output from the AC power source to the sinusoidal wave, thereby improving the efficiency of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignees: Tabuchi Electric Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinobu Miyazaki, Masaki Nakaishi, Shinichi Masuda
  • Patent number: 7214915
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes an inverter power supply for driving the high frequency generating device, a holding member for holding the inverter power supply and cooling fan for cooling down the inverter power supply. The holding member is provided with a holding portion for holding the inverter power supply and an air guide portion for guiding cooling air from the cooling fan toward the inverter power supply, and the air guide portion covers the inverter power supply and guides the cooling air in a manner that a semiconductor switching device and a high voltage transformer of the inverter power supply are primarily cooled down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahide Yamaguchi, Koji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7211775
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a door. The door includes a door unit for selectively opening/closing a cooking chamber and a control unit, for controlling an operation of the microwave oven, is arranged at a predetermined part of the door unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Ryong Lee
  • Patent number: 7202454
    Abstract: A method for the determination of a turning time of at least one cooking product, to which heat is supplied from one side during a cooking process includes a) determination of a first temperature TA in the cooking product at the beginning of the cooking process at an initial time point tA as well as of a set temperature TE of the cooking product which must exist at the end of the cooking process at the end time tE; b) acquiring of a first temperature difference between the set temperature Tset and the first temperature TA; c) determination of at least one actual temperature Tactual in the cooking product at several times during the cooking process; d) acquiring of the time of turning tT as the time at which a second temperature difference between the set temperature Tset and the actual temperature Tactual reaches a certain fraction of the first temperature difference; and e) outputting a signal when the time of turning tT is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Rational AG
    Inventors: Peter Wiedemann, Klaus Altenburger, Helen Podestat
  • Patent number: 7196297
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for binder removal and sintering of materials such as ceramic materials and products, LTCC intervals, solid oxide fuel cells and powder metals. A combination of microwave and convection/radiation heating is employed for binder removal and sintering. Preferably, the microwave heating is accomplished using a variable or multi-frequency microwave source. A gas atmosphere is provided in the furnace chamber by one or more eductors which produces a high volume gas circulation in the furnace chamber to achieve a highly uniform gas environment and temperature. The process in accordance with the invention controls the heating cycle, the heat sources and thermal profile depending upon the composition of the particular material being processed. The thermal processing can be accomplished in a batch furnace in which a product is loaded for processing and unloaded after processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: BTU International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald A. Seccombe, Jr., Gary Orbeck
  • Patent number: 7157675
    Abstract: A temperature controlled heatable object is provided in which a temperature sensor is connected to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag is located within the handle of the object, and the temperature sensor is placed in contact with the object. In a first embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor is partially imbedded within the object via a notch located in the side of the object. In a second embodiment of the invention, a temperature sensor is imbedded within a tunnel drilled within the base of the object. In a third embodiment, a temperature sensor is imbedded between the bottom of the object and a slab attached to the bottom of the object. The sensor can be located in a slot formed in either the slab or the bottom or the object. Handles and receivers for mounting the handles to the temperature controllable objects are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Imura International U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Mamoru Imura
  • Patent number: 7117937
    Abstract: A combined refrigerator-oven (20) includes an enclosed chamber (28) having a top wall (22), a bottom wall (24), and vertical side walls (26). The refrigerator-oven (20) further includes a heating unit (50) and a refrigeration unit (70). A controller (118) is in communication with the heating unit (50) and the refrigeration unit (70). When a cooling mode is selected, the controller (118) activates the refrigeration unit (70) to deliver cool air (62) into the enclosed chamber (28). When a heating mode is selected, the controller (118) activates the heating unit (50) to produce heat (66) in the enclosed chamber (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventors: Ron D. Clark, Mark A. George
  • Patent number: 7105787
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively maintaining the power-frequency spectrum in a reverberation chamber. The invention is thus capable of maintaining a relatively constant power-frequency spectrum in the chamber even when a device under examination is placed into the chamber which exhibits selective frequency absorption and or directional frequency absorption. The object disposed within the chamber need not necessarily be a device under examination. Rather, the present invention can also adaptively maintain a relatively constant power-frequency spectrum when heating any material disposed within a electromagnetic wave chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fiore Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Clemen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7102110
    Abstract: A magnetron oscillating apparatus includes a magnetron, power supply unit, and switch circuit. The magnetron oscillates a microwave. The power supply unit applies a power to the magnetron. The switch circuit is connected between the power supply unit and the cathode of the magnetron and turned on/off on the basis of a control signal. When the switch circuit is turned on by the control signal, a voltage is applied between the cathode and the grounded anode of the magnetron to cause the magnetron to pulse-oscillate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Nihon Koshuha Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Kibatsu Shinohara
  • Patent number: 7092988
    Abstract: An improved oven for use in a residence is described. The oven includes a cooking chamber, a programmable controller for executing program instructions, memory media for recording executable program instructions, and at least one controllable cooking system under control of the programmable controller, which provides a data-processing-controlled high speed cooking process which may be applied to food placed in the oven chamber. A plurality of cooking programs are recorded in the memory media of the oven. These define a plurality of high speed cooking routines available for use with the oven. A gateway server is communicatively coupled to the programmable controller. It manages the communication of digital content which is at least in-part related to operation and utilization of the improved oven. A broadband communication channel extends from a source of digital content, which is external to the residence, to the residence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bogatin, Richard Caron, David McFadden, Bryan Connell, Carl Pryor, James K. Pool, III
  • Patent number: 7087874
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method, for drying ceramic molded articles, are disclosed. A drying apparatus (1) comprises a drying chamber (10) for accommodating ceramic molded articles (8), a plurality of microwave generators (20) for supplying microwave energy into the drying chamber, and a conveyor (30) for charging the ceramic molded articles (8) continuously into the drying chamber (10), conveying the ceramic molded articles through the drying chamber, and delivering the ceramic molded articles from the drying chamber. The drying chamber (10) has arranged therein a plurality of the microwave generators (20) and at least a sensor (40) for detecting the distribution of the ceramic molded articles (8) in the drying chamber (10). Each microwave generator (20) is adapted to change the output thereof in accordance with the distribution of the ceramic molded articles (8) detected by the sensor (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Micro Denshi Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ishikawa, Hiromi Katou, Shoichi Goto, Tomio Minobe
  • Patent number: 7064306
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an inverter microwave oven and a method for controlling the same, wherein a switching frequency of an inverter is raised during the initial operation of the microwave oven and then lowered during the normal operation of the oven after the lapse of a predetermined time, so as to prevent overvoltage from being applied to a magnetron, which generates electromagnetic waves, during the initial operation, thereby enhancing durability and operational reliability of the inverter. The inverter microwave oven comprises a rectifier for rectifying and smoothing a commercial AC voltage into a DC voltage. The inverter is adapted to perform a switching operation based on the DC voltage from the rectifier to generate a magnetron drive AC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Myung Shin
  • Patent number: 7064305
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an output of a magnetron of a microwave oven is provided. The method includes setting an initial input current to generate an output higher than rated output. Thereafter, the magnetron is driven using initial input current of the setting. The output of the magnetron is varied within a preset time to prevent overheating caused by driving of the magnetron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7060953
    Abstract: A microwave oven and automatic cooking system uses a food package provided with a noncontact IC tag storing information about a food contained in the food package, where the information about the food includes information about a method of heating the food and an amount of heat energy for cooking the food, the information about the amount of heat energy being expressed in a form of an absolute amount of heat energy. The microwave oven receives the food package and cooks the food contained in the food package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Ishikawa, Shigeru Nakano
  • Patent number: 7060954
    Abstract: Timing of zero voltage in zero-voltage detector for detecting zero voltage of a commercial power supply 1 is predicted and input from the zero-voltage detector 6 is received only for a given time before and after the predicted timing, whereby overvoltage and overcurrent caused by a zero point shift can be prevented. Thus, it is provided a magnetron drive power supply which is excellent in stability for change in the power supply environment such as noise or instantaneous power interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitaizumi, Haruo Suenaga, Hideaki Moriya, Emiko Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 7057145
    Abstract: A menu selection device for a microwave oven is provided which is constructed such that a single display device may be divided into a menu guide unit and a menu selection unit. The menu guide unit is used to display a variety of menus, whereas the menu selection unit is constructed in the form of a touch screen which allows for selection of a particular menu from among the menus displayed on the menu guide unit. Use of a menu guide unit and a menu selection unit within a single display device makes a greater variety of cooking alternatives available to a user, while decreasing the size of the touch screen portion of the menu selection device and decreasing production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Dae-Ho Kang
  • Patent number: 7049569
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave oven with an air cleaning function. The microwave oven includes an air cleaning button formed on a control panel of the microwave oven, a controller for determining an input signal from the air cleaning button and generating a driving signal, and a fan driving part for operating a fan disposed in the microwave oven to allow intake air to pass through a filter, thereby removing pollutants contained in the intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seog Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 7049567
    Abstract: A wall-mounted type microwave oven selectively changes a discharging direction of air from a cooking chamber to the outside of a room and to the inside of the room. The microwave oven includes an oven body having a cooking chamber and an electric component compartment, an exhaust flow path which communicates with a lower portion of the oven body and an upper portion of the oven body to exhaust air existing under the oven body to the outside, a ventilation flow path which communicates with the inside of the cooking chamber and a front air outlet to ventilate the cooking chamber, a communicating flow path which is provided in the oven body and allows the exhaust flow path to communicate with the ventilation flow path, and a path-converting device which is provided in the communicating flow path and selectively discharges the air exhausted from the cooking chamber toward either the front air outlet or the exhaust flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gong-Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7034267
    Abstract: Circuit for operating a microwave oven including a DC voltage source, a switching part having at least two switching devices electrically connected to the DC voltage source for switching a voltage from the DC voltage source, controlling part for controlling the switching part, a magnetron for generating a microwave, and a converting part for converting the voltage from the DC voltage source to a voltage for operating the magnetron by switching of the switching part, thereby permitting operation of the microwave oven by using a car battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Wan Soo Kim, Sung Jin Han
  • Patent number: 7030349
    Abstract: A combination oven includes radiant cooking lamps and a magnetron for delivering cooking energy to a cooking cavity. The oven is operable in a speed cooking mode utilizing both radiant and microwave energy, a microwave only cooking mode utilizing only microwave energy, and a radiant only cooking mode utilizing only radiant energy. A radiant cooking element is briefly energized upon user command during microwave only cooking modes and lower power radiant cooking modes to illuminate the cooking cavity for visualization of cooking in progress. A duration of cavity illumination is limited to prevent cooking of food during cavity illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Todd Vincent Graves, Dennis Patrick Kill, Jesse Spalding Head, Charles Ray Smith
  • Patent number: 7026589
    Abstract: A microwave oven with a control panel including a case, a circuit board mounted to the case, and a coupling device adapted to couple the case and the circuit board. The coupling device includes a plurality of coupling members protruded from an inner surface of the case. Each of the coupling members has an engagement protrusion at a protruded end thereof. The coupling device also includes a plurality of engagement holes provided at the circuit board at positions corresponding to respective coupling members so that the engagement holes are engaged with the engagement protrusions of the coupling members, respectively. Accordingly, it is possible to mount the circuit board to a rear side of the case in the interior of the case without using fixing screws, in accordance with a single-pass mounting process, thereby achieving an enhancement in the productivity of circuit boards and a reduction in manufacturing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Kwang Kim
  • Patent number: 7015440
    Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of controlling the same, in which a cooking unit disposed in a cooking cavity is moved from an initial position to a cooking position. In the microwave oven, a magnetron is operated after heaters are moved to respective cooking positions where a rotating unit to move the heaters and the magnetron are operated. Accordingly, microwaves are radiated into the cooking cavity while the heaters are not being moved by the rotating unit, so a generation of heat and sparks resulting from a concentration of the microwaves into spaces between a moving unit including the rotating unit and the cooking unit and between the moving unit and a wall of the cooking cavity is preventable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-Gyu Ryu
  • Patent number: 7009147
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a controller for establishing a plurality of operating modes for heating an oven cavity. Specifically, the controller establishes one of a pre-heat mode, a ready mode, a first low power mode and a second low power mode for controlling a temperature of the oven cavity. Upon selecting a temperature for the oven cavity, the controller operates a radiant heating device, a convection fan and a convection heating device at full power to establish the selected temperature. After the selected temperature is achieved, the controller switches to a ready mode and reduces heat output of both the radiant heating device and the convection heating device, while also reducing fan speed. After respective periods of time in which a door of the appliance is not opened, the controller switches to first and second low power modes to conserve energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Schulte
  • Patent number: 6998592
    Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of controlling the same. The microwave oven includes a control unit having an internal storage unit to store cooking data and/or operational data to perform one or more existing cooking modes. An external storage unit is arranged independently from the control unit and is electrically connected to the control unit to communicate with the control unit, and stores cooking data and/or the operational data to perform one or more new cooking modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-Gyu Ryu
  • Patent number: 6998591
    Abstract: In a high frequency heating apparatus, a microcomputer inputs the phase signal of a commercial AC power supply and determines whether a timer switch in a mechanical timer apparatus is in ON-state to determine whether the high frequency heating apparatus is in a heating-time set state. If so, the microcomputer turns on a switch that controls the conduction between the commercial AC power supply and a high voltage transformer at such a timing that minimizes the rush current in accordance with the phase of the commercial AC power supply, thereby suppressing the rush current, allowing the user to visually confirm the remaining heating time, and realizing a cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Ito, Koji Ueda
  • Patent number: 6987252
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an oven that includes radiant cooking elements, a microwave cooking element, as well as convection cooking heating elements. The cooking elements are controlled to provide reduced cooking time as compared to known radiant ovens, yet a wide variety of foods can be cooked in the oven. The oven is operable in a speedcooking mode wherein both radiant and microwave cooking elements are utilized, a microwave only cooking mode wherein only the magnetron is utilized, and a convection/bake mode wherein radiant and convection cooking elements are utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Todd Vincent Graves, Kevin Farrelly Nolan, Brian Robert Goodrich
  • Patent number: 6984811
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a door. The door includes a door unit for selectively opening/closing a cooking chamber and a control unit, for controlling an operation of the microwave oven, is arranged at a predetermined part of the door unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Ryong Lee
  • Patent number: 6985042
    Abstract: The object to the present invention is to provide a magnetron which can reduce spurious oscillation such as the ??1 mode which presents a problem particularly in magnetrons and can reduce spurious radiations without placing filters. The magnetron of the present invention includes an anode 1 formed by plural vanes 12 in such a manner that inner ends 12 are radially extended toward the center of the anode shell 11 from the inner wall of a cylindrical anode shell, and a cathode 2 provided at the center of the anode 1. The magnetron of the present invention further includes a pair of pole pieces 4 provided in such a manner that a magnetic field can be applied on the interaction space 2 where the inner ends 12a of the vanes 12 and the cathode 2 face with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: New Japan Radio Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Obata, Naoki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 6974937
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for exhausting pollutant for a microwave oven, the apparatus comprising: a sensor part formed at a predetermined portion of the microwave oven, for detecting fumes and/or moisture contained in polluted air generated during a cooking process; a controller for determining whether or not amount of the fumes and/or moisture detected by the sensor part is greater than a predetermined reference value; and a fan driving part operated, when the amount detected by the controller is greater than the reference value, by a driving signal from the controller and allowing air containing the pollutant to be inhaled and then removed from an interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seog Tae Kim